Disclaimer: I don't own KH2 or any of the affiliates, etc.
The trunk hatch of the red jeep shut with a loud bang, making Roxas Strife jump. The reaction wasn't too much of a shock, considering the time was six in the morning. It should be illegal for anyone to be awake that early. Still, his boyfriend was leaving for the week and Roxas wanted to see him off, ungodly hour in the morning or no. Said boyfriend rounded the corner of the jeep and grinned at Roxas, looking far too awake for the blonde's liking.
"You didn't have to get up, Roxy."
"Shut up," Roxas retorted tiredly. "Yes I did."
Roxas and Axel had been together since Roxas' junior year in high school. Now a senior in college, he figured they might as well be married without the vows. They shared a small apartment on the east side of Hollow Bastion and their life together, while not perfect, was pretty damn close.
"I should probably get going," Axel said, winding his arms around Roxas' waist. The blonde responded in kind, rising up on his toes and wrapping his own arms around his boyfriend's neck.
"Yeah," he said in agreement. Neither of them moved for a long while.
Axel had been kicked out of his house the day he had announced that he was gay. He'd moved in with his aunt and had had to switch schools because of it. He always said he didn't regret a thing, though. Without that little event, he said, he never would have met Roxas. As things turned out, Axel's father had had a heart attack nearly a month before and he'd claimed that it made him see the light. He'd decided he wanted to renew contact with his estranged son and hopefully they could be family again. He'd called and invited Axel for Christmas, and Axel really hadn't been able to refuse. Roxas knew that Axel missed his family, despite how often he brushed it off like it was nothing.
Axel had asked Roxas to come, but the blonde had turned down the invitation. First of all, he knew there would be a lot of tension and awkwardness and his presence probably wouldn't help that at all. He didn't want to get in the way of family affairs. He didn't care what Axel's family thought of him, but he wanted things to be as easy for Axel as possible.
The redhead had been vehement about Roxas not spending Christmas alone, so the blonde had lied to appease him. He'd claimed to be spending Christmas with his twin brother, but that wasn't actually the case. Sora was spending Christmas alone with his husband and Roxas didn't want to get in the way of that. It would be the blonde's first Christmas alone.
"I don't have to go, Roxas," Axel spoke up, burying his face in Roxas' hair.
"Yes, you do," Roxas answered. "You can't miss this opportunity. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."
"I feel really bad, though," Axel insisted. "No one should be alone on Christmas."
"I won't be," Roxas reminded him. "I'll be with Sora, remember?"
Axel squeezed him tighter and shook his head. "You're an awful liar, did you know? I know that you're planning on being alone on Christmas. I don't want that…"
"I'm a big boy, Axel. I can take care of myself," Roxas insisted. "Go reconcile with your family. That's what's really important right now."
"You're what's most important," Axel insisted. Roxas gave him an extra squeeze for that before looking up into his face.
"You'll regret it forever if you don't go."
Axel sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "You're right. Of course you're right. I wish you would come with me, though."
"We've been over this a million times," Roxas reminded him. "It would be extremely awkward."
"That doesn't matter. If my dad wants to have a relationship with me, you're part of the deal," Axel said with finality. "Besides…I don't quite know what I'll do without you."
Roxas snorted and rolled his eyes, secretly thinking it was a sweet thing to say. "You lasted for seventeen years without me."
"Yeah, but Roxy, do you realize that in the last five years that we've been together, we haven't been apart for more then twenty-four hours in a row?"
Roxas hadn't realized that. He was surprised that Axel kept track. "Well, then, maybe it's time we did," Roxas said. "You have to admit, that doesn't seem very healthy. Now go on, the sooner you leave, the sooner you can come home." Axel kissed him firmly on the mouth and murmured, "Bye," against his lips. Roxas hugged him tightly one last time before pushing him lightly towards the car.
"I'll see you next week," he said. Axel nodded, snagged another kiss, and got in the car.
"I love you, babe," Axel said, as if Roxas could ever forget.
"I love you, too. Now go away." Axel laughed, started the car, and drove away. Roxas watched until he turned the corner and could no longer be seen. Then, he went back inside and huddled under their blankets, hugging Axel's pillow to his chest in replacement of the redhead he usually held. Tired as he was, he quickly drifted off into sleep.
Christmas Eve found Roxas huddled on the couch; a throw blanket wrapped around his shoulders, a mug of hot chocolate in his hands, and the twenty-four hour A Christmas Story marathon playing on the television. No matter how many times he watched that movie, it just never seemed to get old. He'd tried convincing Axel a few years in a row to buy him a leg lamp, but Axel had outright refused. He claimed it was because he knew that Roxas would display the ugly thing proudly in the living room. He was absolutely right on that account. Roxas had toyed with the idea of buying one himself, but it just wasn't as fun as trying to convince Axel every year.
The blonde took a sip from his cup, frowning as he realized that last of his drink was gone. He had a slight stomachache and he took the moment to compare the pros and cons. Hot chocolate might make his stomach hurt more. On the other hand, it was keeping him warm. He continued with this list until he realized that he was naming a lot more pros then cons. Determined, he stood to go get some more. And that was when the pain hit.
There were absolutely no words to describe the pain wracking through his side. The closest he could get was that it was like someone stabbing him with a white-hot knife, but even that didn't compare. He let out a gasp and tried to take a step forward, finding that he was in so much pain he couldn't move. He collapsed back onto the couch and the pain of his movements caused him to vomit.
Tears sprang to his eyes as the pain continued ceaselessly. Not knowing what else to do, he picked up his cell phone and called the first person he could think of. Sora answered on the third ring.
"Hello!" he greeted cheerfully.
"Sora," Roxas choked out, his voice sounding as pain-filled as he felt.
"Roxas?" Sora said, instantly sounding troubled. "Roxas, what's wrong?"
"I don't know. I'm in so much pain, I didn't know what to do…"
Sora's husband, Riku, was a doctor. Being such, Roxas figured he might be able to know what the hell was going on.
"Hold on one second, Roxas. Riku's right here, tell him what's wrong," Sora said, his voice sounding worried. Riku's calm tones came over the phone a moment later.
"Roxas? What's going on?" he asked.
"Shit, Riku, I don't know. My side just suddenly started hurting."
"Where?"
"The right side, near my lower back," Roxas reported, choking back another sob at the pain. "I've never felt this much pain in my life."
Riku 'hm'd thoughtfully before sighing. "I have an idea as to what might be happening. I'd have to run a few tests to be sure, though. I'll call an ambulance for you. We'll see you at the hospital."
"No!" Roxas insisted. "You guys stay home…" He was cut off by an involuntary cry of pain.
"You know there will be no keeping Sora home now. Besides, I want to see this for myself. We'll see you there." Riku hung up on him before he could protest. Not knowing what else to do, Roxas tried to arrange himself in any way that might relieve the pain. Nothing helped, though, and the pain was just increasing by the moment.
By the time a sharp knock sounded at the door, unintentional tears were streaming down his cheeks.
"It's open!" Roxas managed to call out. The door banged open none-too-gently and two men entered carrying a stretcher between them. Roxas groaned at the thought of being carried out on the contraption. They didn't listen to his protests, however. They just lifted him up, strapped him down, and carried him out.
The pain increased to the point where Roxas gave up on being civil. Instead, he just cussed every curse word he could think of. The medics tried to calm him down and talk to him, but they gave up when he started insulting them. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the rational bit of him was thinking that he would regret being such an ass later. As it was right then, Roxas really didn't care.
"Dammit, can't you give me something for this?" Roxas howled. "Anything? For god's sake, it's your job to make me feel better!"
"We can't give you anything until your doctor gives the okay…"
"Then call him up! My primary physician is my brother-in-law, he'll give you the word!"
"You'll just have to wait until we reach the hospital," the man answered calmly. Roxas, in retaliation, continued to sling cuss words at him.
By the time Roxas reached the hospital, a room was all ready set up for him, courtesy of Riku. He was moved into the bed and it wasn't long before a nurse was in there, prodding his side. He yelped in pain before slapping her hand away.
"Get the hell off of me, what is wrong with you?" he growled angrily at her.
"Roxas," a stern voice spoke up. "Stop being a bitch and let the woman do her job." Roxas glared at the owner of the voice, who turned out to be Riku. His silver hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and he was wearing his glasses. Roxas felt slightly guilty, knowing that he must have pulled them from a comfortable Christmas Eve night. Sora was standing behind him in a pair of pajama bottoms and a hoodie.
"God dammit, Riku," was Roxas' response. "Order some painkillers or I swear to God I will kill the next person who touches me!"
"We have to get the IV in first, Roxas."
"THEN DO IT!"
Riku, looking the slightest bit amused, nodded at the nurse to start setting it up. She tied a strip tightly around his arm and smiled cheerfully at him.
"This won't hurt a bit…"
"I don't care," Roxas hissed. "Just put the stupid needle in my arm." She blinked at him for a moment before starting on his task. Roxas grit his teeth at the new explosion of pain from a different source. What the hell was she doing, carving a picture?
"Oops!" she said.
"Oops? What do you mean, oops?" Roxas demanded.
"Well, I hit a vent in your vein and the IV isn't working right," she informed him, sounding far too joyful. "I'll have to redo it somewhere else."
"You've got to be kidding me," Roxas deadpanned. She shook her head, yanked the needle from his arm, and moved around to his opposite hand. She didn't wait for him to stay anything before plunging the needle in and searching viciously for a vein. If anything was to be said, at least that pain momentarily distracted him from the hurt in his side.
"Okay!" she said finally. "There we are, all hooked up."
"Riku!" Roxas snapped. He didn't have to say anything else.
"Will you go get him some morphine?" Riku requested. "Ten sounds about good." She nodded and bounced from the room.
"All right, Roxas, talk to me here. Without being an ass, if you would," Riku said conversationally. This unleashed a whole session of questions about Roxas' health and whether he'd noticed anything different about blah, blah, blah.
The nurse returned a few minutes later with two little plungers filled with clear liquid. Roxas thought he might dance at the sight. She plugged them in, one by one, and injected the morphine in through his IV.
"All right, Roxas. The morphine is going to make you drowsy. We're going to take some blood for testing and we'll try and see what we can figure out. I'm pretty sure I know what's going on all ready," Riku said. Roxas merely nodded, the morphine hitting him fast and hard. The pain in his side ebbed away and he thought he might be able to hear Heaven's choir singing. Before long, he was drifting off into the land of heavily medicated sleep.
When Roxas awoke, the room was very dark. Sora was sleeping in a chair next to the bed and Riku was leaning against a wall with a chart in his hands, studying it like it were a treasure map. Roxas was grateful for the numb sensations he was feeling. He shifted slightly, causing Riku to look up from the chart.
"How are you feeling?" he asked approaching the bed. Roxas shrugged.
"One to ten, ten being unbearable pain," Riku clarified.
"I don't really feel anything right now," Roxas admitted. "I'm just really tired." Riku nodded and marked something in the folder.
"Well, we're pretty sure that you've got kidney stones, but we can't be positive. We're going to run a CT scan in the morning and find out exactly what's going on."
Roxas nodded, feeling sleep tugging at the corner's of his mind again. Riku seemed to notice this.
"Go ahead and sleep, Roxas. The morphine will make you whether you want to or not. I'll call Axel in the morning. I think it's a bit late right now."
Roxas shook his head vehemently. "No, don't call Axel."
Riku frowned. "Why not? He'll want to know."
"I'll tell him when he gets home. He's with his family and I don't want to screw anything up." Riku sighed and nodded.
"I'm technically bound by Hippocratic Oath, so I can't. But I think he would want to know."
"Your opinion is noted," Roxas informed him.
They were quiet for a long while and Roxas had almost fallen back asleep when he spoke up again.
"I'm sorry."
"Hm?" Riku said distractedly. "For what?"
"For ruining your Christmas. You don't really get all that much time off. You two should be spending it together." Riku shrugged with a small smirk.
"Sora knew things would be like this. We've both accepted that this is just the way things are. Anyway, we want to be here for you."
Roxas couldn't form a response before he was asleep again.
The next time Roxas woke up, it was nearly two in the afternoon. For a long moment he was dazed and couldn't remember how he'd gotten to the hospital. Only for a moment, though, before he remembered that awful pain. His mind couldn't even form the memory properly.
When he'd pieced his memory back together, he noticed that the once stark white room had been decorated in his absence. Multi-colored Christmas tree lights lined the ceiling, blinking merrily at him. A tiny tree stood in one corner, all made up with mini ornaments. Someone had plastered paper snowflakes everywhere. Something told Roxas that Sora was behind this. Surely enough, the door opened a minute later and Sora entered with a handful of snowflakes, humming a Christmas carol cheerfully.
"Sora…what are you doing?" Roxas asked. The brunet jumped slightly before turning to grin at his brother.
"Roxas! You're awake! I was just decorating your room. It was really depressing. Merry Christmas!" To most people, the fast-paced switches of subject would be confusing. Roxas had had twenty-one years to become used to it, though, so he took it all in stride.
"Yeah, I just woke up a minute ago. It doesn't matter if my room is boring; I'm not planning on staying here long. Merry Christmas to you too."
"Jeez, Roxas. You're grouchy today. I was just trying to do something nice," Sora pouted, shooting him a little glare.
Roxas deflated slightly and sighed. Of course Sora was trying to do something nice. Sora was always doing something nice for other people.
"Sorry, So. It looks nice," Roxas said. "I wasn't trying to be mean." The brunet smiled beautifully.
"I know Roxas. I know exactly what's wrong with you, too."
"Yeah," Roxas snorted. "I'm sick. I always get bitchy when I'm sick." Sora shook his head 'no'.
"Uh-uh. More then that. You miss Axel, is all." Roxas stared at his brother in silence for about half a minute before he snorted with laughter.
"You think I'm being a bitch because I miss Axel?" he asked. "Really?"
Sora nodded, looking dead serious. "I don't think, I know. Trust me, Roxas. It's the pain a little bit, but it's mostly just loneliness."
Before Roxas could come up with a good counter-argument, the door opened and Riku entered, looking all doctor-like in a white lab coat.
"Roxas, you're awake!" he said by way out greeting. "Great, we'll get you right down to that CT scan, then. He approached the IV and unhooked the tube from the thing in his hand. As Roxas tried to stand, he realized just how shaky on his feet he was. Riku helped him into a wheelchair and Roxas was almost winded with the effort. He leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling and let out a heartfelt groan.
"Roxas? Are you all right?" Riku asked as he pushed the wheelchair out of the room and down the hall toward what Roxas assumed was the x-ray room.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Roxas grumbled. "I just didn't expect to be so weak."
"Dr. Silver!" a female voice called. Riku stopped, allowing the woman to catch up with them. "Dr. Silver, we were wondering if you could…"
"I'm sorry, but I'm actually very busy," Riku interrupted her. "It's my day off today. I'm only here to make sure my brother here gets the proper attention." Looking like she didn't really know how to respond, she nodded and turned back down the hall.
"Nice and blunt there, huh, Riku?" Roxas jested.
"I had to be," he shrugged. "Otherwise I'd be roped into doing countless tasks that really have nothing to do with my medical expertise, more as other people being lazy Asses."
After the scan and countless other tests and prods, it was confirmed that Roxas did, in fact, have a kidney stone. The blonde responded to this news with a slur of curses. He then proceeded to kick both Riku and Sora out of his room, making them promise to go home and spend the rest of their Christmas together. After much finagling, Sora finally agreed. Roxas was left to the peace and quiet of his hospital room and the mind numbing comfort of television. He sent Axel a quick text message wishing him a merry Christmas, but not saying anything else. His cell phone buzzed back with another message and he couldn't help but smile. It would be the first time they had any form of contact since Axel had left.
'Merry Christmas, babe. How are you doing?' Axel had a tendency to write out complete sentences when he texted. That was something Roxas greatly appreciated, for he did the same thing. He couldn't figure out shorthand for the life of him. Roxas wrote back informing the redhead that he missed him but other then that he was fine. Apparently things were going very well with Axel's family. Things got awkward every once in a while, but Axel had made it perfectly clear that he would leave if he didn't like the things his father was saying.
'I showed my ma that picture I keep in my wallet. She thinks you're adorable.' Axel said at once point. Roxas retorted that he most certainly was not, and received only a large 'LOL' in response. Eventually, he claimed to be tired and informed Axel that he was going to take a nap. That, at least, wasn't really a lie. They said their goodbyes and Roxas turned his phone off, settling down into bed for another nap.
Roxas cuddled into the warmth of his bed, trying to grip those last dregs of sleep in his mind. As he started to wake up more, he slowly began to realize things were wrong. For one, the room smelled familiar. Extremely, comfortingly familiar. For another, his pillow was breathing. He bit back a gasp and sat up, eyes going wide. After a moment of panic, he realized who he had been laying on. Axel stared back at him, an eyebrow raised in a way that let Roxas know he was in trouble.
"Um…Ax. Babe, what are you doing here?" he said quietly.
"Maybe I should ask you that," Axel retorted. "I do recall you telling me that you were fine earlier."
"I was fine earlier," Roxas insisted, his stomach twisting slightly.
"You're in the hospital, Roxas!" The blonde looked away from his upset lover, his hands clenching at the blankets around his waist. "Why the hell wouldn't you tell me about this? For god's sake, when I got that phone call I thought the worst!"
"I'm sorry!" Roxas cried. "This is why I didn't want you to know! I knew you'd get all upset and run off to come see me. I wanted you to fix things with your family and you can't do that if you're here."
Axel shot him a disgusted look. "Roxas, babe, you are my family. If I never fix things with my parents, that's okay with me. Just as long as I have you it's all worth it. Dammit, I thought you knew that."
Roxas bit his lip, feeling slightly ashamed. "I do know that, Ax, but I also know you. This thing with your family…it's been tearing you up for years." Axel looked like he was about to protest, so Roxas pressed a hand over his lips. "Let me finish. You want to fix things, I know that. This whole thing, being alone on Christmas and not calling you, I figured that was the best thing I could do. I did it because I love you and I want you to be happy."
"Well, now I'm just pissed!" Axel exclaimed, running a hand through his crimson locks. "Jesus, Roxy. If there's ever a moment when you're sick enough to be in the hospital, I want to be the first to know!"
Roxas nodded to show that he understood. "I'm sorry for not telling you, Ax." After a long moment Axel sighed and grabbed Roxas up in his arms, pulling the blonde against his chest and resting his cheek on top of Roxas' head.
"I'm glad you're all right," he said finally. "I'm glad it's not something more serious."
"How did you find out I was here?" Roxas asked.
"Sora," Axel said simply. "He called right after you turned your phone off and I left right then. I've actually been here for a few hours." Roxas snuggled into the redhead's arms, realizing for the first time how right Sora was. Roxas had really, really, missed Axel. The door opened and Roxas was ready to turn around and yell at whoever it was to go away when he saw the strangely familiar man who he knew he'd never met before. He was of medium height with long red hair. He had blue eyes with red tattoos under them and he looked to be quite scrawny and tired. If Roxas' suspicions were right, he had to be at least forty, though he looked like he could easily be in his thirties. If this was who Roxas thought he was, Axel had a good genetic future.
"Oh. You're awake. The doctor said he didn't expect you to be for another few hours at least," the man said, looking almost embarrassed. Roxas made to move from Axel's hold, but his lover gripped him tighter, refusing to let go. Deciding he'd really rather not leave the comforting embrace anyway, Roxas settled back into it.
"Roxy, this is my dad, Reno," Axel said quietly. "Dad, this is my boyfriend, Roxas."
Reno paused for a long moment as if deliberating in his head. After a moment, he extended a hand for a shake.
"Hello," he said. "I have to admit, I imagined meeting you under different circumstances."
Roxas nodded. "I guess I was bad this year," he joked weakly. "Kidney stones in place of coal." Reno let out a little laugh and things fell silent again. The silence stretched on until the door opened again and two redheaded women entered the room. They each held a fast food bag in one of her hands. The smell of grease hit Roxas' nose and his stomach grumbled. He realized that he must have slept through the meal times.
"Kairi, mom," Axel spoke up. "This is Roxas. Rox, this is my sister Kairi and my mom Ariel." Roxas waved at them with a small grin.
"Oh, you're even cuter in person!" Ariel squealed. "Axel, you certainly know how to pick 'em!" Roxas felt a blush spread over his face and Axel grinned proudly.
"I know," he said smugly. Kairi rolled her eyes and handed the bag in her hand to Axel before offering her hand to shake Roxas'.
"Hi, I'm Kairi," she introduced herself. "Ignore my mom, she has no filter." Roxas grinned and repeated the introductions. He then promptly looked at Axel.
"You're sharing," he informed the redhead.
"You ask so nicely, babe. How could I refuse?"
After they sated themselves on fast food, Roxas frowned at Axel.
"Babe, I'm thirsty," he murmured. "Will you go get me something?"
"Sure thing," Axel said with a grin, standing up. "What do you want?"
"Surprise me," Roxas said. "You know what I like."
"Yes," Axel said, waggling his eyebrows. "Yes, I do." Roxas scowled and pushed him.
"Get out of here before you give your father an aneurysm," he hissed. Axel threw back his head and laughed, planted a kiss on Roxas' head, and escaped the room all the while dodging a hit Roxas swung at him.
Reno shot Kairi a look and the redheaded girl suddenly stood. "Hey mom, lets go look at the babies in the maternity ward!" she exclaimed, grabbing her mom's arm and pulling the woman from the room. Roxas suddenly felt very nervous. He wished he hadn't sent Axel away.
"Roxas," Reno spoke up. "I wanted to talk to you."
Roxas nodded, looking at him and wondering if he looked as much like a shaking rabbit as he felt.
"I've made many mistakes in my life. The one I regret most, however, is alienating myself from my son. I imagine that is something I will regret for the rest of my life. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Roxas nodded dumbly, not sure if he really knew what the hell Reno was talking about.
"I want to make things right with my son. I have to be honest with you. I'm not completely comfortable with the whole gay thing. I understand that if I want a relationship with Axel that you're part of the package, but…"
Suddenly finding his voice, Roxas raised an eyebrow and asked, "But what?"
"You guys aren't making it very easy on me with the whole touchy feely thing. I was wondering if you could, maybe, give it a rest a bit?"
Roxas laughed quietly and shook his head. "No, we can't. That's just the way Axel and I are. We touch almost all the time and it's always been that way. I'm sorry, but we're not going to stop to make you feel better."
"I see," Reno said slowly. "All right then."
They were quiet for a long time before Reno sighed and spoke again.
"All right, Roxas. I just want you to know that I don't really have a problem with you as a person. You seem like a really nice kid and I've never seen Axel happier then I did just now. It's the whole gay thing that rubs me the wrong way. I don't want to ruin the fragile peace Ax and I have made. So…if I seem like a jackass, it's just because I'm uncomfortable. But please believe me when I tell you that I'm really, truly, trying."
Roxas nodded and smiled slightly. "It's a really good thing you're doing here. The rejection has always torn Axel up inside. That you're even trying is a wonderful thing. I can respect that."
Reno grinned more fully and nodded. "Great then." Axel chose that moment to return, a bottle of Gatorade in hand.
"Where'd mom and Kairi go?" he asked.
"Maternity ward," Reno grunted. "We should probably be going. The visiting hours are bound to be over soon." Axel nodded, watching his father carefully.
"Yeah, all right. It was…it was really good seeing you, dad."
"You too, son."
There was an awkward pause before Axel just went for it. He hugged his dad tightly and Reno, not hesitating a moment, hugged his son back.
"I'll see you soon, then?"
"Yeah. Definitely," Axel agreed. "Tell mom and Kairi I said goodbye. Merry Christmas."
"You too. Goodbye Roxas. I hope you feel better."
Roxas barely had time to utter 'thanks' before Reno was out the door. Axel turned slowly to look at Roxas and he full out grinned. Roxas smiled back at him, his heart soaring to see such a blissfully happy look on his love's face. Axel settled back on the bed next to him, wrapping his arms around Roxas' middle and laying down next to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
"I'm really glad things worked out for you, Ax," Roxas murmured.
"I love you, Roxas." Was his reply.
"I love you, too."
It hadn't been the most ideal Christmas, but things had turned out okay. It hadn't even been Roxas' best Christmas, though something good had come of it. He hadn't gotten tons of presents and he hadn't shared a mistletoe kiss. In fact, as far as Christmas miracles went, this one was rather lacking. Still, as Roxas held on to the one person he knew he'd love for the rest of his life, he had to figure. It wasn't bad. In fact, he was extremely happy just like that.
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A/N: I have defied the rules of Christmas fanfiction! Hopefully I've avoided being cheesy and overdone, because that was the entire goal. And really, I owe it all to kidney stones. If I hadn't been inflicted with the worst pain I've ever felt in my life, I never would have got this idea. A lot of that stuff was my actual experience in the hospital. Such as the missed IV and yelling at random hospital personnel. I get mean when I'm in pain. Anyway, thanks for reading! Review and a very Merry Christmas to all!