The mood in the house was light and playful. I felt bad for a while, knowing that I was keeping a huge secret from Jack, but he reassured me over and over that I did nothing wrong, and he knew my intentions were good.

We were cuddled up together watching a movie. We spent a good portion of the day playing Overwatch, and once we broke from the game to get some dinner, I told Jack I wasn't feeling well, so we decided to have a cuddle session.

"Why do I always let you talk me into watching horror movies?" Jack asked me, covering his face as a zombo was tearing into someone's flesh..

"Because you cling onto me, and your accent gets thicker," I said in a low tone. I was feeling groggy and slightly nauseated.

"You are a bag of dicks, Fischbach!" Jack yelled as he playfully slapped at my arm.

"Hey! What did I do?" I screeched, making Jack giggle and make a face.

"How do you manage to get your voice to that awful, screeching pitch when it's so deep?"

"It's a gift," I chuckled, and pulled Jack closer to me. I could feel him push up, and before I knew it he was in my lap with my face in his hands.

"I love you more than anything, Mark..." he whispered, then made a face that looked full of concern. "Mark? Are you feeling okay? It feels like you have a fever..." Jack pressed his palm into my forehead.

"I feel kind of sick. Probably coming down with a cold," I said, then followed up with "I'm okay, but if I am coming down with something, I'm gonna make sure you catch it, too..." then I pulled Jack into a long, slow kiss.

I allowed myself to melt into Jack, and I was keenly aware of my breathing and the quickening of my pulse when Jack ran his fingers through my hair then wrapped his fist around it and gave it a hard tug. He pulled my head back to expose my neck, and I could feel chills creeping up my spine as his mouth sucked and nipped at the skin near my shoulder.

I was getting into it, but then...

"OOOWWW! OH FUCK! OH SHIT!" I cried out loudly, then took a deep breath. Jack jumped back, his face bearing a worried and frightened expression.

"Ohmigod, Jesus christ, Mark! Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry!" I heard him say, but his voice sounded far away. My eyes were squeezed shut, and I felt dizzy. The pain that shot through my abdomen was intense and crippling. I felt tears leaking from my eyes, tears I wasn't even aware I was producing.

I could feel Jack next to me now, kneeling on the floor. I could feel his hands on my face, begging me to talk to him, to open my eyes, to explain what was happening. I curled myself into a ball, trying to speak, but all I could muster were little yelps and squeaks.

"Where does it hurt, Mark? Can ya point?" I heard Jack ask from a million miles away. I managed to point to my abdomen.

"Can ya walk?" I heard a hint of panic rising in Jack's voice. I shook my head. I couldn't even move, let alone sit up.

I was trying to focus on breathing, then I felt hands creeping underneath my body, and I felt myself being hoisted up. I thought I was going to pass out. Somehow, Jack managed to lift me up and get me to the car. He set me in the passenger seat, then told me he would be right back.

I heard the driver's side door slam, then Jack explaining that he had to go get our phones and wallets as he started the car and backed out of the driveway.

I felt every pebble in the road on the way to the hospital. Large bumps made me cry out. The pain was so intense, I couldn't focus on anything. I felt the reassuring pressure of Jack's hand on my thigh, and I managed to move my hand to his and give it a small squeeze. Just feeling his skin against mine made me feel better. Safer.

"Shhh... it's okay, love. It will be over soon..." Jack whispered to me, trying to keep me calm. All I could do was squeeze my eyes shut and make breathy little squeaks and moans. I felt Jack's hand move to my forehead, and although he was trying to keep me calm and keep calm himself, I got a little more panicky when he gasped.

"Mark, I don't want to frighten ya, but you are burning up," he said calmly. "Your fever is way worse now than it was a bit ago..." Jack glanced at me, trying to keep his eyes on the road, but trying to watch me at the same time.

We finally got to the hospital, and Jack helped me out of the car. I managed to walk into the emergency room doors, then collapsed into the first chair I saw. Jack took my wallet and went to check me in. I couldn't hear the conversation, but I could see Jack becoming very animated, and I heard his voice get loud a couple times. The woman from the check-in eventually came to me and put a band on my wrist, and within minutes I was taken back to a room in a wheelchair.

Jack came with me, and I was terrified that he would have to leave since we weren't married. The rainbow gods were looking down on us that day, though, because Dr. O'Casey was the attending ER doctor that evening.

"Are you Mark Fiskback?" He asked, mangling my name as he stepped in behind a nurse, then closed the door behind him. He was looking at his chart, then looked up at me, then turned his attention to Jack, and smiled.

"Hey! I remember you two! How's the noggin..." he looked lost in thought for a moment, then perked up and said, "Jack, right? I never forget an Irishman!"

Jack smiled the best he could and said "yeeh, Jack. This is Mark. Mark Fischbach." Jack said the proper pronunciation of his future last name proudly and clearly. "Can ya please help him? He is in a lot of pain..." Jack looked at me, his eyes filled with concern. I squeezed his hand lightly, and he squeezed back reassuringly. You're gonna be just fine, love, was what I heard from the gesture.

"Of course. What's going on today?" The Doctor looked at the chart. "Looks like you have an elevated temperature... 104.2 degrees. And your abdomen hurts?" He asked, placing his hands on my belly. I screamed out in pain when he touched the right side. Tears began streaming down my face. I was whimpering like a baby, and I had no shame.

"Any nausea or vomiting?" he asked. I nodded my head yes, then Jack said "he hasn't vomited, but he has been feeling nauseous and dizzy."

"Swollen abdomen, nausea, severe pain on the right side of the abdomen, and fever. Looks like appendicitis to me," he said, writing in my chart. "Possibly ruptured. I will have someone come in and start an IV. We will get you some pain medicine, then run some tests once you are comfortable enough. If it is the appendix, we will have to surgically remove it. I want to be 100% sure before I start scaring you with talk of surgery."

Jack thanked him as he shook the doctor's hand. The doctor gave some instructions to the nurse, then turned back to us. "I will be back in a little while, once we get you out of pain. Try to relax. We will take care of you." He nodded at me, then swept out of the room.

"I am going to put this IV in," the nurse said to me. "Once the IV is in, I am going to give you some Morphine. It will help. I know you want it now, so the faster I get this line in, the faster I can make the pain stop, okay?" She was already pulling the needle from the package and lining it up with a vein in my hand. She worked swiftly, chatting as she got my IV in place and taped it to my hand.

"I am pushing the medicine now," she said, "It is a pretty strong dose. You should feel much better soon. You will probably want to sleep, and that is perfectly fine..." I didn't hear anything after that. I could feel Jack's hand on mine, I could hear my own breathing. I looked around the room. Everything seemed fuzzy and warm. Jack seemed to have a fuzzy outline. I saw him smile at me. My eyes closed and I found heavenly relief.

I felt Jack kiss my forehead.

I slept.