Taking Chances (Taking Chances #1)(102)

Jeremy's friend, Kevin, stood next to Jeremy and half whispered, “I get he was knocked out and all, but these people need to calm the eff down.”

Konrad lunged at him but Jeremy jumped in between them. “I got this.” He said calmly to Konrad and turned on his friend to push him toward the door, “Not cool man.” I heard him say before they got outside.

Konrad sat on the couch and pulled Breanna onto his lap, she curled into him and soaked his shirt with her tears, his other arm went around me. None of us could say anything, the only sound was our sobs. My eyes seemed to not be able to leave his left arm that was holding Bree to his body. The thick pink scars from trying to get to Chase seemed to stand out even more now. Taunting me with alternating flashes of Chase dead on the ground and Brandon laying unresponsive. A few minutes later, Jeremy pulled me from Konrad and wrapped his arms around me, he was still in High School, but he was just as tall as his brother, though slightly lankier, and was able to hold me just as easily as Brandon.

“It's okay sis, it'll be okay.” He softly crooned. “He's going to be fine.”

An administrative nurse came up to us with a clipboard and paperwork to fill out for Brandon, and with the help of Jeremy, we got it completely filled out. When I sat back down on the couch, Kevin walked up, he'd been sitting in some chairs against another wall, and looked at us sheepishly.

“I'm really sorry. I didn't know about…” He looked around for a second, biting his lip.

“It's fine.” I said hoarsely.

Scarecrow came running in and came right over to us, “Is he okay? Did he wake up?”

Bree and I started crying again at those questions. He’s not waking up! I remembered Konrad's hysterical screaming from that night and my pleas for Chase to wake up when the EMT pulled me away from him.

Jeremy talked to him for a minute, and went back to trying to calm me down. Konrad wasn't having much more luck with Bree, but then again he looked like he was in shock. Scarecrow held a wad of cash in front of me and I looked up with disgust. I sucked in a deep breath to let him know what I thought about him and his money but Jeremy hugged me close, grabbed the money and shoved it in my purse while telling Scarecrow he needed to leave. He was a good brother for stopping me from saying something stupid.

“Sis, look at me.” he ordered and I reluctantly looked up, “He's going to be fine. I know what this means for all of you, but he will be fine.”

“Mr. Taylor?”

Jeremy and I jumped off the couch and rushed over to the Doctor.

“Are you family of Mr. Taylor?”

“I'm his brother, this is his fiancée.” Jeremy answered, keeping a tight grip on my upper arm in case I fainted, which I definitely felt like I was about to do.

“He's awake, and you can see him. Only one person at a time, but I have some questions before you go back there. Can you tell me how this happened?”

Jeremy replayed what happened after the fight had ended for the Doctor who nodded and looked at his watch.

“We should have the X-ray back in a few minutes, if there's anything suspicious I'll be running more tests, but you may go in and see him now if you'd like.”

After making sure I was going to stay vertical, Jeremy let go and walked back to the group.

“Miss? Do you need a wheelchair?” The Doctor asked looking at my swollen stomach and pale face.

“I'm fine, just please take me to see him.”

We walked down two halls and into a room. Brandon sighed in relief and reached an arm toward me. “Come here sweetheart.”

I grabbed his hand with both of mine, no longer caring about the tears still falling down my cheeks. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine, just feel like I got my ass beat.” He huffed a laugh.

“This isn't funny. You weren't waking up Brandon!”

“I know.” He pulled my arm closer to his body, “Come here.” He kissed me twice and held my face in his hands. “I'm sorry, he was dirty, I wasn't expecting that. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again though. That's the first time I've had someone do that.”

I pulled away abruptly, “Again? No! Brandon, you can't fight again. Do you know what it was like seeing you like that? Unresponsive on the ground? I can't lose you too.” I sobbed and fell into the chair next to the bed.

Brandon tried to get off the bed, but the IV was keeping him there. “You won't lose me sweetheart, I promise. I'll be more careful.”

My entire body was shaking hard, I was trying to take calming breaths but it wasn't an easy thing to do. I thought watching Chase die on the ground was the worst thing I would ever experience in my life. I was wrong. Seeing Brandon like that, and thinking I was going to lose him too, that was the worst moment of my life by far.

There was a knock on the door, “Mr. Taylor?”

I looked up to see the Doctor walking in. I wish he had more emotion, his face looked like he could easily be delivering good news or bad news.

“It looks like you're going to be okay, you have a major concussion and we're going to have to keep you for a while to make sure nothing happens. But there isn't too much swelling, so that's a good thing. I do need to stress something though. You fight often, is that correct?”

Brandon nodded.