Chapter Eight.
Nick.
I felt sick.
Everything in me had been destroyed and I didn't know how to cope with that. The thin piece of string that had kept me walking, talking and acting okay had snapped violently and quickly that I didn't have time to think. The pain in me was nothing I could describe, there was nothing wrong with me yet at the same time there were so many goddamn things that were broken.
"She didn't look good." I heard my older brother inform the rest of the family,
"Like as in she's going to…"
"Die?"
Die?
I twisted my head staring at the voice responsible for bringing that thought back to the front of my mind. I stared at Danielle who had uttered the word and she just looked at me apologetic and worried. I turned away slumping into the chair closing my painfully tired eyes, I didn't want to consider that word yet it seemed to be looming over my head.
"I don't know." Joe responded quietly to Dani,
But he did. We both did.
Everyone fell silent as Joe shifted awkwardly sniffling a little.
"Joe you know Demi is going to be okay right?" Mom whispering in a maternal tone trying to ease her son. She was sitting between us unsure of which needed her support more. Funny thing was she'd told him that same sentence five times, but never once had she said to me. "I'm sure it's nothing, you know how complicated pregnancy is…I'm sure there is a reason…"
Joe had to spill that Demi was pregnant, it wasn't the happy celebration I'm sure they'd both wanted. Instead he'd uttered the sentence to my family in a burst of frustrated tears and angered curses,
"It's been an hour mom, something is obviously wrong." He replied harshly,
The silence arrived again as I wiped a stray tear away, while the images of Miley's lost body in my mind.
"Nick she's going to be okay..."
I looked up to see dad sitting beside me two black eyes and a nice bandage over the nose I'd clearly broke. I didn't say anything and just looked back at my fingers knowing that this was my fault, maybe not all of it, but I played a serious part in Miley turning to drugs again. Had her life really got that bad? Had I truly made her this lost?
Dad's hand rested on my back as I closed my eyes, "She's brave Nick."
"That won't help her dad." I hissed in a whisper.
"She's strong too, she'll fight."
I closed my eyes disagreeing, but I didn't want to fight with him right now.
"Is Miley's family coming in?" Dad asked,
There was no response because no one knew. I didn't even know what I should do, try and call her family and tell them that they might never see Miley alive again? Yeah because I was totally capable of uttering that sentence. How could I tell them that it was my fault she'd decided to turn to drugs?
"Gray, Demetria?"
My head shot up as the entire family stood up looking at the nurse intensely. She stared at all of us and turned to Joe, "You're the husband, yes?" She asked as Joe nodded moving forward, "Can we speak privately for a moment?"
Joe's bottom lip quivered and looked back at us nodding,
"Yeah sure,"
He turned and followed the nurse giving us all one last frightened look before he disappeared through the doors. I instantly sat back down and leaned my head back against the wall staring at my family all still waiting patiently,
"She'll be okay right?" Dani asked, "I mean this happens all the time with pregnancy?"
Denise looked at Dani and nodded fakely, "Of course,"
Everyone started nodding but I couldn't help but begin to consider it. I knew an hour in medical terms was long for a response, nothing had been said about Miley or Demi and that made me think the worse. What if Danielle's word about death was true? What if they both died? What if Miley was dead?
"What if she dies?" I whispered looking up, "What if Miley dies? What if she's dead? They're both death…"
"Nick don't think like that,"
I turned staring at my older brother, sister in law and mom staring at me scared. It was like I was Frankie, they were all trying to pretend it was okay, when it wasn't! Miley wasn't okay and neither was Demi, so why lie? Dad's hand clasped my shoulder as I looked away. What would happen if Mi died? What would I do without her? The idea made me shiver in fear realizing I couldn't live without her, not happily anyway. Actually not at all, I couldn't live at all without her…
"She'll be fine Nick, people overdose all the time…" Dani whispered,
"Overdose," I repeated,
It just didn't sound right the way it was coming off their lips and my own.
Miley wouldn't do that, not the Miley I knew.
Not the Miley I was in love with.
I sniffled rubbing my stinging eyes, I didn't know whether to cry or not? I had been but now I just felt so desperate and sick. I heard the door open as we all eagerly looked up to see nothing, I fell limp again realizing it was just the emergency entrance doors brining more sick people in.
"I'm looking for my daughter! Miley? Miley Stewart!" A panicked voice stated.
I went to stand up as dad shook his head and mom got up instead,
"I'll go talk to them Nicholas," She whispered, "You aren't in the right...place to speak to them."
I couldn't disagree with her and I nodded in agreement. I leaned forward trying to see as I spotted Noah standing there a scared look across her face beside a frantic Billy. Seeing them made me realize that i had to say something, even a word would be better then nothing! I pushed my dad's hand away as I heard the entrance doors open again. I walked around the chairs in the emergency room following mom quickly.
"I'm sorry we can't give you information right now, but we will get the doctor to see you as soon as possible okay?" The nurse behind the desk said as I saw the frown become clearer on Billy's face,
"WHAT? She's my daughter, I want to-"
"I'm sorry sir-"
"NO YOU'LL-"
"Nick." Noah whispered, "Denise…"
Billy stopped mid sentence and turned looking at both of us as I noticed the presence of Brandi and Emily both having just arrived. I opened my mouth to talk but instead of a word coming out I just chocked up. I wanted to explain so badly, to tell them the truth but instead a sob escaped and looked away not wanting to show them my pain. Mom sighed pulling me into a one armed hug,
"What happened? Oh my god? NICK WHAT HAPPENED?" Brandi cried out,
"TELL ME WHERE MY DAUGHTER IS" Billy yelled,
"I can't," The nurse spat
"Then tell me what happened!" He begged, "That's the least you could do!"
"I'm sorry I cannot-"
I pulled away shocked by Billy's word looking towards the four of them confused,
"You…" I hesitated shaking my head, "You don't know?"
Billy shook his head, "No, they just told us she was brought here."
Mom sighed and moved forward as I walked over the tears still falling. I looked at Noah whose lip was quivering as she looked at mom terrified, all their eyes were focused on her and it should have been me telling them, but I just couldn't. I didn't want to explain to them how dead she looked, how I was almost certain that we would never see her smile again.
"Miley overdosed," Mom stated simply,
They didn't look surprised, because clearly they'd seen her not long before in a state which was not the norm. Brandi looked away and sucked in a breath nodding as Billy just suddenly broke down,
"Dad she's-"
Emily went to hug him but he just shook his head and walked out,
Noah's eyes fastened on mine confused, "You found her?"
"No, no I didn't…"
"Then how did you know?" Em asked confused,
A tear fell down her face as I heard the doors fly open behind us. We all spun around to see Joe standing there a torrent of tears falling down his pale face. Mom without another word rushed over as I watched my older brother start bawling. The rest of my family got up moving to his side as everyone fell silent, no one wanted to ask why he was crying but we had to know.
"Joe what happened?" Kevin asked cautiously,
"Nick what's going on?" Brandi asked behind me scared,
"She was having twins," My brother yelled out loudly, "But she had a miscarriage and-"
"Oh Joe," Mom cried beginning to chock on her own sobs,
"She lost one of them," He finished.
Mom held Joe as I closed my eyes she'd lost one baby but-
"And the other one?" Dad asked,
"Is okay, Demi's okay too, but we lost one. We lost our son…" Joe sobbed.
"Demi's pregnant?" Noah asked,
I turned back and nodded, "That's why I was here, and then Miley came in…" I stopped my speech failing me as I shook my head. Emily stared at me and stepped forward taking my hand,
"How bad?"
I looked down at her hand in mine wanting to lie, but I couldn't.
"Really bad."
She instantly retracted it and turned away, "I'll go find dad then and-"
"Stewart, Miley?"
We all turned back again, none of us noticing the doors had opened again because we had been distracted by Joe's announcement. All of us just stood there as the young doctor gazed between all of us,
"You're all her family?" He asked confused,
No one responded as Noah stepped forward,
"Yes, we are all her family."
He nodded and sighed, "Okay well we've stabilized her-"
Stable...stable was good. I felt myself relax a tiny bit, maybe she would be okay then?
"However Miss Stewart in a critical condition. We're running tests, but something strange is going on with her, not something I've seen before. We thought it was a drug overdose but now we're not sure, it's like she's having a serious allergic reaction combined with the effects of the drugs she's taken…" He explained as I just stared at him,
"But she's not allergic to anything." Brandi announced confused,
"I know, we can't work it out either but we're doing tests,"
"So she's going to be okay?"
He looked at all of us and frowned, "I can't say, not until we know what's going on."
"And you'll find out soon?"
"As soon as we find out, we'll try to help her,"
"Can we see her?"
The doctor shook his head, "Soon, not now. I'll inform you if any change occurs,"
With that he turned and walked back inside as I just stood there,
"Not an overdoes?" Brandi repeated as I nodded,
"An allergic reaction." I added.
Miley.
"Miley? Miley? I know you can hear me, open your eyes?"
I opened my eyes not understanding who had said that?
I blinked a few times unable to keep my eyes open, something was wrong with them. My throat felt like it was on fire and as I attempted to breath I found I couldn't. I gasped trying to drag in air but it felt like someone was strangling me. I chocked as I felt some press their cold plastic covered hands against my face.
"I know you can't breathe Miley, we're going to insert a tube down your throat."
I gasped as my mouth was forcefully opened and fingers touched my lips. I felt something pressing against the top of my mouth yet I couldn't feel my tongue, I couldn't move anything. I felt myself gag but then something moved down my throat regardless and I cried out feeling pain, why were they doing this to me?
"Shhh don't panic sweet heart, you need to stay calm." A voice whispered in my ear,
"You're having an allergic reaction Miley, just stay calm."
"Stay calm,"
"Stay calm,"
"Stay…"
My mind started repeating, as I felt so dizzy and clouded. I let myself drift away as everything got lost.
Suddenly I could feel something being pressed into my arm and a sharp stab as I winced.
"Hey you're back again, we're trying really hard to work out what's going on with you…" The voice merged into something I couldn't understand as I breathed struggling expecting to be unable to, only to easily suck in cool clean oxygen, pure oxygen. It was being forced into my body without me doing anything,
"Allergic-"
"-Any pain?"
"Miley I know you-"
The sentences didn't make sense as I cried out, the noise only a murmur to my ears. Someone touched my hair trying to comfort me, "Doctor she has a rash appearing on her arms as well, it's like she's anaphylactic…"
"She's not though," He whispered confused, "We've tried that."
"Her face is swelling too…"
"I know, it doesn't make any sense. Can you try getting her…"
"Miley?"
"Miley come on?"
I tried to open my eyes but I just couldn't maintain anything. My body was unresponsive and even though I wanted to move, to scream, to ask what the fuck was going on I couldn't. My brain begged for sleep and as I tried to keep awake my name was continually spoken but I couldn't respond, I couldn't do anything and it was so scary.
My body felt hot when I woke again. I felt something cold and damp against my forehead as I let out a gurgle, "Doctor she's awake again, temperature is falling but she's still hot! Have you got her blood work back?"
"No, no I haven't…Miley can you hear me?" A voice called out,
I opened my eyes to blurry bright lights, "Good girl, you're doing really well."
"Where am I?" I tried to say but nothing came out,
"Hospital, keep mouthing words okay?"
I cried out confused hospital? How did I get here, I felt so hot.
"Hot, make it stop" I wordlessly moved my mouth,
"I know, I know it'll get better. Get more fluids,"
"Doctor the police are outside, they want to talk to you."
"Okay, Miley I'll be right back."
I closed my blurry eyes and fell away, "Go get her family, maybe they can calm her down a bit. I don't think this is anywhere near over for her and if something goes wrong I'd rather have given her family the opportunity to see her…just in case they don't get that chance again." I heard him announce.
Something was pressed into my ear as it beeped and the cool air running down the back of my throat calmed me. I just wanted to stop feeling like this, I didn't understand why I felt so weak and unresponsive...
Hands soon touched my own and fingers entwined with mine, yet some of my fingers I couldn't even feel. Mumbles came to my ears yet not words as I tried to distinguish between reality and what I was imagining. I wanted to open my eyes, to speak but still everything was failing me!
My eyes were pulled up as I blinked and a light blinded me,
"Okay good, good her eyes are responding finally!"
"What does that mean?" I heard a familiar voice ask,
"She's fighting it, what ever this is-"
"Doctor we have the blood work outside,"
"I'll be right back."
I felt someone stroking my head as I realized how cold I was and that my body was slightly shaking. Someone kissed the side of my head as I heard a sob, "How he could do this to her?" I heard my eldest sister cry, "She trusted him and now look what he did to her."
"Brandi they arrested him, he won't hurt her again."
"He drugged her!" A voice yelled as I recognized it immediately, "Who knows what that sick bastard did to her…"
"Nick?" My mouth moved trying to say the word as I let out a murmur,
Why was he here? I didn't understand, but I wasn't upset. I was so happy he was here with me. I wanted him so bad. Why wasn't he responding to me?
"Nick?"
"Nick?"
"Yeah angel, I'm right here," He stated tearfully, "I'm right here, you keep fighting just keep going okay? I'll be right here, I've been here the whole time." I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't but I wanted to see his face,
"Doctor-"
"He gave her a shot of alcohol laced with drugs…"
"We know that, the police told us!"
"A combination, most dominant was Rohypno"
"What?"
"Roofies, the date rape drug,"
"Oh god-"
"The drugs were enough to immobilize her, made her vulnerable but that's it. It was the allergic reaction that did this."
"I don't understand, she's not allergic to anything!"
"But she is, you've never noticed and neither has she. Meet the lovely spice that has done this to her..."
"Is the cinnamon?"
"Sure is, alone it would cause nausea to her-"
"She hates cinnamon, Miley would never eat it how could she possibly have-"
"She hasn't eaten it, it was the shot with the drugs. The cinnamon combined with them, it was like a deadly concoction to her system because there was a drug present that enhanced all the others. Imagine it this way, I have soup and I put beef stock in it to enhance the flavor. Drug dealers do it on the cheap, they put small amounts of the expensive drugs and use enhancing chemicals to replicate the feeling. Problem is when it enhanced the drugs it also enhanced-"
"The cinnamon."
"Exactly,"He announced as I felt something press against my arm,
Coldness suddenly moved up my vein as he sighed,
"What does this mean? What-"
"She should be okay, this should help. Finally. But I don't know how much damage everything has already done, especially her fever it was too high and I don't know how this has affected her yet." He whispered,
"When will we find out?"
"When she wakes up…"
I felt someone roll their finger gently down my cheek, "I'm right here Miley, don't cry, don't stop fighting…" Nick whispered,
My body suddenly felt relaxed for the first time and the pain in my throat eased. I didn't feel cold or hot, I didn't feel anything, I just felt numb. Someone kissed the side of my head again as I drifted away. It was peaceful now, there was silence and nothing was hurting or confusing, I felt so calm. People moved continually but I kept my eyes close grasping the sleep I wanted the most. I knew I was falling in and out of consciousness but it was my choice now, and not what ever had stricken me down like this. Every time things started to come together as I picture formed.
Clubbing.
Drinking.
Liam. He drugged me.
Allergic reaction.
Hospital.
Nick?
My eyes flew open as I blinked a few times letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. I moved my hand up and felt it follow my brains instruction as it broke cement like grip. A snort responded as I rubbed my eyes knocking the plastic covering over my face as I let out a murmur,
"Hmmm," Someone responded,
I blinked a few more times as I started to make out shapes, one of which rested right beside me. I moved my hand weakly as it collapsed onto his head heavily. The body shot up as I blinked trying to see,
"Mi?" A voice asked confused
"Nick?" I whispered my voice actually saying the word I'd wanted.
"I'm right her baby. You're going to be fine." He announced as I closed my eyes exhaustion hitting again, "I love you Miley, you're everything to me and I'll always be with you, right here, no matter what."
"Nick?" I croaked out,
"She's awake!" I heard someone else yell,
"Yeah," He whispered stroking my hair,
The light turned on as I closed my eyes in pain wincing, "Love too…" I slurred loosing my battle to the overwhelming tiredness.
A/N: Wow I made that complicated, I intended it to just be an overdose and then I got side tracked because I read a news article about allergic reactions and the cinnamon challenge, then things spiraled out of control LMAO! Anyway HAPPY NILEY DAY! Yes I'm celebrating as should everyone, yes she's engaged but do we stop celebrating Michael Jackson because he's gone? NO! Today will forever be Miley and Nick's to all of us and to them too :D xxx Thanks for the birthday messages love you guys!