Warped

"You know for a tattoo artist, you have some really good hands..." wiL commented as I tatted his left side. I was touching up his sailboat and when he said that I jabbed him in the ribs. He jumped and laughed, forcing me to stop tatting until he got his giggles under control.

"If you say that tickles, I swear I'm gonna show you tickling..." I scolded playfully, slapping him on his side. He arched his eyebrow at me and grinned.

I shot him a warning look and buzzed my gun at him but he still had that mischievous look on him. I resumed the touch up with a grin on my face. Van and Brendon may say that he's a jerk, but I think that once you get used to him, he's an ok guy.

"There.. All done." I wiped his tattoo down and smiled at him. wiL got up and hugged me, picking me up off the ground. He was about to ask me something when I heard someone come running up.

"Jalene!!" I was put down and turned around to the owner of that panicky voice. Ryan was nearly hyperventilating on his usually calm demeanor, "Its Van!"

I tore my gloves off and with a quick apology, I raced with Ryan over to Van's booth. I knocked several people over on the way over there, thankfully not tripping in my haste. Van was lying on the ground, looking pale.

"You couldn't call me or an ambulance?!" I nearly shrieked at the poor buy as I checked his pulse and bent my ear down to his face to see if I could hear him breathing. I looked up at Ryan who looked like he was about to pass out any minute as well.

"Ryan..." I tried to calm him down but he started to hyperventilate so I stood up and slapped him across the face. His face registered the shock, "Sit down, put your head between your knees and breath in through your mouth, out through your nose. I'm calling an ambulance, just chill out.."

I talked real fast while on the phone with the lady because I just didn't know what's going on with Van. It could be something as innocent as vertigo, I just didn't know. I was soon off the phone, slightly comforted that an ambulance was minutes away.

"What the fuck is going on? Whoah, Ryan... You ok?" Normally, I would have groaned in annoyance but seeing Brendon right now was a blessing.

"Brendon!" His eyes snapped to me and he quickly absorbed what was going on. He quickly checked on Ryan who said he was fine. Brendon knelt beside us, his brown eyes alight with worry, an almost mirror of Ryan's eyes.

Later on, I was wearing a hole in the floor of the hospital with Panic looking on. Ryan told me what happened and I'm surprised that it didn't happen sooner. Van has been stressing out lately.

Speak of the devil, Van came out looking rather disheveled and slightly upset but as soon as he saw us, he smiled like a million dollars.

"Hey, I know what will cheer you up!" I said with a grin, "Cookies!" Everyone looked at me weird then, even the passing people. I drug them all out of the hospital to the nearest coffee shop where the rich, calming aroma assaulted the senses.

I nudged Ryan at the huge cookie on display and nodded. He smiled, getting the drift and he walked over there to the counter. Soon he brought back the cookie and we all shared cookies and coffee, leaving all talk about the hospital behind us. At least for the moment.