The ride to the hospital had been excruciating, he felt so useless. The hospital was worse. Nobody was telling him anything and it was driving him crazy. Sometimes a nurse would walk past him with that look. Like they knew it was really bad, but didn't want to be the one to announce it. Bo, who was always so collected and calm, wasn't doing any better, pacing back and forth like a worried father.

Glenn was trying to keep things on the down low, but from what Avery heard of his conversation with Jeff on the phone, rumors of her OD-ing in a hotel room was already emerging. The vultures were having a field day. He hated those journalists, if they should be called that, they were the ones responsible for what happened.

Finally, a doctor approached them.

"Is any of you related to Miss Barnes?"

"She's an orphan, we're the only family she got." Glenn told him.

"Right. Well, not knowing exactly what she took, we did everything we could. Her heart stopped once but we revived her. She's stable now but we won't know for sure if it had any lasting effects until she wakes up."

He could feel the judgment dripping from the doctor's every words. Did he think they were her dealers or something? If he had known what she took he would have told them. But there was nothing in the hotel room, Bo had looked everywhere. He would have too, but he couldn't, wouldn't let go of her hand until the paramedics got there.

"Can we see her?" He heard his own voice ask, but it felt like it was coming from far away. He felt numb ever since the doctor said her heart had stopped. Like he was having an out of body experience. During a few seconds today, Juliette was dead. How could she? She was the most alive person he knew.

"Sure, but one at a time."

"Avery you go first, I need to make a few phone calls." Avery had the feeling Glenn was being gracious. He didn't argue. He needed to see her.

He entered her hospital room and saw her laying on the bed, like she was only taking a nap. He had seen her a few times during the tour, sleeping on a chair after rehearsals, just like that. Only then, he didn't know she would come to mean so much to him.

He sat beside her and took her hand like he had done while waiting for the paramedics. It was warmer now.


Avery kept looking at the vending machine like it was a math equation. He wasn't feeling hungry, but Glenn has insisted he ate something."You're going to scare her when she wakes up. " He finally bought some chocolate, but couldn't even open the package. It felt wrong to eat, drink, sleep while Juliette was laying on a hospital bed. His phone started vibrating again. 7 missed calls from Scarlett. He should pick up, but he didn't feel like pretending right now. Pretend he wasn't worried sick for Juliette, pretend he was in love with Scarlett, pretend he wasn't...

"She's awake!" He could have hugged the bodyguard right now.