Nick Jonas

Hold On

"He's very lucky to be alive. We didn't know if he would pull through, but he's a fighter, that one," the doctor says, and Kevin comforts Priyanka as she breaks down.

"But...he's okay, then?" asks Joe tentatively.

"Right now, he's stable. But he's still on a lot of heavy medication, and we're monitoring him closely to make sure everything is as it should be."

"Right. Can we see him?" asks Kevin.

"Of course, but he's asleep just now, so it has to be quiet. Room 53," the doctor says, and we head into the emergency ward to the room.

The sight waiting for us makes my heart shatter. Nick lays in the hospital bed hooked up to about a thousand machines, and if it weren't for the heart rate monitor showing me his heart is beating, I would think he was dead. That's how still he is, fast asleep. Fresh tears burn hot in my eyes as I stand in the doorway, unable to process it. Joe sits in a chair on the left side of the bed, hands folded, tears glistening on his cheeks. Kevin sits next to him, head in his hands. Priyanka is on the right side of the bed, hand intertwined with Nick's. She says nothing as she looks at him, her beloved fiance, crying silently. Nobody says anything. What is there to say?

"Joey," I mutter quietly, walking over to him.

He just looks up at me, and the look of pain in his eyes is unbearable. He's an emotional wreck right now, but so are the rest of us.

"I already had to go through seeing him like this once. All the bad memories, everything; it's all coming back now," he says in a monotone voice.

"I'm so sorry." I say, and our tears fall at once. I can't imagine what it's like for him. Nick is and always has been Joe's best friend, so no matter how hard this is for me, it's ten times worse for Joe. "Joey, come here." He obeys, and I pull him close to me and comfort him as he already has for me today.

"Thank you, Harper," he says.

"I love you, Joe."

"When it falls apart," Kevin begins to sing sadly. 

"And you're feeling lost," I continue softly.

"All your hope is gone," says Kevin.

"Don't forget to hold on, hold on."

"Cause an empty room can be so loud," Joe says, voice breaking a little.

"It's too many tears to drown them out," Priyanka sings, conveying all her emotion.

"So hold on," says Kevin.

"Hold on," I say.

"Hold on," Joe moans.

"Hold on," whispers Priyanka.

"Why's everyone cryin'?" Nick asks weakly, and we turn to face him abruptly.

"Oh, Nick!" Priyanka says, crying even harder and squeezing his hand.

"Don't cry, babe," he says, straining his neck and shifting a little bit.

"Nicky," Joe whimpers, moving his chair closer to his bed and leaning his head over the railing as his tears fall faster. "Nicky, I'm so glad you're okay."

"Why am I here? I thought we were spending the day at the amusement park," Nick says, confused.

"Change of plans, buddy," Kevin smiles sadly.

"Blood sugar," he figures out, starting to remember what happened. He suddenly looks agitated, and his heart rate increases. The monitor starts beeping as his heart beats irregularly, and doctors rush in to take care of him.

"Nicky, just relax, okay?" I say, trying to keep him calm before this gets out of hand.

"I'm really scared."

"I know. Stay strong," Kevin says.

"Baby, you're okay now. Keep calm," says Priyanka, and he finally relaxes a little bit, letting his heart rate get back on track.

"What would I do without you guys?" he asks, and for the first time, we all smile.