"Brian!" he heard as he began to dial.
He turned around and Kate was there. "Kate! What are you doing here?" He said hanging up the phone.
"I came to see how Liz is. Are you okay? You looked like you're a wreck." She said giving him a hug. He felt comforted by her hug. Although he had only know her for a day, he really liked her and didn't want her to let go of him.
"I'm okay I guess. I was just about to call Laney, Riley and everybody."
"Oh. How is Liz?"
"She's… well… unconscious. The doctor says that she'll be okay."
"Would you mind if I went to visit her?" she asked.
"Not at all. Megan and Nick are there right now." He gave her the directions and she went to the room while he made the call.
Knock… knock… knock…
"Come in," Megan said. She was sitting on Nick's lap, in the chair by Liz's bed.
"Hey, guy's how's it going?" Kate said walking into the room.
"Kate, hey!" Nick said surprised that Kate was there.
"Kate, um… hi… why are you here?" Megan asked a little but rudely.
"I wanted to see how everybody was doing. Here, I brought some flowers to cheer things up a bit," she said handing Megan the flowers.
"Thanx," Megan said quickly grabbing he flower's out of Kate's hands a little but rudely. She just about threw it onto the table next to the bed. It was clear that Megan didn't like Kate all that much. Just then Brian entered the room.
"Hey! Look, it's Brian! Brian's here! Everybody say hi to Brian!" Nick shouted. "Thank god!" he mumled under his breath.
"I spoke to the guys, and told them about Liz and all," Brian said.
"Are they gonna come and visit?"
"Not tonight. Heather, Amber, Juliet, and AJ are all staying over there tonight. They're all gonna come tomorrow at about noon."
"K," Megan said.
"Do you guys want me to go and get something for you in the cafeteria or something?" Kate asked.
"No!" Megan said with a little attitude.
"Um, Meg, can I uh, see you out side for a sec?" Nick asked.
"I sorta wanna stay here with Liz," she answered, but in actuality, she didn't want to leave Kate and Brian alone. She didn't trust Kate and didn't like her intentions.
"C'mon," Nick said picking her up and carrying her out of the room.
"Let' me go Nick!" she yelled.
Nick put her down on her feet when they were in the hallway. "Walk with me, talk with me" he said taking her hand and pulling her along. "What's up?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, don't be offended or anything, but you were being noticeably rude to Kate in there. You were giving her dirty looks and all. What's up with that?"
"Nothing's up with that! I don't know what you are talking about!"
"Meg, Hun," Nick said and kissed her on the lips. "I know you're not telling me something!"
"It's just that… I don't like Kate, that's all, a clash of personalities!"
"Megan!" he said trying to get the truth out of her.
"Nicholas!" she said mimicking him.
"Please babe, tell me what's wrong."
There was a long moment of silence. "I," she began. "I don't want Kate to come in between Brian and Liz!"
"What?" Nick shouted surprised at her answer.
"You heard me. I know that Liz and Brian are best friends and all, but, I guess I have always hoped that they would become more than friends. Ever since I was little. I have always wanted them to fall hopelessly in love with each other. And I just don't want Kate to be a 'more than a friend' to Brian."
"Meg, Liz and Brian are friends. I don't think that it will amount to more than that!"
"Ok, then how do you explain the look Brian had on his face when he saw Liz in that bikini today? Huh? Explain that!"
"He was just surprised. Hell, I gave her the same look when I saw her! She's a babe…" Nick stopped short when he realized that it was his girlfriend he was talking to. He also had seen the look Brian had on his face when he saw Liz, but he didn't want to give Megan anymore supporting evidence. "The point is Megan, it wasn't an 'in love look', it was a 'best friend look!'"
"Nick…" she paused. "I just don't want Kate to screw up anything. I don't like her, and that's that. I have a funny feeling about her. Like there's something she's not telling us."
"Meg, Brian is my best friend. I am looking out for him. I know that nothing could ever come between he and Liz! I also know that he really likes Kate. He hasn't really liked anybody since Leighanne. Please promise me you won't do anything to mess things up with Kate!"
"What is that supposed to mean?" she exploded. She turned around and started running down the hall crying and not wanting to hear anymore from him.
"Meg… Megan wait up!" he said. As he caught up to her he grabbed her arm and pulled her close. "Megan, listen to…"
"Get off me! Don't touch me!" she shouted.
"Meg!" he shouted. He put his arms around her and kissed her passionately. "Meg, I love you, and I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but nothing is gonna mess up Liz and Brian's friendship."
Megan looked up at Nick as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "You love me?" she asked not even hearing anything he had said after that.
Nick hadn't realized that he had said that, but knew that it was true. "Yeah," he said and kissed her. "I do."
"I love you too Nick!" she said kissing him again.
Through his closed eyes Nick saw a few flashes and heard a few clicks. Opening his eyes, and turning around, he saw a group of photographers. "Sh*t," he said. "C'mon Meg, run!"
"Mr. Carter, wait, who's your friend?" they shouted running after them. The camera flashes lit up the hallway.
They ran into Liz's room and slammed the door keeping the press out.
Lauren M. Elizabeth "Littrell" © 1999
