Porcelain Princess -lmao love the dances man. Funny stuff. Keep reading/ dancing :D

Paris -yay! No hassling!! Um, ya I know I write short chapters, lmao, I'm sorry, I'm seriously gunna try and get outta that habit but thanks!

Gold -thanks man, I'm glad u liked it!!:D

Deadly Wisteria -thanks for another review :D keep it up!

And as always-I own nothing

Mason's POV

I had managed to get out of the car and was making my way into the hospital. But I had yet to blink since. I could feel myself getting pale. I was hoping that Bob was overexagerating. I mean obviously Bob couldn't have been here yet because he just barely dropped me off before he came to pick me up. And Jamie, well maybe she was so upset that she let her mind run. I knew I was kidding myself but I could hope.

Jamie was leading Bob and I through the hospital's corridors. She was the only one of us that knew where exactly we were going. But it wasn't as if I was a stranger here. I mean Tex is quite a bold kid. He was bound to injure himself every now and again. And then there was my whole ulcer thing. Speaking of which was going crazy right now. It felt like someone was inside me burning through my flesh with acid. And then of course there was the time Tex got shot. Man, that was the scariest day of my life. Tex pulled through then; he'd do it now. He had to. But somehow this time was different. I remember then being so angry and upset I couldn't think straight. But at least I had Lem to beat the tar out of. Knowing there was someone to blame and being able to and being able to take it out on them was much easier. This time if Tex was hurt I only had one person I could blame. Myself.

I should have been there. Tex was too brave of a kid to bother with what was right and wrong. It wasn't that he didn't know the difference. He just didn't let it stop him. He needed a strong influence that would help him with this. I should have known it wasn't going to be Pop.

I should have- crash. My thoughts were suddenly interrupted when I walked full force into a doctor standing outside of a doorway. I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. He was starring at me so I finally said something. "I'm sorry sir. I was going to see someone. I just found out about him so I wasn't really paying attention."

He nodded without looking up from the papers he was filling out. "Good luck."

I just nodded and started walking again. But Jamie soon stopped me. "No, Mason, this is it."

So I guess Tex was in the room where the doctor was standing. It was only now I noticed the Critical sign on the wall. I must have been too in depth in my thoughts to notice it before. I took a deep breath and got ready to enter when the doctor stopped me. "I'm sorry you can't go in there. Only family is permitted for right now." He replied still not looking up from his paper work.

"But I'm Mason McCormick. I'm Tex's brother."

The doctor finally looked up from his papers. "We've been trying to get a hold of you people for days now. We've called numerous times. Someone even tried going over but no one's been there. And we found that you were away at college and even tried calling there but no luck."

I nodded. That Pop, I swear.

The doctor continued. "There's matters of paper work, and insurance, as well as many other matters. And"

I cut him off. "Look sir. I mean no disrespect. And I will help you with whatever you need and I'll get a hold of my father. But for now could I just see him?"

The doctor looked hesitant. But finally spoke up. "Alright, I guess I could allow that. But I'm not going to lie to you. You're brother is not doing well. I'll explain the specifics to you later and everything when we get his legal guardian and all here."

I just nodded and started walking in. I heard Bob from behind me. "Mace, I'll be right out here if you need me." I just nodded again and walked in.

I walked right over to Tex's bed. Man the kid looked so lifeless. When he got shot he was going nuts and looked awful but now he looked so peaceful. But I didn't know what was worse. There was a part of me that wanted to run out of the room right then and there just so I didn't have to see him like that. I knew I wouldn't but still.

His hair had fallen over his face. I reached out and moved it out of the way. In doing so I found him to be cold. So cold it was scary.

Don't lose it Mace, come on. I tried to calm myself down. I had to be strong.

I sighed out loud and started talking in a low voice. "Listen Tex. I know I haven't been there for you lately. And I'm sorry about all this. But as soon as you wake up we can go fishing and do all the things we used to okay? So just wake up. I promise I'll be there from now on. I'll protect you." And I would. From there on I decided I had to be the one to keep out of trouble. I knew no one else would.