Crossing Borders By: Jesse Drache
Disclaimers: I don't own Ephram, Colin, Bright or any other characters you
might recognize; I'm just borrowing them for my amusement. So don't sue me.
Warning: This is Ephram/Colin slash; if you don't like it, don't read it. Rating: There will be two versions of this fic, a PG-13 one (which I will post on Fanfiction.net) and a NC-17 one that I will post on my website and will provide links to.
Chapter 10: Hospital
Megan slowly replaced the phone on the hook and slowly returned to the waiting room, stopping at the door to steel herself as she looked at Ephram's slumped shoulders and seemingly frail frame.
"Ephram, we called your dad," Megan said soothingly as she took one of the plastic chairs next to the boy, wrapping an arm around Ephram's shoulder. "He's taking the next plane here."
Ephram nodded, his gaze fixed on the floor.
Megan looked up from where she was rubbing Ephram's back to watch Austin talk to one of the doctors. She watched the doctor pat Austin's shoulder encouragingly before he turned and walked back into the trauma area.
She looked up at him, unspoken questions in her eyes.
"He's stabilized and awake, but they won't let us see him until a guardian or parent allows it. They're bringing in one of your dad's colleagues," he said looking down at Ephram, concern in his features.
Ephram nodded before returning his gaze to the floor.
"Ephram, say something," Megan said, pleading in her voice.
Ephram looked up from the spot on the floor where his gaze had been fixed for most of the evening since they had seen them wheel Colin's unconscious body through the doors.
His eyes were red rimmed, and a few tears remained unshed at the corners.
"It's all my fault, I yelled at him and this happened," Ephram said, his voice breaking before Megan pulled him against her letting him bury his face in her shoulders.
***
*Six Hours Later*
Andy Brown pushed his way through the crowds at the airport waving his hands frantically in search of a cab.
Finally spotting one, he ran, his hand gripping his overnight bag tightly as he finally reached the cab, opening the door and jumping in.
"New York Downtown hospital," he said to the man "and I'll add a hundred dollars to your fare if you make it there as fast as possible."
He sat back, drumming his hands over the seat repeatedly, betraying his agitation.
"Thanks," he said, when the man stopped in front of the emergency room exit.
Shielding his eyes from the early morning sun, he rushed up the entrance and asked for Colin Hart.
"He's been admitted, on the third floor." He turned, running up the stairs, not bothering with the elevator and making his way to the nurses' station.
"I need to talk to Dr. Miles," he told one of the nurses.
"He's over there," the nurse pointed to a balding middle-aged man.
"Hello, I'm Andy Brown. We spoke before about Colin Hart."
"Yes, I remember. It's and honor to meet you Dr. Brown, I'm a huge fan of your work."
"Thank you, but could we skip the formalities. I would like to see the boy."
"He is asleep at the moment, but I do have the results from his MRI available for you to look at," the man said, leading Andy to another room.
Turning off the light, he help up the X-Ray to the light. "It appears that a blood clot has formed where judging by the scar tissue the operation occurred."
"Damn," Andy cursed under his breath.
"As you know it is quiet common with surgeries of this magnitude. The boy will need another operation," the man said.
"I know. I'll inform the parents. Right now I would like to see my son. Did anyone come in with Colin?"
"Yes, two young men and a young lady. They're in the waiting room."
"Thank you." Andrew hurriedly walked down the hallway that the other doctor had pointed him down and found a room, decorated in the usual hospital colors. The room was empty save for an elderly African American man watching the television and the three people at the far corner.
Andy took in Ephram's two friends Megan and Austin, whom he remembered from that night months ago, sitting with a sleeping Ephram curled up on the seats between them his head on the girl's lap.
Megan had had her eyes closed but opened them and sat up when she hear Austin move. Andy watched as they both sat up straighter moving closer together as if to provide Ephram with as much protection as possible, waking up the boy in the process.
"Hmmm? Are there anymore news?" Ephram asked moving his head up and opening his eyes, which immediately grew wider as he sad his father.
"Dad?"
Andy had spent the entirety of the plane flight telling himself that he would not be angry with Ephram that he would not overreact, but as soon as he heard his son's fearful whisper and saw his red rimmed eyes, he rushed forward and captured the boy in a massive hug his anger fading for the time being.
"How's Colin?"
"He's awake, but he'll have to be admitted into the hospital when we get back to Denver."
"Denver?"
"His parents are taking the next flight they should be here soon and you're coming home." Ephram nodded, not daring to look into his father's eyes lest he burst into tears once again.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"It's ok, we'll talk about it when we get home."
***
Ephram watched as Colin's parents and his father talked to a doctor. The pair signed a few papers then shook hands with the neurologist before turning and leading Colin to the elevators.
When they turned Ephram caught the threatening glares that they shot him. He didn't avert his eyes, wanting to see for himself that Colin was in fact alright and to look into his eyes and know how he was doing.
But Colin didn't look up, not even to meet Ephram with the angry glare that he was expecting, he just looked at his feet as he slowly made his way to the elevators, flanked by his two overprotective parents.
Ephram's spirits dropped some more if that was even possible.
His father came to him. "I know we should probably stay and rest but Deliah is worried and I'm not leaving her at Nina's house without any news. Our plane leaves in a few hours," he said, putting his hand on his son's shoulder.
Ephram looked up, but did not meet his eyes, nodding to ensure that he had heard the man's words. Andy followed Ephram's crestfallen gaze to the figures of the Hart's getting into the elevator.
Turning Andy looked at Megan and Austin.
"Will you please send Ephram and Colin's bags to my house, I'll cover shipping costs? Although what you did was wrong, I am glad that Ephram has friends that care this much about him. I'm sorry that I did not meet either of you sooner. You're welcome at our house whenever you want to visit," Andy said to the two teenagers that stood behind Ephram as if poised to fight to protect their friend.
They both nodded, looking down at Ephram with concern in their eyes.
"Come on," he squeezed encouragingly, "we better get going if we want to make the flight on time." Ephram nodded again and turned to his two friends.
Megan enveloped him in a hug, kissing his cheek.
"Keep in touch this time and call us whenever you need us," she whispered and Ephram gave her a half-hearted smile.
He looked up at Austin, unsure of what to do since their last departure had been so sudden. He started to extend his hand before Austin pulled him forward, tucking Ephram's face beneath his chin as he used to do when they had been together.
Ephram hugged back, comforted by the warmth that he didn't realize until then that he had missed.
"You know that I love you, right?" the boy said into Ephram's hair.
"I know," Ephram whispered, surprised to find that he had a voice. Austin squeezed him gently, before letting him go.
"Tell Deliah that we miss her," Austin said, as Ephram and Andy turned to go.
Ephram waved good-bye somewhat grateful that his friends had chosen to stay behind, allowing him to leave with his father before they returned to their apartment.
Ephram walked beside his father, not sure of what would happen or what repercussions his actions would have, he merely wondered if Colin would be at the airport and if he would ever be allowed to see him again.
Taking his seat on the airplane next to his father, Ephram was mildly surprised that he managed to make it all the way to the airport without collapsing and that his dad had yet to attach the house arrest bracelet to his small torso.
*****
Warning: This is Ephram/Colin slash; if you don't like it, don't read it. Rating: There will be two versions of this fic, a PG-13 one (which I will post on Fanfiction.net) and a NC-17 one that I will post on my website and will provide links to.
Chapter 10: Hospital
Megan slowly replaced the phone on the hook and slowly returned to the waiting room, stopping at the door to steel herself as she looked at Ephram's slumped shoulders and seemingly frail frame.
"Ephram, we called your dad," Megan said soothingly as she took one of the plastic chairs next to the boy, wrapping an arm around Ephram's shoulder. "He's taking the next plane here."
Ephram nodded, his gaze fixed on the floor.
Megan looked up from where she was rubbing Ephram's back to watch Austin talk to one of the doctors. She watched the doctor pat Austin's shoulder encouragingly before he turned and walked back into the trauma area.
She looked up at him, unspoken questions in her eyes.
"He's stabilized and awake, but they won't let us see him until a guardian or parent allows it. They're bringing in one of your dad's colleagues," he said looking down at Ephram, concern in his features.
Ephram nodded before returning his gaze to the floor.
"Ephram, say something," Megan said, pleading in her voice.
Ephram looked up from the spot on the floor where his gaze had been fixed for most of the evening since they had seen them wheel Colin's unconscious body through the doors.
His eyes were red rimmed, and a few tears remained unshed at the corners.
"It's all my fault, I yelled at him and this happened," Ephram said, his voice breaking before Megan pulled him against her letting him bury his face in her shoulders.
***
*Six Hours Later*
Andy Brown pushed his way through the crowds at the airport waving his hands frantically in search of a cab.
Finally spotting one, he ran, his hand gripping his overnight bag tightly as he finally reached the cab, opening the door and jumping in.
"New York Downtown hospital," he said to the man "and I'll add a hundred dollars to your fare if you make it there as fast as possible."
He sat back, drumming his hands over the seat repeatedly, betraying his agitation.
"Thanks," he said, when the man stopped in front of the emergency room exit.
Shielding his eyes from the early morning sun, he rushed up the entrance and asked for Colin Hart.
"He's been admitted, on the third floor." He turned, running up the stairs, not bothering with the elevator and making his way to the nurses' station.
"I need to talk to Dr. Miles," he told one of the nurses.
"He's over there," the nurse pointed to a balding middle-aged man.
"Hello, I'm Andy Brown. We spoke before about Colin Hart."
"Yes, I remember. It's and honor to meet you Dr. Brown, I'm a huge fan of your work."
"Thank you, but could we skip the formalities. I would like to see the boy."
"He is asleep at the moment, but I do have the results from his MRI available for you to look at," the man said, leading Andy to another room.
Turning off the light, he help up the X-Ray to the light. "It appears that a blood clot has formed where judging by the scar tissue the operation occurred."
"Damn," Andy cursed under his breath.
"As you know it is quiet common with surgeries of this magnitude. The boy will need another operation," the man said.
"I know. I'll inform the parents. Right now I would like to see my son. Did anyone come in with Colin?"
"Yes, two young men and a young lady. They're in the waiting room."
"Thank you." Andrew hurriedly walked down the hallway that the other doctor had pointed him down and found a room, decorated in the usual hospital colors. The room was empty save for an elderly African American man watching the television and the three people at the far corner.
Andy took in Ephram's two friends Megan and Austin, whom he remembered from that night months ago, sitting with a sleeping Ephram curled up on the seats between them his head on the girl's lap.
Megan had had her eyes closed but opened them and sat up when she hear Austin move. Andy watched as they both sat up straighter moving closer together as if to provide Ephram with as much protection as possible, waking up the boy in the process.
"Hmmm? Are there anymore news?" Ephram asked moving his head up and opening his eyes, which immediately grew wider as he sad his father.
"Dad?"
Andy had spent the entirety of the plane flight telling himself that he would not be angry with Ephram that he would not overreact, but as soon as he heard his son's fearful whisper and saw his red rimmed eyes, he rushed forward and captured the boy in a massive hug his anger fading for the time being.
"How's Colin?"
"He's awake, but he'll have to be admitted into the hospital when we get back to Denver."
"Denver?"
"His parents are taking the next flight they should be here soon and you're coming home." Ephram nodded, not daring to look into his father's eyes lest he burst into tears once again.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"It's ok, we'll talk about it when we get home."
***
Ephram watched as Colin's parents and his father talked to a doctor. The pair signed a few papers then shook hands with the neurologist before turning and leading Colin to the elevators.
When they turned Ephram caught the threatening glares that they shot him. He didn't avert his eyes, wanting to see for himself that Colin was in fact alright and to look into his eyes and know how he was doing.
But Colin didn't look up, not even to meet Ephram with the angry glare that he was expecting, he just looked at his feet as he slowly made his way to the elevators, flanked by his two overprotective parents.
Ephram's spirits dropped some more if that was even possible.
His father came to him. "I know we should probably stay and rest but Deliah is worried and I'm not leaving her at Nina's house without any news. Our plane leaves in a few hours," he said, putting his hand on his son's shoulder.
Ephram looked up, but did not meet his eyes, nodding to ensure that he had heard the man's words. Andy followed Ephram's crestfallen gaze to the figures of the Hart's getting into the elevator.
Turning Andy looked at Megan and Austin.
"Will you please send Ephram and Colin's bags to my house, I'll cover shipping costs? Although what you did was wrong, I am glad that Ephram has friends that care this much about him. I'm sorry that I did not meet either of you sooner. You're welcome at our house whenever you want to visit," Andy said to the two teenagers that stood behind Ephram as if poised to fight to protect their friend.
They both nodded, looking down at Ephram with concern in their eyes.
"Come on," he squeezed encouragingly, "we better get going if we want to make the flight on time." Ephram nodded again and turned to his two friends.
Megan enveloped him in a hug, kissing his cheek.
"Keep in touch this time and call us whenever you need us," she whispered and Ephram gave her a half-hearted smile.
He looked up at Austin, unsure of what to do since their last departure had been so sudden. He started to extend his hand before Austin pulled him forward, tucking Ephram's face beneath his chin as he used to do when they had been together.
Ephram hugged back, comforted by the warmth that he didn't realize until then that he had missed.
"You know that I love you, right?" the boy said into Ephram's hair.
"I know," Ephram whispered, surprised to find that he had a voice. Austin squeezed him gently, before letting him go.
"Tell Deliah that we miss her," Austin said, as Ephram and Andy turned to go.
Ephram waved good-bye somewhat grateful that his friends had chosen to stay behind, allowing him to leave with his father before they returned to their apartment.
Ephram walked beside his father, not sure of what would happen or what repercussions his actions would have, he merely wondered if Colin would be at the airport and if he would ever be allowed to see him again.
Taking his seat on the airplane next to his father, Ephram was mildly surprised that he managed to make it all the way to the airport without collapsing and that his dad had yet to attach the house arrest bracelet to his small torso.
*****