AN: This will be the only author's note for this short story besides the one I will post at the very end. With that in mind, I want to personally thank everyone who will eventually read this story and hopefully enjoy it as much as I know I will enjoy writing it. This certain idea of a keveed fanfic has been floating around my mind to the point where I decided to take a short, and I mean short, break from Cat & Mouse and actually write it out and test the waters. Therefore, I hope you all truly enjoy it. Also, like always I will post a copy of each chapter to my tumblr page, which is under the same screen name as my name on here, and wattpad. Thanks for everything! XOXO!
In Sickness & In Health
By: anybodihearme
Chapter One: The Unexpected
Originally Uploaded: Tuesday, May 23, 2017
The overly bleached doors of the hospital's main sitting room swing open with such force that they bang against the sickly white walls that are capable of telling the stories of all those who have come and gone throughout the years Peach Creek General has been standing. Slowly, the stained paint chips float down towards the hideously tiled floor to only be blown back up and towards the ceiling by the stampede of feet that run across the threshold. The paint chips float back towards the walls to only be forgotten just like the many unanswered prayers and pleas that haunt the hallways and rooms; however, what cannot be forgotten, or rather who, is the raven haired man that looked into the eyes of the petite receptionist on the evening his entire life changed for the better or for the worse.
It was as if time itself stopped for him when he got a phone call from a family friend delivering news he never expected or anticipated to hear. From the six words they spoke into the phone to him fearfully asking the receptionist about his husband's status, it is truly as if time has stopped. Everything around him is moving in slow motion to the point where he can't process anything that is going on around him in an accurate way. The voices he hears are mumbles and fall on deaf ears alongside the touches that leave him more numb than he already is. The air is thin and it, unfortunately, makes breathing for him hard to the point where someone kneels in front of him and begs him to calm down and to just breathe but he can't. Tears fill his eyes and spill over for what feels like the thousandth time but they just continue to fall and it makes him angry because they are only tears and will do nothing to answer his prayers and pleas.
Memories cloud his vision and all he can see is the bright smile and fiery red hair that he has grown accustomed to seeing and relishing in throughout his teen years and well into his prime. The sweet exchanges they shared between one another to the fights that threatened to tear them apart to even the prank wars that tested their love and devotion to one another. All in all, while his eyes may be open and taking in the physical area around him doesn't necessarily mean that he is physically there; instead, he is far away in a mental aspect as he runs his hands through his hair for the third time in the past five minutes.
"Kevin Barr?" A middle-aged man calls out. As if one queue, the majority of the waiting room stands and faces the brown-eyed man in a doctor's coat. Looking around the room, the doctor drops his eyes down to the clipboard in his hands before looking back up and at the multiple pairs of eyes that are focused on him. "Which one of you are the next of kin to Kevin Barr?"
"That would be me," Eddward says in a shaky voice as takes a step forward. "I'm Eddward Vincent… Vincent-Barr… Kevin's husband..." Eddward shakes his head briefly before breaking eye contact with the doctor and bringing his eyes down to his hands. A calloused hand grips Eddward's shoulder and he looks up at the freckled face Kevin inherited so well. Mr. Barr squeezes Eddward's shoulder and Eddward can't help but place his hand on his and look back at the doctor. "Is he… Kevin, okay...?"
"Unfortunately, we have Kevin sedated right now. When he was first brought in we were well aware of his condition; however, upon further treatment, it is more critical than we once anticipated." This time Eddward couldn't hold back the tears as the flowed down his face freely as his heart broke even more than it already was. "Kevin has a traumatic closed brain injury alongside a subdural hematoma. Luckily, he was rushed here fast enough for us to resolve the swelling and the bleeding in his brain and is right now stable." A rush of relief flows through everyone gathered in the waiting room and sighs of hope are heard as hearts flutter with gratitude. "Right now," the doctor continues, "Kevin is in a medically induced coma because it was too risky to keep him conscious and we will monitor him closely from here on out but his condition is serious."
"Serious?" Mrs. Barr steps forward and slips her hand in Eddward's.
"His injuries are very severe and it's untelling whether or not Kevin will be the same when he wakes up. Injuries like these are often accompanied by lifelong physical, sensory, behavioral, cognitive, and communicative disabilities. For right now, however, I don't want you all to think about the worse but to focus on the brighter side that he is alive right now and he's improving every hour."
"What about the other person?" Nazz pipes in which makes everyone briefly exchange glances and look back towards the doctor.
"Unfortunately, he did not survive the accident," the doctor simply states. "Kevin is very lucky." The doctor lowers his clipboard and slowly looks everyone in the eye one by one. "The helmet he was wearing took most of the damage thankfully but if he wasn't wearing it, Kevin's injuries would be far worse than they are."
"Can we see him…" Eddward asks barely above a whisper.
"Of course." Taking a step back, the doctor turns and everyone follows him. It's an eerie feeling in regards to how empty the hospital itself feels even though it is busy like any other day. It may be due to the fact that without Kevin, the feeling of togetherness is gone even though Eddward is surround be his beloved family and friends. The corridors of the hospital are wide but with every step they take, Eddward can't help but feel as if the world around him is closing in. On the other hand, it is quite remarkable how Eddward has yet to allow let the shock of the incident encompass him to the point where he cripples over and lets his emotions get the best of him.
It may be due to the simple fact that Kevin needs him right now more than ever.
Slowly but surely, the doctor leads them from floor to floor, room to room, and even wing to wing until they come to a stop outside a room located in the Intensive Care Unit. Pausing for a moment, the doctor rests his hand on the doorknob that leads to the room where Kevin is assumed to be and briefly looks back at everyone, mainly Eddward. "It looks worse than it actually is," the doctor says before he twists the doorknob and opens the door.
The room is bare and poorly decorated as if it was constructed in a poor attempt to mock someone's bedroom and provide a homely feeling but failed altogether because the décor overall is more akin to the one of a funeral home. The walls are a pale green that does little to illuminate the natural sunlight that pours through the sole window of the room and instead appears to absorb most of the light for itself. A few pictures of plants hang along the walls of the room but ironically enough the plants themselves appear to be on the verge of death. The floor is made out of pure marble that only results in the deafening echo of everyone's steps to bounce off the walls and make the room appear to be more empty and void of life than it actually is. What appears to be an uncomfortable couch and chairs dot alongside the walls of the room with a few magazines lying here and there that seem to have been untouched for years.
Out of everything in the room, the only true thing that pops out is the sight of Kevin lying motionless on the hospital bed. A soft gasp escapes Eddward's lips as he rushes towards his husband's bedside and goes to grab his hand but stops himself; unsure if whether or not it is okay to touch him in the state that he is. The crisp sterile white sheets of the hospital bed, unfortunately, does a horrible job in masking the plastic covering the matters to the point where it only benefits in making Kevin look more dead than he is alive.
The sight of his husband before him breaks all of what is left of Eddward.
Covered in bandages head to toe with IVs and tubes sticking out of him in every direction only makes Eddward choke on a sob and slowly slip his hand in Kevin's. His skin is unnaturally cold and sends a slight shiver down Eddward's spine. Virtually, Kevin's entire being is covered with either bandages, IVs, tubes, or the hospital's blanket; however, the skin that is not covered is discolored in such a fashion that it replicates a color scheme of purples, blues, greens, and even reds. It's a heartbreaking veracity and Eddward loses the feeling in his legs. Thankfully, the chair beside him catches him; however, not once does he let go of Kevin's hand.
"Kevin…" Eddward trails off as he rubs his thumb across Kevin's soft hand. The only sound in the room is the constant beeping of the heart monitor that reassures Eddward with every beep that Kevin is alive and that the slow rise and fall of Kevin's chest is all the evidence that it has to offer. Mr. and Mrs. Barr both come to stand on the opposite side of Kevin's bed and they too slip their hands in Kevin's cold one and look down at their only son. Everyone else from Eddward's lifelong friends to Kevin's best friend and their shared friends from the cul-de-sac enters the room slowly and either choose to sit on the couch or chairs. "Is he breathing on his own?" Eddward asks, not even bothering to look from Kevin to the doctor. All he can truly focus on is the ungodly tube that is covering a good portion of Kevin's his mouth and nose which only leaves him to wonder if Kevin himself is actually comfortable in the state that he is in.
"Right now, no. The machine is breathing for him only because he is too weak to breathe on his own; however, within a few days hopefully, Kevin will be able to breathe on his own. It's simply a precaution we are taking." Eddward nods his head and squeezed Kevin's hand gently. "It may be a lot to take in but I can guarantee you all that Kevin is in the best of hands. His condition may seem a bit unbearable in the sense that Kevin may appear to be uncomfortable; however, the staff and I will be working day and night to make sure that he is comfortable at all times. Kevin is in the best hands and we will do all that we can to make his recovery healthy and speedy."
"Can he… hear us…" Mrs. Barr asks.
"That is debatable but we do encourage the family members of patients to talk to them," the doctor nods his head as he walks to the end of Kevin's bed. Taking a moment to look at his chart, the doctor scans the room before taking a step back. "A nurse will be in here every hour to check in. If you need anything feel free to use the call button located on both the right and left-hand side of the bed."
"Thank you…" Eddward says as he looks away from Kevin and to the eyes of the man that just might have saved the love of his life.
"Dr. Athans," he smiles and quietly slips out of the room. Turning back towards the motionless man lying on the bed, Eddward slowly lifts his hand and trails his fingers through Kevin's soft hair. Words cannot even begin to amount to the emotions that are encompassing Eddward with every breath that Kevin takes. It's an odd combination of relief and disdain in the sense that while Kevin may be alive it is untelling of the trials and tribulations that are yet to come. For right now, however, Eddward will be Kevin's side with every waking minute of the day and sullen moment of the night.
"I love you," Eddward whispers before he kisses Kevin softly on the hand.