Eternity - 5. Chapter Five

"I'm sorry sir, but there's not enough room in the back of the ambulance. I suggest you get into your vehicle and follow us to the hospital."

"Please," Kyle pleaded, "I don't want to be away from him."

"I understand that sir, but there's simply no room, now please, get in your vehicle and follow us," she said before climbing into the ambulance and closing the doors.

Kyle felt like he'd been slapped as he watched the ambulance pull out of the apartment complex. Pulling his keys from his pocket, he ran over to his bike. Between the tears blurring his vision and his shaking hands, he couldn't manage to get the key into the ignition. He was on his third unsuccessful try when he heard the voice behind him.

"Kyle? What's going on? I was on my way home and saw the ambulance."

"Jared," Kyle choked out, unable to say any more before turning to face Matt.

"Fuck! Let's go," Matt exclaimed before pulling Kyle off the bike and towards his truck. "You're in no condition to drive man, get in," Matt said, opening the door and pushing Kyle towards it.

It wasn't until after Kyle had climbed in and they were headed towards the hospital that Kyle's brain started to function fully again. As soon as he was thinking coherently again he was full of question about why Matt had shown up when he did. He had just opened his mouth to ask Matt what he was doing there, but it seemed as though Matt had some questions of his own.

"So what happened Kyle?"

"I found him laying at the base of the stairs, there was so much blood, it was everywhere," Kyle whispered, looking down at his blood covered hands and jeans. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about any of that would you?" Kyle said angrily.

"What are you talking about?! C'mon Kyle, you can't possibly be thinking that I had anything to do with this!"

"It sure as hell wasn't me!" Kyle yelled, his eyes flashing. :"You sure as hell haven't been too happy about him being back in my life. So tell me Matt, what purpose was there? Were you just trying to scare him into leaving or were you trying to kill him?"

"Kyle, I didn't have anything to do with this, I swear to you! How can you possibly say this shit? For cripes sake man, I've been trying to help you get him to move back in with you!"

"Likely story Matt, but how do you explain getting there when you did? Coincidence? I don't think so."

"Kyle, I already told you, I was on my way home when I saw the ambulance pull out. I knew Jared lived there and wanted to make sure he was okay!"

"Uh-huh, sure you were. You just happened to be driving by at that exact moment, perfect timing wouldn‘t you say? You expect me to believe that? Just do me a favor Matt," Kyle said as they pulled up to the ER, "just stay the hell away from me and Jared. Anything else happens to him and I'm coming for your ass!"

Kyle quickly jumped out of the truck and headed into the ER. He stopped at the nurses station and after assuring them that he wasn't hurt that it was his friends blood, he asked them about Jared's condition. They refused to tell him anything about Jared's condition since he wasn't family. Kyle had just turned to go sit in the waiting room when he seen Dr. Mortensen, the same doctor who had treated Jared the last time he came into the ER.

"Dr. Mortensen!" Kyle yelled out, hurrying over to where the doctor stood talking to one of the nurses.

"Well hello again Mr. Blackner, you here for Mr. Maloney again?"

"Yes, I'm the one who found him, but nobody will give me any information on his condition. Please doc, tell me if he's going to be okay."

"Well, since I know that he has no family in the near area and that you are a friend of his, why don't you come sit down with me," Dr. Mortensen said, leading Kyle over to a pair of vinyl covered chairs. After they were both seated, the doctor started filling Kyle in on Jared's condition. "Well, to be frank with you Mr. Maloney," the doctor started, only to be interrupted by Kyle.

"Please, call me Kyle, doctor."

"Alright then Kyle, Mr. Maloney had at least a dozen lacerations on his abdomen. The were all fairly superficial, the only major cut he had on his chest was a stab wound that punctured his left lung, causing it to collapse. We've re-inflated his lung and we're in the process of moving him to surgery to repair the damage to the lung. He also apparently hit his head numerous times and there are a few cuts and a few bumps. Now, coming so close to the last accident I am worried about how his head is doing. You see Kyle, he is in a coma. Luckily he didn't break his neck in the fall, but it could be a while before he wakes up, if he wakes up at all. I'll leave instructions with the nurse that you are allowed in the room, but he will not be moved into a private room until, at the earliest, tomorrow. I'm going to have a nurse get you some scrubs to wear and after you clean up, take a seat in the waiting room and I will come back and let you know how his surgery went."

Kyle was speechless as he watched the doctor walk back through the swinging doors. He wanted nothing more than to go and be with Jared and swore that as soon as Jared was out of this hospital that he would never leave his side. Kyle felt like a fool as he thought of the last couple weeks. He could have been spending quality time with Jared, yet he had continued to pout. He finally realized that the past didn't matter anymore and that all that mattered was being with the person he loved. Kyle's thoughts were interrupted when a nurse showed up at his elbow, a pair of green scrubs in her hands. After showing him where he could shower , the nurse left him to clean up. Five minutes later, Kyle was pacing the waiting room when Chelsea suddenly appeared beside him.

"Kyle? Sweetie? What happened?" She asked, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close to her.

"I don't know Chels, I just don't know," Kyle whispered, tears falling freely down his face. "I saw him at the bar and shortly after I went by his apartment. I got closer to the stairs and I saw something laying at the foot of the stairs, as I got closer I realized it was a person, then I realized it was Jared. Why Chels? Why would he do this to him?"

"Who Kyle? Who do you think did this to him?"

"Isn't it obvious? Matt did this to him, who else could have done it? I mean, no sooner than the ambulance left than Matt was there. Why would he have been going by the apartment complex at that time? It wasn't like it was on his way home."

"C'mon Kyle, you can't obviously believe that Matt would do anything like this. What possible reason would he have to hurt Jared?"

"I don't know Chels, but who else could have done it? Matt hasn't made any secret of the fact that he's not happy that Jared is back."

"I know that Kyle, but Matt would never hurt anyone. You should know him better than that after all these years!"

"I thought I did, but apparently I was wrong," Kyle said dejectedly.

Chelsea didn't know what to say to make Kyle realize that Matt would never have done anything as drastic as what happened to Jared. She continued to gently rub Kyle's back as she thought things through. Chelsea knew that Matt wouldn't have done anything to Jared. They had actually gotten into a fight about Jared earlier that night. Chelsea knew that Jared was no good for Kyle, but Matt continued to tell her to mind her own business.

"Hey Chels," Kyle said, interrupting Chelsea's thoughts," could you do me a favor?"

"Yeah, what do you need me to do?"

"Could you run by my apartment and pack me a bag with a couple changes of clothes? I don't know how long Jared will be here, but I don't want to leave and would rather not stay in scrubs."

"Sure thing Kyle, no problem. Anything in particular that you want me to grab?"

"Nah, anything that's in the closet would be fine," Kyle answered.

"Alright, I'll be back in a little while then. You need me to bring you anything else or is there anything else I can do?"

"Unless you can turn back the clock then that's everything," Kyle managed to choke out.

~~~~~~
Matt was sitting on the couch flipping dejectedly through channels when he heard the front door close. Knowing that it must be Chelsea he switched the T.V. off and rose from the couch. Walking towards the front door, he found Chelsea sagged against the wall in the hallway.

"How's he holding up?" Matt asked, wrapping his arms around Chelsea and pulling her up against his chest.

"He's a basket case," she began, letting out a sigh. "He had me go get a couple changes of clothes, said that he's not going home until Jared is released. I stopped and picked him up something to eat, but he won't eat it. You know how he quit smoking a couple months ago?"

"Yeah, he said there were quicker ways to kill oneself than to puff on one of those cancer sticks," Matt replied.

"Yeah, well, I had just pulled into his apartment complex when the cell rang. It was Kyle asking me to stop on the way back and pick him up a couple packs of Marlboro Reds."

"You're kidding me!" Matt exclaimed in disbelief.

"Nope, and when I refused he told me he'd never forgive me if I made him leave the hospital to go and get them himself."

"Damn Chelsea, please tell me you didn't go and get him smokes?"

"Sorry matt, if I hadn't he would have, you know how stubborn he can be."

"I know that, but he wouldn't have been able to just go get them. The nearest convenience store is at least a couple miles from the hospital and he has no vehicle."

"There's a thing called a cab and besides, it's his life so it's his decision."

"Oh, you mean just like the decision of whether or not he takes Jared back is his decision and his decision alone?"

"Shut up Matt, that is completely different. Jared already broke his heart once and I don't want to see him walk out again. It would probably kill Kyle this time."

"That's not our decision babe, as you said about the smokes, it's Kyle's decision and Kyle's alone. Nobody can make it for him. All we can do is be here in case it crumbles down around him. Shit, I was more against Jared than anyone else was, but sometimes we just have to accept the things that we have no control over."

"You do realize don't you that Kyle thinks you are responsible for the attacks on Jared, right?"

"Yeah, I know he does, I just don't know how to get him to see that I would never willingly hurt anybody like that. I'm not like that Chelsea, just because I don't like the guy doesn't mean that I am going to try and kill him."

"Yeah, well, I'm not the one that you have to convince, and let me tell you, I already tried to convince Kyle that none of this was your fault and he didn't believe me in the least."

"Then I guess I'll just have to make sure that Jared is safe when he gets out of the hospital, won't I," Matt said before walking out the front door.

Chelsea watched the door shut behind Matt wondering if he knew exactly what he was getting into. She knew that the people that they were dealing with were dangerous, but once Matt got his mind fixed on something there was nothing anybody could do to dissuade him.

~~~~~~
Two hours had passed before and still no one had come out to tell Kyle anything about Jared's condition. If someone didn't let him know what was going on soon he was going to go insane. He should have worn a hole in the carpet with all the pacing he did but so far the carpet had held up, unlike Kyle. He wanted so badly to be able to take away all the pain and he wished that it was him lying in the operating room at that moment. He was still lost in thought when he felt a hand settle on his shoulder and squeeze lightly. Turning around he was shocked to see Matt standing behind him. He couldn't believe that Matt had the nerve to show up here after what he had done.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here Matt?"

"I know what you're thinking Kyle and I'm telling you, you're wrong. I didn't do this to him and I am here to make sure that nothing else happens to him."

"You seriously expect me to believe that? You don't like Jared and you have made no bones about it, so why don't you leave. If you think you're getting anywhere near him you better think again, as long as I'm here, you're not getting within a hundred feet of him."

"I didn't do this Kyle, I swear to you that I didn't. I'm only here because I thought maybe you could use a friend with you while you wait."

"A friend?? A friend!!" Kyle yelled, staring Jared in the face. "You are no friend Matt, if you had been you wouldn't have done this! Quit trying to tell me that you didn't do this, who the hell else would have a reason to!"

"I don't know Kyle, I honestly don't know, but I will find out. You won't have to worry about him anymore because I will find out who is trying to hurt him and they will pay. Not just for hurting Jared but also for making you think that I could do something like this," Matt said before turning and walking slowly back out the doors.

Kyle turned back to the window and thought about all of the things that Matt had just said to him. Matt was wrong, he was just trying to lay the blame on somebody else. It didn't matter though, Kyle knew the truth and he would be the one to keep Jared safe. No one except Matt had shown such a dislike over Jared being back in Kyle's life, so he was the only person that Kyle could think of that would have hurt Jared so viciously. Sensing a presence behind him, Kyle turned quickly, ready to tell Matt where he could go when he met the kindly eyes of the doctor.

"How is he Dr?" Kyle asked, nervously shifting his feet.

"We managed to repair all of the damage from the knife. We about lost him a couple of times but we managed to bring him back both times. We're going to keep him ICU for a couple more days at least before we move him to a private room."

"When can I see him?"

"Normally we only allow family members in the room with the patient," the doctor began, at Kyle's downcast look he continued, "however, since the patient has no family in the immediate area we will allow you in the room. You will be able to see him in a couple of hours, but there's really no chance of you seeing him before then. Also, I would encourage you to contact the next of kin just in case."