Chapter 7

1 Week Later

Nick's View

"Hey Rok?" I whispered lightly tapping the hospital room door to get his attention, He looked up from Tiffany's face holding her hand in his hands and asked, "Yeah?"

"I'm gonna go, it's getting a little late. Do you want me to stop by your house to check on the kids? I'm guessing you're gonna hang here for another night."

He looked over at Tiffany and then back up at me and nodded, "Could you please?"

"Of course, it's not a problem but I would just like to suggest that maybe you should go home and actually get some sleep. I know you want to stay with Tiffany but you need to be there for the kids too. You have barely seen them for 2 days now. I'm sure they miss you."

He sighed and said, "I know I should but I can't help it. I don't want to leave Tiffany's side. I know I need to be there for them but Michelle and Christian seem to be handling things well."

"They seem to be handling things well but I bet they are having trouble. All of us have gone over to watch them this week and they aren't the same, the house is so quiet, there's no fighting or fooling around, everything is just so...depressing. It's like all the light and happiness was sucked out of them and your house," I said softly stuffing my hands in my pockets. Brian looked down and breathed in deeply.

"You guys have been there watching them?" he asked looking up at me. I nodded my head.

"I didn't know that," he said quietly.

"Kevin has been over I think for 2 days, AJ spent last night with them and Howie watched them at the beginning of the week. I watched them once and I was gonna go tomorrow unless you wanted to go home," I said.

Brian sat there for a moment and said, "I'll go home tomorrow."

I slightly smiled and said, "Good choice man. They need you."

"Thanks for watching them and tell the other guys thanks too. I had no idea you were watching them, I didn't mean to make you guys waste your time..."

"No no no, Brian we haven't been wasting our time. We didn't have to watch them but we wanted to. They are our nieces and nephews, maybe not biologically, but you know what I mean and we care about them deeply. We're a big family and we're there for each other. This is a hard time for all of us, especially for you and the kids, and we all want to help out somehow."

"Thanks," he smiled lightly up at me.

"It's really no problem Bri, I'm gonna get going now. AJ just called a few minutes ago saying that he headed home from your house, Michelle insisted that he get home so he finally gave in, I'll go check on them for you before I head home," I said.

"Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it," Brian said softly. I smiled at him and said, "I'll call you and tell you how things are. I'll see you tomorrow, get some rest."

"I'll try, see ya Kaos," Brian said. I smiled and then walked away from the room and down the quiet hall filled with doctors and nurses. I left the lobby and crossed the parking lot to my car. I got in, started it up and slowly pulled out of the parking lot driving quietly down the road to Brian's once exciting and happy filled home to Brian's now depressed and gloomy home.

Brian's View

I squeezed Tiffany's hand gently and said, "Tiffany, I know you would want me to be with the kids in a time like this but you have to understand that I don't want to leave your side. I want to be here when you wake up honey but since I know you would want me to be with them that's what I'll do. I'm gonna go home tomorrow OK? I'll be back Saturday though so no need to worry. I'll tell the kids that you're doing alright."

I sighed and looked at her pale face. My eyes started to water but I blinked the tears away, "I love you Tiffany with all my heart and I'm gonna be with you no matter what through all this. I'll be here when you wake up and when you leave this hospital, I'm here for you but in order for me to be here for you always you have to do one thing for me..."

I paused and drew in a shaky breath and wiped away the single tear that had fallen from my eye and said, "That one thing that you gotta do for me baby...is wake up."

Meanwhile

Michelle's View

"Are you sure you'll be OK here?" Vince asked in my ear. I pulled away from his hug and looked up into his eyes and nodded.

"I'll be fine, now go home and get some rest," I said. He smiled at me and kissed my forehead.

"I'll call you tomorrow OK?" he said. I nodded my head and he hugged me one last time before walking out the door and down the driveway. I watched after him as he punched in the code numbers and waited as the gates opened. He turned around and smiled at me. He waved and then disappeared behind the wall. I smiled to myself and walked back into the house closing the door behind me not noticing the black truck slowly driving through the gates and up to the house.