First Impressions

A Gale and Randy Fan Fiction

Disclaimer: I know that this relationship is not real, was never real and will never be real. I do not own these characters. I am simply a fan that wishes the actors no disrespect and hopefully I am not infringing on any of that with them if they read this, which I highly doubt they will. Enjoy! If anyone takes offense to homosexuality or the themes presented, please do not read this.

Author's Note: Don't fret. They will get back together soon. It's only logical.

Chapter 14: Coming In Trials

Gale's POV:

Randy and I have just shot our scenes for the season 3 finale and with our arms around each other, the old feelings coursed through my veins. When the director told us that was a wrap, I really didn't want to let go of him. Even after all this time, I still had major feelings for Randy that I was unsure what to do with. We were friends but it wasn't the same any longer. One could say I should have gotten used to it by now, but the truth was, it was still as fresh to me as the day we broke up. They say time heals all wounds but I think it's bullshit.

Randy's POV:

I couldn't believe it had been almost a year and a half since the fated breakup with Gale. And here we were, wrapping season 3 of the show that has changed my life. I had more appreciation for being a gay man out in the world and I didn't regret doing the show for anything. Also, I met Gale. The most wonderful, kind, sweet, infuriating man I have ever met and probably ever would meet in the future. I couldn't deny that I loved him after all this time. How could those feelings dissipate when I was on set with him all the time? We didn't hang out that much anymore, but when the group got together we still had that spark of electricity. Even though we didn't touch each other anymore, other than when filming, I could feel the extension of his energy throughout the entire room.

It almost made my hair stand on end how much I was chemically bonded to him. Time successfully broke our physical bond, but it had not effect whatsoever on our bond that was forged and solid on the inside.

I knew we couldn't get back together until Gale dealt with who he was as a person. We tried not to make it a big deal and it ended up destroying us and became the biggest deal it could possibly have been. It ruined us. But it didn't ruin my feelings for him. It brought me to my knees in a way I never had been accustomed to in the past. And not in a positive life affirming way, either.

I hoped we would get back together someday to fix what was broken, but I couldn't deny the lack of plausibility of that actually occurring. I think we needed to talk about that though. Get everything out in the open. Maybe he didn't feel the same anymore. But if how I felt was any indication of how close I was to him, I couldn't discount that it probably was exactly the same thing for him, too.

I knew he was seeing a girl named Ashley he met while observing the sights in Toronto. Not that he told me, but I overheard him telling the group that was how they met. It was quite romantic actually and between the seething jealousy creeping into my soul, it was hard for me to see much else. That was how we were supposed to be. Was he in love with her? They were seeing each other for three months. It was probably too soon to tell but I knew I was in love with Gale the moment I laid eyes on him. Well not exactly, but it might as well have been.

I was knocked out of my thoughts when the phone rang and startled the crap out of me. I looked at the caller ID and it was him. He hadn't called me in forever, I wondered if something was up. I didn't wait to find out.

"Gale?"

"Yeah, Rands. It's me," Gale said my name as if he was barely holding on to his composure.

"What's wrong? You don't sound very well," my voiced trailed off worryingly.

"It's Ashley. She..she got into an accident. I'm at the hospital. I didn't know who else to call, I—"

"Wait, slow down, Gale. What happened?"

"I need you. Can..can you come down here?" Gale was fully crying now. I felt so bad. I didn't know why he called me but I didn't care. He needed me and I was going to be damned if I wasn't there to help him through whatever had happened.

"I'll..I'll be on my way."

"Thanks Randy!"

I hung up on him and grabbed my coat and ran out of there like a bat-outta-hell.

The drive to the hospital seemed to take forever. Finally, after what seemed like hours, I pulled into the visitors parking and rushed inside. I didn't have to look far before I found Gale in a chair in the waiting room, his face tear-stained. I ran up to him as if my life depended on it.

"Gale!"

"Randy!" He stood up as I ran to him and embraced him.

"Are you okay? Were you in the car?"

"No, I wasn't. I was on the phone with her, we were having an argument and then I heard the whole thing over the phone, Randy. It was so loud, and sickening," Gale cried miserably staining my shirt. I didn't care.

"Shh," I tried to soothe him, running my fingers in circles on his back.

"You don't know the things I said to her, I..it was terrible."

"It doesn't matter, Gale. Is she going to be okay?"

"They don't know. She broke her collarbone and has a few fractured ribs from the airbags, although they probably saved her life."

"I told her we shouldn't have argued over the phone, that it was dangerous, but she was determined to have it out with me. After our break up a few weeks ago, I figured shed stop calling me but she didn't. she kept wanting to talk about why we broke up."

"You broke up? A few weeks ago?" I responded, shocked. I wondered why they broke up.

"Yeah, I couldn't. it wasn't going to work. she needed to understand that."

"Why wouldn't it have worked, Gale?"

"Because, I'm not in love with her. I..I wasn't. I haven't felt that way about anyone since…" Gale's voice trailed off before saying too much. He burrowed himself further into my jacket and I realized we were still standing up. I led him back over to his chair and lowered him into it so slowly as if he was going to break from being so fragile.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what I could say. I had a spark of joy become ignited into my heart. I knew he was talking about me. But then I felt absolutely guilty and selfish for feeling that way when Gale and Ashley were in so much pain. I didn't say anything and just held him for going on thirty minutes. Eventually his sobs subsided yet he didn't let go.

Finally I broke the silence.

"Shhh, Gale. Everything is going to be okay. I'll help you get through this. I promise." Gale didn't respond with but a few sniffles and he burrowed further down my chest and rested his head there so he could hear my heartbeat. It must have been really reassuring.

I hope I was as reassuring as I could be in spite of the circumstances. I would help him get through it no matter what. If he needed me to be there as a friend and only a friend I would do that. I realized there wasn't much of anything I'd deny Gale. And a part of that scared me to no end. I loved him. Where else would I be?