From the airport, I immediately find a taxi and they drive me to the hospital. It's almost 1 A.M., and I am exhausted. The Wild lost their game against the Coyotes 3-2. I pay the driver quickly and run into the hospital. Running to the front desk, I ask where Noah would be, and I have to go up to the third floor in the east wing.

Walking into the general surgery wing, I go up to the Nurse's station. A small, middle aged woman with red hair and freckles all over her face. She wear nurses scrubs with a floral print, and her name tag says Kelsi.

"Oh, you're Kelsi. You called me this morning about Noah Smith. I came as soon as I could".

"You're Miss Adams, right?" I nod to her. "Well, Noah Smith is in surgery right now to fix some internal bleeding close to his lungs. He went in about two hours ago, he should be out within the next two hours. I can show you to his room while you wait, if you would like".

I think for a minute, but I'm too flustered and worried to think quickly. "Uh, not right now. I think I need to go over to his apartment. I'll be back in like an hour, before he gets back. Would that be okay?" She nods her head. I walk away and back out of the hospital. Waving a another taxi down, I tell them the name of Noah's apartment building and he takes me the few blocks to it.

The elevator ride seems way too slow, so I take the chance to call Cole. He told me to call him whenever I knew more, no matter what time it was, but it's only midnight there in Minnesota. It rings and rings. On the last ring, he picks up.

"Hello?" He must have been asleep. He sound groggy.

"Uh, hey. It's Meredith. So, I was just at the hospital. The nurse that called me this morning was at the desk and she said he was in surgery fixing internal bleeding in his chest. He'll be out in at least two hours. Since I have my bag, I figured I come to his apartment and make sure everything is okay here, then I'll head straight back, making sure Ill be there before he comes back".

"Oh, okay", Cole pauses. "So, I was talking to Coach earlier about letting me go out there to see him, and he said no, unless I wanted to be benched for the rest of the season, which everyone else has said that that can't happen if we're going into the playoffs in April. I'm sorry Mere. I really wish I could go out there".

The elevator door opens and I rummage through my bag to find my set of Keys into Noah's apartment. I unlock the door, and everything is quiet. I haven't thought what say to Cole. I just stand in the doorway and look around. Tears start to form in my eyes. "Why is this happening?"

"No body knows why it happens. It just does, and we need to try and get through it. Noah will be okay within the next few weeks, then I will let him kick our butts in a game in the playoffs", he always tries to make me laugh, and it always works. "So, you do your thing at his place, then text me when he comes back from surgery. Tell him I'm thinking of him, and that I'll call soon".

I hang up the phone and lug my bag into my room. I change into something that doesn't smell like an airplane, and brush my teeth because I can tell my breath stinks. I pack my work bag with an extra pair of clothes, my toothbrush, and a hair brush. Plus, a sweatshirt of Noah's that I had taken from him in junior year of high school.

Making my way back into the hospital, I do my best to find my way without looking for a map, and I'm soon successful. Kelsi sits at the desk. She looks up at me. "Hello again Miss. Do want me to show you his room?" I nod, and she gets up from the rolling chair.

Kelsi leads me down a hallway, then turns left into another hallway. She motions me in and I look around. "If you need anything, like blankets or sheets or pillows, press this little button", she points at a small button, that looks like a doorbell, on the wall next to the door. I nod and she leaves.

The space where the bed should be is empty. I drop my bag in the corner next to a wardrobe, and sit in a chair in the corner. I slip into a sleeping state, though I can still hear the echoes of everything in the hallway. I listen to the clock on the wall above the doorway. This room reminds me of when Cole was in the hospital a few years ago. I would wait in his room and count the tics of the clock.

I wake myself when I hear wheels coming down the hall. I sit up straight as the sounds become more clear. The bed is stopped in front of the door, then is turned and pushed into the room. I stand up quickly and watch as the nurses situate the bed in it's space. Then, they walk out and the doctor walks in.

I can't at anything else then the scene in front of me. Noah. He has a tube down his throat and cuts and bruises all over his face and arms.

I'm so sorry I wasn't here, Noah.