Playing the Court (Lauren/You/Camila)

Chapter 46

Demi's pov

I slowly felt my senses coming back.  I could hear a steady beep that coincided with my heart beat.  I felt a stiff, uncomfortable matress beneath me, and the bed sheets went up to my waist.  Coldness surrounded the back of my head and neck as I felt a warm hand softly caressing my forehead.  My eyes fluttered open, but I immediately squinted due to the bright, flourescent light.  When my eyes could handle the light, I opened my eyes to see Dan standing over me caressing my face with his left hand.

"Easy, Dems." He spoke gently. "You're okay."

As he spoke, I stared at him, barely registering his words.  My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I tried to make sense of what he was saying.

"Can you hear me?" He asked. 

I opened my mouth, but the dryness pained me as I tried to speak. "Yeah." My word came out weak, gravely, and almost unrecognizable.

"You collapsed during the game." He explained in a calming voice.

"Demi." A doctor spoke, gaining my attention. "How are you feeling?"  He neared the hospital bed.

"I have to pee."  The doctor laughed at my answer.

He nodded, "you were severely dehydrated. We have you on these ice packs under your head and neck because your body temperature was very high. Now, I need to ask you some questions about the supplements you're taking."  Dan looked at me when the doctor said 'supplements'.

"Benzedrine? Methadrine?" I shook my head to questions. "Anabolic steroids? Anadrol? Dianabol?"  I once again shook my head, avoiding eye contact with Dan.

"Okay. What about speed? Cocaine? Ecstacy-"

"Hey, doc, she's an athlete, not a junkie, okay?" Dan glared at the doctor.

"She's also a kid." He reasoned.

"Yes, but she's my kid." Dan argued. "So, how about you play a little more doctor and a little less detective."

"Mr. Lovato, can I speak with you?" The doctor asked and walked out the room, waiting for my dad to leave after.

Dan looked over at me and grabbed my hand. "Listen to me, Dems, you are going to be fine, okay? You've been hitting it a little too hard lately. We'll go back a notch or two.  You'll be as good as new. Hell, the scouts won't even remember this, come your post season." He patted my hand and followed the doctor.

When he left, he didn't close the door all the way, allowing me to listen in on what they were saying.

"The early results tell me that your daughter is going to be fine, physically." The doctor said.

"That's great." I heard Dan excitedly speak up.

"But they also tell me she's taking some sort of amphetamine." I cringed as I waited for Dan's reply.

"There- there's got to be some kind of mistake." I his voice, full of disbelief.  I ran my hand through my hair and rested it covering my eyes in shame.

"Mr. Lovato, these kids are under a lot of pressure to perform. Now granted, it could be an isolated case or Demi could be an addict."

"Look, doc, I appreciate your concern. I really do. But I gotta tell you, I know my daughter. And if she says she's clean, she's clean. So if you label her an addict, you take away her future. So unless you've got your results one hundred percent accurate, you're looking at a lawsuit you don't want."  I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to just disappear and not have to face my dad.

"Now, from where I stand, your job is to get her well. I'll do the rest. Are we clear?" He threatened the doctor.

-------------------------

Third person pov

Ally rushed into the café.  "Hey, I was on my way to check on her, and I realized you were here, so I came back. You should go. How is she?" She asked Demi's mom, but she looked at Ally in shock and confusion.

"Who?" She asked.

"Demi."

"What about her?" She frantically asked.

---------

"I appreciate it, Keith." Dan spoke. "Thanks." He hung up and walked back to Demi's room.

"How you doing, Dems?" He asked, but Demi was not in her bed.  He sighed and turned around when he heard heels hastily clicking on the tile.  His wife stood in front of him, looking frantic and frustrated.

"She's okay." He calmed her.

---------------

"I tried to call you, but you weren't answering your phone." Dan defended as he and his wife stormed into their house, slamming the door behind them.

"Because I ran out of the café with nothing but my car keys and the fear that my daughter was dying!" She yelled.

"Oh, and that's my fault?" Dan yelled back.

"After Ally walked in, how long was that, Dan- 20 minutes after Demi collapsed, a half hour maybe?"

"My first concern was for Demi. You're overreacting." Dan explained.

"Overreacting. Overreacting that my daughter nearly died, and my husband didn't see fit to call? Where is she, Dan? She could be anywhere. She could be unconscious." Demi's mother said.

"Get a grip on yourself. The doctor said she's out of harm's way."

"Well, the doctor was wrong. As long as you control her the way you do, she'll be in harm's way." She finally spoke up about her inner feelings regarding her husband and her daughter.

"Oh, I get it. I'm to blame. It's all my fault." He dramatically vocalized as he took steps toward his wife.

"Yeah, it is!" She blamed as he was near her.

"Consider this. If you weren't off helping Karen, you might have been there for him like I was." He smirked when he saw how much it affected her.

"You smug son of a bitch." She spat, the smirk leaving his face. "I want you out of this house."

"Deb-"

"I said get the fuck out." She sternly repeated.

"Deb, it's been an emotional night-"

"No, Dan, it's been a night of clarity. It's time for you to go." She stated.

"It's my house."

"Fine, I'll go. Either way, Demi stays with me."

"Don't do this." Dan lowered his voice.

"I'll say it one more time, Dan. Pack a bag and get out... or so help me God, I will stab you in your sleep." She threatened.

The two stared at each other in silence, glaring at the other.  Deb raised an eyebrow challengingly and Dan shook his head before heading for the door.

"You better pray that my daughter is okay." She said without turning around.  She heard his footsteps stop as he sighed.

A slight chuckle left Dan's lips, "do you really think Demi would choose you over me?" And with that, he walked out the door.

A/N Dan sucks. Demi is missing. You know, the usual.