Verse Chorus Verse Chapter 12, a degrassi fanfic

Some crazy foreshadowing. God, I for one, cannot WAIT for the other shoe to drop...

An hour into our hospital trip Ellie nodded out, "I'm going to grab lunch with Sean. Stay here with Emma, okay?"

"Try not to get pregnant," I mumbled as she walked out.

She spun around quickly, arching her eyebrow, "Getting knocked up is Manny's thing. Besides, I thought you were over your Sean-wars."

I am. Mostly. Except that the idea of the two of them, alone together, drags this giant knot into my intestines. "Sean and I are cool. It's you I don't trust."

"Yeah, that clever little line only works on Emma. I couldn't care less if you trust me." She stepped towards me with an intense pout on her lips, "Because you really shouldn't, Craig. Trust me? I'll only let you down."

And with that she spun back to the door and sauntered out of my line of vision. What was that supposed to mean, anyway? That I shouldn't trust her? Did she mean anything at all. Maybe she just said it to ensure I'd spend even more time considering her. But I wasn't going to give into her demands. I was going to stalk into the waiting room and harass nurses until they let me see Emma. "Emma Nelson. No, I'm sorry…Emma Hogart, which room?"

"I'm sorry Sir, but she can't see visitors yet."

"Not even me? Craig Manning…I mean…it's not that I don't respect the law and structures of the hospital it's just…well…I have to be back on the road soon and Emma's been my best friend since I was 12. I just want to make sure she's okay."

The nurse seemed to deflate at my words, "Well, here's the thing Mr. Manning. It's not that I don't respect your work as an artist, right. It's just that the hospital has policies…and you aren't pretty enough to risk my job for."

"Can you at least tell me why she's being admitted? I mean, when I spoke to our friend Ellie she said it was just some tests."

She looked shocked at my naiveté, "She asked to be admitted."

"What? Why? Is something wrong?"

"Patient records are confidential, and I promise that as soon as she settles into the room someone will let you know."

I went back over to the yellow chairs I was becoming too familiar with. I briefly busied myself wondering if it was hard for Ellie to breath in here. She seemed so passive about these things but. But you can't watch your husband die, then not die, then die all over again from a sterile hospital room without feeling something. How did Ellie get out of Jay-duty? I mean…wasn't she supposed to be convincing Papa H everything was fine. Or did she know what was wrong with Emma? Why wasn't she telling? I picked up my phone and pressed 3 on the speed dial, "Eleanor Nash…why is Emma being admitted?"

"Admitted? For overnight care? Did something go wrong with the tests? Are her electrolytes normal?" Her voice became increasingly panicked, "Is there a Doctor near you? Is something talking?"

"No, no one is talking. I'm waiting for her to settle into the room. I just. I thought that maybe you knew what was going on."

"You thought that maybe I knew and failed to mention it? Seriously, Craig? Are we twelve."

"Well, I'm not. But you still seem to be holding some grudges."

"I'm going to call Jay. She may not have pulled us into the loop but I doubt she's seeking help without consulting her husband."

"I'll call him."

"No. Craig. It's fine."

"What? I can't call? I was in his wedding party…we've met."

"You were in EMMA'S wedding party. There's a difference."

"Not enough of one. We get along. I promised him I'd look out for her. So, here we go, right. Me making good on the promises."

"Fine. But you have to tell me whatever you find out."

"Of course…God, Elle…when have I ever kept secrets from you?"

"Pretty little fork in the road. One path is all the horror stories, every time you said, "Baby, I'm gonna leave her." And the other is simply hanging up and rushing back to those bitchy nurses."

"Guess I'll see you soon."

"Yeah," she scoffed before I heard the dial tone.

I pressed 5 on the speed dial and listened to the ringing until I finally heard, "You have reached Fort Hudson how may I direct your call."

"Um. Hi. I need to be connected to Corporal Jason Hogart. It's an emergency."

"I'm sorry Sir but Corporal Hogart was flown off of the base quite a few nights ago."

"Flown out? Why? Did he go on a mission?"

The woman didn't confirm or deny but his laughter told her that wasn't it. "No, Sir, but I can't give you any information without security clearance."

"What is it with people refusing me information? I was just speaking to him earlier, from this number," I wasn't sure that was true but. Ellie didn't mention a new number, so I continued with my assumption.

"Calls are forwarded in the morning hours. Unfortunately it's about 7 here so the night policies are in effect."

"Forwarded to where," I asked while flipping through the portfolio folders Ellie had left me. I knew the security information was in here somewhere.

"Like I said, Sir, that's only available with the proper security clearance."

"I have clearance."

"You have the primary access code?"

"Yes. I just. Alpha 2 Foxtrot Zulu Hotel 87 dash Whiskey Charlie 419."

"Okay, Sir, your name,"

"Craig Manning."

"The secondary listing?"

"Uniform kilo 607 brave Zulu xray."

"I'm sorry Mr. Manning that was last week's code."

"You mean it's changed I—okay, yes, I'm sorry. I forgot. The proper code, Lima, Charlie 818 Echo Quebec Papa."

"Okay, Sir. Now all I need from you are the last four numbers on the Corporal's identification tags."

"This is pretty nerve-racking."

"I'm sure it's no worse that playing CBGB's. Please, Sir, the numbers."

"0031."

"Okay, Mr. Manning—"

"Please, call me Craig."

"Okay, Craig, it says here that Corporal Hogart was moved to an off base hospital following an injury sustained during practice rounds."

"What kind of injury?"

"He was crawling through a ropes course when his leg became stuck under an obstacle. A passing soldier landed on the leg and…there's a notation saying the leg is broken in more than one place."

"Can you tell me why we weren't informed of this when his wife called earlier?"

"I can't be positive that she wasn't informed. The injury was over a week ago. It's very unlikely that she didn't know unless he was trying to keep it from her."

"Thank you. Um…is there a way to leave a message for Mr. Hogart?"

"Corporal Hogart and, yes. I can connect you to his message service. There will be a short radio silence followed by three beeps in rapid secession then a longer beep. After the longer beep you can leave your message."

"Lots of hoops to jump through here."

"Well, cliché though you may find it, it's literally a matter of national security."

I laughed then the feed cut out and I listened for beeps through the silence. "Jay, it's Craig. Emma's being checked into the hospital. I don't know her room number or…really what's going on yet. But, I'll keep you up to date. You can reach me…or Ellie, I guess on our cells. We'll keep them on for you."

After I hung up I just sat there for the longest time. I couldn't reach Jay, who apparently had a broken leg. I couldn't get in to see Emma. Ellie and Sean were probably out "getting to know each other." There were not enough crossword puzzles in the world to keep me entertained. "Mr. Manning? Emma is ready to receive visitors."

I saw a lot during rehab. And before that, when I used to go the hospital while my father was working. But I wasn't prepared to see Emma hooked up to all those machines. There was one monitoring her heart rate, and another monitoring the baby's. There was oxygen and an IV. "Em, what the hell? I thought it was just tests." I wanted to be angry. But she looked so frail. And so thin for seven months. "Em? What's going on?"

"I'm…look, it's kind of embarrassing, you know?"

"You can tell me anything."

"Right, anything I want thrown back in my face at a later—"

She was cut off sharply by a spike in the monitor. "Look, I don't want to upset you. I just…I want to make sure you're alright."

"I bet I can tell you what's wrong."

I turned to the voice, "Manny? What are you—were you out in the waiting room? I didn't see you."

"I was being discrete. I'm not here for you, so I didn't want to waste any time actually speaking to you."

"Well, looks like you just lost four seconds."

"Craig…Manny…just stop, okay? I—I asked her to come. Last night, after our fight. I just…needed her, okay? Can you understand that?"

He could. Of course he could…he had needed her too many times before to not understand. But that didn't dilude his anger. "I'm gonna go warn Ellie. I don't think she'd like to drop in on this particular walk down memory lane."

"Right," Emma sighed.

"Of course, of course you're still worried about Ellie's feelings. I guess I shouldn't be surprised…I know all about old dogs and their tricks."

"I'm sorry, Manny, are you implying that I'm a dog or simply admitting what a wrinkly bitch you've become?" I bit before stepping out of the room.

Okay, so, next chapter…why Emma's in the hospital. The chapter is already written and anyone who guesses right will get a special present. A Jay/Emma one-shot: the two of them, after Secret, after Sean comes back…how do they find their way back to eachother?

Also, just as a note: the more feedback, the faster the chapters roll in. And I KNOW you can't wait to see what Ellie has to say about it all. And what the heck is UP with Jay? Could I be dragging it out any longer? Sheesh.