JENNIE

When I came to, someone was shining a light in my eyes. It hurt. I hurt. I couldn't remember where I was. My head hurt, and I felt so nauseated. Why did I feel nauseated? Hating the brightness piercing my brain, I tried to look away, but something around my neck made it hard to do. What was that? From the corner of my eye, I could tell that I was lying on a city street; there was headlight glass and debris around my head. And a jagged piece of metal covered in blood. Fresh blood. Why was I lying in a street? Was I blocking traffic? People must be so pissed at me. I should get up. I didn't want to move, though. I had a feeling that would hurt.

My mind in a fog, I felt hands lifting me, then placing me on a flat, white table. It did hurt to move, and I cringed and sucked in a sharp breath. Why was someone putting me on a table? Why was there a table in the middle of the road? A man in a reflective jacket was asking me questions.

"Ma'am, do you know where you are? Do you know what happened?"

My body felt so heavy. My mind felt so slow. Blood was dripping down my face. I could feel it in my eyes. "I . . . I . . . don't . . ."

Memories floating through my brain. Headlights coming toward me. Brakes squealing. Falling. "I was hit by a truck," I muttered.

"Yes, that's right." A bandage was placed on my head. My head. I remembered hitting my head on the ground. That's why I hurt. That's why I was bleeding. But my body hurt too. My shoulder ached. I felt bruised. Lisa pulled me to my feet. I hit her before hitting the ground.

I instantly tried to sit up. "Lisa!"

The paramedic pushed me down and tried to stabilize me. My eyes flew to where Lisa had last been. All I saw was glass and blood; no Lisa. "You have a nasty cut, ma'am. I need to bandage this and make sure you don't have any other injuries. You could make things worse by moving. Do you know your name?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"Jennie Kim . . . Manoban. Where's my wife?" I asked, my voice raw.

The paramedic's hands worked on my head. I tried to hold still for him, but all I wanted to do was run up and down the street screaming Lisa's name. "The other paramedics are working on her, Jennie. She's in good hands."

Even though my vision was a little blurry, I noticed the paramedic look to our left. My soul filling with trepidation, my gaze followed. Lisa was lying on a stretcher similar to the one I was on. She was covered in blood too, and I didn't know if it was her or mine. And not knowing scared the crap out of me. "Lisa!"

I shouted her name, but she didn't respond. She was shaking. She looked ill. Then, to my absolute horror, she leaned over and vomited blood.

Panic set in, and I tried to get to her, but the paramedic held me down and my stretcher was shoved into the back of an ambulance. "Is she okay? Is she okay?" I just kept repeating it. I couldn't stop myself.

Before I got an answer, the doors were closed and the vehicle took off. The sirens hurt my ears, but it was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. Why was she throwing up blood? Was she okay? She had to be okay.

Holding my hand, the paramedic told me, "They'll do everything they can for her. I promise."

His words didn't help me much. I started sobbing.

I felt numb when we got to the hospital. Words hit my ears, but I couldn't process any of them. Someone said I was in shock. Someone mentioned concussion. Head injury. Internal injuries. None of the words stuck, though, because a vision of Lisa heaving blood was all I could think about. I was poked, prodded, and my stomach was pushed and massaged. I was sore, my shoulder throbbed, but I wasn't hurt. Only not knowing Lisa's fate hurt.

She arrived at the ER right as a nurse injected a numbing agent into my head; I had to get stitches for the cut on my scalp. I saw her being wheeled past my room and hopped off the bed. Lisa wasn't vomiting, but she wasn't awake either. She looked completely lifeless. It scared the shit out of me.

My nurse hurried after me, telling me I needed her attention. The nurses hovering around Lisa were telling the doctor in their midst just what had happened to Lisa. I stayed back so I could listen without them seeing me; I did not want to be dragged away until I knew what was wrong. "Young female, early twenties, involved in a car accident. Was confused and light-headed at the scene, vomiting blood. Abdomen is distended, she has tachycardia and is hypotensive."

The doctor nodded as he checked Lisa's vitals. He pulled up her shirt, and even I could see her stomach was bulging. He tenderly pressed on it and Lisa's eyes opened as she gasped in pain. "She's bleeding internally. Prep her for surgery."

That got my attention. Stepping forward, I asked the doctor, "Surgery? Is it bad? Is my wife going to be okay?"

The doctor gave me a polite smile. "I'll do everything I can." Blocking my path, he examined my head as Lisa was carted away from me. "You really need stitches for this cut."

He nodded his head at the nurse behind me. She gently grabbed my arms and pulled me back into the exam room. Lisa was already gone, and I knew there was nothing I could do for her by trying to follow. Tears in my eyes, I turned to my nurse. "Do you know what happened to her?"

The nurse sat me on the table and pressed some gauze against my head. "Most likely, something inside of her ruptured. She's bleeding. They need to remove or repair the damage as soon as possible."

She grabbed a needle and some thread and I fought against the sudden acidic bile in my throat. "Is she going to die?" The tears in my eyes spilled down my cheeks. It couldn't end like this.

The nurse didn't answer me right away, and when she did, her voice was professional and courteous. "We have the best doctors in the country here. She's in good hands." I knew she was giving me a stock answer. I wanted a real one.

Jerking my head up, I glared at her. "That's not an answer."

Turning my head back into position, she told me, "I know, but it's the only one I have for you." Her words were gentle and kind, but firm, and I understood: My question wasn't answerable.

They ran some tests on me after my head was sewn back together—X-rays, an MRI. They gave me a cold pack for the strain in my shoulder and told me to ice it twenty minutes every hour. Other than feeling sore and achy and having a headache, I felt fine, and I told them that repeatedly. When all of the tests backed up what I was saying, the hospital finally released me.

After filling out my paperwork, I shuffled out to the emergency room lobby to wait for news on Lisa. Nobody had been able to tell me anything yet. It was a busy day in the ER, and as I scanned the crowd, I wondered how many poor souls had had their lives altered today. Like me. Tears filled my eyes, but I held them back. I didn't have time to break down, and I didn't need to. Lisa was going to be fine.

My purse was strapped around my chest. It had miraculously remained attached to me throughout the entire accident. Setting down my cold compress, I dug through my bag for my cell phone. Hopefully it had also survived and still worked. I needed to be doing something. I needed to be active. If I stopped, even just for a second, I'd start to think, and I didn't want to think. I didn't want to worry.

Thankfully, the phone was intact. Scrolling through the list of people that mattered to me, I wondered who to call first when I heard somebody shout at the top of their lungs, "Jennie!"

I looked up and scoured the patients until I found the person who had yelled for me. Eyes wide and bloodshot, my sister was running across the lobby to get to me; Jackson and Evan were right behind her. Jisoo engulfed me in a hug that knocked me back a step. It hurt, but I didn't care. I tossed my arms around and hugged her back just as hard. "Jisoo," I croaked, trying not to sob.

Smoothing my hair, she whispered, "You're okay, you're okay, thank God you're okay." Pulling back, she cupped my cheeks. "Do not ever scare me like that again, you hear me?"

I nodded as I fought back tears. Jackson and Evan stepped up to us. I looked around for Lucas, but I didn't see him anywhere. Both boys looked pale, somber. Jackson looked a little green as he held Gibson tight to his chest. "They won't tell us anything. Do you know what's happening to Lisa? Is she gonna be okay?" he asked, his voice breaking.

Stepping apart from Jisoo, I swallowed three times so I could speak. "She's still in surgery." Plastering on a fake smile, I added, "But she'll be fine."

Jisoo rubbed my back, "Jennie, I saw the accident on the Internet. The reporters caught every second of it."

Blinking away the collecting moisture in my eyes, I locked gazes with her. "She'll be fine," I reiterated.

Eyes shimmering, Jackson stared down at his daughter. Evan enclosed me in a warm hug. When he pulled back, I scrunched my brows; it felt weird with my partially numb head. "Where's Lucas? Isn't he here?"

Jackson sniffed, then looked toward a set of automatic doors. "He's still outside. He said he needed to make some calls before he came in here . . ."

Giving Evan one last squeeze, I looked over to the doors. Sure enough, in the distance, I could see Lucas pacing back and forth. He looked troubled, but that was to be expected. "I'm going to go let him know about Lisa."

Everyone nodded at me. Jisoo cuddled into Jackson's side. For once, the way the pair embraced each other was heartwarming and spoke volumes about how much they really did love each other. The way they looked at each other said even more. Turning from them, I made my way to Lucas. He had to be just as worried as his band mates.

Halfway to the doors, the phone I was still clutching in my hand rang. Relief mixed with pain when I saw who was calling me. "Taehyung, I'm so glad you called, I—"

He cut me off. "I saw the accident on the news. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Taehyung let out a long, relieved exhale. "I was so worried. The footage is scary as hell, they won't even show all of it on TV. God, I am so happy to hear your voice."

I closed my eyes as I walked through the doors that led to where Lucas was still walking back and forth. "I'm fine, but Lisa—"

Taehyung's voice was so quiet, I almost didn't hear him over the hum of the doors. "Please tell me she's okay."

I pressed my lips tight together. God, I hated saying it. I hated thinking it. I hated everything about this moment. "She's in surgery. They aren't sure . . ."

"Jesus. Jennie . . . I'm . . . I'm so sorry."

Even though we were in the middle of New York City, it was quiet outside the hospital. Peaceful. I could hear everything going on around me—cars driving past, a couple talking as they walked down the sidewalk, a siren in the distance, and Taehyung sniffling in my ear. "I'm sure she'll be fine, Jennie." By the pain in his voice, I could tell that, regardless of what had happened between them, Taehyung was genuinely concerned for his longtime friend.

I leaned against a column supporting the overhang to the ER entrance. Lucas stopped pacing and stared at me. The terror in his eyes matched the horror in my heart. "She has to be," I whispered. I couldn't picture my life without her.

I hung up with Taehyung after telling him that I'd call him the minute I had any news on Lisa. When I tucked the phone back in my purse, Lucas approached me. "I'm so glad you're okay, Jennie. That was the scariest shit I've ever seen."

Walking over to him, I nodded. He had his cell phone in his hand, and he was squeezing it so tight, his fingers were bloodless. Placing my hand over his, I attempted to relax his death grip on the device. "Who were you calling?"

He stared at the doors over my shoulder. "My parents, Rachel . . ." When his gaze returned to mine, his pale eyes were glossy. "I'm scared to go in there," he whispered.

"I am, too," I told him. Successfully dislodging his cell phone, I grabbed his hand. It tightened around mine like a vice, like I was the only thing keeping him upright. "We'll go in together, okay?"

Looking like a lost little boy who had finally found someone to guide him home, Lucas nodded at me. Together, we walked into the hospital to await Lisa's fate.

Deacon and the rest of the boys from Holeshot were waiting back inside the ER, as was Taskmaster Rosé and some of the crew members. They all looked just as worried as we were. While everyone settled into a comfortable place to wait, I called everyone I could think of—Somi, Irene, Kate, my parents, Lisa's dad. Most of them had already heard the news by this point, but talking to them gave me something to do besides worrying about Lisa.

When I had exhausted the contact list in my phone, Jisoo pulled me into a bathroom to clean me up; I was still a blood-covered mess. She washed my face and my hands and tore off one of her layered long-sleeved T-shirts. It was a maternity shirt and way too big for me, but it effectively hid the blood splattered across my top. Still ripe with emotion, Jisoo lightly kissed the bandage on my head. "I never want to see your head wrapped in gauze again," she told me.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I nodded in agreement. "Me either."

"I'm so glad you're okay." Starting to lose it, she brought her hands to her face.

Knowing she needed to cry, I held her tight and let her. I stopped myself from crying along with her, though. There was no need. Lisa was fine.

When we got back to the waiting room, I noticed people staring out the window, pointing and whispering. I didn't really care what they were finding so interesting, I just wanted news on Lisa. But Deacon was with them and he motioned me over. "You gotta see this, Jennie."

Feeling stiff, sore, tired, and drained, I shuffled over to the wall of windows where people were gathering. Not knowing what to expect, I peeked outside. It was almost lunchtime, and there was a group of people across the street, leaning against a low wall by a parking lot. They looked like they were having a picnic. Fascinating. I was about to ask what the big deal was when I noticed the shirts under their jackets. They were all wearing D-Bags shirts, and the opaque cups they were holding as they stood in a line on the sidewalk weren't holding beverages, they had small candlesticks inserted through them that gave the cups a cheery glow on this dreary day. My heart swelled at the sight of even more people loving Lisa. She wouldn't believe this.

I knew the answer, but I had to ask the question anyway. "Are they here for Lisa?"

Deacon smiled as he stared at the growing crowd. "Yes."

Warmth filled me as I watched this silent vigil for Lisa. I could almost feel the healing, positive energy flowing from them. Lisa needed to see this. She needed to see how much she was cared about, how much she was loved.

"Mrs. Manoban?"

I turned around to see a woman with a stethoscope around her neck standing behind me. She was looking at every person in the waiting room, her face neutral. I didn't know what that face meant. This wasn't the doctor who had been with Lisa in the ER. I didn't know who she was or what she wanted. I'd already filled out the paperwork for both Lisa and myself with the nurse, so she had to be here to tell me about Lisa, about whether she was alive . . . or not. Why couldn't she smile, give me some ray of hope? My chest felt tight. Breathing was impossible. Stepping toward her, I nodded and raised my hand; it was all I could do.

Approaching me, she calmly said, "Your wife is out of surgery. Everything went well, and she's recovering in a room upstairs if you'd like to go see her."

My knees gave way, but Deacon caught me. "She's fine? You're sure she's fine?" I choked out.

The doctor finally smiled. "Her spleen ruptured in the accident, which can be very dangerous, but my colleague and I were able to repair the tear and save the organ. She also bruised her hip, fractured a few ribs, and she'll be sore for a long time, but she was very lucky. I've seen much worse. She'll need to stay here for a few days so we can watch for complications, and then she'll need lots of rest . . ."

She kept speaking but I didn't hear a word of it. She was alive.

The assemblage waiting to see Lisa headed upstairs. Once we got to the nurse's station, a tall woman with her hair pulled back into a tight bun stopped our group. "Who are you here for?" she asked, eyeing our motley crew.

I looked behind me at the various band members and roadies. I could only imagine who the nurse thought we all were. Turning back to her, I spoke in a shaky, excited voice. "I'm here to see my wife, Lisa Manoban."

A small smile crept into her mouth, and I could tell she recognized her name. "Oh, yes, well she's still recovering so only one of you—"

I stepped forward, not letting her finish. "I need to see my wife, please."

She indicated with her head for me to follow her. While we walked down the crisp white halls, the nurse looked me over. "We've had a few celebrities over the years, but none quite as big as Lisa Manoban. Half of the girls on the floor are in an absolute tizzy that she's here. So, you're really her wife?"

My eyes were frantically scouring the names on all the doors we were passing. Where was she? "Yes," I told her, only half-listening.

"Oh," she said, sounding surprised. "All that hoopla with Niki Zefanya must have been really hard on the two of you."

I looked up at her. She seemed youthful, but the crinkles around her eyes and mouth suggested that she was older than she appeared. The smile she was giving me was full of sympathy. "You have no idea." I gave her a wry smile.

She held her hand out to me. "My name is Carly. If you need anything, you just let me know."

I gave her hand a quick shake. "Thank you, I really appreciate that." I had a feeling I would definitely need her help while we were here.

I knew the minute we were at Lisa's room. I knew it because a swarm of young nurses were hovering at the open door, glancing inside. The smile on Carly's face vanished as she scowled at the girls. "If you all have nothing to do, I'm sure I could find something for you."

Tittering, the girls scampered off. Carly sighed as she indicated her door. "Like I said, we haven't had anyone quite like Lisa here."

A nervous laugh escaped me as I stepped into Lisa's private room. Leaving us alone, Carly closed the door as she left. The lights were low, the shades drawn. It was solemn and quiet. Lisa's eyes were closed and her head was angled away from me. The top of the bed was elevated some, so she was propped up, and the covers were tucked under her arms. her hands rested at her sides in an almost unnatural way. An IV pierced through the back of her left hand, pumped her full of medication and painkillers. Her ring was missing; they must have removed it before the surgery.

Lisa was tall and well-built, but she looked tiny as she lay in the bed. The sight made my eyes sting.

The expression on her face was so peaceful as she slept that I almost wanted to stay where I was so that I didn't unintentionally disturb her. I couldn't stay that far away, though. Quiet as a mouse, I walked to her side. She had small cuts on her face, but other than that she looked perfect. She was wearing a hospital gown, the embarrassing kind that ties in the back, and a bag of her belongings was sitting on the nightstand next to the bed.

Careful to not hurt her, I sat on the edge of her mattress. I was a little scared to touch her, but I needed to, so I gingerly wrapped my fingers over her arm. She was warm. "Lisa," I whispered, "are you awake?" her head moved, but she didn't answer me. I ran my fingers down her arm, cupping her hand. "I'm right here, waiting for you." Tears clouding my vision, I ran a knuckle down her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, baby."

Minutes ticked by as I waited for whatever drugs they'd used to knock her out with to wear off enough that she'd wake up. It felt like it took forever, and a little bit of guilt crept into me that the others couldn't see her yet. But I needed to be there when she woke up. I just . . . needed it.

I could tell when she was starting to come around. Her eyes moved beneath her lids. Then she inhaled a deep breath and cringed on the exhale. I hoped she didn't wake up in too much pain. When she finally opened her eyes, I thought my face might split apart I was smiling so hard. "Lisa, baby?"

She didn't look my way, just slowly blinked and stared at nothing. She had to be confused. I wondered if she even remembered the accident. Tenderly, I stroked her cheek again. "Lisa?"

She finally turned my way, her expression blank. As her midnight eyes searched my face, I began to get the horrid feeling in my gut that she wouldn't remember me. The doctor hadn't mentioned a head injury, but what if she'd struck the concrete too? What if she had amnesia? God, would she still love me if we had to start over?

Lisa worked her mouth, then swallowed a few times. Forehead wrinkling, she said, "Jennie? What happened?"

Relief and amusement flooded through me. Of course she still remembered me. "I got pushed into the street. You raced out to help me, and a truck hit you. You're in the hospital."

Lisa's eyes fixed on the bandage at the edge of my hairline. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Shaking my head that she was still more worried about me, I leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. "You're alive. I'm perfect."

Closing her eyes, Lisa looked pained as she breathed shallowly through her mouth. "I don't feel good."

I smoothed back her hair. "I know. They had to operate on you because your spleen ruptured. They were able to save it, but you're going to be sore for a while."

Lisa cracked an eye open, and a ghost of a smile crept into her lips. "Oh, good, I'd hate to be spleenless." She closed her eyes again. "What the hell does a spleen do anyway?"

A small laugh escaped me. Her sense of humor was definitely still intact. "From what I remember in school, it's like the oil filter of your immune system . . . and it was once thought to be the source of anger. I'm not sure about that one though."

Lisa started to chuckle, then froze. "Oh, don't make me laugh."

I kissed her cheek. "I won't. We'll never laugh again, I promise."

Opening her eyes, she chuckled again, then cringed. "I said don't make me laugh."

Resting my head against hers, I whispered, "I love you so much. I'm so glad you're okay."

Lisa tried to pull me into a hug, but she was so weak and so sore. I didn't want her hurting herself, so I stilled her hands and crawled into the bed with her. Carefully draping my arm over her upper chest, I gently squeezed the top of her shoulders. she sighed in relief. "I love you too."

Tears rolled down my cheeks as what nearly happened today crashed into me. I kissed her head as I held her tight. "You saved my life," I whispered, my voice warbling.

Her words thick with sleep, she told me, "I was returning the favor."

She started to doze off again, and I thought to leave so others could see her. Her hand on my back tightened when she felt me move away. "It's okay, I was just going to let the others come see you. They're all so worried."

"Stay . . . just . . . for a minute," she mumbled.

I kissed her shoulder. "As long as you want, Lisa. As long as you want."

She dozed off again after a few minutes. Knowing others needed to see her, I carefully climbed out of her bed. She stirred but didn't open her eyes. When I got back to the waiting room, a surprise was waiting for me. Justin was there, talking to Evan. The nurses who had been hovering by Lisa's room were openly gaping at the new rock star who had dropped into their midst. I figured this day would live on in infamy for them. For me too, I supposed.

Touched that Justin was there, I immediately threw my arms around him. "Justin, thank you for coming. This will mean so much to Lisa."

Justin patted my back in a friendly squeeze. "Our tour was close by. When I heard the news, I had to. Is she okay?"

I nodded as I stepped back. "Yeah. Groggy, but okay." I looked around the band members. "You guys can see her now."

Lucas, Evan, and Jackson all looked at each other. The nurse had said one person could go in at a time; they were trying to decide who should go in first. Shrugging, Lucas stuck his hands out with his fist on his palm. "Rock Paper Scissors?"

Jackson rolled her eyes. "We're fucking rock stars. When did we start caring about rules?"

Still carrying Gibson, Jackson strode toward the room I'd just left. Lucas and Evan glanced at each other, then followed him. Giggling, Jisoo hurried after her husband. I watched the crowd descending on Lisa, then motioned for Justin and Holeshot to come with me, and we all followed the D-Bags. One for all and all for one.

Lisa was more like herself as the afternoon wore on. She was tired and in pain, but mostly in good spirits. Rosé left soon after checking on Lisa; she said she was immediately going to issue a statement to the public that "It was touch and go, but Lisa narrowly escaped Death's dark call, and she is slowly recuperating from her nearly tragic accident." I thought her story was a little dramatic, but by the glow in her eyes, I could tell that framing it that way was excellent publicity. I found it really interesting that we couldn't get her to lift a finger for us when we needed her to, but she was all over it when it benefitted the label.

Rock stars and roadies loitered around Lisa's room as she recovered, much to the delight of the nurses who popped in every five minutes. The doctors and the head nurse, Carly, were less happy about Lisa's numerous guests, and eventually made everyone leave Lisa's room but me. Since Holeshot and the tour crew members had to go get ready for the show tonight anyway, they said their goodbyes and grudgingly left the hospital. Justin stayed, since his band wasn't playing, but he gave Lisa and me some privacy by hanging out in the lobby with Jisoo and the other D-Bags.

When the sky began to darken, I wandered over to the window to peek outside. I'd heard from the nurses that the crowd of fans outside had swelled considerably since earlier today. As I started to peer through the blinds, Lisa asked, "Have you heard from Niki? She didn't come by. I'm kind of surprised by that."

I looked back at her in bed. She was sitting up higher with fluffy pillows shoved behind her back, but still at an angle that was comfortable for her stomach. There was a tray of uneaten food hovering over her lap, and she was frowning as she poked at a cup of Jell-O with a plastic spoon.

"I'm kind of surprised by that too," I answered. It wasn't like Niki to miss a photo op, and her rushing to the side of her fallen colleague seemed like a missed opportunity to me. Even if Lisa and I had come clean about our relationship and no one believed that they were dating—and I was really hoping that was the case now—visiting Lisa at the hospital would still make her look good. And after what we'd said about her, she probably needed a little positive PR.

"She sent flowers." I pointed over to a modest floral arrangement that was resting between an elegant bouquet of lilies from Lana, and a monstrous vase overflowing with cloyingly powerful red roses from Nick. All the card attached to Niki's said was, "I'm so sorry. N."

Lisa glanced at them, then frowned at me. "A subtle get-well bouquet isn't exactly her style. I was expecting her to hand deliver them to me in a sequined, floor-length gown."

I smirked at her. Yeah, something that outrageous that demanded people paid attention was much more Niki's style than being virtually silent with anonymously delivered flowers. Shaking my head since I didn't understand it, I turned back to the window and pried open the slits. The sun had set not too long ago and it wasn't fully dark yet, but I could easily see the many pinpoints of lights as fans crowded around the hospital with cups of glowing candles. My throat was thick at the display of love before me. "Lisa," I whispered, "you have to see this."

I knew she wouldn't be up to standing yet, so I raised the blinds in a hope that she could see the lights from her bed. Since she was only a foot or two away, she had a pretty good view. I watched her face as she dropped her spoon to her tray. "What is that?"

"Those are your fans. They're here for you." I waved at the fans. Since the light was on in Lisa's room and it was dark outside, I knew they had a full shot of me. I wasn't sure how they'd react to seeing me here, but surprisingly the candles started moving in unison, like they were waving back at me. I took that as a good sign.

Lisa looked up at me, mystified. "That's for me?"

Walking over to her bed, I sat on the corner and ran my hand through her hair. "You're very loved. And not just because of what you are. Your fans see you. Through your music, they see you. And they love you." I cupped her perfect, right-angled jaw, and stroked her cheek with my thumb. "It's not just this that they love, you know? It's you."

Leaning down, I kissed her forehead.

I looked up when I heard a light tap at the door. When I saw the group of people who were watching us, I thought I was going to start sobbing. Standing just inside of the doorframe were my mother and father, and Lisa's father, Gavin. Ryujin and Riley were peeking into the room from behind their dad. I was so surprised, I was at a loss for words. I had just talked with each of them a few hours ago, and none of them had mentioned hopping a plane and flying out here.

Lisa was just as much at a loss as I was. "Gavin, Caroline . . . Martin? What are you doing in New York?"

Gavin approached his daughter; the worry on his face was as clear as day to me. It warmed my heart. Even if he'd kept his distance for most of Lisa's life, he really did love her. "I'm sorry we're so late. We got on the first flight we could." Standing beside Lisa, Gavin put a hand on her shoulder. "We were all so incredibly worried about you."

Ryujin and Riley came up to stand at the end of the bed while Lisa's eyes teared up. "You were worried about . . . me?" she still seemed stunned that they would care.

Gavin's face softened into a smile. "Of course I was, daughter. When I heard you were in an accident, I was terrified."

Reaching down, Ryujin rubbed her foot through the blanket. "We love you, sis." Riley nodded in agreement.

While Lisa swallowed back both physical and emotional pain, my parents stepped up to the bed. My mom was cradling Gibson to her chest, but reached over and put her hand on Lisa's leg. "We came as soon as we could too." Her green eyes flashed to mine. "You're family, Lisa."

Lisa turned to me, and I could see the pain and joy in her eyes. This is what she'd always wanted. Family. A real family. I couldn't contain it anymore, and big fat tears started rolling down my cheeks. Dad looked like he was suddenly worried about my health as he stared at me. Mom simply walked around and gave me a knowing hug. Having my family fully accept my wife was the greatest gift they could have ever given me, and her.

When I calmed down, Lisa relaxed back into her cushions. Even though she cringed in discomfort, she was smiling at me. "So adorable," she muttered.

Ignoring her, I watched my mom as she kissed Gibson's nose. "How is it you are all here together?"

Dad frowned as he gave Mom a pointed glance. "Your mother spotted Gavin in baggage claim . . . from clear across the room."

Ignoring him, Mom cooed at her granddaughter. I stifled a laugh. Yeah, like Lisa, Gavin stood out in a crowd.

As it grew late into the evening, I thought about the concert going on, and all the fans who would be disheartened that Lisa and the D-Bags weren't playing. But they couldn't play without their lead singer, and she was in no shape to be on stage. I was a little surprised that Niki hadn't played up her distress over the accident by rescheduling the show. Everything about what she'd done today was surprising me.

I think my mom wanted to stay by Lisa's side all night, baby Gibson in hand, but I could see how tired she was, and I made the D-Bags take her and Dad back to the hotel. She promised to come back first thing in the morning. I didn't doubt she would.

Collecting her daughter from Mom, Jisoo asked me, "Are you coming with us back to the hotel?" I could tell from her tone of voice that she already knew my answer. I shook my head. No, I wasn't leaving Lisa's side. They'd have to drag me outside to get me to leave.

Justin and the D-Bags headed out with Jisoo and our parents. Gavin and his children went with them. The room felt a little bigger with everyone's energy gone, but the level of love inside it didn't lower at all. I gazed at Lisa for long minutes, just wanting time to stand still. Eyes heavy with drugs, pain, and sleep, Lisa stared right back at me. Then her face contorted into a strange expression. "Crap," she whispered. "I have to pee." She looked over to the bathroom and sighed, like it was so far away it may as well have been in another country.

Chuckling at her, I kissed her cheek. "I could help you?"

She pursed her lips. "Uh, no, I got it. I can do this." She let out a low, steady exhale. "The nurse said I should get up and move around anyway."

She leaned forward to stand and I placed my hands on her back in support. "She said tomorrow you should."

Lisa bit her lip as she tried to suppress a groan. It didn't work, and she let out a low rumble of pain. "It's just a couple of hours shy of tomorrow," she said through clenched teeth.

As she uncovered herself from the sheets, I hurried around to the other side of the bed, bringing the IV stand with me. Once she stood up, she gasped and clenched at the pole for support. I held it still so she wouldn't fall over. Pale and looking a little ill, she glanced out the window. Her mouth dropped open as she got a clear view of the sea of candlelight in the darkness. "Oh my God, Jennie. They're still here."

Patting her hand on the pole, I urged her forward. "Of course they are."

Lisa seemed to forget about her pain until she took a step. Then she groaned and gingerly held her stomach. Feeling bad that I couldn't do anything for her, I merely held the bathroom door open. Her face was tight as she passed by me. "Thanks."

Before I closed the door behind her, I couldn't help but check out the toned sections of skin showing between the ties along the back of her gown. Only Lisa Manoban could make a hospital gown sexy. Lisa started to chuckle when she noticed me watching; she instantly grimaced. "Stop making me laugh and close the door."

Letting out a hearty laugh, since she couldn't, I did what she asked. While I waited for her and hoped she didn't get light-headed and pass out, I meandered over to the window to watch the crowd of well-wishers. They were stretched along the sidewalk across from the hospital, almost as far as I could see; it really was an impressive sight.

A short knock followed by a polite voice disrupted my thoughts. "Mrs. Manoban, I'm sorry to bother you. It's after hours, but your brother is here?"

I turned to see the night nurse poking her head through the partially open door. I kept my face purposely neutral. Brother? I didn't have a brother. The nurse looked behind her, then back at me. "Normally, I'd make him wait until morning, but he says he flew across the country to see you?"

She looked at me skeptically, like she was sure the person behind her was not who he claimed to be. And she was right; he wasn't who he said he was. I let the surprise I felt show on my face. "Taehyung? Taehyung's here?"

The nurse seemed relieved and opened the door a bit wider. "I'll let him come in, but just for a few minutes, okay?"

I nodded, still absolutely stunned that he'd come all this way. The nurse stepped back and made a motion with her hand while opening the door wide with her other one. Taehyung stepped into the room, looking worn and weary. Abby followed a step behind him. Even more surprise trickled through me at seeing Taehyung's fiancée.

Respectfully, Taehyung turned to the nurse and told her, "Thank you for your help, Renae." For the millionth time today, I was shocked; he'd said that without any trace of an accent. Nothing.

Once she was gone, Taehyung turned back to me. I must have still looked shocked, because he started laughing. His accent back in place, he told me, "I couldn't be your brother if I didn't sound like you, and I wanted to make sure they let me in." My favorite grin formed on his lips. "And faking an American accent is not easy. I was positive she was going to see right through me."

Giggling, I rushed over to him and tossed my arms around him. "I can't believe you're here."

Sighing, Taehyung held me tight. "I'm only sorry I'm late."

The bathroom door swung open as Taehyung and I pulled apart. Lisa had a small smile on her face that fell when she noticed Taehyung. The same shock I'd felt flitted over Lisa's features as she wobbled a bit. She didn't seem angry, just massively surprised. Tilting her head, she asked, "Are you a figment of my pain meds? Or are you really standing right in front of me?"

"I'm really here. It's good to see you in one piece, mate." Smiling, Taehyung walked over and gave Lisa a quick hug. It was pretty easy to see that Lisa was quickly losing strength.

As Taehyung helped her get back into bed, Lisa looked between Taehyung and Abby and stammered, "You're here? You both came all the way over here? For me?"

Once Lisa was lying down, Taehyung sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, we came here for you." He glanced at Abby, then turned back to Lisa. "It scared the piss outta me, when I found out you were hurt. All I could think was that . . ." Swallowing, Taehyung looked away.

Realizing this moment had nothing to do with me, I stayed against the wall and tried to be inconspicuous. Abby moved beside me and gave me a soft smile as she patted my hand. I could tell by the look on her face that she was silently acknowledging all of the pain I'd gone through today, and offering me her support and friendship. I clasped her hand, grateful, and then the both of us turned to watch our fiancés.

When Taehyung could continue, he told Lisa, "We used to be close. We used to be like siblings. And if you died . . . it would be like a part of my family had died. And I don't think you realize that." His eyes returned to Lisa's. "I hate the idea of you dying without knowing how much I . . ." Closing his mouth, he sniffed, then said, "I don't know, I feel like, maybe I haven't been the greatest friend to you."

"Taehyung—"

Lisa tried to interrupt him, but Taehyung wouldn't let her. "I knew what was going on, Lisa, with you and your dad, and I didn't say anything to anybody. I didn't help you like I should have."

"You were a kid," Lisa muttered.

"So were you," he retorted. "And when I moved away, I didn't keep in touch like I promised." Clearly angry at himself, Taehyung shook his head. "You needed me, and I wasn't there for you. And I'm really sorry. That was pretty shitty of me."

"Are you kidding?" Incredulous, Lisa pointed over at me. "I slept with your girlfriend . . . repeatedly." I flinched, and Abby squeezed my hand a little tighter.

Taehyung frowned. "Well, that was pretty shitty of you." A sad smile darkened his features. "But I left you alone in hell . . . and I almost think that was worse." He stuck his hand out to Lisa. "I know we've already put the past behind us, and I know we're friends, but I want you to know, without a doubt in your head, that we're still family. You understand me?"

Lisa still seemed shocked to her core, but she nodded and shook Taehyung's hand. "Yeah, yeah, okay."