Chapter Six

"How's she doing today?" Lance asked the nurse in charge of Rachel's care during the day shift.

Carrie closed the patient file she was making notations in and looked up at Lance. She smiled warmly seeing not only Michael but two others with him. Judging by the similar looks she assumed they were Rachel's and Lance's parents. "She's good. After a packed morning, she's been sleeping since lunch."

"Packed?" Lance questioned. He had hated sneaking out that morning before Rachel had woken but their parents had called with their flight information. Before heading to the airport he had swung home to eat and shower. Michael had decided to ride along. He frowned wondering who had visited his sister.

"Relax," Carrie smiled. "Security chased reporters away. There's a tight list on who gets in to see Rachel. Megan was with her or out here on her phone making phone calls. I got tired from just watching her work and I'm a nurse! Ben made a short appearance. Then your friend, JC was with her all morning. Such a nice man. Beautiful flowers he brought too. Before he left, he gave Sarah money to get a vase. Embarrassed that he didn't think of it."

"JC was here?" Lance asked shocked.

"Oh yeah. The whole morning. I went to check on her but saw them both scribbling away on those dry erase boards Megan brought. Rachel was smiling; happy. I didn't want to interrupt."

Lance was miffed. His eyes met Michael's, who just shrugged. He had no idea JC was planning to visit his sister. 'And bring her flowers. Interesting.'

"Good catch that one," Carrie continued, talking about JC. "Better than the one she's with in my opinion. He hasn't brought her flowers," She cringed. "I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect."

Michael chuckled at the nurse. He was happy he wasn't the only one who thought Ben was a loser.

Lance smiled at the nurse. "It's alright. Beginning to see he's not all that great myself." His mind was still on JC's visit and he fought to push that to the back. He shook his head. "Carrie, I'd like you to meet my parents," he motioned toward his parents. "James and Diane Bass. Mom, Dad this is Carrie. She's Rachel's nurse during the day shift."

"Hello," Carried smiled as she shook both Diane's and James' hand. "It's nice to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances. I know you must be anxious to see your daughter and Lance here has probably filled you in on her condition but I can answer any questions you may have."

"What's wrong?" Michael asked when Lance moved away from Carrie as his parents' asked their questions.

"I'm not sure," Lance said. "I just wonder if I've missed something for the past two years."

"Ben?" Michael watched as Lance nodded. "I know. He was actually weird yesterday. I tried to pass it off as he was just worried about Rachel, but I don't think it was."

Lance looked passed Michael toward his parents. They were still occupied with Carrie. He tugged on Michael's hand moving him a couple steps further from the small gathering at the nurse's station. "I told you JC didn't have a good thing to say about Ben last night when he text. Well I got a text from Megan saying she needs to talk to me about Ben. Now Carrie... I just wonder what I've missed."

"It's not your fault Lance," Michael told his boyfriend. "If he's a jerk, we both missed it. We haven't really been around him a lot. Usually when we see Rachel she's alone."

"That should have tipped me off," he sighed. He waved his parents on when they looked at him after they finished talking with Carrie. Taking Michael's hand he led him down the hall passed Rachel's room to a small break room. There was a table with four chairs gathered around and a couch. Along one wall was a counter with a sink, coffee maker and microwave. At the end of the counter was a white fridge. Lance sat on the couch, pulling Michael down next to him.

Digging his phone from his pocket, Lance ignored the unread emails and text messages. To access Megan's last text; a text he had yet to reply to. 'What's up? What's going on?' He knew it would probably be easier if he called Megan, but he hated talking on the phone.

'Just sent you an email. Too much to text.'

"That doesn't sound good," Michael said reading her text.

Lance agreed with his boyfriend as another text from Megan came through.

'You'll have to ask JC what happened when he went to talk to Rachel. Ben wasn't too happy when he left.'

"You going to ask JC?"

Lance nodded already pulling up JC's name in his texts. 'What happened with Ben today?' It was only a few seconds later when his phone buzzed with JC's reply. He laughed and shook his head.

"What did he say?" Michael asked leaning over to look at Lance's phone.

"Wanted to know what Rachel said." Lance told Michael as he texted JC again. 'Nothing. I haven't seen her today. Parents are with her right now. Megan is emailing me something about Ben and mentioned you could add more? What happened?'

It took a minute or two before Lance's phone buzzed with JC's incoming text. 'He's a prick." Lance blinked at the language JC used. JC never cussed much but when he did it always caught Lance by surprise.

"I can see this is going to be a lovely conversation," Michael said reading JC's text. "Is that the only comment he's making?"

"I don't..." Lance was interrupted when his cell phone buzzed multiple times. JC had typed a lot.

'Matt text last night said Ben was partying it up at Avalon all night. Said girls all over him and he didn't go home alone Not the first time I've heard that gossip from people but this time it was from Matt.''

"That fucking bastard," Lance forced the words through his clenched jaw. "He better hope I don't see him."

The same sentiments went through Michael's head as well. There was always talk of people cheating in Hollywood. No one ever took them seriously. He heard the rumors about Ben, same as Lance, but they both brushed them off. Rachel never voiced any worries and they never saw anything that led them to believe otherwise.

'He was with Rachel when I walked into the room. Could tell Rachel was irritated. Frustrated. I saw one of the messages she had wrote to him.'

'Pisses me off just thinking about it now. He didn't use the damn board. The whole time he was talking to her like she could hear and understand. Bastard.'

'Then he tries to get me to leave saying how she needed to rest. He didn't want me there. When I called him out about Avalon he completely changed. Laughing trying to act all buddy buddy with me.'

'What a dick.'

'Trying to write to Rachel and talk to him, which was making Rachel mad because we were talking and she didn't know what about. When he saw that I wasn't buying his act, he then reminded me who Rachel was sleeping with. He didn't like the comment I made and left.'

'Real piece of work.'

Reading the rest of JC's texts did nothing to soothe Lance's anger. If anything it made him angrier. How could he have been completely snowballed by Ben? How could he have not seen passed the laidback, friendly exterior Ben presented? "I wish I had been here when Ben stopped by."

"If you were here, he wouldn't have acted like this," Michael told him. He was almost afraid to see the email Megan was sending. "He knows out of all the people in Rachel's life he needs to be on your good side. Out of everyone you have the pull with her to get her to change her mind or do something."

"I don't have that much pull," Lance muttered.

"Right," Michael laughed. "You know very well you can get Rachel to do anything."

"She listens to me, that's all."

"Exactly. You tell Rachel Ben is a jerk; she's going to listen to you and dump him. Ben is smart in that aspect; he knew to stick around he had to be friends with you." He took Lance's hand and entwined their fingers. "You're not the only one he fooled. He fooled me too."

"What pisses me off the most?" Lance looked up from his phone to stare at Michael. The warm chocolate eyes of his boyfriend calmed him. He squeezed Michael's hand. It was hard to believe at the end of the month they'd hit their two year anniversary. Sometimes Lance thought they'd been together for much longer than two years. Never had he been with someone who made him this happy. "All those rumors we brushed off as just people trying to stir up something were more than likely true."

The buzzing of Lance's phone interrupted before Michael had a chance to reply. He leaned closer to Lance, keeping their hands together as Lance went into his mail and opened up the email from Megan.

~*~

"Oh," Diane gasped as she saw her youngest child. She felt James place a comforting hand on her back. Lance had filled them in on Rachel's appearance but it was still startling to see.

"It will fade," James told his wife. He was a little choked up. Nothing could prepare him seeing his little girl looking so small in a hospital bed. Her blonde hair lay limp on the pillow. Blues, blacks and purples covered her swollen face. She looked nothing like his little girl. "All that matter's is she's alive."

"Yes," Diane said and moved across the room placing her purse down on the table. She smiled seeing the bright pink and white flowers in the glass face. Their fragrance was strong and heavenly. She couldn't help herself as she leaned down pressing her nose against the silk blossoms. "JC sure did a good job picking out these flowers."

"Always liked that boy," James stood next to Rachel's bed, staring at his little girl. His heart had nearly stopped when Lance had called with the news. He smiled softly seeing the Teddy Bear nestled at her side. There were many instances in his head of a very young Rachel doing the same thing. She always had to have a Teddy Bear to sleep with. They had filled her room. She had dozens upon dozens.

James watched as Rachel moved. He reached out, slowly taking her hand. He smiled softly when her eyes blinked open. Tears filled his eyes when he saw Rachel's eyes water. Squeezing her hand he looked over his shoulder, spying the two dry erase boards and markers on the table.

Diane grabbed the items quickly moving to the bed. She smiled down at her daughter. She placed her hand on top of her husband's, squeezing both their hands. Uncapping the black marker she wrote a message to Rachel. 'Hey sweetie. How are you feeling?'

Rachel shifted in the bed grimacing slightly. She gave a small smile when she saw her mother's second message. 'Take it easy.' Rachel grabbed the pink marker. 'Mom! Dad! When did you get here?'

'Just a few minutes ago.' Diane wrote. 'Lance and Michael picked us up.'

Rachel looked around the room but her parents were the only ones in the room. While she had been sleeping, she had gotten the feeling Lance was near. She was disappointed to see she was wrong. Being able to tell when Lance was near when she couldn't hear put her at ease.

'He's outside talking with Michael.' Diane wrote seeing her daughter's face. 'I'm sure he'll be in soon. How are you feeling? You had us so worried.'

James took the marker from his wife writing below her words. 'Your mom nearly broke my hand holding it so tight on the plane ride here. Felt like I was back in the delivery room.'

Rachel giggled reading the words. She loved her parents. 'I'm okay. I think they are taking the chest tube out tomorrow. I hope so anyway. As for everything else...pain meds. I don't even want to see a mirror.'

'Oh stop. You're still beautiful.' Diane wrote. She reached out fingers her daughter's blonde strands. 'We aren't the only ones who think so either judging by the beautiful flowers you got.'

'The red blends nicely with the blue and black.' James wrote as his daughter blushed.

Rachel groaned. She felt her face flush with the heat from a blush and had hoped with the bruising her parent's wouldn't be able to see it. Apparently her wish wasn't granted. 'JC was just being JC.'

Diane smiled but let the topic go. Right now wasn't the time to discuss her daughter's feelings especially when she was dating someone else. She bristled at the fact. Ben certainly hadn't gained any points today. Not only was he not here - where he should be - but there were no flowers, card, stuffed animal of any kind with his name. 'Stacy and Ford wanted to come so bad but they couldn't get away. Plus with the kids...'

'It's alright. I understand. When you talk to them send my love.' Rachel knew it would be hard for her older sister and brother-in-law to drop everything to come to California. Not only did they both have jobs but there were three children to deal with who not only had school but various after school activities.

"Oh that reminds me," Diane spoke and handed the board off to her husband before she went back to her purse.

'Before picking us up at the airport, Lance and Michael stopped by the impound lot where your car is.' James explained while his wife dug through her purse. 'They cleaned it out for you'

Rachel was relived hearing that. Impound lots weren't too trustworthy and things disappeared. She didn't keep much in her car but there were a few things she didn't want stolen. She grinned when she saw her mother produce the black phone. 'My phone!'

'Surprised you lasted this long without it,' James teased. 'You young people. Leighton can use one of those better than I can.'

'I'm sorry," she giggled thinking of some of the garbled texts she had received from her father. It had been a hoot trying to decipher what he had meant to say.

'Lance charged it for you in the car but he doesn't have a wall charger for you. We'll get you one.' Diane wrote after she handed the phone to her daughter.

'There are probably a lot of messages.' Rachel wrote. She sat the phone down. Responding to messages would give her something to do later when she was alone. 'I wonder if there is a speak-to-text option on here? That would be easier. You guys can talk and my phone could catch it so I can read.'

'There might be something. I know you can do that for your text messages.' Diane wrote. 'Something to look in to. Lance or Michael might know of something.'

'If I have that then I know what people are saying when they still talk in front me.' Rachel saw the look pass between her parents. 'It's like all the insecurities you've ever had come back. They could be discussing the weather but you think it's about you. And it's never anything good.'

'Who is doing this?' James wrote. He felt his anger build seeing what his daughter was writing. He wanted to find out who disregarded Rachel's injuries and kept on talking even after knowing she couldn't hear. It was completely disrespectful.

'Sweetie?' Diane reached out taking her daughter's hand giving his a squeeze. 'Talk to us baby.'

Rachel blew out her breath and closed her eyes; early emotions came back. How she felt lying in bed seeing Ben's mouth move but no way to understand. How it felt watching Ben and Megan talk, then Ben and JC. She knew it wasn't fair to allow no one to talk around her. JC and Megan didn't do it on purpose but Ben... Ben had totally ignored the fact that she couldn't hear; like she faking.

When she opened her eyes she saw her parent's worried expressions. She sent them a small smile trying to appease them. It didn't work. If anything they grew more worried. Rachel cleared her board and started writing. 'I don't think my relationship with Ben is going to last very much longer. I know I shouldn't make such a decision after everything and I'm on the influence of very good drugs. But seeing him yesterday and today... I don't think he's the man I thought he was. He' She stopped writing and looked at the door. A couple seconds later, Lance and Michael walked through.

"Unbelievable," Diane whispered to James seeing the connection between their twins. It never ceased to amaze her.

The smile on Rachel's face faltered when she saw the anger rolling off not only Lance's face but Michael's as well. She opened her mouth and barely caught herself before speaking.

"Another reason to hate that asshole," Lance spoke watching as his sister quickly close her mouth without speaking. The words from Megan's email were still fresh on his mind. His was boiling with anger; could never recall a time in his life where he had been this angry.

"Lance," Diane scolded her son.

"I will not apologize for calling Ben an asshole. That bastard... if you could have heard what he said. I would never even let you read the things he said about me, Michael..." he broke off when his mother held up her hand pointing toward the bed. Lance dropped his gaze to his sister. Rachel's eyes were closed. His heart clenched when he saw a tear track from the corner of her eyes leading down to her hair.

"We were just discussing how she feels when people have a conversation in front of her."

His mother could still chastise him with just a look. He felt like a heel. Worse. He had just been doing what Ben had earlier. He was no better. Lance moved to Rachel's bed side. Before he took her hand, he read the pink words on Rachel's board. He wanted to know what else she was going to say.

"Crazy thing happened," James spoke watching his son. "She was in the middle of writing, stopped, and looked at the door. Two seconds later, you walked in."

Lance accepted the dry erase board his mother held out. Looking at his sister he frowned still seeing her eyes closed. Uncapping the marker he wrote a message to his sister. 'I'm sorry. Forgive me and I'll introduce you to Joey McIntyre.' He sat down on the bed and reached for Rachel's hand. He gave it a squeeze making a face when she stubbornly kept her eyes shut. He squeezed her hand again, keeping the pressure this time.

Rachel opened her eyes looking into the same pair of green eyes that stared back at her in the mirror. She could read the apology in his eyes. Her gaze dropped to the board he held and she chuckled softly reading. At the beginning of the NSYNC years whenever she'd get mad at Lance, he'd always say 'forgive me and I'll introduce you to Joey McIntyre'. Joey had been her celebrity crush. In today's world, Joey had been her Justin Bieber. When NSYNC hit it big, Lance still used the line. The funny part was she never met Joey until after NSYNC when Lance did Dancing with the Stars

With her left hand Rachel reached for her board. She stared at the wording she had written before Lance walked in. Sighing she erased the words. Lance squeezed her hand again and she met his eyes.

'I'm sorry Rachel. I really am.'

'Just don't do it again.'

Lance grinned.

'What are you and Michael pissed off about?'

Lance looked over his shoulder at Michael. Turning back he meet his sister's questioning gaze. 'What were you saying earlier to Mom and Dad? About Ben?'

'He was being a jerk. He was yelling at me. I don't know what he was saying. Megan was only able to write he wanted to know why I was going to the police. Then after she left, he still wouldn't use the board. The whole time he was carrying on and I had no idea what he was saying. He wasn't happy when JC arrived. I don't know what they were saying either. That happened a lot today.'

Lance frowned. 'I said I was sorry.'

Rachel reached for Lance's hand giving it a quick squeeze before letting it go to scrawl another message. 'I know. It's okay. I know you were talking to Mom and Dad. It's different. He was talking to me and he didn't care that I couldn't hear him. I don't know. I just think he's not who I thought he was.'

"Knock knock," Ben spoke as he opened up the door. Four heads turned immediately while one lagged behind. He kept the smile on his face. Each time he saw Rachel he hoped her hearing would be restored. The sooner that happened the sooner she could get plastic surgery to correct the scars the accident will no doubt leave behind. Once that happened she could finish out her tour. He hoped he could talk her out of taking the next year off. With the accident, people will be flocking to her shows and buying her music, she needed to keep hitting it. "Mr. and Mrs. Bass; what a lovely surprise. I didn't know you were coming. Rachel didn't mention it earlier when I was here."

"We just got here this afternoon," Diane smiled politely. She noticed both Lance and Michael tense when Ben walked in. She wondered what he had done to anger both men.

"How's my angel?" Ben turned his attention to Rachel keeping a hand behind his back.

Lance felt Rachel squeeze his hand. Seeing this happened first hand made him angry. Ben gave no care to the boards. He just spoke to Rachel like she would hear him and answer. "Why are you talking?"

"She can't hear you and has no idea what you are saying." Michael spoke. He wanted to wipe the smile off Ben's face with his fist. He saw movement coming from the bed and looked down seeing Rachel writing. 'What's behind his back?' It was then he noticed Ben had yet to reveal his hand. "Rachel wants to know what you are hiding?"

"You a mind reader now?"

"No Dipshit," Michael snapped; his temper hanging by a thread. "She just asked." He reached down and held up Rachel's board; the question in pink.

"Well," Ben grinned. He could feel the iciness radiating from both Lance and Michael. JC's earlier words came back. 'Trust me when I say you won't have Lance fooled for long.' He didn't put it past JC to run and immediately spread lies to Lance to try and come between them. Seeing how JC looked at Rachel, Ben knew JC wanted her. 'That won't happen,' he thought. "I realized I was a little remiss in my boyfriend duties when I was here earlier. I spent all afternoon looking for the best flowers I could find."

Rachel was growing frustrated. Ben was talking and she had no idea what he was saying. She looked up and caught Michael's eye. His hand was scribbling across the board. He winked at her before turning it around. 'I'm a jerk and a bastard. I was upstaged by another male - a better looking one - and to stake my claim I must outdo what JC has done because I know if we laid 'em out I would find myself incredibly lacking. As I passed by the gift shop downstairs, I saw a sale on yesterday's flowers. It's the thought that counts right?'

Rachel couldn't help it. She laughed. Her chest hurt as the laughter bubbled forth. She squeezed Lance's hand hard against the pain and wrapped her left arm across her abdomen. When she thought she was done, she thought of Michael's words and giggled some more.

"What on earth..." Diane said glancing at James before looking at her daughter.

"I don't think I've ever seen her laugh like this," James said.

"JC used to be able to send her into giggles like this," Lance felt his anger melt away listening to Rachel laugh. "Half the time we never knew what they were laughing about but they'd both start giggling like this and have a hard time stopping. Sometimes I think they'd be laughing at the other laughing."

"What did you say to her?" Ben bristled.

"Nothing," Michael laughed. Rachel's laughter was infectious. You couldn't help but laugh with her. "Sucks not being in on the conversation don't it? Now you know how she feels every time she sees your mouth move but doesn't hear the words."

Lance snickered at Michael's words. He wanted to know what Michael had written to send Rachel into a fit of laughter. Listening to her laugh had brought back memories of being on the road touring. Rachel with them. He was jealous at times when Rachel and JC would break out laughing. Sometimes he would feel left out that he wasn't in on the joke.

No one was paying attention to him. The anger was building as Ben listened to Rachel laugh. It wouldn't be long before everyone realized she could speak. Then they would know that he told her not to speak because she sounded stupid. Even know her laugh wasn't normal but he must have been the only one to notice because everyone else in the room was smiling at each other like it was the greatest sound in the world. His fist tightened on the flowers behind his back; eyes rolled to the table behind James and Diane. He curled his lip seeing the pink and white expensive looking flowers in a pristine glass vase. He wanted to through the vase against the wall smashing it into a million tiny pieces. He wanted to stomp on the flowers until they lay broken and wilted on the floor. He wanted to take the childish Teddy Bear from its place next to her on the bed and rip all the stuffing out. He needed to leave before his anger got out of control.

Pulling the flowers from behind his back he rolled his eyes. He didn't see what the big deal was with flowers. In a couple days they'd be dead. Big deal. Cash or jewelry was more his thing. Something he could proudly show off. He stared at the Teddy Bear on the bed. 'Childish,' he sneered at it. "When she's finished laughing like a moron, tell her these are from me." He tossed the flowers down on the bed. They landed on Rachel's chest.

Rachel hiccupped. Tears rolled out of both corners; tears of both laughter and pain. Laughing had taxed her chest and pain was starting to set in. She felt the movement on her chest and opened her eyes. Upon seeing the flowers her eyes widened in terror. Frantic eyes shot to Lance. She gripped his hand tightly even as she felt her throat begin to swell. She gasped for breath.

Lance grabbed the roses and launched them away from his sister. They smacked against the wall and fell to the floor.

"Hey!" Ben shouted. "What's the big idea!"

"Look at me," Lance spoke to Rachel. His eyes felt as wide as his sister's and he fought to keep from going hysterical. "Breathe," he said. He held her hand tight in his and cupped her cheek lightly with the other. "Keep looking at me."

Diane slapped the call button but that didn't settle her. She ran around the bed and to the door. She didn't spare Ben a single glance. Throwing the door open she shouted for help.

"What's wrong?" Carrie rushed down the hall.

"Anaphylactic shock," Diane felt tears well in her eyes. She could hear Rachel gasping for breath behind her and Lance's and James's voices as they continued talking to her.

"What happened?" Ben asked dumbly as Rachel's room filled with commotion as nurses rushed in.

"What happened!" Lance fisted Ben's shirt slamming him against the wall. "She's allergic to fucking roses! Are you trying to kill her!"

"I didn't know!"

"How could you not know!" Michael shouted. "It's posted on fan sites and in interviews. Even the most casual fan knows she's allergic to roses!"

"I didn't know!" Ben repeated.

"Maybe if you'd stop diddling with the young actor groupies you'd know!"

"Please," Carrie raised her voice to be heard over the yelling. "I'm going to have to ask you all to leave.

"Oh," Diane gasped. She looked at her daughter lying in bed, her eyes closed in sleep. Her breathing was ragged. The machine monitoring her readings beeped in warning. The numbers were high.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Bass;" Carrie frowned sympathetically. She hated to kick them out - James and Diane especially, but her patient came first. Right now none of them being here was helping her patient.

"She'll be okay?" James asked, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders.

Carrie nodded, "She'll be fine, Mr. Bass. We'll keep a close eye on her. She just needs rest. The doctor is coming by to check on her; check her chest tube. With her gasping for breath and sudden movements, she could have injured her rib even more."

"You're not helping us leave by saying this," Lance let go of Ben turning his attention to Carrie.

"I'm sorry. I listened to her lungs and they sound the same as they did this morning when I listened to them. As a precautionary, Dr. Martin might send her for another chest x-ray just to make sure. If that happens," she spoke over their voices. "I will call you. Please. Rachel needs her rest. It is the best thing for her right now."

"Can we come back?" Diane asked.

"I'm sorry but she needs her rest. It's the best thing for her right now." Carrie shook her head as Ben slipped from the room. "Go home, relax; eat supper. I promise I will call you if anything changes. I can pretty much assure you that Dr. Martin will up Rachel's pain meds today and she will sleep for the rest of the day." She watched as each family member kissed Rachel and said their goodbyes before gathering their things.

Lance picked up the dry erase board. The words Michael had written brought a smile to his face. He cleared the words before writing his own in black ink. 'Got kicked out. You need your rest. If you need any of us before then, give Carrie hell. Love you' He left the board where Rachel read it. In the happenings, the Teddy Bear had fallen to the ground. He leaned down and picked it up. He brushed it off before placing it next to his sister on the bed. He was the last person to leave the room.

When he stepped into the hall his parents were talking with Carrie. He walked up in mid conversation.

"Everyone will know about her allergies," Carried told James and Diane. "It will be posted in her chart and on her door. We won't take any chances of roses slipping into her room. As soon as you guys leave, we're going to exchange her bedding and mop the floor."

"You'll call us if anything changes?" Diane asked.

"I promise." Carrie reached out, grasping Diane's hand. She squeezed it lightly. "I will call you immediately. I would ask you not to worry, but I know you will regardless. But your daughter is in safe hands. Go home, relax. Think of things to bring Rachel. Her own comfortable clothes, brush and something to tie her hair back with. A notebook, coloring book, crayons, a book. She's going to be here for a few days and it does get boring."

Carrie watched the Bass family walk down the hall. She hated sending them away but it was the best thing for Rachel right now. She needed to rest and the tension between Lance, Michael and Ben was not going to help that cause. When the family stepped out of sight, Carrie turned away and went to tend to her patient.