***At The Hospital***
Everyone was at the hospital now and sitting in the waiting room. "A.J. Sit Down Damnit! You can't afford to lose anymore weight so stop pacing!!!" Brian said hoping he would sit down soon.
"Brian Shut up! This is not exactly time for jokes!!" A.J. snapped. He was not in the mood to hear Brian's smart guy jokes.
"A.J., Calm down you driving your self nuts is not going to help Andrea!!" Nina said trying to help A.J. out some. Suddenly a doctor walked up and A.J. was the first to run over to him.
"So is she ok?????? Is she going to be all right???" A.J. said his voice still panicky.
"She is going to live. But…she might have some brain damage. When her cords were messed with it cut off her air supply." The doctor reported calming everyone down a little…everyone but A.J. *Oh My God this is my fault!! I should never have let her walk to the bus alone! I never should have punched Marcus!! Please let her be ok!!!! God Please!!*
"Wait is she awake???" A.J. asked quickly before the doctor left.
"Yes she is. Only one person at a time. Family only."
"Well that leaves Jesse, Me, and I guess A.J. right? He'd be considered family wouldn't he?" Jessica said hoping A.J. would count as family before he went nuts waiting to see her.
"Yeah, he should count, I mean he is engaged to the girl!" Kelly said it her usual snotty voice.
"Jesse I think we should let A.J. go see her first." Jessica said feeling pity for all that he was going through.
"Yeah I agree. I think Andi would like seeing ya now man." Jesse said putting a comforting hand on A.J.'s shoulder.
"Thanks." He said and left heading for Andrea's room. When got there he slowly opened the door and walked in. "Hey Andi, how are you feeling?"
"Umm…I am feeling ok." She said a little confused, she wasn't even sure if she knew who was Andi. She only knew her name was Andrea but responded to Andi because it sounded familiar. A.J. walked over to her bed and kissed her cheek.
"I Don't know what I'd do without you!" he said a smiling appearing on his face for the first time since Andrea left him in the parking lot.
"Huh? Who are you??" she said still confused.
"What? It's me Andi…you know A.J. your fiancée." He said while his knees felt like they were turning into Jell-O.
"I am sorry I don't know who you are…I have a boyfriend. His name is Marcus." She said looking at A.J. as if to say she wanted him to leave. But as she had said the name Marcus A.J. felt his heart break into a million pieces. He turned and walked out of the room. He stopped when he got to the waiting room.
"Nick let's go…we can wait on the bus." A.J. said in a discouraged voice.
"Why A.J.? Don't you want to be with Andrea a little longer?" Nick said a little confused.
A.J. felt a tear run down his cheek and said, "I just don't want to be here ok man! So let's just leave it at that! I Don't like Hospitals!" His voice was shaky and everyone knew something was wrong.
"Ok, anyone else want a ride in my car?" Nick asked hoping that maybe Brian or one of the other guys would come to help him out.
"Sure, I think I'll go with you. Hospitals kinda bug me too." Brian said thinking of all the time he spent in hospitals as a little kid.
"I'll go with you guys." Nina said standing up. There was really no use in her staying. She couldn't go see Andrea anyway because she wasn't family. They all left and headed down to Nick's car. Everyone else would be getting back to the buses in cabs. That's how they got there. They didn't want to use the bus it was too big and too slow. Nick, Brian, Nina and A.J. reached the car. Nobody had said anything since they left the waiting room. They all got in Nick driving, Nina sitting next to him and Brian and A.J. sat in back.
"Hey A.J. you ok man?" Brian said looking at A.J.'s face. He was trying his hardest to hold back the tears that had filled his eyes. He didn't say anything just turned his head so Brian couldn't see as his tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. "What happened? Andrea is going to be fine buddy, Cheer up!" Brian said trying to be helpful, but A.J. knew the truth…She wasn't fine and it was his fault. He thought back to California. That's where he had met Andrea. She was 17 and she worked at a restaurant. He guys had all gone out to eat and she was their waitress. A.J. saw her and immediately knew he was gonna get a date with her. So of course he asked her and they hit it off. Now look at them, They were going to be married, that is if Andrea ever remembers him. "A.J. Come on. We're all going to get on the bus. Get Up buddy." Brian said trying to break A.J.'s trance.
"Ok, I am coming go on ahead of me." A.J. said wanting to be alone.
"Ok, if you're sure you'll be ok." Brian said getting out of the car and walking to the bus. A.J. got out and locked up all the doors. He looked over at the bus and turned the other way. He walked to a downtown Gun Shop and went in.
"How May I help you sir?" The man behind the counter said trying to sound friendly.
"I need a gun." A.J. mumbled.
"Well you've come to the right place. Now you can take a look around but I am closing pretty soon so hurry." The guy said half-friendly and half-grouchy.
"This one." A.J. said pointing at a simple handgun.
"Alrighty." The guy said. "This the one you want?"
"Yeah." A.J. said sick of him taking his time. He looked at the gun and thought of how good it would feel to shoot a bullet through Marcus's skull.
***Back At The Bus***
"Where is A.J.?" Brian said staring at his watch as he had been for the last 3 minutes. "Ok Nick time to go look for him." he said standing up.
"Ok, let's get goin." Nick said standing up and walking out the door. Brian followed right behind. Nina had gone to bed because she said she'd had a rough day and didn't want to see it get any worse. They walked out to the car and looked around. Then both decided to walk downtown.
***At A Liquor Store***
"Thank Ye Kind sir. And Make sure ye come a-gain sometime." The man said from behind the counter as A.J. left with a bottle of liquor. He walked up to a small park and walked up to the edge of a small cliff and sat down. He opened his bottle of liquor and began to drink it. About 3/4 through the bottle he heard something behind him. He pulled out his gun and got ready to shoot anyone that came up behind him.
"A.J.?!?! Is that you??" Nick said not sure who it was.
"Who the hell wants to know?" A.J. said attempting to stand.
"Man you're wasted! Come on let's go back to the bus." Brian said disapprovingly.
"Ya know maybe A.J. doesn't want to go back to the bus." A.J. said too wasted to know what he was saying.
"A.J. Stop messing around!" Nick said seeing the gun in his hand.
"Nah, It's not like Andi would care if I ever came back! I mean she is with Marcus." He said successfully standing up and turning to face them. He looked at the gun then at the guys and said, "Ya know maybe I don't ever want to go anywhere again!" as he aimed the gun at his temple.
"A.J. Come On Man It isn't worth it!! You know Andrea would be totally depressed if you killed yourself!!" Brian said taking a couple small steps towards him.
"No she wouldn't care!! She is with Marcus now!! She said it herselfs. She sayed that she don't member me!! She hates me..." he said his word slurred from being drunk.
"Things will be fine. Come on it's ok…Give me the gun A.J." he said trying to coax him into giving him the gun and taking a few more steps toward him. Nick finally got the idea and did the same. Now Brian was almost right next to A.J.
"Nah, I think I'll keep my gun. It's brand new ya know!" he said waving it in the air wildly. Suddenly Brian lunged at him, grabbing for the gun. Nick came up and grabbed the gun from A.J. hand as Brian continued to tackle him. As soon as Nick got the gun Brian stood up and grabbed A.J.'s hand.
"Ok Now let's go back to the bus! Personally I've had enough excitement for tonight."
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