ZZZ

Ever since the news dropped, the memories kept popping up. She sat in Ashley A's overly pink room as the four of them gossiped with their homework forgotten on the floor in front of them. It was hard paying attention when her mind was elsewhere. Ashley B's birthday was coming up soon, which reminded her of her last birthday.

They spent the day at the skating rink, eating junk food and enjoying themselves. Except for TJ; it wasn't like the others did any different, anyways. It was supposed to be fun and just being around him sucked the mood out of anyone, so it wasn't her fault, or so she told herself back then.

Hindsight is a bitch. They asked him if he was okay and he said he was, but looking back that was an obvious lie. But they took it and used it as an excuse to oust him from the group every time they could. They didn't know anything about depression back then. Hell, they don't know anything about it now!

They could've tried, though, maybe. Spinelli found that it was hard to convince herself that TJ would've accepted the same answer if it was one of them in his shoes.

ZZZ

There were times that CJ wondered what was so different between her old group of friends and TJ's. They were nearly identical, from what they learned the first time they met in fourth grade, to what they shared about them over the summer. Really, the biggest difference between the two groups were the genders of the leaders, but there was no way something as insignificant as that would lead to such polar opposite outcomes for them.

"Uh, hey."

After closing her locker, CJ turned and saw her former friend Regelli standing behind her.

"Hey. Haven't seen you in a while, what's up?" CJ asked. The halls were emptying since it was the end of the school day, and she had to get to kickboxing practice. These last few days, she's been putting all her anger and frustration into one of the punishing bags.

"I heard about what happened with your boyfriend, so uh, is everything okay?" She asked. "I know we're not really friends anymore, but are you doing okay?"

Where her boyfriends group had fallen apart in disastrous fashion, CJ's own group had a mutual split up. With them all gaining new interests that pulled them in different directions and them spending less and less time together, it was agreed that they were breaking apart, but it was okay, because it came with growing up, and none of them left with any bad feelings.

"I'm doing as well as I can, I guess," CJ said. "It's all I can think about. Kickboxing's helping with the anger."

"Yeah, I didn't see it but I heard you came in with a baseball bat ready to knock the crap out of Austin. That was awesome," said Regelli. "I hope your boyfriend is okay, though. I'm not good at talking about this sort of thing, but if you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me."

"Thanks, Regelli." The two shared a hug before splitting off again.

ZZZ

There were a lot of stressful times Mrs. Detweiler had that involved either of her children. From bringing them into the world, to getting a phone call that one of them was being sent to the hospital for a broken bone. She could fill a book with the number of calls she got at home telling her of how Becky got in trouble for punching a boy who was bothering her in the face, or for TJ causing an uproar at school. It came with being a parents, and made for very interesting talk at the dinner table.

All of that paled in comparison to the stress she was feeling now. She'd rather go through that all again if it meant her youngest wasn't laying in a hospital bed, attached to machines and laying too still. She refused to leave his bedside; her husband and daughter had to convince her to get something to eat and get some rest with the promise of letting her know if anything happened to get her to step away, and even then, she returned as soon as she could.

Right now, she head TJ's right hand in her own, careful not to jostle the wires attached to him. TJ always slept in the oddest positions that made her concerned that he was going to hurt his back. Seeing him laying in the hospital, on his back, unmoving, only made her worry more. How could they have missed the signs? Were they not paying attention enough? Didn't he know they loved him? What was going on his head that made him even consider doing this? She wanted him to wake up so they c an know he's okay, and start working on making things better.

Like many times before, she fell asleep in a chair next to his bed, still with his hand in hers, waiting for any sign that he was waking up. For now, sleep consisted of a few hours worth, just enough to stave off complete exhaustion.

A tickle of her hand caused her to stir. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, Mrs. Detweiler looked down at her and her sons hands, she saw his fingers twitching. The doctor and nurses had told her and her husband how involuntary twitches happen and aren't necessarily a sign of him waking up, but she couldn't help hoping otherwise.

". . .Mmm. . ."

The hand in hers tightened, and she looked up at his face. Whatever tiredness she still had was knocked right out of her when she saw TJ's eyes, halfway open and blinking.

"TJ? Oh my God, Sam! Sam, get the doctor, TJ's awake!" She shouted. She quickly got to her feet. TJ's eyes, though still a bit glossy and unfocused, followed her movement. "TJ, oh my God, you're finally awake. . .I'm so sorry we didn't see the signs, but everything is going to be okay now. Everything's going to be better, we promise "

Careful not to disturb the wires attached to to him, she hugged him close, not wanting to let go.