Jamie heard Taylor's voice echoing in her head, she tried to speak, open her eyes , but her body was unwilling to obey the commands she tried to give it. She wanted to scream out at the pain she felt in her arm, but her mouth was glued shut. She wanted to beg Taylor to please stop crying, tell him that she was all right, but nothing was working right at all. Her head began to ache. She tried again to move any part of her, open her mouth and say something, when she heard her dad's voice but again, no response from her rebellious body. She felt herself slipping back into the blackness, and went willingly. "Is my Jamie going to be all right?" Mr. Vaughn asked the doctor, after they'd settled Jamie in her room. Taylor looked hopefully at the doctor, sitting right next to Jamie, her limp, unresponsive hand in his. "We'll have to see when she wakes up," he replied. "She has some swelling and a pretty nasty lump, mostly I think she is sleeping it off." he looked directly at Taylor. "How much did she have to drink?" he asked. "I dunno. I dunno. I didn't see...I wasn't with her. I just...I was looking for her..." he ducked his head and pressed his lips to Jamie's hand, trying to stall the fresh flow of tears that rushed to his already stinging eyeballs. Jade immediately rushed to Taylor's side, gripping his shoulder tightly. She'd been torn between trying to help Tay keep it together and to keep her father calm, she did not have time to dwell on her own feelings and the panic she was shoving out of the way as she realized she might very well be losing her best friend in the world. "Jamie is still breathing and her color is starting to come back. My girl will be just fine," Mr. Vaughn stated. He placed his hand on her forehead and stroked her hair back. "She wouldn't leave me here." he said as if no one else was in the room. "Not my girl. Coulda been traveling the country and singin' like an angel for the whole world, 'cept she didn't wanna leave her daddy." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You straighten up missy. Wake up and tell the boy you love him. Quit being such a a hard head. Momma never liked it when you acted so stubborn either, little girl." Jade's throat immediately closed, along with her eyes as Issac took her in his arms. Ike kissed the top of her head. "She will be okay Jade. She will." he said softly, his heart breaking as Taylor bent his head, resting it on Jamie's uninjured arm, his shoulders shaking. Jade placed a hand on Taylor's head and leaned over him to whisper in Jamie's ear. "Jamie you can't stay like this forever." she said to her friend. "There is TOO much I have to tell you. Now please please wake up. I need to talk to you." she told her. Jade kissed Jamie's forehead and stepped back. Ike gripped her hand tightly.All Jade could think about at this point was that Jamie needed to wake up so she could make up with her, apologize for being so angry. SOMETHING to make it like it used to be. Her life would have a huge hole in it without her friend.. Jamie wanted to open her mouth and speak, tell her dad and Jade to stop worrying, make Taylor stop crying. At least she thought he was crying, she knew it was his hand clutching hers, his lips kissing the back of it, and her hand felt wet. She wanted to get out of the bed and show everyone she was okay, despite the searing pain in her leg and the dull ache in her arm. But her body was disobedient, her tongue still glued to the top of her mouth. She heard what her father said about her mother and she felt her chest tighten, but she couldn't cry. She couldn't do anything with the roaring pain in her head. It began to throb and as much as she wanted to open her eyes and reassure everyone, she felt herself slip back into blackness. "Mr. Vaughn? Would you like us to take you home? Or were you going to stay here with Jamie?" Jade asked gently. "The doctor said she would be sleeping most of the night anyway, we could call you when she wakes up?" Jade wanted more than anything for Jamie's dad to get some rest so when Jamie woke up she would not feel so awful, and she knew Jamie would want her father home and resting. "That's okay...I will go with him. " Jamie's uncle spoke up. "And you know if Jamie wakes up and sees you been sitting here all night she will rip into you just like her mother would have, and that will only be bad for her health." he told his brother in law. "I'll stay at your place, so one of us will hear the phone. Jameson will be back to herself before you know it." He laid a hand on Taylor's head as he spoke. Jamie's father looked about to argue and then realized he didn't need to worry. From the way Taylor was gripping his daughter's hand, he knew she would not be here alone and she would be well taken care of. "I'll go with Mongo, Jadey." He hugged her close and then just as quickly let her go. "You better bring the boy some food and a change of clothes. I don't think you will be able to move him." He smiled knowingly at his daughter's friend. "She will be up and around soon. I know it." he told her. All looked up when the nurse came in to check on Jamie. "All right everyone, she needs to rest and so do all of you. Go on and we will call you if there is any change." she told them all, brushing past them to check Jamie's mointors and such. Taylor let go of Jamie's hand briefly, to let the nurse do her job. The others took the opportunity to hug Taylor and reassure him that Jamie would be okay. Taylor looked at all of them sort of blankly, then sat down, resuming his watch over Jamie. "Mr. Hanson.." the nurse began, and tried to remove him from Jamie's side. Ike's eyes widened as he saw his brother's body tremble and his expression change to rage. "I am staying with her." he stated, his voice low, his eyes still on Jamie. "Mr. Hanson...I realize that...." she began and Taylor stood hastily. "I SAID I AM STAYING RIGHT HERE!! he roared so that no one in the wing would question him again. "Tay..." Ike started to ward his brother and laid a hand on his arm. "She's gonna..." Ike stared at his brother in shock, the expression on his face was the most determined he'd ever seen him. Isaac looked at Jamie's father for help. "Tay...she is resting she'll..." Jade began gently. "I SAID I AM NOT SETTING FOOT OUTSIDE THIS ROOM UNTIL JAMIE CAN LEAVE WITH ME! Do you all get that now? Have I made myself clear enough?" he asked angrily. "Mr. Hanson...if you do not stop that yelling I will have to make you leave the hospital. I will call security." the nurse said angrily. "Then go take care of your other patients or do what you have to do for Jamie, but I am NOT leaving." Taylor answered and sat back down, taking Jamie's hand in his and kissing the back of it. He stroked her hair off her face and kissed her forehead. He scooted his chair closer to her bed, and rested his forehead on the mattress next to her arm. " I can't let you..." the nurse began and Jamie's father stepped in. "You can and you will. My baby needs this boy next to her at all times, if he doesn't want to leave her then let him stay. Or I will have a lot to say to your supervisor. My Jamie needs him, even if she can't say so herself." he bestowed an understanding glance on Taylor, as he looked up and their eyes met. "Take good care of my girl Taylor. And call me as soon as she is awake. I'll be back in the morning." Taylor nodded at the man and bent his head back to Jamie's side, stroking the back of her hand. "I'll get you some stuff from home , Tay." Isaac told his brother. Jamie tried to open her mouth again and say goodbye to her father, tell him to really sleep. She wanted to squeeze Tay's hand and make him less angry. She'd never heard him that angry before. She wanted to hug Jadeleigh and apologize, but her body still chose to disobey her. Once again the ache in her head was unbearable and back into the darkness she went. back home next |