Until the End

It’s been thirty minutes since I had gotten here with Hayden. And now I was nervously clicking my labret to my teeth. Still no word from the doctor at all. The guys had shown up only five minutes after me and we were all nervous wrecks. What happened for this just to be an ‘episode’? This seems like a lot more than just a little episode.

“Group for Hayden Fraser?” We all stood from our seats as the man in a white doctor’s coat looked around the emergency room.

“Is she okay?” Zacky asked, seeing as he was the fastest to react.

“She’s fine. After we got a hold of her doctor, we were reassured this may happen once in a while with how advanced her illness is.” All of us (the band, the Berrys, and Thor) let out a sigh of relief that I don’t think any of us had noticed we were holding.

“Can we see her now?” I asked, not noticing that I had even spoken it.

“Well you can actually go and get her to sign out now. I would suggest only one of you though,” the doctor said. Everyone looked over at me and I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

“What?”

“We’ll go wait outside. You can get her,” Matt Sanders replied, leading everyone outside. I shrugged and turned to the doctor who seemed to be smiling knowingly. I raised an eyebrow and he quickly looked back to his clipboard.

“Just take the elevator right through the doors and go to level five. Her room is 514,” the doctor informed, busying himself by writing something on his papers.

“Thank-you,” I said before walking through the double doors he had motioned towards. On the left was the elevator he had mentioned. He climbed on before pressing the ‘5’, the light behind the number turning the circle a pale yellow. It was annoyingly quiet which made me grind my teeth. Could this thing possibly move any slower?! Just then the elevator dinged, letting me know we had reached my level.

I all but jogged to Hayden’s room. I froze outside the door, fist raised to knock on the wood. I hesitated before taking a deep breath and knocking. “Come in.”

“Hey, you ready to leave?” I chirped, pushing open the door enough to peek my head in. I was met with bright, white light. The bedding was white, the counters were white, the walls were white, the floor. God, everything was white. Sitting cross legged on the bed was Hayden who instantly perked up at seeing me instead of a doctor. She was literally a nice sight for sore eyes. The black and grey she wore was a nice change from the whiteness of the room.

“Fuck yeah. I hate hospitals,” she huffed, her face twisting into an adorable pout. Stop it Jimmy, there’s no time to think like that. You’re technically her coworker. Only awkwardness could come from this all.

“Well then let’s hit it,” I announced, holding the door open wider for her to leave first. I was quick to follow her as she led the way to the elevator. It’s like she already knew the layout of the hospital. When we were in the machine Hayden pressed the ‘L’ button. As the doors slid shut I let out a quiet laugh.

“What’s so funny mister?” Hayden demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

“It’s just that you are just about psychic on where everything is,” I explained. Hayden chuckled a little too.

“Well, hospitals are almost the same really. I mean, as soon as we get off there will be two double doors to the right that lead into the emergency waiting room.” As soon as the elevator dinged and slid open Hayden proved her point by walking forward and pushed opened one of the doors.

“Okay, now you’re just pulling my leg,” I muttered. She grinned, leading the way over to the counter where a nurse sat behind the glass window.

“I’m telling you, they’re almost all the same.” She turned her attention to the middle aged woman who had a permanent smile on her face. “Hello, my name’s Hayden Fraser. I was told to come here to sign out.”

“Of course deary. Here you go.” She slid the clipboard through a small, rectangular hole in the glass. She quickly signed, grinned, and wished her a good day. With that the two of us walked outside. As soon as we got to the parking lot of the hospital, a human blur ran forward to take her into a tight hug.

“You’re not dead! I’m so happy!” Matt Berry gushed. Jason was not too far behind to follow. As they began to hop up and down holding her everyone else began to laugh. Should have known the twins would bond quickly with her.

“Can you guys let me down? Getting dizzy here,” Hayden moaned. The two were quick to let go and take a step back. Hayden began to sway to the left which made me automatically catch her before she could begin to fall. She shook her head, probably to get rid of the dizziness, and smiled up at me. “Thanks Jim Jam.”

“No problem.” Once I knew she could stand steadily on her feet I let go of her shoulder. I felt slightly sad at the lack of contact. I shook my head violently at this thought. I can’t think like that, it’s not professional.

“Jimmy?”

“Hmm?” I looked up to see Hayden giving me a weird stare. I noticed that no one was in sight. I looked around, confused. “Where’d everyone go?”

“They’re going to the cars. What’s up Jimbo?” It was then I noticed the guys pilling into a Hummer and an Escalade. I blushed a little, looking anywhere but at Hayden.

“Nothing, just lost in thought is all.” She didn’t look like she believed me, but she dropped it anyways. We walked over to the Hummer where Matt Berry was waving us over. We both climbed in the back on either side to find out Johnny sat between us. “Ah, short shit stuck in the middle again I see.”

“Shut up Jimmy. Hayden’s shorter than me,” Johnny retorted.

“But you are short shit, now and forever,” I replied happily, ruffling up his hair. He glared at me and crossed his arms in a pout. He turned his head to face towards Hayden which caused her to laugh.

“Awhh. Poor little baby. Do you need a lollipop?” Hayden cooed, pinching his cheeks and turning his head left and right.

“Stop. It,” Johnny pleaded in between turns. Hayden laughed again and let go, settling back in her seat. It was mostly silent on the way back to the venue. The only sound was the twins occasionally talking and the music pouring out of the radio. When we finally got back I noticed that it was about one thirty. That’s when my adrenaline rush began to kick in.

“Our first show in only a few hours,” I sang, skipping in circles around the vehicle. Hayden giggled at me, watching me from her spot cross legged on top of the Hummer. Don’t ask me when she got up there, I’m not sure anymore.

“You really love these things, don’t you Jim Jam?” Hayden asked.

“Of course! It’s all about the kids Hayden, you’ll learn that soon,” I said matter of factly. “I mean, you know what it’s like at concerts.”

“Actually, I don’t.” I froze in mid skip, right leg poised in the air as my left one held me up. I slowly turned my head upwards to stare at the eighteen year old.

“You’ve never been to a concert before?” When she shook her head my mouth fell agape in shock. “How could you never have been to a concert?”

“No money,” she replied with a shrug.

“Then, Miss Fraser, this is going to be a nice you won’t soon forget.”