Twenty-One

Nick and Sadie checked to see what was happening to BJ only to find out she was still unconscious. Feeling somewhat trapped, Nick let Sadie lead him to the lobby where Aaron was asleep on Jackie.

Sadie smiled softly at Jackie before sitting down across from her. 'Deja vu,' she couldn't help but think.

Nick mouthed a ‘Hey’ and leaned over to whisper in Sadie's ear. "Take her away for a while so I can talk to Aaron?" he asked.

Sadie nodded with a smile. "Jackie, you wanna go for a walk? Stretch your legs?" Sadie offered.

Jackie looked cautiously at Aaron before turning back to her, "I kinda promised him I wouldn't leave…"

Sadie looked to Nick.

Nick sighed and glanced at his brother's girlfriend. He liked her a lot. She really cared about him, but now was not the time to be protective. He smiled, "Please go, Jackie."

Jackie looked startled, but nodded. Leaning Aaron on the chair she got up and breathed a sigh.

Sadie gave a warm grin, "Come on, let's go for a walk…" She stood and smiled softly at Nick.

Watching the two walk away, Nick got up to kneel in front of his brother. He looked so young there… so small. He reached up and gently brushed Aaron's bangs out of his face.

Aaron stirred. "Jackie…?" he whispered, his eyes fluttering open and his jaw dropping in a yawn.

Nick felt his heart lighten, "No, Bud… It's me."

"Oh… hey… When did you get here?" Aaron asked, silently noting that Jackie wasn't there when she'd promised she would be.

"Just a few minutes ago." He read his brother's expression, "Jackie didn't leave, Aaron. She just went to stretch her legs when she saw we were here. She's coming right back."

Aaron nodded, slight relief washing over him. "Any news?" Aaron asked.

"No…" he looked down, "She's still not allowed to have visitors anyway… even when she wakes up."

Aaron cocked his head at him, "If she wakes up?"

Nick's head jerked up. "Don't say that," he snapped.

"That's what you said, ain’t it?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"I mean until she wakes up from surgery," he explained.

"That's what I meant, Nick," Aaron replied, rubbing his face with his hands. "Why not when she wakes up from surgery?" he restated his question with further detail, "Because she will wake up."

Nick shook his head. He'd been given the results from the blood test along with the chances of her recovering from the doctor, but he wasn't about to upset Aaron anymore. "Right," he replied, "She can't have visitors until a certain number of hours after... Hospital policy."

"Oh…" Aaron said with a sigh as he rubbed his hands on his jeans.

"How're you doing?" he asked, softly placing a hand on Aaron's head.

"I'm scared," he admitted quietly.

Nick smiled, "Me too, Bro… Me too."

Aaron didn't know what to say. So he sat there, silently.

"You wanna get some McDonald's?" he asked with a smirk, "I wanna pig out. BJ won't be outta that thing for hours. Let's go?"

"What about Jackie? Did Sadie come along?" Aaron asked.

"Yep, she's here…" he glanced away before recovering, "And… we can… ask them what they want and bring it back. I don't think this is a girl time."

Aaron smiled. "Okay," he agreed.

***

Sadie watched Jackie as they started their walk. "How are you?" Sadie asked, knowing somewhat how she was feeling.

Jackie shrugged, "I'm fine. I don't know BJ all that well… I just feel bad for Aaron." She stopped, "Oh… and Nick… but… I don't know. It's just… my poor baby and he has to go through this all alone, ya know?"

Sadie nodded. "I do know. But… Aaron's not alone. You're here, and so is Nick," she reminded her, "I know exactly how you feel though."

Jackie smiled, "Yeah… but… I can only do so much and… Nick… Well… no offence, but there's a mess if I've ever seen one. Sometimes, I’m afraid he hurts Aaron more than helps."

Sadie thought momentarily, "He doesn't mean to. Nick's not his father. But Nick's father's not a father either. If you know what I mean. We know Aaron, and I know Nick, and… Aaron knows all Nick is trying to do is help."

"No, he doesn't…" Jackie sighed, "Aaron worships that guy. Everything Nick does is perfect. His job, his friends, his state of mind, his GIRLFRIEND. He really likes you," she giggled, "in a friend way I mean. But… damn… he hated Julia."

"He still hates Julia. To this day… I don't understand it but…" Sadie paused, "Nick is not perfect.” If only she knew… she thought. "But… I know Nick's glad you're here."

"I'm glad Nick's here too," Jackie nodded, "Aaron was going insane without him."

Sadie just smiled, not really knowing what to say to her.

The girls stopped and sat in some nearby chairs. Jackie turned to Sadie, "You know… Aaron takes note of things."

Sadie looked at her, "Like what?"

"Well," she seemed a little uncomfortable, "Like… He has a great memory."

Sadie looked to the floor, curious if she was going to expand on that.

"Do you somewhat know I'm talking about?" she asked, "He won't tell me much. Just little things and… other things too. But… he remembers an awful lot."

"I think I know what you're saying…" Sadie said glancing at Jackie before looking to the floor again, wondering just what Aaron remembered. Wondering what he'd shared with Jackie.

"You know everything, don't you?" Jackie asked, not knowing much herself.

"About what, Jackie?" she asked turning to her, and locking eyes with the younger girl.

"Did their parents actually hurt Nick? And…" she hushed, motioning to her wrists, "Seven years ago on Nick's birthday, did he really…?"

Sadie was shocked that Aaron DID remember. She tried to hide it though, for Nick's sake. "You said yourself, Aaron has a good memory."

"But…" Jackie looked flustered, "he doesn't know for sure. All he knows is that he saw Nick in their room with his wrists slashed open! He said that Nick was crying and sobbing and shit, so that's what he HAD to of been trying to do!"

"It's not really my place to say anything," Sadie stated softly, trying to keep Jackie calm.

"Okay… you don't wanna tell me," Jackie stated, "That's fine."