Chapter Four:

Will was back at Kevin's bedside holding his hand tightly. He stroked his thumb unconsciously back and forth across the back of Kevin's hand. He stared at Kevin and wondered if he was still there. What if Kevin was already gone and the machines were just keeping his body functioning? Kevin hadn't twitched or blinked or shown any sign whatsoever that he was still there. What if he wasn't?

It took Will a few moments to realize that a nurse was standing on the other side of Kevin's bed watching him. When he finally looked up at her, he realized it was the same nurse who had led him from the waiting room to ICU. She smiled at him knowingly, "How are you doing Hon?"

Will cleared his throat before answering, "Okay."

The nurse smiled warmly at him, "No offense, but that didn't sound very convincing."

Will dropped his eyes to Kevin's hand and watched his thumb continue its back and forth motion. Of course he didn't sound convincing. He wasn't okay, not by a long shot, but what was he supposed to say? He glanced back up at her when she said, "It's overwhelming isn't it?" When he seemed puzzled, she raised a finger and swirled it around the room. "All this."

Will's eyes glanced at the machines surrounding Kevin's bed and said quietly, "Yeah, it is."

"Would you like me to explain it all to you? Might make it seem less scary for you." She said kindly.

Will shook his head, "No, that's okay. I know you must be busy."

The nurse smiled, "Not too busy for that. Why don't you start by telling me what your relationship is to this handsome guy here?"

Will felt tears prick at his eyes as he said, "Boyfriend." For some reason, saying that word triggered a spark of anger within Will and he spat out defensively, "You got a problem with that?"

Instead of reacting defensively in kind, the nurse's eyes filled with compassion and understanding. "I've worked in this ICU for over twenty years. I've seen every different type of love there is to see. It's all good."

Will lowered his eyes in shame for sniping at her the way he had. "I'm sorry."

The nurse reached over and laid her hand on top of his, "You have nothing to be sorry about sweetie."

The nurse spent the next fifteen minutes explaining all the machines to Will. What they did, what they monitored, what the numbers represented, what each ping meant, etc. She then explained all the tubes going into Kevin's body and what each one was giving him to help him get better. When she was done, she said, "What's bothering you the most?"

Will glanced down at Kevin, "He's so pale."

The nurse waited until he looked back up at her. "He lost a great deal of blood. But we're giving him transfusions and replenishing what he lost. It just takes time. It's perfectly normal."

The nurse seemed so confident and reassuring that Will actually felt some of his hope returning. Maybe Kevin would be okay after all. "He hasn't moved at all. Shouldn't he be waking up soon?"

Will watched as a quizzical expression flitted across the nurse's face. "Didn't the doctor tell you?"

Will suddenly felt his panic come back in force. "Tell me what? What didn't he tell me?"

The nurse held out her hand in a calming gesture. "It's nothing to be afraid of. The doctor is keeping Kevin sedated for the time being."

"Why?" Will said confusedly.

The nurse bent over so she was eye level with Will. "Listen to me; it's nothing for you to be scared about. The doctor is giving Kevin's body as much help as he can to heal itself. We're doing his breathing for him; we're replenishing his blood, pumping nutrients and fluids into him and keeping him unconscious so that his body can focus on healing." The nurse smiled conspiratorially, "When you give the body a helping hand, it's amazing what it can do."

Will glanced back down at Kevin. He had been so caught up on the outside that he hadn't stopped to consider the turmoil that was going on inside Kevin that he couldn't see. It made him feel better knowing that underneath the calm exterior there was a battle raging. Will squeezed Kevin's hand as he looked back up at the nurse. "Thank you. I do feel a little bit better."

The nurse winked at him, "Good. That's what I wanted to hear." Will graced her with a relieved smile as she straightened up. She reached over and brushed Kevin's hair back from his forehead tenderly. "He's a fighter."

"How do you know that?" Will asked curiously.

The nurse peered over at him, "Like I said, I've been in the ICU a long time. I know a fighter when I see one." For the first time since the shooting, Will felt his body start to relax. "I'll get an orderly to bring a cot in so you can get some sleep, and I'll go to the cafeteria and see what I can scrounge up for you to eat."

"Oh, no, that's fine, I'm not..." Will began before he was interrupted by the nurse.

"It's not for you. It's for him." She said. Will stared at her like she had two heads and she laughed. "What I mean is that he needs you to be the strong one. You can't be that if you're exhausted and aren't fueling the machine. You're not eating or sleeping for yourself." The nurse cocked her head towards Kevin. "You're doing it for him. Because he needs you to."

Will was lying on the cot in Kevin's room stuck in that weird state between asleep and awake. He had taken the nurse's advice and eaten the sandwich and soup that she had brought back for him. It was the last thing that he had wanted to do, but he kept telling himself that he was doing it for Kevin and not himself which helped alleviate his queasiness. He was also attempting to get some much needed sleep; however, his mind wouldn't stop churning. Images kept flashing through his mind's eye: his first kiss with Kevin, the cabin, his father's face when he came out, the girl in the restaurant berating him, the gay bar, watching Luke perform his song, the alleyway, Wade Cole, a beer bottle hurtling towards him, his defaced truck, Cynthia Davis, the shooting and on and on.

Will turned onto his side for the umpteenth time trying to force the images away when Kevin's voice made its way into his subconscious. He couldn't hear what Kevin was saying but he could tell that Kevin was angry. Why was Kevin angry? What memory was this from? The more Will tried to place it the more he realized that it wasn't a memory. Will gasped and then bolted upright on the cot wide awake. He turned towards Kevin, but Kevin was still lying on the bed in the same exact position as before. Will got up and walked over to Kevin's bed peering down into his still face, "Kevin?" Nothing.

Will swiped a hand over his face. He must have been dreaming. Will reached behind him to pull the chair up to the bed when he heard Kevin's voice again. Just as before, Kevin hadn't moved and certainly hadn't spoken. What the Hell? Will's head swiveled towards the door when he heard the voice for the third time. The voice was coming from down the hallway, so it was obviously someone who just sounded like Kevin. Either that or Will was losing it.

Despite knowing that it wasn't Kevin, Will felt compelled to go out into the hallway. When he glanced down the hall towards the nurse's station, he did a double-take. Not only did it sound like Kevin, it looked like Kevin. Will shook his head and blinked hard. Now he knew he was losing it. Will moved down the hall towards the nurse's station. With each step, Will expected the image before him to morph into reality, but it didn't. The closer he got, the more Will felt off-balance, like he had slipped into some sort of alternate reality. He kept glancing back at Kevin's room then back towards the nurse's station. The person in front of him was Kevin, but that wasn't possible.

Kevin was standing at the nurse's station dressed in an impeccable and obviously expensive business suit. He was glaring at the nurse, anger and frustration radiating throughout his body. "How difficult is this you incompetent imbecile? I want the Chief of Staff here now!"

Will felt sorry for the poor flustered nurse that was bearing the brunt of Kevin's wrath. "We're working on…"

"Work harder!" Kevin yelled before leaning towards the nurse menacingly and lowering his voice. "Trust me when I tell you that I am not someone you want to piss off."

Will couldn't stand it any longer, "Kevin?" Kevin turned towards Will causing him to step backwards. This wasn't Kevin. He was a carbon copy of Kevin in almost every way but his eyes were nothing like Kevin's. They were the same color of blue but that was where the similarity ended. These eyes were cold, hard, and ruthless, not the warm, compassionate, and sensitive eyes he was used to.

The eyes flicked down then up his body suspiciously, "Who the Hell are you?"

Before Will could recover from his shock enough to answer, a man appeared next to him. "Mr. Bicks? I was told you wanted to see me."

Will breathed a sigh of relief when those cold eyes snapped away from him and to the man standing to his right. "It's about damn time."

Will saw the man beside him narrow his eyes, his expression stern, as he said, "Mr. Bicks, I realize that you're upset about your brother, but I don't appreciate…"

Will took another step backwards as Kevin's brother charged towards the Chief of Staff to stand directly in front of him invading his personal space. Will had never once thought of Kevin as intimidating but his brother certainly was. "Do you know who I am?" When the Chief of Staff didn't respond quickly enough, he continued, "I am the CFO of a multi-billion dollar corporation, Bicks Enterprises. If you haven't heard of it, I suggest you Google it. I could buy this hospital a hundred times over, so I really don't give a damn what you don't appreciate."

Will held his breath as he waited to see what the Chief of Staff would do. The man sighed in a world weary way giving Will the impression that this was a familiar battle for him. "Perhaps you'd like to go over your brother's condition…"

Kevin's brother didn't allow him to finish before snapping, "I already know my brother's condition. What I don't know is what you plan to do about it?"

"I assure you every step is being taken to ensure…" the Chief of Staff started before being cut off again.

"Spare me the hospital rhetoric and let me make things crystal clear for you. My brother will have the best. Fortunately for you, the best doctor in Atlanta happens to be right here in your pathetic little hospital. Dr. Joseph Martin is my brother's doctor. Nobody else is acceptable. Is that clear?" Kevin's brother demanded.

The Chief of Staff regarded Kevin's brother resignedly before stating, "If that's what you want, I'm sure we can make those arrangements."

Kevin's brother leaned in closer and said quietly, "See that you do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to see my brother."

The nurse behind the counter made the mistake of trying to be helpful when she uttered, "He's in room…"

Kevin's brother whirled around and pinned her in a withering glare, "I know where my brother is." He purposely made eye contact with everyone blatantly willing anyone to defy him before spinning on his heel and walking down the hall. Will watched as he turned into Kevin's room and disappeared.

Will entered Kevin's room no more than two minutes after Kevin's brother. He stopped in the doorway when he saw Kevin's brother standing at the foot of the bed with his eyes closed. Will hesitated unsure what his next move should be. Kevin had a brother? A twin brother? That he never once mentioned? That had to mean something didn't it? Will couldn't imagine why Kevin would never mention something like that.

As Will regarded Kevin's brother suspiciously, Kevin's brother opened his eyes and smiled slightly, "Don't sound so surprised. Did you really think I wouldn't come?" Will watched as Kevin's brother meandered around the foot of the bed studiously examining Kevin and his surroundings. "This is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into. Although I can't say that I'm shocked considering the degenerates you insist on surrounding yourself with." Kevin's brother peered down at Kevin and cocked his head as if he was listening to something. He suddenly rolled his eyes, "Spare me the self-righteous indignation. You're hardly in a position."

Will's curiosity outweighed his suspicion as he stepped further into the room, "Are you actually talking with him?"

Kevin's brother turned at the sound of Will's voice and repeated his question from earlier, "Who the Hell are you?"

Will's initial reaction was to blurt out his name but he stopped himself. As he stared back at Kevin's brother, Will realized that there was no reason why he should be intimidated by this person. His days of being intimidated by anyone were over. Will stood up straighter and said defiantly, "Who the Hell are you?"

Kevin's brother blinked at Will in surprise before looking down at Kevin then looking back up at Will with an expression that clearly stated that Will was the stupidest person on the planet. "You're kidding, right?"

Will mentally kicked himself before saying, "I get that you're Kevin's brother. I don't know your name."

Kevin's brother eyed Will sizing him up, and Will wondered if they were at an impasse. How ridiculous would it be if they stood in Kevin's room staring at each other with neither one of them willing to give an inch? Fortunately, it didn't come to that. "Kieran Bicks. And you are?"

Will relaxed slightly feeling as though he had won the first minor skirmish. "Will, Will Lexington."

There was an awkward silence as Kieran stared at Will expectantly. Will had no idea what he was waiting for. Finally, Kieran sighed exasperatedly, "Unlike me, your relationship to my brother is less than obvious. Care to enlighten me?"

Will mentally kicked himself again. Of course Kieran didn't know who he was. "Oh, right, uhm, boyfriend, I'm Kevin's boyfriend."

Kieran responded condescendingly, "Oh. So, you're the latest link in the very lengthy chain?"

Will's jaw dropped, "Excuse me?"

Kieran's eyes raked over Will, "I can see that my brother's taste in men hasn't improved." As Will stood there in stunned silence, Kieran waved a hand at him dismissively. "You can go." Will watched as Kieran reached behind him, pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down. Kieran took his brother's hand then glanced back up at Will surprised to see him still standing there. "Are you deaf?"

Will balled his hands into fists as he felt anger bubbling up inside of him, "Who the Hell do you think you are?"

Kieran raised an eyebrow at him before saying, "Didn't we just have this conversation?"

Will stepped closer to the bed, "I'm his boyfriend."

Kieran peered up at him like he was a slow child, "Again, had this conversation." When Will did nothing but stand there and glare at him, he continued in a sing-song voice, "Brother…trumps…boyfriend."

Watching Kieran smile up at him cockily amped Will's anger up to seething, "If you think for one second, that I'm leaving…"

Will was thrown off momentarily when Kieran shot up out of his seat and confronted Will. "Listen to me carefully you simpleton. I'm a blood relative. You are not. Now you may not be aware of this, but most hospitals have a policy of only allowing blood relatives into the ICU. Most hospitals don't enforce that but they will if pushed. Do you understand me?"

Will narrowed his eyes and stepped closer, "You need to understand me. I'm…not…leaving."

Kieran's jaw clenched as he spit out, "Don't think I won't call security to have you removed."

Will leaned in, their faces inches apart from each other over Kevin's bed. "Try it."

Kieran's lips curled up on one side in a sardonic smile. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Will's retort died on his lips as Kieran suddenly gasped, stumbling backwards as a shudder ripped through his body. A confused expression alighted momentarily on Kieran's face before his eyes darted to Kevin. Will's eyes flew down to Kevin as well but he saw nothing different than before. Will felt a chill run down his spine when he heard Kieran say quietly, "Get a nurse."

Will glanced back at Kieran with wide eyes, "Okay, you're freaking me out. What's going on? What's wrong?"

Kieran turned to Will with a look in his eyes that Will had never seen before and hoped he would never see again because it scared the Hell out of him. "Get them now."

Will bolted for the doorway. He glanced back into the room before shooting out into the hall. Kieran had a death grip on Kevin's upper arm, leaning over him pleadingly, "Don't do this. Do you hear me? Don't you do this."

Will raced halfway down the hall towards the nurse's station and screamed, "Help! Please, we need help!" When he saw the nurse's start running towards him, he turned back around and raced back to Kevin's room. Just as he hit Kevin's doorway, the alarms went off. As he entered the room, he watched in horror as the heart monitor flat lined. Everything for Will went into slow motion. He stumbled to his right as the nurses started to brush past him and into the room. He was dimly aware of Kieran screaming "No" before the nurses were there pulling him away from Kevin so they could do their job. More and more people poured into the room and somehow both he and Kieran were pushed out into the hall and then the door was closed.