Always There When You Need Me

"It's gona be alright baby," John said. "You're getting help soon."

"Soon?" Randy's eyes were fluttering shut again "Soon....." he curled over and went limp.

"Dammit!" John muttered.

Randy lay completely limp and still, he looked like he was made of fragile porcelain he was so pale.

"Come on baby," John murmured. "You're gonna be alright."

Randy was sinking fast, it was a mercy that he was unconscious.

John parked the car in the hospital parking lot before picking up Randy and rushing him into the ER.

Randy had returned to a state of semi-consciousness and could dimly hear doctors and nurses milling around him, prodding him in very painful ways. He caught the words "needs immediate surgery" and "infection" but he was in too much pain to pay attention until he heard a familiar voice "Randy, oh my god what happened?"

Summoning up his remaining energy, he opened his eyes and looked into the last face he'd expected to see today "J-Jenna Bell?" his voice echoed confusion before his body gave out for good and he passed out, prompting the nurses to hasten their pace to get him to the operating room. A quick examination had shown that his appendix had already ruptured, which meant the longer it stayed in, the more likely Randy could die of infection.

John sighed softly as he waited for word after Randy had been taken away.

It had been close, it had been VERY close, had Randy come in even a half hour later they might have lost him, and there was still a chance that might happen, as Jenna warned John as she took him back to see him,

"He's running a very high fever from the infection" she murmured sadly "It'll be sometime before he's out of the woods" She opened the door to Randy's room so John could go inside, and once there...

Randy was completely still in the bed, pale as the sheets he lay on and covered in a feverish sweat. He looked so pale and weak...so close to death...

But there was life there...even as John watched Randy stiirred and weakly moaned "Alanna...Aiden...J-Johnny....w-where...where are y-you?"

"Easy baby, easy," John said softly, taking Randy's hand in his. "I'm right here."

"Johnny?" Randy's fever-bright eyes opened and he looked up at his worried lover "What happened?"

"Your appendix Rand, it burst," John explained.

"Where's Jenna?" Randy's eyes were exceptionally glazed over "She was there...right before I passed out."

"I sent her to pick up the girls for me," John said. "I thought you'd wanna see them."

"Yeah...." Randy moaned softly "It hurts Johnny..."

"I know, I know," John whispered. "It'll stop soon."

"H..ho..hold me?" Randy's voice was a mere whimper "Please Johnny?"

"Of course baby," John smiled, sliding in beside Randy and pulling him close.

"Feels so good..." Randy whispered, his voice starting to trail off

"Stay with me Randy," John murmured. "At least until Jen gets here, okay?"

"I'll try..." Randy whispered "I'm so tired...it hurts all over."

"I know Randy, I know," John said.

Randy continued to fight to stay awake, but it was a battle he was slowly losing, every minute his eyelids slid lower and lower...

"Come on Randy baby, stay with me," John pleaded. "Talk to me...."