Baby, I Believe in You [Jordan Knight • NKOTB]

Chapter 18: Last Day in Saratoga

The light gust of wind breeze through the trees outside the window of the hospital as I continued to looked through the pretty wonders of nature while I sat in one of the sitting bench in the day room waiting for Donnie to be discharged from the hospital today. Since those two days had passed, Donnie has been doing really well, the bruises around his arms and chest were healing despite being visible and the stitches on his tongue were removed by the doctor as his tongue was still swollen but he was able to speak clearly now which is good.

While I spent most of my time at the hospital, Donnie and I were able to spend a lot more time together which was something I missed. Sure, I spent time with him while on this tour but most of my time was usually being with Jordan, who I missed these last few days as he was able to call me two times each day from the hospital and kept him informed about Donnie. Jordan sounded glad to hear that our best friend was doing well and he would tell me about the shows performing as a quartet while Donnie was with me. Honestly, I wish I was there with him as Jordan would tell me how much he had missed me too but I knew I was going to see him again and he knew it too.

'How it would be once you're back in California and he's still touring city to city...?' That inner voice of my conscience let out softly in my head as the thought of it ran through my mind as the month was ending and July was my last month touring with the New Kids before flying back to the west coast for another year at Berkeley.

The thought without being close to the person I love within the upcoming months scared me as I wasn't sure how it would ravel in our relationship but I tried to remain positive knowing we could work this out.

While Donnie and I became inseparable in the hospital that sudden strange feeling brewing within my stomach wouldn't stop bothering me as the two of us would spend the mornings eating breakfast at the lunch hall and visit our patients in the hospital and talk to them which were nice people to know in the day room. The evenings were spent of me sneaking in junk food from a nearby 7-11 store into Donnie's room with the help of his bodyguard, Butch as we would watch hours of MTV on the television set up in the bedroom to see the new music videos from our favorite artists like Public Enemy, which I have to thank Donnie for introducing me to their music. The both of us would stay up late at night on his bed looking through several channels until I would be the first to fall asleep in his arms as I felt comfortable to not move away and Donnie's strong arms made sure of that.

As I continued to look through the large windows at the pretty scenery in the hospital's day room, I slowly felt a pair of familiar arms wrapping themselves protectively around me and the smile on my lips grew wider before hearing Donnie's voice speaking into my ear.

"Hey there, Beautiful, I just got cleared from the hospital and today's the day. Are you excited?" My heart pounced inside my chest feeling his warm breath tickling my earlobe as he spoke to me. Now that he was cleared from the hospital, I could tell that Donnie was happy to leave Saratoga Springs and New York for that matter and so was I.

"Yes, I am and I know you're excited too, Donnie. Finally, I can take a decent shower and I can't wait to see everyone again but that's going to have to wait..." I let out to him while my eyes faced the clear imagery outside through the window as he started to give out a light chuckle and smiling at my words before I felt my heart pulsing rapidly in movement once Donnie spoke gently into my ear again.

"It's okay, we'll be back to join them soon, Stephie. I know, J's anxious to have you back with him but I'm sure he knows that he's going to have to wait for a few weeks more once I get my voice back to be with the group again. Looks like you and me are going to spend more time back home in Boston." Donnie smiled wide as he told me about Jordan having to be patient for me and I admit he was right.

Dick Scott, the guys manager, thought it would be best if Donnie went back home to heal a little more as he couldn't really sing from his swollen tongue and it was probably going to take at least two weeks before we could reunite with Jordan and the rest of our friends.

"I'm sure he's understands, I miss him too but it's nice for the both of us taking some time away from each other. Plus, I miss the two of us being able to hang out and I'm looking forward to spending more time with you back home, D. It'll be fun." My pink lips smiled at the thought and suddenly I felt myself being twirled around as I now stood in front of him and fell into a mesmerized trance from his warm hazel eyes.

"I know it will be, Baby Girl..." He told me with a wide grin before he began to place his hands at both sides of my cheeks and pressing his smooth lips against my forehead and later let his hands return to wrap around my waist with a tight squeeze.

'I don't want him to let go...This feels so nice...God, what is wrong with me...?'

Once Donnie and I were being lead out of the hospital by his bodyguard, Butch, my heart started to nervously skip several beats as the sight of a large crowd surrounded the outside of the building with hundredths of girls of all ages waited to see their injured New Kid after the terrible events that happened two days ago. News broke out quickly about the incident and Donnie's hospital room was decorated with flowers, homemade and store bought cards wishing him to get well, and balloons and stuffed animals. As we moved through the glass automatic doors, I heard girls calling out his name and I noticed a few of them had tears streaking their cheeks and I understood how scared and worried they were when they found out what happened to him because I've been through it. 

The commotion around me was less distracting after I felt Donnie squeezing my hand gently with his hand and looked up at his loving smirk before I returned it back and felt his thumb running in small circles against my skin.

"Are you okay, Steph?" He let out wondering what was going on in my mind before I responded back to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine but wouldn't your fans get jealous seeing that we're holding hands. I mean, they are quite the jealous type and I don't think they will like this." I let out a small smirk while he laughed wholeheartedly and I thought at first he was going to release my hand from his but he only held onto me tighter and looked at me with a spark in his hazel eyes.

"They'll learn to understand..." Once he told me this, I swear my face turned a bright shade of pink from embarrassment as the two of us entered the large crowds of fangirls and new reporters on the scene while Butch stood near.

As the fans seemed fairly calm waiting to get noticed by their favorite New Kid, Donnie warmly came up to each of them and embraced each single fan  while I stood close by with a friendly smile on my face and talked to Butch in the meantime. It was great to see how much they care about him and I'm just happy he's okay and released from the hospital as I was excited to go home for a while. It would be nice to sleep back in my bed in my own room.

Suddenly, the thought about home soon grew sour as I felt my stomach rolling uncomfortably in my stomach at the sight of my best friend gently placing his hands on the teenage girl's cheeks and wiping away her tears as she was crying. Donnie soon wrapped his arms the same way he had done to me earlier this morning and held her for a few seconds even though to me it felt longer than that.

'Feeling jealous, Steph...?' The voice spoke inside my head as this feeling of knots twisting in my stomach began to irritate me. Maybe, it was sneaking in all of that junk food or maybe something was just wrong with me to feel this way and I was overthinking it.

Soon after, Donnie walked back to me and placed his hand back in mine as we came across a female reporter who aimed her microphone in front of D's face before speaking to us.

"Donnie! Donnie, so who is this pretty girl at your side?" The middle aged woman formed a wide smile upon her red colored making my cheeks feel hot again from embarrassment as I knew Donnie wouldn't expose my secret about being with Jordan. Donnie smiled at her warmly before his sweet honey irises glanced at me with a grinning smirk at his mouth before staring at the woman again and answered.

"She's a very special person in my life and the New Kids lives as well." He let out proudly while gently squeezing my hand while the two of us exchanged soft grins and after a while we were escorted away from the madness as in a few hours we would back home in Boston.