What Was, What Is, What Can Be

Chapter 3

TWO WEEKS LATER
ALLEGHENY HOSPITAL

Brian was standing outside of Justin's hospital room, watching him, as he had been doing for the past two weeks.  He wasn't allowed in the room, thanks to Craig Taylor, but he was allowed to watch the blond from outside the room.  He saw Justin move his hand a fraction of an inch.  He started watching more closely.  Justin's head moved from side to side, slowly.  Then Justin started to blink his eyes open.

Brian jogged to the Nurses' Station.  "Get a doctor.  Quick!  Justin Taylor is waking up!"  Before the nurse could reply, Brian was on his way back to Justin's room.  When Brian saw that Justin was starting to look panicked, he walked into the room.  He didn't give a damn what Craig Taylor wanted.  He wasn't about to let Justin be scared and alone.  "It's okay, Sunshine.  You're okay.  Just calm down.  Please." 

 After a couple of minutes, Justin started to marginally calm down.

The doctor and a nurse hurried into the room.  An hour later, after the doctor had finished checking Justin over, everyone else had arrived and were waiting in the hall.  Doctor Bates talked to the gathered crowd.  "Justin's awake and all of his stats seem fine.  He does seem a little disoriented and frightened, though.  He hasn't said anything."

"Can we see him?" questioned an anxious Jennifer.

The doctor nodded and led the group into the room.

Justin's hospital bed was raised, so he could sit up.  He looked at everyone when they entered.  "Sunshine!" screeched a red-headed woman.  She leaned down and gave him a hug, ignoring the fact that it wasn't returned.

He looked at everyone as they greeted him.  He looked at one in particular.  The brunet with the Adonis body.  They locked eyes. 

"Alright," said a voice breaking the spell between the two men, "you all can go now.  And I expect none of you to bother us again."

"You have to be kidding!" exclaimed a flamboyantly dressed man.

"No, I'm not.  He'll be coming home with us and we do not wish to be bothered by the likes of you.  Any of you."

Justin was confused.  "Wait," he said, his voice raspy from disuse.  Clearing his throat, he spoke again.  "Daphne."

Daphne hurried over to his bedside.  "What, J."

"Daph... who are all of these... people?"

"What... what do you mean, Justin?" Daphne asked.

Justin looked at Daphne with frightened blue eyes.  "I don't know any-anyone in here."

"Doctor...?" said Brian.

Doctor Bates said, "Could you all step outside, please."

After a slight hesitation, the room emptied. 

Brian had to force himself to not pace the hallway as they waited for the news on Justin.  After what seemed like an eternity, but was really only about an hour, Doctor Bates walked out into the hallway and shut the door to Justin's room. 

"Well, Doctor?  What's wrong with him?" demanded Craig.

Doctor Bates sighed.  “Justin has amnesia."

"Why does he remember Daphne and not us?" asked Lindsay.

"Well, it's a rare form of amnesia.  He seems to have blocked out anyone or anything that has caused him hurt."

"We haven't hurt Boy Wonder," griped Michael.

"Maybe not physically, but mentally," answered Doctor Bates.

"Will he ever remember us?" asked Vic.

Doctor Bates sighed.  "Maybe, maybe not.  It's hard to say.  We'll just have to wait and see."

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