Anesthetic Parade

So maybe Suzie shouldn't have reacted the way she had with wide-eyes and a bad case of twitching and the overwhelming feeling of helplessness and self-appointed anger. How was she supposed to get the fucking hospital? What was wrong with Simon?

She realized why Bobby had suggested that she take up smoking. "Would you like me to drive you there?" Jacob remained calm throughout the process of it all while Suzie brought a pack of cigarettes from the counter.

"Those things'll kill you." He mentioned.

"So will the mafia." She snapped with enough venom to shut him up.

The drive was the longest one of her life. It felt like she was a fish: stuck in a bowl, forced to swim around in circles until her owner over fed her.

"Who're you here for?" a frumpy young receptionist with bring orange lipstick croaked.

"Simon Costello." Wheezed Suzie.

The receptionist looked up to confirm it. "Go right in! The family's in the waiting room right over there."

"Thank you." Jacob smiled warmly as Suzie ran to the doors.

"Suzie! Thank God!" Gates was there, his head in his hands. He shot up and hugged her until she felt like her ribs were going to snap in half.

"What happened?" she couldn't cry. Was she supposed to be bawling like Simon's mum? Why were Danni Fairchild and Kevin's parents and siblings here? "No way…"

Danni looked up and snuffled. "Fucking Bobby. I told 'im to get sober otherwise he'd kill somebody…"

"Is someone dead?" Suzie's voice was lost.

"No," Gates reassured.

A prim and proper nurse emerged from another set of doors. "They'll be alright." Was the first thing she said. Weights lifted off their shoulders. "Mr. Costello's very lucky he was buckled up, he's got some major bruises and abrasions as well as a broken wrist, and some head trauma. Mr. Rodgers has sustained the most injuries including a piece of glass penetrating into his right eyeball and a broken neck, his injuries are very similar to those of Mr. Costello. Mr. Parker was in the back seat and is fine except for a broken arm. Only three visitors at a time. By the way, Miss. Donnelly, Mr. Costello wishes to see you."

"I'll be here, Suzie. If you need me." Promised Jacob. She nodded and took off with Gates and Danni who were at the moment, the only mobile ones.

"Hey, Danni, I've got an eye patch!" Bobby pointed to his eye with a cast hand.

I'm not speaking to you, Danni signed.

"Well, why not?"

Because you've got a drinking problem.

Their fight continued on.

Suzie sat next to Simon whose eyes were closed. "Get them to fucking quiet down." He said from the corner of his mouth.

"Hey, can you two quiet it down?" she snapped.

They continued their argument in sign language.

"I love you, Simon Costello." She kissed her finger and gently pressed it to his temple.

"You must be scared to death." he looked up at ceiling and sighed shakily. "Kevin and Bobby had gotten kicked out of this bar on 79th Street and they'd 'forgotten' and went in. Bobby got the shit beat out of him, so did Kevin. They hopped to a club down the street and got wasted," Simon swallowed. "The bartender called me. I went to go pick them up. Kevin gets violent when he's drunk you know. So I put them in the car. Bobby covered my eyes and we drove into a wall."

"So it's Bobby's fault?" she was boiling over in anger.

"No."

"You didn't do anything Simon! Don't you dare think that otherwise I'll need to beat the crap out of you when you're done healing from these injuries!"

He hoarsely laughed. "Do you know why I'm utterly in love and obsessed with you, Suzie Donnelly?"

"No. Frankly, I think I'm rather annoying."

"Because you're funny, bloody brilliant, clever, your wit is astounding, you haven't slept with Stewie, you're willing to speak the truth, you're a bookworm, you can argue like hell, you're always there, you turned down my marriage proposal, you know what to do in situations, you never get freaked out, you're a rock, you've made it through everything, and there's so much fucking more." He put his unbroken hand on hers.

Tears slid down her cheeks. "I shouldn't…"

"No, you should. Otherwise I might have to start to worry that you're not human." He brushed the tears from her eyes. "I hate hospitals."

"Ditto. I prefer morgues." They both laughed sullenly.

"I'm sorry, Suze."

Sirius used to call her that. Her head pounded. She wasn't supposed to be thinking of her ex-boyfriend while her boyfriend was in the hospital! Shit her life was like a viewer begging soap opera with too much drama and tackiness and tragic hospital love scenes in every episode.

"That was vague."

"No it wasn't."

"What are you sorry for then."

"Mostly everything."

"See, that is vague."

He sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head softly. "I'm an asshole. You were in a relationship with that dude with the weird name and I screwed that up ---,"

Suzie stopped him. "No, that dude with the weird name screwed it up by cheating. Besides, if I weren't in love with you, I wouldn't have come back. Believe me, I would have just taken off and never spoken to you again. Trust me, I can be a real bitch like that." Gates left the room after a heated discussion with Kevin.

"Holy shit! I know that walk! Get Stewie on the phone and tell him to talk down Gates. He'll know what I mean." Electricity appeared in Simon's eyes.

"Is Gates thinking of quitting the band, Kevin?" asked Suzie.

Kevin didn't talk. "He's beat up pretty bad." Whispered Simon. Suzie nodded.

"Look, if King of the Jungle breaks up. It's all right with me. As long as you don't get all depressed, get fat, die at twenty of a heart attack or failure, go back to being a druggie, team up with some shitty pop singer to record a new single, cheat on me, or anything of the like." Suzie instructed, holding up a finger.

"Hey. Tell my parents I'm asleep, okay? I'm not in the mood for their shit." Aimee and Andrew hovered near the door.

"You've got it. I need to ask you something. Is it alright for me to hang around here all day since I'll be the one to save Danni and Bobby's marriage?" she asked.

Simon nodded. "You've got it babe."