Don't

by Harmony283

‘They wouldn’t know how to react, would they?’ The voice was softer this time, almost…remembering something, ‘Max didn’t. At first, right?’ I let out a sigh, “No…he didn’t know. At all. How could he? He was still ‘innocent’ at that point.” Ch.11 UP R&R!

11. Side Effects

Don't

Chapter 11

By Harmony283

Summary: Harley is worried. Okay, maybe a bit more than just 'worried'. But he's worried none the less; it's instinctual—almost—at this point. He wants to know if Max is okay, but right when he gets a phonecall from Jonah telling him of his condition, he finds out he can't be there. The reason being: Max's family—or more like, May and Drew. If he showed up that couldn't be good. For anyone. So he's stuck in his hotel room reminiscing about the past…

Authors Note: It's kinda funny, really. Okay maybe not really, but that's beside the point. I had absolutely zero time to work on this (creativity wise, I mean, I did work on the first 5 pages right after I finished the last chapter). And then I suddenly get inspiration for it when I'm sick. This is also my third try at updating this (internet hook-up problems...). How nice. But anyway, in this chapter you get a little more insight on Harley's personality. You even get some mentionings of a scene between him and Max, though it doesn't give away much detail. But regardless: I hope you lik this chapter!

Note: Was listening to Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin while writing this chapter...really affected the beginning o.o

--

Harley's POV

My hands were shaking. I was vaguely aware that I was in a dark room somewhere, and it was cold. Or at least colder than I expected it to be. I was sitting on a metal table, feet dangling off the edge for whatever reason, and I knew without a doubt I was probably waiting for someone. Waiting for someone and I was nervous.

I didn't even want to begin to guess who it was. I just sat there, and waited, a knot forming at the base of my stomach—getting tighter and tighter—until I felt like I was going to be sick.

Then the door—which I couldn't see, even though it was probably right in front of me—creaked open. I wasn't alone anymore. I looked up and the first thing I noticed was the white lab coat. Then the hair, slightly long, and a strange blue that looked like it had a green, or blond, twinge to it. His face was a blur, and in a way I was glad it was. I didn't know who the hell that guy was—and I had no intention of finding out.

The 'not finding out' part didn't last long. I recognized the man almost immediately as he opened his mouth…

And my eyes snapped open. I jolted upwards almost immediately, only to realize that I was still in my paid-for Hotel room, with the same three cans of half smashed Red Bull can's next to the TV, and of course the plush bed underneath me.

'Well at least you made it to the bed this time.' I tried vainly to shut that side of me up, but he just pressed harder, 'You know I'm right. I don't like waking up in the middle of the night just get up and move somewhere that won't kill my—your—back in the morning.'

I thought that over for a moment, before slowly sitting up and stretching my arms—tentatively at best—over my head. Nothing bent out of place, nothing even really strained—more than usual, anyway—and I took that as a very, very good sign.

'Not to dampen your spirits, but Max isn't back yet, remember? You said you'd visit later.

"After Jonah called," I mumbled to myself, swinging my legs over the side of the bed before standing up. I looked over at the door to the small bedroom, and strained my ears. The kiddies were much quieter than before, but the loud voices on the television, which I somehow just realized I had, made up for that.

It didn't help that they had turned up the volume to an almost screeching level. I was almost surprised that that wasn't what woke me up. In fact, it surprised me I even fell asleep in the first place.

'You've got some freaky habits, y'know that?' I tried yet again to shove that voice out of my head, 'You're going to have to realize at some point you're going to be sleeping around more people than just Max.'

I didn't want to look into the hidden innuendo there. Really. I muttered a quiet, "Shut up" before kicking the door the rest of the way open and walking into the living room. Immediately Vivi, who had apparently been leaning again Michael, shot up and turned to look at me with an apologetic look on her face, but instead of reprimanding her—which I probably could have done, and gotten away with—all I said was, "You two're still here?"

"We're just as worried about Max as—" Michael started, but was jabbed, rather forcefully, in the stomach by Vivi.

"We were waiting for Jonah to call." She explained with a little too much added 'happy-happy-joy-joy'-ness to it.

"And we're supposed to hear the phone over the TV how?" I bit out, knowing it was probably harsh, "Darling, I don't believe any of us would like to lose our hearing that way."

Even Michael didn't protest when she practically muted the TV.

Especially since, just a split second later, my cell-phone went off. Immediately I flipped it open—instantly recognizing Jonah's number—and pressed it against my ear, "Yes?" I asked, not even trying to pretend how tired-worried-annoyed—I was.

"Well someone's definitely in a bad mood." The familiar sound of my childhood friend's voice stated, "But I guess that's to be expected. Look, I just got some data back on your—on Max."

"And?" I crossed one arm over my waist and backed towards the nearest lean-able surface—which so happened to be the kitchen counter—and propped up against it, "Why else would you be calling me?"

"Well gee, there was a terrorist attack and I had one call I could make before the shot me in the head." He sarcastically replied back.

"Oh if it was that, then you'd call Skye, not me."

"and I'd risk her calling the police and me being shot in the head even sooner because?" He parroted back with increasing sarcasm.

But I had to agree with him, "True, true. Now what about Max?" I was vaguely aware that both Michael and Vivi were listening, but their eyes were still glued to the TV screen, like they were trying to hide that fact.

Thankfully he could hear the seriousness in my voice, and immediately his tone turned professional, "Well as I said, we have most of the results back." I heard the faint sound of paper being shuffled or flipped on the other end before the blonde continued, "I can't say much—we'll get the important things, like the blood tests, back tomorrow—but I can say we need to keep him overnight for more observations."

Now I was worried—even more than I already was, "What…kinds of…?" I trailed off, noting that both Vivi and Michael had turned their heads to face me, they had obviously heard the strain in my voice.

Jonah let out a worried sigh, "It's…unusual, really. He's acting pretty much normal—much more normal than someone would after being supposedly electrocuted. Though certain things are just off. It seems like—after he fully regained consciousness—he can't stand harsh lighting. And he can't seem to grip anything for a long period of time, especially in his right hand." A little voice in the back of my head told me to be glad that he had taught himself to write with his left hand, "I'm also worried that his temperature seemed to be a little higher than normal, and if he gets sick as quickly as he usually does, that's definitely something we're going to monitor." He paused for a moment, and I waited as I heard him exchange a few whispered words to who I was assuming was a nurse, before continuing, "And he seems to have a strong aversion to sleeping pills." I could hear the humor in his voice at those words, and I couldn't help but grin as well.

"That doesn't surprise me." I murmured, "But…I'm assuming his parents…?" I trailed off, knowing that, if they didn't already know, someone was probably telling them now.

"They're being told now, or at least I hope they are. I gave the nurse all needed information." So that was who he had been whispering to, "and they're most likely going to visit him now."

"So I should stay away, eh?" I let out a laugh, "Yeah I can do that. At least until tomorrow anyway. I don't want to cause problems, after all."

"I…If we had known sooner—everything I just told you, I mean—I would've called you down here immediately." He almost sounded apologetic, and again I resisted the urge to laugh.

"They're his family, of course they should visit him first." I chided gently, "That's common knowledge."

"But you're—" He started, but he didn't seem to know how to finish that sentence.

"I'm what, I wonder?" I asked, though I didn't want him to answer it. I was sure he wouldn't be able to anyway. Even I couldn't one hundred percent know what I was. Or. I did know. But now…I had to worry about where we were now and what that would look like to others. To fill the sudden silence that I was sure Vivi and Michael were wondering over, I quickly asked, "But Vivi and Michael can see him, right? I'm sure they wouldn't mind if they visited?"

"Harley…" Jonah groaned out, "Stop confusing me."

"I'm confusing you?"

He let out another sigh, "Never mind. Yes it's fine for them to come—in fact I'm pretty sure they're wondering where they ran off to…?"

"They've been hiding out here for the past couple of hours." I answered his slightly inconspicuous question, "And quite honestly they're getting a tad annoying." I grinned as they both flinched, "So I shall send them to bug you for a while."

I was sure he was grimacing on the other end, and that fact made me grin even more, "Fine, fine, send 'em over. Jovi's been wondering where they were too. I can afford to babysit for a while."

"Aww," I mock-cooed, "Well you're going to have to if you ever plan on keeping Skye. You know how she feels about the little ones."

"Harley!" Now he was embarrassed. Really. This was too much fun.

"Love you too, Jonah dear!" I cooed once more in a sing-song voice before abruptly hanging up. I looked over at the couch, where both Michael and Vivi were now staring at me, and say, "Well you heard him"—Even though I was sure they technically hadn't—"he said he would babysit you for a while. So—shoo! Shoo!"

Almost immediately they both bolted across the room to the door. Michael was the first out, but Vivi paused and, like the intuitive little chick she was turning out to be, turned to face me, "We'll call your cell if anything happens. Even you deserve to be there no matter what." Then she quickly headed through the door and shut it behind her.

Only after I heard Michael's voice fade—he was insulting me, obviously, for the 'babysitting' comment—did a move. First I locked the door, then I clicked off the television before plopping down in front of it to stare at the blank screen.

'She's been hanging around Jovi too much, hasn't she?' The thought immediately sprang into my head, and I let out a groan, 'Well I'm right aren't I? Even you deserve to be there? Does she have any idea about how much those two hated you?'

"I don't think little may-i-kins is capable of the emotion we call hate." I murmured out, leaning back against the cushy pillows.

'Oh? Well I'm sure that Drew kid could make up plenty for that.'

"Maybe." I half-heartedly agreed, "the brat certainly was annoying enough for it."

'They both were. They both annoyed the hell out of you.' Then, almost accusingly, the mini-me added, 'Don't tell me you're growing soft! Max isn't like his sister at all—you should goddamn well know that.'

"And I do." I sighed out, "I don't need you to remind me of all the differences—I already know them all."

'If you did then you wouldn't mind what she said. You'd tag right along with them—maybe give them a heart attack!'

"But she's his sister above all that."

'You really have grown soft.'

"If it keeps you the hell away from me an' my thoughts then maybe it's a good thing."

'But I'm not gonna leave.'

"So you'll just give me nightmares as payback?"

For a moment that got the mini-me—I really needed to come up with a better name than that—to shut up. But that didn't last long before it—he—hesitantly responded back, 'I'm not that cruel.'

"Then explain earlier, why don't you?" I hissed out, covering my face with one of my hands.

'That was just…' He tried, before giving up, 'I don't know what that was. But I didn't have any part of it.'

"And yet you have to ask why I'm afraid of sleeping around others?"

'Phrase that a bit differently and I'd call you a hypocrite.' I felt my eye twitch at that, 'But that's got nothin' to do with that dream.'

"What I had of it." I slowly reminded him, "Thank god I woke up."

'They wouldn't know how to react, would they?' The voice was softer this time, almost…remembering something, 'Max didn't. At first, right?'

I let out a sigh, "No…he didn't know. At all. How could he? He was still 'innocent' at that point."

'He blushed at the prospect of you kissing him—just for practice!' The voice laughed out, 'And he almost fainted when you mentioned that stuff you did with Jonah!'

A smirk played across my lips, "Well it was his fault for asking. Then silly kid." I slowly pulled my hand away from my face to stare up at the 'popcorn' ceiling, "But I'm glad he did ask. That it didn't scare him away."

'See? You really are getting soft.' All hint of humor left his voice, instead replaced by a kind of…amusement? Or something like it, 'I'd ask: why him, but I think I get understand.'

I let out a soft chuckle at that, "Even if you did ask, I'd say: why not?"

--

(May's POV)

It had been a few hours since we last heard anything on Max. Mom and dad had even gone out to get us something to eat—that's how long it had been. And now we were crowded in the room I had been sleeping in, listening intently as the nurse—who had just come to get us—explained why she was here. And what they had found out about Max and his condition.

All I could do was squeeze Drew's hand. He had gone to see him shortly after he woke up, and he looked surprised. That wasn't a good sign. He was even squeezing my hand back. It had to be a serious change.

"…And that's as far as we know at the moment," The nurse concluded, brushing a strand of her pale brown hair away from her eyes, "but you can visit him one last time before visiting hours are over for the night."

"Yes, we'd like to." Dad almost immediately replied, looking just as nervous as he had when he had come to ask Mom if she'd like to get dinner, shortly after speaking with Max. I could tell it was because of something else, not just because of Max.

'But it'd be nice to think he cared a little bit.' I thought quietly to myself, shifting closer to Drew before saying out loud, "I haven't seen him yet, either. I'd…like to."

The nurse shot a sympathetic glance in my direction before nodding her head, "Yes, I'm sure he's worried about you as well." Then she smiled in a surprisingly familiar way that I should have been able to pinpoint, but couldn't. She turned to look at dad again before nodding her head, "I'm sure you know where the room is. You have about fifteen to twenty minutes—I'll go get the doctor. He may be able to tell you the finer details." She then turned and headed back out the still-open door, her shoes clicking against the tile until the sound completely died away.

Then Drew spoke up, "He really wasn't that…bad…when I spoke to him."

"Yes, he was…actually doing quite well when I spoke to him." I could hear a certain amount of bitterness—and speculation—in dad's voice, but it made me happy the he was agreeing with Drew.

"Let's…just go and see him, please." Mom whispered out, seeming just as nervous as dad, "I really would like to at least wish him a good night, since we can't…ask him to come home with us."

Dad looked guilty at that, but simply nodded his head and helped her stand. Almost immediately Drew stood as well and helped me up, "If it's the least we can do, then we should." He agreed, smiling reassuringly at both me and then at mom. I couldn't help but smile back. He was actually trying—more than he had when we first came here—to fit in. Trying…I couldn't help but think I had chosen the right person. Despite everything. He was the one. I touched my stomach lightly before nodding my head and gripping his hand in an even firmer hold as we headed across the room and out into the hallway.

Dad led the way across the lobby and down another hall. Thankfully Max's room was closer than I had thought—just a few doors down, not that far away from the entrance. For a moment he hesitated, as if he thought we should wait, but he seemed to make up his mind and grabbed the handle, turning it slowly before peering into the dimly lit room.

Almost immediately I saw Max, lying propped up on the hospital bed located on the far side of the room. He turned his head in our direction, his brown eyes squinting as if he couldn't see us clearly. I wasn't sure if that was because of the darkness, or because he didn't have his glasses on—'But they said the darkness was needed. And his eyesight isn't that bad.' I tried to remind myself—either way, we had to walk halfway across the room before he recognized us and smiled a tired, but friendly, smile, "I guess the nurse came to get you." He murmured, but his voice seemed too soft to be normal.

"Yes." Dad answered, beckoning me and mom forward, "We just wanted to see you one last time before…"

"you have to go home." Max finished for him, "I can't believe I have to stay here overnight."

"It's for your own good, though, honey." Mom said, her voice cracking slightly as she moved towards the bed. Drew gently pushed me forward as well, and I walked forward, towards the chair that was pulled out next to his bed.

"I know." I sat in the chair and Max smiled at me, reaching out to grasp my hand with his, "Are you okay, sis? Your baby…?"

"She'll be fine." I answered, squeezing his hand, "Just…low blood pressure. Nothing too horrible." He smiled and then, almost abruptly, his hand went slack. I would've worried if the nurse hadn't already mentioned that this was one of his ailments.

"That's good to hear." He seemed to know that I noticed, and gently took his hand away from my grip, leaning back against the pillows even more, "I'm…" he couldn't seem to remember what he was going to say—but it didn't really matter, because a few seconds later and another pair of footsteps entered the room.

"You need to stop fighting the nurses and take the sleeping pills like you need to." It was the doctor—Doctor…Clow…or something like that. He sounded irritated, and hurried for some reason, and soon I found him standing next to me.

"But they're nasty." Max, almost childishly, shot back, "How do you expect me to take something I don't like?"

"Because you need them."

"No I don't."

"Max, if the doctor says you do then—" Mom started

"—but I can fall asleep just fine without them." But Max quickly cut her off, making her shoulders sulk, though he didn't seem to notice.

"I don't want to put you under anesthesia for the night," The doctor immediately retorted before anyone could even get angry, "for one it isn't healthy—more than one person would pitch a fit about that—and for another, you can't very well sleep in a place you aren't familiar with," It was almost like the doctor had met and even become friends with him sometime before, "so it would be in your best interest."

Not to mention the doctor had almost threatened him—'Th-that's not normal, is it? And who is the more than one person? It…sounded like he was talking about someone else besides just us…'

At least one of these thoughts were answered immediately when Max looked guilty, and then quickly gave in, "Okay…okay…yeah you're right. I'm…sorry." He mumbled ruefully, not meeting the doctor's eyes.

"Good then—" he didn't get much farther than that before two other sets of footsteps came dashing into the room.

"We heard Max was up." It was Vivi, sounding a little breathless, "and we wanted to see him before, um…" she trailed off, elbowing Michael in the side to get him to look up, "if we could…I mean."

"Well you are his friends." The doctor replied for us, a smile on his lips, "Which means Jovi—she's your younger sister, right?" Michael nodded his head with a slightly annoyed expression on his face, "she'll probably want to speak with him too."

"Well she obviously didn't leave the building." Vivi murmured, "So…do you think she was talking with a nurse…?"

"She better be." Michael hissed out.

"Then I'm sure she is." Max almost snapped at him, "She's probably on her way here now."

Almost like he predicted it, we heard the faint sound of footsteps coming to the room, and then stopping. Then the familiar voice of Jovi drifting in, "Big brother? Vivi? Where'd you two go?" a second later and the familiar blue-eyed girl popped her head in, smiling at us before turning her attention back to her brother.

"Ah, well, y'see…" Michael trailed off, almost sounding nervous.

"We ran into a friend we just realized was here on vacation." Vivi quickly added on, her eyes drifting to Drew, then me, and finally Max, "So we hung out with him for a while. Then we got a call—I gave the hospital my cell number—and we came here."

"Yeah, had to run though—visitin' hours almost up an' all." Michael said, a grin—still nervous—on his lips.

But Jovi seemed to buy it completely, "Ah, I see." It had me worried that I even noticed it—Drew had told me more than once that I wasn't the most astute person in the world. Or maybe it was just because I was tired?

'That must be it,' I silently agreed with myself, 'It's been a long day. I've worried too much. I just need to get home and get to bed.'

"Well it's good that you did hurry." The doctor agreed, "Visiting hours—at least for this patient—are almost up." He shot a look I couldn't read in Max's direction, but Max seemed to get it perfectly.

So he said, "I guess you're right. Might as well get to sleep as early as possible."

"Well I guess we'll just be sayin' 'we'll see you tomorrow', or something?" Michael asked, almost seeming to get it too, even though he hadn't even seen the look.

"It sounds like it to me." Vivi quickly agreed, "Besides I haven't eaten yet and it's—what?—Almost eight? That's not good."

Both made their way across the room, passing dad and Drew, before walking over to the bed, Jovi quickly following them. The doctor moved out of the way, and they both took his place. Michael grinned down at Max before reaching out and ruffling his hair like an older brother probably would, "It's probably pointless, but get better soon."

Max smiled back, "I know, I know."

"He has a point." Vivi almost seemed to chide, "It's weird to see you sick—or not healthy. Even though it's happened before."

"But that's beside the point—" Jovi seemed to reprimand the both of them, "Just get better, okay? I don't like worrying."

this time Max laughed, "I know, I know."

Then, in a lower tone that I was sure no one but me and the doctor could hear, Vivi added, "and don't just get better for our sakes, he's worried about you too, y'know."

Max's eyes widened fractionally before they softened, "Yeah…I know." Then he turned to me and smiled, "But yeah, you take care of yourself too, okay? And Mom?" Mom perked up almost instantly, "You as well—and dad, Drew," I heard them both shift behind me, "You two also. Okay?"

"I'm sure we'll manage." Drew murmured, almost sarcastically

To which Max replied back, just as humorously, "I'm sure you will."

--

I…don't like the ending much, but it was almost 1AM when I was typing it up, so I just needed to end it. But I did get pretty much everything I wanted to get done in this chapter, which is really rare, all things considering. I'm almost getting to the point where I don't have anything already written to go by (in the storyline). In just a few more chapters I really will be free-winging this (I suppose you could say) but maybe that'll be better in the long run, I dunno.

But anyway: R&R! Reviews do make me update faster, and the more I receive, the happier I shall be and the quicker the next chapter shall come (hopefully)!

So till the next chapter…

Harmony283