Chapter 12

A few minutes later the police showed up.  Justin, and Chris quickly explained what was happening and the cops took Link into custody, while another called for an ambulance for a still unconscious, Zoë.

A cop with some EMT experience, rushed to her side and took her pulse.  He then checked her eyes with his flashlight.  “What did she take?” he, asked JC who was still cradling her in his arms.

“That fucker slipped her two hits of Ecstasy in a glass of wine a couple hours ago.  Or at least that’s what he told us.” JC, told him.

“OK, well the ambulance should be here momentarily.  Just keep talking to her.” the officer told JC, and then walked back off to report the information to his fellow officers.

Justin, walked over and sat down next to JC.  Followed by Chris, who sat down on the other side of JC.  The two didn’t know what to say or do for their friend.  It was obvious JC was scared for Zoë’s life.  He wouldn’t let her go.  He just kept whispering into her ear.  Begging her to wake up, and not to leave him.
 

A few minutes later the ambulance pulled up.  Justin, and Chris jumped back out of the way when the paramedics came rushing through the door with a gurney.  But JC didn’t move, he wasn’t going to let her go until he absolutely had to.

The men took Zoë, from JC’s arms and placed her on the gurney.  One, started checking her vitals, as the other started rambling off questions to JC, who got to his feet and followed them out to the ambulance telling them everything he knew about Zoë’s past medical conditions, what Link had supposedly given her, and any allergies to medicine she had.

Once, they had her loaded into the back of the ambulance, JC climbed in and the other paramedic shut the door and then ran around to the front to drive her to the hospital.

While, Justin, and Chris hopped into Justin’s car, and followed them all the way there.
 

Once, at the hospital some doctors and nurses met the paramedics outside to rush Zoë into the ER.  JC, tried to follow them in, but was pushed back by a couple orderlies.

He started arguing with them that he had to go back with Zoë.  He was all the family she had.  A nurse seen how distraught he was and pulled him to the side to try to calm him down.  “Sir, you really need to calm down.  Only family members can go back with her and not until she’s stable.  You’ll have to wait.  I’m sorry.”

“But I’m the only family she has.  I need to be with her!” JC, protested.

“What do you mean you’re the only family she has?” the nurse, asked him.

“Her mom and dad were killed last year in a car accident.  She doesn’t have any brothers or sisters or any other immediate family in the area.  I’m all she has.”

The nurse eyed JC, closely.  She reorganized him from all the media coverage he and his friends were always getting in their local area.  And she had a teenage daughter so that helped.  She could see the fear in his eyes and it was apparent to her that JC cared a lot about the girl that was brought in.  “So you would be her?” she, asked.

“I’m her best friend.  We grew up together.  I’ve known her since we were kids.” JC, rambled.

Not exactly the answer she was looking for.  “So you would be her fiancé?” she asked.

JC, looked at her oddly.  “NO, I just told you I’m her best friend we grew up together.”

“Right, like I said you would be her fiancé, correct?” the nurse repeated, giving him a funny look.

JC, looked at her for a moment, and then realized what she was doing.  “Oh yeah. Yeah, I’m her fiancé!” he, stuttered.

“Great, you’ll be able to see her since you’re her fiancé.  However, not until they get her stable.  I’m sure everything will be fine.  If you’ll just go take a seat in the waiting room, I’ll come find you as soon as she’s able to have visitors.  Ok?” she, said trying to give JC a reassuring look.

“OK.  Thank you.” he, told her trying to give her an appreciative smile.

“Your welcome.  Now go sit, and try to calm down a bit.  I’m sure your friend will be fine.  I’ll come find you as soon as she’s been declared stable.” she, told him with a warm smile and then turned and disappeared behind the doors leading into the ER.

JC, retreated to the waiting room, where he found Justin and Chris sitting anxiously waiting.  When they seen JC walk through the doors to the waiting room they jumped up and rushed to him, but were annoyed to find he didn’t know anything yet.
 

About an hour later, the nurse that had promised to come find JC stepped into the waiting room.  The guys were lost in a conversation amongst their selves, and hadn’t noticed her.  She walked over to the three men and looked at JC.

“Mr. Chasez?” she, said to get his attention and JC looked up at her.  “Your fiancé is stable you can see her now.” she, smiled.

JC, jumped up out of his seat to follow the nurse, but Justin grabbed him by his arm and JC looked at him to see what he wanted.  “Your fiancé?”

“I’ll explain later.” JC, told him before pulling away and hurrying after the nurse who hadn’t realized he’d stopped, and was walking away quickly.

She led JC back into the ER, and down a long hallway.  Along, the way she advised him that Zoë, was stable and she had woken up, but was now sleeping again.  That the medicine they’d given her to counteract the drugs in her system would make her sleepy.  She then advised him that the doctors had pumped her stomach to be sure that nothing else had been given to her through her food.

JC, nodded taking in all the information the nurse was explaining to him.  And then she stopped in the doorway of a room.  “Try not to disturb her.  She needs her rest.” the, nurse told him as she gave him a little nudge to go on into the room, and then shut the door behind him.

JC, stood there momentarily just staring at Zoë laying in the hospital bed.  He suddenly felt even more guilty than he’d already been feeling.  Here she was with all the tubs connected to her.  IF he hadn’t come home drunk, and blown up at her the way he did none of this would have happened, he thought.

He shook his head as if to shake away the memories, trying to just be happy that she was ok. Then he pulled the chair up next to Zoë’s bed and sat down next to her.  He sat there for a few minutes just staring at her.  Watching her chest move up and down as she took in each breath and exhaled each breath.  He found himself being more thankful for the prayer God had granted him that night, than any other prayer he’d ever been granted.  His prayer to not take Zoë out of his life.
 

The doctors kept Zoë overnight for observation, but she was released the following morning.  JC, had stayed by her side all night long.  When she woke up in the middle of the night, they talked about all that had happened.  Both making their apologies to one another.

JC, apologizing again and again for how he’d acted that night.  For yelling at her and saying the mean things he’d said to her.  For kissing her like he did, so forcefully.  Zoë, apologizing for believing anything Link had told her over JC.

They assured each other that everything was ok.  Zoë, telling JC he was just drunk and not in his sanest moment, as she giggled about it.  Making a teasing joke, about his out of control hair that night.  And she told him she knew that he would never hurt her.  When she’d left that morning, it was only because she was angry and upset and just needed to get away for a while.  Until, he sobered up.

JC, told Zoë he understood why she believed Link.  He hadn’t set a very good example by acting the way he did.  And he understood that she was still lonely and vulnerable.  She wanted to believe Link, that she needed to believe him because she felt like she needed his love.  He went on to tell her how he’d been worried about that since she’d gotten there.  About all his fears about Justin and her at the beginning for that same reason.

They talked through everything, and when it came time for Zoë to be released the following morning they were both feeling very relieved.  And somewhat back to normal.

After Pam found out what had happened, she extended her stay in Florida to make sure that Zoë got home from the hospital ok.  She brought Zoë a fresh change of clothes, to go home from the hospital in.

JC, wanted to take her home from the hospital, but after much pushing from Zoë, Pam and the other guys they all determined it would be better if he wasn’t there.  It would only add more fuel to the already out of control blaze.

The media had gotten wind of Justin, JC, and Chris’ involvement in the arrest that night.  And were swarming the hospital trying to get the story.  IF it were just Pam, and Zoë leaving they wouldn’t know any different.

They didn’t have any pictures of Zoë, and the hospital allowed her to use a false name so they couldn’t find out who she was or what room she was in.  As far as the media knew when her and Pam were leaving she was just any other patient leaving the hospital.

So Pam took Zoë back home to JC’s house, where he and the other guys along with Kelly and Britney were all waiting on her.  Throwing her a bit of a Welcome Home / Get Well Soon party.

They all sat around talking for a couple hours, enjoying some cake and punch as if it were a birthday party.  And then Zoë retreated to her room still being very tired.
 

A couple weeks had passed since the whole ordeal.  Zoë, left her job at Universal due to all the media coverage that was going on.  And she didn’t feel comfortable going back there after all that had taken place.

JC, had been in and out of town with the guys working on promotional stuff.  So Zoë, spent her time just lagging around the house mostly.  Every now and then going out with Kelly for lunch, or to go shopping.

The media coverage was starting to pick back up again though because of Link’s court appearances.  And the media had obtained pictures of Zoë, from her performances at Universal.  So it was just easier for her to stay home rather than go out and deal with the mess.  But when she did go out, it was seen to that she had security with her to prevent the press from hounding her to death.

Since, she had such close ties with JC and the guys of Nsync.  And because of the fact that three fifths of the group had been present that night, just made the media coverage blow even further out of proportion.

Lance, teased Zoë that if she really wanted a career as an actress she’d have to get used to the scandal sooner or later.  And she figured he was right, but why push it when it’s not necessary just yet.

Zoë, JC, Justin, and Chris were all called to testify against Link in court.  Zoë, wasn’t of much use since she was drugged for the most part during the events.  But the medical records and the guys testimony as to what happened, and Link’s blackmail attempts was enough to put him behind bars for a couple years.