A Secret that should never have been hidden

Visiting his lover at the Smackdown tapings, Mike was beginning to curse his stupidity for coming at all. He'd told John he was over his latest respiratory infection, but in reality it was only laying low, if he even tried to take a deep breath he could hear the deep wheeze rumble in his throat. But it had been two and a half weeks since they'd last met, and Mike couldn't bear to keep his lover waiting any longer. At the moment, his boyfriend was out in a match against Jericho, he was waiting in his locker room and trying hard to stay awake.

"How long can one match take?" Mike grumbled, standing to pace the locker room once again "Man, does my head hurt..." he shed his jacket as well, it seemed unusually hot for a backstage locker room.

"C'mon John..." Mike whined despondently as he flopped down on a bench in the corner "I miss you..." he yawned, he'd felt tired all day, he might as well take a brief nap if this match was going to take a while after all. He stretched out into a mostly comfortable position and fell asleep, his last thoughts being of how happy John was going to be to see him. They were the last coherent thoughts he was going to have for quite some time...

John cursed how long his match had taken as he headed back to the locker room.He smiled when he saw Mike sprawled out on the bench sleeping. He could be a bit stubborn at times, but John wouldn't always love him for it. He walked over to the bench and knealt down onto the floor beside it and shoke Mike's shoulder gently. "Baby, baby wake up," John said softly.

Mike moaned softly but otherwise didn't respond, his breathing remained light and shallow, eyes shut.

Mike?" John asked softly, worried now creeping into his mind. "Baby, what's wrong?" John was lost, Mike had swore he was fine. He wouldn't lie again......would he?

Mike continued to groan softly, a soft wheeze slowly becoming audible

John sighed softy. He had lied again.

"I really wish you'd stop doing this," John muttered, picking Mike up and carrying him out of the room.

Sensing the motion, Mike began to moan and twist, pain marring his face.

"It's alright Mike, I've got you," John said softly.

"J...John?" Mike whimpered softly, turning as best as he could toward's his lover's chest "Hurts...."

"I know baby," John whispered.

"H..hot...." Mike whimpered, wheezing more and more, his words barely understandable

"It's gonna be okay Mike, just hang with me," John said.

Mike whimpered and fell limp, shuddering whenever he coughed

John sighed softly as he lied Mike down in the back seat of the car.

Mike curled into a fetal position and didn't move again

Driving as quickly as he could John rushed to get Mike to the hospital.

Mike was nearly enveloped in darkness, he heard nothing and he felt nothing except the heat that was spreading over his skin.

"It's gonna be alright baby," John said, pulling into the parking lot.

Mike shuddered when John picked him up again, a deep racking cough shaking his body

After getting Mike into the ER, the doctors began to work as John stood close by.

As it turned out Mike was very VERY ill. His respiratory infection had now morphed into a nasty bacterial form of pneumonia and it was severely weakening his lungs and playing havoc with his immune system.

"He'll need to stay here for several days at least" the doctors informed him "He's running a very high fever and he needs to be on a ventilator until his lungs fully recover."

John nodded.

"Whatever has to be done," John said. "As long as he's okay."

"He's not going to be okay for a long time" the doctor sighed "When this infection finally clears up he's going to need bed rest for a good two weeks at least. If you'll follow me, I can take you to him now."

John simply nodded.

Mike had been placed in a room in the ICU, the lights dimmed to help him rest. Mike's body seemed incredibly thin with all the tubes sticking out of him, not to mention the ventilator tube sticking out of his mouth. His eyes were shut and he was pale...very pale...