Chapter 34
I was sitting in the waiting room with JC, Savannah, Tommy and Hope. As it turns out, Hope and Tommy had been seeing each other. I was glad that Hope had cheated on Andrew. I was so fucking ecstatic. Maybe it would hurt him, even if it was the tiniest bit.

I wanted him to pay for ruining everything in my life.

"He's gonna be okay don't worry." JC put his hand on my shoulder and smiled reassuringly at me.

"I hope so…"

"He will be. We have the best doctors working on him." Tommy stood in front of me. "It's not your fault. I want you to remember that okay?"

I couldn't believe how nice these two men were being to me. After all this time they proved themselves to be actually human beings with feelings. I was shocked at how far all of us had come.

I actually considered JC and Tommy my friends now, not my kidnappers or people I feared, but friends.

"Thanks Tommy. I'll try." I smiled at him and wiped the tears away from my eyes. I had to be strong right now. I couldn't cry. I had to show that I knew everything was going to be all right.

Hours passed and we heard nothing. I hoped that it was a good thing. That maybe Justin was pulling through and they were just waiting for him to recover a little more.

I laid my head on Savannah's shoulder and she ran her hand through my hair. I wondered if the police had caught my brother. I wondered what was to become of my Mother when she learned the truth. Her son was nothing but a killer. Not the prestigious med-school student that she was so proud of.

I wanted the police to lock my brother up forever, along with Larry Lopez, Dylan and anyone else who wanted to bring harm to Justin. He was the light in my life and I didn't want to loose him.

I wanted to marry him, have children with him and grow old together. I wanted him to be in my life forever, protecting me and loving me in the way that only he could.

My tear stricken eyes stung and I wiped the tears away. I couldn't stand waiting anymore. I wished that we could just hear the news already.

I spoke too soon when I said that because Joseph Ryan came into the waiting room. His face was stone cold, without emotion or anything.

"I found out news about Justin."

I stood up and stared at the man. He wasn't upset or anything so I figured it would be okay.

"Is he alright?" I asked, shakily holding onto the arm of the chair.

"He's dead."

If you asked me what happened next, I couldn't tell you. Everything just blacked out for me. I was told later on that I fainted from shock.

**
Joseph Ryan stood outside of Natalia's hospital room. He hated the girl and her entire family. They were a nuisance, but that would be no more.

"Are you a relative of Miss Fuentes?"

"Yes of course." The Irish man sneered and pushed a roll of hundreds at the doctor. The doctor pocketed them and stared at the man.

"She's fine and healthy. So is her child."

"Child?" Joseph asked incredulously.

"She's pregnant."

"With Justin's child no less…" The Irish mob lord shook his head, thinking for a moment. "Abort it."

"Sir… I can't do that. There has to be consent of the woman…"

"Abort the pregnancy."

Another roll of money was handed to the doctor. He stared down at it and then back at Joseph. The doctor just nodded and went about prepping for the abortion.

Joseph Ryan just smiled to himself and headed into Justin's hospital room. He had been asking for Natalia, and Joseph had "gone" to look for her.

"Where is she?" Justin asked. He was tied up to IV's and a breathing machine.

Lucky for him there was no permanent damage. A few broken ribs, a ruptured artery, a significant amount of blood loss and a broken arm. Justin would recover quickly.

"She left."

"Where'd she go? Call her… I really want her with me."

"Natalia isn't coming back Justin."

"Is she okay?" The blue eyed man questioned nervously. He struggled to get out of his bed but Joseph pushed him back down.

"She ran away with her family. They're in hiding right now."

"What?! Why? NO! You have to find her!"

"Justin calm down…she left you a note…" Joseph reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.

Justin grabbed the paper from Joseph's hands and went about reading it to himself.

"Justin,
I'm sorry to have to do this in a letter, but it's the only way I can. It's over. I've realized that my family is more important than anything and their safety is imperative. Being with you would be a liability for them. I hope you understand. Thank you for the fun in the last few months. Take care of yourself. I know you will find happiness one day.
Thanks, Natalia."

Tears filled up in Justin's eyes and he looked away from the paper. Fun? She called their relationship, fun? How could she be so heartless…

But at the same time he understood. It was her family that she was protecting… but if she only knew that he would never bring harm to them. Even Andrew who tried to kill him.

"She left it in her apartment… I'm sorry Justin…"

"I want you to try and find her… please Joseph." Justin turned to look at Tommy's father. His face full of pain and heartbreak.

Lani walked into Justin's room and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Feelin' any better, hun?" She asked sweetly. Justin just shook his head at Joseph Ryan's fiancé. "Well you try to get better. I need to talk to Joseph."

Joseph and Lani walked out of the room leaving Justin to cry himself to sleep.

**
I woke up with the urge to throw up. I sat up in bed and raised my hand to my forehead. Ricky immediately walked in looking at me solemnly.

"What happened?" I asked and rubbed my temples.

Ricky said nothing, but sat on the edge of my hospital bed. He took my hand in his and smiled at me. I cocked my eyebrow at my best friend

"Ricky what the hell is going on?"

"Baby girl, do you remember anything?"

"Not really…"

"Think… what was the last thing you remember…"

I scratched my head, trying to think. I remembered waiting in the hospital to find out news about Justin…

Then it hit me… Justin was dead.

My eyes welled up with tears and I started to sob uncontrollably. I latched onto Ricky in the tightest hug.

"I remember that Justin died…" My tears poured all over my best friend’s shirt. He rubbed my back and held me close to him.

"It's okay to cry…"

"I want him back, Rick… I want him back with me."

My best friend didn't know to say. He just rocked me back and forth in his arms. That was when the doctor walked in. My head was in a tizzy and I just wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep forever.

"Miss Fuentes, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay… I feel a little nauseous…"

"That's normal though… loosing a child can have those after affects. The bleeding will subside as well after a few days."

"Loosing a child…?"

"Oh… you didn't know…" The Doctor stared at me. "You were pregnant and last night you miscarried…"

I started to sob again and Ricky just held me. I couldn't save Justin and I couldn't save my own child. I was worthless.

"Miss Fuentes, we just have to run some tests to make sure everything is alright and then we can let you out…"

I just nodded, not sure what was happening to me. Everything was just moving so fast that I was just left with confusion.

My life was ruined.