Luck & Intuition

Breaking News! Nick Jonas has been reportedly shot at 7-Eleven on Venice Boulevard. Police say that it was an armed robbery, however, the thieves got away. The husband and wife that owned the store have been murdered, while the musician is in critical condition. Reporters are standing by outside of the hospital waiting impatiently for unlikely interviews with the Brothers and friends of the Jonas. More information to follow, tonight at eleven.

“Can you believe this?” Kevin flicked off the television in Nick’s hospital room angry and began to mutter to himself. “I mean, just look at all of the paparazzi out there waiting for one of us to provide them with valuable information about Nick. Fucking pricks.”

“Kevin.” Taylor looked at her husband annoyingly and sighed. “They’re just doing their job. You can’t stop them.”

“But I can kick their asses if they print anything that is false.” Taylor rested a soft hand on Kevin’s stiff one. He eased and sighed. “Sorry. I’m just frustrated and scared with everything.”

“Haven’t you noticed that we all are? Joe can’t even enter the room without tears welling up in his eyes; Autumn’s looking out for Storm to make sure she doesn’t do anything hysterical. I’m pregnant with comes with emotions but this is really taking a toll on me. It’s taking a toll on all of us, Kevin, not just you. Even though he is yours and Joe’s brother, he is family to all of us. We all love him.”

“I know that, Taylor. I know that this is hard on everybody. Nick’s almost died once before because of his diabetes... That was a real scare. But this, this is completely at a different extreme!” Kevin motioned fully towards Nick’s limp, unconscious body on the white sheets. “It’s been weeks and nothing! No new information on whether or not he going to survive. Nick was the one who started all of this; we helped to get to where he is—to where we are today.”

“He’s always been thankful for that. He always has and he always will! Nick loves you guys and no matter what happens he’ll always be your brother.” Taylor reached up with her small, pale hand and dabbed away the pebble sized tears escaping from the corners of Kevin’s eyes with a tissue. “I believe that things happen in life for a reason. I also know that you are never given more then you can handle. Nick has been thrown curveballs before and he’s caught them all. And I am sure that he will catch this one, too.”

“She’s right.” Joe’s voice was quiet from the other side of the room as he sat silently next to his younger brother’s bed. Kevin and Taylor’s head turned in his direction, surprised by his presence as they did not hear him enter the room. “Nick’s a fighter. He always has been and always will. He’s just waiting for the right moment to come.”
Kevin pursed his chapped lips together and nodded. He turned and leaned his back against the ledge of the window. “Where are Autumn and Storm?”

“Storm is sleeping, finally, at my house. Autumn is there too with Ella Mae.” Joe rubbed the dark stubble on his chin and around his mouth. No doubt he wasn’t in the mood lately to shave, honestly, could you blame him? “I didn’t mean to intrude yours and Taylor’s conversation, but I thought there’d be no point as to knocking since Nick can’t say ‘Come In’...”

“You didn’t interrupt us, Joe.” Taylor said softly. Her cupcake stomach was slightly showing as her shirt rode up when she gestured. Her footsteps were silent as they travelled in the direction of Joe, and took a seat in the free cushioned chair beside him. Her pale hand rested upon his knee. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” Joe’s brown eyes reverted to Nick’s closed ones. He watched his brother’s chest pump up and down slowly, hearing the faint sound of his breathing. He laughed mentally, knowing that if Nick were awake and saw his curls out of place that he would not be impressed.

Taylor’s hand removed from his knee. She knew better then when to push Joe for an accurate answer, she knew how stubborn he was when he was upset about something. Even through all their bickering and misfortunes they were still related by marriage and they suck by each other’s side no matter what.

“I know,” Taylor’s lips parted, “When you’re upset you tend to close people out. Please try not to do that to Autumn, though.”

“I’m not here to talk about my relationship with Autumn.” Taylor nodded. “I’m here for Nick. Autumn and I are fine. I am not shutting anybody out.”

“Okay.” Taylor sighed, wobbling to stand up. Standing at the end of the bed, Taylor stared at her brother-in-law lying completely oblivious to the fast moving world around him. Even though it had only been three weeks Nick has been in the hospital, you could see the blood seeping through the bandages and a pale, ghost-like face. She wondered how scared he must have been, how much pain he was in at that particular moment where the bullet lunged into his chest. She couldn’t bare it, however, she was curious. Wouldn’t you curious, too?

A faint sound of a song blew through Taylor’s ears. Her eyes rolled over to Joe as he stood and stared at the light up screen. There was a slight twitch from the corners of his mouth, and Taylor could see in his glasses the reflection of a name starting with the letter A. Joe excused himself from the room, closing the door behind him quietly.

“I still do that when you call.” Kevin’s voice came from afar. Mrs Kevin Jonas’ eyebrows knitted together as she tipped her head. “When you call, checking in on me, the corners of my mouth twitch as I try to hide a smile from everyone in the room. It’s this thing that all three of us do.” He chuckled softly and smiled. “We appreciate it when you do the small things.

“Oh.” The female’s cheeks flushed a rosy colour as she glided over to Kevin. She gripped his much larger hand and rested it upon her breaking out belly. Kevin’s hazel eyes danced with curiosity. “Just wait.” Her smile was wide as she knew when Kevin understood what was going on that he was going to explode.

“Tay, what am I waiting for? Honestly, I just feel your stomach growling for food.” He sighed impatiently. Taylor rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Taylor. What the hell—OH MY GOD!” Kevin’s eyes were the size of the moon. “Did that just—did you feel THAT. Holy shit, that was amazing.”

“What the hell are you screaming about?” Joe re-entered the room, shoving his phone into his pocket. “Did Nick twitch or something?”

“No, something even better! Well, no, kind of... I’m being an idiot.”Kevin shook his head and composed himself. “The cupcake moved!”

“The cupcake moved?” Joe questioned.

“The. Cupcake. Moved.”

“Holy shit.” Joe rushed over and placed both of his hands on Taylor’s stomach. “The cupcake isn’t doing anything.”

“Good, my child already doesn’t like you.” Taylor smirked. “Good cupcake.”

“The cupcake moved!” Joe exclaimed and high fived his older brother. Taylor muttered and pushed away Joe’s hands, wobbling over to the chair and sitting down beside Nick’s bed. She looked at Nick and sighed.

“You’re the only normal one left of us.” Her eyes glanced at Kevin and Joe’s celebration.” Wake up. Now. Please.”

-&&-

“Ella, stop that.” Autumn set the stacks of papers on the dining room table in a pile. The papers didn’t last long in their neat pile and Ella nonchalantly pushed them over. “Ella!” Autumn sighed in frustration as Ella Mae giggled. “Why don’t you go check on Auntie Storm, okay?”

“O’tay!” Ella slid down from the chair and raced her way towards the stairs. Autumn watched out of the corner of her eye to make sure the two year old wasn’t going to end up in the hospital either. The home phone rang; the female’s eyes narrowed at it and picked it up.

“We’re not going to answer any of your fucking questions. I swear if you call one more fucking time—“

“Autumn?”

Autumn’s mother dropped at the sound of the voice on the receiver. “Denise?”

“Is everything alright?” The mother of the Jonas’ questioned.

“Yes! Everything’s fine, well no, everything’s not fine. News stations and magazines keep on calling wanting to know information on Nick. Joe already told them off this morning but he left me to deal with the rest as he went to the hospital.”

“I see.” She sounded skeptical. “Kevin wasn’t answering his phone, but our flight just landed in LA and Paul, Frankie and I headed on our way to the hospital now. Would you like us to pick you and Ella up?”

“Oh no, Denise. I’m on Storm Watch so she doesn’t do anything drastic. I went early this morning for an hour or so. Everyone else is there, though.”

“Are you sure?” Her voice had a trace of concern, exhaustion and sort of pissed off at who knows what. But Autumn did not want to trouble Denise, she hadn’t seen her son yet and no doubt she’d be there for hours. Autumn felt like just the main Jonas family was needed at the hospital right now, that’s all.

“I’m positive. I’m sure Joseph—“ Autumn surprised herself by actually calling Joe by his full first name. “Will update me when he comes home later.”

Both females exchanged brief goodbyes. Autumn pressed the red button on the phone with a sigh watching the number fade from the screen. She set the phone down onto the sleek, black wood dining table and ran her fingers through her dark hair.

“Momma.” Autumn turned around to see her little replica standing in the doorway. She furrowed her eyebrows at the little girl.

“Where’s Storm?”

Ella shrugged her tiny shoulders and wobbled into the living room where reruns of Sonny With A Chance had been showing. Autumn’s feet stamped towards the stairs and jogged up, pushing open the master bedroom door. The room was silent with the sheets on the bed out of place and the glass of water Storm had was shattered on the table.

Wind streamed through the opened bay windows causing a chill to run up Autumn’s spin. Storm was nowhere to be found, not a trace. But the scent of the perfume Nick had bought her for her birthday lingered throughout the room, leading towards the window. Autumn walked over, peering over the edge to see how a small roof was connected and easy access to escape.

Smart girl. Autumn thought.

To say Autumn was worried would be a correct accusation, however, saying that Storm was running off to do something drastic didn’t cross her mind. Storm was better than that, she just didn’t want to be around anyone at the moment and Autumn knew that, she really did. Autumn knew where Storm would end up, there was only one place.

The hospital.