Title: Failure - Chapter 6

Author: You KNOW it's me, StarQuality. (Get the white coats, she's talking to herself again.)

Disclaimer: Nope, nada. Don't feel I need to. I have RIGHTS, you know. ALRIGHT, well, as you can see from the writings before and after this chapter, I do, not, own, Red, Dwarf!

Summary: Lister tries to get Rimmer to wake up.

A/N: Meh. Just read. I'm getting tired, as you can probably see.

"Just let me out, just for ten minutes." Lister was on his knees. But not in a way Rimmer would've liked. He was on his knees, begging Ackerman to let him out of prison. "It's not as if I did anythin'!" I mean, it's not like I snuck a cat or board!"

"You punched someone who is senior to you!"

"But it was WILKS! He's only a TECHNICIAN!"

"That would be like me punching Captain Hollister, because he's only the captain!" Ackerman said, standing his ground.

"What about the Captain?"

Captain Hollister was standing behind Ackerman, with a rare smile directed at Lister. "Sir, you wouldn't mind if I went to see Rimmer, would ya?"

"No, of course not."

"But Sir..."

"Thanks, Sir."

Lister got up, grinned at Ackerman, saluted to Hollister, and quickly walked out of the cell.

"Now, Ackerman, You're not telling me you weren't going to let him go?"

"Of course I was Sir. I mean..." the surly man gave a forced smile, "Nicey Ackerman, that's me."

Lister made his way to the hospital wing. This time, everyone gave him a warm and encouraging smile. They had all been ordered too, and none of them wanted to end up with a broken nose, like Wilks had received from Lister

"How's Rimmer?"

"Hey Lister, how's Arnold?"

"Listy!"

"He's... Stable." Lister said, not stopping, determined to get to his ex-lover without looking at anyone. 'If I can get there without seeing anyone's fake smiles, he'll be okay. He'll be smiling. He'll be shouting at someone... He'll be alive...' he thought to himself, as he pushed open the door to the wing.

He wasn't okay. Rimmer was still surrounded by bleeping machines. Doctor Lynch took Lister to one side and explained the situation.

If Rimmer didn't wake up by four o'clock the following afternoon, they were going to let him go.

"Hey Rimsy..." Lister sat down in the chair that was next to the bed, "Rimmer, it's me... I don't know... I don't know if you can hear me, Rimmer, but I... I just want to tell you that... I'm so sorry. Really. So smegging sorry... If... If I'd have known that you were going... That you were still..." he sighed, and looked at Rimmer's arms, they were wrapped in thicker bandages. They had been deep cuts. "I love you Rimmer. I'm sorry I was such a bastard to you... I didn't mean it... I..."

For once in his life, David Lister was lost for words. He decided to change the subject.

"So... I punched Wilks. I'm in prison... You can't take your eyes of my for a second, can ya...?" he looked at Rimmer's face. In that second, he saw all of the pain that he must've felt. "God, Rimmer, how can one man hold in so much torment... So much heart break... No wonder you..."

Lister got up. He couldn't stand it much longer. Seeing Rimmer, so lifeless, with hardly any hope.

"Bye Rimmer." he kissed his former lover's forehead gently and turned away. "I... Love you..." A single tear rolled down his cheek as he made his way towards the door. He stopped, Not wanting to give up. "I wonder... I wonder if I said that I'd make it all up to you, said that I'd do anything you wanted... If you would just agree to give me another chance... I wonder what you say..."

"I'd probably say... Yes."

TBC

I've wanted to get that last scene into a fic for so long! And there it is! As for the chapter title, danke schon, Karma50 (Mercedes). It does fit, because at the start, Lister thinks that Rimmer will be alright, and then. Yeah.