Stray Heart

Mike puts a cigarette in his mouth and goes to light it. I take it out of his mouth before he has the chance. He takes another from his packet and puts it in his mouth. I do the same. He raises his eyebrows at me.
'You know, this isn't a good game.' He laughs.
'Your health isn't a game my love, all these cigarettes and coffees can't be good for you, you live off them.' I say seriously and he looks guilty.
'You're right, but I've been on these things since I was 14, it's hard to just quit.' He sighs and I put a hand on his back.
'I know baby but you were there for me and now I'm going to be there for you. I'll do everything I can to help you ditch them, the coffee I can live with.' I explain and he smiles.
'Thank you babe. You are amazing.' He chuckles and I kiss him on the forehead.
(*A/N - Timings in this are completely ignored, the following happened a long time after when this is set but oh well.)

*Mike's POV - The next day*

Nicola and I are taking a walk into town at the moment. I'm holding her perfect hand, and listen to the words come out of her perfect mouth as I look into her perfect eyes. She's still wearing the ring I got her, I spent an hour and a half talking to Billie's Mum trying to figure out which one she'd like. I think we got the right one.
'You know what. Every day I think how lucky I am to have you.' I tell Nicola and she smiles.
'I don't know why you keep saying that, if anything I should be lucky to have you. You've done so much for me, especially after my Mum died.' She replies and I just shake my head.
'Nah.' I say modestly and I squeeze her hand, kissing her cheek as she blushes. I hear a crash and run around the corner to see what has happened, with Nicola running just behind me.

There's two cars, one crumpled up with a smashed windscreen. Wait, I know that car. Jason! I run to it and yank the door open with great force, pulling out my friend. He's covered in blood, most of it coming from his head. His eyes flutter open and shut.
'Talk to me buddy.' I whimper desperately as Nicola calls for an ambulance.
'See ya mate.' He croaks and I hold his head still.
'No, don't you talk like that. You're gonna make it bro.' I plea, but it's too late. I'm sitting in the middle of the road, covered in the blood of Jason Andrew Relva. His head gets heavy and he goes limp. 'Shit, no. No, no, no, no.' I sob. He was one of my best friends. Gone so young. Taken so early.

The ambulance arrives and they take him away on a stretcher. Nicola comes up and hugs me, I guess the roles have been reversed this time.
'I'm covered in blood babe.' I say, but she hugs me anyway.
'I'm so sorry.' She whispers and I try to stay strong. I can't do it. I break down, sobbing.
'It's just so hard y'know? It's like, gotta make a plan. Gotta do what's right. You can't run around in circles if you wanna build a life but I don't wanna make a plan for a day far away. While I'm young and while I'm able all I wanna do is -' I can't do it, I can't speak. The words wont come out.
'I know it's tough, but live life as you want to, you don't have to plan for the future. Just take each day as it comes.' She tries to console me but it's no use.
'That's exactly how Jason saw it, and look it him, he didn't have a plan, so he didn't leave a mark on the world, he didn't know what he wanted to do.' I reply, rifling my hair with my hand.
'But was he happy? Yes, he was, and he evidently has made a mark if he has people that will love and miss him. You've got your whole life ahead of you.' Nicola says and I give a smile.
'I suppose you're right. Thank you.' I reply, bending down and kissing her on the head.

We head back to Nicola's house and I lie down on the sofa, putting my head on her lap. We sit in a comfortable silence. My head jolts.
'Shit.' I groan, clutching a hand to my head.
'What's up baby?' Nic asks, putting a hand on my cheek as I sit up straight. My vision goes funny, like wavy lines and I shout in pain,
'What the fuck is happening?'
'I'll call an ambulance.' She panics, grabbing her phone. The last thing I feel is a pang to the head and then everything goes bla-

*Nicola's POV*

'Hello 911?!' I shout into the receiver. 'I need an ambulance, my boyfriend just got a serious head pain, and then his eyes went a bit funny and he's blacked out.' I hurry and I tell them my address as I run to Mike's side, gently tapping his face.
'Come on, come on! I've just lost my Mum and a friend, and I'm not going to lose you too!' I cry, tears streaming down my face. The ambulance arrived and they pick him up gently and put him in the ambulance as I jump in. They hook him up to some fancy machines and I hear his heart beat on the monitor. Beep, beep, beep, beep. The beeps start getting further away and then a continuous beep. Shit! No! The nurse runs to his side and fires up the defibrillators shocking him in the chest. The beeps return to a steady rhythm and I almost die myself with relief.
He just died. Mike, my amazing, gorgeous, caring, brilliant Mikey just died for about 10 seconds.

I'm not allowed in the room while they're doing all the tests, but eventually a nurse comes out to get me.
'He's not awake, but he's stable.' the nurse informs me and I thank her profusely. 'Does he smoke at all? Or have any bad eating habits?'
'He smokes, but we were talking about quitting this morning. And he drinks a lot of coffee.' I tell her and she nods, walking away. I trace the lines that travel down from his cheek bones to his chin and kiss his forehead. I can't believe I nearly lost him. He's the last person left that I care about, I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have him with me. Oh God, when is he going to wake up?
As if by magic his eyes flutter open slowly and heavily and he looks confused.
'Where am I? What happened?' He rushes and I try and calm him.
'You had a minor stroke, but you're okay now.' I explain to him as I put a hand behind his head and kiss him gently.
'Shit.' He whispers, trying to calm himself down but you can see the panic behind his eyes. The doctor comes in and basically just tells Mike he needs to quit with the cigarettes and coffee or the next stroke could well be it.

The next day and Mike is allowed back home, and the first thing he does is run to a note pad.
'What's that babe?' I ask and he picks up the acoustic guitar lingering nearby.
'My friend drove off the other day
Now he's gone and all they say
Is you gotta live cause life goes on
But now I see I'm mortal too
and I cant live my life like you
Gotta live it up while life goes on

And I think it's alright
That I do what I like
Cause that's the way I wanna live
Its how I give
And I'm still giving

And now I wonder bout my friend
And if he gave all he could give
Cause he lived his life like I live mine
If you could see inside my head
Then you would start to understand
The things I value in my heart

And I think it's alright
That I do what I like
Cause that's the way I wanna live
Its how I give
And I'm still giving

You know that
I know that
You're watching me

And I think it's alright
That I do what I like
Cause that's the way I wanna live
Its how I give
And I'm still giving

Gotta make a plan
Gotta do what's right
Can't run around in circles
If ya wanna build a life
But I don't wanna make a plan
For a day far away
While I'm young and while I'm able
All I wanna do is...'