Chapter 2

Kendall called the hospital as they drove, ensuring that they would be greeted by the best Pine Valley Hospital had to offer, upon their arrival.

Joe Martin met them at the door, gurney ready and waiting. David was on his way down to check her heart and there was team getting ready should she need her stomach pumped.

Jackson and Bianca arrived after Joe and David had taken her into an ER room already. He was pacing the waiting room, wondering what could possibly have happened to send her here?

They hadn't told them about the empty bottle of Vodka, wanting to spare the details until the hospital confirmed that she was going to be alright.

"I don't understand, she wasn't even gone an hour," Jack worried, eyes on Ryan and Kendall. "There was nothing to tell you what happened? They paged Hayward, so they must be worried it's her heart…"

"I think they were just making sure she got the best care she could as quickly as she could," Bianca rationalized, "She's going to be okay."

Kendall and Ryan exchanged worried glances. Even if she was physically okay, there was no telling what her emotional and mental state would be. Based on how drunk she was, it seemed unlikely that this was a one-time thing.

Jack opened his mouth to question them further, when David emerged from Erica's room.

He liked spent; like he'd just run an emotional gauntlet and was trying to figure out how to compose himself.

Jack was first to him, Bianca followed quickly behind. Kendall and Ryan paused to take in the sight of him, and the glance he was tossing them.

"David?" Bianca breathed, eyes wide as she studied his face. "Is Mom okay? What's wrong with her?"

He swallowed back a hard breath, and then forced it out. Trying to steady his nerves. She was alive. She was going to be alright, at least physically, but he was more worried about her than he'd ever been. They'd keep the truth about Bianca's pregnancy from her for this very reason. Because they feared she'd end up right where she was, in his ER room, drunk and incredibly close to alcohol poising. "She's fine and she's awake," He started, easing them into what was coming next.

Kendall and Ryan already knew, and had moved to stand at Bianca's side, already anticipating what the revelation was going to do to her.

"But?" Jack said sensing his hesitation, "What happened? Why is she here?"

David's eyes flicked to Bianca. He wished he could spare her this, and he worried what the stress might do to her pregnancy. "Before I tell you what's happened, I need everyone to take a deep breath and to remember how much you love Erica."

Jack narrowed his eyes at David, not liking the delay. "What's wrong with her, David? Stop with the theatrics and just tell us."

"She's drunk."

"What?" Bianca cried, "No, no Mom doesn't drink."

"You can't be serious? You're implying that Erica has fallen off the wagon, turned to alcohol?"

He could hear the anger and frustration in Jack's voice. He didn't blame him. An hour ago the last thing he thought he'd be doing is tending to a drunken Erica Kane. "I know it's hard…but she is drunk. So much so that you can smell the alcohol on her."

Bianca covered her mouth and stifled a cry, while Jack shook his head refusing to believe.

"We're stilling waiting for her test results to come back to tell us her blood alcohol level, but seeing as there was an empty bottle of Vodka found with her, we are expecting it to quite high."

Jack's eyes locked on Kendall. "You found a bottle of Vodka with her? You didn't tell me?"

Kendall opened her mouth to answer, but Ryan answered for her.

"That was my decision, Jack. I thought it was best to make sure we got her here and checked out before we started talking about what was going on with her."

Bianca blinked back tears, and looked at David. "You said she's alright?"

"She's responding to our commands. Her reflexes don't seem to be impaired. We've got her on an IV and are administering fluids. I think we are going to be able to avoid having to pump her stomach, but I can't know that for sure until we have the test results back."

The colored drained from Bianca's face, and tears slipped down her cheeks. Kendall held her as she swayed on her feet.

Jack pushed out a hard breath, as he tried to understand. "My god…"

David nodded. This wasn't easy on anyone. No one still in her room wanted to see her in this condition. "We're going to keep her overnight at least, depending what her tests come back to say. Joe will come out and tell you when it's alright to see her."

Jack nodded, but Bianca spoke first. "Does she want to see us?"

She hadn't asked to see anyone. In fact, she hadn't said much of anything since she'd regained consciousness.

"Maybe it's best if only Jack goes in, at least for now." It was Kendall and Bianca keeping the truth from her that set this in motion, and he worried if either woman went in to see her, it would only push her further into her emotional hell.

Jack offered him a weary smile and extended his hand. "Thank you."

"Erica is strong. She'll get through this. I'll let you know if we find anything in her test results, but she's okay for now. Hold onto that."

He hugged Bianca after that, holding her close. "She'll be okay, Bianca. She's strong. Don't give up on her."

She gave him a watery smile and nodded, before Kendall and Ryan lead her away.

He stopped by the door to her room on his way back to his office. He could just see her through the glass. She looked away from the nurse, her arms folded protectively across herself. Her eyes were blank and lifeless and she seemed like she was a million miles away. He had tried to talk to her, tried to break through the pain, but she wouldn't even look at him. Considering how angry she was at him, that wasn't unexpected. It just worried him that she wouldn't even tell him how angry she was, how much she hated him.

"Dr. Hayward," A woman said from behind him, "I've got Ms. Kane's test results."

David nodded and turned to face her. "Thank you, Karen." She nodded and left quickly, knowing what was inside and not wanting to be there when he saw.

He read them quickly, all were what he expected. Blood alcohol through the roof, yet still low enough they could avoid pumping her stomach. All other levels were normal, and there didn't seem to be a problem with her heart or organs. He was just about to the last result and ready to rule her safe to go home in the morning, when he saw it.

"Karen…" He called to her, his voice laced with shock. "These are Ms. Kane's test results?"

She nodded, confidently. "She's the only one in the ER at the moment."

He nodded and thanked her again.

He reached out the wall next to him to steady himself, his eyes still reading the same line over and over again.

She was pregnant. It was right there. Clear as day. And nearly nine weeks along.

His mind raced as he processed the information. Clearly she had no idea. Clearly she wasn't expecting this. And even more clearly, this wasn't planned. He closed his eye and counted backward.

Nine weeks. Eight weeks. Seven weeks.

All the way back to Thanksgiving night in her penthouse.

"Jesus…" He grunted on a hard breath, still leaning against the wall for support.

She was in the room just to his left, drunk and rendered devoid of any emotion by the lies of her family. And now she was pregnant. And when he told her, she would look at him with those same emotionless eyes she was flashing to the nurses who was tending her, and tell him she didn't know who the father was.

To be continued