Chapter 6

Lizzie continued to sit by her brother's side the rest of the afternoon. Beth and Phillip would be there soon and she could go home to see her daughter and husband. It was hard on her trying to explain to Riley why her uncle was not waking up, but Bill had been great taking the time to explain it in a way that she could understand it at a 4 year-old level. She couldn't have asked for a better father to her child, step-father to her other daughter Sarah with Jonathan or a better husband. Now Lizzie wanted James to have all of that. She wanted to see him married with his own children because she knew that he and Bill were so much alike despite them denying it until they turned blue.

Lost in her thoughts Lizzie was startled when James's hand squeezed hers. Her eyes shooting up she saw that he was waking up.

"Hey you" she said smiling through happy tears. "You're back to the living. How do you feel?"

James's eyes finally open after some struggle managed to croak out, "Like I've been hit by a truck. Where am I"

"Your at Cedars" Lizzie said stroking his hair.

"What happened" James asked as he struggled to sit up.

"What's the last thing you remember" Lizzie asked

James tried to think and after a minute spoke up, "I was driving to Company to pick up take out for dinner and I remember seeing headlights and then nothing"

"You had an accident" Lizzie explained, "You've been out of it for a while now"

"How long" he asked unsure.

"A week" Lizzie said calmly, "Rick and Ed Bauer have been attending to you."

"Where's Daisy" James asked as he wondered why she was not here when he woke up.

"Bill and I finally convinced her to go get some real sleep in her own bed" Lizzie stated as she brought over some water to him. "She almost never left your side. Actually this is the longest she has been away from here." Making her way to the door she said, "I'm gonna tell Nana your awake and then call Bill to go get Daisy and bring her here."

James just nodded slightly and closed his eyes again. Lizzie slipped out quietly and ran down the hall to the nurses station where Lillian was standing with Rick.

"He's awake" Lizzie said out of breath from running. "James finally woke up"

"How did he seem" Rick asked immediately grabbing James's chart from behind the desk and making his way to the room.

"Fine, he was talking and he just seemed a little out of it" Lizzie said excitedly. "I have to go call Bill"

Running outside of the hospital Lizzie pulled out her phone and dialed Bill's office number.

"Bill Lewis" he answered after it rang a couple of times

"Bill its me" Lizzie said not being able to contain her excitement anymore, "James is awake, he's awake and talking and asking for Daisy"

"That's great baby" Bill said from the other end, "I'll go pick her up from their place right now"

"Thanks" Lizzie said quickly, "I gotta call mom and dad and Aunt Alex. Their going to be so relieved that he woke up"

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Daisy had been sound asleep when she was woken up by the loud knocking at the door and Bill's voice calling out to her.

"Daisy wake up" Bill called out from outside, "James is awake, Lizzie sent me to come and get you"

Daisy still half asleep got up out of the bed and made her way to the door. Unlocking it she found a smiling Bill on the other side.

"What's going on" Daisy asked yawning.

"James woke up" Bill said entering the apartment. "Lizzie sent me to come and get you. Apparently he's been asking for you"

Daisy was now wide awake at hearing such good news and had her shoes on in a flash ready to go.

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"Oh my god" Daisy whispered as she entered the hospital room. Phillip and Beth were standing by their son and Lizzie and Alexandra were on the other side with Rick and Lillian at the foot of it. "Your really awake" she said as she ran over to the bed and embraced him as tightly as she could without hurting him. Seeing the young couple together everyone began to file out so that James and Daisy could be alone.

"I was so scared" she whispered against him, "When Beth called me and told me to get down here I had no idea what had happened. Then when Ed and Rick told me you were in a coma" by this time Daisy was crying tears of joy, "But your awake now. Oh my god, I'm so happy to see you awake" she rambled. Silence overcame her as she continued to let her mind get wrapped around the idea and held on to James for dear life, not wanting to let go.

"The way everyone was acting you would think I died or something" James laughed slightly, "I didn't die did I?"

Daisy shook her head and smiled, "No you didn't die, but you sure scared the hell out of us"

"I'm sorry" James said giving her puppy dog eyes, "Forgive me"

Daisy swallowed her pride and guilt. It was now or never and she had never lied to him before so why continue to do so especially if it could still hurt him anyway.

"No, I'm the one who is sorry" Daisy said softly moving away from his body and taking a seat next to the bed. "I should have told you this before, but I was so scared of what would happen that I didn't. Your in here because of me and that just makes me sick to my stomach."

"What are you talking about" James asked clearly confused, "You weren't in the car that ran me off the road were you" Daisy shook her head, "Then you have nothing to be sorry for. Its not your fault"

"It is though" she shouted, though not meaning to, "It is my fault. I've known about something for over a week now and I should have told you when I found out. When he contacted me."

"Wait a minute" James said confused even more, "He?"

"James remember when I told you about my ex-boyfriend" Daisy said looking down at the floor.

"Uh yeah" James said, "I've known about Rafe for years now, we're friends, why would you think I would have a problem with Rafe calling you?"

"Not Rafe" Daisy said quietly, "Grady"

"Grady" James repeated baffled, "You told me he was dead. You said my dad pushed him off a cliff after he threatened Lizzie"

"They never found his body and for good reason too" Daisy said looking up, "Its because he's alive James. He's been watching me for a while and during our engagement party he was the text message I got."

James couldn't look at her. He didn't know what was worse. That her ex-boyfriend who had threatened his own sister's life was back in town alive or the fact that Daisy knew about it and kept it hidden from him.

"So that's why you went outside" James said lowly, "You went outside to see Grady"

"I didn't know it was Grady until I got outside" Daisy tried to explain, "You have to believe that. I didn't recognize the number and so I went outside to see who it was. At first I didn't see anyone so I started to come back inside and then Grady came out from the corner of the Towers terrace. You have to believe me I thought he was dead. I never in a millions years thought he would still be alive."

"So while our engagement party was going on you were out with your ex-boyfriend who I might add threatened my sisters life" James said getting angry.

"I wasn't out with him" Daisy cried the tears building up in her eyes rapidly, "I swear James, he was the one telling me that he and I could be together and that you didn't deserve me. I told him that I loved you, I do. I love you James and only you. Grady coming back was never going to change that."

"Sure doesn't seem like you could have too much invested in this relationship if you couldn't even tell me he was alive and stalking you" James said bitterly. "Let me guess those flowers that you got the other day were from him too"

Daisy just nodded, "I was going to throw them out but you saw them before I got a chance to"

"So instead you continued to lie and said they were from Dylan" James said his voice rising, "What else have you lied to me about Dais? I mean I thought we were honest with each other."

"We are" she said crying, "This is the only time I have ever lied to you since we started dating. I didn't want Grady to hurt you. I was trying to protect you"

"Were you ever going to tell me" James asked his anger beginning to boil over.

"I was trying to find the right time" Daisy said still crying, "I was going to tell you the night of your accident but it was too late."

"Well you don't need to protect me anymore" James said coldly, "I want nothing to do with you right now. Probably would be best if you left."

When Daisy didn't move James blew up. "I said Leave Now!"

Daisy ran out of the room and down the hall past all the Spauldings in the waiting room and out the doors of Cedars.

Phillip and Beth ran into James's hospital room after seeing Daisy's abrupt retreat.

"Son what happened" Phillip asked

"Remember that guy that threatened Lizzie's life a couple years ago and you got rid of him" James asked his father who nodded in response. "Well dad guess you didn't really do your job cause he's not dead"

Beth was bewildered, "What are you talking about honey. Grady Foley's gone, he's dead"

"No mom" James said choking a sob back, "He's not and Daisy knew about it"

"What" his parents said at the same time

"Yep, she's known for over a week and he's the one that ran me off the road" James said trying to regain control of his emotions. "Now she's free to be with him because it's over."

Beth and Phillip looked at each other and then at James. They could see the hurt, anger, and pain etched all over his face. It killed them to see their son this distraught.

"Can you please just leave" James said tiredly, "I just want to be alone okay"

His parents nodded and left the room. Making their way back to the waiting room, they proceeded to inform Lillian, Lizzie, Bill and Rick of what just happened.

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She didn't stop running until she got home to what used to be their apartment. Sobbing uncontrollably she pulled her keys out from her pocket and started opening the door. A hand reached out and grabbed her before she could even take a step inside.

Whirling around she came face to face with Grady.

"Are you happy now" Daisy screamed at him, "Its over between me and James. He's so angry at me and wants nothing to do with me"

"Guess your free to be with me now huh" Grady said smiling evilly.

"I will never be with you" Daisy spat, "I hate you and I wish you would have died that day. Now because of you I have lost the one person who made me feel like a whole person, not just a pawn in a game they were playing."

"Wrong answer" Grady said as she turned to go back inside. He hit her on the back of the head with his gun knocking her out cold causing her to drop her keys, purse and cell phone in the doorway, this going unnoticed by Grady. "You talk too much" he said as he picked her up bridal style and carried her out to his car hidden behind the trees. Placing her in the trunk of the car he walked around to the drivers side of the car and started it up. Pulling out from behind the trees he made the trip down the road to a destination unknown for now.

Chapter 7 previews: Frank and Buzz go to check on Daisy. Everyone realizes that Daisy is missing. James feels guilty about yelling at her. The hunt for a missing Daisy begins