Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Challenges listed at the bottom.
Word Count: 1921
Everything Happens For A Reason
It was foggy.
The weather wasn't usually an important factor in JD's mornings.
Not until today.
…
Perry groaned when his phone rang. It was his day off, the first in over two weeks, and he knew if he answered the call, he'd be right back at the hospital before he had time to pour his first scotch and make himself unfit for work.
The ringing ended and he stretched in bed, only to swear softly when it started up again. Growling, he stretched out and snapped the phone up in his hand.
"What?"
"Perry." Carla's voice filtered through the speaker and he immediately knew something was wrong. "It's JD."
…
He tore through the corridors to the observation room, slamming in through the door.
"What happened?"
Carla reached out to him, but he flinched back.
"What happened?" he demanded again, looking through the glass to see JD on the gurney, surgeons surrounding him.
"It was the fog this morning. A driver didn't see him on his bike," Carla said, her hand pressing against the glass. "He's going to be okay, Perry."
…
Perry sat in the uncomfortable chair beside JD's bed, waiting for him to wake up. He would wake up, there was no other option.
The thought of the hospital corridors without him made Perry's chest hurt.
His oddities broke up the monotony of Perry's days, and despite his loud and long complaints about them, he didn't know what he'd do without the kid there anymore.
The door opened, and Perry looked over to see Ghandi stepping inside. They shared a look, and then the other man took his own place in the second seat.
The constant beeping of the machines attached to JD were the only thing to break the silence.
…
Carla brought coffee for them at regular intervals, and Barbie dropped by with sandwiches for them when her shift ended, both women staying for a while every time they entered the room.
Perry knew he was showing his hand by staying by JD's bed, but he couldn't bring himself to move.
The knowing looks from Carla, and god forbid, even Kelso, weren't even enough to make him move his ass when his own shift came around, and when it was pointed out to him that he was supposed to be working, Perry hadn't even tried to explain.
He'd just shrugged and stayed exactly where he was.
…
JD woke slowly. His head hurt, and blinking felt like his eyelids were weighted down by bricks for all the effort it took.
When he finally managed to open his eyes, he found himself in a very familiar room.
How in the hell had he landed in the hospital?
"JD?"
He turned his head, wincing as pain ricocheted through his neck for a moment, to find his Chocolate Bear sitting beside his bed in one of the always uncomfortable chairs.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice rough from being unused.
"A car side-swiped you in the fog," Turk said softly. "You've been unconscious for three days. We had to operate, to relieve the pressure on your brain."
"Ugh, gross," JD muttered.
"Finally decided to wake up from your nap, huh, Newbie?"
JD looked at the door to see Dr Cox looking at him. He looked rough; hair a mess, unshaven, bloodshot eyes.
"What happened to you?" he asked, frowning.
…
Perry couldn't believe that Newbie had woken up when he was on a bathroom break, but at the same time, it was a blessing in disguise. If he could swear the other's to secrecy, he wouldn't have to explain to Newbie just why he'd been sitting beside his bed for the last three days.
He figured that was about as likely as Jordan getting wings and a halo, but he could hope.
"What happened to you?" JD asked, frowning up at him with those bambi eyes that Perry had privately feared he'd never see looking at him again.
"I've been covering all your patients while you took your nap, Gladys," he replied, his voice softer than he'd have preferred. "Not all of us can be so lazy as to spend three days in bed, you know?"
JD snorted. "So… what's the prognosis, Doc? Will I live?"
…
Seeing Turk and Dr Cox wince simultaneously was different; they tried not to agree on anything usually.
JD looked between them and sighed. "Either you've both lost your sense of humour or it's something really bad."
"You're going to be fine," Perry said eventually. "There was a build up of fluid on your brain but we got it under control quickly. It's just… been a long few days, Newbie, that's all."
JD nodded slowly, and then bit his lip.
"What is it?" Turk asked, leaning on the bed with his elbows.
"I'm hungry."
…
Perry went home.
Now that he knew JD was going to be okay—and now that he'd woken up, he felt sure that he would be okay—he knew he couldn't keep hanging around the hospital.
Before he'd left, he'd had a… stern word with Ghandi, Barbie and Carla about keeping their mouths shut, but the look on Carla's face told him that there was no point even hoping for it.
Meddling witch.
It was a good job he loved her.
So, he went home, and he slept for about an hour before he wound up awake and staring up at the ceiling and thinking about JD.
Again.
From the beginning, he should have realised how this would end up. The kid got under his skin worse than even Jordan could, and she was a master at it. His reactions were always priceless, and even though Perry was a hardass—especially with him in all honesty—he quickly came to realise that whenever Perry needed someone, it was JD who was there for him.
Every single time.
Perry rubbed a hand and then shook his head against the pillow. He didn't care if JD realised that Perry was pining like a teenager with a crush; he was going back to the hospital.
…
JD was surprised when the door slowly opened. He watched as Perry slipped through the gap, closing the door behind him.
"I didn't expect you to be awake."
JD snorted. "I didn't expect you to be visiting at," he paused to check the clock, "four in the morning."
Perry rolled his eyes and sat down on the end of the bed. It was comfier than the chair at least, and he shifted back until he could prop himself up against the footrest of the bed.
"You're going to be the death of me, Newbie."
"Huh?"
"Just… don't die, okay."
…
Perry watched as Newbie tilted his head, drifting off into a daydream for a few moments before he blinked and said, "well, this is neither fun, nor exciting."
He was used to the kid's non-sequiturs, so he just nodded his agreement. Being stuck in a hospital bed really wasn't fun or exciting.
"Carla told me you stayed with me the whole time," Newbie said, after a few minutes silence.
Perry just closed his eyes and nodded his head, because what else could he do?
"Why?"
He chewed the inside of his lip for a moment before he opened his eyes to meet JD's own. "You were here. Where else was I supposed to be?"
…
"But…" JD shook his head. "I mean, it just doesn't make sense, you know? Because you're you and I'm me and I don't… understand."
"It's a good job you're pretty, Newbie," Perry muttered under his breath.
JD blinked at him, and then he preened because he thinks I'm pretty.
Somehow, maybe because it was the middle of the night, or maybe because Perry looked about as tired as JD felt, or maybe just because something seemed to be different between them, JD decided to take a chance.
"Can I have a hug?"
It wasn't the first time he'd asked for a hug, but he thought that maybe, just maybe, he had more of a chance of getting one this time than he had at any time before.
…
Perry stared at him for a long moment and then he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, of course you can."
He moved off the bed, and then took two steps closer to the head, before he perched in the small gap between Newbie's side and the edge of the bed. He pulled JD gently into his arms, careful of his healing injuries, and he just held him.
JD gasped at the first contact, but then he sank into the hold, his face pressing against Perry's sweater. His hands snaked up and around, until he was gripping both sides of the jumper, and Perry couldn't have stopped the small smile from lifting his lips if he'd tried.
"You're not allowed to scare me like this again, Betty, you hear me?"
JD nodded against him. "I hear you."
…
JD had never felt so safe and secure in all his life. Nobody had ever enveloped him quite so fully in their arms before—not even Turk, and JD had always thought he was the master of cuddling.
Not that JD would ever tell Turk that his position of mighty cuddler had been usurped. He wasn't that tactless after all.
Eventually, they parted, and JD lay back down in the bed. Perry didn't move from his place closer to JD's head, and he absently picked up JD's hand in his own, stroking the skin.
"So, first thing first, no dying," Perry murmured. "And second thing second, no dying."
"And third thing third?" JD asked, smiling.
"Still no dying," Perry confirmed.
"I'll do my best," JD promised.
…
While it was Perry's preference that the moment never end—if he had the ability, he would absolutely suspend time to this one moment—he knew he'd have to leave soon if he was going to avoid the gossiping terrors that would be streaming through the doors in no time at all.
He stood, snapping his fingers as he did. "Do you want anything brought in when I come in later for my shift?"
"A jumper?" JD requested softly. "I don't like hospital gowns, my arms always get cold in them.
Perry chuckled, and shrugged off his own, helping JD into it. "Better?"
JD nodded. "Perfect, thank you."
Smiling, Perry leaned up to stroke JD's cheek. "I'll see you later, Newbie. I'll drop in before my shift starts, okay?"
JD yawned and then smiled sheepishly, nodding his head. "Kay."
It felt like the most familiar instinct when Perry leant forward and pressed a soft, barely there kiss against JD's lips, but when he pulled back, JD was watching him with wide eyes. There was a spark of something in them, something Perry hoped he wasn't imagining.
"You, uh. You can bring more of those too, if you want," JD suggested softly, almost timidly.
Perry cupped his cheek. "You can have as many of those as you want, Agnes."
"And when I'm better?"
"That offer doesn't come with an expiry date. Get some sleep, sweetheart."
JD nodded, and he watched as Perry got up and walked to the door, pausing to look back before he slipped from the room.
…
Perry knew that he would never be glad for JD getting hurt, but he couldn't help but be a little bit grateful for the accident nonetheless.
If it meant he could kiss his newbie now, whenever he wanted…
Maybe Laverne was right when she'd said that everything happened for a reason.
Written for:
Written in the Stars: 7. Tactless
Showtime: 3. Kissing
Lizzy's Loft: 7. Fog
Elizabeth's Empire: 5. Beginning
Stickers: 18. Jumper
Scamander's Case: 20. Priceless
Film Festival: 15. Car Crash
Lyric Alley: 5. Second thing second
Forecast: 17th: Rain: Snapping fingers
EnTitled: 22. (setting) hospital
Hobby Hole: 19. Romance
Milkshake: Chocolate: Aero - Trope: Mutual Pining
Urban Safari: 16. African Lion - (word) mighty
Paint A Rainbow: Red: You're going to be the death of me.
Tree Planting: Dogwood: "This is neither fun, nor exciting."
Birdhouse Building: Step 2: "It's a good job you're pretty, [Name]."
Petting zoo: Sheep: Sweater
Spring Parade: Winnie-The-Pooh: Winnie: Hungry
Leaving On A Jet Plane: Vienna: 51: (Weather) Foggy
365: 6. Preference