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~Chapter One~
Darren Hayes leaned despondently against the hotel shower wall, directly under the hissing spray of the nearly scalding water. Lately there were times when he simply couldn't get warm enough. No matter how many blankets he'd wrap up in or how many layers of clothing he'd wear or even how hot he'd make the shower water--it did no good. It never did ease the comsuming cold that would attack and fill him. And it seemed that the cold-attacks were becoming worse and more frequent. He'd have to work harder to make sure that no one could see that anything was amiss. Cold, cold, cold...
Growling, Darren wrenched the hot water knob all the way on to make the already scalding water even hotter. Dimly, over the sound of the water and muffled by the bathroom door, he could hear someone knocking and saying something. Knowing that it was only his best friend and current roommate, Darren didn't say anything. Slowly, the door opened and the muffled voice became louder and more clear.
"Darren?" called Daniel Jones. Then, "Dazza? You still in here, mate?"
Darren just sighed, a sound which couldn't be heard over the water's noise.
"Daz?"
"Yeah, Dan?"
"You doin' okay?"
"M'fine."
"You sure? You've been in here an awfully long while..."
The only answer Daniel received was the sound of the water being turned off. The minute the hot water ceased, Darren began to shiver. The enveloping coldness hadn't left him during his shower. He sighed again-- after all, he hadn't really expected it to. Silently, he snaked an arm out of the shower to snag his terrycloth robe off of the towel rack.
With the robe securely on and tied, Darren stepped out of the shower to see Daniel standing in the now open doorway desperately trying to wave some of the thick steam out of the small bathroom.
"Yeah, Danny, I'm fine."
Daniel simply raised an eyebrow, clearly disagreeing but not wanting to press an argument at the moment. Darren saw this and had to forceibly bite back another sigh. Normally, Darren knew better than to try and bluff Daniel. The pair had been best friends for years and had formed a tight bond which was reflected not only in their interaction together, but in their music as well. Sometimes, it was as if they were on the same wavelength and could read each other's thoughts.
But not right now. Now, the normally exuberant Darren was quiet and almost stand-offish. Daniel wished desperately that Darren would open up and reveal what was troubling him. The singer seemed to be having quite a bit on his mind lately.
Darren gave Daniel a questioning glance as he brushed his way past him, out of the bathroom. Daniel regarded him silently as Darren shuffled about the room in search of clothing.
"I am okay, you know..." Darren muttered, finding a pair of sweats and a long-sleeved shirt. He paused for a moment then decided on adding a sweater as well.
Daniel didn't look convinced. "Really..." He said. "Then why don't you talk to me anymore, why are you drawing away from the rest of the band, and why, recently, did you start insisting on wearing three layers of clothes in the middle of March?"
Darren took his clothes and started back towards the bathroom, intending to change. He didn't look at Daniel as he answered softly, "I haven't stopped talking to you, Dan. We're talking now, aren't we? And I haven't felt like spending every waking minute with the band--we're on tour, that's not uncommon..."
"And the extra layers of clothing when it isn't even that cold out?"
"What are you, my Mum?" Darren demanded, exasperated. "So, I'm susceptible to cold! What of it?"
"Since when?"
Darren glared at him. He really didn't want to be having this converstion right now--he wasn't ready for it. "Since two weeks ago!" He snapped, retreating back into the bathroom and slamming the door.
Daniel stood silently with a sad, knowing look on his face. Two weeks ago... He mused. That Saturday afternoon, two miserable damned weeks ago which had nearly changed their lives forever...
~Chapter Two~
*two weeks ago*
"....lo?" A not quite awake Darren Hayes murmured into his cell phone.
"Rise and shine, Daz!"
Darren glared at the phone sleepily. "Who are you and what have you done with Daniel?" He demanded.
"Funny, Darren. C'mon, mate, we've got a busy day ahead...Up and at it!"
"Daniel, it's 8 AM on a Saturday. Why am I awake?"
"Because we've got a show tonight, or had you forgotten... We need to get some things squared away and work in a practice session."
"Sounds like a good idea--do it without me!"
"I don't think so. Get your lazy arse outta that bed!"
"Grrrrr. Fine--what say you to a compromise? You guys go ahead and get down to the concert hall and I'll meet you there in about an hour, just in time for the first soundcheck."
"Well, that's a better deal than I thought I'd get out of you. Normally, it takes at least two hours to wake you up."
"Does not!"
"Right Dazza. Okay, I guess the rest of the group and I are leaving now, but I'd better see you in an hour!"
"That you will, mate. You can bank on it..."
"And I'm holding you to that. Bye Daz."
"Later, Dan." They hung up.
Darren flopped back onto the bed, flinging the covers over his face to block out the sunlight. "I don't wanna wake up!"
* * * * *
Half an hour later, Darren was out of bed and rushing to get ready. He haphazardly threw on his clothing while searching for his cell phone. Hurredly, he called a cab and finished the rest of his morning preparations. "Damn me and my love of sleep!" He muttered. "Gonna be late, Dan's gonna rub it in...Never gonna let me hear the end of it. Damndamndamndamn..."
Grabbing his jacket and his wallet Darren rushed out the of his hotel room door to meet the waiting taxi. Once safely inside the cab, Darren was able to breathe a sigh of relief--there was still time, he might not have to show up late if traffic wasn't too heavy and nothing unexpected hindered them.
But, of course, the later you are, the later life seems to want to make you. Traffic was slow, pedestrians were abundant, and traffic lights were on the blink. Typical... Finally, when Darren was about to scream and pull his hair in frustration, the road seemed to clear and the cab was able to speed up. Seeing Darren's apparent hurry, the taxi driver suggested a short cut to save time, which sounded good to Darren. Anything to not be late!
Darren decided to stop worrying at this point and relaxed himself to take in his surroundings. He saw that the cab was approaching a two-lane bridge, which overlooked a wide river. The water was beautiful; a deep blue-green that sparkled in the as the sun glinted off of the rippling surface. Though pretty, Darren was sure that the water was freezing--the deep blue just looked cold.
Darren glanced at his watch. It was 8:53; he had seven minutes. Settling back, he sighed and looked back out at the river. He let his eyes drift closed... He was suddenly jerked out of his musings by a loud exclamation from the driver. Darren looked out beyond the windshield and saw, to his horror, a car in the other lane speeding straight for them, driving down the center of the road!
Without even a second to think about what he was doing, the cab driver yanked the wheel hard to the right in an attempt to get the cab out of the path of the on-coming car. In an instant, there was the noise of squealing tires, followed by a bone-jarring crash. The sound of glass breaking and metal twisting and grating together drowned out Darren's terrified screams. The car spun wildly, careening towards the edge of the bridge. Darren gasped in shock and horror, then closed his eyes as the cab broke through the guard rail. Darren's eyes snapped open again as his entire body was jolted upon the car's impact with the water. The collision caused him to strike his head savagely against the seat, blurring his vision for a moment.
Fearfully and panicked, he glanced around and saw that the taxi was beginning to fill with water. "Gotta get outta here..." Darren began to frantically scramble out of his seatbelt. Once free, he rushed forward to check on the driver. The cabbie was slumped, bleeding, over the steering wheel. With shaking hands, Darren reached for the driver's neck to feel for a pulse. Nothing. He grabbed for the man's wrist to try again. Nothing still. The man was dead.
And I will be, too, if I don't do something... He noticed that the car was filling faster; the backseat was starting to sink. He looked to the window on his side of the car--it had been cracked during the crash. Leaning back, he swung his Doc Marten-ed feet towards the glass. Once. Twice. The glass shattered. With his jacket, he knocked the remaining glass from the window. The water in the taxi was up to his chest now. He'd been right--it was freezing.
As quickly as he could, Darren slipped out of the taxi window and into the relative freedom of the icy river. Gasping from the intense cold, Darren began to strike numbly at the water in an attempt to get away from the nearly submerged cab. Dimly, he heard the shrill sound of sirens over the sounds of his harsh, gasping breathing. He looked up at the bridge to see the arrival of several emergency vehicles. Then he focused back down on himself. Blood was trickling down Darren's forehead and into his eyes. He wiped it away with a shivering hand.
The water was quickly robbing him of all energy and he stopped swimming and merely tried to stay afloat. Darren shivered violently as he looked back at the taxi. The car had finally given itself over to the water; the top of the car could barely be seen. The poor driver... Darren mused. Then he thought, I'd better try to swim again, or I'll drown...
His legs felt leaden and he could barely feel the rest of his body through the numbness. His teeth were chattering and his soaked hair clung limply to his face. He was becoming tired, but he knew that he had to stay awake. He knew help would arrive soon--he just had to hold on.
"So tired...so cold..."
As his swimming slowed and his eyes began to close of their own accord, Darren heard the sound of his salvation. He forced his eyes open and looked up to see an emergency helicopter hovering overhead. A guy in a wetsuit, carrying a floatation device, dove feet-frist out of the helicopter. When he surfaced, he swam to Darren and made him take the life bouy. Darren clutched at it gratefully, still struggling to stay awake. A safety line, with a looped end, was being lowered from the chopper. Darren's eyes slipped closed again. Then he felt the medic's arms wrap around his shoulders, shaking him.
"Sir? Come on sir, you have to stay awake. You have to stay with me. Stay with me... Hang in there. C'mon open your eyes..." The medic was chanting these things like a mantra. Darren tried to do as he asked.
The medic saw this. "Good...good, just keep your eyes open. We'll have you up in a minute. Until then...talk to me... Can you tell me your name, sir?"
Darren opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out--he was shivering too hard. He tried again. "Darren," he managed to whisper through chattering teeth. "Darren Hayes..."
"Okay, Darren, they've lowered the line. I'm going to secure it around you , but you have got to stay awake and grab on. I'll be holding you, so you won't fall. Understand?"
Darren just nodded, too tired to talk anymore. The end of the line hit the water with a small splash. The medic took the looped end of the line and fastened it around Darren, securely under his arms. Darren held onto the rope weakly. The medic then grabbed ahold of the line himself and gave the people in the helicopter the signal to raise it up. They did.
By this time, Darren couldn't feel the rest of his body. He couldn't feel the tremors that wracked his frame or the chattering of his own teeth. His eyes had long slipped closed again and opening them seemed to be beyond his power.
The safety line stopped with a small jerk and Darren could feel himself being pulled be several pairs of hands. Then everything went black...
~Chapter Three~
"Where is he?" demanded an irritated voice.
"Ben, this is what...the fifth time you've asked that? We don't know where he is!" replied Anna-Maria.
"And I'm going to keep asking it until he gets here!" Ben shot back. "Because we can't go to a soundcheck without our singer; we can't have a practice session without our singer; we can't SING without our damned SINGER!"
"Guys, cool it, please..." spoke up Karl. "He's probably just running late."
They all glanced at the clock as he said this. It was 9:27.
"He's probably still asleep!" Daniel groused, already thinking of ways to get back at his best friend.
"I'm bored!" Ben stated.
"We all are..." Lee replied.
"Well, I'm gonna turn on the telly until he gets here. And when the DIVA finally does decide to show up, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" grumbled Ben as he made his way over to a small television in the corner of the practice room. The band members sat down to watch what was left of the Saturday morning cartoons. They hadn't been watching for ten minutes when a news bulletin came on and interrupted.
"Aww man!" Ben complained, as once again his fun was spoiled. He was about to turn it off when Anna-Maria stopped him.
"Maybe there's a traffic jam or something... Lets just listen to what's going on--it could tell us why Darren's late."
"I agree with Dan--the bum is still in bed!"
"Shhhhh!" Karl said.
"Yeah. Listen!" replied Daniel.
" ...an accident on River Bridge has traffic backed up for more than two miles..." the TV was saying.
"See! A traffic jam!" stated Anna Maria. "That's probably why Daz is late."
"...a collision with a drunk driver has left one man dead, one man in custody, and a third in serious condition," stated a female news anchor, standing on scene at the Bridge. Behind her, one could see the tow truck and other emergency vehicles clustered about. The twisted mess of guard rail where a car had gone over the bridge was also clearly visible.
Daniel gave a low whistle. "That looks bad..." He mused.
The others nodded, but turned their attention back to the television where the anchor continued,
"The drunken driver, driving down the center of the road, struck a taxi cab and managed to send it hurdling off of the bridge into the icy river below. The driver of the taxi, a man identified as Robert Hafstra, was killed intantly when the car impacted with the water..."
"That poor man. Drunk drivers suck!" Lee stated, angrily.
"...the passenger of the cab, Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes, was pulled out of the fridged waters and rushed to nearby Mercy Hospital..."
"WHAT?!?" Ben yelled.
"Oh my god, Dazza..." Daniel gasped.
"Shh! Let's hear the rest of it!" snapped Karl. They instantly ceased talking.
"...Hayes has been listed as being in serious condition. The other driver..."
They had stopped listening by this point.
"Darren! Oh Christ, Darren...We gotta get to him!" Daniel was trying not to visibly panic.
"Mercy Hospital isn't that far from here," Lee spoke up. "We can be there in fifteen minutes."
They were out the door and into the van in seconds. No one spoke much on the way to the hospital. They couldn't. Their fear and the tension hung heavily in the air, pressing upon them. The silence was only broken by Daniel's unconscious muttering,
"He was in an accident...Hurt...Oh god, oh god.... Darren... He's going to be okay...Ok....he's going to be fine...."
Daniel stiffened as Anna-Maria slipped an arm around his shoulders. "You're right, Dan. Darren is going to be just fine. You'll see..."
He turned glassy, unfocused eyes towards her, not realizing that he had been voicing his thoughts. He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off when Lee, who was driving, made a hard turn, throwing the people in the back of the van together.
"Lee, man slow down!" Karl said. "Us wrecking isn't going to help Daz!"
Lee didn't listen; if anything he went even faster. He didn't slow his break-neck speed until the van pulled into the parking lot of Mercy Hospital, narrowly missing a returning ambulance. As soon as Lee parked the van and killed the engine, the others quickly filed out and bolted through the parking lot. Daniel led the group's mad dash into the lobby where they descended on a hapless nurse. The unsuspecting nurse was able to point them in the right direction--Darren's hospital room.
There they encountered the doctor that was currently monitoring Darren. He introduced himself as Dr. Wallis and, upon finding out who they were, gave them a synopsis on Darren's condition. "Mr. Hayes has suffered a sprained wrist, minor abrasions and lacerations, a gash to the head which required stitches. The blow to the head also resulted in a concussion," the doctor rattled off. Then he continued, "That's all minor really... What really worries me the most was your friend's over-exposure to the cold water. Because Mr. Hayes was in the river for well over ten minutes before the medical team pulled him out, we could be looking at a serious case of hypothermia."
"Hypothermia?"
"Yes, he is currently being treated for the early stages of the condition. We need to get his body temperature back up to normal levels."
"Anything else we should know?" Anna Maria asked.
"That's all for now. As we learn more about his condition, we'll let you know."
"Thank you..." Daniel said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Can we see him now?"
"That shouldn't be a problem..." Dr. Wallis, walking over to open the door to Darren's room. " But don't be alarmed when you enter. Mr. Hayes is unconscious; he lost consciousness moments after rescue and has yet to regain it..."
"He's been out that long?" Ben demanded, his voice a little too loud.
The doctor fixed him with a Look. "Yes, Mr. Hayes has been 'out' for that long. It's a common occurance in tramatic situations. When you enter the room, please be sure to keep your voices down."
The group nodded and watched as Doctor Wallis opened the door and stepped in. They stood in the hall for a moment, steeling themselves before entering the room--not sure what to expect. As a unit, they walked towards the doorway and looked in. And gasped in shock...
Daniel broke away from the group and immediately rushed to Darren's bedside, looking his friend over in shocked fascination. Darren's eyes were closed and he was so very pale. His normally glistening black hair rested limply, a stark contrast to his pale, pale face and the white of the pillow. An oxygen tube kept him breathing fresh air, while a heart monitor recorded every flutter of his heart. Darren was bundled in many warm blankets, but every now and then small tremors would shake his frame.
He looked so small and delicate resting quietly in that bed. Daniel knelt beside him and gently clasped Darren's hand. So fragile... Upon clocer inspection, Daniel could see that Darren's lips were still tinged blue from the cold. He also noticed a jagged, stitched-up, inch-long gash which was partially covered hy his hair. Gently, Daniel brushed his hand through Darren's hair. "Daz," he spoke softly. "Dazzy, can you hear me?"
If Darren heard the softly uttered words, he showed no sign. "Darren, wake up. Please..."
There was still no movement from the bed. The others, by this time, had wandered over to the bed and watched silently as Daniel stroked Darren's hand and continued to talk to him in low, hushed tones.
"When do you expect him to wake up?" Karl asked Dr. Wallis.
"Really, we don't know. We're hoping that he'll regain consciousness at any time. We can only wait and see..."
Karl nodded his thanks as the doctor left the room. Lee and Ben began to look around the room, uncertainly. They felt useless--there really wasn't anything for them to do. Anna-Maria, sensing this and seing that Daniel might want to be alone, spoke up, "Lee, Karl, Ben?" They looked to her. "Why don't we go down to the cafeteria and get some coffee? I have a feeling that it's going to be a long morning..."
"Coffee?" Ben repeated hopefully.
"Yeah, Ben. Coffee....You up for it?"
Ben nodded and moved towards the door as Anna-Maria looked inquisitively at the other two. Karl shrugged. Lee glanced over at Darren and asked, "What if he wakes up while we're gone?"
"Then Daniel will take care of him," She looked to Daniel for confirmation. "Right, Dan?"
He glanced up, puzzled. "Huh?"
Anna-Maria grinned at his confusion--it was a good distraction from her worry. "We're going to go and get coffee," she explained. "Are you going to be alright here and will you watch over Darren?" She already knew the answer to both questions.
Daniel nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine..." He paused before adding, "And so will Darren."
Now it was Anna-Maria's turn to nod. "Okay. While we're gone, do you want anything? Besides Darren waking up... She mentally added.
"No, thank you."
She'd been expecting that answer, too. "We'll be back in a little while," she told Daniel, giving him a reassuring squeeze on the arm. He didn't notice because he was already back in his own little world. A world--Anna-Maria knew--that centered around Darren; only Daniel didn't fully realize it yet, and neither did anyone else...
The group slipped quietly out the door, leaving Daniel to resume his one-sided conversation in peace.
"Darren, please..."
~Chapter Four~
It was well into the afternoon before anyone returned to check on Darren. When someone finally did come, that person was a young red-headed nurse named Katie Boyd. She paused at the door to pick up the clipboard then walked into the room, and stopped short with a soft smile of surprise.
Her patient wasn't alone, as she had expected, but neither he nor his visitor were awake. Nurse Boyd's smile grew as she watched both men silently. Her dark-haired patient still hadn't moved since he'd been brought in, which worried her more than a little. By his side, a young blonde haired man knelt on the floor dozing, with his head resting on the mattress. One of the blonde's hands held onto the other man's hand protectively--as if he were afraid of letting go.
Seeing nothing amiss, Nurse Boyd left the room quietly closing the door behind her. Out in the hallway, she encountered another one of her patient's protectors--a young woman who introduced herself as Anna-Maria.
Anna-Maria stood. "How are they?" She asked with a knowing smile.
"Mr. Hayes is still out and his visitor has apparently dozed off," Nurse Boyd answered.
"Well, it has been a rough morning...." Anna-Maria thanked the nurse, quickly glanced in at Darren and Daniel, then went off to find the rest of the guys in the cafeteria.
* * * * * *
It was cold.
That was Darren's first conscious thought. It was cold and his eyelids seemed weighted down. He felt as if his body were suspended in a vast sea of nothingness. He felt almost weightless, apart from himself, like he was floating.
Slowly, the free, weightless feeling subsided and he became more aware. He could feel the cool air flowing into his nose and lungs; he could hear a steady, mechanical blipping sound; he could feel the afternoon sunlight streaming through the window, dancing over his closed eyes. He also became aware of the presence beside him. Most of Darren's body was still cold, but he noticed that one of his hands was quite warm. He could also feel the slight pressure of something resting beside his left leg. Something firm and warm.
With difficulty, Darren shifted to open his eyes and see a familiar tossled blonde head. Daniel was sitting on the floor with only his head and arms resting lightly on the bed. Darren, though tired and still groggy, managed a tiny smile at the sight and moved slightly to settle back more comfortably. At his shifting, Daniel began to stir and awaken, burrowing his face in the mattress.
Then Daniel lifted his head, slowly, and blinked in confusion. He glanced over at Darren and immediately snapped to attention, the sleepiness gone from his eyes.
"Darren?" Daniel's voice was heavy with sleep and surprise, but quickly growing more alert.
Darren smiled weakly. "Sorry I woke you..." He whispered.
"Don't be, I'm not! I'm so glad you're awake... How are you feeling? Do you remember what happened? Do you know where you are? Do you need me to fetch your doctor?" Daniel rattled off rapidly.
"Woah, there Jonesy. I'm supposed to be the overly-excited one, remember?"
Daniel chuckled at the lame attempt of humor, then seemed to notice that his hand was still clutching Darren's. He gave Darren's hand a reassuring squeeze and then let go, flushing a little in embarrassment.
Darren immediately missed its warmth.
"Sorry about the rapid-fire questions, mate. But how about answering the important one: How do you feel?"
Darren's weak smile faded and his brows drew together as he thought of an honest answer to that question. Finally, at long length, he sighed and said, "I feel a bit knackered, actually and a little doped up." And cold.
"Are you still cold? I could get you another blanket..."
Darren was shocked--he knew he hadn't spoken his last thought outloud.
"Darren?"
His shock must have shown on his face because Daniel looked concerned. He needed to fix that. "Yeah, Dan. A blanket might be nice," Darren finally managed.
"Okay," Daniel nodded. "I'll do run and find you one. And maybe I should locate your doctor and go and get the rest of the band..."
That sounded like it would take too long and Darren didn't like that prospect. "Don't go away!"
"Well, Daz, I have to go away to get you your blanket, don't I?"
That was true, but he still didn't want Daniel to leave. I'd rather have you than the blanket," Darren replied, not realizing the Freudian slip until it was too late.
Daniel laughed. "I think I'd make a terrible blanket," he said, still chuckling. "Don't worry; I'll be back in two shakes..."
He flashed Darren a smile as he opened the door and stepped out into the hall. There, he saw his fellow band mates talking with Dr. Wallis and a young nurse he hadn't seen before. Clearing his throat loudly, Daniel got their attention.
"Oh, you woke up, I see..." remarked Anna-Maria with a smile. "Have a nice nap?"
"Yeah, I'm awake...and so is Darren, in case you're interested!"
"What? How long had he been awake?" Ben asked.
"Only a few minutes," Daniel answered.
"And you didn't tell us? How is he?" demanded Ben, rushing into Darren's room, not bothering to wait for Daniel's answer.
"He's a little cold, actually, " Daniel answered anyway, looking pointedly at the doctor and nurse.
The nurse--Nurse Boyd--nodded and went to get a blanket while Dr. Wallis went to go and check on Darren. Anna-Maria, Karl, and Lee followed quickly behind. Last to enter the room were Daniel, Nurse Boyd, and the blanket.
Daniel had to laugh at Darren's dumbfounded expression as he was bombarded by questions and well-wishings. The dumbfounded look melted into a thankful smile as Darren carefully sat up and Nurse Boyd draped the blanket securely around his shoulders.
"I'm fine, you guys..." Darren attempted to reassure as he burrowed into his new blanket.
"Let me be the judge of that," Dr. Wallis chuckled, making Darren extract his injured and wrapped up wrist from the cacoon of blanketing. He closely examined the wrist to see if the swelling had gone down, jotted a few notes on a clipboard, then moved on. Next, Dr. Wallis shined a small flashlight into Darren's eyes and told him to follow the light as it moved. More notes ensued. Then he checked the stitches, looked over Darren's scrapes and bruises, poked and prodded Darren's scalp, and finally handed him an electric thermometer.
Darren, with an exasperated sigh, took the thermometer, stuck in his mouth, and retreated back under his blankets.
"Mr. Hayes, I don't believe that will give an accurate temperature reading."
A muffled, unintelligible noise came from under the blankets in reply. Darren refused to come out. About a minute later, a muffled beeping sound was heard from under the blanket and Darren's good arm snaked out from under the pile, thermometer in hand. With an impatient gesture, he handed the device back to the doctor then the arm disappeared again.
Doctor Wallis took the thermometer and read the numbers with a slight shake of his head. Then he handed it to Nurse Boyd and made a few more notes on his clipboard. "Well, Mr. Hayes...Your temperature has risen, but its still a few degrees below normal."
"I think that's normal for him! Lee and Ben laughed at the same time. Darren extracted himself from his cocoon so he could stick his tongue out at them. The others laughed.
"Mature, Daz. Real mature..." Daniel commented.
Darren grinned. "I know!" He replied. Then his face grew serious and he turned to the doctor. "How soon can I get out of here?"
Doc Wallis sighed--he knew no one would be thrilled with his recommendation. "Well Mr. Hayes, I think it would be in your best interest if you remained here overnight. We need to monitor your temperature and be on the lookout for Post-Concussion Syndrome."
Darren looked stricken. "But what about tonight's show?" He demanded.
The doctor's look turned severe. "Mr. Hayes, you were just in an automobile accident--a serious automobile accident! You barely made it out of there alive! I don't want you to be doing anything more strenuous than sleeping for at least the next few days. Energy-draining concerts do not fall under that criteria!"
The others, sensing a fight, quietly and inconspicuously left the room. Only Daniel, Darren, and the doctor remained. Daniel then spoke up softly, "We've already called off the show, anyway. I phoned Leonie earlier and she's working to get the concert rescheduled for a few days from now."
Darren looked shocked,"You did?"
"Yeah, Daz. We did! We didn't know when you were going to wake up or how you'd feel once you did....We want to give you a chance to recover. I mean c'mon, Darren, you were in a CAR ACCIDENT for fuck's sake! We..." At this point Daniel grew choked up as a realization set in. In a tear-filled voice he finished, "...we came so close to losing you."
As Daniel struggled to contain himself, Darren's eyes filled with tears. The seriousness of the whole ordeal finally caught up with him and he broke down crying. Daniel was by Darren's side in an instant, wrapping his long, wiry arms around his slighter friend's shoulders pulling him in for a close hug. He sat down on the bed beside Darren and held his friend tightly as he cried, whispering soothing words.
Neither man noticed their band mates standing, shocked, in the doorway. Neither man noticed when the doctor slipped out of the room and closed the door. All that mattered just then was the moment and the fact that they were both alive to share it...
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