Long road ahead.

Day 8

7:02 A.M.

"Omigosh!! Justin! Justin, wake up, buddy!" I heard Scooter call. I felt a cool hand on my forehead, but didn't have the strength to open my eyes. I felt Jazzy being taken from my arms, and I soon heard her voice.

"Where we going, Mama?" she asked sleepily.

"You're gonna go take a bath and get dressed. Bieber's really, really sick, so you're gonna hang out with me all day," my mom answered. I struggled to open my eyes, but I just couldn't.

"Pattie, he's not waking up!" Scooter said, his voice rising in panic.

"Is he breathing?" my mom called back. I felt Scooter put his head to my chest.

"Yeah, but it's shallow and it sounds weird," Scooter said, his voice breaking. Scooter started to cry right there, and I got very confused. What is going on???

"If he doesn't wake up in the next 15 minutes, call an ambulance!" my mom instructed.

"Okay!" Scooter called back through his tears. I felt him shake me a little.

"C'mon, Juss. Wake up, buddy. Please," he begged me.

"C'mon, just move or make a noise. Anything," he said. I managed to whimper weakly, then focused on opening my eyes. I finally pushed them halfway open, and I saw Scooter in front of me, bawling like a ten-year-old.

"There you go, Juss!!" he said, smiling and wiping his tears. I smiled weakly. He scooped me up and brought me back to bed, but didn't lay me under the sheets. Instead, he set me down on top of the comforter and began taking my shirt off. I began shivering immediately and started to cry.

"I know, buddy, I am so, so sorry," Scooter said. I looked up at him and gave him a questioning look.

"Your fever spiked during the night. It's really high, Juss," Scooter said. I nodded weakly.

"How do you feel?" he asked, picking me up and bringing me to the bathroom. I shook my head and cried a little harder. He ran some bathwater and gently set me in. The warm water made me comfortable and sleepy. I drifted in and out of consciousness as Scooter gently bathed me. He washed my hair, careful not to get any water or soap too close to my eyes. After he rinsed it, he pulled the plug and let the water out. He gently picked me up and wrapped me in a towel. I was warm and comfortable in his arms, and I let out a contented sigh. He set me down on the bed and started drying me off very gently. After my upper body was dry, he slipped a long-sleeve shirt on me. I didn't even care when he took of my shorts and dried my lower body, then changed my underwear. He then put a pair of long-sleeve pajama pants on me, then combed my hair. He then went and hung up my towel. He came back and picked me up, then wrapped me in a warm blanket. I soon heard my mom's voice.

"You gave him a bath?" she asked.

"Yeah," Scooter answered.

"Scooter, thank you so much," she replied, a smile in her voice. I felt my mom come and kiss my cheek. I whimpered weakly.

"You got him to wake up?" my mom asked, surprised.

"Yeah, he opened his eyes a little before I bathed him," Scooter answered.

"Sweetheart, can you open your eyes a little for me?" my mom asked softly. I let out a small, hysterical whimper and felt my lower lip tremble a little. I forced my eyes open a little, just to have tears spill from them uncontrollably. I sobbed loudly once, and my voice cracked painfully.

"It's alright, baby. Shh, we're gonna make you feel better in no time, okay?" she asked.

"Has he said anything yet?" she asked.