Hey I'm so bad for replying to reviews and I'm really sorry because I really do appreciate everything you guys say so here goes :
C (Guest): Aw thanks I'm glad you liked it. I can try do one of those pairings for you when I get the time. x x
Mini-star-ninja-kid 132: I love'd your review, it was so feelsy! hehe we'll have to wait and see about the butt-trumpet! Thanks x x x
TearsOfaClown: I know it's upsetting but ang in there. x x
RavenclawStarshipRanger: Aww thank you x x x
PotterFanatic: OMG that was so sweet of your friend and you don't understand how happy that's made me to know that people think enough of the story to recommend it. Of course thank you for reading and reviewing it. I'm glad you like it... be prepared for the FEELS. x x x
IndiaMoore: Aww thank you I hope I don't disappoint x x x
RazMaster:Thank you x x
Starkidtheatregeek: Oh we'll have to wait and see in this chapter! Thank yo x
StarkidPD: Thanks I'm glad you're enjoying your so sweet. x x
This chapter is quite heavy and I apologise, but hang in there because I am a believer in happy endings. There's a bit to go yet but we'll get there.
I hope you like it. Thank you all so much you guys are the best in the world. Please keep reading(if you like of course) and reviews are welcome. x
"Please stop shouting sir, if you could take a seat in here and a doctor will be with you shortly, that is the best I can offer you," the young nurse gestured nervously to the plastic chairs that lined the pastel coloured walls of the waiting room.
"Of course, thank you," Julia cut in before Joe had a chance to start yelling again. The nurse gave Julia a relieved look and swiftly turned to get back to the reception desk where there was a line of people waiting to be seen.
Brian placed a hand on Joe's shoulder, "C'mon Joe, it's no use standing out here. We might as well sit down."
Joe shook his head, "I'll stay put."
Brian nodded and clapped him on the back understandingly before following the rest of the team, who'd already gone in ahead.
Joe leaned back against the wall and ran his trembling hands through his hair. "Why didn't I stay with her? "I could have protected her."He tortured himself as he thought of all the ways he could have saved her.
They didn't know how bad she was but judging by the sympathetic look and the carefully worded answers they'd been given on their arrival he knew things were serious.
He slid down the wall and his whole body began to shake as the fear and pain engulfed him. He watched as a single teardrop fell on to his jeans and soaked into the material. He rested his head in his hands, wishing that this was all a dream… no a nightmare, that in any second he'd wake up from, and Lauren would be sleeping peacefully in his arms, unharmed and protected. He felt someone slide down next to him silently and waited a few seconds before lifting his head.
It was Darren.
"She's going to pull through this Joe. It's Lauren, she may be small but she's tough. She does not give up. "
Joe smiled sadly. "The difference is, this time it's her life that's on the line...she can't afford to give up" his voice broke on the last word and he turned his face away from Darren so he wouldn't see the tears in his eyes.
Darren took a deep breath and pretended he didn't notice Joe crying. He cleared his throat before speaking again, "I want to apologise… for this morning."
Amongst all the drama, Joe had completely forgotten about his fight with Darren. It seemed so stupid and petty compared to what they were facing at the moment and he struggled to think of a response. Darren went to stand up, misinterpreting Joe's silence. "Wait Dar…No it was my fault, I started accusing you and then Lauren got upset and… now it's my fault that she's here… if I'd just kept my mouth shut and thought things through she would have come straight to rehearsal with me and we'd be… we'd be..."
Joe couldn't go on and Darren watched in despair as his friend crumbled before his eyes. Grief and guilt could tear apart even the strongest of men. "I should have answered her calls," he silently repiled. Neither said anymore, knowing there were no words they could offer each other that would take away the pain.
"Excuse me, I'm Dr Everett. Are you relatives of Miss Lauren Lopez?" a male voice questioned.
Both Joe and Darren's heads shot up and they jumped to their feet hastily upon seeing a doctor standing in front of them with a solemn expression. "No, I'm her boyfriend. Is she… is she going to be ok?" Joe responded quickly.
Dr Everett stalled before responding and appeared to be choosing his words delicately before giving them an answer. "We can't give any promises at this point," he started, "We will be taking her up to theatre within the next few minutes, but until we get in there we won't know the full extent of the damage made by the blade. Also bear in mind she lost a large amount of blood, so her body is weak. We really are in the dark ourselves at the moment. "
Joe tried to process what they'd been told. He felt the anger raging up inside of him as he thought of what he'd do to the bastard who'd done this to her.
"Can…can we see her?" Meredith's shaking voice came from behind and Joe turned around to see that the rest of the Starkids had gathered around to hear the verdict. Julia's eyes were red raw from crying and she had Jaime and Dylan's hands clasped tightly in each of her own.
Dr Everett began to shake his head but Darren stepped forward, "please… please? Just for a second. We need to see her before… in case it's our last."
He said the last words very quietly but they'd all heard and each of them understood what he'd meant.
"It'll only upset you seeing her this way…"
"Please?" Darren begged.
The doctor opened his mouth about to refuse again but as he looked around into each pair of pleading eyes, he sighed, "Okay, but I can only give you a few minutes," he gave in, "then we have to take her up."
They nodded and followed the doctor's white coat as he led them through a set of double doors that had a sign on them: Trauma Unit.
They stopped outside one of the wooden doors that had a blind closed tightly across the little window in it. Dr Everett called over a middle-aged nurse who had her greying hair tied up in a neat bun. They started talking in hushed tones and making unintelligible hand gestures. After a minute they stopped and the doctor placed his hand on the handle of the door they'd been standing next to. He pushed down on it, but before opening the door he turned around with a questioning look on his face to make sure they were ready. None of them said a word and all of their eyes were trained on the door, prepared for the worst.
He pushed the door open and Julia broke down completely, sobbing and gasping for breath. Joe pushed through the others and ran to her. She looked absolutely tiny and her face was stark white, even against the pillow. She had numerous tubes connected to her as well as an oxygen mask secured over her face. She was wearing a hospital gown but they had cut a holein it, to allow for the knife that still protruded from her stomach.
"We can't remove the knife until we get her up to the operating theatre in case she bleeds out," the doctor explained.
Joe took her small hand in his and squeezed it tightly. More than anything else in the world he just wanted to look into her beautiful brown eyes and see her smile. Darren walked around to the other side of the bed and took her hand. It was so cold and he began rubbing it in a fruitless attempt to warm it up. The others gathered around. Julia, who was usually the strong one, had her head turned in to Dylan's chest, unable to take it. Without saying anything everyone wrapped their arms around each others waists, forming a circle around her bed.
Eventually Joey was the one to break the silence, "Lo, if you pull through this, I promise I will gladly pay for your pizza every pizza night we have."
"…and let you pick the movie," Meredith added.
"…we'll take you to forever 21, and just follow you around carrying your purchases," Jaime joined in.
"I promise I'll visit more Loz. I know we don't see each other much and I hate that, so I promise you, I will come," Darren got his word in quietly and everyone went silent again, waiting for Joe to speak.
"I love you Lo... I need you to know that," Joe concluded quietly, just Dr Everett came back into the room.
"I'm sorry, but it's time."
Darren, Meredith, Brian, Julia, Jaime, Joey and Dylan stepped back silently but Joe held on to her hand a little longer, praying to whoever it was that would listen. The doctor coughed and Joe bent down and kissed her tenderly on the forehead, before reluctantly stepping back and watching as they wheeled her away. He could feel his brain going into shut down and his thoughts were consumed with the girl he loved.
He became vaguely aware that a voice was speaking to him and he forced himself to concentrate. He came into the conversation to hear the nurse from outside the door talking,
"…if her parents or family members could be contacted…. Or if you want to give us the number we can make the call for you."
"No! I'll do it," Joe jumped in.
"Joe… are you sure you want to do this?" Darren asked him in an undertone.
Joe pulled out his phone and scrolled down until he came to Lauren's Dad's number. "I'm sure," he replied as he pressed the green call button.
He took a few steps away from the team as the number rang. "Hello?" the familiar voice of Lauren's Dad reached his ear. Joe opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He hadn't thought this through. How did you tell someone their daughter had been stabbed and that he, as her boyfriend, had failed to protect her?
"Hello?" Mr Lopez's voice came through again, "Hello?"
Joe felt the phone being removed gently from his hand and a second later he heard Darren's voice,
"Um… hello Mr Lopez. Yes this is Darren here…."
Darren turned and looked at Joe, who gave him a grateful,apologetic look. Darren inclined his head to let Joe know it was ok and that he'd handle it, before walking out of the room with the phone to his ear.
He returned minutes later with a grave look on his face. It had been the hardest phone call he'd ever had to make... Then again it had been the hardest day that any of them had had to face, and it wasn't even nearly over.
"Thanks for that," Joe stuttered as Darren handed him back his phone.
"What do we do now?" Julia asked without raising her eyes from the spot she was staring at on the floor.
"We wait," Joe responded hoarsely, "we wait."
Thanks lovelies x x x