In Love with the Prince (of Darkness, That Is)

Taylor checked into the hospital the next day. While he and Dreama sat in the brightly-coloured hospital room, a nurse came in with an IV. Dreama had to turn her head when the nurse slid the needle into the back of Taylor's hand, and only looked back when the nurse started to explain the process.

"We're going to test you on the drug first," she said, taping the needle to Taylor's hand. "To make sure you don't have any allergic reactions." She went through a list of possible side-effects, and when Taylor had nodded to show that he understood, she attached a bag of medication to the IV. "I'll be back in half an hour. Call me if anything happens before then."

She left the room, and Taylor sighed. "And so it begins."

Dreama stroked the back of his free hand with her thumb. "Are you scared?"

"A little."

"You know everything's going to be fine. I checked out Doctor Barker online this morning. He's the best there is."

"Still doesn't make me comfortable about them going at my head with a Gamma ray."

"But they're not cutting anything open, so it's not risky in that way."

"Not yet, they're not. The radiation's just going to shrink it so that they can go in and cut it out without touching my spinal cord or anything."

"You're such a pessimist."

"You're optimistic enough for both of us," Taylor retorted with a gentle smile.

If only that were true, Dreama thought wryly, but she was determined not to show Taylor that she was just as scared as he was.

"So where did dear old mom and dad go?" Taylor muttered.

"They were fighting last I saw."

"Over what?"

"Me."

Taylor sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You told me it was going to happen, and I kind of expected it after the first impression." She smiled bracingly. "Daddy 'n' me are gonna have a little heart to heart," she drawled.

Taylor chuckled. "He's going to love you one day, Dray. Just like I do."

"Hopefully not just like you do. That would be a little creepy. But I'll grow on him while we're here."

*~*~*

Taylor hadn't broken out in hives by the end of the half-hour, so the nurse returned and gave him a larger dose of the drug to reduce the swelling in his brain.

The side effects set in less than hour later, when Taylor proceeded to empty his stomach until he was left dry-heaving for an hour.

"You don't have to stay," he said weakly, crawling back into bed after the third bout of vomiting.

Dreama just kissed his hand and told him to sleep.

It didn't seem that that was going to be possible. First, Taylor's parents showed up with food that Taylor adamantly refused to eat, and then his room mate came back from his morning rehab, with two friends in tow.

"Hey, new kid," he greeted in a thick Southern accent.

Taylor offered a weak wave.

"Let me guess. Mannitol?"

"How'd you know?"

"You're green. Man I was sick for days on that crap."

"Good to know."

"I'm Rodrick Barry, but you can call me Rick. These are my friends Cal and Trey."

Taylor introduced himself and Dreama. "You don't mind the dark room?" Taylor asked.

"I'm allergic to the sun," Rick said. "Hives. Everywhere." He shuddered. "So what do your parents do for a living? I mean, you have to be loaded to get into this place."

"Well, most of it's family money, but my dad owns a chain of advertisement agencies. He's got an office here, one in Philly, and another one in Toronto, just outside of where we live."

"Nice."

"What about your folks?" Taylor asked.

"Dad's a chief exec at GM, and my mom teaches ballet at Julliard."

"You're joking!" Dreama exclaimed. "Your mother is Hannah Barry?"

"You've heard of her?"

"Are you kidding? It's only the dream of my life to have her as a teacher!"

"Small world."

They talked the rest of the day away, until Mr. and Mrs. Gable returned with dinner, which Taylor made an attempt at eating and later regretted.

"Dreama, you should go get something to eat," Mr. Gable suggested.

"I'm good, thanks."

"Dray, starving yourself is not going to help me," Taylor interrupted. "I'll be fine for the night. Go eat, sleep, call your brothers and let them know you're alive, and then call Steve and tell him I'm sorry for keeping their best away from work for so long."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. My dad will take you and mom to his favourite restaurant."

"We thought we'd stay here for a bit," Mr. Gable said, looking affronted.

"You thought wrong. Look, the death watch isn't making me feel any better, okay? Just go."

Dreama kissed him and stood, bidding goodbye to Rick and his friends. She paused in the doorway for a minute. "Taylor?"

He smiled. "I love you, too. Now go away."