Changes

They all tried to crowd into the room at once. Jay had been given a private room for some reason.

His eyes were closed, and his makeup was gone. There was an IV in one, scarred arm. His clothes were in a box next to the bed, and someone had washed the hairspray out of his hair, his beautiful hair, and bound it in a ponytail.

"Jay?" Tre asked quietly.
"I will never do that many lines of cocaine again." Jay said, his eyes still closed.
"How do you feel?" Tony asked, standing next to Tre while the others hung back.
"Alright, I guess."
"Good." Tony whispered.

Then she punched him in the stomach.

"What the FUCK was that for?"
"For being an idiot, you dickhead!" She replied angrily, then walked out of the room.

On a whim, Billie followed her.

~~~

"So...if you people are done HITTING me..." Jay sighed.
"Well, I doubt Tony is." Robert told him, looking around.
"Eh, she's gone. So tell me, how long do I have to live?"

He might have been joking, but the stony glares he got in response were totally serious. The smile faded from his face.

"What?"
"The...the doctor..." Robert seemed to be searching for a way to soften the blow. But Mike shoved him aside.
"The doctor said that if you carry on the way you're going, you'll be dead before you hit twenty-five."

Jay looked strangely bored with the information.

"Yeah...yeah, what else is new? So...when am I getting out?"
"Did you just hear what he said?" Blondie asked incredulously.
"Yeah. And I've heard it a thousand times before. Once again, when am I getting out?"
"You realize you might be dying, and your liver's shot?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Did I stutter?"

Jay looked around at their stunned faces.

"Look, I know the effects my lifestyle has on my body. And I really don't care. So, can anyone tell me when I am getting out of this goddamn hospital bed?"

~~~

"Tony, wait."

Billie reached out and grabbed her wrist. She stopped running and turned around to glare at him.

"Let. Go. Of. Me."
"Please, Tony, just talk to me."
"No, Billie, you explain to me where the fuck you get off PROMISING me that you'd never hurt me, then pretending I'm your ex-wife while you're fucking me?"

Bille recoiled, stung by the hurt in her voice.

"Tony...I didn't mean - "
"No, you didn't. And that's what makes it hurt all the more."

She turned away from him, wrapping her arms around herself. Billie gazed at her, sensing the pain that radiated outwards from her in waves.

"Tony." He whispered. Her shoulders started shaking.
"Just leave me alone. You've done more than enough."

And then he realized that hearing his voice, feeling his presence, was hurting her all the more.

And he turned around and walked away, carefully wiping tears from his own eyes.