AJ looked up as he heard someone walk into the room and he stood as soon as he saw Alec. "Anything?"

She shook her head, "The doctor kicked me out to examine her again..."

"How is she?"

Alec shrugged, "She stays pretty quiet, thinking too much I think."

"She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for..." he trailed off as he turned to stare at Howie who was pacing back and forth in the corner.

"Alex come on..." Alec put her hand on his arm, "Don't need to start a fight right now, especially in a hospital."

"Your right," he agreed reluctantly, "But he wouldn't have far to go once I gave him a few good shots."

Howie turned around for what seemed like the millionth time since he'd been there, he'd seen Alec come into the waiting room and knew if she had something to say she would have come over to him immediately. He sighed deeply and wondered again where the doctor was, afterall Ty was still his wife and didn't they need to inform the husband of what was going on? The thought never entered his mind that maybe she had told the doctor not to tell him anything.

In the corner Kevin downed what he figured was his fourth coffee in about an hour, he couldn't stand looking at Howie since every time he did this overwhelming urge to knock some sense into the man came over him. His gaze moved to Alec and AJ talking quietly near the door, he was tempted to go over and say something but decided against it. Moving meant getting nearer to Howie and right now that was a chance he didn't want to take. No sense getting kicked out of the hospital.

The door to her room opened and she smiled tiredly as she saw Alec. "Can I come back in?"

Ty nodded, "The doctor left...again..." she rolled her eyes and leaned back on the pillows.

"He's just doing what he has to right?"

"I guess so. Did you see D?"

"Pacing the waiting room...AJ looks ready to pounce on him, Kevin's chaindrinking coffee and Jenn's trying to keep them away from Howie. Bri and Shan are on their way..."

"Good. She should let them at him."

"You don't mean that?"

"I do. Do you honestly think he cares about me and our baby anymore?? He barely talks to me..."

"He's got a lot on his mind..."

"Don't defend him."

"I wasn't."

AJ went over and sat beside Kevin, "So..."

Kevin turned his head to look at him, "So?"

"Waiting's the worst huh?"

"Yeah gotta admit that it is."

Both men stayed quiet for a minute, watching Howie. "At least he's behaving." AJ commented.

"True." Kevin leaned his head back against the wall. "How long have we been here?"

"Not that long."

"Shouldn't we know something soon?"

"Would think so."

Nick took a deep breath as he stood outside their bedroom. Just tell her, his mind screamed as he turned the doorknob and walked in. The room was dark and he could see her laying on the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Laying down."

"Why?"

"Because I was tired..." In the dark she watched him walk across the room. There were times she could almost read his mind but since everything went to hell it was as if their connection was severed. Nothing made sense anymore.

"You okay?" he asked, his back was to her as he stared out the balcony doors.

"Guess so. I may wait awhile to go to the hospital."

"They've got everyone there, doubt they'd miss us."

"And probably wouldn't be able to see Ty anyways."

"We can swing by tomorrow if you wanted." Nick said quietly. Why was it so hard to tell her?

"May have to." she frowned, "Do you want to talk?"

A deep sigh escaped his lips as he shrugged his shoulders, "In awhile?"

Doctor Spencer walked into the room, still flipping through her chart as she neared the bed. "Well Tyler..." she started finally closing the chart, "we've got some good news and some bad news."

"Okay..."

"Good news is, the baby is fine. There was really no effect on the baby at all from your fainting. The bad news is I want you to avoid stressful situations and from peeking into the waiting room a few minutes ago that doesn't look like its going to be an easy task."

"I think I know how to avoid it..."

"All right, if you want I can go down there and grab Howie...bring him in."

"No," she answered quickly, "The others can come see me but I don't want Howard anywhere near me or my room. You can tell him the baby's fine but I do not want to see him."

The doctor stood up quickly, "Okay," she said, her expression showing her confusion. "I'll let the others in for a quick visit, but not too long. I am keeping you for observation tonight just to be sure..."

The door to the waiting room opened and everyone looked up to see Doctor Spencer standing there. Soon as they realized who it was they were clustered around her, Howie practically glued to her side in case she needed him right away. "How is she?" D asked, surprised to find his voice almost calm.

"Tyler is fine, resting...I told her I'm keeping her overnight for observation."

Howie nodded, "Understandable." he started fidgeting with his wedding band, "When can I see her?"

Doctor Spencer stayed quiet a minute, "I'll allow visitors in a few minutes..." She had decided to pull Howie aside and tell him that his wife didn't want him allowed in, no sense embarrassing the man in front of his friends.

Jenn nodded, "Might as well slowly make our way down there."

"Yeah...you guys head on down..." AJ said letting go of his wife's hand. He waited until most of the room cleared out, it looked almost like Doctor Spencer was hovering around the door. Maybe there was something she needed to tell Howie but she could wait a minute. "Howard."

Howie sighed, turning around. "What Alex? I want to go..."

"I know where you want to go...don't you think you've done enough for today???"

"Ty is my wife."

"And you'd care now because?" AJ said coldly, closing the space between the two of them. "Step one foot near her room and you'll deal with me and Kevin."

A coughing in the door caught both their attention and they turned seeing Brian standing there. "D can you come out here for a minute??"

AJ smirked, "He's all yours Brian...why you'd want him I have no idea." he walked away from him and stopped at the door, "I meant what I said..."

Howie kept his eyes on his coffee cup as he sat with Brian, he knew B was watching him intently waiting for him to utter something but he didn't. Finally Bri had enough. "Okay I saved your ass up there do you mind telling me what's going on inside that head of yours? Or should I call your mother."

"You wouldn't." D said not raising his eyes off the steam.

"Wouldn't I?" he said, reaching inside his jacket and producing his cell. "Now what was that number again..."

Howie's head shot up as he heard the dial tone. "Okay fine I'll talk."

"Are you sure, because I think Mama D might want to know her son has gone certifiably crazy."

"I am not."

"Did you or did you not practically jump two of our fellow bandmates at the hotel today?"

"FORMER bandmates Brian."

"Fine former, but didn't you?"

"They had it coming."

"Uh huh...so you want to tell me what's going on?" he sipped his own coffee and waited.

Howie started stirring his coffee, inwardly debating how much he should share with him. "You know what's going on..."

"You've got anger issues."

"When did you turn shrink on me?"

"Just now," he pushed the coffee away and leaned forward. "Look D I saw your face up there when the Doctor told you Ty didn't want you in her room and that the only thing she wanted you to know was that the baby is all right. You were devastated."

Howie shrugged, "I was surprised that's all." he took a long gulp of his coffee and avoided making eye contact with his friend.

"Cut the crap Howard."

"Maybe I wanted to see her..."

"She's your wife."

"For the moment."

"And if you lose her, who's fault is that? Damnit Howie don't you realize the way your acting lately could have some serious repercussions??? What would have happened if the baby wasn't all right? Or if something had happened to Tyler? Then what?"

"But it didn't."

"But it could of. I'm seriously starting to wonder about you D. You've taken this...whatever thought you have in your head too far."

"Maybe I have," he mused, "But if it would have worked, if things would have gone back the way they were wouldn't we all be happy?"

"I'm not sure anymore. Maybe this whole situations changed us...and not for the better."

Howie nodded, "Maybe we're finally all just realizing who we really are."

"And who's that?"

He shrugged, "A bunch of screw ups." he surveyed the small cafeteria.

"I don't see us that way."

"And how do you see us Brian? Five little saints?"

"No, five men who have been through hell and back together and still call each other brothers." Brian downed the rest of his coffee. "Now can you stop this persona you've got going and talk to me D?"

"Why?"

"Because I hate seeing you destroy everything you have by acting like this. You saw me when I went crazy, I couldn't take it anymore...I had to get it out of my system...somehow I think your going through the same thing..."

"Could be..."

"Its okay D, but beating up on your brothers and screaming at Ty..."

Rubbing his hand across his face Howie groaned, "I've screwed up I know I have. Today's one of the worst days of my life Rok..." Brian stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. A deep sigh escaped his friend as he stared back into his coffee cup almost as if somehow it gave him courage to continue, "damnit I could use a drink right now," a slow smile crossed his face momentarily then disappeared, "I went to Paul today...I wanted to negotiate with him...get him off all our backs, have him nullify AJ's contract. I offered him everything I had Brian...the company, my money...and what did he do? Laughed in my face. That's when I realized we've been fighting a battle we have no chance of winning. We're gonna have to have our little so called lucrative solo careers under Lou's guidance and be miserable just because we can make them money."

Brian fell back in his chair, "You what?"

Howie slowly raised his eyes to look at Bri, "That's why I was at the hotel today...we had a lunch meeting...the way it was supposed to go, we would have all been free by supper..."

He blinked a few times, trying to digest everything Howie had just said, "You were going to risk giving everything up for us?"

"Shows how stupid I am huh?"

"No D, don't you see what it means?"

"Life's a bitch?"

"No it means you still care about the four of us, that there is something worth fighting for."

"Bullshit."