Sam felt her eye twitch.
Tucker had been pacing for the past thirty minutes; she felt her eyes glaze over and he became nothing more than a yellow blur. He seemed close to hyperventilating. "Oh, man," He chanted under his breath. "We are so, so, so dead."
She felt her annoyance rise then fall; she understood his fear perfectly.
Danny was under the knife. They had no clue what was wrong. They might found out Danny's secret.
Who was she kidding. There was no might about it. The second they cut him open…
Yeah, she was pretty sure the doctors were gonna wonder how all that ectoplasm got in his blood.
Feeling queasy, Sam went back to watching the yellow blur.
"We're dead. They're gonna find out, then Danny's parents will find out, oh, man,what happens when the government gets notified? There gonna send the Guys In White packing, maybe something worse-"
"Shut it, Tuck!" Sam finally snapped, fear making her stomach drop
Tucker tugged off his hat, bouncing it against his leg. "I'm sorry, Sam, but you know I can't help it- and, I just, being in a hospital, oh, man," he whimpered.
Sam felt guilty pity wash through her; in the chaos she'd completely forgotten his phobia. "I get it, Tuck," she said, more gently. "Look, just take a seat. We're… we'll get out of here before you know it."
Tucker shifted uncomfortably, eyeing the chair next to her warily; giving in, he trudged over and sat, fidgeting with his hat on his lap.
Now that Tucker's boots stopped squeaking against the floor and he'd stopped muttering, she could just hear the voice of Mrs. Fenton from several doors down arguing with someone in a waiting room. She and Tuck were at a desolate sitting area; their only company was an empty hallway and a lone vending machine that looked out of order.
As she listened to the sound of Danny's mother's voice rising and falling, her mind went to when his parents had first rushed past them in the waiting room, meeting with Tucker's poor mother who'd explained all she could. She didn't know it was possible to make it downtown in four minutes, but Mr. Fenton proved her wrong. The couple was frantic. She and Tucker had babbled some unhelpful nonsense before excusing themselves as Mrs. Fenton started interrogating a nurse.
So now, there they were, sitting in an empty hallway, with a broken vending machine with a flickering INSERT CARD light in front of them. Watching the red words flicker on and off, something inside of her started to crumble.
"I'm gonna go to the restroom," she heard herself say.
Guilt at leaving her friend alone in the place he so hated was surmounted by her sudden inability to breathe properly. Her legs moved with a mind of their own, around the corner and through a another hallway, and another, all of them white and morbid and eerily empty and decrepit of life aside from muffled crying through the door she just passed-
For once she wasn't digging the dark aesthetic.
Feeling her vision blur as hot tears bubbled up, she felt terror and fury. What will the doctors do? What will anyone do? What will they do?
She wanted to kick in the wall, throw something, preferably the doctor that was undoubtedly looking down in shock at the green blood on his gloves-
Her bottom lip started to tremble uncontrollably, and even though she was alone in the hallway, she needed the privacy of a closed door. She walked some more, chest heaving before ducking into the nearest bathroom.
It was empty, and that small relief sent her over the edge.
She locked herself in a stall and used the toilet seat as a chair; head falling into her hands as she tried in vain to stop choking on her own tears. They were screwed. She didn't know what to do. She was supposed to be stronger than this. She didn't know what to do.
Sam sat alone on a toilet and cried.
…
Jazz's nails were gone.
One hand had been on the wheel, and once she was down to the cuticles of her right, she'd switched over to the left. She felt sweaty and gross, shirt clinging to her stiflingly as she sped closer to Amity. She'd been visiting a college in the next town over for an internship opportunity. It had gone rather well until she'd gotten a phone call from her mother telling her Danny was in the hospital. She didn't hear the rest of the details, because cold dread poured over her toes all the way up to her head. She felt full of black water, bloated and sick.
Anxious questions and fears for her brother kept her mind frantic and jumbled as though she'd been electrocuted. But she was closer, now. Fifteen minutes later had her pulling into the parking lot.
Jazz stepped out of her car, legs nearly giving out as they'd fallen asleep without her realizing. Cursing the buzzing sensation in her legs, she jogged towards the main entrance while fumbling with her purse.
The automatic doors whirred open and a blast of cold AC gave her skin goosebumps. Her nose curled as the unpleasant hospital smell got up her nose. She began to head towards the front desk when she was almost knocked over by a yellow blur.
She latched onto it, recognizing it instantly. "Tucker?"
"Jazz! I- sorry, I didn't even see you, I, uh, needed some air-"
"It's okay," Jazz quickly cut in, dizzily. "What's going on? Where is everyone?"
Tucker looked nervously for the exit again before resolutely turning and leading her down the hall and into a waiting room.
Her parents looked up as they entered, looking like their nerves were shot.
"Oh, Jazz," her mother breathed out, standing stiffly and opening her arms for an embrace.
"Hi, Mom, Dad," Jazz said, feeling off-kilter. "How's, um, how's Danny?"
Her father gave a half shug as her mother sat back down heavily. "We don't know, sweetheart. They're still in surgery."
Jazz bit her lip, taking in her parents' slumped forms. "You don't know… anything?"
Her father sighed heavily, shaking his head. He looked older.
Okay. Okay, nothing yet. She looked at Tucker, something passing between them. Then, Jazz noticed something. "Hold on, where's Sam?"
"She was with Tucker last," her mother supplied, looking up at the pair.
"Uh, she went to the bathroom a while ago." Tucker said.
Her mother frowned at the same time Jazz did. Before her ever-observant mother could ask, Jazz spoke up. "I'll go check on her."
Tucker looked relieved. "I'll show you which way."
The two left the room quickly.
As Tucker walked beside her, Jazz tried to calm her own nerves. "Okay. I'm, uh, trying not to panic, here, Tucker, but things don't seem to be looking great."
"Understatement of the century." Tucker said, shaking his head.
"The doctors…"
"Yeah. We know."
"... Okay."
There wasn't much else to say. Everything was still too fresh. Their brains were fried.
Tucker showed her the general direction Sam had gone in; Jazz had taken pity on him and told him to him go outside for fresh air. He'd taken off before she finished her sentence.
About twenty minutes and two bathrooms later, and Jazz found her.
She'd entered and heard sniffling coming from a bathroom stall; feigning to wash her hands, she looked in the mirror's reflection and spotted a familiar pair of black combat boots under the door.
"Sam?"
The sniffling paused.
"... Jazz?"
Jazz walked up to the door and knocked gently. "You okay?"
She heard a stuffy sigh. "Been better."
The toilet creaked and she took a step back as the door swung open.
Sam was a hot mess.
Jazz was moved. She put an arm around the younger girl's shoulder as they walked up to the mirror.
Sam gazed at her reflection, black stains from ruined eyeliner still wet on her cheeks. After a moment, she snorted. "Can you believe I won the Casper High Beauty Pageant?"
Jazz barked a laugh, arm lowering. "I mean- yeah, why not? You're just a little… wet, right now."
Sam turned to look at her with a deadpan expression. "Thanks." She said, sarcasm still clear through her thick voice, before turning back to the mirror.
Jazz watched as she turned on the faucet splashed water on her face, blindly trying to get rid of the stains. Jazz turned to the wall and pulled out some paper towels from a dispenser, handing them to the girl when she was sufficiently soaked.
"Thanks," she said, blowing her nose into the remaining napkins.
Sam dried her face, and the two ignored the elephant in the room for a moment.
"I have a migraine." Sam said sulkily.
Jazz dug through her bag in response, finding some advil and shaking out two pills for her friend.
Sam popped them into her mouth, cupping water from the sink in her hands to help her swallow. She sighed, another word of thanks passing between them.
A few more precious moments.
"So..." Jazz finally said, leaning against the counter.
"So..." Sam agreed, staring down at the sink.
"Things aren't looking good. They're going to find out."
"Yeah," Sam agreed, sighing shakily.
"... Do we have a plan?"
Sam rubbed her eyes. "This was kind of spur of the moment. Best I can think of, they don't know how to hold him. He might still have a chance during recovery to escape before they make the connection and call someone."
Jazz nodded mindlessly. Then, "How's Danny?"
Sam shook her head in response, gaze rising to the faucet head. "I really don't know. I mean- as awful as it sounds, he's gone through worse. But we couldn't help him this time around- we just don't know what's wrong. And… it got bad, Jazz." She turned to look at the girl. "Like… he scared us."
Jazz stared at a spot on the wall.
She felt helpless.
"Look, Sam…" She sighed. "I don't know if it will be okay. I really don't. But we'll be there for him. And you know we're gonna fight to keep him safe."
"Yeah." Sam nodded. "Yeah."
It was all they could say.
…
…
They stayed in the bathroom for a long time.
When they returned to the waiting room, Sam's felt her migraine return when she saw who was standing in it.
"What is he doing here?" Jazz asked Sam; the girl looked just as confused- and furious- as she did.
And there he was. Vlad was consoling- well, he was trying, anyways- Mrs. Fenton, who looked uncomfortable at the man's fawning. On the opposite end of the room, Tucker was back, sitting in a chair in the corner and evidently holding himself back from saying or doing something he might regret.
Mr. Fenton, on the other hand, was eating it up. "You don't know that half of it, Vladdie." Jack begrudged, "they won't tell us anything."
"Yes, well, I'm sure they have their reasons, Jack." Vlad said shortly, eyes still on Mrs. Fenton.
The doors swung closed behind the girls; four gazes turned to them.
"Ah, girls, you're back," Jazz's mother walked towards them, sounding relieved to away from Vlad. "Is everything alright?" She asked, noticing Sam's missing makeup and bloodshot eyes.
"Yeah." Sam said, eyes straying from Vlad to Mrs. Fenton. "Fine."
"Why is he here?" Jazz hissed.
"Jazz!" Mrs. Fenton hissed right back. "Be polite."
Jazz's nose curled in response. "I have no reason to be. He's a pig," She said lowly, watching over her mother's shoulder in satisfaction as Vlad's head slowly strayed from Jack to look at her in offense.
Sam felt a small swell of pride, delighted at Vlad's high-tuned hearing and Jazz's blatant defiance.
"Jasmine." The woman scolded, albeit weaker.
"Madeline? Is everything alright?" Vlad asked from the other end of the room, ever polite.
Mrs. Fenton closed her eyes for a moment, visibly counting to three, before looking over her shoulder with a smile. "Oh, don't worry, Vlad," She said sweetly, "Just having a little girl talk."
She gave Jazz one last stern look before going to join the two men.
Tucker took the opportunity to walk towards them. "Still no news." He reported. "Well, besides him showing up." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in distaste.
Sam scowled at the man, fuming. "What is he doing here? That's so messed up. He's just creeping on your mom!" She spat, turning to Jazz.
Jazz looked like she'd stepped in something foul and the smell had followed her all day. "As gross as it is, there's nothing we can do about it. Let's go talk somewhere else." She said lowly, eyeing the man no doubt catching their every word.
As the doors closed behind them, Sam and Tucker finally filled Jazz in on Danny's condition for the past few days.
"He hasn't eaten. That what I worried about before all of this. And he ate earlier today, but he puked it up on the way here."
"Yeah. My mom's getting the car cleaned right now." Tucker added. "She was a little too busy freaking out to care, though. She said she might come and visit later. She wanted me to come home tonight though. I'm not sure if I'm going to."
"Oh, man, I haven't even talked to my parents yet," Sam realized with a groan.
That phone call was going to be a nightmare. Danny had been on thin ice since the whole Circus Gothica thing. She wasn't sure her parents would want her staying there the night.
Jazz looked stuck, still processing the update. "Wait, sorry- how many times did he blackout?"
"We honestly lost count." Sam said, dragging herself back to the conversation at hand.
Jazz frowned. "And- you guys have no idea why this happened? No weird ghost fights or- I don't know, he didn't get hit with some sort of- ghost goop or anything?"
Sam shrugged helplessly. "He said it might be because of a ghost, but from what we could tell he had no idea. He didn't remember anything out of the ordinary."
Jazz seemed less than satisfied, but they all were. She looked to Tucker instead. "So why the heck Vlad is here?"
Tucker threw his hands in the air. "I don't know! So Mrs. Fenton to cry on his shoulder? I don't even know how he found out- I don't think they called him. Or- maybe I was outside when they did? I don't know."
"He's so freaking creepy." Sam grumbled.
Mutual agreement passed between them. Before the three teens could discuss anything further, they heard heavy footsteps pounding against tile.
Mr. Fenton bounded around the corner, panting. "There you are!" He said, sounding a mix between nervous and hopeful when he spotted them. "The doctor finally came, they've got news-"
They sprinted back into the waiting room.
…
They reached the double doors and were greeted by Maddie, Vlad, and the doctor in question. "What's the news?" Jazz quickly asked.
"Yes, well," the doctor said, not unkindly, "Now that everyone is here, I have an update on Daniel's condition."
"Well, what is it?" Sam asked impatiently.
The doctor looked down at her clipboard as though she was used to this and chose to ignore the interruption. She looked back up to address the Fentons specifically. "Daniel's appendix ruptured before he was brought in. When we brought him into surgery-"
"Wait, what?" Tucker spluttered.
"Are you kidding me?" Sam snapped in disbelief.
"You're joking." Jazz said numbly.
"... Yes, it did." The woman said, sounding slightly taken back at their response.
She ploughed on regardless. "... As I was saying, Daniel's appendix ruptured. We removed the organ and what was left behind, but it's important to know that once an appendix ruptures there is a very real chance of infection. That's why it's so crucial to come in at the first signs of appendicitis, before it bursts. But Daniel did come in quickly after, and we have surgeons cleaning him up and trying to ensure he doesn't have to deal with an infection. We're going to put him on some strong antibiotics, and he'll need plenty of rest, but we're hopeful for his recovery."
There was a beat of stunned silence.
"Wait," Sam said, processing. "So… he really just ruptured his appendix."
Again, the doctor looked slightly offronted. "I would hardly say he just ruptured his appendix, Miss. Appendicitis can be quite serious. But yes, that's what happened." She turned back to the Fentons. "As I was saying, our main concern, once again, is infection. I'll give you an update in a few hours."
"And, uh," Tucker said nervously, "That's… it? Nothing, uh, else?"
The doctor still seemed mystified by their almost flippant behavior towards the diagnosis, but she offered a small, comforting smile. "No. There isn't anything wrong with him. As long as your friend fights the infection, he should be just fine."
Sam breathed a shaky sigh of relief. Well, if there was one thing Danny had going for him, it was that he was a fighter.
The doctor turned again to the exhausted looking Maddie and Jack, pulling Sam out of her thoughts. "Time, and rest. Again, I'll give you an update as soon as possible." The doctor smiled kindly before vanishing behind the double doors.
They were left to wait.
….
…
A/N:
Well, the big one.
I just feel like that deserved mentioning. It felt long. Not in a bad way.
Chapter 8 is waiting.
9 is incoming.
A short message in between. If this is your first time reading, don't worry about it.
Readers: I would love to hear your thoughts. What made you laugh, what stuck with you, anything, really. Thank you.
hope