Eyes Open

Summary: When a shooting happens at Josslyn and Spencer's highschool, they have to deal with the aftermath.

"Josslyn, honey, we should head home." Carly Corinthos Jacks said, wrapping an arm around her daughter's slender shoulders. Worry was in her voice as she stared down at the tall, bright, blonde's shaking hands. They were stained with blood, as was her sweater. Josslyn hadn't said a word since they'd gotten word of Colby Drew's death. Carly's heart ached as she saw Spencer sitting in the chair across from them, holding his bruised ribs. The boy looked absolutely heartbroken and who could blame him? Josslyn hadn't spoken to him once and Colby had died, shoving him away from the gunman.

She exchanged a look with Morgan who nodded slowly, wrapping an arm around Josslyn and letting her lean on him as they stood. Josslyn's nails dug into his hand and Carly let go of her daughter, wanting to go speak to Spencer.

"Can you tell Josslyn to call me when she's ready to talk? I don't want her hating me. She's too important." The boy asked, dark eyes sad.

Carly wrapped her arms tightly around the boy. "Oh, sweetie. She doesn't hate you. You need to give her a little bit of time, that's all."

Spencer sniffled, eyes red and allowed his father to lead him away.

With that, Carly let a sigh fall from her lips and she closed her eyes to gain control over her emotions. She needed to be strong for her little girl.

Back at the house, Josslyn was in her bedroom, shaking like a leaf and staring at herself in the full length bathroom mirror on her door. Her pale, yellow sweater was stained with brownish-red blood as were her jeans. Her blonde locks of hair framed her face like a curtain and her blue eyes were wild as she pratically ripped her clothes off as if they were on fire. She turned on the water of her shower, not caring that it was so hot against her as she rubbed her skin raw, teary eyes staring down at her hands as she washed the blood off. She could still see what had happened mere hours ago in her mind's eye. Colby was dead. And what's more, her boyfriend had died saving she and Spencer. The guilt ate at her. If she and Spencer hadn't been there, Colby would still be alive. Anya and Christopher Drew wouldn't be burying their son.

The blonde let the tears spill from her eyes, no longer able to keep them at bay. She let out a sobbing wail and slid down into a sitting position in the tub, letting the water fall over her as she wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees.

"Josslyn?" Michael said outside the door, Morgan standing right beside of him as they stared at the bathroom door.

When she didn't answer, Michael turned his head to look at Morgan questioningly. "How long has he been in there?" He asked.

Morgan shrugged, expression sad. "Since we came home. She didn't even talk to me before she ran up to her room."

"Yeah, well, I can't say that I blame her." The older man answered.

His brother shook his head, whispering, "I don't either." under his breath.

The door to the bathroom opened and Josslyn emerged, dressed in her fluffy blue robe and slippers. "It hurts so much."" She said in a throaty whisper. "I see what happened everytime that I close my eyes."

Michael and Morgan both stepped forward, pulling Josslyn close to them. Morgan closed his eyes and rested his chin on the top of his sister's head. He and Michael and their family had come so close to losing her that holding her in their arms provided as much comfort for them as it did for her.

She walked past them and laid down on her bed, curling herself just a little bit as her eyes stared vacantly at a wall.

Her brothers shared another look and laid down on either side of the bed.

"Try and get some sleep." Michael whispered as he pushed the hair away from her face, eyes locked on her's.

She nodded just enough for Morgan and Michael to see and let her eyes drift shut.

It was about an hour or so later that the door to Josslyn's bedroom opened and Carly stepped inside, stopping short as she spotted her three children lying on Josslyn's yellow canopy bed.

Josslyn was lying across both of them just as she used to do as a child, her head resting on Michael while her legs were sprawled across Morgan's lap. Her son's were awake, sitting up against the headboard as they stared down at the broken girl in front of them.

"Hey." Carly said quietly as she tiptoed farther into the room. "How long as she been sleeping?" She wondered, taking a seat on the edge.

"A little over an hour." Morgan answered, studying their mother carefully, taking in her messed up hair and red eyes. She looked as exhausted as he felt, as if she was struggling to think of a way to help the teenager they all loved so much. "How's Spencer?"

Carly shrugged. "As well as can be expected. Christopher and Anya told me that they were planning on having the funeral for Colby next week." She swallowed the lump in her throat as she continued, "They wanted to know if Josslyn would speak at the funeral since they were together and Colby cares-cared for her so much."

At that, Michael's protectiveness flared and his hand that had been running through his sister's long locks, stilled. "But she just witnessed his death." He announced in disbelief, pratically hissing it. "Would that even be healthy?"

Their mom bit her lip. "Kevin said that it could help Josslyn heal. Focusing on the good things, I mean. In any case, it's her decision. She is the one this happened to and she is the one who loved Colby. She deserves to decide whether or not she wants to even go and watch him be lowered into the ground. This isn't fair. Why do all of my kids end up hurt in some way? What am I doing wrong?"

Morgan and Michael both looked down, neither knowing what exactly to say to make it all better, not even knowing if they could.

"Why don't you two come down into the kitchen with me? One of you can run to Kelly's and get Josslyn her favorite meal from there and a piece of pie. And then, I think that we should discuss how to help Josslyn. And we should see when Jacks will be able to be here. I think seeing her father might help."

The boy's nodded and Michael gathered Josslyn up as if she were still a small child as Morgan pulled back the blankets. Josslyn didn't even stir as she was placed back onto the bed and covered up.

With one last look at Josslyn's tearstained face, Morgan and Michael followed Carly out of the room.

At Wyndemere, Spencer was in his room, flicking through the stations on his television, trying to do his best to distract himself. He was trying to stop thinking of how he and Josslyn had watched Colby die. About how the random gun man had pointed the gun at Josslyn. About how he'd tried to stop Colby from jumping in front of the gun, only to be elbowed out of the way. Most of all, he was trying to forget the shrill scream that had escaped his best friend's lips as she moved forward to catch Colby in her arms. She hadn't even cared about the blood that had begun to seep into her sweater or jeans, or the blood that covered her hands as she had tried to stop the bleeding.

Colby had already passed out by the time the paramedics and police burst through the door and the gunman had run off, although the police had apparently caught them while he and Josslyn were at the hospital, waiting for news about the boy who'd saved them both.

And Josslyn still hadn't called him. "Fuck this." He cursed under his breath, getting off his bed and some shoes, not caring that he was wearing his pajamas as he grabbed his keys and a jacket and snuck downstairs. He climbed into the boat and drove it to the docks, stopping it. After climbing out, he hurried to the direction that would lead him to Josslyn's house.

He hurried through the grass and to the front door, knocking on it desperately. "Josslyn? Come on, open up! I need to know that you're alright."

The door swung open and Carly eyed him. "I knew that you'd be here." She said simply as she stood aside.

He walked past her and turned to face her once the door was shut. 'Is Josslyn still up in her room?"

Carly nodded. "Yeah. She should be awake. Morgan and Michael just took her something to eat."

"Do you think that she'll talk to me?" Spencer questioned.

"I don't know. She hasn't spoken much at all, yet. I guess all that you can do is go up and find out." The woman replied, heading to the kitchen.

Spencer hurried up the steps and stopped at Josslyn's door, not even bothering to knock as he burst through it.