The  US Leg of the tour had taken off like wild fire, and was vastly approaching the end. After that there was the European leg. Which would take all summer. Thank God they were in LA for the last few nights of the tour. All the guys were tired and needed a much deserved break. There would be one, a 7 day stretch to let them catch their breath before heading off to England and Scotland. 

Michael and Lance were already at home with the twins, as was Justin with Jess and his boys. JC and Jen were heading out in the morning to FLorida to visit family. And Chris was on a plane back to Nashville to spend some time with NAsh and Karly before picking back up in New York. Joey and his wife Kendra and their menagerie were on their way to Florida in a few days, but were currently in the condo that Joey had bought during the pandemic In LA.

******

Joey sat up on the side of the bed, Looking at the clock on his phone. It read, 3:30am...Ken felt the bed shift and turned over.

" Babe, You ok?" She wondered out loud. He shook his head yes, and stood up  heading for the only light in the room that came from the bathroom door. 

" I'm Fine. " He said as he moved away from the bed.

She rolled back over and closed her eyes. A few seconds later, she heard a loud thud. She shot up out of the bed. " Joe?"She said into the darkness of their bedroom. No response. She got up and ran to the bathroom door, pushing it open. He opened just inches away from his head. 

There he laid on the floor in front of her on his side. He was already grey. She automatically went into. Nurse mode, Dropping to her knees and turning him onto his back." Joey....Wake up. " She shook his shoulders, no response. She checked his carotid for a pulse. Nothing. 

On Auto pilot she called 911.

" 911 what's your emergency?" The dispatcher asked into the phone.

" My Husband passed out , He has no pulse or respirations. I think He may have had a heart attack. "

" There is a unit in route now. 3 minutes out." The dispatcher replied. 

" Please hurry. " Kendra screamed into the phone, dropping it on the floor still on and starting compressions on him. " Xander!!!" She screamed, and her son appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. " Mom....What the hell is... Joey?" 

" Stay by the door and let the paramedics in when they get here."  Kendra ordered, Giving Joey rescue breaths between compressions. Xander did what he was asked to do, and went into the living room and turned on the lights. Minutes later the there was a knock on the door. He answered it and let the paramedics into the condo. 

" My mom and stepdad are in the bathroom." he said leading them into the. Master bedroom .

There they took out their gear and began to work on Joey. He was still pale, but no longer grey. After intubating him and oontinuing compressions for a few minutes they finally got a rhythm, and loaded him onto the gurney. 

" Where are you taking him?" Kendra asked, 

" Ceaders Mamn." The lead paramedic replied, as they rolled the gurney out of the bathroom and into the living room. Where Kaden had been woken up by the commotion..He screamed," No Where is JOEY going?" And ran up to the gurney. He gripped Joey's hand.  

" Kade, We have to let them take him to the hospital."  Xander said, removing  Kaden from their path so they could take Joey to the ambulence

It was then that Kendra heard the baby's screams from their bedroom. She had completly forgotten about Dante. She ran back into the bedroom and picked him up out of his crib. Holding him close to her body.

" Mom,come on, get dressed. I'm driving to the hospital."  Xander said, shattering what little train of thought she had left at this point. . They all threw on some clothes and grabbed Dante's diaper bag . 

********

The ride to the Emergency room was silent. Dante was lauded back to sleep by the movement of the SUV on the highway. 

" Go see about Joe. " Xander said to his mother, " I've got Kade and Dante." He said getting out of the driver's seat and closing the door. Kendra got out of the car and ran for the doors of the ER. The  unit clrrk led her to the information desk. 

" Can I help you?"  A girl with short red hair, dressed in bright pink scrubs , asked Kendra. 

" My husband was just brought in. "

" Name?"

" Fatone. Joseph. " Kendra replied. None of this could be real. She was dreaming this. 

" Manm?"

" Yes?

" They have already moved your husband upstairs to the ICU. They would like  you to go to the  waiting room up there. It's on the sixth floor. You can use the elevators right there. " The girl in the pink scrubs said, Pointing to a bank of elevators . 

" My Kids.."

" I'l let them know."

" Thank you. " She said, and sprinted over to the elevators. Pushing the number 6 and it talking a thousand years for the elevator doors to open.  She got on the elevator, which was full. Getting off on the 6th floor, she followed the signs to what looked like the Cardiac ICU.

She walked up to the nurses station, and was greeted by a nurse named Lettie,.

" Can I help you?" She asked.

" My husband was just brought in through the ER. They told me downstairs that he was here."

" Mr Fatone?" Lettie asked. 

" Yes. " Kendra shook her head at the nurse. 

" I'll get Dr Emerson, he wanted to speak to you." She said, " You can have a seat over there in the waiting room."

"OK." She said, not knowing what else to do. She went over to the waiting area and plopped down onto  a chair. Please God, Let him be ok.

" Mrs. Fatone?" An older man in  white lab coat and dark blue scrubs said, breaking her train of thought. She looked up at him.

'That's me."

" I'm DR Emerson. I'm the cardiologist on your husband's case. We are prepping him for surgery right now. He had an occluded LAD. It was almost 100 % . Right at 95%. We can not stent it. He needs a bypass, Right now. Do we have your consent. "

" Yes. Do whatever you have to do to save him." She said. Still reeling from what he had just said. 

" This surgery may be to much for him. "

" What?"

" This heart attack was a Widowmaker. Not many survive surgery. I just want you to be prepared . " Dr Emerson said, looking at her with sad eyes. " Even with Surgery he has a 35% chance of survival if he makes it through ." 

" He could die?"

" I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen. But, You need to notify the family, Have people close. " He said, " I will call you when the surgery is over."

" How long?"

" Three or four hours, Maybe more. I will know more once I get in there."

" Thank you." She said, as Dr Emerson turned and walked away from her. Sounds faded out, and she could feel the tears start to run down her cheeks. She sat there silently and cried.

This is where Xander found her 20 minutes later. Pushing the stroller, Kaden following behind.

"Mama? Is he ok?"

She shook her head no. " He is getting prepped for surgery,....They said he could die."

" He is too stubborn for that Mama. " Xander said, sitting down next to his mom. He rubbed his hand up and down her back. " He would tell you that it ain't over til the fat lady sings and you know it."

" I know." She said, trying to get her composure where it needed to be, but failing miserably.

Standing from the chair she said, " I need to make a phone call."

" I've got the boys, go make your call." Xander tried to reassure her. 

She nodded, and walked away from them and over by a bank of windows. Scrolling through her phone she found the number she wanted. Hitting the button and waiting for the ring to go through , She prayed. Please Pick up.

On the third ring, Lance's face, rough with sleep picked up the FaceTime call.

"Ken, It's five in the morning. What's going on?" He asked, as he sat up on the edge of his bed.His brain registered the look on her face. Not liking this at all , he repeated himself." What's wrong?"

" Lance....Joey...." She said, her voice as barely above a whisper. A fresh torrent of tears hit her about that time. " He...." she croaked. Lance was surprised by her demeanor. She was not much of a crier. 

" Kendra, What's wrong with Joey?" he asked, now on high alert. Michael sat up in the bed. Listening intently to his husbanf's conversation.

" He's in the hospital." Kendra said, finally able to speak. " Lance, it's bad."

" Why?" Was all Lance could manage.

" " He...He had a heart attack."

" A heart attack? " Lance repeated. His mind was on Autopilot. 

" They are prepping him for bypass surgery now. The....The cardiologist said ...He may not make it off the table."

" Where are you?"

" Cedars."

" Do his Mom and Dad know?"

" No . You were the first person I called." She said shaking her head from side to side. 

" Sit tight, We'll be there soon."  He said,, Standing up and starting to throw on some clothes. hanging up the call with her, He looked over at Michael who was sitting there stunned by the news. 

" I have to go."

"I'm calling Allison right now. She is right around the corner. There is no way in hell I'm letting you go over there alone."