Chapter Four

What Happened?

Nick felt weightless, he heard Kevin calling him but he couldn't bring himself to answer him, he felt his head fall forward, he couldn't hold it up anymore. He heard voices but nothing was registering in his mind. He heard Joe's name he wanted to know, was Joe alive? Was he dead? Nick couldn't get his eyes or head to cooperate, "What's wrong with me?" Nick thought, then he remembered, his insulin, no food, his blood sugar was too low!

"Nicky," Nick heard Kevin talking to him, that nickname, Nicky, Kevin never used that for him, it was always Nick J, Nick or Nicholas, but never Nicky, Kevin must had been really scared.

Nick felt something placed against his lips and then Kevin's voice again, "Nicky, you have to drink this, come on, you can do it."

Nick just wanted to sleep, but the cold metal against his lips didn't go away, so he slowly started drinking it. It was Sprite one of the most sugar filled sodas that his dad always got him when his sugar was low. The cold drink felt good, but it really didn't help him feel any better. He heard another voice, the doctor, the last thing Nick hear was "He might not make it" then everything when black.

JONASJONASJONASJONASJONASJONASJONAS

Nick moaned, his head was pounding, he felt like he could sleep for weeks but for some reason felt he needed to wake up, someone was playing with his hair so he knew someone was in the room, so he slowly forced his eyes open and saw his mother sitting beside him.

"Mom?" Nick asked as he looked over at her.

"Oh Nicholas, you're awake!" Denise said with a smile not stopping her motion through Nick's hair, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm tired," Nick said his eyes heavy but he forced them to stay open.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Nick turned his head towards the side of the bed and saw his father standing beside him.

"Hey dad," Nick said quietly with a small smile.

"Hey, you scared us Nicholas, you're sugar level has never gotten that low," Paul said as he pulled a chair up next to Nick.

"My sugar level?" Nick said, he was confused he didn't remember anything, "What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Paul asked looking at his son with fatherly concern.

"I remember giving myself my insulin, then the car, the noise, Joe!" Nick bolted upright, "where's Joe, is he alright?"

"He's over there, He's alive, but he's not doing very good Nick, the bullet did a lot of damage," Paul said moving so Nick could see past him.

The first person Nick saw surprised him, it wasn't Joe, it was Kevin, he looked like he was asleep, and really he looked kind of pale.

"Dad, that's not Joe, its Kevin, what happened to him?" Nick asked as he tried to sit up but the hand of his father stopped him.

"Nick-Joe lost a lot of blood-too much blood-Kevin is giving him blood as we speak, that's why he's there, you don't have to worry about him, he's okay," Paul said with a smile.

"Then why is he so pale?" Nick asked as he slowly sat up this time getting all the way up so he could see Joe.

"We asked the doctor that not ten minutes ago, and he said it was because Kevin is giving Joe so much of his blood, its making him weak, but he'll be alright, the doctor is only going to keep them going for about another forty five minutes, don't worry about Kevin, he'll be fine," Paul said squeezing Nick's shoulder.

"Then why is he unconscious?" Nick asked still not believing that Kevin was okay.

"He took one look at the blood and needles and passed out," Paul said with a smile remembering how he had found Kevin when he had returned to the room.

"Oh," Nick said then he laughed, "That sounds like Kevin."

"Yes, so now do you believe us when we tell you that Kevin is fine?" Denise asked pulling some of Nick's curls out of his face.

Nick nodded and then looked up, "Dad-you said that the bullet did damage, what kind of damage?"

Paul sighed, "Nick, the doctor said that Joe's kidneys were damaged, he didn't tell us how bad, or what he needs to repair it because he was worried about Joe's blood loss, but I think there might be a chance that he needs a kidney transplant."

Nick's eyes widened in fear, "Dad, are you sure?"

Paul shook his head, "No Nick, I said there's a chance, we don't know for sure yet."

Nick nodded and then movement caught his eye, he turned his head to see Kevin slowly starting to wake up.