Chapter 11: Breaking Point

"Oh my gosh, Ellie," says a familiar voice behind her. Ellie turns to see one o f their best friends.

"Oh, Carlos, I thought you were in Florida?" she asks him as she approaches him with open arms.

"Well, when Kendall told me everything that has been happening, I couldn't stay in Florida. I had to be here with everyone. What exactly is going on with James?"

"James is not doing very well, at the moment. He had broken ribs then his cheeseburger is in his lung. It's all so complicated.," she says as she holds back her tears.

"Why is Kendall on the floor?' he asks curiously.

"He doesn't like seeing tubes go down his friends' throats."

Carlos makes a disgusted face, but turns his face to a smile when he sees Logan approach him.

"Carlitos! Man, bud. We missed you."

As the small reunion takes places in the rather crammed portion of the ICU, Karlee takes Kendall into another vacant room and lays him on the bed.

"Karls, really, I'm better now. I'm just upset. And, it's hot, so I was lying on the floor to keep me cool. I don't have to lay in here. I'm fi—," he was interrupted by Karlee smashing her finger to his lips.

"Shhhh," she gestures. She strokes Kendall's cheek and smiles. "I'm in love with you. You are my best friend. As sad as I am that all of this stuff is happening, I'm glad we finally realized that we're supposed to be together."

Kendall pushes a piece of dirty blonde hair out of her eyes and holds her face. "Ditto." He leans in and closes his eyes and their lips meet.

On the other side of the hallway, Hadley manages to sneak out of the room she was hiding away in. She sees Ellie pacing back and forth and approaches the doctor as he exits James' room.

"Is he okay?" Hadley intrudes.

"Hold on a minute," Ellie commands, holding one finger up at Hadley. "Do you need me to call his parents?" she asks the doctor.

"If you want," the doctor responds, "but he's just about finished."

Ellie takes out her phone to call James' parents and the moment James' door is opened again, Hadley rushes inside.

"Get the hell out of his room!" Karlee yells as she sees what's happening as she and Kendall walk out of the other room.

"He needs to rest!" Shelby continues.

"Give him a break!" Ellie finishes. The doctor rubs Ellie's back to calm her down. "She's right. Just another hour or so," the doctor states addressing Hadley.

"If I stay quiet, I'll be fine.," Hadley replies with a smartass tone.

"Yeah, you do that," says Ellie, "Hello? Mrs. Maslow?" she says walking away. Hadley rolls her eyes at her and whispers to James, "Stay with me." Kendall walks in and stands next to James.

"Wow, dude. You really screwed up."

"How dare you talk to him like that? He didn't do anything wrong," Hadley says in response to the statement Kendall just made.

Kendall looks at Hadley as he cringes his teeth together and loses it. "LOOK, I CAN TALK TO JAMES HOWEVER THE HELL I WANT. HE IS MY BEST FRIEND AND HAS BEEN MY BEST FRIEND WWWAAAYYY BEFORE YOU WALKED INTO THE PICTURE. SO DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO ME LIKE THAT. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT."

Hadley scoots closer to James and crouches behind his head.

"You think he's gonna protect you? He is fucking unconscious. He can't protect you," Kendall says still pissed off.

Logan comes in due to all the yelling. "K, please come down."

"Logan, he's gonna kill me!" Hadley shoutxs.