Following the Stars

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Two

Lexie went into survival mode, leaving the elder children in the care of her mother, she grabbed James and placed him gently in the car seat before Travis arrived looking flustered. "I promise I'll call you as soon as there is any news." Lexie said hugging Jack and then Lily, before pulling the former back into a group hug. She squeezed the children lovingly tight. "But we want to come.." Lily said tearfully. "Darlings you know he wouldn't want that. He would want you safe. Please, for me? Stay here with mum, I promise as soon as you're able I'll get you there to visit ok? They probably won't even let me see him for a while." "Darling is there anything I can do? Let James stay here." "Mum he's 8 weeks old I can't just abandon him." "I think Lexie is right Lizzie, we don't know how long we'll be." Travis said taking the car seat from the mother. "I promise I'll call as soon as I can. I love you." The children hugged her once more before she rushed out the front door. She climbed in the back of the SUV and Travis headed to the hospital Johnny was in. It was only when she was in the back staring at her baby boy that she let the tears fall. Her husband was seriously injured after a horrendous car accident.

Arriving at the hospital, Mark escorted them in. "Sean is ok. They think he'll be discharged soon. Johnny isn't great. They are still assessing his injuries. A car came out of nowhere and hit them side on. I saw it all from my car. It was crazy! It hit just where Johnny was." Lexie's eyes widened as she cuddled her son close. They made their way to the private wing and approached the desk. "Mrs Depp?" A nurse asked and Lexie nodded before being shown to a small empty waiting room. "Your husband has suffered significant injuries. There is internal bleeding as well as significant head injuries, we need to act fast. We are going to have to operate with your consent." Lexie's head abruptly turned "is he going to be ok?" "We hope so. It will be touch and go with the bleeding." The nurse said softly. "Do everything you can for my husband" "We'll be taking him to theatre shortly. You'll be allowed to go in and see him but only for a minute. Is there somebody that can hold your baby?" The nurse asked. Lexie fought back tears, she didn't want to give anyone her baby, he was her only connection to Johnny right now but she knew she had to see her husband before his surgery and slowly passed James to Travis. "I'll escort you." Mark said kindly placing an arm round Lexie's shoulders.

Nothing prepared her for entering the room where Johnny was. He was battered and bruised, and had blood on his face. He was wired up to many different machines all making strange noises and had an oxygen mask over his face. Lexie completely broke down and sobbed. She managed to reach for the side rails of the bed to hold onto as she slowly moved closer to her beloved. "Oh Johnny." She wept. She gently took his hand and stroked it with her own before gently kissing his battered cheek. "You get through this surgery you hear me? The world hasn't seen the last of you yet.. you're going to grow old smoking and drinking whiskey in your rocking chair remember? That's what you told me. Don't leave me. Not now. Not here." A Doctor entered the room and checked some paperwork. "Mrs Depp we really need to prep your husband for theatre now." Lexie nodded before breaking down again. She gently kissed Johnny's forehead before whispering "I love you so much. So does Lily, Jack and James. They need their Daddy."

Lexie stood leaning against the wall as if it was the only thing holding her up as she watched her husband be wheeled out the ward. She wept silently, her heart breaking. Why had this happened? How has this happened? She slowly composed herself and after a long five minutes, began to walk silently down the corridor. She made her way back towards the waiting room she had left Travis and James in when she heard Mark's voice. "This was no accident. I saw the fuckers. They were on Sean's tail straight away. Then out of nowhere they rammed the car. Johnny is lucky to be alive." "What?? Why??" Travis replied angrily. "I don't know. I have no idea. No leads nothing. Maybe when we see Sean he will have more answers. All I know is somebody wanted Depp dead today." Lexie's eyes widened and she entered the room crying more. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. The two men put her tears down to the distress of seeing her husband helpless and injured. Travis slowly passed her baby back to her and she gently fussed over him as she sat down in the corner. "Can I get you anything?" He asked quietly. "No thank you." "Coffee? Water? Anything?" "Honestly Travis I'm fine. I just want my husband back." "I promise we will do all we can." Mark added. "Don't make promises you can't keep. You're not doctors, or miracle workers. They said they HOPED he would be ok.. Hoped. That's not definite." Lexie said looking up at the ceiling desperately trying to get the tears to stop.

A while later after composing herself she stood. "I should call my mum and let the children know. Travis will you hold James?" "Why don't I go get the pram from the car? That way he can be comfortable and get some rest?" Travis said and Lexie nodded before pulling out her phone. After an extremely difficult and tearful conversation, Lizzie had assured Lexie that the children were being well taken care of, and that her parents would do all they could to comfort them. Lexie had promised to call the children as soon as their father returned from surgery. Within minutes of hanging up, Stephen and Gina rushed through the door. The sight of their good friends was enough to make Lexie cry once more. She clung to Gina and sobbed like a wounded animal, finally allowing the realisation of everything bubble to the surface. Stephen looked on cradling baby James and watched as his best friend's wife barely held it together, from this sight alone he could tell how much she loved Johnny and couldn't bare to lose him.