Escaping Grace

I ran into St. Gloria hospital.
I hated hospitals, the smell of death and medicine. They never helped anyone, just took their money as much as possible and left them with nothing. I hadn't been in one since my dad died, and I'd swore then I'd never go in one again.
Andy was breaking a record now.
I cast my eyes around the emergency room, and spotted CC sitting in one of the chairs, looking out of place and nervous. Everyone else was staring at him, and he was keeping his gaze down, shifting constantly.
"CC!" I ran toward him. He looked up, then stood.
"Leah." he looked relieved. I grabbed him as soon as I reached him, and sent a glare around the waiting room, everyone else looking away.
"What happened?" I asked, my hand latched onto his sleeve. "Is he hurt?"
"His brakes went out at the intersection," CC swallowed. "I don't know what happened --- he just had the car worked on last week. He seemed fine, but they took him back anyway. They won't let me in to see him."
Okay, calm down, CC said he wasn't hurt.
"Why won't they let you in?"
"Only family."
I pressed my lips together.
"Have you called the rest of the guys?"
"Yeah. Ashleys gonna be here any minute. They'll be here."
Good, CC wouldn't be here by himself then.
"Okay, good. Sit tight, I'm going to go in and check on him.
"Leah, they won't let you."
"I wasn't going to ask."
A few minutes later, I saw someone start to leave through the doors that lead to the back, and I gave them a sweet smile as I held the door open so they could step out. Then I strode purposefully inside; if you showed any indecision the nurses would desend like piranhas.
I knew how to get around hospitals.
I wrinkled my nose at the smells, then did a quick sweep of all the curtained areas. Fortunately, I didn't go through all of them; I could hear Andy cussing from across the area. I sighed, and then followed the sound.
I stepped around the curtain, and felt relief sweep through me. He was sitting on the bed, and a doctor was picking glass out of his right arm. He had a cut running along the top of his forehead, and some blood was running down his nose, but otherwise he looked intact.
He turned as the curtain moved, and at first he looked surprised, and then a little relieved.
"Andy!" I swept over to him, catching his hand as he started to raise it.
"Oh my god," I muttered, feeling sick. It was even worse up close. I could still see pieces of glass clinging to his t shirt.
"Leah, what are you doing here?" he laced his fingers through mine.
"CC called Vale, and Vale told me."
The doctor paused, dropping a piece of glass into the dish at her side with a ping.
"Are you family, miss?" she asked me, looking skeptical at my appearance.
I'd been in such a hurry to get here I hadn't changed out of my sweat pants and a tanktop that had colored paint splatters all over it. I had at least thrown a jacket on, so I didn't look so awful.
"Girlfriend," Andy grunted, his grip painfully tight.
She frowned, but didn't say anything, and I winced every time she dropped a piece of glass into the dish. I stroked his hand, my voice stuck in my throat.
He could have died! What would I have done then? I forced myself to calm down. Now was not the time to panic, not when he needed me.
"Do you remember when we went to see that Batman movie?" I asked, hoping to distract him.
"Yeah?"
"I was so bored I thought I was going to fall asleep."
"What? How can you say that?" he stared at me. "Batman is awesome!"
I smiled slightly. "It was so boring I could have cried."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because you like it and I wasn't going to ruin it for you."
He frowned. "I think popcorn and twizzlers are awful together."
"Then why did you eat them?"
"Because you liked them," his eye twitched as the doctor pulled a chunk of glass from the top of his hand, but Andy merely pressed his lips together.
"Remember the first concert we had? I was so nervous, that had to be one of the biggest crowds I'd performed in front of," I was scrambling to think of things to say to distract him from the doctor. His arm was bleeding all over the table she had propped beneath him.
"Really? You did awesome. That was the first time I'd heard you guys."
I frowned at him, and he gave me a sheepish smile. "I'm kind of an asshole, I didn't listen to your music."
"Andy." I sighed.
"I hate it when you say my name like that," he grumbled. "I like it much better the other way."
I pinched him.
The doctor shot us an amused glance, then finally set her tweezers down.
"I've gotten all the glass out as I can. However, more will probably work its way out of your skin," she warned, taking off her gloves in that awful smacking-soundway that they always did. "I'm going to clean and wrap your arm and prescribe you some pain killers. Do you have any allergies?"
"No." Andys hand crushed mine as she lifted his arm and began cleaning the cuts.
"What's your favorite song?" I asked, and he blushed for a moment.
"Truth?"
"Yes."
"The Last Song is Ours."
"Really?" I stared at him. "I bet the first time you heard it was at the concert "
"Maybe."
I frowned at him. He could of at least listened to some of our music.
"What about ours?" he asked, and I mulled it a moment.
"Rebel Love Song."
"Figures," he chuckled, and I smiled.
The doctor began wrapping his arm in gauze. "You're lucky this is the worst of your injuries," she told him. "Your poor car is totaled."
"Totaled?" I gazed at him in horror.
He shrugged. "I got T-boned."
"Andy!"
"The brakes went out! It wasn't my fault." he said defensively.
"I didn't say it was. But you could have died! Or your injuries could have been worse, or ---."
"Leah," he pressed a finger over my lips, "you're going to give yourself a panic attack. Obviously I'm not dead."
I scowled at him and batted his hand away. "I am not."
"And here I thought you didn't care," he snorted, and I pressed my lips together.
"Don't get snarky, Andy. I'm in a hospital for you."
He blinked, as if realizing that for the first time. "So you are. I couldn't have got you in a hospital last time if I had carried you."
That was true.
I sighed, and the doctor finished wrapping his arm. She mopped at the blood on the table, and then cleaned what was left on his face and bandaged the awful cut there. "I'll be back in a few minutes." she told us when she was done.
"Is it okay if I get his brothers?" I asked after a moment. "The nurse outside wouldn't let them in here, and they were so worried."
"Sure. Normally, its only allowed one member per patient, but I'll make an exception." she sent us a smile. "If Anita complains tell her Dr. Daphne said it was okay."
"Thank you," I nodded, and Andy slowly uncurled his fingers from mine as she disappeared around the curtain.
"The guys are here?" he looked surprised.
"I think. CC was here earlier and he said he called them. Do you want me to get them? " I should probably had asked that first.
"Yeah. I bet Ashleys gone into a coma at the thought of losing me," he rolled his eyes with a smirk. I smiled, and squeezed his hand once before heading back to the waiting room.
I pushed the door open, seeing the guys were all there now, standing in a huddle together away from everyone else, who were staring again.
"Guys," I called, and all of them turned to look. "You can come back."
"Um, no!" the nurse at the desk turned to look at me sharply. "Only one visitor per patient, miss."
"I cleared it with Dr. Daphne, and she said it was fine." I pushed the door open wider, never breaking eye contact with the nurse. "If there's a problem you can take it up with her."
The nurse just stared at me, and the guys shuffled forward quickly.
So there.
I let the door close behind me, and the guys followed me to where Andy was. He was flexing his arm when I stepped around the curtain, and I glared at him.
"You don't need to be doing that, you'll tear the cuts open again. Lie it still," I harped, coming to stand beside him. He frowned at me, but perked up when his band mates stepped in.
"Dude! You look like shit," Ashley announced as soon as he stepped in.
"How'd all of you manage to get back here?" Andy looked perplexed.
"Leah intimidated the nurse at the desk," Jake told him, all of them crowding around in a half circle. "She went all fierce and controlling."
"It was kind of scary." Jinxx added, lifting up the box of gloves. "She was like a mama bear calling on her young."
I frowned.
Andy chuckled, and Ashley glanced between the two of us curiously. "So what's going on with you guys, anyway? Did you break up because he's a dick, or in some twisted way I don't get, did you get together?"
"We're not together."
"We never broke up."
We spoke at the same time, and then frowned at each other.
"Right. Awkward. Anyway," Ashley hastily changed the subject. "I had to ditch a pretty red head at the mall to come be your savior, I hope you know."
"Considering she was probably bored out of her mind, I probably did her a favor," Andy grinned, and I relaxed slightly. The guys all talked for a while, but Jake had to get back to his woman, Ashley had to find another one for the night, and Jinxx was already late for something to do with his wife.
CC and I were the last ones left when the doctor came back, holding a prescription and a clipboard. She gave CC a smile, then handed Andy the clipboard.
"Fill this out," she ordered, and turned to me. She handed me the prescription. "Now, make sure he gets these filled and takes them whenever the pain flares up. There is to be NO alcohol consumed with this medication, as it will cause adverse effects." she warned him, and he ignored her as he filled out the paperwork. She looked back at me. "I'm glad you got here when you did. He wouldn't sit still long enough earlier for me to do anything," she rolled her eyes, and I chuckled.
Andy frowned, and handed back the clipboard.
"Now, I'm releasing you back into the world, Mr. Biersack, but I suggest your girlfriend or your... Brother... Stays with you for a couple days to make sure there are no surprises."
CC and I shared a look, as if we were debating on which one of us would have to deal with him. "Rock paper scissors?" he asked, and I grinned.
"I don't need you guys to stay with me if its such a punishment," Andy scowled at us.
I shook my head, amused.
"Anyway," The doctor continued as if we'd never spoke, "I want you to come in for a chexk up in a week for your arm. You should wear a sling ---."
"No sling," Andy said instantly, and his tone said non negotiable. The doctor frowned, but didn't press."Alright, well you are fine to go then."
He slid off the bed. "Thanks, Doc."
She nodded, and we shuffled out of the emergency room and outside into the glorious fresh air, or as fresh as it got in the city.
"So," Andy said when we stepped onto the sidewalk, "who's babysitting me tonight?"

Notes

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