CHAPTER 8: Seeing Cammie....

It was about 9:00 AM now, almost 3 hours since the girls had reached the hospital. Lil had fallen asleep on a chair in the waiting room, while Zoey leaned her head against a couch and fell asleep, and Violet rested her head on Zoey's legs, also zonked out from the long night. Rachel continued pacing back and forth. She hadn't stopped crying since they had left Cammie's apartment. A few minutes later, Kevin approaches the waiting room, and as soon as Rachel sees him, she sits down next to Lil.

"Hey Rachel," Kevin whispers, being careful not to wake the other girls. "Sorry that I got here so late, but I had to finish loading the fish truck up."

"No problem." Rachel replies. "We have just been sitting here anyways."

"So, what happened to her?" Kevin asks, as he takes a seat next to her.

"I really don't feel like talking about it all now, but basically Al beat her up, bad." Rachel replies. "Can you have Vi tell you the details later?"

Kevin nods. "Well, is she okay?"

"She has only a 40% chance of living, but Violet just gave her a blood transfusion, so hopefully that will help."

Kevin opens his mouth in shock. "THIS VIOLET?" he asks, pointing at her. "But she never...."

"She did it for Cammie, not for herself." Rachel interrupted, knowing that Kevin was going to bring up Violet's fear of needles and blood.

The doctor comes out of Cammie's room a few minutes later. "Rachel?"

"Yes?" Rachel replies, almost jumping out of her seat.

"You all can go see in to Cammie now, but she's still uncouncious. I suggest that you talk to her. It might get her to respond a little sooner."

"Okay, thanks." Rachel replies, with a slight smile.

"Oh, only one or two of you in the room at a time, alright?"

Rachel nods, and mouths to Kevin that she'll be right back.

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As Rachel enters the room, she gazes in awe at what she sees. Her beautiful friend looks like a tangled, bloody, mess. Cammie's hair is still dirty, and tangled, her face is still bruised and scratched, her head has a huge bandage on the side, one of her legs is wrapped, and she has tubes all through her petite, little body. Her bright, shiny, blue eyes are closed tight, and her precious skin is now pale and white.

Rachel slowly walks over to the bed, pulls a chair up and sits down. She takes one of Cammie's hands into her own and squeezes it tight. It felt freezing, just like the door handle to her apartment had only hours before.

"Cammie, how are ya doing, girl?" Rachel asked, as normal as she could. "I don't want you to worry about anything ok? Once you get better, I am going to make sure that this never happens to you again. If you have to move back in with me, then that's what we're going to do. Cammie, we have been through so much together, you can't leave me now. You have taught me some of the most important lessons in life that I have ever learned, and your advice about everything is amazing, but you can't stop now! I need more lessons, and more talks with you, and more fun times. Our lives are just beginning, Cammie, and I want you to be in mine, so please get better soon. I can't explain how I felt tonight when I realized that you had been hurt, but I do know that I never want to experience that feeling ever again. You're my best friend, and I can't go on without you. If you need me as much as I need you, then I know you'll be alright. Never give up okay?" Rachel begins to stroke Cammie's hair, and finally ends the conversation with her silent friend, and leaves the room in tears.

By this time, the other girls were awake and their eyes were wide open, as they saw Rachel leaving Cammie's room.

"Well?" Lil asks.

"Well what?" Rachel replies rudely. "One at a time go talk to her. It'll just break your heart when you see her though."

"I'll go now." Zoey announces, as she makes her way into Room 324. She bites her lip, and nervously goes up to Cammie's bed. Zoey kisses Cammie on the forehead, and just stares at her. "I miss you already, Cam, especially your adorable laugh. Please get well soon. I won't be able to do anything until I know that you're healthy and safe, so I'm skipping all my classes until you're all better okay?" Zoey asks, not getting a response at all. "Well, I'll let you sleep now. Goodnight. Love you."

Lil visits Cammie next, as she sits on the edge of the bed. "Well, he really did it this time huh? Don't worry sweetie, me and Rach will take care of AL for you. You just need to worry about getting yourself well. I don't know how I'm going to handle the bar without you, even just for a few days. I've talked to you every single day for the past four years, and it just kills me that you can't talk back now. Well, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for not realizing how serious this was, and not taking action sooner. I won't let it happen again, so please give me another chance to protect you." Lil kisses her on the hand, and leaves the room.

Finally Violet goes in, and Kevin follows her. As soon as Violet gets into the room, she turns her face away and is totally horrified at how bad Cammie looks. "I can't believe how bad he hurt her!" she exclaims, as she hugs her boyfriend.

Kevin comforts her, and then follows her over to Cammie's bed.

"Hey princess." Violet giggles, and cries at the same time. She looks back to find a confused look on Kevin's face.

"A few months ago when me and Cammie were both sick with mono, everyone did everything for us. We never even had to get out of bed. We felt so loved and pampered, and so we started calling each other "Princess" Now everytime that one of us gets sick, that's our nickname." Violet smiles, as she tells Kevin one of the many fun times that her and Cammie had shared.

Kevin smiles back, and wraps his arms around her waist.

"I know this isn't a normal sickness, but she still is a "Princess"!

"I know she is, baby. I know." Kevin comforts her.

Violet begins to cry hard. "Oh God!" She sobs, as she glances again at Cammie's beautiful face, now a mess of scars and bumps. "Cammie, I'm so sorry!" Violet exclaims, as Kevin leads her out of the room.