The sound of hospital equipment and monitors beeping was the first thing to hit Gage as he entered the room. Several nurses were racing around, blurring his view of the entire room. The smell of vomit and sickness hit his nose, causing him to recoil. The nurses shouted to each other.

"Want me to lower the oxygen?" A woman called

A young man shouted back, "No, it's what's keeping him alive!"

Gage felt a bit overwhelmed by it. Shaking his head, he took a step back... and bumped into Doctor Anthony. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, shouting to the doctors, "Update?"

The young man stepped towards him, "We still have no idea what's doing this to him, but the good news is that he's breathing well again. If we could get his heartbeat up a little higher, we actually could be getting somewhere."

"See if you can get his heartbeat stable," Anthony responded, "And tell him I found somebody."

Anthony looked down to Gage and winked as he continued, "It's the kid that sent him here with a broken arm in third grade."

As the nurse turned to the nurses and patient, Gage's eyes widened at the suddenly unearthed memory...

"Jerk!"

Through the elementary school's main halls, two boys consistently pushed and shoved. As the shoves became heavier, a young redhead swerved around them, trying to get into this - so called - conversation.

"Guys, pwease?" Rhett asked in his adorable lisp, "Stawp?"

"Not right now, Rhett." Gage swatted his opponent on the shoulder, aggressive behavior fueled by simply looking at him.

"Apolomagize!" Wyatt shouted, grabbing him and pushing him back several feet.

"No!" Gage shouted, "You got sand in my lunch, you apologize!"

"You started it, Gage!" In their usual banter, they continued fist fighting up to the front steps.

At this point, Rhett gave up, stepping into the sidelines as the fight attracted a very large crowd of kids. The kids started picking sides soon enough, rooting for either Gage or Wyatt, the poles were a mix of fifty fifty. Every single person in the school knew of the deep rivalry between Gage and Wyatt, the Great Food Fight of 2006 had made it onto the front page of the town newspaper (what, with nothing else going on in this place which was the cunning edge of boring.)

The children chanted in union, pumping their rawkfists as he shouted their names. Wyatt was fueled by the audience, an attention seeker if there ever was one, and fought even harder. The fist fight was bound to end in a bloody nose, a visit to the principal's office, or both. However, nobody seemed to pay any form of notice to it. The thrill entranced Gage, who swiftly jabbed at his nemesis.

"Apolomigize!" Wyatt screamed, "'Ya ruined my-"

"-Never!" Gage kicked him towards the edge of the steps, but both boys were too crazed to realize it. Hair sweaty, Wyatt braced for another hit as Gage ran up to him again, punching him on the chest...

... And sending him flying down to high, steep fleet of stairs.

Tears continued to fall from his eyes as the car pulled into the city hospital. Of course, Gage had received lengthy lectures from both mom and dad, the principal, Rhett, his Uncle Bobby, and some random ambulance guy all separately. Once Brandon would find out, Gage was sure he would be hearing from him too. Every single word though, every single shout and waved arm, had barely hit numb ears. Did Gage hate Wyatt? Yes. Did he want terrible things to happen to him? Duh. Was he still angry for when he almost ran him over with that lawnmower? Absolutely. But did Gage ever plan on sending him to the hospital? ... No? Not at least in all seriousness he didn't.

Gage had never felt so ashamed in all his life. He was only in third grade and he felt like he had committed a heinous crime.

Gage waited for his dad, who looked down on him with disapproving eyes, to open the car door for him. It was a day since the Friday Gage pushed him down the school steps and broke his arm. Gage had not slept a wink last night. As far as his parents were concerned, Gage was going to go right in there and apologize to Wyatt. Gage pulled his always loaded backpack onto his back and followed them into the hospital. Since this entire thing began, after muttering 'ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh' to himself as the ambulance pulled into the school, Gage had not spoken once. For the last thirty some hours, Gage was pretty much mute. If he could of asked anything though, he would of been telling his parents he felt wretched enough and did not need them to be rubbing this in like they were. With a mother that scared the living daylights out of him though, Gage kept his trap shut.

Soon enough, the long, slow, trudging journey to Wyatt's room was complete. Gage had loathed the trip up, wanting to get this done and over with. A massive gulp escaped him as his parents opened the door. Gage winced, hoping Wyatt would not kill on sight. His parents waiting by the door, Gage stepped into the room where Wyatt was playing monster trucks on his bed.

Gage felt ready to tear up upon seeing his arm in a brightly colored, yellow cast. While Wyatt had been making engine sounds, he suddenly noticed Gage and stopped.

They made eye contact.

Well, here it was. Now was the time for Gage to break the long silence he had sentenced himself to and 'apolomogize.'

Gage took a long breath...

"You stupid, insolent, self centered jerk! You made me do this to you, freak! I hate you! I hate your guts! But for some reason I feel guilty, so I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, you idiot! I hate you, but I'm so sorry and I could not sleep last night! I've been feeling awful, I can't live with myself! I'm so, so sorry!" As Gage belted it out like the lead vocalist in a screamo band, he bawled out of the deeply rooted shame he felt.

He just kept shouting. A million apologies erupting as he pretty much fell to his knees, beginning to beg for forgiveness.

His parents exchanged surprised glances, not sure whether to pull Gage out and lecture him on name calling or... laugh and watch where this was going.

After about five minutes of Gage's nonstop meltdown, he finally lost his voice. Wyatt watched his rival, who gave up trying to speak, with quite dilated eyes. Finally, Gage pulled his backpack off his back. His parents raised eyebrows as Gage rummaged through the book bag as school supplies, papers falling out. Surprise crossed everybody's faces when he pulled out a package.

Despise his hoarse voice sounding painful to use, Gage spoke again, "I won this at the dumb arcade machine the other day. I thought it fits your taste, and I'd never wear this stupid thing anyways."

Wyatt slowly took the poorly wrapped box with his good arm and opened it with his hand and teeth. After unwrapping it, seeing what it was, Wyatt's eyes went soft, "Aw..."

It was a yellow cap with a crest of a flame on it.

Wyatt took a moment to look at the hat. Gage waited in anticipation as Wyatt pulled it up, placing the large cap on his little head. A chuckle escaped him though as he laughed, "Wyatt style!"

He pulled the cap up, smiling at Gage, "I'll wear this every single day for the rest of my life! It's to remind 'ya how much of a loser you are! Every day!"

"You have some growing to do..." Gage tilted his head.

"Eh, I'll make it work." Wyatt grinned.

That young southerner put a hand on Gage's shoulder, "No worries, Gagey Wagey, I forgive 'ya."

For all the bitterness that surrounded their relationship, hearing that Wyatt forgave Gage brought deep relief to him. For once, they shared heartfelt smiles with each other.

"Every day..." Gage whispered. To this day Wyatt proudly wore the cap like a crown. Of course, it fit him much better now.

As the nurses cheered at an improved heartbeat, Gage smiled warmly on one of the few moments of friendship they shared as children.

"Sir, his heartbeat is even, but it's a little lower than preferred." A nurse reported.

Doctor Anthony sighed, "Okay, let's leave these kids alone for a while." The doctor looked at Gage, "We're only doing this because he insists. If his condition worsens at all, hit the emergency button. We'll be right in."

Gage nodded in understanding. In a quick moment, the nurses checked his vitals one more time and they were suddenly alone. The respirator mask, the beeps of the monitors, and whirling of machinery. A long silence fell over the teens, and Gage felt too conflicted to dare step further into the room. Slowly, he placed one foot in front of the other. His thoughts ran in bitter sadness as he watched the line of the heart rate monitor. They were too young for this. They were far too young! Gage did not want to say goodbye to anyone, Wyatt was only fourteen. Yeah, there was a saying, "live fast and die young," but this was not Gage's kind of fast. Rhett briefly crossed his mind, "Is anything fast enough for you, Gage? You know, buddy, you sometimes need to slow down to enjoy life, man." Gage's eyes flooded with tears. He never wanted it like this!

"'Yer faster than that," Wyatt finally called from the bed, through the oxygen mask, "Get over here."

Gage's eyes shot to the direction of the bed. The speedster quickly dried his brown eyes and walked over to the bed. Every cell screamed no, that this could not be happening. His heart could be heard pounding in his chest, he could hear time ticking away as the bomb counted down the time before it exploded. Upon seeing Wyatt, barely breathing, on the bed, he had to fight the urge to puke.

Despite his clammy skin looking of snow, he gave Gage one of his despicably confident smirks, "Hey."

Gage tried to smile back, "Hi..."

Wyatt sighed, taking hollow breathes, "Now I know what being hit by a locomotive feels like." While the southerner tried to laugh, he looked away with eyes that screamed of helplessness.

Gage's eyes grew misty again, "You'll make it. I believe in you, you can-"

"-I can't make it."

Well, now Gage knew what being hit by a locomotive felt like.

"Wh...wha-"

Wyatt winced as he said it, like it was physically painful to deliver the message, "I can't make it."

Gage's eyes fell upon the many IVs attached to machines. Liquids of many kinds, blood... Gage felt his own breathing slow, turning pale. "No..."

"I been bit by rattlesnakes eleven times," Wyatt whispered, "I know what close-to-death feels like..."

Gage's eyes widened, the small whisper ever so desperate. "No!"

Wyatt closed his eyes, a tear fell, "I let 'ya down, I'm sorry... I always let 'ya three down..."

Gage closed his eyes, "No, stop."

The respirator mask continued its course for another moment before Wyatt defied Gage's orders again, "Can you keep a secret?"

Gage's teary eyes slowly opened, "What?"

As always, Wyatt quickly became caught up in the drama, "Stop be'in' stupid and say yes! I need 'ta 'git this off-" A voice crumpled like thin paper, Wyatt coughed in a lack of air. As the heart rate monitor suddenly blasted in an increased heartbeat, Gage reached for the emergency button. Before he managed to hit it though, Wyatt shouted again, "Wait!"

Gage turned back to Wyatt, who watched him with more miserable eyes than what he ever saw during the road pirate incident. Gage suddenly realized what was happening. It was a life confession. Wyatt really did believe this was it. Gage shut his eyes, successfully fighting the tears as he pulled his hand away from the button. "Go on."

As Gage finally sat on the side of the bed, Wyatt regained his breath. His arm shook as he did so, but Wyatt reached for his messy jeans' side pocket. Out of it, he pulled out a small picture. It was turned face down, so Gage could not see it. As Wyatt's strength seemed spent just on retrieving the photo from his pocket, Gage spread his hand out and placed a finger on it.

"Go on," Wyatt rasped.

Gage took the picture. With the small paper in his hand, he turned it to see... somebody he never saw before. It was a young woman, a teenage girl with short, black hair. Green eyes shining with an endless energy, she beamed into the camera. She wore mostly black clothes, aside the bright yellow scarf wrapped incorrectly around her neck. She gave the camera a peace symbol. Confusion crossed Gage's face for a moment, before Wyatt explained. "That's my mum."

Gage gasped, taking a closer look at the picture. He could instantly see the family resemblance. Wyatt continued, "That was taken several years before she disappeared."

Gage looked at Wyatt again, "Disappeared?"

"She was nineteen, I think," he said, "When she had me. Who knows who dad was. But she left when I was still an infant. Left me with granny gram and went poof."

A sudden rage, long buried, crested Wyatt's eyes as he weakly gripped the bed cover. "Why would she do that?"

Gage wanted to say something, but went silent. Lost for words, he simply listened to Wyatt's ballad, "I knew it as long as I could remember, I was missing her. So why did she go? Always made me feel like I wasn't enough."

More anger seemed to burn, the violent star vibrating as mute flares burst out, dying as it began to grow to a red giant. "Never enough. Aside my grandma, ev'ryone hated me. My aunt pulled 'ma hair when I was three 'fir no reason. I was obsessed with mamma for a majority of time until I started school. Then I became obsessed with attention and was an attention 'seekin jerk. If I wasn't enough 'fir them, maybe I'd find somebody else... and I sure did."

A soft laugh, drawn through a weakened throat, was followed by a knowing smile, "Found three somebodies."

Gage closed his eyes again, Wyatt continued in a more lighthearted tone. "Okay, no more boring back story! Cause I ain't got no good one. Not even good recent history. I'm still a mess..."

Gage opened his eyes, watching Wyatt as he scoffed at himself, "A majority of my life I lived a lie. I was a selfish borderliner who couldn't see far enough to notice better. It t-took the wors-t day of my life to..."

Once again, the road pirate incident came across Gage's mind.

"You guys are so awesome... I feel like I'm not good enough for the team. I feel like I have to prove it."

"You don't have to prove anything to us, Wyatt."

Gage finally started tearing up again, "Wyatt..."

"Like," Wyatt whispered, "I was wrong this whole time. Always was you who proved me wrong. Since then still continue to pro-" Too much energy spent on talk, another coughing fit hit him.

As the stuntman coughed, Gage reached and pulled him into a sitting position, hoping it would somehow help. Holding the shaking boy up, Gage finally felt the tears sliding down his face.

"I'm sorry." Wyatt finally calmed down. The monitors raring in the background, he pushed on the best he could, "I know I hurt you all. I'm so sorry, never wanted to make you-" another massive cough escaped him; blood hit the inside of the mask, "- suff-"

"-Wyatt," Gage shook his head, "I have to call the-"

"-I'm apolomagizing!" Wyatt shouted before he coughed again. He shivered as he spoke, "I'm so sorr- you and Brandon and Rhett aren't her! I'm sorry! I'm sorry- sorr-"

A sob escaped Gage as he watched him cough up blood again. Vision blurred by his tears, barely noticing the red in the foggy mask, Gage responded. "Forget apologizing, we forgave you long ago."

Before Wyatt could retort, Gage tugged his former rival close, pulling him into a deep hug. Suddenly, the heart rate monitor sped way up before... it dropped to a much healthier pace. Too weak to hug back, Wyatt at least rested his head on his shoulder. Gage held him close as he spoke, "We're all sick, one way or the other. We've all been there. Believe me," Gage opened his eyes, watching the emergency button just waiting to be pushed, "I've arrived here myself."

Reminding himself not to rush, despite racing worries, he cherished what was their first heartfelt hug ever, "I never took time for anything, breaking empty records aside. And now I'm losing you..."

Gage himself did not notice Wyatt's strengthening heartbeat, despite the blood trickling from his mouth.

"Please," Gage whispered, "You said you can't, but please? You're a fighter. You're better than this. You can make it!" Another sob burst from his back, "I hated you for the longest time, but since the team started, I- ..." Eyes closed, a rare vulnerability fell through his throat; a desperate tone so unfamiliar it could chill, "Wyatt, I need you. Stay..."

After a long moment, such a long moment occupied by both their tears, Wyatt raised a shaking arm and returned the hug. A new found sturdiness in his voice, that usual desert passion burned through, "I promise."

Gage opened his oak eyes. His hand had subconsciously hovering over the emergency button. The other hand still was holding Wyatt's picture. Eyes narrowed in determination, Gage slammed the button.

"Here 'ya go again," Wyatt whispered, "Proving me wrong again. Second wind."

As the doors slammed open, doctors returning in dismay, Wyatt wheezed again before repeating a line from what seemed so long ago, "Just so you know, this hug means nothing to me, Gage."

"Oh, are we hugging?" Gage responded, "I didn't even notice..." He closed his eyes, giving him a quick squeeze, "Wyatt."

With that, Gage hastily let go, letting doctor Anthony take another look. "He's coughing blood!"

Knowing he would just be in the way, the red light flashing, Gage ran to the door. Before leaving though, the teary, young leader looked over his shoulder one more time.

Through the chaos, between a respirator mask change, Wyatt maintained eye contact and managed a genuine smile.

It was enough to make Gage smile in response.

Gage left the room. Wyatt was going to make it out alive, he trusted him. Oh, how much Gage had grown to trust and care about him. It was a bond like family. And family always stuck up for each other.

"Most importantly, you need each other."

"We do, Larry," Gage's eyes fell beyond the waiting room's window, into a purple sunset. Still grasping the picture of Wyatt's mother, he dried his eyes on his sleeve, "We always do..."

A/N:

That terrible moment you realize you got something wrong in the canon while writing the entire time… In Skills to Thrill, they showed that Gage's eyes are green! I've been writing that they're brown. Dang it. Well, I already wrote this entire fanfic, so I'm not editing this time. For the next installment though, Discord, I'm changing Gage's eye color. And Wyatt's. I don't want any two members of the team to have the same eye color.

This chapter itself in kind of the "Brothers" chapter of Gage and Wyatt. Poor Wyatt. Poor Gagey Wagey. Wanted to show how they've come in their relationship and how they're close friends. Once again, I had to bring in the family dynamics of this entire team. That entire team is like its own, dysfunctional family in my eyes. Larry is the fatherly figure, the boys are the four kids, we've got family pets like Rollie. Jerry and Mary are the uncle and aunt? Dunno… and what on earth is Monkey in this bunch? I'm caught between another pet and the baby sibling. We've only seen one movie with him so far.

Eh, hopefully a fourth movie will come out soon and flesh out Monkey's spot on the team.

I had a lot of fun writing the flashback, and I… is enjoy even the right word? … liked writing the rest of this too. Origin of Awesome references!

~ Ashla