Part 42

With only a few days before Christmas, Porsha visited Johnny in the hospital. "Hey Johnny, you know you've been sleeping for a really long time now. You've missed a whole lot. Like, you'll never believe it but Aunt Suki and Big Daddy are having a baby. I know, they tried to keep it a secret. They wanted you to wake up first but Aunt Suki was starting to show, you know. They're still waiting for you to get married though. So you need to wake up, like, soon. And o m g! Calloway eloped! With Meena's mom! I know! I can just feel you're just as shocked as the rest of us. Mr. Stuck in a Moment." She picked up his hand. "Ryan really misses you. Big Daddy had to make him go take a shower and eat something. He hasn't left your side. Johnny, you have to wake up. Please. I need my big brother." She squeezed his hand, massaging from the wrist to the elbow, trying anything to get some response.

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Johnny was playing a game of chess with Buster when he felt something wet hit his hand. He looked up, hearing Porsha's voice sharing current events. He was shocked about Calloway but more so about his father and Suki.

Buster smiled at him. "You're missing a lot out there…"

The gorilla nodded sadly. "I know… I guess… it's time…" He hugged Buster. "I'll miss you."

The koala wiped the single tear from Johnny's face. "I promise, I'm always near. In every song, every step, I'm here." He returned the hug. "Now, go on. Go, live your best life. Get your happily ever after."

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The gorilla smiled as he felt his environment changing. He could feel Porsha holding his hand. A glance where Buster was sitting told him he was gone.

"Johnny?" Porsha asked, realizing something was different. "Johnny?" She grabbed her phone and dialed. "Yeah, Ryan, get back here! I think he's waking up!" She hung up and squeezed his hand again. "Come on Johnny. Open your eyes…"

He moaned and he tried to open his eyes only to have to slam them shut again. The lights were dimmer in the dream room.

"Oh!" She quickly turned down the lights and closed the blinds on the windows. "Sorry…"

He moaned again. "Mmmm Porsha… where's Ryan?" He asked.

The grey wolf wiped her eyes. "He's on his way. I had to make him go take a shower. You're awake!" She hugged him. "You're awake!"

Johnny hugged her back as best as he could. "I missed you too, sis. How long was I out of it?" He asked. "What happened?" He should know but on waking up, all memory of his dreams were all but gone.

"You were hit by a car. Ryan said…" she started before the room door slammed open.

The tiger crossed the hospital room in just two strides. Porsha just managed to get out of the way while Ryan kissed his fiancé. She grabbed her phone and opened up her camera app. "Sorry, I just want to remember this moment. Continue."

Ryan and Johnny laughed. Ryan stroked Johnny's hair lovingly. "I have missed you so much." He kissed him again.

Johnny smiled. "I missed you too. How long have I been asleep?" He asked again.

"Almost a month. Seriously, Christmas is in three days," Ryan replied. "What a wonderful Christmas present…" He traced his gorilla's face, determined to commit it to memory. "I was so afraid…"

Johnny laid back and smiled at him. "Why? I'm alright. Are you?" He admired his ring, remembering. "I'm sorry we missed our wedding."

Ryan shook his head. "You silly goose." He kissed him over and over. "We can try again. I love you so much and I swear, I'll spend every day of my life showing you how much I love you."

Johnny laughed at him. "I love you too, Ryan but I don't understand… I'm fine…"

Porsha shook her head. "You almost weren't. You were pretty messed up."

Johnny looked at Ryan who nodded. "I thought I was going to lose you…" Tears trailed down his cheeks.

Johnny hugged him. "Well, I'm fine. I'm alright. You can't get rid of me that easily." He sighed contentedly.

He heard the door open and looked up at the tearful eyes of his father and Suki. His eyes fell on her abdomen. "Then it wasn't a dream? I thought I heard Porsha…"

Porsha smiled. "Well I wouldn't have told you if I'd known you were about to wake up. Sorry."

Suki laughed. "Oh sweetheart, don't."

Marcus rushed to his son's side, hugging him tightly. "My son. Oh my son!" Tears hit Johnny's head.

Johnny had never known his dad to cry before. "So, I must have been in pretty bad shape."

Ryan nodded. "If not for Kickenklober, you would have died…" He told Johnny of the shrapnel and how he'd been bleeding internally. "He had the right kind of blood and he stepped up."

Johnny shook his head. "Wow. So he's here? He came?"

He nodded. "He came when he heard you were hurt." He sighed. "Of course, if he wasn't such a jerk, you might not have been hurt…"

The gorilla squeezed his hand. "I'm alright. It wasn't his fault. But I'm glad he came."

Ryan shook his head. "I'm glad he saved you but… I don't know if I can trust him anymore." He stroked his hair. "He hurt you, abused you and rejected you even though I love you so much. Even though I begged him. I'm sorry, Johnny. I did a poor job of protecting you from him."

Dark fingers touched Ryan's lips. "You did what you could. I love you, Ryan. I don't care what he thinks of me anymore. I want to marry you and be your husband." He kissed his tiger deeply. "As soon as I can get out of here."

The doctor, who had come in while they were celebrating, chuckled. "Well, I want to keep you for at least another day or two. Just to be safe. But you should be out by Christmas Eve as long as you keep improving."

Johnny smiled. "So then…. A Christmas Day wedding?" He suggested.

Ryan kissed him while Marcus, Porsha and Suki cheered. Suki sent a message to the chapel director. "I'd love that, my wonderful Johnny. I can't wait to tell everyone else."

Porsha held up her phone. "Already did, they're just waiting for permission to come back and see you." She smiled.

Ryan showed no sign of being willing to leave Johnny yet so Marcus, Suki and Porsha went to the waiting room to let two others take their place. To give all of them a chance to see him while not taxing him too much, they agreed to only stay for ten minutes each.

Rosita and Gunter each hugged Johnny. "We've missed you Johnny. It's so great to see you awake."

"Ja! The stage isn't the same without you," Gunter said with a bright grin. "Kia and Yusef are okay but zey're not you."

Johnny nodded. "Thanks. But hey, at least we know we can use them if needed. Sorry we missed the rest of the week."

Rosita waved off his apology. "Johnny, I think getting hit by a car counts as an excused absence. Call me crazy. Don't worry about Kickenklober anymore. He's been fired and Nooshy has taken the job."

He nodded. "Thank you… I'm sorry for the trouble." He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Was it fair for Klaus to lose his job because he wouldn't come to their wedding? Johnny didn't need his approval but did he need to lose his job?

"Johnny, I should be apologizing. I should have seen what he was doing and stepped in. That's my job now," Rosita apologized. They all knew Eddie would have the job eventually but he was nowhere near ready. He would emcee the shows but he didn't understand the full job yet. Rosita would often help Buster with the administrative side. Now she understood why he always asked her. He was training her just in case she ever had to fill in, though he probably only meant if he got sick or something.

Johnny shook his head. "Hey, it's nothing I couldn't handle. He was just being hard on me because that's his teaching style. And he was just trying to protect Ryan. Like my dad protects me."

Rosita sighed. "Johnny, hold onto that forgiving heart, it really is a virtue but what Klaus did was wrong. And if that's his teaching style then he doesn't belong in any classroom."

He nodded, knowing he would convince her otherwise. She would do what she thought best, she always did. "Hey, how are the babies?" He asked.

"They're doing great, growing like little weeds," she giggled. "Caspar can't wait until you can play video games with him again."

Johnny smiled. "Tell him after our honeymoon, I'll play with him all he wants." He held Ryan's hand.

"Oh then you're going ahead with the wedding? Great! When?" She asked.

"Saturday, Christmas Day. Suki said she'll call Meena?" He asked Ryan.

"Meena and Alphonso took over the bulk of the wedding planning for us," Ryan explained. "And if you turn your head that way, you'll see all the get-well presents you've been getting." He laughed. "Even something from that pastor." The countertop on the far wall was laden with baskets of gifts from all of their friends, family, fellow dancers and many others.

Johnny laughed. "Wow. That's nuts and that's great of them to handle that. I trust their judgment better than mine from a month ago. I don't even remember what I picked." He sighed happily. "Will you still fill in for my mom, Rosita?"

She hugged him. "Of course I will. I'd be honored." She was just so happy there would be a wedding after all. They'd never tell Ryan but they'd all had to start considering the possibility. Reality hit a lot harder than it used to now. She was beyond happy that he was alright now though.

Ash and Meena came in after Rosita and Gunter left. Meena was crying with joy. "Johnny, we're so glad you're alright. You scared us."

Johnny hugged his theater sister. "I'm sorry, Meena. But thank you for taking over the wedding stuff. I don't know where I'd be without my matron of honor."

Meena blushed. "I've got the cake thawing for Saturday. Alphonso made the cake topper from modeling chocolate." She bragged. "Ice cream, pastries, he's so wonderful in the kitchen."

Ash sat on the other side of him. "And I've been working on a new song for you to walk down the aisle."

The pianist hugged her. "Thanks Ash. I can't wait. I can't believe I'm going to be Johnny Hunter-Green." He smiled at Ryan.

Ryan squeezed his hand. "I've been calling myself Hunter-Green since the accident." He kissed the top of his head.

Johnny tilted his head so Ryan could kiss his lips. "Well, Saturday it'll be official." He yawned. "Sorry, I don't know why I'm tired. I've been asleep for a month."

The door opened and the doctor came in. "That's because you're recovering from a coma, Mr. Green. Now, I think it's time for your visitors to go and let you get some real sleep.

He pouted. "But I just woke up…." He looked at Ryan. "Can Ryan stay?"

He nodded. "Of course. But, girls…" He smiled at the elephant and porcupine.

Ash and Meena each hugged them and said their goodbyes.

Out in the waiting room, Lance was going through some mail he'd gotten forwarded. Ash noticed he was not happy. "Lance?"

He gripped the letter he was reading, glaring at it as though that would make it disappear. She sat across from him. "Lance?" He offered her the letter and started pacing while she read it. "What? Oh hell no!"

"What's wrong?" Alphonso asked with concern as he helped Meena with her coat.

Ash sighed. "Becky filed for custody. Full custody. No way is she getting those kids." She stopped Lance's pacing.

"She wants to take them from me. I can't let her. Why does she get any right to them after five years?" He asked. "She's not getting them! They're mine!"

She hugged him. "No, she won't win. What does she know about being a mom?" She reassured him.

Meena shook her head. "It's crazy that she can even file after so long."

Ash nodded. "Family courts are 'great' like that. But she doesn't even have a case. She barely knows their names." She rubbed his back. "Clay has a lawyer and I bet he knows someone in the family law field who can help us."

Lance looked up at her. "Us?"

She nodded. "Well, they're my kids too now." She looked into his eyes. "I'm not letting you fight for them alone."

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Johnny woke again hours later. The sun was down and Ryan was asleep beside him. He looked around. For a moment, he saw nothing until two eyes in the corner caught his attention.

The old dance instructor sat in one of the uncomfortable chairs in the shadows. "I did not mean to wake you…" He whispered.

Johnny shook his head. "You didn't… um…." He wasn't sure how to talk to the monkey anymore. "Look, I'm sorry about your job. I'll talk to Rosita and…"

Kickenklober held up his hand. "I don't care about my job. Johnny… for what I did to you, I am… am so sorry. The way I treated you, the things I said, I was out of line." He looked down with shame. "I don't expect your forgiveness but… I needed to say it just the same. And… I could not think of anyone better for Ryan."

Even though he no longer felt the need for Klaus' approval, it felt good to finally have it. "Thank you, sir… I mean, I'm going to marry Ryan on Saturday no matter what but… thank you…"

Klaus nodded. "I have no doubt. I was wrong, Johnny. What you and Ryan have is special and I was wrong to try and interfere."

"Sir, it's okay. I forgive you. You were just trying to protect Ryan," Johnny rationalized.

"It's more than that Johnny. Yes, it was about protecting him at first…" Klaus sighed heavily. "But then… I was jealous… what you and Ryan have together…. That's what I wanted and I resented both of you. I'm sorry." He trembled.

Johnny nodded. "We met that guy… that Felix guy. Why didn't you talk to us? You didn't have to let it fester."

"Because talking about it was too painful," he admitted. "Then when I found out he was my replacement… anyway, it's no excuse for how I behaved." He stood up. "I'll leave, I shouldn't be here…" He looked at Ryan. "I entrust him to you now…"

Johnny stroked Ryan's fur. "I promise, sir." He watched Klaus leave. For some reason, he had a feeling the monkey wouldn't be back after this. The way Ryan spoke about him, it sounded like he was cutting Klaus loose. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

AN: Next time, without Klaus to walk him down the aisle, Ryan decides he needs to try and reach out to his father to try and make amends. Will his family be open to reconciliation? Will Klaus ever be able to regain Ryan's trust? Please leave a comment, be honest. Be brutal. I love reading comments. Oh and please, check out Ever Ever After in Redshore City.