Long Live Us

*Jack pov*

The clock ticked round too four o'clock and Jack let out a sigh. Rian had been out for his questioning for fifteen minutes now, and the boy left behind was bored. His mind was still buzzing with what had happened, and confusion still clouded any thinking process, but thanks to all the random drugs being pumped into his body he wasn't suffering from the physical pain of it all.
Sighing again, he hauled himself into a sitting position and started fiddling his fingers together on his lap. His wound was healing well, apparently, although would definitely scar. The doctors had said that he'd been out cold for a minute as well, and they were all extremely relieved when his heart started up again. Part of Jack thought that was quite cool: a bullet wound and being brought back from the dead. His inferior sensible side, however, knew that this wasn't some kind of joke that could be brushed off easily. As much as he would have loved to, it couldn't and wouldn't be.
Despite this, Jack's main concern wasn't himself. Mostly, he worried about Rian. The way his eyes would glaze over now and then, and how tired he was. Jack felt so so bad, and although he was eternally grateful for his friend being there for him, he felt like Rian wasn't being there for himself, which was just as important. He felt helpless, lying in this stupid bed, watching his friend tear himself apart internally. It was hard; and nothing he did or said seemed to help, and the boy was quickly running out of ideas.
Jack perked up when he heard voices on the other side of the door, his eyes eagerly fixed on the sound in anticipation to see who was there. The door swung open and Rian came back in, his face red as if he had been crying, but there was a small grin on his face, as he was followed by Josh and Jenna. Jack squealed happily at seeing his friends, unable to contain the excitement of having human interaction with someone who wasn't a doctor. Rian laughed at his enthusiasm, before sitting down on the chair he had silently claimed as his own. Jenna returned the squeal and ran up to the bed, wasting no time in flinging herself around Jack.
"Oh my god I've been worried sick. What the hell happened? Are you sure you're okay? You're gonna be fine right? And I hope you've been nice to the doctors and nurses!" The blonde fired questions at Jack, their almost mother-son bond on full show.
"Shut up Jen. Yes I'm fine." He replied, hugging her as tightly as his recovering body could before letting her go. She wiped a tear from her eye, seeing Jack in such a state hitting her hard, before grabbing a seat next to Rian.
"Joshieeeee." Jack made grabby hands towards the English boy, lusting one of his warm and comforting hugs. Josh rolled his eyes before blinking hard; stopping his own tears, before being welcomed into Jack's arms.
"Don't ever scare us like that again, okay?" He warned, nestling his face against the base of Jack's neck in search of his own comfort. Jack hummed in reply, clinging onto Josh like his life depended on it, and letting his eyes gaze over Jenna and Rian, who were both shyly wiping tears from their faces. Sniffing quietly, Jack felt his own lip quiver. Guilt washed over him; it was his fault his friends were all sitting in the room crying. It was then he realised his whole attitude to life needed to change, and maybe he needed to grow up a little bit. Seeing his friends hurting, hurt him; his heart ached, desperate to take away their pain.
"Jack it's okay." Josh murmured quietly, fiddling with the hair on the back of the lanky boys neck.
"It's not though, is it?" Jack choked, loosening his grip on the brown haired boy as he leaned away.
"We care about you, and we're here for you, okay? This isn't your fault, we all know that. You'll never stop us caring." The English boy spoke gently, always seeming to know exactly what was going on inside Jack's mind. The hurt boy nodded, dropping his head and wiping his eyes, taking a few deep breaths to collect himself. He truly did love his friends, and probably owed them his life.
"Thanks." He said, looking at all three of them, before they engulfed each other in a group hug.

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The following day Jack and Rian were still in the hospital, growing increasingly bored as the hours ticked by. The doctors had told them that the boy would probably be sent home either the following day or the day after, and Jack had already answered his questions so that was already over and done with. The pair weren't expecting visitors because everyone was busy, and were currently bickering about internal bleeding, after the nurse explained that the risk was still there which is why Jack needed to remain under observation. And as smart as the dark haired boy was, he could not work this out.
"But how can you bleed inside your body?" He questioned, making a random motion with his hands.
"It's just when your blood is outside the blood vessels..." Rian replied, frustrated and confused at Jack's inability to understand.
"But isn't there blood around your vessels? So when you get a paper cut and it bleeds you've ripped open a vessel?" Making it sound over dramatic to prove his point, Jack frowned as he tried to work it all out - having no idea why it didn't make sense to him.
"Well, I guess but -" the door clicked, as it was slowly pushed opened, interrupting the short haired boys' reply. Both pairs of eyes turned towards the entrance to the room, watching as the door continued to open, revealing a very shy and dishevelled looking Matt. He looked timid, his shoulders low, not daring to look up for more than a second.
"H-hi..." He stammered, slowly closing the door behind him without entering the room any further.
"What's up Flyzik?" Jack asked, trying not to be angry at his friend. Despite his presence at the event, it might not have been his fault. And Jack was willing to keep his mind open until he knew all the details.
"I c-came to s-see how you are... a-and to apologise.." Matt continued, looking up at the boy in the hospital bed through his dishevelled and messy fringe.
"So you did know?" Rian then said, and it was obvious he was also trying to remain calm. Matt shuffled his foot slightly, before nodding, his head drooping impossibly lower.
"I think you have some explaining to do." The short haired boy then spoke up again, raising his eyebrows at Matt, who swallowed loudly.
"I didn't think he'd do.. That... I just wanted too... I don't k-know.." He murmured, so quietly that Jack had to strain to hear him.
"Wait, you planned this?!" Rian then said, his voice raising slightly. Matt's head snapped up and the louder volume, his eyes wide with fear.
"N-no.. Well n-not... T-this." He replied, motioning to Jack where he lay helplessly. Jack shot him a confused look, lifting one of his eyebrows.
"I wanted to get you back for sleeping with Emma... I asked them to scare you, that was all."
"You WHAT?!" Rian then yelled, standing up quickly, the chair falling to the ground.
"I slept with Emma?" Jack asked, frowning and tipping his head to one side, trying to remember. Matt clenched his hand at that question, but kept any of his own emotions in.
"That's what you care about?!" Rian glared at Jack, before focusing his state on Matt. "You know he nearly died, right? Actually he did die, his heart stopped. And you come in here with your pathetic little 'I'm sorry' thinking it's going to make it alright? You left him there! You nearly killed him!" Rian shouted, both hands clenched, his legs rigid as he held himself back from pacing across the room.
"I-it wasn't me..." Matt mumbled, straightening up slightly.
Jack felt his heart beat increase to a ridiculous speed as the two boys argued, and he knew it wouldn't end any time soon. They could both stand there and rip each other's throats out until the cows came home, and the fear of just watching helplessly was what started the panic flowing around his body. The loud, and quickening, beating of his heart monitor filled his ears, drowning out whatever the other two boys were saying as his limbs started the shake. His breathing became ragged, shaky, and his vision became blurry. The door was flung open and the two arguing boys stared in horror down at the boy writhing in the bed as the doctors tried to calm him down.
"I think you should go." The nurse told them, Matt immediately nodding and bolting out of the door - not to be seen for a long time. Rian remained where he was, still determined not to leave, until the nurse told him in a much sterner voice, and the short haired boy slunk out.
'What the fuck is going on?' Jack asked himself, letting his tears flow freely and letting the panic induced darkness engulf him.

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"What do you mean Matt wanted it to happen?" Zack's voice was now in the room as Jack's body regained consciousness, though he opted to keep his eyes firmly shut, not yet wanting to face the world again.
"Matt wanted to get Jack back for sleeping with Emma." Rian explained, repeating the events of when Matt had visited. While Rian filled Zack in on each tiny detail, Jack let his mind wander. He was still stuck up on someone he thought was his friend wanting to "scare" him, as Matt had put it. He was lying in this stupid bed, in this ugly room, because of him. How was he ever supposed to comprehend that? It was evident him and Matt would no longer be talking, that much was obvious, and even thinking about the other boy was beginning to anger Jack. He felt betrayed, he had trusted that boy. Well, that's where trust gets you.
"This is fucked man." Zack's soft voice spoke again, the boy surprisingly calm. Jack felt eyes on him, his friend probably taking in his pitiful state.
"I'm so pissed off Zee, and so damn scared..." Rian mumbled, the sentence followed by the sound of the boy rubbing his hair.
"I know. We all are. We just need to stay strong, for Jack." Zack replied, shuffling slightly in his seat, a small sigh escaping his lips.
"He had a panic attack because of me! I don't know how long I can do this." Rian let out, his voice pleading and hurt, and Jack had to try very hard to keep his sleeping act up. He'd had enough of this. Why couldn't everything just go back to normal.
"He'll be okay. He always is." Zack reassured his friend, keeping his voice low and soothing. A few minutes of silence then passed, each boy lost in a maze of their own thoughts. Jack wanted out. He wanted out of his head, out of the hospital, out of Baltimore. Before Jack could drive himself mad with thoughts as he drifted back into slumber, he heard Zack shift in his seat, and it sounded like he was now facing Jack fully once again.
"It's going to take something, or someone, very special to fix this."

Notes