CHAPTER 18 -
Brian's body was trembling as he ran to the place were Nick's body was lying and buried his head on his chest, trying desperately to hear his heart. The cops, Howie and Taison staring at the scene still in shock.
"Nick, please! Open your eyes, please! You can't die, Nick...!" - Brian was gasping as Nick didn't move.
Passed this trance moments, one of the policeman was ready to get Taison under arrest being caught at the act or murdering. Faster than him Brian got to Taison almost flying up the stairs.
"I'm gonna kill you!" - Brian threw himself at Taison making both of them fall on the floor as the cops rushed to stop the fight.
"Get away from me!" - Taison struggled.
"I'm gonna kill you motherfuckingbastard! You are gonna burn in hell!" - Brian didn't even notice the tears running down his cheeks.
Soon he felt arms pulling him away from Taison and two cops handcuffed him, taking Taison out of Brian's furious state.
Taison didn't say a thing as they went downstairs taking him out of the house, putting him inside the police car and heading to the police station.
At this moment an ambulance had already been called and would be there in no more than five minutes. They had no time to waste. But the question still was, did they have any time at all?
Immediately Brian ran again to Nick's body, by now there were cops around him and Howie too, everyone talking in a low voice.
Brian pushed everyone to be able to touch Nick. Brian cried as his friend's eyes were closed and he was feeling Nick's warm blood touching his skin.
"Is he... is he dead?" - Brian asked, his hands shaking while running through Nick's hair.
"We... we don't think so. He has pulse, but he's very weak. The ambulance needs to rush..." - one of the cops told Brian.
Right after that they heard the noise of the ambulance and two men dressed in white came in.
"Please, we need you people to move away, please. We need to get to him to take him to the hospital." - one of those men said making everyone let go of Nick's body.
Before Brian stood up to move away from him, he quickly buried his head on his neck to whisper something. Something no one there could hear, no one but Nick. At least Brian wanted him to hear what he said.
"I love you..."
Brian stood up as the two people worked on Nick, putting an oxygen mask on his nose and placing his body on the stretcher, heading to the ambulance.
"I, I want to go with him..." - Brian whispered, crying.
Howie heard Brian, he also had silent tears running down his cheeks as he touched Brian's shoulders in a friendly way.
"No, buddy. Its better you don't go with Nick. The way you are right now, your emotions and everything won't help at all. They need to take Nick to the hospital. You'll freak out there, Brian."
Brian broke down crying even harder as the policemen looked pitifully at him going back to the place's examination.
Howie pulled Brian in a hug, his head buried on his shoulder.
"Is... Is Nick... gonna... die?" - Brian sobbed.
"Calm down, Brian. You gotta be calm if you wanna help Nick. We have to be strong and faithful that everything is gonna be fine."
"He can't die!" - Brian whimpered. - "He can't die because I love him, Howie! I love Nick!"
"Shiiii... We all love him, Brian. We all love Nick."
One hour later Brian, Howie and now Kevin and AJ were in a hospital room, waiting for any news on their young friend. Since they got there no one said anything about Nick's condition but that he was under surgery to remove the bullet.
The four men were whiter than usual. Their wan faces showing a blank stare, but still one full of pain.
Howie called Kevin and AJ, the former arrived at the hospital twenty minutes before, at the same time Brian and Howie did. AJ took a little longer because he had to drop by his house and change cloths.
Probably now AJ was the most awkward knowing what had happened to Nick.
"Guys, I don't understand how could Taison do that to Nick... isn't he our friend? Why did he shoot him?" - AJ asked in a low and full of concern voice.
Brian began to cry again remembering of all the blood on Nick's cloths and face.
"Shiiii..." - Kevin took Brian in his arms and stared at AJ.
"There's something we didn't tell you guys. Something that only me, Brian and Nick knew."
"I know it now. Brian told me when I said Taison was with Nick. He only said it briefly to explain why we had to call the police." - Howie said and Kevin nodded sadly caressing Brian's hair softly as he cried silently against his chest.
"AJ, remember the first time we went to London? The 'last' time we met Taison? That Nick was into a car accident?"
"Yes."
"That day Nick and Taison got earlier from the theater. The damn man convinced Nick to go up to his bedroom to listen to some CDs. As they were in Taison locked the door and the rest doesn't need to be said. He raped Nick."
AJ bit his lower lip and his eyes got moisten with tears. Suddenly he felt horrible for having talked to Taison and made him stay at Nick's house waiting for him. He couldn't talk about it now, but the guilt inside of him was flaming silently the more he heard.
Brian moved away from the embrace and still with tears on his eyes he began to talk.
"When I arrived home from the museum I found Nick, he was there... he was there so hurt..." - Brian sobbed and took a deep breath to go on. - "He had two broken ribs, his nose was broken and it was purple around his red eye. Nick was coughing blood, he wanted to die... He didn't let me touch him... he didn't want help. Then he said what had happened and Nick didn't want to live... He felt... humiliated. He fainted and I took him to the hospital. We made up a story because Nick didn't want anyone to know..."
"Exactly. When they got back they asked to be in my room, you guys remember I went to Brian and Nick's one."
"Yes..." - Howie said crying silent now. Getting to know all the pain Nick went through secretly. Sad because he couldn't help him, and finally understanding lots of things.
"They had to tell me..." - Kevin sighed. He wasn't crying but his eyes were moisten and red.
"Now I understand why you and Nick slept together... you said he had terrible nightmares..." - Howie said looking at Brian.
"It took me time to get through Nick. He tried to kill himself, he didn't want me close, he didn't let me comfort him... He couldn't trust me. He didn't want to trust anyone. It was hard but I got him to give in to me, and thank God I did my best to help Nick... Even though he only got really over the rape after three years..."
"I feel like shit!" - AJ exclaimed. - "All those times I teased on him for being virgin, for being shy and everything else... God, I can't imagine how he felt about it... he must hate me!"
"No, AJ. Nick loves you." - Brian said. - "He loves us all. You don't need to blame yourself. You didn't know what had happened! We lay to you guys..."
"And now! I ran into Taison when he arrived at Nick's house, I talked to him, I said we missed him!" - AJ shook his head in disbelief. - "I can't believe I did that! Now Nick can die because I was too fucking stupid to leave Taison there... Oh, my God! I should be there right now, not Nick! I should die for having done what I did!" - AJ was crying in guilty, and in fear of losing the little blond Nick... the friend that for them would be always a kid.
"No, no, no!" - Kevin stood up and sat next to AJ. - "Its not your fault, AJ! You and Howie loved Taison because you didn't know what he did! I loved him too, Brian did and so... and so did Nick. Because neither of us knew who he really was! He is an actor! He seems to be a wonderful friend, intelligent, loving, but he is a devil! He is mean and cruel! His acting is so perfect... don't blame yourself, AJ. It isn't your fault. Please... We don't need that now. We need to pray for Nick to go through this... Its all we have left for us."
The guys kept silent for some seconds as they heard steps in the hallway heading to where they were.
Howie stood up thinking it could be a doctor, but it was Leighanne.
"Oh, my God, Brian! The policeman told me what happened!" - she was crying. - "I'm so sorry, I feel so bad Nick is dying..."
"He is not." - Brian said looking at her. - "Nick ain't gonna die..." - Brian's voice faded as he cried.
Immediately Leigh's heart broke and she sat next to her husband, cuddling him.
"Don't cry, honey... Please... I'm here..."
Brian hugged Leighanne tightly.
"I love you." - she said.
"I love you too." - Brian whispered.
Leighanne kissed his forehead.
"You guys should have told us!" - Howie exclaimed. - "All those years we could have helped Nick!"
AJ agreed with him looking at Kevin.
"I'm sorry, it was a secret because Nick wanted it to be. Only me and Brian knew. Besides him and Taison, of course."
"Nick told his dad." - Brian said. - And he knew I told my wife."
AJ's face changed lightly but no one noticed.
"Leighanne knew that Taison raped Nick?"
"Yes, I knew what happened to poor Nick..." - Leighanne lowered her eyes at the same time she was caressing Brian's hair.
AJ's heart raced.
'It can't be, it can't be, it can't be.' - he thought over and over to himself before realizing it. Leighanne gave Taison the addresses of the boys... She gave him Nick's address and she knew he had raped Nick!
AJ was fighting hard to keep a straight face as he looked at Leighanne cuddling Brian. He couldn't believe this, something was wrong... Why would Leighanne ever do that? No, he definitely was wrong. Maybe Taison lay. Leighanne didn't do that... She didn't... Brian would die if he ever suspected his wife could be responsible for Taison meeting Nick.
"I... I need to drink some water." - AJ muttered leaving the room.
For ten minutes he roamed through the hallways thinking of what he would do with this information. Time. He needed time. For sure he was gonna tell Brian, but right now it wasn't definitely time to do that. Brian was too moved with everything, just as they were too. But still Brian was the one in more pain. Or at least in a different pain.
AJ got back and sat again. Two minutes after he did this a doctor appeared in the room, making the boy's and Leighanne's eyes fall on him.
"How is him?" - Kevin asked.
"Your friend is alive. The shooting wasn't too bad. The bullet didn't neither hit his lungs nor heart, this is no problem, from this he'll be fine. But he rolled down the stairs and hit his head... Your friend is in coma and we can't tell when he is gonna wake up. It may take a few days, a few hours, just like weeks, months, years... If ever. We never know this kind of things..."
"Oh, God...!" - Brian groaned.
"I'm sorry. All I can say is that we are doing our best about the shoot. The rest depends only on your friend."
Saying that the doctor left, making that loud silence fulfill the room with fear and sorrow.
Leighanne stayed there for another half of hour before saying she was tired and wanted to go home.
"Are you coming with me, sweetie?"
"No... no, Leigh. I'll stay a bit more..." - Brian said.
"Honey, you know you can't stay here waiting until Nick comes to, right?"
Brian looked at her as if he didn't understand the question.
Leighanne sighed and kissed him softly.
"Just think of what I said."
Leighanne smiled at him and went away.
"She's right, Brian. We can't stay here waiting for Nick... we don't know when he is gonna come to..." - Howie said without finishing his sentence: if he ever comes to...
Brian finally seemed to have understood what they were meaning because he said something.
"Its all right. I think you guys can get going, I'll stay here a little more and see if I can have the doctor let me see Nick. I just need to talk to him..."
The others looked confused at Brian.
He sighed.
"I meant, I just wanna say a few words to him... who knows? They say people in coma can hear what happens around them."
"Makes perfect sense." - AJ said. - "But someone else has gotta stay here with you for when you leave. You are not capable of driving in this state, Brian."
"You can all go. I'll drive my cousin home." - Kevin said.
"Alright. We'll be all praying for Nick." - AJ said and Howie nodded, both men standing up and leaving the room.
A few minutes passed by and Brian kept there sat down, staring at nowhere.
"Brian, don't you think you should look for a doctor if you want to see Nick?" - Kevin asked softly trying to call Brian's attention.
"Huh? Oh, yes." - Brian stood up and left, his face showing no emotions, he was in deep shock.
Brian was trying to find a doctor but the hallway seemed to be empty. It was late at night and there wasn't much people around that floor.
Brian roamed a little until he was in front of the door to where Nick was. There was a sign saying no visitors were allowed, that that was a place restrict for people from the hospital. Brian looked around a little and he saw no one. He did what his heart was telling him to. He entered.
Slowly Brian walked in the room being careful not to make noise. In his mind he thought he could wake Nick up, but the truth was that he wasn't asleep. Well, not that kind of sleep.
Brian glanced Nick and approached the bed. His friend had lots of tubes on his body, large needles on the veins of his arms and it still had the noise of the machines working for Nick to breath.
Brian ran a hand through Nick's hair and face. He looked so peaceful... as if he was just asleep. He came close to the bed and whispered things on Nick's ear.
"I'm so sorry I let that happen to you... I promised I'd never let Taison come close to you again and I failed, and now you can die because of that... Oh, Nick! Please forgive me... I wanted to be in your place, I wish I could give you my life... This couldn't be happening to you! Now that you are so happy..."
Brian wiped some tears.
"Please wake up, Nick... Remember when I had heart surgery? You made me promise I would come back to you, because you said you couldn't live without me. And you remember what I said? I said I needed you too, Nick, and I do!... I can't live without you... Right now I can't explain, but I know I won't be happy if you don't wake up... I don't know what is this feeling that makes me feel as if I'm dead because you are not with me... I don't know what is it that makes me bleed inside because you are in pain... I swear I don't know, Nick... I think... I think I've never cared for someone as I care for you..."
Brian was staring at Nick's face, his eyes closed, his breath hard.
"You have to promise me too, Nick. You gotta promise you won't leave me... Its not fair! Its not fair, I didn't leave before, I would never leave, you can't just close your eyes and not wake up, you can't!"
Brian lowered his voice as Nick's expression didn't change.
"Nick please... you gotta live... I don't know why but my heart is aching..."
Brian leaned down to kiss Nick softly.
"Sir, you know you can't be here. Would you please come with me?"
Brian turned around and saw a nurse looking at him.
"I'm sorry. I'm going."
It had been fifteen days Nick was in deep coma at the hospital. During this two weeks the boys cried, Nick's family cried. They were all trying their bests to be strong for Nick, to pray, to struggle not to give in to the pain and the fear they were feeling.
Soon the magazines knew Nick was in coma, but up till now the boys were avoiding the collective where they would bring the whole story up. Right now they were still too depressed to do so.
But there was one person suffering more.
Brian had been having several fights with Leighanne from the fact he went to the hospital everyday to spend a couple of hours by Nick's side. She argued saying it made no sense talking to someone that couldn't hear him, and that she was also there and needed Brian's care. If he wasn't at the hospital he was talking about Nick. And if he wasn't doing any of those he was roaming around the house, sad, and obviously thinking of who...? Yes, Nick. Thats all he had on his mind.
Leighanne was getting flustered. She made up a plan to have Brian for herself, not to cause him to go even more for Nick. It was pointless! All the plans and caution to make things perfect only made Brian lost for her.
Tired of fighting Brian didn't know more what to do. He was breaking down. His best friend in coma, his wife arguing about him spending time with him... He didn't have where to run to.
AJ opened the door of his house for Brian. He was in shocked seeing his wan face. Brian hadn't been sleeping for sure.
"Hello, Brian."
Both guys walked in and sat on the sofa of AJ's living room.
"Hey, there." - Brian sighed.
"Aw, whats up buddy? You can't be like that, Brian, you know this! I bet you haven't been eating, you look like you lost ten pounds!"
"Maybe I did..." - Brian's eyes were swollen. "J... I can't get along with my wife. I think Leighanne hates Nick. Or she hates me! We fight whenever I wanna go see him, or when she sees me crying..."
AJ sighed. He had something to tell to Brian. Was it God Who sent him there at his house? He could've gone to Howie's or better yet, his cousin... But no, he was there with him. And AJ knew something he didn't.
"I don't know more what to do about her... I love Leighanne, AJ, but why won't she understand I also love Nick?"
AJ took a deep breath and held Brian's hands on his.
"I think I need to help you find out who your wife really is."
Oh my!!!!!!!!!!! Whats gonna happen now?????!!!!!!
I just love cliffhangers, you can see that, huh? And nothing better than feedback to make me post more fast!
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