Paradise Stars Part II

Damian sped towards the hospital. His hands clenched the wheel tightly, his white knuckles practically glowing in the darkness. Rain pattered on the windshield as Damian blinked away his never ceasing tears. He pulled up to the all-to-familiar hospital and turned the car off. He sat in silence for a moment, wondering if this was the right thing to do. He took a shaky breath and climbed out of the car slowly. He took the usual path towards the wing of the hospital that he hated so much. Even though it held the thing he loved the most.

He approached the gray haired receptionist, wiping the last of his tears away. She looked up from her computer and her eyes widened. "Mr. McGinty! We haven't seen you in a while…" she trailed off, giving him a sympathetic look.

"I know. Good to see you, Carol. Uhm, are Cameron's parents here?"

"No not tonight. They're at their hotel. Do you want to go in and see him?"

Damian bit his lip but steeled himself and nodded. He was relieved Cameron's parents were gone. They were a little too overbearing for Damian's taste. "Okay, sweetie. I think it might do some good." Damian knew she was just trying to make him feel better but it only made him feel worse. Nothing was going to help this. She stood up and walked around the desk to let him into the private wing. "You remember the room?" He nodded again but still didn't say a word.

He was alone in the hall; it was too late for anyone to be visiting. Cameron was an exception though since he was placed there permanently. Damian reached room 24, the room he had practically lived in for all those months. He squared his shoulders and turned the door handle, not breathing.

Damian wasn't sure what he expected; maybe that Cameron would be sitting up watching footy or reading a magazine. He was disappointed when the scene before him was the same as it had been three months before. Tubes trailed from Cameron's nose and throat. A heart monitor beeped in the corner solemnly but still beeping which was something. Damian made his way next to Cameron's bed and stared at his best friend. He looked the same as before it all happened; almost as if he was sleeping. The once-nerdy boy's face was serene and Damian thought maybe he was having a good dream, if he even dreamed.

His hand unconsciously reached down and stroked a lock of Cameron's sandy hair out of his face. His fingers met the scar that trailed from his cheekbone into his scalp. He slid his fingers up and down it lightly, willing Cameron to wake up. Damian would do anything, anything to see those bright eyes stare back at him. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault," Damian whispered, finally letting his tears fall again. They splashed on his friend's face. The water trickled down Cameron's cheek and Damian was immediately taken back to the night when everything in his life changed.

The nearby Christmas lights that decorated the street made the California rain glisten on Cameron's relaxed face. He stared up at a break in the clouds, smiling at the bright stars he saw glistening behind the bleak shroud. Damian stared at his profile, a grin spreading. They sat on a park bench, sipping on their fresh Starbucks with the rain sprinkling pleasantly. Cameron wore his snug pea coat and dark skinny jeans as usual. Damian also opted for his own gray pea coat; a bit of Cameron had rubbed off on him since their move to Los Angeles. Damian chuckled which broke Cameron out of his deep revere.

"What's funny?"

"You realize we match don't you?"

Cameron looked Damian over and laughed; it was true. They both had the same colors, styles, everything matching down to a tee. Except for Damian's sleek hair and his own messy locks, as usual. "I guess that's what happens when you spend almost every moment of every day with someone."

Damian smiled brightly at his best friend. "Yeah, but I don't mind spending every second with you. Honestly, this has been the best time of my life," he broke off, hoping he wasn't getting too sappy for Cameron.

"Me too, Damo. I mean all of this has been so surreal. Recording my album, living here, you being on Glee... Tonight is just the icing on the cake."

"What's so special about tonight?" Damian was confused. They hadn't planned anything and it was still a week until Christmas so he wondered what Cameron could be talking about.

"I kind of have a surprise for you," Cameron's eyes shifted downwards.

Damian raised his eyebrows. "Oh really? What is it?"

"Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise. Come on," he hopped up and pulled Damian's hand. He trotted down the street, Damian struggling to keep up. They jogged for a couple blocks before Damian pulled his hand back, forcing Cameron to stop.

"Seriously, Cam. Where are we going?" Cameron sighed.

"Really I just have something to tell you but I want it to be somewhere special."

"Okay, well can we at least walk wherever this 'special' place is? You're gonna make me spill me coffee."

Cameron laughed at Damian's possessiveness of his coffee and shrugged. He kept moving down the street at a slower pace but didn't let go of Damian's hand. Damian thought that was strange but didn't really think anything of it. Girls could hold hands, so why shouldn't guys? Besides, Cameron's hand was keeping Damian's skin warm. They continued on, Damian racking his brain for any recognition of where they were. They rounded a corner after a while and Cameron finally stopped in front of a large loft building. Damian looked up, completely surprised.

"But this is where we filmed The Glee Project," Cameron nodded. "What are we doing here?"

Cameron looked Damian straight in the face and grabbed the Irish boy's other hand. "Damian, this is where I first realized something that completely changed my life," Damian looked at him, unbelievably confused. He thought he knew everything about Cameron. Why did he have that glint in his eyes? Why was he holding Damian's hands so tenderly? "What I have to tell you is-" he was interrupted by a loud scream behind him. Damian's eyes widened as headlights made their way towards them, a horn blaring loudly. Damian made to pull Cameron out of the way but the tall boy pushed Damian to the side first. Damian landed on his hands and knees, scraping them up badly.

He turned back just in time to see scared blue eyes searching desperately for his own. Cameron whispered Damian's name before everything went black.

"NO!" Damian screamed as he watched his best friend being pummeled into the pavement.