Haunted

Pieces - UNEDITED

Disclaimer: This chapter has not been edited from the original as posted on JBFF. There will be mistakes, typos, continuity problems and other issues.

------------------------------------------

"Adam?" Brent's hand was on his shoulder. Adam tore his eyes away from Chloe and forced himself to look at his best friend.

"Sorry," Adam mumbled.

"You alright?" Brent asked. Adam couldn't answer so he tried to nod. He was there to help his best friend, falling apart wasn't an option.

But how could he look Maddox and Brent in the eyes and pretend everything was going to be okay? How could he pretend he was as shocked and confused as everyone else? The second he saw Chloe's hands, balled up tight in little fists while she slept, he knew.

"I know you haven't been in a hospital since-," Brent rubbed his back but stopped short of saying Cole's name.

"Sorry," Adam said again. "I need-" he stepped backward, almost falling over.

"We'll be back," Eli grabbed his arm and steadied him. He slipped his arm around Adam's waist and took him out of the room.

"Eli, I can't," Adam put his face in Eli's shoulder as soon as they were outside.

"You can," Eli whispered. "It's okay, Adam, you can do this."

"Eli, did you see?" Adam dug his fingers in. "Her hands, she's-"

"Shh," Eli kissed his cheek. "I saw, but we don't know yet, Adam."

"I know," Adam insisted, pulling away from him. "I lived with it, Eli, I know what I'm seeing."

"Don't push me away," Eli grabbed his wrist. "You can be scared but don't hurt me and yourself just because you're afraid."

"I can't watch them lose her," Adam shook his head. "I'm going home, to be with Clay."

"Adam," Eli called after him but Adam kept going. He almost ran right into Emily, Maddox's sister.

"Adam, do you by any chance know Lucas's blood type?" Emily asked.

"I, um," Adam stopped to think. He had no idea. "No, I-"

"That's okay," Emily said. "What about Cole?"

"A positive," Adam said. "Penicillin allergy. HIV negative but positive for-"

"That's all I need," Emily cut him off again. "Do you remember his last 5 blood panel test results?"

"The last 5?" Adam tried to think back.

"What about white blood cell counts?" Emily asked, not waiting for an answer. She had her tablet in her hand and was tapping away.

"They were getting lower," Adam couldn't remember numbers. "Or maybe higher?" he wasn't sure anymore.

"And his blood pressure?" Emily looked at him.

"That was dropping," Adam knew that much. "The last was 90 over-"

"Okay," Emily nodded and put her tablet in the pocket of her lab coat. "Come with me, my boss is going to tell Maddox and Brent the news."

"Wait," Adam started to protest but Emily had her arm around his and he couldn't get away without hurting her. "Why did you ask all those questions?"

"To calm you down," Emily said. "I could tell you were losing it."

"So none of that stuff you just asked matters?" Adam frowned.

"No, I just wanted to get you focused on something so you'd stop freaking out," Emily said. "Did it work?"