Bekah

My sobs are sobs of relief when Nancy doesn’t point to Zack and for a few seconds, that's all that mattered. She didn't point to Zack and I didn't care about anything else at that point in time. When I called myself down I realized who had died and my heart ached for his friends and family.

When I took the photo of Zack, Matt, Brian and Johnny the day they left for tour, I didn't realize Jordan, the tour bus driver, was in the background. He stood there, clear as day with a smile on his face. Jordan was a great guy and now he was gone. He was gone and I had been thankful because it wasn't Zack. It's insane how selfish the human race could be.

It wasn't much longer before we were able to see everyone, but it felt like it was. I'm not sure if Nancy was scared of us or if she just felt sorry for us but I was glad she decided to bend the rules. Zack was still asleep from the anesthesia; he had a cast on his left leg that was slightly elevated. His face and arms had quite a few scrapes and slight brushing, but nothing major. I couldn't tell, but the doctor had also told me he had bruised ribs on the left side of his body, they think it was from him falling out of his bunk. They think the broken leg might have happened when someone fell on top of him.

The doctor said the guys had been lucky to be sleeping when it happened because their bodies replaced relaxed through the crash. Matt was also on the top bunk, across from Zack, but he got away with a couple of broken ribs, a slight concussion and some scrapes and bruises. Brian and Johnny were on the lower bunks, so they were the luckiest. Brian got away with a rather large bump on the head - CT scans showed no permanent damage, and Johnny had a dislocated shoulder - they think he was thrown against the wall inside his bunk as the bus flipped over. They also have a few scrapes and bruising. I think Zack had gotten the worst of it. A broken leg was going to alter his life drastically until it was healed and if I knew Zack he was going to try and push the healing process, which was only going to make things worse.

I wasn't in Zack's room long before he started to wake up. As soon as I seen his green eyes I began to cry again. I couldn't help but be overly emotional. I didn't care. "Don't cry," he said quietly as he weakly squeezed my hand. "What happened?"

I was able to calm myself down quickly at Zack's touch. "There was an accident. They said a semi ran the bus off the road. The bus flipped." I replied.

"Did he stop? Is everyone okay?" Zack asked. He tried to sit up but winced and lay back down.

"The driver of the semi kept going. The police are searching for him. Matt has a concussion and some broken ribs, Johnny had a dislocated shoulder and Brian has a nasty bump on his head. But Jordan...he..." I couldn't bring myself to tell him but he understood.

He didn't say anything for a long time. I rubbed my thumb in small circles on the back of his hand, "And I have a broken leg, that's awesome."

"It's just a minor fracture." I told him. "It should be fully healed in eight weeks. Your ribs are also bruised, so..." I sighed, knowing he wasn't going to be happy about the next part. "So, they're going to put you in a wheelchair instead of giving you crutches."

Zack immediately shook his head. "No, I'd rather use the crutches."

"Zack..." I started.

"No, Beks. I'm not paralyzed. I don't need someone pushing me around. I don't need a fucking wheelchair." He tried to rise up but once again winced and lay back down.

"Just relax," I tell him. He's tensed and now pissed off, but at least he was alive. I open my mouth to tell him that, but I get interrupted by the doctor coming in. I decided now was as good of a time as ever to go see the rest of the guys. I quietly dismissed myself, gave Zack a kiss and left the room. Johnny's room was closest but he was on the phone so I gave him a smile and a wave before heading to Brian's room.

"Hey, can I come in?" I ask Brian quietly. He nods and I walk in.

"How's Zack doing?" Brian asked.

I nodded. "He's talking to the doctor right now. He as a broken leg and bruised ribs, but he's fine, nothing permanent." I told him. I left out the part about the temporary wheelchair. Zack wasn't happy about it so I didn't want to go around blabbing about it to the entire hospital.

"I can't believe Jordan is gone," Brian shook his head. "He was such a great guy."

I nodded. "I know. God, I feel awful because I was actually relieved when I found out it was him and not one of you."

"Don't feel bad, Bekah. Everyone has those moments in situations like these. Don't beat yourself up over it." He told me. Brian was right of course. I know he was, but I still felt horrible.

"Bekah," I hear from behind me. I turn around and Valary is standing in the doorway, Jackson on her hip. "Matt wants to see you."

"Okay," I tell her. I turn back to Brian, "Do you need anything?"

"Yeah, some discharge papers so I can go speak freely with my friends," his smile is light, but his tone is serious.

I give him a smile back. "I'll see what I can do," I tell him before heading out of the room.

Matt's bed is slightly elevated when I enter. He's taking a series of deep breaths, wincing every time he does, and doesn't greet me when I enter.

"Sorry," he smiles after his last breath. "Figured I should do some breathing exercises while I'm still doped up on pain meds. It's still fucking hurts though."

"How are you?" I ask sitting next to him.

"Been better." He answers. "Glad everyone is okay. Well, almost everyone. How's Zack? Val said he has a broken leg. Have you spoken to the others?"

"Yeah," I replied. "Brian is doing well. I think they want to keep him overnight because of the bump on his head, which he's not going to be happy about at all. Johnny was on the phone so I didn't speak with him. Zack broke his left leg and bruised the left side of his ribs."

"Damn," Matt shook his head.

"Don't say anything to anyone because we don't want it out yet, but Zack is going to be in a wheelchair for eight weeks or however long it takes for his leg to heal. With his ribs being bruised, they don't want to put him on crutches, so they think a wheelchair is his best bet. He’s not happy about it at all."

Matt sighs. "You know Zack, he doesn't like being dependent. Hell, none of us do. Just remember to be patient with him."

"I know," I agree. "I should be getting back though. I need to see what the doctor said to him." I stand from my seat. "Do you need anything?" Matt shook his head and we said our goodbyes before I extend the room.

I was walking back to Zack's room when his doctor stopped me. "Ma'am?"

"Yeah?" I turn to her.

"We spoke to Mr. Baker about the wheelchair and though we insisted on how important it was that he used it, he still refuses. I'm kind of hoping maybe if you talked to him, he’ll listen. Crutches will be a very painful alternative and will set his healing time back a lot." She explained.

I nodded. "I'll talk to him," I reassured her and then continued to Zack's room. His door was closed when I arrived but I entered anyway. Zack's bed was now elevated slightly like Matt's was.

"Are you okay? Do you need anything?" I asked, approaching the bed. Zack shook his head. "Are you hungry? I can go grab something from the cafeteria or I can go get something that's not hospital food."

"I'm not hungry," he answers grumpily.

I sighed and sat down in the chair that was next to his bed. "Zack, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just want to be alone. Can you go to the hotel please? I just need some time to think." He said softly.

"I didn't get a hotel room. Zack." I replied.

"Why not? I’m not getting released today. You know that." His tone was coated in clear irritation.

I sighed. "I was in the hospital for almost two weeks and you stayed with me every night."

"Of course, I did! I wasn't going to leave you alone after that Rebekah! I thought you were fucking dead." Zack snapped. I winced at the use of my full first name.

"And I thought you were dead for a few hours today too, Zack!" I retorted. Zack looked at me but didn't reply. I sighed again, it had been an emotional day and I held back tears. "Fine, I'll go." I told him as I stood and turned to leave.

"No, baby...please stay. I'm sorry. I don't want you to go. I don’t know why I said that." Zack called after me.

I turned back to him. "It's fine, Zack. You need some time alone, I get that. It's okay."

He shook his head. "No, I want you to stay. I'm just angry at the world right now. Come lay down with me. Please?"

I did as I was asked without hesitation. Zack scooted over and opened the thin hospital blanket. I crawled in beside him gently and he threw the blanket back over us. Zack and I didn't speak for a few minutes. My head was lying on his shoulder and his arm was wrapped around mine. He softly caressed my shoulder blade.

"I'm not looking forward to depending on anyone," he confessed.

"You won't be depending on just anyone, Zack. You'll be depending on me." I told him.

"I'm going to need help with everything, Beks. At least for the first half of this healing process, until my ribs heal. I won't be able to go upstairs so I'll have to sleep on the couch. I'll need help in the shower because I don't think I can balance myself and make sure my cast doesn't get wet and wash my hair and shit. It's just...a lot. You didn't sign up for this." He explains.

"Zack, stop. I'm here for anything you need. I love you. You stuck with me though Jake, the shooting, the loss of our child. Why wouldn't I stick around through this? A broken leg and some bruised ribs? Baby, this is nothing compared to what we've went through." I rose up while talking to him and I felt a flutter in my heart when he pulled be into a kiss as soon as I finished speaking.

"I love you," he told me.

"I love you too," I replied, laying back down. "And I'm not letting you sleep on the couch. I've slept without you for three very long, very lonely months. I'm not doing it again, not for a while anyways."

Zack chuckled. His hand instantly reached for his ribs. "Ow, don't make me laugh," he replied. "And it's not like I want to sleep on the couch or without you. There's just no way I'm going to make it up those stairs, and you definitely can't carry me. Thank God, we have a downstairs bathroom. I'd be so fucking screwed if we didn't."

"Okay, so we'll figure something out. Brian and Johnny are fine. I'll have them come over and move the bed down into the living room." I decided.

"That's ridiculous," I could tell by the tone in Zack's voice that he was rolling his eyes. "What are we supposed to do? Move it every time we have company?"

"Or tell our company to stop being judgmental assholes," I offered.

"Stop," he said as he slightly laughed again.

"Actually, we can put in in the dining room," I said. "We never use that room anyways. And it's a little more private in case one of the guys come barging in the house unannounced."

"That'll work. Ugh! I just realized how long it's going to be before I can have sex again." Zack groaned.

"Oh," I replied. "Well, on second thought, maybe I didn't sign up for this after all."

"Wow!" Zack drug out the word playfully.

I laugh. "I'm kidding!" I kiss his smiling lips.

"You better be," he joked.

I nuzzled my face down into his chest. I was so tired. This entire day had been so completely exhausting. Zack rubbed my shoulder again and I closed my eyes and imagined we were at home in bed. Except our bed was much more comfortable than this one, and our blankets were so much softer than these. The beeping and muffled chitchat made it hard to forget where we were, everything here reminded me of Jake and all the times he put me in the hospital. But he was gone and I didn't need to worry about him anymore.

I was just about to doze off when I heard Zack. "Babe?" He said quietly.

"Hm?"

"I'm starving, can you go grab me some food?" He asked.

I rose up and glared at him knowing I had just asked him if he wanted anything to eat half an hour ago. Zack gave me an innocent smile and batted his eyelashes.

"You're lucky I love you," I told him, climbing out of bed.

"I know," he said as I picked up my purse. "I love you more though."

Notes

So, Zack is alive! And so are all the other band members! I'm not going to kill anyone important off...yet! Maybe later! I think there would have been some sort of riot if I killed off Zack, so I'm glad I didn't go that route! haha

Thank you guys so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Feedback is always welcome!

Title credit: Avenged Sevenfold "Fiction"