" Nick, please, stop crying. You aren't helping her at all." Brian said.

" I know, I know. I just can't stand this. I'm gonna go for a walk. Okay?"

" Okay."

" Stay with her, please, you guys."

" Yes."

Nick went for a walk. He walked around on the ICU floor, which was where Denise was. He took the elevator down to the next floor. It was the maternity ward. He walked past the nursery; he looked at all the babies. He had a flashback to when Denise and his other siblings were born. That same hospital. Tears stung his face. He walked away.

In Denise's room, Brian was holding Denise's hand. He was talking to her. He knew she couldn't hear him. " Denise, your brother is scared. He doesn't want you to die. You have to get out of this. No one wants you to die. You're the only one that survived. Please, come back."

Miraculously, Denise stirred and opened her eyes just a crack. She could see, and Brian knew she could see. Denise formed words in her head that she wanted to say. She opened her mouth. " Nicky." Denise whispered every so softly.

" Nicky is gone."

" Died?"

" No, he's out walking. He'll be back soon. I'm so sorry, Denise." Denise tried to move her legs. " No, you can't move them. You're paralyzed."

Nick walked in. A face of surprise came upon his face. " Denise, you're awake! You're alive!" Nick said.

" She's barely talking, but you can hear her." Brian said.

" Denise, are you okay?" Nick stroked her face with his thumb.

" Don't know." Denise said.

" Do you want to know what is wrong with you?"

" Yes."

" You were in an accident with mom, dad, Aaron, Angel, BJ, and Leslie. They died. You survived." At this point, Denise and Nick were crying. " You're legs are paralyzed and you have a small trauma to the brain. Doc says it's nothing to worry about much. You need a new heart. That's what I'm so worried about. I don't want you to die either." Nick choked back a sob. " I can't afford to lose a sister like you."

Denise smiled, then it quickly faded. " Paralyzed? Died? New heart?"

" Yeah, Denise, I'm sorry."

" Don't cry. I'll be fine."

" I know."

" Hey, Denise." Kevin said.

" Hi." Denise said.

" Kev, where's AJ?" Nick asked.

" He said he had to pick something up, then he'll be here." Kevin replied. " Denise, are you okay?"

" I don't know." Denise said.

" So, I guess you heard about your family and what's wrong with you, eh?"

" Yeah." Dr. Snow came in the room. " Ah, Denise, you're awake. How are you feeling?" she asked.

" I can barely move."

" Well, your legs are paralyzed. That's why you can't move your legs. You're stiff from all the weight that has been pressured on your body. That will go away soon. The van was turned over and since your window was open, you flew out and the car landed on you. Your parents and siblings, except for Nick here, had all died. I'm sorry. You also need a new heart. I'm sorry. We don't know if you even have a month to live."

Denise was crying. " They all died?"

" Yeah, I'm sorry. You are the only one that survived. You're very lucky. We, sadly, can't find you a new heart. People have been trying. Your brother's fans have even been coming in. We can't find a match. If we don't find a match, we'll have to use either your other brother's heart or sadly, Nick's. I'm sorry."

" Okay, thank you." Dr. Snow left the room.

" Man, the fans have even been trying." Nick said.

AJ came bursting through the door. He startled everyone. " Sorry. I cannot believe this. Nick, I'm so sorry." AJ said.

" AJ, you didn't have to come bursting through the door. Jeez!" Nick said giving AJ a hug.

" Yeah, I know. I just wanted to make an entrance." AJ laughed.

" You made an entrance alright." Denise said.

" You, you are very lucky."

" I know."

Brian went out in the hall. Leighanne was walking around. " Baby, why are you here?" Brian asked sternly.

" I wanted to see how Denise was." Leighanne said.

" How did you get here? You can't drive!"

" I took a cab."

Brian held her stomach. " How much longer do we have to wait for our bundle of joy?"

" Any day now."

Brian smiled and kissed Leighanne. " You want to see her?"

" Yeah, it's what I came here for, isn't it?"

" Come on." Brian took her hand and led her into Denise's room. " Denise, look who came to visit you."

" Hey, Leigh. How are you?" Denise asked.

" Just fine. How's yourself?" Leighanne said.

" I don't know if I feel good, or bad."

" Oh, don't worry. You'll only be in here a few weeks." Leigh looked at Brian. Brian was shaking his head. " Oh, did I say weeks? I meant days."

" It's okay. I know how long I'll be in here. So, how much longer?"

" Any day now." Leigh smiled.

" AJ, what did you have to pick up?" Nick asked.

" I got this," Aj said showing Nick a stuffed animal to him. " For your sister." AJ gave the stuffed animal to Denise. She held it.

" Thank you, AJ." Denise replied.

" You're welcome, kid."

Nick sat down in a chair and pulled it closer to Denise's bed. He held her hand. " Everything will be alright, kiddo. Don't worry." Nick said.

" I know." Denise replied.

" Well, I have to go to the funeral in a few days. I better make some arrangements." Nick got up and walked out, crying.

The next day, Denise got a visit from Brian in the morning. He brought her a stuffed bunny rabbit. Denise loved it dearly. " Brian, do me a favor, please." Denise said quietly.

" What is it?" Brian asked.

" Tell Nick that I love him."

" What?" Brian was confused.

" Tell him I love him. I'll miss him."

" Oh my God, don't say that!" Denise's heart monitor was going crazy. " Denise, wake up, wake up! Come on, wake up!"

Dr. Snow came running in the room with some other doctor's and nurses. " Mr. Littrell, you'll have to leave." Dr. Snow said escorting him out of the room and into the waiting room.

Brian had tears in his eyes. He didn't know what to tell Nick. " What am I gonna do? What am I gonna tell him?"

Nick walked up next to him. " Hey, Brian." Nick said quickly while walking in the hallway to Denise's room.

" Nick, don't go in there. I have to tell you something."

Nick stopped in his tracks. " What?"

" Something happened when you were gone. Denise's heart stopped."

" Oh my God! No!" Nick ran into Denise's room. He saw doctor's performing CPR on here. It seemed to him that it wasn't working. They got out some paddles and shocked her. Nick ran out of the room and went to where Brian was sitting. " Why didn't you call me?"

" You said you was on your way! I didn't know!"

Dr. Snow came out of the room and down to where the boys were. " Is she okay?" Nick asked anxiously.

" Mr. Carter, your sister's heart stopped. She's alive now. We're afraid that if she doesn't get a heart soon, she will pass on." Dr. Snow said.

" Will she be doing that a lot?"

" She will be doing that either everyday or every few days."

" Will there ever be a chance that she'll die?"

" Highly chance."

" Can I see her?"

" Sure." Dr. Snow said. She went down the hall and started talking with the receptionist. The receptionist wrote some things on a paper. Nick didn't know what she wrote. He went into Denise's room.

Denise was pale. Nick was crying. He hadn't gotten very much sleep. He really didn't want to lose Denise; he didn't want to lose no one. " Denise, I don't know if you can hear me or not. I love you." Nick said.

" I love you too, Nick." Denise whispered.

" Don't ever do that again. You scared Brian and me."

" I'm sorry. I don't know why I do that."

" It's your heart, Denise. Your heart. The doc said that if you don't get a new heart, you'll die."

" What about Aaron's heart? Yours?"

" Aaron's heart is too small. Mine is too big. There are fans trying to help you. You'll get a new heart soon."

" No, I won't.

>>>>> 

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