A Blend of Fear & Passion

Jackson was on Alex before my eyes adjusted on the scene. My eyes landing on Dawson, my eyes glazing over. I just barely registered someone getting excited because of it. "Your ass is done for, you son of a bitch!" Jackson said, doing something to cause Alex scream in pain.

Falling to my knees, I grabbed my head and closed my eyes, doing whatever I could to bring my anger back under my control. After what seemed like a lifetime, the anger calmed down enough to where I could control it.

Opening my eyes, I met Alexander's gaze. "You're messing with the wrong man, Mr. Davidson," I said, venom dropping through my words.

"What? Upset that your little Dawson is bleeding?" he replied, in such a tone that caused Jackson to punch him. I shook my head.

Looking at Jackson, I said, "You can do whatever you like, Jackson. Just don't kill him." Walking over to Dawson, I saw the collar and closed my eyes, hoping my anger didn't return. Keeping myself as calm as possible, I opened my eyes and removed the collar before looking at his chest.

Fighting the tears and frustration, I removed the bonds in which held him down and did what I could to stifling the bleeding. I started shaking again, the shivers hard to keep down. When they finally stopped, I looked down at Dawson who looked to have lost a lot of blood. "Shit. Knock him out or something. I got to get Dawson out of here." Jackson nodded before delievering one last hard blow to Alex causing him to go limp.

I quickly dressed Dawson, but after I made make-shift bandages for the wounds. He was already out, which worsened my worry. I rushed to the car and lookd at it, wondering out I was going to easily get in an out with a teenager in my arms. Looking around for a hospital, I saw a sign that said the nearest one was about three miles away. Looking at Jackson, I said, "Get him to the hospital. I'll run," I said, placing Dawson in the passenger carefully and buckling him in. "I should be there soon. Just tell them the truth and let them know he's lost a lot of blood." Jackson nodded and I closed the door. Watching as he turned on the car and sped off, I felt tears threaten to fall, but I let my anger take over. Not full out, but enough to make my feet go.

Time Elapse -- 6 Hours

After getting to the hospital, I caught up with Jackson and had him tell me everything. "So, they bought that you were his brother? And that I was his uncle?" I asked, looking at him with a look of astonishment. He nodded.

"You know that family is always the first people to see the patient, and if I had said we were friends of his, we may not have got to see him right off the bat," Jackson said, causing me to nod in agreement. I watched around the waiting room, the life of the hospital busied by so many various injuries.

I didn't know who the doctor of Dawson was until she came over to us. "Are you the family that brought Mr. Andrews here?" she asked, looking at Jackson and I.

"Yes, ma'am," Jackson said, standing up as he pulled me up as well. "How's he doing?"

"He's doing fine," she said, making my knees buckle and fall to the ground.

"Oh, thank god," I said, feeling as if a weight was really lifted off my heart.

"It's a good thing you got him here when you did, otherwise the severe blood loss could have killed him," she went on. "Who did that make-shift bandage work around the cuts?"

"I did," I said, as I grabbed onto Jackson to stand up.

"Well, you did a very good job at it. It stifled the bleeding very well," she said, giving a weak smile. "You must really care for him," she said, looking how exhausted and relieved I look. I nodded, rubbing my eyes.

"Him and Jackson here lost their parents a few months ago, and I was the only family they had left so I took them in," I said, my eyes landing on Jackson who was tearing up a bit. He threw his arms around my and sobbed, really keeping up with the theatrics. I looked back up at the doctor who looked to be trying to hold back tears.

"I normally wouldn't do this, but I'll make an exception for you two. Come with me, please," she said as we both stood up and followed her down the hall that lead to Dawson's room. "Take all the time you need," she said, opening the door and allowing us to pass through.

I saw the blood bag hooked up to him. He also had wraps around his chest and side, as well as an oxygen tank hooked up. I was relieved that's all it was. I walked over to his bed, set gently down by his feet, and grabbed his hand. "You'll be out of here and on your feet soon enough," I whispered, stroking the back of his hand.

I looked over at Jackson who was sitting like myself, Dawson's other hand in his own. I saw the saddened look in his eyes, and I knew it instantly, for it was mirrored in mine. I looked behind me and saw the doctor had left us alone for the time. Looking back at Jackson, I said, "You love him like I do, don't you?" He met my gaze and I saw the tears still in his eyes.

"I do. I just decided to hold my feelings back because I knew how much you two loved each other, and I didn't want to break that apart. I thought if I ever did get a chance to be with him, it'd be when you two split with no hope of getting back together," he replied, letting out a shaky sigh.

Just then I had an idea. "Can I ask a big favor of you?" I asked him, causing his gaze to stay locked on me. "I know there has to be knowledge around the school somehow of Dawson and I's relationship. Just to make sure it stays under wraps, what would you say of pretending to be his boyfriend until the end of his schooling? I can find someone afterwards the would truly make you happy," I said, grabbing his hand.

"What would Dawson say?" he asked, looking at him with a look of concern in his eyes. "What if he doesn't agree to it?"

"Then he doesn't agree. Neither of us can force him to do something he isn't up to doing. I'll suggest it. He might agree to do it if he hears it from me," I replied, causing Jackson to nod. I could see he was getting very tired, having taken on Alex just hours before. "Come on, let's leave Dawson here to recuperate and we'll see him again tomorrow."

"I don't want to leave him," Jackson said, sounding a bit put out, which made me heart break.

"Then I'll go find his doctor, and see if she would mind us sleeping in here tonight so when he wakes up he'll see some friendly faces," I said, earning a small, weak smile from Jackson. Standing up and walking out of the room, I searched for his doctor. My mind wandered and I did everything I could not to grab the nearest object and throw it at someone, or to punch the wall.

Before I got to his doctor, I doubled over in a coughing fit, my head feeling light and dizziness taking over. In an instant, the world went black.