Jade hung up the phone and stared at a piece of fuzz on the carpet for a few minutes. She tried to swallow the anxiety that was building up in her chest, but to no avail. Only one thing could make her feel better at this point, and as much as she hated to admit it, to be by Beck's side.
She'd known he'd been sick. She'd been watching his physical health deteriorate at school over the past week. He'd been skipping lunch, falling asleep in class, and not showing up with the rest of the group when they all hung out after school. It wasn't until Cat called her that Saturday afternoon, though, that Jade realized just how sick he had been. Beck was in such bad shape that his parents had rushed him to the hospital that morning after he collapsed. It turns out he had appendicitis and needed emergency surgery.
In the two years that she and Beck had dated, Jade couldn't remember a single time that Beck had been sick. There was one time when he'd contracted strep throat, but even then, he hadn't made an issue out of it. He hadn't even missed a day of school. It was always he who had to come over and take care of Jade when she came down with whatever bug was going around school. This was a good thing for Jade, because when she thought about it, she wasn't sure how she'd handle taking care of him. Doting over the person she loved like some sort of cliché scene in a bad romance movie didn't really seem her style, but now that he was in a position where he was so vulnerable, someone did need to be there for him. And she realized at that moment how badly she wanted, or rather, needed, to be that person.
When she arrived at the hospital, everyone else was already there. She didn't acknowledge them. She knew they hadn't expected her to show up, and she didn't want to confront them while she felt so emotionally unstable. She took a seat opposite them in the waiting room and inwardly groaned as Cat approached her.
"I knew you'd come," she said quietly, wrapping Jade in a hug.
"I didn't," Jade replied, sighing. "Is he out?"
Cat shook her head and brought her hand up to her mouth and started chewing on her fingernails; a nervous habit. "He was supposed to get out an hour ago but no one's come." Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.
Jade felt like she was about to vomit. Something had gone wrong. He'd been taken to the hospital too late. He was going to die, and even worse, he was going to die before she could tell him how badly she missed him.
She felt dizzy. She sunk further down in the hard, plastic chair and glanced around the room. Beck's parents were sitting across the room next to a set of metal double doors. "Authorized Personnel Only" was printed in big letters on the sign next to them. His mother sat grey-faced, white-knuckled, and visibly exhausted while his father sat next to her, holding her hands in his. His face was hard and expressionless. Tori, Andre and Robbie were a few seats over from them. Tori looked as she usually did: Calm, cool, and collected, and hopelessly pretty, but Jade knew she was just being her heroic self and keeping it together for Cat. Andre looked positively terrified, twiddling his thumbs and tapping his feet so much that the nurse behind the front desk asked him to stop. And Robbie, Robbie just looked sad.
Jade buried her face in her hands for could have been hours, trying to will the tears away from her own eyes, but she instinctively jerked her head up when the double doors swung open. A doctor was standing by Beck's parents. She was still wearing her surgical cap and paper shoes. Jade tried hard to hear what she was saying to them, but she kept her voice too low. The hand motions that accompanied her description of Beck's surgery made her feel sick to her stomach. She wished fervently that the lady would just get on with it and tell them whether or not he was okay.
At last, Beck's mother began to cry and wrapped her arms around the doctor. "Thank you, thank you," was repeated over and over, and Jade was so thankful she could hear that part at least. She drew in a shaky breath and sighed. Beck was okay. The doctor led his parents through the door, and shortly after, Andre, Tori, Robbie and Cat were allowed to follow. Jade stayed behind. She was anxious to see him, but she knew she had to do it alone.
An hour and half later, she got her chance. A nurse led her through the double doors and into a series of long, complicated hallways that all looked the same. When they passed through a second set of doors, these reading "Intensive Care Unit," Jade, struggling to keep up with the nurse, felt the panic rising in her chest once again. "What… what exactly happened to Beck?"
"His appendix ruptured a few days ago," the nurse said. "He should have come in sooner. He's very sick. He could have died if they'd waited any longer. But he's in good hands here." She paused. "Here we are. 324. Have fun."
Jade opened the door slowly and quietly, afraid to disturb him in case he was sleeping. He was. He was laid out in his hospital bed under a white sheet. Attached to him where two different IV's and a heart monitor that beeped every few seconds. Jade fought the urge to punch it.
She watched him from afar for a moment before approaching his bed. She fought back tears when she saw how sick he looked. His complexion was shockingly pallid except for a flush of red across his cheekbones and his breathing was slow and jagged. She laid her hand across his hot forehead, where a light sheen of sweat had formed while he slept. He stirred at her touch, but when she went to remove it, he spoke.
"Keep it there," he muttered. "It feels nice." He hadn't opened his eyes yet. He didn't know whose hand it was.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
His eyes shot open immediately. He stared at her for a moment before speaking. "Why did you come?" His voice was hoarse, weak, and very intimidating. It made Jade wanted to crumble, especially because he asked her a question that she didn't know how to answer.
"I asked first," she said stubbornly.
He inhaled slowly and shifted in the bed. "Warm, uncomfortable, embarrassed… and a little high." He gestured towards his IV bags and grinned sleepily.
Jade smiled slightly. "You don't need to be embarrassed. You're sick."
Beck shrugged. "Well, I am embarrassed. Beck Oliver does not get sick."
Jade's smile faded. "Well, you are sick. You're really sick and you could have died. And I realized how much I still care… and I almost didn't get a chance to tell you." She didn't realize that she started crying until her voice broke at the end of her sentence. "I took you for granted, Beck. You're one of the most incredible people on the planet. I really fucked up."
Beck sighed and scooted over in his bed. He patted the spot next to him. "Come here."
Jade sniffed and stepped back. "I don't… I don't want to hurt you."
Beck rolled his eyes and patted again, harder this time. "You won't." Jade sat down and he pulled her into a hug, burying his hot face in the nape of her neck. "I've missed you," he whispered.
Hello! xx This was my take on 'Tori Fixes Beck and Jade.' I didn't enjoy it at all, and I wanted to come up with a different way for Beck and Jade to get back together. I felt like there should have been more of a conflict. I also really wanted to write a sick!Beck. So there you have it.. This is the first fanfic I've every really completed, I just kind of cranked it out in the middle of the night. Any feedback is appreciated, good or bad. Thank you for reading :)
xo, Dras