Rescue Me

Jack was starting to get fucking sick of hospital rooms.

Especially when his boyfriend was the one having to reside there, unconscious on the bed. Jack checked the clock; Alex came to the hospital in an ambulance seventeen hours ago. Jack has been here for five.

Alex has been unconscious for God knows how long.

/////

Alex's breathing changed; ragged, fast. Jack jumped up and touched his face, tears forming already, silently begging him not to leave. Not yet. Please not yet.

But his lips parted, his perfect lips, and out poured his perfect voice. Soft, shaking. Small. Still perfect.

"I think I'm drowning."

"You're not, I've got you," Jack responded quickly and quietly, taking his hand and stroking his hair.

"There's water, please!" Alex cried suddenly, his eyes snapping open, limbs flailing out in panic.

"There's no water, Alex! Shhh. There's no water."

"No, I can't, please, it's everywhere," he groped for Jack's shirt, gasping.

"You jumped to save me, remember?" Jack told him with a soft smile, stroking the side of Alex's face in an attempt to comfort him into being calm, reminding him of the day Jack fell from the beach cliff. "You're the good swimmer."

"I'm drowning, I can't breathe, I'm sinking," he choked, dragging air in painfully even though Jack was sure he could breathe perfectly fine. "Help me! Please!"

"Alex, Alex, stop, you're not in danger, I promise," Jack pleaded desperately.

"I couldn't save you, I couldn't swim, I can't breathe, there was all the water in the bath and I couldn't see and you weren't there and I can't breathe, Jack, you weren't there, I can't breathe!"

He was growing louder and louder as his terror increased and tears streamed down his face, his limbs kicking in every which direction as he had a flashback to the events when he was last conscious. Jack's own tears built up and fell. This was his fault.

"Alex! I'm here now, I'm saving you!"

Alex seemed to snap out of it, finally, and stared up at Jack, whimpering and sobbing.

"Please don't let me go," he begged, grabbing my arm and pulling at it.

"Okay, okay, it's alright. You won't drown. I've got you. You were sleeping. Shh. You're still caught up in a dream, Alex," Jack soothed, knowing he was barely aware of his actions.

Alex stopped for a moment, closing his eyes, letting his breathing even out. He was shaking badly, Jack could feel it as he clutched his hand, but Alex seemed to grasp that he wasn't underwater now.

"You'll save me?" Alex opened his beautiful eyes.

"Yes. I love you."

"Rescue me."

"I thought you weren't drowning anymore?"

And he laughed, something Jack never thought he'd hear again. Soft, shaking and small, much like his voice but a wonderful laugh all the same.

"Rescue me from you," he added. "Troublemaker."

"Do you mean that?" Jack smiled, leaning down to his face.

"Never," Alex whispered, his lips pressing to Jack's.

He was asleep again before Jack could even pull away, and the younger male crawled onto the bed and held his bruised boyfriend for a very long time.

/////

It took a while for Alex to come round again. He barely remembered waking the first time, rambling nonsense about water, but the second time he was a little less delirious.

And though it made Jack ache, he knew it was time for another serious talk -- something else he was starting to get fucking sick of.

He came as soon as he heard news that Alex was conscious, having spent time in the hospital cafe with Danny and Matt. Alex's parents were just leaving when Jack arrived, and to his extreme surprise, they both hugged him very tightly.

"He's asking for you," Isobel smiled softly, and then they left.

With a heavy heart, Jack had to go in there and tell Alex everything.

The older boy's face lit up when he saw Jack but neither said anything until Jack sat down in his chair and spoke.

"I went to the police."

"I know."

"You know?"

"Your parents-- after Danny sent some of our friends to tell them, they told my parents, and my parents told me... so, I know. And I'm okay with it."

Jack nodded, licking his lips nervously. "It's the right thing to do. They-- because of the circumstances, they allowed me to come and see you... but... well. I don't really know what the deal is yet. They're hunting down Jeremy and his friends."

Alex flinched at the mention of him. "Good," he gritted out.

"I know he attacked you... and, I'm not as angry as I thought I'd be. I'm upset, so upset, but mostly relieved that you're okay. And even more relieved to think that, since he got you, it means he probably won't come back again to get us, or our families, or anything. But, um. How-- how did it happen?"

It was Alex's turn to hang his head, and he cried as he told Jack the events of the previous night. Jack ended up on the bed, holding him again, and crying through it with him.

"I felt so peaceful in the water, which was weird, but-- but hearing you on the answering machine absolutely broke my heart, Jack, because I couldn't pick up," he wept when it was all out in the open, clutching Jack's hand tightly. "We are in this together, you know, you're not losing me."

"I'm so glad," Jack whimpered, kissing his cheek. "This is all really fucked up but I think going to the police is-- it's gonna get better. Maybe not right now but it will."

"I know that too," Alex nodded, wiping his eyes. "And, I told my parents everything too, by the way. From the day I saw Jess get kidnapped up until right now. They don't hate you. I was so scared they would but they don't."

"Um, I ran into them when they were leaving your room, actually," Jack sniffed, rubbing his own eyes. "They hugged me. It was... nice? But weird."

"I guess they just... understand. Have you spoken to your parents yet?"

"Over the phone. I think they're coming in later. They're... upset, understandably, but I'm just glad they don't hate me. Not that they really know the whole story yet... they only got told vague details. I'm trying so hard to make this right, Alex."

"I know you are. It's gonna be okay."

"I wrote them a letter to explain, while you were asleep, since I had the time. I think I'd break down if I had to speak it all out loud," Jack whispered.

"It's going to be fine, you just--," Alex was cut off by his door opening, revealing Jack's parents.

Joyce looked a wreck, tear-stained and messy hair, wearing baggy sweatpants and an old t-shirt that Jack was fairly certain she wore to bed. His dad didn't look too much better, really.

"We don't mean to interrupt," he cleared his throat. "But..."

"Yeah, no, it's okay," Alex shook his head, patting Jack on the back. "Go."

Shakily, Jack followed his parents out of the room, and he didn't hesitate to give them the letter.

All thirteen pages of the wrong he'd done.

/////

Jack thought he'd be terrified, but all he felt was relief.

Now everyone knew. They knew why he'd attempted suicide, that there was a guilt eating him up.

They knew he just wanted to be better again.

That's why he turned himself in -- he deserved it.

Both his parents cried, and he knew they would, but it was so much relief. He didn't need to lie any more. He wasn't sure he could've kept all his secrets if he tried.

Jack cried later that day too, when two officers paid he and Alex a visit at the hospital. They talked about arranging therapy treatment for them both to help aid their recovery, and how the officers knew that all girls Jeremy had ever had dealings with were safe and sound, getting on with their lives. Alex cried upon hearing that, and Jack had never felt a happiness quite like this.

A happiness quite like relief and freedom.

It was going to be alright.