I was up until two-thirty in the morning writing this. But I couldn't put it aside until later in the day. I wouldn't have gotten aroung to it until the late afternoon. I just don't work that way. The idea for a story like this (not necessarily this one) came to me the first time I heard the song "Things Left Unsaid" by Disciple. It was finally time to write one down
Songs: "Things Left Unsaid" by Disciple; "Gonna Be Alright" by Newsboys
For Nakedmolerat05: who likes my stories regardless of what I do to the characters and who is a rather impressive writer for a mid-schooler (that doesn't sound right for some reason, maybe I should rephrase that) and for Tempest Hawk without whom nm05 would not have such a great story in "The Gateway."
-xxx-
Gonna Be Alright
It had been two days since Finn collapsed into his arms. It had been two days since Finn had last opened his eyes. The blond had been fine three days ago. At least, he seemed to be; but Aerrow and the others quickly found out that that wasn't so. The doctor had said that he had been sick for quite some time, exactly how long he wasn't sure. Aerrow had barely left his friend's side since they brought him in. No one could move the Sky Knight from his spot next to Finn. It had been tried once, but when Junko intervened the act was regretted almost immediately. If it wasn't for the quick-thinking—and influence—of one nurse, well…it's a good thing they were already in a hospital.
Aerrow stared at the tubes running from Finn's mouth to various machines. His ear twitched at the beeping of the monitor. He had spent the last two nights sleeping on a cot in Finn's hospital room, falling asleep to the monotonous sound of the beeping monitor, almost always into a dreamless slumber. The dreams he did have were always about Finn. He held tightly to the blond teen's hand as the tears began to fall down his cheeks once again.
-xxx-
"Look," said Aerrow as he and Piper made their way from the hangar to the bridge, "I know Finn isn't big on reading…unless it's a magazine."
"And that's because it has pictures," Piper snickered.
The Sky Knight grimaced. "Normally, I'd laugh at that. But I think Finn will love this book. It's right up his alley."
"Whatever you say," Piper laughed.
Aerrow frowned.
They walked onto the bridge only to find Junko, Stork and Radarr. The sharpshooter was absent. "Where's Finn?" Aerrow asked.
"In his room," Stork said, flatly.
"Why would he be in his room now?" Aerrow queried more to himself than anyone else.
"Oh, something about I wouldn't know good music if it crawled into my head and exploded into a melodious cacophony of sound The two humans stared at the carrier pilot. "I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. You'll have to ask him."
"Wouldn't that be an oxymoron?" said Aerrow.
"Like I said," the Merb replied, "you'll have to ask him."
"Well, anyway, I'm gonna go give Finn his gift."
Aerrow headed down the corridor to Finn's room. 'Melodious cacophony….That's an oxymoron,' he thought. 'Of course, this is Finn we're talking about.'
He knocked on the blond's door. "Hey, Finn!" he yelled. It was more than likely the sharpshooter had his headphones on, which meant he would be playing "deaf." "I got something for you!" He'll hear that.
The door opened. "You got something for me?" Finn said, gleefully.
"Uh, yeah."
"Oo…what is it?"
"I know you're not real big on reading, but I think you'll like it."
He handed the book to Finn.
"The Magician's Nephew," Finn read.
"The guy at the bookstore said it was really good. And when I told him about you, he said he thought it'd be right up your alley," Aerrow explained. "So, uh, early happy birthday."
"Thanks, Aerrow." Finn opened the book and read the inside flap. It sounded interesting.
-xxx-
Aerrow took a deep breath. His exhale was shaky. "Come on, Finn," he said in an unsteady voice. "Open your eyes. Please." He squeezed Finn's hand. "You gotta tell me more about that book."
He let go of the teen's hand and stretched his arm across Finn's torso, laying his head on the blond's shoulder and closed his eyes.
-xxx-
Tell me more about the book, Finn.
"Man, this book is so cool," Finn said to Aerrow, excitedly. "You gotta read it. You'll love it."
Aerrow smiled as Finn went on telling him about the book. The two had rarely sat down with each other to have any kind of lengthy conversation that didn't involve stupid ideas or the reprimanding of them. The more the blond went on about the book, the more Aerrow wanted to read it for himself. Finn had also begun telling him about other things he had never given much thought to. It was like seeing a new Finn.
The redhead couldn't stop smiling. And although he could barely get a word in edgewise, he was just fine at the moment. He wanted to hear everything Finn had to say. It seemed as though Finn had discovered something far beyond what a fantasy novel should offer. And it was something the young blond was eager to share.
-xxx-
Aerrow opened his eyes, but he didn't move. He watched Finn's chest rise, and fall, and rise again, wondering if it was really him breathing or just the machine giving him life.
Piper, Junko and Stork had each come in, and out, at various points; but Aerrow took no notice. His sole focus was on Finn. He didn't care about anything else. Cyclonia could invade the very terra they were on and he wouldn't care.
He prayed silently for Finn to pull through. The doctor had said he didn't know if Finn would wake up, let alone recover. But the young Sky Knight knew better. His hope may have been fragile, but he was not going to give up. Not on Finn. Not ever.
-xxx-
The blond ran his hand through his hair, yawning, as he dragged his feet down the corridor to the bridge. He hadn't been feeling well since last night. At first, he thought it may have been something he ate, but when his chest began hurting every time he took a deep breath….He didn't want to worry his squad mates so he didn't say anything. Besides, he had felt like this a few times before (okay, more than a few times); but each time it all went away on its own. He stopped and leaned against the wall. The pain was becoming worse by the moment.
"What's taking him so long?" Aerrow said to no one in particular "I'm gonna go get him."
As he reached the bridge's door it slid open. Finn stood on the other side. He stared blankly at Aerrow.
"There you are," said Aerrow. "I was just going…." He trailed off, realizing there was something wrong. The blond looked pale and he winced with nearly every breath. "Finn…?"
"I don't feel so good, Aerrow," he breathed.
He took a few steps toward Aerrow and then collapsed into the Sky Knight's arms.
"Finn…? Finn…? Finn!"
Piper rushed over to the two boys. Finn wasn't moving and his breathing was shallow.
"We have to get him to a hospital," she said.
But Aerrow didn't hear her. Nor did he hear Stork or a frantic Junko or Radarr. He was staring at Finn, his eyes wide with fear.
-xxx-
Aerrow moved his head onto Finn's chest, listening to the teen's heartbeat. He moved his arm back towards his face, as he began to cry again.
"I'm sorry, Finn," he sobbed. "I should've told you a long time ago. Why didn't I take a page from your book? I get it now, Finn. What you were trying to teach me. I gotta stop taking things for granted. Like I did with my time with you. I've never shown or even told you how much I care." He stopped to take a deep breath and then continued, "I've always considered you my brother, Finn. I love you." Aerrow closed his eyes, the beeping of the monitor lulling him to sleep. "I hope you can hear me, Finn. I hope that you can feel me. I can't go on without you," he said as he drifted off.
A few hours later, Piper walked into the room followed by Stork, Junko and even Radarr (who was sitting on Junko's shoulder). Aerrow was still asleep, his head still lying on Finn's chest.
Piper walked over to Aerrow. As she went to place her hand on Aerrow's shoulder she looked over at Finn and gasped.
Finn's eyes slowly opened. He blinked a few times, then turned his head slightly to the left. He looked up at Piper, who now had tears in her eyes. He carefully moved his arm out from underneath Aerrow and placed his hand on Aerrow's back.
The redhead stirred. "Finn…?" He lifted his head to look at the blond. Two blue eyes stared back into his green ones. Aerrow smiled. He turned to the others and said, "It's gonna be alright, guys."
Finn
"Hold on to what we got. This is worth any cost. So make the most of life that's borrowed. Love like there's no tomorrow."
-- from "Me and Jesus" by Stellar Kart
-xxx-
Yes, that "Finn" was deliberate. I couldn't resist.
We don't know when any of us are going to take our final breath. You step up to the plate, bat at the ready, believing you'll be getting a fastball down the middle. After all, that's what the pitcher's been throwing you your last two at bats. It's what your expecting. But then he throws ya the curve, completely catching you off-guard. I can see why people compare baseball to life. You fall into the routine of fastballs and God throws you a curve. Kinda like what's been going on with these stories. Yeesh! Just when I think I'm done with these oneshots, here comes another. Oh, well. I suppose it'll help make me a better writer. Or maybe there's something more to it. I don't know. (yawns)
Thanks for reading. And if you read all that blather just above, I applaud you. I probably wouldn't have. (OF course I say that because I wrote it.)