Thank you all so much for your reviews! I really appreciate it! I have a little recommendation. If there is a song you should listen to for Morning After, Tragedy and this chapter...it's Pretty Girl (The Way) by Sugarcult. It's fits so well!

 "You really have no idea what I'm talking about do you?" Darien just gave a sarcastic smile. "Enlighten me, please." What kind of joke was this?

"Darien, Serena's in the hospital. She was hit by a car last night. I thought you knew." Andrew might have gone on but Darien heard nothing else. Serena was in the hospital? Right outside the studio? The rest of his words were carried of by the wind.

Can't Stop the Music

Chapter 12

Serena's whole world had crashed around her in an instant. She just couldn't be hurt that bad. Why couldn't she remember something that had taken away her purpose in life? Why, Why, Why?

"Paralyzed? A-are you sure, Lita?" Lita could see Serena was completely withdrawn. Her animated gaze became dull with pain and her skin had become very pale. There were no signs of the previously confident and determined fair-haired girl. What was she going to do? "Tell me, does this mean I'll never dance again?" The beeping of the machines became louder until it was almost deafening.

"I..don't know."

They both sat in silence. Serena's thoughts turned inward as her grieve became too much to bear. She would never dance again. All her dreams of wanting to prove disbelievers wrong and to become a star were doused mercilessly. And to top it all off, she still couldn't remember anything about how it had happened! Every time she tried to recall the event she would see startling blue eyes and want to cry.

Lita shifted in her seat uncomfortably. It had been at least an half an hour and Serena had yet to utter a single syllable. Never had she seen the girl look so crushed and defeated. She wouldn't even eat!

The doctor had come in earlier to say if she didn't eat soon she would pass out from hunger. But Serena had just stared straight ahead and kept silent.

While Serena might be able to stand the silence, Lita couldn't. Just as she was about to get up and take her leave the door to Serena's room slammed open. A very handsome, but disheveled man stepped in breathing heavily. As soon as he saw Serena he froze and all colored drained from his face. Lita watched with trepidation at the tall stranger in her friend's room.

"Who are you?"

Darien trudged ahead not listening to any of Lita's complaints or threats to call security. All her could see was her. Where once she was the brightest star shining in the sky, she was now dull and extinguished.

"Serena, can you hear me? I'm so sorry. I never thought this would happen." His voice was brought to a low whisper as he stared directly into her sightless gaze. What had he done to her?

Serena turned slowly to look into him in the eyes and stopped. She knew those eyes. Those were the eyes that had cause her so much pain in trying to remember. Her gaze focused in on him and her pulse quickened.

"I know you."

She searched all nooks and crannies of her memories to find one link to the dark-haired man before her. Waves of pain overtook her as one memory stood out above all the rest. "Why should I care what happens to you, Serena?"

"The kiss?"

"You thought that kiss meant something? I was just looking for somewhere to vent my frustrations. You were more than willing so I took the chance. She clutched her head in horror. This couldn't be. He couldn't be.

"No. NO! Make it stop!" But the memories of that one horrible moment kept flooding back.

"What makes you think I would want a virginal, inexperienced, little girl like you? Don't tell me you believed it? Typical. You really are too trusting and innocent!" The sound of cars screeching to a halt echoed in her ears.

"Oh my god, somebody call an ambulance! There's too much blood!"

She remembered.

She could remember every harsh would this animal had said to her. He was the reason she was like this. His selfishness was the reason she would never dance again. He was the cause of all her pain.

"Serena? What's wrong?" Darien stepped closer to her, and held tightly onto one of her hands. "I never meant for any of this to happen. You were just so close. Too close for comfort. I-" Serena slapped him hard on he cheek, pulling her hand away. She reveled in the way his head snapped to the side.

"Don't. You. EVER. Touch me again." She hugged herself tightly and covered herself with her blankets. "I hate you, Darien! I hope you and your selfishness burn in hell for this! Stay away from me. DO YOU HEAR ME?" She pointed to the door behind him her voice deadly soft.

"Get out."

Darien couldn't believe this. How could so much go so wrong in such a little amount of time? What had caused such anguish in such a happy person? Then it really hit him. He was the reason everyone was in such pain. He was the real reason Serena was in the hospital. The weight of that discovery almost brought him to his knees. "Serena, don't do this. Don't turn me away like…like I did you…"

"I SAID GET OUT!" She threw whatever she could reach at him ripping out her IV in the process. "Leave me to die just like you did before, you bastard!" Darien tried to restrain her until a hand came down on his shoulder. Lita stepped between him and Serena before he could hurt her anymore than he already had.

"I suggest you get out before I kick you out." Now Serena may have been too weak to kick him out, but Lita had ten years of Judo under her belt that she never hesitated to use. "You've done enough damage. You're no longer welcome here." She looked at Serena crying and bloody on her hospital bed.

"And something tells me you never were."

The seen Andrew came upon when he arrived at the hospital left much to be imagined. Serena's sheets were bloody and many of her belonging where on the floor. Food coated the walls and nurses were milling around putting in Serena's new IV.

What the hell had happened here?

The most disconcerting image of all was the shrunken in blonde on the bed. Her hair had dulled from lack of nutrition and sunlight and her skin was deathly pale. Her most beautiful trait of her, her eyes, were dead and unseeing. Lita was sitting in a corner talking to a security guard.

"Yes, officer. He's about 6'4 with black hair and dark blue eyes." The officer gave him her thanks and said he would look out for anyone who fit that description trying to enter the hospital.

Andrew waited until everyone was gone before approach the string brunette. He tried to ignore how well the description matched a certain friend of his. "What happened?" Lita gave him a wan smile and offered him a chair to sit in. She motioned to Serena sadly.

"She's been like that since he left. Won't eat or drink anything. Sometimes I'll look up and she'll be crying silently. I just don't know what to do anymore." Andrew just nodded sagely. Darien had caused all this commotion? He was the reason her sheets were bloody? The sight of the broken Serena almost had him in tears.

"How bad is she? The accident I mean." Lita took a deep breath and closed her eyes slowly. "The doctors say she may never walk again, much less dance. They say if she has any chance it's up to her." She blinked back unshed tears. She would not cry now. She would be strong for Sere in her time of need."

Andrew stood up and went to Serena's side. "Oh Serena. I promise I'll make this up to you somehow. I won't let it end this way." His fists clenched when he saw no sign of change in her demeanor. It wasn't until he leaned down to kiss her cheek that he heard her soft whispers.

"Not good enough. Worthless. Pathetic." The tears came back as she sat limply and wallowed in her sadness. Her whispers followed her until she fell into a fitful sleep.

Andrew straightened slowly before turning towards the door. He knew who had implanted those words in her head. It was partially his fault for every introducing them in the first place. But if he ever got his hands on Darien….

He would kill him.