Perfect Life

[chugirl21.livejournal.com]

Title: Perfect Life (5/6)
Author: Chugirl21
Pairing(s): Jeff/Brad, Ryan/Colin
Rating: R (For angst)
Summary: But it may become perfect once more...
Word Count- 1,851
I am so sorry for the late update :)

Jeff and Colin rushed to the hospital, panic settling in their minds and stomachs at the news they just received. After parking the car, they ran through the doors to the reception “Excuse me, I’m looking for a Ryan Stiles and a Brad Sherwood” Colin said to the brunette receptionist, whose name was Sue.

“Yes, Mr Stiles is being treated for shock and gashes on his hands. Mr Sherwood is still in surgery I’m afraid…” At these words, Jeff shot off towards the operating theatre with a gasp, Colin only managing to thank Sue before running after him.

He turned the corner to see Jeff standing in front of the large doors leading to the theatre, looking through the windows at the action taking place. Colin stood next to him and looked also, feeling queasy as he saw doctors and nurses trying to heal Brad.

Jeff could only look on in sadness, feeling numb with shock. He saw for a moment the familiar brown hair which he loved to run his fingers through, before a doctor blocked the view. He felt nauseous at the sight and backed away from the doors, leaving Colin in confusion as he raced towards the nearest toilet.

He made it just in time as he heaved up everything he ate that day, coughing and spluttering until nothing but sour bile could be tasted. He sat on the balls of his feet, wrapping his arms around his knee as he broke down into tears once more, the image of his Brad in that room like that making him feel sick once more.

He heard the door open and looked up to see Colin walk in, a look of sympathy on his face “You alright?”

“It’s just…it’s just seeing that…it’s made it much more real…” The younger man sobbed, wrapping his arms more tightly around himself.

Colin sat next to him and put his arm around Jeff’s shoulders, pulling him closer as he cried his heart out, rubbing his hand up and down his arm “I know it looks bad in there, but they’re just doing their jobs. They’re fixing Brad up, making him better for us” He knew he was talking to Jeff like he was a child, but he didn’t know what else to say.

“I know, I just wish he wasn’t in there at all…” Jeff said, his eyes red and puffy, tear track paths down his pale face.

Colin held him for a bit longer until he calmed down “I asked one of the doctors in there about the accident. He just told me that the operation will take a little more time. We should go and see how Ryan’s doing, until Brad comes out.

Jeff nodded silently and allowed Colin to help him up as they made their way out of the toilet and back towards reception.

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“Ryan, look out!” I just heard Brad’s warning, my mind telling him to keep going but his body staying still. I then felt a pair of hands shove me in the back, making me toppled forwards onto the tarmac road, scraping my hands badly.

I then heard the sound of screeching tyres, the sound of a dull thud as something soft was hit by some car. My eyes widen as truth dawned on me, looking behind me I nearly fainted.

Brad was lying on his side, not moving while glass and blood surrounded him. The car was missing its windscreen, its bonnet dented slightly from the force of the hit “Shit! BRAD! Someone call a fucking ambulance” I yelled, rushing over to my fallen friend, carefully gathering him in my arms.

“Ry?…You alright?” Brad asked, his face covered in little bleeding cuts from the small shards of glass, his eyes glazing over. I could feel the shudders of pain running through Brad’s body, every movement seemed sheer agony.

“Fine Brad, fine. Fuck, why did you do that? Why?” I cried, tears dripping down my face to land on Brad’s.

“I…wasn’t gonna let you get hit, I…could never let anything like this happen to my friends” Brad gave a shaky smile, before bursting into a fit of coughs, blood dripping from his lips “God, it hurts so much…”

“Shit Brad, hang on. The ambulance should be here soon, so hang on. I’ll never forgive you if you go, nether will Colin…or Jeff. If you go, Jeff will be on his own and you promised me you’d never leave him. You love him too much to leave him now” I argued, trying to keep him awake as long as possible.

“Jeff…” I could hear him whisper, his eyes going into a far-away look “Promise me something Ry, promise me that if I die, you’ll look after Jeff for me, make sure he still lives his life after I’ve gone”

“I promise…” I swallowed thickly, ignoring the sickness that’s appeared in my throat “But you’ve gotta promise me that you’ll try and fight this. Don’t die on me yet Brad, don’t you dare die on any of us, epically Jeff…”

I could feel him nod his head slowly, watched as his eyelids drooped lower, but not fully closing. His breathing was slow and haggard, every breath sounding laboured. I held him close until the sounds of sirens filled the air.

I looked up to see the ambulance parka few feet away and two EMTs got out. The woman of the duo came closer to them as the male got a stretcher out the back “Hello, I’m Sandy. What happened here?”

“That guy in that car came speeding down the road. He was going to hit me, but Brad pushed me out the way, he took the full force…” I answered, glaring at the driver of the smashed car who was being treated by another EMT. How dare he get away with just cuts and bruises while my friend is fighting for his life?

“Ok, now we’ll need to get him to hospital quickly, so we need you to let us help him” I slowly understood what she said and let her and the first male EMT handle Brad onto the stretcher before putting him in the back “Your hands look pretty bad, you better get in as well” Sandy said, helping me up and also into the back.

As we drove off, I looked down at my hands, seeing the blood and bits of tarmac stuck in his flesh. I then looked over at Brad, a breathing mask over his face as Sandy kept talking to him softly, trying to keep him awake.

I close my eyes and sighed, thinking how much I’ve let Jeff down. I promised him before we separated this morning I’d look after Brad, and now this happened…

“Mr Stiles? Mr Stiles…?”

Ryan was awoken from his memory as the nurse who stitched up his hands earlier shook his shoulder gently “I’m sorry to scare you, Mr Stiles but you have some visitors” She then moved to beckon Colin and Jeff, both looking worst for wear.

“Ryan, you’re alright!” Colin said, moving to sit Jeff in the near-by chair before wrapping his arms around his boyfriend, kissing him gently “I was so worried”

Ryan wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, holding him close as he breathed in Colin’s scent “Any news on Brad?”

Colin pulled away, sighing deeply “Brad’s still in surgery. It was a pretty bad hit from what the doctors told me”

“How’s Jeff holding up?” Ryan asked, looking over at the younger man.

“He’s been better…” Jeff was staring down at the ground, his eyes still red and puffy, his body motionless and numb. They all sat in companionable silence until an elder doctor came in.

“Hello, I’m doctor Sandwell and I’ve been treating your friend Mr Sherwood” At the name, Jeff’s head shot up, listening intensely “I’m afraid that the impact made his ribs smashed and a piece got stuck into his lung, causing it to burst. We’ve managed to fix his lung, but he’s on a ventilator for now. His leg is also broken in two places and had to go into a cast”

Jeff looked as though he was going to be sick again, tears welling in his eyes once again “Can…can we see him?” He asked, his throat sore from crying.

“He’s been moved to the intensive ward, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt” Jeff looked to Ryan and Colin

“You go Jeff, you need to be with him more. I’d better stay here with Ry” Colin said, seeing the silent plea in Jeff’s eyes.

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The first thing Jeff noticed when entering the room was the sound of the heart machine, beeping over and over again to remind him that Brad was still alive and with him.

The second thing he noticed was the sight of his fiancée, lying on the bed with his eyes closed, the ventilator mask over his face. Once Dr. Sandwell left, Jeff sat on the chair next to the bed, grabbing hold of Brad’s lax hand and putting it to his cheek.

“Hey, the doc said you’ll be out for awhile, you had to have a lot of morphine for the pain. But, he said you might listen still if I talk to you” He reached forwards to stroke his fingers down Brad’s face.

“I found the most perfect tuxedo to wear, you’ll just love it. Ryan’s fine, just had a couple of stitches put in his hands” Jeff gave a small, but sad smile as he gripped the hand in his more tightly “I’m so proud of you for saving Ryan like that, but next time try and miss the car yourself”

He moved forwards and kissed Brad gently on the lips, sighing sadly as he felt no response “Please, come back to me my love…” He pleaded, laying his head on his free arm on the bed, keeping his hold on Brad’s hand as he drifted of into an uneasy sleep.

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Two weeks later…

Brad was still in hospital, but was breathing on his own. Jeff, Ryan and Colin visited every day, Greg, Drew, Chip and Wayne visiting occasionally.

Jeff was sitting in his usual chair next to Brad’s bed, holding his hand while stroking his brown hair with the other “Hey, it’s me again. Dr. Sandwell says you’re making good progress and your lung should be healed by now. Your leg still needs time to heal though”

Jeff sighed and removed his hands “I guess its time for me to go now, visitor’s hours are over now” He leant over and kissed Brad’s eyelids, nose, cheeks and mouth “I love you so much, please wake up soon…”

He walked over to the door, just about to leave when he heard a small, but familiar and too much missed voice call out for him “Jeff…?”