"Hullo?" She said after she yawned loudly. "Oh my god! I'll be there in twenty minutes!" With that she threw on a shirt and sweat pants grabbed her purse and key and flew out the door at 2:30 am. She was on her way to the hospital.

~*~*~*~*~ 1 week before~*~*~*~*~

"Doc, you have got to be kidding me! There is no way I have a a. . ."

"I'm so sorry Jack we should have known from the signs you were showing, but we assumed stress since your father died."

Angered by this commented and annoyed the doctor brought it up he snapped at him "I know all about my father Doc! How long till I must go into the hospital?"

"You'll have to check yourself in right after you leave my office so we can monitor your heart. I am very very sorry Jack, but there is nothing more we can do."

"How long..." Jack was stopped. "Let's not discuss that until the time is right."

Jack struggled to regain composure after he left Dr. Jones's room. How could this be happening? Why now? Why to me? What am I going to do Ali needs me I'm all she has left. How am I going to tell her? All these thoughts were running through Jack's mind as he entered the check in station. He was wheeled to his room due to the fact he could hardly see straight. The guy rolling him was saying few things which was a relief to Jack because he really didn't want to talk about anything.

"Jack? Here is your room. The bed next to you will be occupied in the next two days we have a patient coming in soon. Please do not hesitate to press the call button, we are at your service to help you in any way we can!" rambled on the nurse, Jack could tell there was a weird feeling between them, but Jack couldn't put his finger on it.

"Do I know you?" asked Jack hoping the question had be on the nurses mind as well.

"Actually, yes we went to school together. I think we were in shop class together. I'm Jeff Jeff Hanson."

"Oh right, wow I wouldn't have imagined you a nurse."

"Well, a got an offer to go to nurse school and I really thought about it and helping people is something I like to do. Hey I never thought I'd see you in here for what you um. You still singing? Hey, have you stayed friends with Ali? She was really a prized-piece."

"That's very great Jeff. Yea I still sing. I was hoping to go on Broadway, but o well it wasn't in my cards." Jack sighed with the painful realization that all his dreams that he had held since he was young were never going to come true. fighting back tears he said "yes I am still best friends with Ali I love her to death! She is the most important person in my life." Letting a tear slip out of the corner of his eye he smiled to hide it.

"Would you like me to get her on the phone you'll need someone to bring over your stuff." Jeff was stopped by Jack's shaking head. "what?"

"I do not wanna worry her right now. When things get bad I'll have her come down here, but i don't want her to see me like this. "

"All right man later."

"C'ya." and with that Jeff was out the door. Jack quickly changed into the hospital gown provided for him and sat on his bed devastated by the way his life had changed. For the first time since his fathers death a little more then a year ago he wept he wept like a baby only this time Ali's arms were not around him.

Jack picked up the gray receiver next to his bed and hesitantly dialed a number his memory strained to remember.

"Hello?" Jack paused because he did not know how this person was going to react when they realized it was him calling upon them at such an hour in the night.