"What the fuck did you do?" Brian screamed, arms swinging as Michael and Ben held the distraught man back. "Get him the fuck out of here now. He shouldn't fucking be here!"
Ben wrestled Brian to the ground of the emergency room floor "Brian they're going to arrest you if you don't calm down" he warned "Cody's gone"
"Think about Justin" Michael added "He needs you to be here"
Brian erupted in tears "I'll kill him; if he doesn't make it; I'll kill him" he cried. Michael sat on the floor and wrapped his arms around his best friend.
Brian calmed down and Ben and Michael helped him to a waiting room chair and handed him a glass of water. He looked up to see Jennifer Taylor flying through the sliding doors with Debbie. Both had pained looks of déjà vu on their faces.
Debbie spoke first to Michael "What happened?" she asked, tears flowing.
"I want to see my son" Jennifer commanded to the nurse at the reception desk.
Michael walked Debbie away from Brian's earshot. "Justin was stabbed" he said. "He and Cody were patrolling for the pink posse only they went looking for trouble off Liberty Avenue. They got into a fight and someone pulled a knife."
"Oh my God, poor Sunshine" Debbie wailed loudly.
"Poor Sunshine?" Brian remarked with sarcasm "How could he have been so fucking stupid? I told him he was being a twat. I warned him and he wouldn't listen"
"Brian" Michael warned as Jennifer returned to the group "this isn't the time. That doesn't matter now"
"They won't let me see him; they said they are taking him to surgery" Jennifer cried out exasperated "It could be hours"
She looked at Brian and burst into tears. "How could you let this happen again?" she started hitting his chest in despair "You were supposed to keep him safe"
Brian grabbed her arms and stood up to console her "I know" he said softly "I'm sorry" he repeated holding her tightly "I'm so sorry"
"It's not Brian's fault" Michael interjected "It's that homophobe who stabbed him!"
Debbie wrapped her arm around Jennifer after she was calmed down "Come on dear; let's go get some tea for you"
Brian just stared at the wall; the color drained from his face. Michael sat next to his friend reassuring him "Justin's a fighter" he offered "He'll be okay"
"I can't lose him" Brian said tears falling down his face "I can't lose him Michael". Michael sat next to Brian's side for nearly three hours while they waited.
A doctor dressed in a long white coat and surgical hat approached the crowd in the waiting room. "I'm looking for family of Justin Taylor" he called out.
"I'm his mother" Jennifer jumped up "How is he?" He escorted her to a corner of the waiting room. "Brian?" Jennifer prompted him giving her approval for him to join their discussion. "This is Justin's partner" she introduced Brian to the doctor.
"Justin is a very lucky young man. The blade was about an inch from puncturing his heart. The knife wound did puncture his lung which we've been able to repair surgically" the doctor continued "We'll watch him closely over the next 24 hours but we have every reason to suspect he will make a full recovery."
"Can we see him?" Jennifer asked following a deep sigh of relief.
"Not yet" he said, he will be in recovery for about another hour "the police are waiting to talk to him about what happened. You should know if they arrest him, they may prevent him from having further visitors."
"Arrest him?" Brian yelled "Why the fuck would they arrest Justin?"
"Mr. Kinney, I don't know what the police will do; my job is to take care of his medical needs; however, when he was brought in we were told he and another gentleman started the fight and pulled a gun and the stabbing was in self-defense. I have no way of knowing the truth nor does it impact his care. However, if it was my loved one; I would secure an attorney.
Jennifer burst into tears, "how can this be happening?" she cried as Brian hugged her.
"Jennifer, stop crying" Brian said taking charge "Have Michael call Melanie and tell her to get here quick. I'm going to take care of this. Call me with any updates."
He grabbed his stuff and ran out the emergency room door without saying anything to anyone. Ben ran after him "Brian, where are you going?" he screamed but was too late. Brian hopped in his corvette and tires screeching, peeled out of the parking lot.
