A/N: Thanks to katherina-E-kora, and daspartanreviewer for reviewing. :)

I had woken up the next morning to the smell of bacon and the sound of some sport game. Getting up grawgally, I decided to see what smelled so enticing. In the kitchen, busy cooking, was Simon. He was a short fifteen year old, with dark brown hair and oddly tan skin for living in a place that rained so often. His dark green eyes reminded my of Ralph's.
Simon finally noticed me and smiled. "Morning Jack. Are you hungry?" He asked placing some bacon on to a plate. "Roger is taking a shower 'cause his work wanted him to come in." Simon chirped happily like a bird. I reached over to grab a piece of bacon, but had gotten slapped. "Wait 'til the rest of breakfast is done and Roger's out of the shower." He scolded placing more meat on to the dish.
I grumbled and claimed a chair at the table. "Then why did you ask me if I was hungry?" I asked resting my head in my hands. Mornings were never my cup of tea. "I was seeing how much food I would have to make." Simon stated going to the fridge. "If you weren't going to eat then I wouldn't need to open a new pack of bacon." To make his point, he pulled out said bag of pork and tossed it to the counter. "Oh and you got a call from Ralph earlier."
At the mention on my (ex)boyfriend(?) I shot up from the table to my phone that was still connected to the charger. "Why didn't you tell me that first!?" I said frustrated at the noirette.
"I'm sorry." Simon said in a hurt tone that instantly made me feel bad. Damn him and that kicked puppy demeanor! "I didn't think it was anything too important. Are you two okay?" He asked oblivious to last night's events.
"It's nothing. Forget it." I said scrolling through my phone. When I finally got through all the messages from Robert, Bill, and mostly Maurice, I found one from Ralph that simply said "call me". I tapped the call button and motioned to Simon that I'd be right back. As the I waited for him to pick up I made my way to the balcony. After the fourth ring a woman picked up sounding like she was on the verge of tears.
"Jack? I know this might be weird for our first meeting, but could you please come down to the hospital. Ralph had an accident." The woman was able to get it out before my phone fell from my hand and collided with the concrete floor.
Not even bothering to check if the expensive case did it's job, I raced back through the house to front door.
"Jack? Jack, where are you going!?" Simon called to me as I flew down the stairs. Roger could be heard screaming after me about someone better be dying if I left his door open. To which I prayed wasn't true.
Roger's apartment was six blocks away from the closest hospital. As I ran down the streets, wrinkled clothes, no shoes, and bed head, I got strange looks from people. None of it mattered to me though. They could have drop dead that and second and I would not have given a fuck. The only person that was on my mind was Ralph and they were not pleasant one. Each mental image I got was worse than the last. By the time I burst through the front door, my legs were sore and I was out of breath.
The old nurse at the front desk looked at my curiously. She looked as if she were deciding if I was here for someone or to check myself in. "Can I help you young man?" She asked pushing her red glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"I'm here to see Ralph Flint." I was able to get out between gasps of air. "He was checked in here." I felt like my chest was on fire.
She typed something into the computer next to her. "Are you a family member of him?" She asked not looking up from the computer.
"No." I answered, feeling my heart drop a bit. Last time I heard that I wasn't allow to see my nanny before she passed away. "But he's my boyfriend." I added hoping maybe that would change things and get me in.
She looked up at me and her face had the answer. "I'm sorry. If you're not a family member I can't let you in without one accompanying you." Her eyes showed that she was being sincere.
I was about to break down right there and then until a male's voice rang from my right. "Are you Jack Marridew?" I turned to see a tall man with dark brown hair. He looked around late twenties to early thirties. His nose looked as if it had been broken in the past and his deep brown eyes were fixed on me.
"Yes sir." I answered politely. He turned to the nurse. "He's okay. I'll go up with him." That's when it finally hit me, that this man was Ralph's uncle.
The nurse nodded and gave me a smile. I smiled back and walked up to my boyfriend's uncle. "You must be the uncle Ralph talks about all the time." I said trying to start a conversation. He gave a short grunt as we made our way to the elevators. "Ralph told me you work in construction. Do you enjoy it?" I asked trying again.
"It's ok." He said pushing the up button. From Ralph's stories he seemed like a more social person not this stand offish person. Granted the closest thing to a son he had is in one of these hospital rooms, but still. Maybe a little more interaction would be nice to break the awkward cloud forming around us.
Neither one of us dared to speak the rest of the way to Ralph's room. They had put him on the third floor, room B305. His uncle opened the door and motioned for me to go in. I did, and as soon as I was in the room I found myself wrapped up in a pair of famine arms.
"I'm so sorry we had to meet like this Jack." His aunt said in tears. "But you had to hear about this." More tears flowed from her eyes. I wound my own arms around her small frame and rubbed her back in some sort of comforting action. She pulled away and began drying her cloudy blue eyes. Her dirty blonde hair fell in messy curls down past her shoulder. "Excuse my forwardness. I'm Ralph's aunt, Brianna." She said trying not to start crying again.
"Nice to meet you too." I said, my eyes drifting to the bed where Ralph was laying, bundled up in bandages like a mummy. A lump grew in my stomach and my eyes started to sting. "What happened to him?" My voice cracking as I asked.
Brianna shifted her gaze to her nephew's body. "They said he was driving home and just as he got to the convenience store on the corner another car ran the red light and hit him." She broke down in sobs and her husband walked over to console her.
I could feel tears running down my cheeks as I walked over and brushed some hair out of Ralph's eyes. He always hated having his hair too long. Dark circles had formed around his eyes giving away the broken nose that caused them. All of a sudden I felt his brow furled under my fingers.
Ralph gowned before opening his eyes. "Where am I?" He asked trying to sit up.
His aunt heard him and broke away from her husband. "Ralph! Honey, how are you feeling? Joseph go get a nurse." She exclaimed.
"Ralph." I said softly pulling him into a hug. "I'm so sorry about last night." I whispered in his blonde locks.
"I appreciate it, but I don't know what you're talking about." He said in a flat tone. Brianna and I both froze. "I don't even know who you people are, or where I am." Ralph said. He flinched and grabbed ahold of his head. "Why does my head hurt?"
It felt like my heart was breaking and by the look on Brianna's face, she was the same thing.