This One's For You (An Austin Carlile Love Story - Alternate Ending)

Chapter Eighteen: Are We Okay?

Please be okay, I prayed. Please, please God let him be okay. If this is punishment for my decision then I'll take it all back. I would give Austin my heart if he needed it, I didn't care, as long as he was okay.

I had been in the waiting room for the E.R. for what seemed like forever. I wasn't sure what happened and I had a feeling that the guys didn't either. Right now we were all scared and in deep concern for Austin's condition. Hours passed and we all had heard no information. All I knew is that as soon as he arrived to the hospital he went straight into surgery.

My nerves were buzzing, my manicured nails chipped from picking at the black nail polish, my head was in constant motion. The room itself was spinning around me, making me so dizzy that I ended up pulling my feet up onto the chair and resting my head on my knees. It was then that I started to cry, soft sobs filling the silence the blanketed us.

The quiet click of shoes on the floor sounded from everywhere. Aaron was pacing, so was Tino, and Phil. Alan had disappeared around the corner a while ago, leaving me alone to my thoughts. I peeked my eyes through my hair, glancing at the clock before clasping them shut again. Six and a half hours, I've been here six and a half hours waiting to hear that he was okay.

I suddenly felt an arm around me, making me jump from surprise. I looked up to meet Alan's sad eyes. He gave me a half hearted smile, trying to comfort me even though he was anxious too. I smiled back at him placing my head on his shoulder and trying to calm myself down. Then, a doctor walked out of one of the little offices.

"Who's here for Austin Carlile?" His deep voice echoed throughout the room. We all shot up, standing straight, and looking eagerly at the doctor. He gave a light chuckle before looking down at his clipboard. "Mister Carlile has made it out of surgery and is in a room room resting."

"Can we see him?" I blurted, scratching at the scars on my arm. I just wanted to see him, to know he was okay.

"I'm afraid only immediate family are allowed in at this time." He frowned, his eyes darting from one person to the other in the room. It was clear none of us were related to him. But I couldn't wait any longer and I had to think on my feet.

"I'm his fiancee." I lied, flashing my mother's ring before putting my arm back down. I knew I couldn't say that I was his girlfriend because they still wouldn't have met me go to see him.

"Follow me Misses Carlile." The doctor smiled before turning on his heel to lead me down the hallway.

My legs moved quickly as the endless hallway seemed to shrink in around me. Sure, saying I was his fiancee wasn't the most logical lie, but it was the first one that popped into my head that I could back up with "evidence". And I really could not wait any longer to see him.

Then he stopped behind a large door, looking down at more papers before entering it. I followed closely behind him. I almost collapsed to my knees as soon as I laid eyes on Austin. Monitors, machines, tubes, needles; everywhere. My heart thudded hard against my skin, I had gone deathly pale, knowing that his condition was that bad made me want to give everything up to make it better.

"He underwent a bypass surgery, it seems that his heart valve ruptured. We will have to contact his doctor and ask about his medical history to know exactly why this happened." The doctor said in a low voice, turning to me. I stood straight forward, seeing his glasses gleam in my peripheral vision. "You wouldn't happen to know what his condition is, would you Misses Carlisle?"

"No," I shook my head hard, tears falling down my already tear streaked cheeks. "He never told me, his mother died of Marfan Syndrome, but that's all I know."

"Interesting, very interesting." The doctor whispered to himself, fixing his glasses before writing something down. "Thank you Misses Carlisle, feel free to stay. Though he may not wake up for another couple hours or so."