Moments In Time

Chapter 5

Present Day

Zayn sat in the waiting room while Kacey and Teresa, her personal assistant, talked to a team of doctors by the door.

Kacey hadn't put up any more protests when he offered to drive her to the hospital, something that Zayn found concerning. Something had to be seriously wrong with Marcus if she'd just agreed to something like that. She'd always been so stubborn that most people wouldn't even bother to argue with her, especially when she was that worked up. Zayn was always an exception, though she never really went down without a fight.

Kacey stayed silent throughout the drive. She kept her gaze out the window, humming to herself. Zayn knew it was her way of keeping calm. He wanted to hold her hand, but thought better of it, since he didn't know if she would accept the gesture or not.

Once they'd reached the door of the hospital, Kacey was whisked away by a doctor and Zayn was shown up to the waiting room with Kacey's assistant, who was distraught as well.

What they'd learned was Marcus went to a club the night before, after the awards show, and a fight had broken out after he was called a racial slur. He'd gone to the hospital while he was still conscious. Everything had looked okay, and Marcus had even joked to the doctor about not calling his sister over a bump on the head. However, sometime during the night, Marcus lost consciousness. There had been a contusion that had been overlooked somehow, and a massive brain bleed had appeared as well. It didn't look good at all.

Kacey and Teresa walked back into the waiting room. Teresa was struggling not to cry, and Kacey, though pale, had a blank look on her face, as if she'd completely checked out. Zayn wasn't fooled, though. She was trying to be strong. It was something Zayn had seen before.

"They said his brain functions are basically non existent," she said softly but emotionlessly. "He had a stroke or something and he didn't get enough oxygen to his brain. With the injuries that he had, he had no chance."

"Fuck," Zayn said, putting his head in his hands. Marcus was only twenty two, and was just beginning his life. He didn't deserve for this to happen.

"They want me to donate his organs, and I said yeah," Kacey continued, talking more to the floor than to him. "I've already seen him, I said goodbye. I just told them to go ahead."

Zayn reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

"Don't," she whispered, and looked at him with tears brimming in her eyes. "Please don't touch me, Zayn. You touch me, you try to comfort me, then I'm going to break and I can't break right now. I've got too much to do so I can't-"

"Kace," Zayn whispered, noticing Teresa subtly leaving the room. "You don't have to do this with me. You don't have to be the tough girl who can take anything. You lost your brother, and it's okay to be upset. We're still friends, right? And it's my job, as your friend who loves you, to be there for you. In times like these, you're going to need someone, so let it be me, okay?"

Kacey looked down again, her knee bouncing with aggravation before a choked sob escaped her lips. She leaned against Zayn and cried, his hands stroking her back affectionately as she did. He was right, as always. She didn't have to be alone and acting tough and like she had it all together. She needed him.

"Don't leave again," she whispered under her breath, not knowing he heard her. "Please don't leave me, Zayn."

Zayn's heart fell apart when she said that, and he swore then that he wouldn't lose touch with her again.

"Don't worry, Kacey," he murmured, resting his chin on top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

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