The Tragedy of Juliet...

Too much, too young ....

The group remained sat in Juliet's hospital room, watching the video that Gene had compiled and listened to stories that Johnny, Damon & Liam shared with them. So far, only learning about her early life- years before the rest of the group came into it.

"She was nuts her mum- too many drugs with a crazy upbringing!! Her mum, Jules' grandmother was a sixties model and was involved with The Factory. Her grandfather was the only bloody normal one I think. Jules loved him to bits, spent so much time with him; learnt how all her business know how and that when she was young. He was worried about her- that's why when her mum died he bought her a private jet and New York apartment so she could get away from all the crazy; mind you- one hell of a 16th birthday present!! "- Johnny was stroking Juliet's hair as he was speaking; as much to calm and reassure himself as well as Juliet.

Liam remains sitting, when he shakes his head "Could never understand her mum giving her E's when she went out! Who the hell encourages their kid to get off their face?
Ok, I mean- we were the worlds worst examples but even we could see it was screwed up"

"What?" Louis' head snaps up!!
"Her mum gave her the drugs?" He asks in sheer disbelief.

"Yeah, she started her on it. E's and speed when she were 13-14, then onto coke by the time she was 15! It's no fuckin wonder she had that heart thing is it?"- Liam was speaking directly to Damon this time.

"What?" Harry looked to Alex who looked as mystified as he was.

"She had a heart attack like thing, her heart went on a wobble from far too much coke when she was 15. Fuckin' Don did nothing. Noel tried to tell him she was going too high and for too long; never seemed to come down. We had to do something- Don was all over the place with fuck knows who and no one was keeping an eye on her" Liam continued to speak.

"It was crazy, she was 15: her brother, mum, grandparents all died within a year and a half!!

Noel and I picked her up one day. We put her in straight into rehab. It was probably like we kidnapped her but someone had to do something. Her Dad certainly weren't. After that she stayed with Mam for a bit"

Liam looked down at his hands, fiddling with his watch; the memories obviously uncomfortable to recall.

Damon walked over and squeezed Liam's shoulder; "you saved her life, she's says it often mate".

"Cheers, appreciate that y'know. Still feel bad about it but we 'ad to do something like. Noel signed her in as her legal guardian, said she were our younger sister. Even though she were right pissed off with us, she never argued or disputed anything."

Gene pauses the video as the nurse came into the room.

"Oh no you don't have to leave the room or stop anything, I'm just doing her neurological observations. It'll let us know her reactions, give the medical team a better idea of how things are going. "

The nurse quietly and efficiently carried out the tasks required and recording the information into Juliet's medical notes.

"Anything?" Harry almost whispered, as though frightened of her response.

"I'm afraid no change but tomorrow the doctor is planning on stopping the sedation completely so she'll start to wake up properly from them on. Try not to worry to much."

As she left the room, her last sentence hung in the air. It was an impossible task for any sitting in that room to do.

The atmosphere was heavy and Lennon motioned to Gene to restart the video which he did quickly.
They watched a much younger Juliet in ballet class at the bar before spotting her dad and running over to him.

Then she was Playing at the piano, with her tutor watching her. She was playing a classical piece; Clair de Lune by Debussy. But as soon as her teacher waved goodbye, she turned to her dad grinning and began playing "Great balls of fire". Even kicking the piano stool back as she stood up and played laughing with her dad.

"She's bloody good on the piano even then" Jamie said out loud, more as a statement to all really.

"She was so sweet back then, just out for fun. That was all before it went to shit!!" Damon added.

"She was a such an innocent wee thing until her brother died", Johnny ventured.

"That's what I thought. But.. well one day she had a total meltdown at me. It was after Don died, and after you know" Damon was gesturing his hands out towards Harry. Obviously meaning before everything went to complete shit between them.

"Anyway, She was shouting and screaming at me, asking me why I was doing it. Trying to stop her taking shit again and drinking herself to oblivion. I told her I'd promised her dad, that I'd always look out for her.

She told me not to bother. That he was never a dad to her anyway, that he'd fucked everything up for her. She told me that she'd understood about sex since she'd discovered her mother in a three way in the living room one day. She'd just taken herself down to watch cartoons as Jude wouldn't wake up. She was only 5! "

His disclosure was met with gasps of horror thinking of a child so young seeing those things right in front of her eyes. That was bad enough but Damon continued

"She told me it was actually Don who bought her the coke after her mum died and kept giving it to her until she got her dealer sorted. Then she really broke down, crumpled to the floor. That's when she told me about being forced to break up with you Alex".