Chapter 3
Angela hung up the phone and sat there, unable to grasp what she had heard. Shawn gazed at Angela, grabbing her hand.
"What's wrong? Who was that?"
"COREY!" Angela dropped Shawn's hand and jumped up from the couch, "Corey, are you dressed yet?"
Corey opened the bedroom door. "Yeah, what's all the yelling?"
"We have to go to the hospital, NOW!" Angela walked over to the door and put her jacket on.
"Topanga has been in some sort of accident at the library, she's at the hospital."
Corey and Shawn looked at each other, frozen.
"Let's GO!" Angela yelled, holding the front door open. Shawn and Corey rushed to the door, struggling to put their jackets on as they left.
*********************************
Jack walked into his apartment, sapped of all strength. He closed and locked the front door behind him and stood there, leaning his head against the door. A tear fell from his cold cheek.
"I miss you so much, man... but I hafta make everything right..."
"Jack? Are you alright?" Jack turned to see Rachel standing in the bedroom doorway.
"Sorry, I didn't know you were home... do you need any help moving your stuff?" Jack removed his jacket and laid it on the couch.
"No, I'm done... and I can't tell you how grateful I am that you let me move back in. It'll be good for both of us," Rachel offered with a soft smile. Jack stood in front of the refrigerator, browsing through the contents, but not really looking.
"Jack, are you sure you don't mind me using your bed?" Rachel walked over to the kitchen table and leaned over it.
"Nah. As long as you don't tell me I'm weird for sleepin' in Eric's bed."
"Actually, I think it's adorable and I don't blame you after everything that happened."
Jack closed the fridge, turned and leaned against it, facing Rachel.
"Are you hungry?" Rachel asked.
"Nope. Just tired."
"I'm all done in the bedroom if you wanna go take a nap..." Jack closed his eyes and thought for a moment, "I think I will."
Jack walked into the bedroom and kicked off his shoes. He took his pants and shirt off, standing there in his boxers, looking at Eric's bed. Jack's pillow had migrated to Eric's bed since the day after the funeral. He crawled under the covers, embracing Eric's pillow gently, "It'll be alright, Eric... I'm here now... I'm here now..." Jack drifted off to sleep.
*********************************
The smell of disinfectant and sick people filled the hallway as Angela, Corey, and Shawn raced down the corridor. A plain-faced, heavyset nurse was reviewing some paperwork when the three of them arrived at the admittance desk.
"Can you tell me where my wife is? Topanga Matthews?" Corey breathlessly inquired.
"Yes sir, just a moment," the nurse responded as she picked up a chart and located the appropriate information. "She's in room 3... ICU."
"Let's go," Angela prodded. They bolted down the hallway into the Intensive Care Unit and found room 3. The door was open.
The room was brightly lit. A doctor, standing at the foot of her bed, was scribbling on Topanga's chart when he looked up at Corey when he approached her bedside. Angela approached the doctor.
"What happened?"
"This report says that she fell down a couple of flights of stairs at the local library. She's suffered a myriad of fractures, contusions, and sprains. She's lucky to be alive," the doctor reported. Angela covered her mouth in horror when she finally looked over at Topanga. She was in a full body cast, tubes running in and out of every open orifice. Her face was black and blue, barely recognizable. Corey was holding the three protruding fingers on her left hand, sobbing.
"She's gonna be ok, right?" Shawn asked, still in shock.
"Right now she's in a coma, her vitals are nearly stable. We'll have a better idea tomorrow morning." The doctor turned and walked out of the room, Shawn and Angela walked over to Corey. Angela put a comforting hand on Corey's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Corey..."Angela fell silent.
"Look, I'm gonna go get Corey some clothes and stuff so he can stay here with her, do you wanna come?" Shawn offered his hand to Angela, as she shook her head.
"I'm going to stay here with Corey for now, thanks." Angela turned back to the bed as Shawn left.
"I don't understand... first my brother, now my wife... why is this happening?" Corey looked up at Angela, half expecting her to answer.
"It's gonna be okay. Some things we can't control in life, so let's keep a positive attitude so Topanga will get better faster." Angela lightly stroked the back of Corey's head. Corey looked at Topanga and began to cry again. Angela sat down in the corner watching the monitors as Topanga's life flickered on their screens.
*********************************
Jack sat up, startled by the voices he heard coming from the living room. He could only make out Rachel's voice speaking to a male voice through the closed bedroom door.
"Rachel!" Jack cried out, "Who's here?"
The door opened a crack. Then he heard giggling.
"Shawn is that you? C'mon man, I was sleepin'..." Jack yawned and scratched his chest.
"It's not Sha-awn," the voice teased. The door flew wide open. Jack's jaw dropped open when he finally comprehended whom it was standing before him.
"It can't be..." Jack whispered in disbelief. The figure standing in the doorway, wearing an arm cast and leg brace, shuffled to the bed and sat down.
"Ya know, I don't know why you're sleeping in my bed, but it's kind of a turn on," Eric grinned. Tears streamed down Jack's cheeks.
"But how did you..." Eric stopped Jack's mouth with a kiss, a deep sensual kiss that made Jack forget about anything and everything else in the world except this moment. Eric pulled his shirt up over his head and pulled his good arm out. He broke his kiss with Jack long enough to pull it between them and gently slid the rest of it off of his cast.
"Watch the arm and my knee," Eric said coyly. Jack had already begun unbuttoning Eric's pants. Suddenly Rachel walked in.
"Oh... I guess I should leave you two alone," she winked as she closed the bedroom door behind her. The interruption was hardly noticed. Eric finished unlashing his knee brace and Jack quickly slipped Eric's pants off.
"You can't imagine how much I've missed you," Jack whispered.
"Then show me," Eric replied.
He laid on the bed next to Jack, while Jack carefully rolled over on top of him and kissed him desperately. Eric put his casted arm above his head, using his free arm to gently slide down Jack's back. His hand slipped under Jack's boxers, feeling and squeezing Jack's firm, tight ass. Eric kissed him harder. He pressed Jack's pelvis into his own, both of them moaned in unison. Jack broke away from Eric and stood next to the bed. He slowly slid his boxers off, Eric's eyes widened, "You are perfect in every way."
Jack reached down and pulled Eric's boxers off, then responded in kind, "You might be too much man for either of us to handle!" Jack gasped. Eric laughed and pulled the covers over himself with a false modesty. Jack slipped under the covers again next to Eric, his hands caressed Eric's face before he kissed him again. The contact of their warm bodies was almost too much for Eric.
"I want you so bad," Eric moaned as Jack kissed his neck. He smiled at Eric and kissed him again while his right hand strolled slowly down Eric's chest and stomach, until he found what he was searching for. Eric's body tensed as Jack gently pleasured him. Unable to control himself, Eric reached down to reciprocate. Jack nearly screamed in ecstasy, and carefully pulled Eric closer.
A few moments later, after they had simultaneously climaxed, they laid coupled together, breathing heavily. A knock on the bedroom door surprised them both.
"It's just me, I need to grab my bottle of lotion and I'll leave..." Rachel called from the other side of the closed door.
"I don't think so!" Eric laughed.
"No, Rach, give us a few more minutes!" Jack added.
"C'mon, I won't look..." Rachel began to turn the door handle.
"No Rach! NO!" Jack yelled.
"...no, Rachel... no..." Rachel shook Jack gently.
"Jack, are you ok? Wake up... What's wrong?" Rachel watched Jack slowly open his eyes.
"Where's Eric, he was just here..." Jack sat up and looked around, confused. Rachel pulled Jack to her and hugged him, "It was just a dream, Jack." Rachel's eyes watered as she held Jack, rocking him where he sat. Jack began to cry and slowly put his arms around Rachel, letting her comfort him.
Angela hung up the phone and sat there, unable to grasp what she had heard. Shawn gazed at Angela, grabbing her hand.
"What's wrong? Who was that?"
"COREY!" Angela dropped Shawn's hand and jumped up from the couch, "Corey, are you dressed yet?"
Corey opened the bedroom door. "Yeah, what's all the yelling?"
"We have to go to the hospital, NOW!" Angela walked over to the door and put her jacket on.
"Topanga has been in some sort of accident at the library, she's at the hospital."
Corey and Shawn looked at each other, frozen.
"Let's GO!" Angela yelled, holding the front door open. Shawn and Corey rushed to the door, struggling to put their jackets on as they left.
*********************************
Jack walked into his apartment, sapped of all strength. He closed and locked the front door behind him and stood there, leaning his head against the door. A tear fell from his cold cheek.
"I miss you so much, man... but I hafta make everything right..."
"Jack? Are you alright?" Jack turned to see Rachel standing in the bedroom doorway.
"Sorry, I didn't know you were home... do you need any help moving your stuff?" Jack removed his jacket and laid it on the couch.
"No, I'm done... and I can't tell you how grateful I am that you let me move back in. It'll be good for both of us," Rachel offered with a soft smile. Jack stood in front of the refrigerator, browsing through the contents, but not really looking.
"Jack, are you sure you don't mind me using your bed?" Rachel walked over to the kitchen table and leaned over it.
"Nah. As long as you don't tell me I'm weird for sleepin' in Eric's bed."
"Actually, I think it's adorable and I don't blame you after everything that happened."
Jack closed the fridge, turned and leaned against it, facing Rachel.
"Are you hungry?" Rachel asked.
"Nope. Just tired."
"I'm all done in the bedroom if you wanna go take a nap..." Jack closed his eyes and thought for a moment, "I think I will."
Jack walked into the bedroom and kicked off his shoes. He took his pants and shirt off, standing there in his boxers, looking at Eric's bed. Jack's pillow had migrated to Eric's bed since the day after the funeral. He crawled under the covers, embracing Eric's pillow gently, "It'll be alright, Eric... I'm here now... I'm here now..." Jack drifted off to sleep.
*********************************
The smell of disinfectant and sick people filled the hallway as Angela, Corey, and Shawn raced down the corridor. A plain-faced, heavyset nurse was reviewing some paperwork when the three of them arrived at the admittance desk.
"Can you tell me where my wife is? Topanga Matthews?" Corey breathlessly inquired.
"Yes sir, just a moment," the nurse responded as she picked up a chart and located the appropriate information. "She's in room 3... ICU."
"Let's go," Angela prodded. They bolted down the hallway into the Intensive Care Unit and found room 3. The door was open.
The room was brightly lit. A doctor, standing at the foot of her bed, was scribbling on Topanga's chart when he looked up at Corey when he approached her bedside. Angela approached the doctor.
"What happened?"
"This report says that she fell down a couple of flights of stairs at the local library. She's suffered a myriad of fractures, contusions, and sprains. She's lucky to be alive," the doctor reported. Angela covered her mouth in horror when she finally looked over at Topanga. She was in a full body cast, tubes running in and out of every open orifice. Her face was black and blue, barely recognizable. Corey was holding the three protruding fingers on her left hand, sobbing.
"She's gonna be ok, right?" Shawn asked, still in shock.
"Right now she's in a coma, her vitals are nearly stable. We'll have a better idea tomorrow morning." The doctor turned and walked out of the room, Shawn and Angela walked over to Corey. Angela put a comforting hand on Corey's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Corey..."Angela fell silent.
"Look, I'm gonna go get Corey some clothes and stuff so he can stay here with her, do you wanna come?" Shawn offered his hand to Angela, as she shook her head.
"I'm going to stay here with Corey for now, thanks." Angela turned back to the bed as Shawn left.
"I don't understand... first my brother, now my wife... why is this happening?" Corey looked up at Angela, half expecting her to answer.
"It's gonna be okay. Some things we can't control in life, so let's keep a positive attitude so Topanga will get better faster." Angela lightly stroked the back of Corey's head. Corey looked at Topanga and began to cry again. Angela sat down in the corner watching the monitors as Topanga's life flickered on their screens.
*********************************
Jack sat up, startled by the voices he heard coming from the living room. He could only make out Rachel's voice speaking to a male voice through the closed bedroom door.
"Rachel!" Jack cried out, "Who's here?"
The door opened a crack. Then he heard giggling.
"Shawn is that you? C'mon man, I was sleepin'..." Jack yawned and scratched his chest.
"It's not Sha-awn," the voice teased. The door flew wide open. Jack's jaw dropped open when he finally comprehended whom it was standing before him.
"It can't be..." Jack whispered in disbelief. The figure standing in the doorway, wearing an arm cast and leg brace, shuffled to the bed and sat down.
"Ya know, I don't know why you're sleeping in my bed, but it's kind of a turn on," Eric grinned. Tears streamed down Jack's cheeks.
"But how did you..." Eric stopped Jack's mouth with a kiss, a deep sensual kiss that made Jack forget about anything and everything else in the world except this moment. Eric pulled his shirt up over his head and pulled his good arm out. He broke his kiss with Jack long enough to pull it between them and gently slid the rest of it off of his cast.
"Watch the arm and my knee," Eric said coyly. Jack had already begun unbuttoning Eric's pants. Suddenly Rachel walked in.
"Oh... I guess I should leave you two alone," she winked as she closed the bedroom door behind her. The interruption was hardly noticed. Eric finished unlashing his knee brace and Jack quickly slipped Eric's pants off.
"You can't imagine how much I've missed you," Jack whispered.
"Then show me," Eric replied.
He laid on the bed next to Jack, while Jack carefully rolled over on top of him and kissed him desperately. Eric put his casted arm above his head, using his free arm to gently slide down Jack's back. His hand slipped under Jack's boxers, feeling and squeezing Jack's firm, tight ass. Eric kissed him harder. He pressed Jack's pelvis into his own, both of them moaned in unison. Jack broke away from Eric and stood next to the bed. He slowly slid his boxers off, Eric's eyes widened, "You are perfect in every way."
Jack reached down and pulled Eric's boxers off, then responded in kind, "You might be too much man for either of us to handle!" Jack gasped. Eric laughed and pulled the covers over himself with a false modesty. Jack slipped under the covers again next to Eric, his hands caressed Eric's face before he kissed him again. The contact of their warm bodies was almost too much for Eric.
"I want you so bad," Eric moaned as Jack kissed his neck. He smiled at Eric and kissed him again while his right hand strolled slowly down Eric's chest and stomach, until he found what he was searching for. Eric's body tensed as Jack gently pleasured him. Unable to control himself, Eric reached down to reciprocate. Jack nearly screamed in ecstasy, and carefully pulled Eric closer.
A few moments later, after they had simultaneously climaxed, they laid coupled together, breathing heavily. A knock on the bedroom door surprised them both.
"It's just me, I need to grab my bottle of lotion and I'll leave..." Rachel called from the other side of the closed door.
"I don't think so!" Eric laughed.
"No, Rach, give us a few more minutes!" Jack added.
"C'mon, I won't look..." Rachel began to turn the door handle.
"No Rach! NO!" Jack yelled.
"...no, Rachel... no..." Rachel shook Jack gently.
"Jack, are you ok? Wake up... What's wrong?" Rachel watched Jack slowly open his eyes.
"Where's Eric, he was just here..." Jack sat up and looked around, confused. Rachel pulled Jack to her and hugged him, "It was just a dream, Jack." Rachel's eyes watered as she held Jack, rocking him where he sat. Jack began to cry and slowly put his arms around Rachel, letting her comfort him.