The beeping of the heart monitor kept time with the rush of thoughts that echoed through her mind. Coma. Internal bleeding. Just a matter of time. Has your mother ever spoken to you about donating her organs? With the shock of seeing her mother in such a state, Brianna had flipped out when they had started asking about that. If it hadn't been for Kevin, she would have broken the doctor's jaw.

And now, there was nothing left for her to do, other than sit there and watch that little beep on the screen. Coma, it reminded. Her mother was in a coma. Brain damaged, they had said. It just wasn't happening. This wasn't her mother. Her mother was at Aunt Janice's, having dinner with the respectable young bachelor that they had meant to set her up with. She wasn't lying in that hospital bed, her organs bleeding to death inside of her.

Her mom…Everything stable and secure in her life was because of her mother. She was the rock in the family, the one everyone called when there was a crisis. She was the one who had jumped to her feet immediately after her husband had left her with a seventeen-year old daughter, deciding that being sad and angry would accomplish nothing.

And now, that was all Brie could feel. Sad and angry. And so hopelessly lost.

"Hey you," Kevin said quietly, upon entering the room. He rested a hand against Brianna's shoulder, squeezing it tenderly.

"Did you reach him yet?" she whispered.

"I haven't been able to yet, Brie. But I will, don't worry about that," Kevin promised.

"Oh god, Kevin, I don't know what to do, I don't know what to say to her, she's just lying there," Brianna said, turning to look up at him. Her eyes were glassy and red, but so far, she had not shed a tear, and Kevin knew that she wouldn't, until she was completely alone.

"I know, Brie. Look, I want you to go home and try to sleep a bit. Feed your puppy so it doesn't chew up my rug. I'll stay with Diane," Kevin said. She nodded, but was slow to move out of the chair.

"Go on, there's a taxi waiting for you in the parking lot," Kevin said. She smiled weakly for his benefit, having gone to so much trouble. He watched her slink wearily out of the room. As soon as she was gone, he pulled out his phone and dialed Nick's number.

"Come on, you son-of-a-bitch, pick up the goddamned phone!" Kevin urged, as again, there was no answer after a number of rings. The call was directed to the voice mail, and this time, Kevin chose to leave a message.

"Nick, get your ass back to Florida as soon as possible. It's Brie."

* * * *

Brianna entered the empty house. She walked into the living room, which was still a huge mess from the day before. She took one look at the left-over Jello, looking a little crusty after having sat out so long, and broke down into tears that she had fought so hard to keep at bay.

Hearing the movement downstairs, Sienna came running down the stairs. The inquisitive puppy nosed Brie's hands out of the way, and thoughtfully licked her face. Desperate for something real and alive to hold on to, Brianna gathered the dog into her arms, and cried against her soft fur.

"Nick, where are you right now? I need you."