Guarded: Sequal to Broken

Twenty-Nine

"Chris is out of surgery and in recovery, also in the ICU, just forewarning you. They are investigating the crash as a deliberate attempt to harm thanks to our information. I will call the phone company as soon as we hang up to have your number taken off indefinite hold. I'll message you as soon as it's done."

"Thank you. And thank you for warning me Chris is in ICU. That could have been a mess to stumble across."

"As soon as he is healed they will extradite him back to Seattle where we can continue our case against him, as well as have his previous offences reinstated. He may also be tried by Austin City Police or Texas State Law for the accident he caused and the DUI. In other words. We won. He will never be given a chance to walk away from prison again."

"A true relief. Thank you."

"Keep me updated as you are able. I know you will carry a large burden for that information relay until he is out of ICU, but when you can."

"I will. Thank you, Howard."

"Bye." I drop the phone, taking a deep cleansing breath. Chris is no longer a threat, that weight off my shoulders feels nice. Now to encourage Calum back to health and move on with our lives.

My phone starts ringing again after about forty-five minutes of impatient silence, Sam's temporary contact on the screen.

"Hey." I sigh as I answer, collecting myself.

"Maddie! What are the saying? Are you with Cal? Is he okay?" Multiple voices fire questions quickly.

"I'm waiting for him. He will be in the ICU for at least 24 hours. He's in bad shape, but healable shape. I'll explain all his injuries after I get to see him, there are a lot of them. I'll come down there, don't worry. He's alive, he should stay that way, and Chris is officially not going to ever be a problem again. He is also up here in the ICU though, so that's scary as fuck."

"How bad of shape, Mads?" I frown as I hear the worry in Luke's voice.

"Like seven broken bones, large abdominal surgery, concussion, it's a mess. He will not be playing bass for a long while. If that's what you really need to know. He physically can't."

"Ya, we assumed tour would be ending early. The fans will understand. Just, give him our love. And then give us a full report as soon as you can pull yourself away. So we can get it to management and they can put out a press statement before the show tomorrow night." Luke sounds defeated.

"I'm so sorry, guys. I left so something like this wouldn't happen." I glance down as my other phone buzzes, Howard letting her know it's back on.

"Maddie, please don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault. He posted that photo to entice Chris, to make him make his move. You are not at fault. Calum knew what he was getting into by doing what he did. We all knew Chris was capable of this. Just, tell him we are all rooting for him, please." Michael pleas, his voice cracking slightly.

"I will. And hey, my old number is back on. So you can text or call me there now. I'll be down in a while. I need to call his family."

"Let us do that, Mads, you focus on him. We'll figure out how to get his family here and tell them what's going on." Ashton almost sounds authoritative as he offers.

"Shit." I mumble as I glance up to see Calum's beautiful tattooed arm laying over a blue blanket on the bed being wheeled towards me.

"What?" Sam panics.

"Cal's being brought in. He. He looks so helpless." I whisper, my eyes scanning over the large tube down his throat, all the scrapes and cuts on his beautiful face, part of his hair shaved off where they put stitches in just behind his temple. His right arm wrapped in a soft cast, and judging by the larger lump under the covers, I assumes his right leg is wrapped in the same. He looks so broken, so beautiful, yet so broken.