Chapter 23
"Ashley...baby please...wake up baby...Ashley I need you..." Ashley heard a muffled voice that sounded familiar. She looked at the light that was waiting at the end of her long tunnel. She sighed as the voice came to her again, pleading for her to come back. She looked again at the light and slowly turned around, walking towards the voice.
~*~
Justin sat on the floor of the warehouse next to Ashley's dying body. He had taken off his jean jacket and placed it over her naked upper body. The police were restraining a struggling Steve. He had been shot in the arm and was crying like a baby. Justin focused in on Ashley again, her eyes starting to open.
"Ashley! Ashley...Oh God!!" He cried to her, taking her beaten body and bringing it close to his own. Soon he felt hands pulling at him, taking him away from her. "No! I can't let her go! No!" He said, struggling against the people pulling at him.
"Mr. Timberlake, sir. We have to get her to a hospital...please. You too, let her go, we can take care of her only if you let her go. You have to come with us too, please sir, let her go." A soft reassuring voice came to his ears. he looked up as a man started to tug at his shoulder.
"Please, save her..." Justin pleaded. The medic nodded to his EMCs and helped Justin up, taking him to the waiting ambulance. Justin watched as Ashley's limp body was being lifted onto a stretcher. The Jacket slidding off her toreso.
"Cover her up!" He yelled, breaking away from the grasp the medic had on his arm, rushing to Ashley. He picked up the coat and put it on her bloody body. He started to cry when Ashley looked at him with a blank expression on his face. He followed the men into the ambulance and sat in the corner watching as they took care of the person her had fallen in love with, and almost lost.
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Justin sat in the ambulance and watched as they conected IV's and tried to stabalize Ashley. A medic came to him and asked how he was. She looked at the cut on his forehead and cleaned it, placing some butterfly stitches over it.
"I think you'll be just fine Mr. Timberlake. But were taking you to the ER also, just to be safe." Justin nodded but was only half listening. He was staring at Ashley's lifeless for that had slipped back into unconcios sleep. He moved to her and took her hand. He kissed it softly, and bent down, his lips next to her ear.
"Hey Ash...please wake up baby. I need you my Julliet. I need someome to play basketball with..." He looked up when he heard a shuffle from the medics around Ashley. "What happened?" He asked, frightened.
"Her pulse quickened, I don't know what you said man, but keep it up. Talk to her Justin, she's coming out of it!." The medic almost screamed and Justin returned his mouth to Ashley's ear.
"Ash...you have to come back to me baby. I need you....Ashley...I...I love you." He closed his eyes and a silent tear escaped down his cheek.
"I love you too."
Justin jearked his head up and looked into the pools of blue that he adored so much. If there was anything about Ashley it was her eyes that got to him the most. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. The medic came over and moved Justin out of the way. Justin held his eyes with Ashley's, never wanting to take them off, for fear the he might lose her.
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Justin sat impatiently in the waiting room of the hospital. He had been treated for his injuries and now he was waiting for his friends.
He was bent over with his head in his hands when he heard familiar voices calling his name. He looked up to see his fellow bandmates and Ashley's mother and brother running towards them.
"Oh God Justin!" He heard Chris mumble as he looked at the sorry state of Justin. His face was black and blue and he had 5 stitched in his forehead from Steve's kick. He face was wet with tears and he soon found himself in his friends embrace.
"What happened Justin? Where's my sister?" Jake asked frantically.
"She's in the ER. Steve Macentyre found her and beat us....." was all he could say. He tried his best to block out the painful memories that haunted him.
Everyone looked up as the doctor approached them. "Please sit down." He instructed. Everyone looked worried and at down, never taking their eyes off of the man that held Ashley's life in his hands.
The doctor cleared his throat and began to talk. "Ashley's in critical condition. She's no longer unconcious, but she's been severly beaten. She had three broken ribs and a cuncussion. There was also a massive amount of internal bleeding from the blows to the stomach. We've stopped the bleeding, and she's stable now, but I can't allow anyone to see her yet. She's been asking for Justin..." He stopped and looked around. Justin stood up.
"That's me..."
"Ah, you were also the one that was with her?" He asked, noteing the bruises and stitches.
"Yes."
"Then come with me. Everyone else, please wait here, and I'll update you as soon as we know more about her condition." The doctor walked away with Justin in tow, and the group in the waiting room said a silent prayer.
Justin followed the doctor down a long whit corridor. He starred at the floor, not wanting to look up and se the sickness that surrounded him. The doctor led him into a room with machines and ventilators and tubes, all connecting to Ashley. Justin rushed over to her and took her hand. her eyes slowly opened and she smiled the best she could.
"Hey Justin..." She said, her voice raspy.
"Shh, don't speak. It's ok, I'm here." Ashley nodded her head and closed her eyes. Justin heard a noise and turned around to face the doctor.
"OK, Justin...I need to know what happened." Justin sighed and sat down in a chair next to Ashley's bed, never letting go of her hand. He took a deep breath and started to re-live the nightmare that he had just come out of.
~*~
"Wow, she's had some trauma. I understand now. that explains a lot." The doctor said gravely. "But there's something I don't understand."
Justin looked away from Ashley and at the doctor. "What's that?"
"She told you she had a miscarrige. From the scars on her abdomen and utaris walls, it looks more like an abortion gone wrong..." He said, matter of factly. Justin starred at him, shock evident on his face. He looked back at Ashley's sleeping form and bowed his head.
"Can she still have children?" Justin asked, his head still down.
"Yes. She will. There was no long term damage. She can have as many children as you want." He smiled as Justin looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean....There's still a lot to be uncovered about this story Justin. Ashley kept secrets from everyone, including her parents. It's going to be hard on everyone, the best thing for you to do is be there for her. She needs someone she can trust. There is enough evidence to put Steve away forever, but it wont end there. Ashley is physically stable now, but there is no telling the amount of emotional damage he caused her. Be there for her, and she'll be just fine. Now go get her family and give them a chance to see her." And with that the doctor walked out of the room.
Chapter 24
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