My Peeps!!...if I can still call you that...I am very, very, very, very, very sorry that it has taken so long for me to update this story. It wasn't that I had writers block or anything, it was a serious overflow of BS, crying, and drama in my life. But now the people who were bringing the drama are gone and I'm back to being me, and writing when I get a chance. I promise, promise that things are back to normal I will be updating regularly once again. Big hugs for being patient with me, Hope you still love the story, because it loves you..Read, Enjoy, & Review!!!!

SIDE NOTE: In addition to Lovesick (which I will also be updating in the next few days) and First, Last, & Only, I am considering posting other stories that I have written or that I'm in the process of writing but I'd like some opinions first. If you're interested in helping me out, send me a message and leave an email address and I'll send you some story outlines or a few chapters or both, whatever you want. Your assistance is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!!

Chapter 29...

Jeff sat next to Brianna, holding a towel over his arm. The towel had been white when one of the EMT's gave it to him. Now, it was bright red except for the very edges. He knew he needed stitches but he'd refused numerous offers for treatment. He didn't want to leave the waiting room until they got some word on Raquel. She'd finally been admitted and placed in a room but no one was really telling them anything. A police officer was asking Brianna questions. He couldn't count how many times they'd given their account of the night's events since the ambulance arrived at the club. Brianna's eyes darted away from the officer every time a nurse or a doctor walked by.

"Ms. Kavner, I really need you to focus," the officer said, sounding impatient.

"Forgive me," Brianna fixed an icy gaze on him. "I was slightly distracted by the hope that someone here can tell me what's going on with my sister…You know, the one who was attacked."

The young officer took a deep breath, obviously displeased with his assignment, "Think back…do you remember what kind of truck it was?"

"I told you," Brianna used a shaky hand to scratch the top of her head. "It was a dark blue SUV."

"I need you to be more specific," the officer urged.

"You know, somehow when I heard my sister screaming and saw some psycho on top of her, I didn't think to write down the make and model," Brianna snipped.

Officer Randall sighed again, "What did the perp look like?"

"How many times are you people gonna ask us the same questions?" Jeff asked, irritated. "Shouldn't you be out trying to find this guy?"

"We are trying to find him," the officer insisted. "And the easiest way for us to do that is to find out whatever we can from you while it's still fresh in your mind."

"We've told you everything we know more than once," Jeff said.

Officer Randall was beginning to look angry but Jeff didn't care. He needed to go out and do his damn job.

"Ms. Kavner?"

Both Jeff and Brianna's heads turned when they heard the voice. A middle aged man in a lab coat came toward them.

"How's my sister?" Brianna stood up, anxious.

The doctor took a deep breath, "Ms. Davenport ingested an extremely high dose of gamma-hydroxybutyrate."

"Wait…" Brianna frowned, confused. "GHB?"

"The assailant must have been slipping your sister a liquefied form of the date rape drug," the doctor nodded. "From the amount in her system, I'd say she was ingesting it all night."

The color drained from Brianna's face and a nauseous feeling started in Jeff's stomach.

"T-too much of that can kill you, right?" Brianna shakily rubbed her forehead, tears were beginning to fill her eyes again.

"A high enough dose can, yes, especially when mixed with alcohol," the doctor nodded. "But you got Ms. Davenport here in time."

"So then she's okay?" Brianna asked, perking up slightly.

"The GHB caused hypoventilation, which is basically respiratory depression. It's very difficult for her to breathe on her own," the doctor explained. "And due to the respiratory depression, Ms. Davenport has developed hypercapnia, an abnormally high concentration of carbon dioxide in her system. Right now we're working on her breathing as well as bringing down her blood pressure."

Brianna nodded, now chewing on her thumbnail.

Jeff put his good arm around her shoulders. She was obviously scared. Hell, he was scared.

"We'll keep you updated," the doctor said.

"Thanks," Jeff said before the older man walked away.

When the doctor left, Officer Randall stood up but before he could take a step toward them, Jeff gave him a warning look and he sat back down.

Brianna sniffed, wiping her thumbs under her eyes.

"She's gonna be okay," he assured her, pulling her into a hug. She rested her head on his shoulder but jumped when she felt her skin come into contact with his towel.

"Oh my God," she stared at it. "Jeff you have to let them stitch you up."

Jeff looked down at the gash on his arm and almost winced himself.

"Seriously, now," she gave him a stern look.

"She's right dear," an older nurse walked up to them, You're loosing a lot of blood. Just let us get you cleaned up, we'll make sure you know of any new developments with your friend."

Brianna nodded at him and he sighed, "Fine, stitch it up..but I'm not going to an exam room..you do it here."

"In the middle of the waiting room?" the nurse stared.

"It's that or nothing," Jeff shrugged.

She sighed, "Alright dear, if that's how you want it."

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20 Minutes Later…

John stepped off the elevator and walked quickly in the direction the security guard had given him. This night definitely hadn't gone the way he expected. He figured he'd get a little drunk and turn down whatever chick Randy was trying to hook him up with, and that much had happened, but he hadn't expected to spend close to an hour stuck in the club while the police questioned everyone about an attack. He didn't find out until they finally questioned him and Randy that it was Raquel who had been attacked and Jeff and Brianna were at the hospital with her. His first reaction was to find the guy and kill him but he knew that wasn't possible. After the anger began to subside, he realized that he needed to get to the hospital. He needed to be there for his friend..and for Brianna.

When he made it to the waiting room, he spotted Brianna, pacing back and forth. She looked cold, her arms were wrapped around herself and her hair was a mess. Her makeup was smudged around her eyes.

"Brianna!" he called out to her.

She stopped walking, turning to face him.

"How's Raquel?"

"She's got GHB poisoning," Brianna sniffed. "The doctor said he must have been slipping it to her all night. He said we got her here in time but.."

Brianna sniffed, looking away, her eyes filling with tears.

"But what?" John asked, anxious.

"She's not breathing on her own," she informed him. "And they're having trouble keeping her blood pressure down and..she was all bruised up and bloody.."

Her tears ran down her cheeks and her lips quivered. She shook her head, looking away again.

John ran a hand over his hair, closing his eyes. He couldn't believe this was happening.

"I'm sorry it took so long to get here," he said, running his hand over his face. "The cops were questioning everybody at the club. Everyone else is coming."

"Did they find out anything?" she asked anxiously. "Do they know who this guy is?"

"I don't know," John admitted. "I don't think so."

"Why is this happening?" Brianna shook her head.

John didn't know what to say. He was shaken after hearing what happened to his friend, he could only imagine what it was like for Jeff and Brianna to actually see it.

"I just keep hearing her screaming," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I should have gotten there sooner..I was right there I should have been able to stop this."

"It's not your fault," he said sternly.

She looked up at him, "She could die."

John completely forgot all the tension that was surrounding them earlier that night and pulled her into his arms as sobs began to wrack her body.

"She is not gonna die," he assured her. "You got her here in time. The doctors are gonna help her. They know what they're doing."

She cried for a while longer and he held her tighter, nodding at Jeff as he returned to the waiting room and sat down. Brianna quieted down and John pulled away, looking down at her. He frowned when he spotted blood staining her cheek. After further inspection, he saw that it was all over her dress as well, "What happened to you?"

"It's mostly Jeff's," she explained. "The guy he..he cut his arm."

John looked over at Jeff and saw a bandage covering almost his entire arm. He also had a splint on one of his fingers.

John looked at Brianna again and noticed for the first time that she wasn't wearing shoes.

"Bri, what are you doing walking barefoot in a hospital?" he asked.

She looked confused for a second and then looked down at her feet.

"Oh," she shook her head. "My shoe broke when we were running in the parking lot."

"Excuse me," John stopped a nurse that was walking by. He flashed her a smile, "Is there any way that you could get her some shoes?"

"I'm not sure if I've got anything to go with your dress," the nurse joked.

"Anything you have is fine," John said. "I just don't want her stepping on any needles or anything like that."

"Sure thing sir," the nurse smiled before rushing off.

"I'm not three years old John," she said.

"I'm aware of that," John said. "I'm just trying to look out for you, okay?"

She sighed, nodding and rubbing her temples. He put his arm around her waist, guiding her toward the row of chairs where Jeff was seated.

John heard voices around the corner and he and Brianna both turned in time to see quite a few of their friends coming toward them. Maria and Trish rushed to Brianna, nearly knocking John out of the way as they wrapped their arms around her.

Jeff stood up, filling everyone in on Raquel's condition as Maria and Trish sat down with Brianna.

"Sir."

John turned to see the nurse he'd asked to get shoes for Brianna. She was holding gym shoes and a pair of hospital scrubs.

"Thank you," he said as she handed them to him.

"No problem," she said before walking away.

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40 Minutes Later…

Jeff looked around the waiting room at his friends. Matt was sitting to his left, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Brianna was to his right, wearing the scrubs the nurse gave her. She had her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms around her legs, her forehead resting on her knee. She hadn't said a word in about 15 minutes, right around the time when the doctors had moved Raquel to a room. John sat beside her looking tired and worried, his hand rubbing a circular pattern on Brianna's back. Maria, Trish, Andrew, and Randy occupied the chairs across from them, all of them looking anxious. Trish had tears in her eyes but she was obviously trying to look strong. Randy was rapidly tapping his thumb on his knee. Maria .The rest of Raquel's visitors were strewn throughout the waiting room. Some were on cell phones. Some were having hushed conversations in the corners. Jeff got up, his eyes fixed on the window beside the door of Raquel's private room. One of the doctors had left the blinds open and for the first time since they got there, he was able to see Raquel. She looked so…broken. Almost every inch of skin he could see was bruised. Her face, neck, arms, everything. Her lip was split and he normally silky dark hair was matted around her head on the pillow. Her chest wasn't moving at all but he could see on the monitor beside her bed that she was breathing. The doctors had let them know a few minutes earlier that she was finally able to breathe on her own. She wasn't completely out of the woods but she was definitely better than she was earlier. Jeff couldn't help but feel guilty. He could have done something. He could have stopped it sooner. He could have killed that guy for what he did to Raquel. But what did he do? Nothing.

"Ms. Kavner?"

Jeff turned around to see a doctor step into the waiting room.

"May I speak with you for a moment?" he asked.

Brianna nodded, "Of course."

Brianna got up, taking John's hand. John got up, walking behind her. Jeff felt a little nervous, wondering what the doctor wanted to tell Brianna. As she walked past, she touched his hand, giving him silent permission to join them. They walked down the hall, past two or three doors and then the doctor turned and faced them.

"As you know, Ms. Davenport is breathing on her own," he said. "We were finally able to bring her blood pressure down and she's stable."

Brianna exhaled the breath she'd been holding and John rubbed her back.

"How long should it take her to wake up?" John asked.

"We're not exactly sure how long, it could be 15 minutes, it could be a few hours," the doctor explained. "What I can tell you is that when Raquel does wake up she will be very dizzy, nauseous, and confused…I suggest that someone be in the room with her when she regains consciousness. After such a traumatic event, it would be detrimental to her to wake up in a hospital alone or with complete strangers."

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"I'll stay with her," Brianna nodded.

"Sounds good," Dr. Jefferson gave them all a reassuring smile before walking away.

"I'm gonna go tell everybody what's going on," Jeff said.

"Thanks Jeff," Brianna smiled. Then, she remembered her family in LA. "Shit."

"What?" John looked concerned.

"Gia and Frank," Brianna rubbed her forehead. "I've been so caught up I-"

"Brian already handled that," John cut her off.

"What?"

"I almost forgot to tell you. Brian came up about 20 minutes ago to let me know he called Gia and Gia got in touch with your dad while Brian called the airline, they should be on a plane within an hour," John explained.

Brianna felt tears spring to her eyes again. She wasn't even sure why this time, maybe her eyes were just used to being full after the past few hours of bawling.

"Listen, Bri, I wanted to talk to you about the way I acted earlier," John took her hand.

Brianna shook her head, "Not now."

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