Hey guys. I appreciate all of the attention both of my chapter stories are getting, and I decided I'd do a quick update for this one. Man, I'm having a terrible week. But reading everyone's reviews... it always makes me feel better. Thank you everyone.
I do not own Big Time Rush or anything else you may recognize. Also, don't freak out. I promise this isn't an amnesia story. First off, I'd feel like I was stealing someone else's plot. Also I don't think I'd be able to write one of those with my strange style of writing. So, enjoy.
Chapter 2
"I don't know, I just look around, and there he was," Kendall heard Logan's panicked voice filled with tightness. His breathing was hard, like he'd run all the way to the hospital room. "Then he was just, and… I was so scared…" he trailed off. Kendall sat back down, placing his head in his hands. Logan was trembling slightly, like a draft had entered the room.
"I understand. Are you sure you don't know what happened?" Mrs. Knight asked, crossing her arms with a worried frown. Logan shook his head.
"Carlos," both Logan and Mrs. Knight turned, hearing Kendall speak for the first time since entering the room. "Leave him be."
Carlos turned around, eyes wide. He had been shaking James lightly, trying with little hope to rouse him. "Sorry. I thought maybe he was just sleeping. Like, really deeply."
"No, he's just exhausted. The doctor said he was awake right before we came in. I'm sure he's fine." Logan said, peering at the monitor near the door.
Kendall let out a troubled sigh, trying to swallow the tension in his throat. If he lost it… no. He didn't want to lose it. Not here, not now, not ever.
"I'm going to go to the front desk. The nurse told me the doctor could tell me about the details there." Mrs. Knight said, stooping to pick up her purse. "Sit tight, okay?"
"Can I come too?" Logan asked hopefully.
Mrs. Knight frowned. "That wouldn't be fair. I don't think the doctor wants all three of you to come with me while he's delivering important news. What if only one of you came?"
"Kendall?" Logan asked, automatically asking him for permission.
"Go ahead. I don't want to go." Everyone looked surprised, so Kendall tried again. "I mean, I just want to make sure James is okay." Now everyone nodded, like this made sense.
"Okay, we'll be back before long." Mrs. Knight left with a fidgety Logan following in tow. The door shut, leaving just Kendall and Carlos.
"He'll wake up soon, right Kendall?" Carlos blurted once the door latched itself.
"Yes." He answered at once, mentally hating himself. There was another promise he wasn't sure he could keep. It was just easier though, promising things. It always made getting through something easier. Until that promise broke, of course.
James twitched a little in his sleep making both boys lean forward to watch cautiously. But there was no further movement.
"What happens when he does wake up?"
"I don't know Carlos."
"Will we just go back to singing, or will he have to stay home and get better?"
"I don't know, Carlos."
He paused, before asking, "Will he be alright?"
"Carlos, I know just as much as you do!" Kendall snapped, instantly feeling guilty. Carlos nodded in understanding, mumbling an apology. Kendall wanted to apologize himself, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was too scared of what might come tumbling out of his mouth. And now was not the time to break down and cry. It would just cause Carlos to panic. Or worse, blame Kendall.
Kendall's stomach dropped. It felt just like going down the tall hill of a rollercoaster. The two friends watched in awe as James's head tilted a little, his hazel eyes opening. It was so quick, they could've almost imagined the whole thing. James inhaled loudly before he returned his head to its original position, eyes shutting once more.
"Did you see that?" Carlos hissed.
"Yeah. That's got to be a good thing, right?"
Carlos shrugged. "Can't be bad from what I can tell." They both jerked a little when they heard the sound of the office door opening. Logan hurried in, taking his seat next to Kendall. A tall man with a stethoscope, obviously the doctor, entered after Mrs. Knight. Logan looked a little shaken, but he wasn't crying or anything. Kendall decided to take this as a good sign.
"His heartbeat seems to be normal, that's a good sign. Did you boys notice any stirrings or signs of movement?" The doctor asked, turning to look at Kendall and Carlos.
"Yeah! He moved his head and his eyes opened a little bit. That's good right?" Carlos asked quickly.
"I think we can take this as a positive sign." The doctor agreed, giving Carlos a closed mouth smiled. He then lowered something running through James's IV. Kendall was no doctor, but he knew this guy was lowering the amount of medicine going through the tube so James wouldn't be so sleepy. It didn't take long to work, they soon found out.
"So what is wrong with him?" Carlos asked at once while the doctor sat across the room, writing something on a piece of paper in illegible handwriting,
Logan fell into doctor mode at once. "Well, the impact of the fall damaged his head mostly. James had to receive six stitches, but that was done about two hours ago. It seems to everyone that looked over James believes he has a concussion, which according to the way he was acting while conscious, is severe. When he wakes up, it may be better, or it could be the same. We'll just have to wait and see."
Everyone nodded slowly, even Mrs. Knight who had been there. Finally, Kendall spoke up. "So, what happens if he does have a severe concussion?"
Logan sounded like he was spitting out a web article. "It could last for days, weeks, maybe even longer. His symptoms could range from dizziness and seeing stars, to other things like headaches, blacking out, nausea, and being constantly worn out."
That did not sound good.
"Anything else?"
"He might- oh look he's awake!" Logan called, pointing at the hospital bed where their best friend was currently lying in.
"Is he okay?"
"How can we tell if he's alright?"
"How are you feeling?" Carlos asked directly.
James sat up, his hair a little ruffled from his pillow. He blinked several times, his eyes shutting to slits. Everyone watched as his fingers shook a little while tapping on the railing of the bed. His fingers made little ping noises in the quiet room, making it sound amplified. Then, he spoke.
"What happened?"
There was a panicked moment in the room. Everyone exchanged worried looks until the doctor spoke. Kendall didn't even know his name, nor did he care, but he was the important voice right now.
"This can happen sometimes. Temporary amnesia is common, especially surrounding the ordeal of disturbance." He turned to address James. "Can you tell me your name?"
James looked confused and in pain all at once. He nodded slowly before stopping, bringing a clenched hand to his head. "It's James…" he muttered. The doctor scribbled something down. Everyone murmured in relief, but not Kendall.
"What's wrong with his voice?"
Everyone paused, looking at Kendall.
"What do you mean?" Mrs. Knight asked.
"I mean what's wrong with his voice?" Kendall repeated. Were they all too caught up in their happiness that he was showing signs of life they didn't even hear him? "It sounds… different."
"Kendall, he's probably tired and disoriented." Logan said gently, placing a hand on the taller boy's shoulder. Kendall shrugged it off.
"No, it's different. Why is his voice different? Is it going to go back?" he asked in growing frustration. Carlos and Logan exchanged a look while Mrs. Knight frowned. James just looked down right worried.
"James, could you repeat after me please?" The doctor asked. James nodded slowly. "I want you to say, 'My name is James Diamond. I live in California.'"
"My name is James Diamond. I live in California."
Everyone paused as the doctor frowned, scribbling more notes. James asked what had happened once more, but nobody answered.
"Okay, I'll be back before too long. You folks just sit tight, okay?" he left, not waiting for an answer.
"Logan?" Kendall asked at once.
"Sometimes with concussion comes a slurred voice." Logan answered.
"What's wrong with my voice?" James asked. It was definitely noticeable now, sounding almost like he was drunk, tired, or both. He looked around at the ugly beige walls, eyes resting on the group standing before him. "Someone tell me what happened! Why am I here?"
"It's okay James. Stay calm. Everything is alright." Mrs. Knight said soothingly.
"How can you say that?" Kendall cried out. "Everything is not okay!"
He was interrupted by the return of the doctor. "I forgot to ask a few questions." He took a seat on his backless stool. "James, can you tell me the last thing you remember?"
They all watched as their friend paused, seriously considering the question. He didn't answer.
"Anything at all?"
"I can't remember… why can't I remember?" Kendall thought his heart just shattered into a million pieces.
"It's alright. Just take a deep breath."
"Why can't I remember? Why does my voice sound like this?" James asked in rising panic. Kendall covered his face.
"James, it's necessary for you to remain calm. Can you do that for me?"
James took some deep, shuddering breaths as tears ran out of his eyes. Carlos leaned over, tears in his eyes too, rubbing his arm.
"I- I remember when we got home from school. Logan told me he was going to go start his history project. Then me and… and Carlos went upstairs." James said.
"That was like four days ago!" Carlos cried. Logan slapped his arm while James's face became more worried. Kendall couldn't understand why his voice was so slurred…
"That's okay. Can you tell me what you and Carlos did upstairs?" the doctor asked. James shook his head. The doctor then took something out of his pocket. It was a ballpoint pen. He waved it back and forth, commanding James to follow it with his eyes. Kendall and Logan exchanged a worried glance when they noticed how unfocused their friend's eyes were. It was like he was looking without seeing. "That's okay. It's a start. I'm going to go file these right away." Then he exited once again.
"Why does my head hurt?" James asked quietly.
"You hit it at the pool and got a concussion. Remember?" Carlos asked lightly. Kendall turned away, murmuring quietly to Logan.
"How long is this going to ask Logan? How long before his voice comes back?"
Logan shrugged. "I don't know. But he's awake and talking… why are you so hung up on his voice? Sure, it's a bit slanted, but it could be much worse."
"I know, I know. I'm just saying…" Logan waited for him to explain. But Kendall didn't finish. He just knew that the voice thing was worse than anything else.
"You're sure? Alright, thanks Camille." Kendall looked as Carlos closed his cell phone, turning back to Mrs. Knight. "Katie says she wants to come and visit James. Camille is coming to drop her off."
"It's three in the morning… she should be sleeping." Mrs. Knight said. "But I do feel more comfortable knowing where all of my children are."
"I wish there was some padding on these chairs." Logan commented, prodding at the thick, gray plastic with the gritty texture behind his back. "If we're staying here all night and all."
Kendall gasped. "We never told Gustavo or Kelly!"
"So?" Carlos asked. Everyone rolled their eyes.
"So, don't you think we should tell the people we work for that we are skipping rehearsals and that one of their workers is injured?" Logan asked. Carlos shrugged. "I'll call Kelly. She always takes things better." He flipped his phone out, punching in the numbers.
"You've been awfully quiet." Kendall looked up from the ugly carpet as his mom took a seat beside him. He gave a half-hearted shrug, barely noticing Carlos go off to the vending machines. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"There's nothing to say about it." Kendall replied flatly. "James got hurt, we brought him, he's messed up."
Mrs. Knight looked more worried now. "Kendall, I know you don't mean that. We both know that this is much more than that. James is your best friend, and you're worried for him."
Kendall sighed. "It's not just that. It's… I-I can't explain. Can we talk about this later Mom?"
Getting the hint that Kendall was upset and needed space, his mom nodded, standing up. "Alright, but don't hesitate if you want to talk. You can always talk to Carlos and Logan too. I'm going to go wait for Katie. I'll be by the lobby if you need me."
Kendall nodded. He was relieved to have his mom let him be, but at the same time, he was secretly wishing she had insisted on staying.
James opened his eyes again. The throbbing in his head was terrible, and he felt tired, sore, and weak all over. It was not a good combination.
"Can I have a glass of water?" he asked the nurse who hadn't noticed he was awake.
"Sure, I'll be right back."
He heard it. He heard his voice. He was starting to get what Kendall was saying. It was hard to think, but he noticed it didn't sound right. Like it wasn't as high as usual, but it definitely wasn't low. It sounded like he was under the influence or something. The nurse returned with his water. He drank it quickly, hoping it would cure his vocal chords. It did not.
"What time is it?" he asked.
The nurse checked her watch. "It's six fifteen."
James thanked her, but not before he noticed the look she had. It was one of those annoying faces that people had like when they were trying to act cheery for little kids. He was sixteen!
"Do you want me to let your guests know you're up?" James nodded, surprised that everyone stayed overnight. He didn't even know what had happened to him, and he was going to find out.
James looked around the dim room. He was told that light and loud sounds would upset his concussion, so it was kept dark and quiet, much to his dismay. He didn't much like the dark.
Somebody's face appeared in the door, and they edged in. "Hi!" Carlos called quietly, as though not sure if James was completely awake or not. He offered a weak smile.
"Hey Carlos." Carlos tiptoed over, even though it was a one person room. He leaned down, giving James a surprisingly gentle hug.
Logan came in next, walking next to Katie. He was surprised to see Katie. She hurried over, giving James a hug on her other side. Logan stood with his arms folded lightly, smiling at the scene.
"James, are you okay? I was at home and then everyone was at the hospital."
"I think I'm okay. I mean, nobody tells me anything anymore." He flashed Logan a smart smile. Logan made a face back.
"Well be more careful! That scared me!" Katie admitted.
Mrs. Knight came into the room, asking him how he was feeling. James said the typical one word of 'fine', but Mrs. Knight seemed satisfied. Kendall came slouching in last of all, looking moody and displeased. James looked at him expectantly, not going unnoticed by Logan. Logan gave Kendall a look, but he didn't say anything. Instead he flung himself into a guest chair, crossing one leg across his lap and staring at the floor.
"Kendall?" James asked. He noticed his friend cringe, like somebody was using a power saw.
"Hmm?" was all he answered, still looking down. James felt crushed. What had happened?
"Kendall, is everything… everything okay?" it felt like he was choking on his own words, but he had to know.
"Yep."
"Oh. Alright then."
"So," Mrs. Knight said to cover up the awkward moment. "At noon you get to come home James. Isn't that exciting?"
"Yeah." James said, still looking a bit crestfallen at his friend across the room. "Yeah, it is."
"We've all decided after last night, we're going to be much more careful. No more late night pools." Logan declared. James looked up in confusion. "We were at the pool. Do you remember that? And, nobody really knew what happened. But when I came out of the water, you were lying on the side and you were bleeding… it scared us Jay."
"You don't know what happened?" James's newly slow voice asked.
"Nope. That's probably why it was so scary. That and, well, the whole you-getting-hurt thing. That was scary too."
"What did Gustavo and Kelly say?"
"They didn't pick up. I'm going to try again around seven." Logan said. "But don't worry about anything James. You just concentrate on getting better."
Easier said than done.
So, feel free to tell me what you think. It's a litte iffy right now, but I'm having fun writing this because it is different from all of my other stories. Thanks for reading and everything.
