Nick lay in the uncomfortable hospital bed, listening to the constant beep of his heart through the heart monitor. For the first time in the two days he had been in the hospital, he was alone. He didn’t want to be alone, yet he felt bad asking his friends and family to stay with him. He knew he was putting them through so much stress already. A knock on the door interrupted his lonely thoughts. Due to the neck brace that encircled his neck, he was unable to look towards the door.

”Come in…” He whispered.

Brian’s face soon came into view. “Up for a visitor?”

”Yeah,”

“So… how are you feeling?” He asked, pulling a chair up beside the bed.

“Pretty good right now… besides being tangled up in all this crap. They gave me drugs,” Nick said, a small smile appearing on his face.

“That’s good… in it’s own way,”

”How’s Meggie? Seriously… how is she?”

“I think she’s holding up ok,” Brian lied. “It’s hard on her, but she’s doing ok.”

”Bri?”

”Yeah?”

“How long do I have?”

“What?” He asked, slightly panic stricken.

“I’m not stupid… I know I’m dying. And I overheard Dr. Tinoil talking to a nurse. How long?”

”I…don’t know…he didn’t say.”

”What did he say? Tell me, Brian, please. I need to know… I have a right to know,”

Brian sighed, knowing Nick was right, but hated to have to tell him.

“He told your mom… to begin making funeral arrangements… because he doesn’t think you have much longer. He said your kidneys are failing now, then your heart will… and they can’t keep you alive on the bypass machine.”

Tears glistened in Nick’s eyes as he studied Brian’s face.

“Thank you,”

“You’re welcome,”

“Hey B… would you do me a favor?”

”Sure,”

“Would you turn the radio on? It’s on the side of the bedrail, but I can’t reach it,”

Brian leaned over the side of the bed and looked up and down the rail for the radio button. He found it, and pressed it. Music came through small speakers in the bed.

“Thanks… it was getting too quiet and depressing in here,”

~The Next Afternoon; 2:30P.M.~

Brian and the other four guys sat in the waiting room of the I.C.U., in complete silence. The rest of Nick’s family had arrived only a little while ago, and they were now in with Nick. Only moments ago, Nick had slipped into a coma, before getting to even see his father and other three siblings.

Meggie quietly slipped into the waiting room and sat down beside Howie. To them, it was no longer a time to hope for him to survive… it was now a waiting game. Howie pulled Meggie into a hug and held her, as silent tears slid down her cheeks.

After a few minutes, Nick’s siblings entered the room, and greeted the other guys with hugs. Aaron sat down beside Meggie and dug into his pocket.

“Meggie… Nick had been planning this months ago… and left this with me, so he wouldn’t lose it… and when I got to talk to him on the phone last night… he asked me to give this to you, when I saw you again,” Aaron said, tears filling his brown eyes. He pulled a small black, velvet box from his hand and put it into Meggie’s hands. With shaking hands, she opened it, revealing a simple gold ring with a medium-sized diamond in the middle. She took it out of the box and read the inscription on the inside , which said “Love you Meg.”

“And…. he…um.. said he was sorry he couldn’t be here to get to marry you, because he loved you more than anything.”

Meggie pulled Aaron into a hug, and whispered thank you, as everyone else in the room wiped their tears away.

“Brian?” A voice from the hallway called. Dr. Tinoil appeared and motioned for him to come forward.

”I need to talk to you in private…” He said, turning the corner. Brian followed then stopped.

“Because Nick slipped into the coma… and will never awaken, Mr. and Mrs. Carter have decided to unhook his ventilator, so he won’t be suffering. His siblings already said their goodbyes, the Carters wanted you and the rest of the guys, including Meggie, to be in there with him.”

“Ok,” Brian choked, holding his tears back. “I’ll go get the others…”

“Alright. We’ll wait for you.”

Brian wiped his face with the back of his hand as he went into the waiting room.

“Uh… guys? Meggie? Come here…”

Obediently, they followed Brian further down the hall then stopped so he could explain everything.

“Ohmygod,” Meggie sobbed, her knees becoming weak.

”Man… I knew it was coming… but not so fast…” AJ said. Together, as they always were, they walked into the room. Nick lay on the bed, looking asleep, except for the tubes and monitors that surrounded his body.

As they began their goodbyes, Brian sat in the back of the room, waiting for the others. Nick’s radio still played, just the way it had when he was awake. Suddenly, a song came on the radio, that shocked Brian. It hadn’t been played for almost two years, and suddenly, it was playing as if it were just for Nick. He listened intently, then the real emotions he had been holding in for the past few days, let loose, as the chorus came on.

Goodbye my friend
I know you're gone, you said you're gone
But I can still feel you here
It's not the end
Gotta keep it strong
Before the pain turns into fear

The other guys finished their goodbyes, and then it was Meggie’s turn.

Meggie sat down next to Nick and took a hold of his hand, ring on finger. She wiped her tears away, only to find more coming. "Oh, Nicky, what is there to say? They say that people in comas can hear everything you say, and you know me, Mrs. Wannabe Doctor. All I have to say, is that I love you so much. I know we didn't say it too much but Nick, you are my life. Aaron gave me the ring. I love you so much, and I do. . Wait for me ok?" Meggie gently kissed Nicks lips and stood up sobbing. Jane took her in her arms to cry with her.

Then Brian went up. Unashamed of his tears, he let them fall. He took Nick’s hand into his, and said the bedtime prayer, but changed the words a little, to fit the situation, yet still pray for Nick.

Now I lay you down to sleep,
I pray Thee Lord you soul to keep.
If you should die before you wake,
I pray Thee Lord your soul to take.

“Nick… buddy… though you aren’t here, I know you can hear me, somewhere. The world, my life, everyone’s life, will never be the same. Though you were my younger brother, you put such a huge impact on my life, and I will never EVER forget you. I love you, man. Behave up there… don’t go around chasing Meg look-a-likes, and save some girls for me. See you later, Frack…”

Brian squeezed Nick’s hand once last time, then slowly backed away from the bed. Dr. Tinoil neared the bed, passing them all. He turned the ventilator machine off, by the click of a switch. That’s all it took to end Nick’s life. One button. Then he untapped the criss-cross medical tape from Nick’s mouth, and gently pulled the ventilator tube out.

Everyone sucked their breath in, and watched Nick’s chest rise and fall, while listening to the heart monitor.

Beep…beep…beep……

The End

Check out the sequel, Faithfully