A/N: Takes place in the hospital, five hours later. The group hasn't gotten anymore information on Nigel, and they're frankly quite pissed off about it.

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Chapter 25

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~~Jordan~~ I guess I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to Garret telling me that my dad was leaving. Groggily rubbing my eyes, I think I mumbled a few various swears at sleeping on a couch before I realized what I was doing. Looking around, I could see that Renee was on the couch across from me, Peter was thumbing through a magazine while perched in a chair, Lily and Bug were nowhere to be seen. Garret of course was next to me, attempting to get me to come back into the realm of semi-conciousness.

With another nudge, I finally relented and acknowledged that I knew my father had left and that I indeed was awake. Then it was on the the next question.

"Can we go see Nigel yet?" I looked up at Garret, even as he was still slightly blurred in my sleepy vision.

"No, we can't. We haven't gotten any more information on him either. Last time I checked with nurse, she mumbled something about more surgery, but who knows. We'll probably find out something soon."

Peter pulled himself out of his chair and smiled at me. "Morning Jordan. Want anything from over there?" He nodded over his shoulder at the vending area which I knew had to contain coffee in one form or another.

Nodding happily, I let it be known that, yes, I am addicted to caffiene and it's after-effects.

"Coffee Jordan?" Garret asked.

Ok, so maybe Garret didn't get that my excited head bobbing meant yes for coffee, but I had to admit, he did look pretty tired. "Yes Garret, I figured the head twitches would be enough of a signal to you."

"Hey. We speak in verbal language too you know. I'm not fluent in "Jordan" yet."

"You want anything Garret?" Peter started walking over towards the coffeepot on the counter while speaking.

"No, thanks. I've had enough already while I've been here. Jordan, on the other hand passed out on the couch and didn't wake up until I nearly resorted to the old water trick."

"You wouldn't have." I stood, now realizing my sudden need to use the bathroom. I knew I shouldn't have had those three Cokes at lunch... "I'll be right back guys."

"Alright Jordan. Your coffee will be here when you do get back." Peter walked off to get the coffee while I made a mad dash to the bathrooms.

After finishing that business, I made it a point to make myself look semi- presentable. Standing at the sink, staring into the mirror, I sighed. The face that was staring back was obviously not very happy. My hair was a frizz-ball of immense proportions, and that's not mentioning my lack of makeup.

I leaned down and splashed my face with the water. After a quick rinse, I pulled my hair into a normal position and set on attacking it with my hairbrush. It only took about 10 minutes, but I quickly pulled it up into a bun. There. Much better.

I headed back out into the lobby to see Garret, Peter, and Renee in the middle of a conversation with the same doctor we'd been talking to earlier. I hurried over and just caught the tail end of the conversation, but I was clueless as the doctor walked away.

"What's going on?"

Garret smiled. "We can go see Nigel now. The doctor's going to send a nurse to escort us to his room in a few minutes after they have everything in order. We can only go in one or two at a time though...normally. But since the doctor understands that we're professionals and he knows we're not going to mess him up, he's been kind enough to give us permission to all see him at once."

"Oh, that's great...did he say how long it was going to take for the nurse to get here?" I smiled back. At least we got to go see him now...no more waiting.

"Only a few minutes."

We stood around for a few moments, and we all jumped when we heard the doors behind us swing open again.

Upon seeing us, a short, blonde-haired woman in a white lab coat motioned for us to follow her. She began to talk, laying out some base rules for visiting Nigel and what not to touch, etc.

After a trip up the elevators to the ICU floor, we walked down a series of hallways until we arrived outside of room 596. I noticed that Nigel's full name and ID number were typed up on a sheet of paper which was clipped to the door.

"Now, you can go in, but I need to tell you something." The nurse kept a firm grip on the doorhandle, probably afraid we were going to rush her to get inside. "Most people, upon seeing their friends in this situtation get a little freaked out. He's hooked up to alot of machines. He's got wires and tubes running just about everywhere, so be mindful of what you touch. He is also in a full body restraint, to disable him from moving and possibly damaging his spinal cord. Add the bandages and the bruises all over his face, and you're probably all going to be a bit unnerved."

"We're medical examiners. We've seen alot." Peter, who'd been silent through the woman's speech, spoke up.

"You'll see Peter. It's different when it's someone you know." Garret nodded at Peter, then looked at the nurse. "So...can we go in?"

She opened the door and smiled. "Go right ahead. Just remember what I told you. And try to let him sleep. He probably won't wake up for a while due to his medication but you never know."

"Thank you very much m'am." I smiled at her, then walked inside.

~~Garret~~

The room was darkened, save for the soft glow of a few small lights that were turned on. The group crossed the room to his bedside, not saying a single word. Upon seeing him firsthand however, Peter visibly flinched, while Jordan and Renee stood stiffly by the edge. I shot a glance over at Peter, who's face was obviously paled. I took a side-step towards him and gently placed my hand on his back. "It's fine, don't worry about it."

I then moved to one of the four chairs that had been set up around his bed and slowly sat in one. I have to admit, seeing him like this was very hard.

His face (well, what you could see where there was no bandages) was pretty bruised up. I could spot the telltale signs of a black eye, and his lip had a few good knicks in it as well. His neck and head were firmly held in place by an assortment of straps.

The thin blanket had been pulled up to his waist before he'd been strapped to the backboard. He didn't have a robe on, so he technically was shirtless, but the mass of bandages and wires concealed almost all skin on his chest. I slowly looked from his face to his chest, almost afraid that I'd see gushing wounds.

He looked so fragile, strapped to the backboard, wires and tubes running everywhere. He was even on a respirator machine. I noticed that Jordan had taken his one free hand in hers and she was holding it gently. I also swore that she had tears forming in her eyes, but then again, who didn't.

Stealing at glance at Renee, I saw something in her face that I hadn't ever seen before. I don't know what it was, but it was different. The steady hiss and hum of the ventilator, combined with the several various beeps that the other machines were emitting settled into a rythm, just like we all did while sitting there.

Peter left after about half an hour, claiming that he needed to run home and get a shower and something to eat. Renee was quick to follow, as her pager went off merely minutes after he had left.

"Sorry Garret, but I've got to get back to work. Promise me you'll call if anything happens alright?"

"I will, don't worry."

"I'll see you later then." She planted a soft kiss on my forehead, then headed out of the room. "Bye Jordan."

"Bye Renee." Jordan turned her head and smiled.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, neither of us really in the mood to talk. But the silence was to be short-lived.

"Garret?"

I looked up to see Jordan's eyes filling with tears. "Yes sweetheart?"

"Could you...come sit on this side...I want to be close to somebody."

I stood and walked around the end of his bed. "Of course I will. This alright?" I sat in the chair which Renee had just vacated, pulling it right next to Jordan.

"Perfect."

I reached over and placed my hand on her back. Rubbing it softly, I started to think about everything that she'd been through in the last few months. I was completely absorbed in my own head and didn't realize that Jordan was now crying.

"I'm so sorry Garret...for all the crap I've put you and everybody else through...all the stuff about Woody was my own fault and I was too emotionally messed up to be professional about it."

"Baby, don't be sorry. I don't care about any of it...I want to help you when the times are rough. It makes it easier on the both of us."

"Why is that? I never want to let you help me." She sniffled back another tear.

"Helping you, it makes me realize how lucky I am to work with the people I do and do my job. The fact that I can help someone is the best feeling in the world to me."

"But I can't ever help. I want that feeling too..."

"Then help Nigel." I smiled at her.

"What? How?"

"Just sit here. Talk to him. Let him know that someone is out here with him and that they love him. The feeling that people care about you can't be taken away is someone is right there making it a reality." I paused. "And you'd better feel it, because if you don't I've been a pretty bad friend."

"You haven't been a bad friend." She leaned over and rested her head on my shoulder.

"You're my bestest girlfriend."

"Thanks Jordan."

We sat in silence, her holding his hand, me rubbing Jordan's back. He'd wake up. It was just a matter of time.

TBC.....

****Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! Comments are always liked b/c it lets me know what I'm doing right (or wrong)! Thanks!****