Touched by an Angel, Though I Fall Out of Grace

*December 13, 2004*
*Brittany's POV*

I felt someone shaking me and I groaned. I turned my the other way, but I was still being jolted awake. "I'm trying to sleep," I mumbled. My covers were ripped off of me and I began searching for them, blindly. "Go away," I said, pulling the covers over my head.

"Britt Nicole, get up. Now!" my mom ordered.

Reluctantly, I sat up and looked over at my digital clock; it read 4:30 A.M. I gave my mother a look that clearly said, 'Are you crazy? It's 4:30 in the morning during winter break and you want me out of bed?'

"I'm aware of the time, but Steven was just taking to the hospital. Hurry up and get dressed, so we can go."

I got out of bed and traded my shorts for a pair of black sweats and pulled on a pair of black Uggs. I looked around until I found Gerard's hoodie that he left here the other day and pulled it over my head. I grabbed my cell phone from my nightstand and headed downstairs. I followed my mom out the front door and we got in her car; both of us silent as she drove to the hospital.

Within thirty minutes, my mom was parking her car and killing the engine. We jogged up to the entrance doors and spotted Mr. and Mrs. Pattinson in the waiting. Damon glanced up and looked right at me, motioning me over to sit next to him.

"So, what happened?" I asked.

"Steven and I were getting ready to watch 'Home Alone' and he got up to go get the popcorn out of the microwave and he swayed a little as he walked before collapsing. I ran upstairs and told my parents what had happened and we rushed him to the hospital. The doctors are running tests and stuff," Damon explained, his voice cracking at the end.

I took his hand as he closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. I laid my head over on his shoulder and shut my eyes, too, falling back asleep quickly. Only to wake up later to my vibrating . I glanced at the LED screen and noticed that Gerard was calling.

"Hello?" I said, stifling a yawn.

"Hey, baby. You wanna hang out today? We could go to park, although it's pretty cold outside, so maybe the mall?"

"I wish I could, but I'm at the hospital."

"Are you okay?" Gerard asked, sounding panicked. "Do you need surgery or anything? Oh, God, please tell me that you're alright."

"Gee, I'm fine, but Steven isn't. He's having complications and the doctors are running tests now or they were, I've been here for a while."

"Okay, give us thirty minutes and we'll be there."

Before I could tell Gerard that he didn't need to come, he had hung up, leaving me on the other end. I soon shut my phone after looking at the time; it was fifteen minutes until eight o'clock. I sighed and looked over at Damon and, under the circumstances, smiled; his hair was all in his face, his mouth slightly agape and he was snoring. Out of my peripheral vision, I seen my mom and Mrs. Pattinson talking and Mr. Pattinson sitting next to his wife with his head in his hands. With nothing else to do, I leaned back in my chair, looking up at the ceiling, hoping that Steven was alright.

"How is he?" I heard a voice ask.

I looked up and saw the five guys I had learned to care for. They all had worried expressions gracing their faces. I shrugged and said, "We don't know, yet."

They nodded and found places to sit. Gerard took the seat on the other side of me and put his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him and breathed in his familiar scent of coffee and mint.

"So, that's where my hoodie went," Gerard said, as he began running his fingers through my hair. I giggled at his comment as a doctor came in, carrying a file in his hands.

"Steven Dimitriadis?" the doctor asked. I sat up a little more and paid attention as Mrs. Pattinson ran up to the doctor, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"How's my son?" she asked, her voice weak.

"Mr. Dimitriadis is doing fine. His blackout was due to sleep deprivation and stress. He's now resting and will be up for visitors in an hour."

"Thank God," Mrs. Pattinson said and I let out a sigh of relief as well.

"You wanna get coffee?" I heard Gerard whisper in my ear. I nodded and we got up, going to hospital's cafeteria. Once we had our coffee, we were sitting at a table in the corner. I had one of my hands intertwined with Gerard's, our fingers laced together. Gerard lifted our hands, kissing each one of my fingers. "How are you doing?" he wondered.

"I'm glad that Steven is alright." I answered and he nodded, his expression was apologetic. I smiled at him, but it was a sucky attempt. He scrunched his nose at me. "You don't have to fake a smile for me, baby, I understand."

I leaned over onto him and rested my head on his shoulder. "Gerard?" I whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Will you sing for me?"

He chucked, but I felt him nod his head. Just as he started to sing, he brushed a stray piece of hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear.

"We could be perfect one last night
And die like star-crossed lovers when we fight
And we can settle this affair
If you would shed your yellow take my hand
And then we'll solve the mystery of laceration gravity
This riddle of revenge, please understand it has to be this way..."

While he was singing, I felt my eyelids grow heavy and soon I was asleep. This was the first time I had dreamt in a while, but it wasn't the same haunting reality of a nightmare I was used to.

*Dream*

I was being dragged away somewhere and I was struggling to get free. In the distance, I could see Gerard running towards me. I couldn't hear anything, but I knew he was calling my name.

I looked up into the face of my kidnapper and frowned when I couldn't tell who it was. I clawed at the man holding onto me and kicked my legs, but it was useless. Then the sky darkened and rain began to fall. I pulled away as his grip loosened, but I tripped over his feet and fell to the ground,
hitting my head on a rock.

Spots appeared in my vision and I felt something warm and sticky flowing down my face. I didn't need to feel anything, I knew it was blood. Gerard showed up at my side, kneeling beside me and saying something I couldn't hear. I felt my breathing slow, eventually stopping and everything went black.

*End Dream*

I awoke with a start, my heart was racing and I gasped for air. When I realized that I was still at the hospital with Gerard next to me, I began to calm down. I nestled into Gerard a bit more and I felt him wrap his arms around me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I think so," I said, quietly.

"How about I take you to my house?"

I pulled myself from his embrace and looked at him. "What?" I asked, incredulously.

"You need some rest and not in a blue plastic chair. I figured I'd take you to my house and let you sleep for a couple of hours, in an actual bed."

"I can't just leave. I have to stay here for Steven, he's my little brother just as much as he is Damon's."

"You're not actually related," he countered. "Risking your health isn't going to make Steven get better any faster; you need sleep."

I glared at him, getting angry. "You're not actually related to Frank, Ray or Bob, but I'm pretty sure you'd be here waiting if one of them were in the hospital. Why? Because you care about them and I care about Steven, so I'm not leaving."

Gerard ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm just concerned about your well-being. You've been here since 4:30 this morning."

"If I wanted to leave, I would have." I said, getting up and walking away from him. I entered the waiting room and took my seat next to Damon. By now, he was awake and had his earphones in.

When he saw me, he took them out and asked, "What's wrong, Britt?"

"I just had a fight with Gerard. It's not a big deal and I don't want to talk about it." I told him.

"Alright, then. You wanna listen?" he asked, holding one of his earbuds out to me. I nodded and took it. When he pushed the play button, Linkin Park's "In the End" came through the speakers.

Minutes passed by and then Mr. and Mrs. Pattinson came into the room, telling Damon and I we had permission to go and see Steven.

As we entered his room, Steven looked up at us and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back. I sat on the couch near the window and Damon sat on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Damon asked.

"I'm good... better." he said. "Hey, Britt."

"Hi, Steven. I'm glad you're alright."

"Thanks. I don't see what the big deal is. Anybody wanna get me strawberry Fanta?" he asked with a sly grin.

I rolled my eyes, but got up. Damon fished into his wallet and gave me a dollar. I left the room and headed down the hall, to the vending machine. Instead of getting him a soda, I purchased a bottle of Dasani water. As I was turning around, I heard a very energized, "Hi, Brittany!" Standing behind me were Frank, Ray and Bob.

"Gerard feels bad," Bob stated.

I frowned. "So, instead of telling me himself he sends you three? I don't want to hear it,"

I stormed back to Steven's room and tossed him the bottle of water. He gave me a confused look. "I know you wanted a soda, but you need water. So, drink it." I snapped.

"What's up with her?" Steven asked Damon, as if I wasn't in the room.

"She had a fight with Gerard a few minutes ago."

"Oh, are the here? I wanna see them."

Once again, I left the room, heading into the waiting area. The guys were grouped together, sitting in the chairs. Gerard glanced up as I approached them, a hopeful smile on his face, but I ignored him. "Steven's asking to see you guys," I said, and then turning around quickly, leading the way to Steven's room. I took my seat as they filed into the room and, of course, Gerard sat right next to
me.

I listened as they all talked and joked around. Every so often, Gerard would glance over at me, but I wouldn't look at him and that was a hard thing to do. My mom walked in and gave Steven a hug, said hello to everyone else and then said, "Come on, Britt Nicole, let's go home."

I stood up and, as cold-hearted as it may seem, I lifted Gerard's hoodie over my head and threw it down, on the couch, where I had been sitting. I gave both Damon and Steven hugs before following after my mom. I heard Gerard call my name, but I kept walking, even if it did hurt me.