Tears ran down his cheeks as he saw her car that was smashed into the tree. He ran to the driver's side door, and swallowed when he saw her head laying against the steering wheel. Before he opened the door, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911. After he had given out the directions to where they were, he opened the door, and touched her arm. "God, Whitney," he said as he gently pulled her from the car. He knew that you weren't supposed to move someone from an accident, but he wasn't going to leave her in the crushed car.
He sat down on the wet road, feeling the water soaking into his pants, but ignoring it. He touched her head that was bleeding severely. "Baby...talk to me," he pleaded as his eyes cried out his fear. He held her in his arms, rocking back and forth slightly as his eyes closed. "God..don't take her from me," he whispered as he stroked her hair gently.
He heard the sirens in the distance and he opened his eyes so that he could plead with her. "Don't leave me yet...helps on its way."
He looked at her face, and felt a glimpse of hope when her eyes opened slightly. "Justin," she murmured.
"Shh..baby..just hang on," he told her as he leaned over to shield her from the rain that was falling. He looked up at the headlights of the ambulance that was shinning on them. Two men came running out of the vehicle over to him. He reluctantly let go of her so they could work on her. He watched as they lifted her up on a gurney and wheeled it towards the back of the ambulance. He followed them around and was about to get inside when a paramedic shook his head. "We need all the space that we can get. Call someone and have them take you to the hospital," he instructed before closing the door and motioning for the driver to move.
The police were starting to arrive, and the chaos was starting to make him dizzy. He took a deep breath before dialing JC's number and filling him in briefly on what had happened. As he waited for JC to get there, he stuck his hands in his pocket and felt the ring that had been on her finger earlier. As his fingers gently ran over it, he started crying again. He felt a hand on his shoulder causing him to turn around to see JC standing there looking at him with sympathetic eyes. "Lets go."
Justin meekly nodded his head before climbing into the passenger side of the vehicle. The ride to the hospital was quiet because JC knew that if he questioned Justin, it would only make him more upset. As soon as JC had parked the car, Justin sprang from it and ran at a full sprint towards the doors. He ran up to the desk, panting trying to get his words out. "Where is...Whitney..Littleton?"
The nurse behind the desk looked up and frowned. "Are you family?"
"I'm her fiance," he said, which was only half way true.
"She's back through those doors, but sir you can't go back there," she yelled as Justin took off towards the doors, ignoring the shouting nurse.
JC ran into the hospital as the woman was about to call security, but he stopped her. "That's Justin Timberlake and that's his long time girlfriend in there..don't call security."
"I don't care who he is..he can't go back there."
"Trust me, you're just going to cause a bigger scene by calling security. I'll go back there and get him," he said walking slowly down the hallway as the woman narrowed her eyes at him. JC met up with Justin, who was looking through the doors of an operating room.
He could see her hair falling from the table, and he closed his eyes, knowing that something wasn't right. "I'm going to lose her," he whispered as JC placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't you dare think like that, Justin. She's a fighter and she's going to pull through this," he said as his own tears finally made their way down his cheeks. The two men stood there and did the only thing that they could do...watch and pray that everything was OK.
The person on the other line took a deep breath before exhaling lightly into the phone. "Cait, this is JC. You need to come to the hospital because Whitney was in a bad car accident and things aren't looking too good..I also need you to do me a favor and call the rest of the guys for me," he said quickly before rattling the numbers off to her.
After she had scribbled all of them down, she reached up to wipe away a tear that was stuck midway on her cheek. "I'll be there in a few minutes," she said before hanging up the phone and reaching for a pair of jeans that were lying on the floor. "Dan, get up we have to go to the hospital..Whitney was in a car accident..hurry," she said loudly before throwing on a shirt.
He jumped from the bed, grabbing for any article of clothing that he could fine. As they walked out the door, Cait grabbed her address book and cell phone so she could call people from the car. She had called the most obvious people when her hand came to rest on Ashley's number. She looked at Dan, who was glancing at her. "Should I call him?"
Dan nodded his head before turning his attention back to the road. "He needs to know what has happened."
"Should I warn him that Justin knows?"
"Yeah...make Ash call the rest of the guys since we're almost to the hospital..just tell him to make sure he keeps his temper calm."
"That's a will do," Cait said softly before dialing the number. She waited until she heard his groggy voice float through. "What do you want this late at night?"
"I have bad news," she began.
"I don't know why you're playing a prank on me right now, Cait, but I'm not really up for it."
"Whitney was in a car wreck," she said suddenly, knowing that was going to be the only way to get his attention.
"That's not funny," he said as his voice grew serious.
"I'm not kidding. I need you to call the rest of the guys and then come to the hospital..JC told me things weren't looking too good."
"Ohmigod."
"Ashley listen to me..make sure you stay the hell away from Justin..he knows."
"He knows what?"
"He knows the two of you slept together."
He inhaled sharply. "You've got to be kidding me."
"We're at the hospital, Ash..just do like I said and get here as soon as you can," she said before hanging up the phone and sighing. "This isn't going to be a good night. She's going to pull through this, I know that much, but there is going to be one ugly fight between Ashley and Justin."
Dan slammed his door before jogging towards the entrance with Cait right on his heels. He didn't answer her because there was no need. He knew the truth, and there was no need to comment on something he already knew. They walked into the hospital and saw JC standing at the door holding a cup of coffee in his hand. He watched as the two of them jogged up to him, his facial expression ever changing.
"I'm taking it that there isn't any good news right now," Cait said as she paused to get her breath back.
JC shrugged before lowering his head and shaking it. "She's in surgery right now...the doctor's won't tell us anything, Justin is pissed off, scared and angry right now, and everyone being tired isn't helping the situation. I just hope to God that she comes out of this."
"The doctor's haven't said anything about her condition?" Dan asked as he wrapped his arms around Cait when she shivered.
"We had to beat it out of them that she was in surgery..literally that's all they've said."
Cait turned to Dan and began backing up. "I'm going to go check on Justin," she said before turning around and walking in the doors.
Cait walked slowly through the hospital, silently cringing as she took in the people that were in pain. She admired doctor's because she didn't know how they put up with some of the cases that came in. She walked through a hallway that was virtually empty keeping her eyes open for Justin.
She didn't have to look long because she saw him slumped over in a chair, his hands resting in his hands and his eyes were closed. Her heart broke at the sight of him. His curls were going in every direction, his face was streaked with dried tears, and it was also pale. He must have heard her coming because his head slowly looked up, and all he could do was stare at her with a blank expression.
She sat down beside him, and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you OK, Justin?"
He turned and looked at her, the blank expression still present. "No."
She sighed before wrapping her arms around him and letting him lean on her. "Its going to be OK."
He just pulled back and looked at her before returning to the previous position he had been in before she had disturbed him. Cait heard a noise at the hotel lobby door, causing her eyes to glance up to see who it was. Her sharp intake of breath cause Justin's attention to advert to what she was looking at.
Cait saw out of the corner of her eye as Justin tensed and began to rise, the anger already pulsing in his eyes. "Justin, this isn't the time for this."
"What the hell is he doing here?" Justin stand, standing up fully and continuing to glare at Ashley who just looked on towards Justin.
"He has the right to be here, Justin. He's friends with Whitney...just don't start anything."
"He's the reason my girlfriend is lying in that hospital bed fighting for her life," Justin challenged taking a step forward.
Cait stepped in between the two of them before sighing. "Listen to me...Justin," she said turning to face him and glaring at him sternly. "I understand your mad and upset right now, but if you hit him, you're not only doing something wrong, you're doing something disrespectful. Now isn't the time to deal with this."
Justin relaxed some before looking at Ashley. "Believe me..we have some things to deal with...stay out of my sight."
Ashley held up his hands before sighing. "Have you heard anything?"
Cait opened her mouth to answer but Justin beat her to it. "Its none of your business!"
"Justin!" Cait said sharply before pulling Ashley out into the hall and sighing. "Just ignore him right now..his nerves are shot and everything. She's in surgery right now and that's the only thing we know. Now go find Dan and stay away from Justin to avoid any type of conflict"
He nodded his head before turning and heading back towards the entrance of the hospital. As he walked down the corridors leading to the main entrance, he couldn't stop himself from feeling somewhat responsible for what was happening. He looked up to see Dan looking at him with a knowing all look on his face.
"Its not your fault," he said calmly before handing him a small cup filled with coffee.
Ashley looked at it before nodding his head. "Its my fault..I shouldn't have went through with..you know," he said as his voice broke. "I should have been a friend to her..I should have never slept with her," he said before turning his attention to a blonde, curly, haired woman that had just stepped through the sliding glass doors.
He watched as JC walked over and hugged the woman tightly to him. "Lynn..she's going to be OK," he overheard JC say, causing him to hang his head. "Dan..if she's not OK, this is my fault."
"Its not your fault, Ashley. Justin and Whitney had an argument and she was upset..its nobody's fault."
"damn it, I'm the reason they were arguing!" he said loudly causing people to turn and look at him. Dan took hold of his arm and dragged him outside the hospital, giving him a stern look.
"Listen to me for the last time, Ash..you couldn't control ANY of those events that happened. Its not your fault, its not Justin's, and its not hers. This is how things are supposed to be so stop beating yourself up over this."
"That may be true, but you don't have a clue as to what is going on through my head...I feel responsible."
Dan sighed before running a hand through his hair. "Damn it, Ashley, don't beat yourself up over this. Its happened for a reason and that reason you're going to have to accept."
"I can't," he said simply before walking back into the hospital.
Dan watched as his body disappeared down the corridor before he closed his eyes and prayed. If things didn't work out tonight, it was going to create havoc on all of their lives, and he knew that there were those few that weren't going to be strong enough to handle it.
He shuddered as he remembered the lost look on her face when he had asked her to leave. He recalled the last words that she had told him before walking out. "I love you." was echoing through his head. He now wished he'd told her how much he loved her too because there might not be a chance for him to do it now.
He watched as his mother walked over to him, and sat down in the chair next to his. He turned to her, with a desperate look on his face, before laying his head on her shoulder and letting her comfort him in a way only she knew how to do. "Mom..I can't lose her," he cried desperately to her.
He stroked his hair before resting her head against his. "Hunnie, you're not going to. You're going to get married and you're going to produce me some beautiful grandchildren."
He smiled slightly before letting it disappear. "I don't know...shouldn't the doctor's have told us more by now? How long can she be in surgery..mom, this is my fault," he started rambling.
"Justin, breathe for me sweetie...its going to be OK and this isn't your fault."
"We had an argument and I told her to get out..I sent her out in this weather..I did this to her."
"Justin, this isn't your fault. Its no ones fault. Its just an accident that you didn't have any control over. Now be strong for her."
He nodded his head against hers before pulling back and looking at her. He leaned his head against the wall and shut his eyes as his brain tried to regain a composed thought process. The room fell silent, leaving the only sounds to be sobs and the occasional sounds of someone moving in their chairs.
An hour seemed to go by before Justin looked up when everyone seemed to shuffle in their seats. His vision landed on a doctor standing in the door in a pair of green scrubs and his heart began to beat wildly. "How is she," he blurted out.
The doctor sighed before rubbing his temples. "We've seemed to stop most of the internal bleeding that she had..but its too soon to tell if she's going to pull through his right now. We did all that we could do in surgery, and right now this situation rests in God's hands and in how strong she is."
"She can pull through this," Justin insisted before standing up. "Can I see her?"
"Only one visitor at a time because she's weak, and I'm not guaranteeing that she can hear you," he said before motioning for Justin to follow him.
Ashley watched as Justin walked out the door before turning to look at Dan and Cait, who were starring off into space. "This isn't good."
Cait shook her head before grasping Dan's hand. "I love you," she said suddenly.
Dan nodded his head before kissing her forehead and rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand. "I know and you know I love you too."
Meanwhile, as Justin walked down the corridor back to the surgery recovery lounge, his heart beat seemed to echo through the walls. When they turned around the corner and stopped at a bed that was hidden by a blue curtain, his eyes closed and he prayed to God that he wouldn't take away his angel.