Chapter 15



JC hung his head as he hung up the phone. Mrs. Cariac had been a mess when she had hung up the phone. She promised they would get there as soon as they could. This was not the news that he had wanted to call her with. ‘Dammit!’ he said to himself. This wasn’t fair. Bridget and him had just started something special, not that their friendship wasn’t special enough, but now it was different. She was his one and only, his girlfriend, the one that came before anyone else. His thoughts were interrupted by sorrowful looks by the guys. JC guessed Justin had went to meet them and had filled them in on what was going on. He was glad he did, he needed friends right about now.
“Man, we’re so sorry.” Lance said.
“Yeah, Jace. Is there anything we can do?” Joey said.
JC tried to force a smile. “Thanks guys. There’s really nothing you can do. There’s nothing anyone can do right now. I just called her parents and they’re on their way. We’re just waiting for anything right now.”
“What’s her condition right now?” Justin asked.
“She’s been slipping in and out of consciousness for the last hour or so. She’s in a coma right now, but the doctor says she could come to any minute. Of course he also said that she could…um… that she could….” JC couldn’t finish his sentence. ‘She could die.’ He knew the truth was out there. It was out there waiting for him. He wanted to sit in the chair sitting in front of him and just cry, but he had to stay strong. If anything, for Bridget and Bridget’s parents. They were going to be facing a lot when they got here.
“Mr. Chasez?” the doctor said.
“Yes?” JC said trying to hide the fright from his voice.
“You can go in now, if you’d like. I do warn you, she’s not conscious. Talk to her, she can probably hear your voice. Anything can help.” He said.
“Alright, thank you doctor.” JC said.
He looked back at the guys and nodded. “Thank you for being here, guys. It means everything to me.” He said.
“We wouldn’t be anywhere else” Chris said.
JC turned and headed into Bridget’s room. He approached her bed reluctantly. He saw her lying there, helpless from the world. The tubes and machines hooked up to her scared the shit out of him. As if her every breath was dependent on the machines, she laid there still. JC took the seat placed next to the bed. As he stared out the window, the memories of the two of them came back in a flood, as if to haunt him. A lone tear fell down his face and he quickly wiped it away. He decided the doctor was right, he should talk to her, maybe he could snap her out of this.
“Bridget?” he said hoarsely.
“Bridget I don’t know if you can hear me or not but I need to say this out loud so listen, ok?” he sighed. “I can remember three summers ago in Paris when I met you. We were promoting in Europe. You and Taylor were there for a study abroad summer program. I remember walking right into you at that coffee shop and knowing my life would never be the same. I don’t think I ever didn’t have feelings for you. I know that I never wanted you out of my life. I’m glad we ran into each other last week. I don’t believe it hasn’t even been a week since then. When Carson pulled me aside at the party and told me I had to meet a girl, I was about to leave. The last thing I needed was to be fixed up. But Bridge, when I saw you, I couldn’t believe that after all that time our paths still crossed. We were meant to be together. We were meant to be together, but not like this. I’m supposed to be holding you in my arms, kissing you and loving you. I do love you, Bridge. You’re my best friend and my lover all in the same. You mean the world to me.” JC was letting the tears flow. His head dropped and he grasped tighter to the hand he’d been holding onto. Bridget’s hand, once strong, had gone frail. Hard to believe that they’d woke up next to each other this morning. And now, tonight, this would have to do.

**~*~*~**

JC awoke to a hand on his shoulder. He turned, startled.
“Hey man, sorry to wake you. Bridget’s parents are here.” Justin whispered.
Had it been two hours already? JC didn’t think he could face them, but knew he was going to have to sooner or later. Besides, he knew they needed to see Bridget.
“Alright, thanks man.” JC said.
He kissed Bridget lightly on the forehead and left the room. He walked out the door and saw Mr. and Mrs. Cariac talking with the doctor. JC wanted to sit down, feeling weak from his little nap. At that moment Mrs. Cariac turned and saw JC standing there. She walked up to him and embraced him. He returned the hug weakly. He couldn’t gather enough strength to even cry with her.
“Thank you Josh. You saved her, ya know. You always were her hero.” She cried.
“I don’t feel very heroic right now, Katherine.” He tried to smile.
“Josh, no matter how you feel, you saved her life, and not only today. Keep faith that she will be ok and all of this will be over soon.” She said.
Mr. Cariac made is way over to where his daughter’s friends were standing.
“Hi Josh” he said, trying to sound as normal as possible.
“Hello John.” He said.
“It’s nice to see you again, Josh. But next time call us with better news, alright?” he said.
JC loved Bridget’s parents. They always looked at the positive in situations like this one. No matter what was going on, they tried not to believe the worst. Positive thinking was best at times like these, if only JC could be that way.
“You should go into see her.” JC said. “They said that if you talk to her she could come back.”
“Have you been in there long, sweetie? Katherine asked.
“Only about the last two hours. I fell asleep though.” He smiled.
“Alright, we’re gonna go in for awhile now” She said. She turned back around to him and lightly kissed him on the cheek. “You have made my daughter happier in the past few days than anyone’s been able to in the past two years” she whispered. “Thank you, Josh. Thank you.” With that she and her husband walked into see their pride and joy.

**~*~*~**

JC waited in the hall with the rest of the guys.
“You guys can leave” he said. “I’ll call you if there’s any change. It’s pointless for us all to be here.”
“We’re not going anywhere” Justin said.
JC smiled. “Alright. Thanks.” He said.
The group was silent for awhile when Chris spoke up.
“Bridge is gonna be fine. She’s too strong to fall from this.” He said. JC smiled, knowing that he was probably right.
“He’s right, JC. We all know Bridget is going to get through this. You gotta believe that, man.” Lance said.
JC nodded. “Bridget is strong, but sometimes even her strength can’t overpower the things that happen. The way the doctor was talking, the bullets just missed her spine. She’ll be able to walk again. If she……” JC stopped. “…….lives. If she lives.” It took all of JC’s power to spit out those words. Living without Bridget was too much for JC to imagine.
“She’s going to live, JC” Justin said. “She will. You’ll see.”

**~*~*~**

Bridget’s parents emerged quickly from the hospital room. They quickly searched the room till they found JC.
“JC!” Katherine rang out.
JC’s head snapped to attention. Something was wrong, he knew something had to be wrong.
“Josh! She’s awake!” she said.
JC couldn’t believe the words the woman had just spoke. It had been two hours since JC had last seen Bridget. He stood speechless, suddenly very awake from the nap he had drifted into.
“How is she? What’s going on? Is she awake for good? Is she going to be ok?” he asked all at once.
“Josh, calm down!” Katherine smiled. “The doctor is in with her right now. She’s asking for you though. You can go in when he’s done.”
“Thank you! You made my day” JC smiled.
Katherine smiled and squeezed his hand. “I’m going to join John in the cafeteria for some coffee. Contact us with any developments, ok?” she said.
“Of course.” He said.
JC walked over to the room where Bridget laid. The doctor was still inside. He waited patiently till the doctor emerged. The doctor approached the chair where JC was waiting.
“Mr. Chasez, you can go in now” he said.
“Thank you.” JC said.
“She’s very lucky to have you here. I don’t think she’d be awake without knowing that you’re waiting for her.” The doctor said.
“Thank you doctor.” JC said, smiling for the first time in awhile.
He walked into the room and saw Bridget laying with her arms out-stretched towards him. He quickly walked toward her and gently hugged her. He kissed her on the forehead and took the seat next to the bed.
“Josh….” She started. “Josh, thank you.”
“For what, Bridge?” he asked.
“For being here!” she said. “Thank you for staying here and being here when I woke up. I wouldn’t even be here, if I didn’t have to!” she smiled.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else, Bridge. I’m not leaving you ever again.” JC said.
“Josh, I need to say some things to you, and I want you to just listen, ok?” she said.
JC nodded.
“No matter how you, anyone else, or me want to ignore it, I could’ve died today. When I was laying there on the floor of my living room I thought that was it. The doctor told me that if I would have laid there another 10 minutes I wouldn’t have made it. You saved my life, Josh. Thank God you were there, or I wouldn’t be here.” She smiled.
“Bridget, I…….” He started.
“Hold on. I’m not done.” She said.
He smiled, he’d wait forever for her.
“I realized that today could’ve been my last, and I never want to take anything for granted again. The only thing running through my mind was that I was glad that you knew my feelings for you. I love you so much, JC. I love you more than anything in this world. Being taken away from you was too much for me to handle. I came back to my life, but I came back for you. I love you. I love you….now and forever.

Epilouge