Chapter 2
'Beep, beep, beep.'
What an annoying sound that was, Craig thought to himself. So loud and unnecessary. Loud but very necessary. It meant that his dad was alive. That damn beeping was the only thing forcing him to stand in this overly sanitized room.
Craig's chest tightened. His breathing was beginning to become erratic. He took a moment to take deep breaths, trying not to alarm what little family stood in the room with him. He kept his gaze on his father, hooked up to machined. The man's eyes were shut, unaware of what was happening. He had been lying unconscious for the past 23 hours. One more hour and it would be a day. Apparently his heart had given out on him. Apparently, according to Tweek, he didn't have much time left. All that mattered was positive thinking.
Positive thinking.
Craig smirked to himself. Positive thinking wasn't going to get anyone out of this situation. Only a delusional mind would believe such forced words.
Craig slowly approached his father's sleeping form. With a deep breath he took his father's hand into his own, "Hey, Dad."
'Beep, beep, beep.'
That wasn't the response he wanted. Craig was hoping for some other form of acknowledgement. A tight squeeze of his hand that reminded him that there was life in the body that laid before him. Some form of discipline that propelled through his mouth. But all that was left was that annoying beep and balding red hair.
Beep. Red. No response.
Beep. Red. No response.
Beep. Red. No response.
Everything was going too fast for Craig. Everything was moving too fast, there were too many noises, and what the hell was with that persistent beeping?
Craig left as fast as his legs would let him. Standing outside the door was Tweek playing with Ruby's oldest boy. He looked up as soon as Craig entered the waiting room.
"Are you okay?" What a mocking tone that was.
Craig, shaken up, ran his hands down his face, "Fuck off."
Tweek gave him a few moments, using his time to play with some legos with the small boy. He smiled to the child before standing up to meet Craig's eyes, "Any questions?" The question itself was callous.
Craig snarled back, "Just a few."
"I get off at five, would you like to go out for a drink?" There was a slight tremor in Tweek's body as he asked. It was just the remnants of how he used to be.
The movements of the smaller boy's body brought Craig back down. Now, level headed, he was able to not be so hostile, "Sure," he nodded.
Craig had left his mother with his sister at the hospital. He sat in his car until five, patiently waiting for Tweek to appear. Once Tweek stepped out of the building Craig got out of his car. He rushed towards the blonde, "What the actual fuck?"
"Craig," Tweek held his hand out in a lousy attempt to stop Craig.
"I don't hear from you, I have no way to contact you, and now you're taking care of my father?" Craig was hyperventilating.
"Just during the day," Tweek smiled back.
Craig straightened himself out, breathing in, he asked, "Wanna go for that drink?"
"Come with me," Tweek smiled a Cheshire cat grin.
And even after all those years apart, Craig still obliged. He got into Tweek's beaten up old car and let him drive to some bar in town. He followed behind Tweek when entering the building, feeling like a stranger in his own town.
Craig looked around the darkened room. Only a few day time drunks lingered. No familiar faces or that of which he knew of. He sat on the bar stool, only following Tweek's lead.
"Are you okay?" Tweek asked in a more casual, caring voice.
"I'll be fine."
Tweek ordered for the both of them. And once they received their drinks they remained silent. It wasn't until the third round that Craig began to open his mouth.
"What the hell?" Not one used to liquor, his drunken slur poured out of his mouth.
More familiar with the substance Tweek merely turned to Craig.
"What the hell happened to this town?" Craig continued.
"More people wanted to 'live in the country.'" Tweek responded.
"I hate it."
"As do I."
Craig took another sip of his drink. He stared down into the light brown beverage, forgetting the name of the drink itself and only thinking of the town. "How," He paused, even drunk he was unsure of how to ask, "how are you doing?"
"I'm doing," Tweek took a larger swig of his drink.
"You seem a lot more…" Craig stopped to look for a word.
Tweek smiled at Craig's hunched over appearance, "Stable?" He finished.
"Not even close."
Tweek pushed his drink away, asking for the bill.
Craig, too drunk to acknowledge Tweek's discomfort continued talking, "Before you were so open with the world. Outgoing, unpredictable in this predictable way. You knew who you wanted to be and knew how to get there. But now you're there and you're stuck." He stood up, almost tipping over as he did so, "I don't like this new Tweek."
Tweek jumped to the taller man's side to help him to the car. Craig pushed him away. Always the independent one, the lonely one.
The ride to Craig's house was a silent one. Craig didn't ask to be taken back to his car at the hospital. His day had already been too much. He just wanted to go to his home away from home. He wanted to leave this shit town already. He didn't want to have to deal with Ruby, his mom, or his dad. He hated the fact that Tweek was being so distant. A part of him wished that Tweek hugged him when he saw him. Maybe he should have hugged Tweek. He wanted to more than anything. Tweek probably didn't want to be anywhere near Craig. Years apart can do that to people. That's probably why he was being so quiet.
The car stopped in front of Craig's house. What he assumed was Ruby's car was in the driveway already. He opened the door and thanked Tweek for the ride.
"I don't like this new Craig either," Tweek looked him in the eyes.
Craig flicked him off and slammed the door. He waited for the blond to drive away before walking into the house. Luckily, this time around the door was unlocked. He was greeted with Ruby's oldest crashing into him. Craig was almost knocked over by the force and the remaining alcohol in his system.
"Timothy," Ruby yelled from the other room.
"Mommy," Timothy yelled back, "Big Mister is here."
Ruby peeked from around the corner, "Craig, sweetie, his name is Craig. Now come clean up." Timothy ran to where Ruby was and Craig followed.
It had been years since Craig had stepped foot in his old house. His mom had always kept it somewhat clean, but with the new children running around since Ruby moved back in had made the house almost unkempt. The dining room had a more lived in appearance. Toys and art supplies scattered the table.
Craig took a seat next to Timothy and watched the kid cram together his crayons in an attempt to put them up. "So," Craig looked over to Ruby, "Where's mom?"
"At the hospital."
Craig nodded. He looked down to the kid who was still struggling with the box of colors. Reaching his hand out, he grabbed the box and rearranged the colors so they would all fit.
"Wow, Mommy! Big Mister is nicer than Daddy." Timothy stood up in his seat.
For a second Craig thought he saw a crack of emotion in his little sister's chronic bitch face. But that soon passed when she told her son to go to his room, leaving the siblings alone together.
"So how's Daddy?" Craig asked knowing the remark hurt.
Ruby looked directly to Craig's eyes, "How's Tweek?"
"What the hell am I doing here?" Craig ran his hand through his hair. "Why the hell am I back home?"
"Because Dad is going to die," Ruby still hadn't broken eye contact.
"No he isn't."
Ruby stood up, "Then why the hell would you be here if he wasn't? You saw what I saw. You know he doesn't have much longer. He's been sick, Craig. He is sick."
'Beep, beep, beep.'
The annoying noise was back in Craig's mind. Replaying itself, taunting him. Reminding him that the only reason he was back in South Park was because of that single noise. It had somehow reeled him back in just when he thought he was free. That single sound was the reason he was seeing faces he didn't want to see.
"Shut-up!" The noise ceased.
"Craig," Ruby walked around the table, "Dad is sick." Craig looked up to his little sister and saw tears in her eyes. "Dad is dying."
Time almost stood still as Craig was thrown back to the past, being the one comforting his sister. And just like before he had nothing to say to make her feel any better. He could only be honest. Gently, he placed his hands in hers and whispered, "I hate this."
Ruby let the tears fall down her face, years of stress being freed all at once, "So do I."
And for the first time since he had been home had he really felt at home. And for the first time since he saw the face of someone he did not want to see had he felt truly happy. For he had realized the entire reason he dreaded stepping foot back into this town. Craig wasn't angry at his dad for getting sick. He wasn't angry at Ruby for falling in love with a jerk. He wasn't mad at the stupid people who moved into the hick town. He wasn't even angry at Tweek for the fallout they had. Because everything was his fault. Craig never thought to visit, only distance himself. When his family invited him over for the holidays he would make up lame excuses to get out of it. And when Tweek called in hopes of reconciling, he never thought to call back. And learning that lifted a weight off of his shoulders.
Ruby sat down as she let the last of her tears out. Craig heated up a dinner and for the rest of the night he and his little sister talked. He learned about what happened between her and her ex-boyfriend, what she was doing for work, and she even let him in on her plans to go to school. And Craig told her about his job piloting across the country. Hesitantly, he opened up about his relationship with Tweek and the life they had planned. He told her about how he refused to see anybody after that. How he only focused on his mediocre, lonely life outside of South Park, being one for mediocre, but not one for lonely.
Before they knew it the sun was up and Ruby's youngest was crying for his mom. Ruby stood up to attend to her baby. Placing a hand on Craig's shoulder Ruby smiled down at Craig, "I missed you."
Craig helped his nephew get ready giving Ruby time to make everyone breakfast. He went along with Ruby to drop the kids off at daycare and was surprised to see it run by Kenny McCormick of all people. He was standing at the front of the door, greeting anyone and everyone. Craig was still trying to adjust to the changes not only in the town but in the people living in it. In silence the siblings' trip to the hospital was a short one.
Craig felt his breakfast wanting to come back up, nerves taking control again. In the ICU they were greeted with their mom, who was sitting in the waiting room looking more dishevel than she did the previous day.
"Hey, Mom, I dropped the kids off. How're you doing?" Ruby sat down next to her. She just nodded in response.
The door opened and in walked Tweek. He glanced at Craig before smiling at Ruby, "You're free to see him if you'd like."
Ruby looked over to Craig who looked like he was trying to burn a hole through the side of Tweek's skull. She nodded and left to see her father.
"Mrs. Tucker, would you like some coffee?" Craig's mother nodded.
Tweek walked past Craig leaving him a moment to realize that he wasn't in the room anymore. Craig rushed out into the hall and caught up with Tweek, grabbing him by his white sleeve.
Tweek looked to the hand on his sleeve, "Isn't this scene a little overplayed?"
"I miss you." Craig released his grip.
Tweek turned to face the taller man, but before he could speak Craig hugged him. "Craig-"
"Just," Craig tightened the hug, "Just let me learn this new Tweek."
A moment went by before he loosened their embrace. Tweek placed his hand against Craig's cheek. "I'm not the new one, Craig."
Aw reconciliation and junk. What will happen to Craig's dad? What will happen between Craig and Tweek? One more chapter. Thanks for reading.