____________________________________________

Stephanie walked down the hospital hallway in a daze, her eyes welling with tears.

Her mouth had run dry when she'd seen it... She couldn't believe it - Adam was dead!

But he can't be... she thought. He can't be!

However, she'd seen the flat line on the heart monitor - no activity...

Oh, God... How was she going to break the news to the others?

Then, just as quickly as that thought entered her mind, she rejected it. The doctor would come - he would deliver the unthinkable news...

No, Stephanie told herself. I should be the one to tell them - at least I'm a friend...It will be better coming from me...

But she couldn't comprehend how such tragic news would be 'better' no matter who it came from...

The brunette reached a hand up to swipe at the tears that moistened her cheeks. Dear God... She'd loved this man for the better part of two and a half years... Although they'd no longer been together for a short time now, and although she was now in love with Kurt, Stephanie still found some love in her heart for Adam. He'd been a part of her life - a good part - for so long... And now, he was gone.

It was a hard concept to swallow...

Stephanie kept her head down, eyes staring at the floor as she returned to the waiting room.

And oh, God... There they all were. Kurt was standing in front of the group, the rest of them sitting. Shane's face looked serious, and Stephanie knew her brother was inwardly praying - despite being a non-religious person. Torrie and Nora both appeared strong, a bit of hope in the faces of each blonde. Jay was still stony-faced, perfectly silent, and still appeared to be in shock. No doubt, he was fearing the worst for his best friend in the universe.

And Amy... Oh, God - how was she going to tell Amy? Although the redhead and the Canadian hadn't been a couple very long, Stephanie knew she loved Adam very dearly. She'd be scarred by the loss of the blond man, perhaps even for life.

The tall brunette took a deep breath as she stepped forward. The least she had to do right now was talk to Kurt. Maybe she could tell him what she knew and then he could break the terrible news to the others...

She stepped up behind her boyfriend, her hand snaking out to tap him on the shoulder.

The Olympian turned and met her eyes, his expression instantly darkening as he read the truth in Stephanie's face.

"Oh, God...Steph..." His voice was a whisper as he quickly steered the brunette away from the others.

They walked a little ways down the hall, neither of them speaking until they were a decent distance from the waiting room.

"Oh, Steph...Don't tell me..."

"Kurt..." she spoke, stopping abruptly in her tracks, her back leaning up against the wall. "...he's dead! Adam's dead..."

"No..." Angle simply said, shaking his head as though to deny his girlfriend's words.

The tall woman suddenly crumpled, bursting into tears again, and the Olympian gathered her into his arms.

"Oh, God...Oh, God...Steph..."

"Kurt...!" Stephanie raised her head and gazed with tragedy into his eyes.

"Excuse me...Mr. Angle?"

They both looked up at the sound of the voice. A doctor in white was standing before them.

"Yes...?"

"You are the one that brought Mr. Copeland here?"

"Yes - I rode here in the ambulance with him..."

"He's out of surgery, and we've moved him to a room..." the physician said. "He's going to make it..."

"What?" Stephanie asked, confusion registering on her tear-stained face as she glanced from the doctor to Angle, then back again. "You mean he's not dead?"

The doctor actually smiled.

"Not any more dead than you or I, young lady..."