Brody always hated being inside hospitals. The constant clicking of shoes against the floor tiles, echoing through the eerie hallways. The smell of bleach and disinfectant constantly looming the building was gross. And the trauma burned into his head would never leave.

Ever since he was 5 years old, when he woke up all alone and found out that his parents didn't survive the crash, he avoided hospitals like the plague.

Had an allergic reaction? No biggie, nothing home remedies and over the counter pharmaceuticals could fix. Too many accidents playing hockey? Just put cold ice on it and give it time. Important medical results? That's what phone calls and mail was for.

But now, he was stuck to the chair in the corridor, sitting right besides Ashley and Adam, to find out how bad his boyfriend's injury was.

Everything was silent when the ambulance finally arrived in a speedy time. There were lights blaring everywhere, and sirens could faintly be heard. But everything sounded like fuzz to Brody.

He couldn't hear Ashley comfort a pacing Adam, who was terrified to think he might lose his best friend. Brody couldn't listen to the nurse who said the surgery was delayed because the on call surgeon was in an important operation already.

Brody just wanted to go home, with a healthy Adrian, and pretend the last 2 hours were a horrible nightmare.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Adrian suffered several abdominal stab wounds, with the knife piercing through the abdominal cavity and hitting his stomach slightly. When they had to inspect if the wound hit any major organs, there was a hiccup in everything.

It had been over a hour when the trio heard Adrian had a reaction to the anaesthesia. It added unneeded complications when Adrian's blood pressure dropped mid surgery, and developed a harsh rash on his arm.

Other than the complication with the anaesthesia, the surgery was simple in comparison as it was now standard routine. They were now closing him up after finishing the repairs to Adrian's injuries, luckily finding out nothing major was struck by the knife.

Adrian was going to survive just fine.

~~~~~~~~~~

All 3 of them were now sitting inside Adrian's private room, listening to his heart rate from the monitor, steady and strong.

They were all silent, listening, and making sure the machine was doing it's job so that they knew he was alive and still with them.

Adrian was just lying there, in bed and wearing a hospital gown that covered all of his bodily wounds. He was just sleeping, as if he didn't have a care in the world for what might happen to him when he wakes up.

The injuries to his head weren't severe, the blunt trauma after Sam beat his head with the knife handle didn't seem to visibly leave any injuries, apart from mild external bleeding that was now covered by a small bandage. But they would have to wait for Adrian to wake up, to see if there really was any long term injuries to his brain.

Adam was falling asleep on the chair again when Ashley wanted to take him home.

"I don't want to leave him." Adam let out weakly, he wanted to stay by Adrian's side and make sure he made it out of surgery okay.

Ashley crouched down to Adam, who was looking everywhere but at the injured patient on the bed. Speaking softly to him, "Adam, you're exhausted, and it's not going to do you any good if you're in a rough spot like this."

"Ashley's right mate, you could barely stay awake while he was in the operation." Brody added. "Both of you should go home, his mom should be back from her father's any minute now so I'll wait for her."

Ashley did want to take Adam home and make sure he rested well, but she was also torn with not leaving Brody alone in the hospital.

It took a reassuring nod and a gentle push from Brody for him to now be left all alone in the hospital room.

He scooted closer to the bed with his chair, reaching out for Adrian's limped hand while looking at his face. It was still red from the allergic reaction, and several areas were bloodied from the scuffle with Sam. But lying there, all Brody could see was pure innocence.

Brody squeezed his hand, harder, as if he could make him wake up sooner to find out how bad Adrian's injuries really were. They were told he should recover fine, but Brody wanted to see it with his own eyes. He needed to know.

"I'm so sorry." Brody broke out in a broken whisper.

A tear escaped from his eye as he kissed Adrian's hand that was wrapped within his own hands so tightly. "You're hurt, because of me. If I wasn't around, then Sam wouldn't be either. And then he wouldn't be able to put you in hospital, like this."

This was how Brody saw it, he blamed himself and the weight of it was crushing him. This was worse than when he was attacked, not just because his condition was literally worse, but because he felt guilty, about not coming quick enough.

"The doctor said you should recover, should they said. What if you don't? How can I look you in the eye ever again after you were hurt, when you're so innocent in all of this?"

Brody was glad no one else was in the room, he didn't want anyone else to blame him and see the mess he currently was.

"My Adrian," Brody sobbed, "My, sweet, caring, amazing dork." He simultaneously chuckled as another tear fell down from his face.

"Just wake up soon, yeah? I need to know another person I care about doesn't leave me..."

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