Kevin Anderson was in his coma for two weeks after he arrived back at Peach City Hospital. The first week was because they medically induced him into a comatose state to make sure that the trip from Baton Rouge to Peach City wasn't even more traumatizing on his body. The second week was just because his body needed to recover from the whole ordeal.

Edd was there everyday. Kevin would take him to the hospital before he went to work, and every kiss goodbye was heartbreakingly sweet. Ang and Sy would bring him back home. Amber brought him lunch. Ed and Eddy would stop by to keep him company as often as they could. Nat tried to visit but just couldn't. After what Kevin told him had happened on Edd's birthday, then his own, and what had happened between them after finding out about what happened to Kevin and what was happening between them now, the peacock couldn't stand to his his best friend's ex cuddled up in an ICU bed with the one person who was keeping them apart for no other reason than Edd's loyalty to the only relationship that hadn't hurt him.

But Nat considered that loyalty bunk knowing that Eddward was Kevin's emergency contact. Not Edd. Not his parents. His fucking ex, who had been hell on him for far too long. The drama of it all was driving Nat nuts. He was madly in love with a certified Drama King and Rave had never taken him through this much bullshit.

Edd wanted to be insulted by Nat's absence, considering the fact that everyone had stopped by at least once. But knowing that he was Kevin's best friend, he couldn't bring himself to be mad. He was breaking Kevin's heart. He was cheating on his boyfriend every morning with 2AM texts and 6AM kisses. He was the only thing standing between Kevin's happiness with him.

And for what?! Edd couldn't think of any reasons anymore that would be good enough. His excuses were worst.

The day Kevin woke up was like any other. Edd woke up at 515AM and checked his text messages. He woke up at 145 that morning to text Kevin, and fell back asleep around 3AM. Kevin's last message came in at 330.

BigKev: You might want to try the cold spoon trick on that kiss. ;)

Edd rolled his neck as the mark Kevin left on his collar bone two weeks ago throbbed. It had faded to a red and yellow blotch at this point. He had planned on saying it came from Ed hugging him too tight if anyone saw it. But considering how chilly the hospital was and his naturally cold nature, his layered look of a button down over a tshirt or a thermal tee under a tshirt had kept the mark pretty well hidden away.

He was ready to leave at 545 and Kevin was at his door at 546. The 15 minute drive to the hospital on the edge of Peach Creek and the city was always the best part of their day. Too short, but quiet. They were close and sharing in what they loved; riding Kevin's bike and watching the sun rise. At 6AM, Edd dismounts the bike and hands Kevin his helmet back.

"Call me later if you need anything, okay?," Kevin says as he straps the helmet down before turning back to Edd who's already leaning in for his kiss goodbye.

"I will."

A couple of kisses later and he's gone.

As he walks the ICU corridor to Kevin's room, he passes the nurses station and they're all beaming as he walks up.

"Any news on Kevin?"

It's been the same question every day for two weeks. And the answer has always been no. But not today.

"He's awake," Melissa, the head nurse says and then giggles as Edd runs to Kevin's room.

Seeing him sitting up, eyes open, toying with a comic book Ed left behind had Edd speechless. When he leaned on the door, it creaked open and Kevin turned his head to the door.

"Y-You're a-awake," Edd stammered as tears start to roll down his cheeks.

Kevin just nodded.

Kevin woke up around 3AM. His head hurt, but he was glad to be alive. Missing two weeks of his life was no fun, but neither were his dreams. Fights with Eddward and Double D. All out war with Kevin. Odd dreams about his friends. At the moment, he was okay with never sleeping again. He knew his name, what year it was, who was president and who was trying to be. He barely remembered hitting his head and being in the hospital in Baton Rouge.

Or so he said.

The only reason why he was at the bar in the first place was to meet his friends. Being early was his thing, but his friends couldn't even get in the bar as it was too crowded. He didn't hear his phone ring and had taken it off vibrate as it would drain his battery and spending all day texting Edd was doing enough of that. So he spent a couple of hours waiting, but mostly trying to avoid his ex. Until he couldn't.

"Next thing I knew, I was falling and then my head hurt. And then I woke up here and my head really hurt," he explained to Edd who had taken his usual spot in bed with Kevin, the redhead tucked in his spot underneath Edd's right arm.

His left would always be reserved for another Kevin. A Kevin who's scent was on Edd, but Kevin was choosing to ignore it. Especially since he knew he needed to stay on Edd's good side considering the fact that he was not the hospital in Baton Rouge's first point of contact.

"At least you're okay. You had me so worried," Edd sighed with relief.

They sat in an easy silence until the doctor came around and explained that despite waking up, Kevin was to stay in ICU for another 24 hours. If he was still doing well after three days in a general recovery room, he could go home. But with it now being the beginning of August, the doctor strongly advised Kevin against going back to school.

"At least for the first half of the semester," Dr Cartwright said. "You've been through a lot of trauma, Mr Anderson. The less stress for the next couple of months, the better."

Kevin sighed and nodded. Edd said they'd talk it over before deciding anything. Kevin could lose a few of his scholarships by dropping out, but if they saw it was for medical reasons and it wouldn't be a long term thing, both young men were confident that he'd be given the okay to leave and then ease back into school after midterms or in the spring semester.

When Kevin's parents finally made it back, they pulled him from school. Given their own alumni status, it was easy to get him out without a black mark on his record and his scholarships and grants in tact, but he wouldn't be going back til the spring. His mother was too worried about what the stress would do as memories of Kevin having to deal with Eddward and his croonies in high school came flooding back. Many times, he'd go to school the next day after a beating or as soon as the doctor gave him the go ahead if the beating landed him in the hospital, only to be stuck home for half the week because the stress of dealing with his traumatized mental state as well as his physical state had him on edge and rest would be in order for him to gain any semblance of strength to deal with the sheer amount of bullying he was dealing with. She was not about to have a repeat of that in his college years.

While his parents didn't accept the accident as an honest one, they did acknowledge that it was definitely not something that either boy meant to happen. As far as they were concerned, as long as Eddward Rockwell was around, whatever happened to or near anyone around him would always be his fault. Indirect or not. And it hurt Kevin inside more than his head did. Eddward didn't seek him out at all that night. He avoided him as best he could. And knowing that he was there with him at the hospital before he flew back home meant that he was feeling remorseful about it. Something he had never done. That deserved a certain amount of forgiveness that he was willing to give.

But he had to get Double D to forgive him first.

On the third day after he came home from the hospital, Edd asked to see his phone. Sighing, Kevin unlocked the device and handed it to Edd who quickly made himself and Eddy an emergency contact.

"Eddy, too?!"

Edd leveled a look at him.

"Care to tell me why he shouldn't be?"

Kevin rolled his eyes.

"Ang would be better," he pouted.

"My best friend is plenty good enough," Edd retorted.

"But Ang has connections! She can actually help!"

"Like your ex?"

Kevin froze, but anger coursed through him like a wildfire.

"Do. Not."

"Oh, I am. And I will. Why in the Sam damn hell is your abusive ex boyfriend an emergency contact in your phone?!,"Edd yelled.

Kevin cowered. He had seen rage like that in blue eyes before and appeasing it was hell.

"I-I dunno," he whispered.

"WHAT?!"

"I don't know, okay!," Kevin sighed as he gripped his head trying to ease the pounding headache the stress from this conversation was going to produce.

"That's a crock of bull and you know it."

"Say what you need to say, Kev," Kevin thought and the words came out of him like a flood.

"Look, he's always been good with medical stuff and he's studying to be a doctor. He knows me. He'd know how to help me if I ever needed it."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?," Edd screamed as he jumped off the couch and came to sit on the coffee table in front of Kevin. He pulled Kevin's dropped head up by his chin as he continued. "He only knows your medical history because he was the cause of most of it. He's only been so good at "medical stuff," because you were his guinea pig!"

"You don't know him like I do, Edd! He'd know how to help like..."

"Like he actually cared?! Is that why he's in there?! Because you want him to care?!"

"YES! Oowww," Kevin moaned as the headache was reaching full blown migraine status.

"Well, he doesn't. Not like me. Not even like Eddy. He only cares as far as it helps him. Because if he really cared, he wouldn't have done to you what he did."

And Kevin started to kick himself for only telling Edd his victim side of their story.

"Look, I know he needs help because he has a sick, twisted way of showing he cares, but I know what I'm talking about, Edd. If there is anyone who I know who can help you out medically when you need it,..."

"I'd call my ex first," Edd said bitterly as he stormed out of the house.