Chapter 4: Waking up.
HDHDHDHDHDHD
Richie awoke to see Fonzie lying asleep in his bed. Richie's head was pounding, a lot had happened last night. He smiled at the fact that Fonzie was there with him.
Fonzie opened his eyes. "Hey Red." He said groggily. He too had a major headache. He looked at Richie's neck and saw the hickey he had given him the night before. "You might want to wear a turtleneck or somethin' to cover that up."
Richie didn't know what he meant by that so he got up and looked in his mirror to see the bruise marks on his neck. "Wow" was all he could say. He was mildly shocked by this. Richie dug in his drawers and got out a black turtleneck similar to the one Ralph wore when he was showing off his hickey. He pulled off his pyjama shirt and pulled the turtleneck over his head. It was very uncomfortable but he had no other choice. Richie looked in the mirror. A bit of it was sticking out the top but it just looked like shadowing.
"Are you going to change your clothes or stay just as you are?" asked Richie, noticing that Fonzie had slept in his t-shirt and jeans.
Fonzie didn't feel the need to change so him and Richie went down the stairs and hopped in Richie's car to go visit Potsie.
HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD
Potsie woke up and tried again at figuring out what happened during the time without sound, and how he ended up there. He sighed. He now remembered up to the point of curling up on the pullout couch, but not why or what Fonzie had said. It was almost like that life wasn't his and he was watching a movie of someone else's life. He pushed his head back in the pillow and squeezed his eyes shut. He tried with all his might to remember past it. He couldn't figure it out. He was so frustrated. He just wanted to scream, he wanted to remember so badly, but he couldn't. He could feel hot tears streaming down the side of his face when he heard the door open. He quickly wiped off his eyes and sat up. His face was beet red from all the anger and frustration. He looked over and saw Richie and Fonzie walk through the door. His face cooled a bit but his face was still a little more pink than normal.
"Hey guys." said Potsie, happy that now he didn't have to be alone and that maybe Richie and Fonzie could help him figure some of it out.
"How are you doing there Potsie?" Richie asked, speaking softly so not to make Potsie react to much. "You look a little.. mad"
"I just want to figure out how I ended up here, I know what happened, I just want to know how."
"Where do you want us to start?" asked Richie.
"Why I went up to Fonzie's, and what was said. And don't skip out on details, I really need to figure it out."
"Well, I didn't know you had gone to Fonzie's until way later.." Richie started
"I came home to find you on my step. I didn't know it was you at first, I assumed it was just some chick coming to see me but once I figured out it was you....." Richie and Fonzie explained their side of story, Richie putting in every so often that they didn't know what he was doing at Fonzie's while Richie and Fonzie were together. Potsie stared at them blankly the entire time.
".......and when I woke up and you weren't there I panicked and found you with 2 bottles of aspirin and a bottle of scotch passed out on my couch."
The three were silent for a few minutes, Potsie was the first one to break that silence "Some of the talking parts are coming back and all I can remember up to is Fonzie coming back. The rest of it just isn't there. It doesn't make any sense."
"The doctors said that would be normal Potsie, it was quite the traumatic experience. Subconsciously you probably know you couldn't handle remembering everything."
"I want to remember!" Potsie snapped. He had just about enough of it. He wanted to go for a walk but because he was hooked up to IV he was stuck in bed.
Richie and Fonzie were taken back, normally Potsie never acted like this.
"It's alright Potsie, settle down."
"Sit on it Fonzie."
"Woah," Fonzie stood up. Richie pulled him back down. "Richie, he-"
"I know Fonzie, keep calm, he's been through a lot."
Fonzie took a breath.
"See? Don't you feel better now." Asked Richie, smiling a little at Fonzie
"Peachy." Fonzie replied, with an undertone of "I swear when we get out of here..." to it.
Richie's smile quickly faded and they turned their attention back to the distraught Potsie.
"How much longer do I have to stay here?"
"The doctors said first they want to get your blood levels normal then they have to run some tests, to see if you're.." Richie trailed off
"To see if I'm what?"
"Nutso" Fonzie said plainly.
"Oh." Potsie stared between Richie and Fonzie at the wall behind them for a minute. "Crazy?" he thought to himself "How could that be?" Potsie didn't want to be known as "That wacko". He turned onto his side and sighed. He just felt so hopeless now.
Potsie looked back over at Richie and Fonzie. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Sorry." was all he could say. He lay back down and stared at the ceiling. He felt so guilty now. He didn't remember trying to kill himself. He remembered wanting to, just not the action. He shut his eyes.
Richie and Fonzie didn't know what to do. They weren't sure if he had gone back to sleep or if he was just trying to think.
"Hey Potsie, we'll be back later, ok?"
"Yeah." was all Potsie could get out.
Potsie watched Richie and Fonzie leave and then he closed his eyes again and a single tear rolled down his face.
HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD
Richie and Fonzie were silent until they got into the car.
"Do you think Potsie will be ok Fonz?"
"You know it Rich."
Richie and Fonzie went off to Arnold's for a bit to eat. While they were sitting in the booth Malph came and sat down next to them.
"Where's Potsie? I set him up with a girl and-"
"He's sick" Fonzie said plainly.
"Tell him he's gotta be better by tomorr-"
"He'll get better when he gets better."
"Alright Fonz. Hey did you hear the one abou-"
"Sit on it Malph." said Richie and Fonzie at the same time.
Ralph gave them a dirty look and left.
Richie and Fonzie got a burger for Potsie and headed back to the hospital.
HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD
Potsie turned on the radio to distract himself. He lay back and listened to a few songs. The only things that were playing were love songs. It reminded him that no one was out there for him, waiting to get out of the hospital to be held in his arms and to tell him they love him, and no one for him to say "I love you" to. Everything reminded Potsie of how much he had messed up over the years, or at least he thought he had messed up. He turned onto his side and stared at the door wondering when Richie and Fonzie were coming back. As if on cue, Richie and Fonzie walked in.
Fonzie had an Arnold's bag in his hands. "Here" he said as he tossed it at Potsie.
Potsie's reactions never were great so he didn't catch it but it stayed on the bed. He opened it up and found a hamburger. "Thanks guys." he said before taking a bite out of his burger. He hadn't realized Arnold's food could actually taste good until now.
Richie and Fonzie sat down near Potsie. They were rather bored but they didn't want to leave Potsie alone again.
Richie tried to start up a conversation and maybe try and jog Potsie's memory. "Do you remember anything about Fonzie and me?"
"Well sure I remember you guys, I recognized you the moment you walked in the door. It's only last night I can't remember." He answered, in typical Potsie fashion.
"Well, yes. But, do you remember anything specifically about Fonzie and me."
Potsie looked at Richie with confusion. "What do you mean Rich?"
Fonzie put his arm around Richie and pulled him close. Potsie's eyes widened, the Fonz, with Richie? Then all of the memories came flooding back:
Telling Richie and Fonzie that they felt the same way, staying at Fonzie's while they were in Richie's room, everything up to just before passing out. Potsie buried his head in his hands. Richie and Fonzie looked at eachother for a moment before walking over to Potsie.
Fonzie put his hand on Potsie's shoulder. "Ayyyyyyyy, it's alright Potsie i-"
"No, it's not alright!" The words came bursting out of Potsie's mouth. He clasped his hand over his mouth. "I'm -- I'm so -- so -- sorry. I'm sorry -- I'm sorry. Please forgive me, please." Potsie was quivering.
"It's alright Potsie, it's alright" Richie reassured Potsie.
Potsie started shaking uncontrollably. Tears were flooding down his face. He sickened himself. Richie and Fonzie were trying to reassure him but he couldn't understand their words, he could only hear the panicked yet comforting tones of their voices. He still was shaking but now with violent twitches. The tears had blinded him now. He felt sick, so sick. He could barely hear Richie and Fonzie now. He wanted to shout out "Please help me!" But he couldn't tell if he was making any noise at all. He felt so scared. He felt so sick. Before he knew it, vomit was hurling out of his mouth. He couldn't do anything to stop it, he just felt it erupting from his mouth. He lay his head down, he was so cold now and the side of his face was being smushed in vomit but at least the shakes had stopped. He moaned and everything went black.
HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD
Richie was freaking out about Potsie's shaking, but he was trying to remain as calm as possible. Him and Fonzie were trying to talk him down as much as possible, but to no avail. Richie clutched onto Fonzie. Fonzie stroked Richie's face and softly kissed him. Fonzie walked off to go and find a doctor. Richie was staring at Potsie lying in his own vomit.
"Oh Potsie." Richie sighed. He gently lifted up Potsie's head and lay it on his pillow. He took some tissues and wiped off Potsie's face a bit. Richie slumped down into one of the chairs and waited for Fonzie to come back. Fonzie and two doctors came bursting through the door.
"You to have to leave before we can run more tests. I suggest you go back home because this will take a while. We will call when Warren is able to be visited again."
Richie and Fonzie left the room. Neither of them showed any affection towards each other until they got into Richie's car. Fonzie wrapped his hand around Richie's. Richie looked up and smiled at Fonzie. Fonzie pulled Richie onto his lap and started kissing him softly. Richie deepened the kiss and before they knew it, they were sprawled out in the front seat. Richie started thinking "Wow, necking Fonz in the hospital parking lot. Wait, necking Fonz, in the hospital parking lot?" Richie lifted himself up. Fonzie gave him a confused look. Richie sat straight up and started driving out of the parking lot.
Fonzie sat up. "What was that all about, might I ask?"
"Hospital parking lot Fonzie, too many people around, we could get caught an-"
"You're right. You wanna take a drive up to inspiration point?" Fonzie smiled
Richie grinned and picked up speed a little.
They pulled up to inspiration point. Fonzie put his arm around Richie. Richie smiled and scooted closer to Fonzie and put his arms around Fonzie's waist. Fonzie pulled Richie in very close before going straight for heavy kissing. It didn't take long before they stretched out across the front seat of Richie's car. Fonzie took off Richie's jacket and shoved it aside. Richie pulled off Fonzie's jacket and, as carefully as he could, placed it on top of his. Fonzie's hands found their way up Richie's turtleneck and slid it up overtop of their heads and sent it the way of the jackets. A little more awkwardly, Richie tugged up Fonzie's shirt and tossed it onto their jackets. Fonzie wrapped his arms around the middle of Richie's torso and pulled him in for a tight squeeze. Richie felt that he owed it to Fonzie to give him a love bite. He had never given a hickey before so he didn't know if there was a right or a wrong way to do these sorts of things. He slowly moved from Fonzie's lips to his neck and kissed his neck. He had no clue if he was doing it right but so far Fonzie didn't seem to be disliking it. Richie could hear a slight laugh from Fonzie before Fonzie pulled Richie's head away from his neck and crashed his lips into Richie's. Richie knew then he had done something wrong, but he had no intentions of stopping to see what just yet. Richie slid his palm up along Fonzie's chest and placed his arms around Fonzie's neck. Richie's hands dared to touch part of Fonzie's hair. Fonzie was surprised at how boldly Richie was acting, but he didn't say anything. Their kisses slowed and the heat died down. Richie slowly pulled his mouth away from Fonzie's and rested his head on Fonzie's chest. Both of them felt very relaxed and they were so comfortable that neither of them needed to say one word. Richie fell asleep on Fonzie's chest. Fonzie smiled and pulled himself up as not to wake Richie and slid over to the drivers seat. He slipped his shirt back on and put his leather jacket back on overtop. He glanced over at Richie. How was he supposed to explain why Richie had no shirt on? Being the gentleman he was, he put Richie's turtleneck back on for him. Fonzie pulled off of inspiration point and drove back to their house.
Fonzie gently nudged Richie. "Get up Red" He said softly.
Richie slowly lifted his head, confused why they were back at his house and why he had a backwards turtleneck on. Fonzie smiled. "C'mon Red, your folks will be wondering where we went."
Silently, Richie put his jacket back on and got out of the car. Fonzie and Richie stared at each other for a minute before walking into the main house.
"Richie, Fonzie!" Marion exclaimed rushing over to them
"Did the hospital call?" Asked Richie, panicked
"No, why would they have called? We know Potsie's there."
Richie and Fonzie went on to explain how Potsie started to remember the previous night before going into a seizure of sorts and that the hospital would call when he is ready to have visitors again.
Richie, Fonzie, Howard, Marion and Joanie stood around awkwardly for a few minutes "I'm off to Jenny Picalo's now." said Joanie, trotting off.
Howard returned to the newspaper he had previously been reading and Marion returned to her ironing. Richie and Fonzie went back up to Fonzie's place.
HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD
With a sharp intake of breath and widening eyes Potsie shot straight up in bed, surrounded by doctors.
HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD AN: Hope you enjoyed chapter 4. Also, I suggest every single one of you go out and watch Rebel Without A Cause. It is a great movie. Anyways, please review folks!