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AJ lay in his bed staring at the ceiling absent-mindedly. His room was silent apart from the occasional footsteps outside and soft snores coming from one of the other two people in the room. Brian had not returned after his outburst, though AJ knew not to worry. Brian wasn’t one to leave Nick alone for long when he was sick. But then, Brian wasn’t one to throw chairs across rooms either. AJ sighed and rubbed his face. He was confused. He had no clue what the hell was going on. Sure, he knew Nick was dying, and Brian had gone off on a rampage somewhere, and Howie was crying and Kevin was talking to himself in his head about how he wasn’t going to let this happen, but he still didn’t understand. You see this wasn’t SUPPOSED to happen, Nick was only supposed to be “dying” from the flu or something equally as un-threatening, and Brian was only ever supposed to go off on a rampage when Nick dyed his hair purple, and Howie was only supposed to cry when he watched It’s A Wonderful Life and Kevin was only supposed to talk to himself in his head when management were being asses, not when Nick was actually dying. No, this was not supposed happening at all.
AJ sighed again. Out of all the people to need heart transplants it had to be Nick, didn’t it? It couldn’t be some weirdo off the street who had been doing crack for twenty years or some 90 year old who had spent more than enough time on earth. Nope, it HAD to be Nick. AJ growled in annoyance, this was becoming ridiculous. “Why us?” he scowled at the ceiling. “Hmm? Don’t you think you’ve put us through enough?” he hissed. “What have we done to keep on deserving this? I don’t see you doing this to anyone else. Just us? Why? Give me one fucking reason--”

“Uh, Mr. McLean.”

AJ’s looked up at the voice that had interrupted his little rant.

“Yes.” He said tonelessly to the nurse at the door. She looked about sixty, much to old to be working in hospital if you asked AJ.

“You can see Mr. Carter now if you wish.” The nurse told him.

“Now?” he asked hopefully.

The nurse nodded. “Has your doctor said you can leave the bed?”

AJ nodded in reply and the nurse motioned for him to follow her. AJ looked at Kevin and Howie’s sleeping forms, debating on whether to wake them up, before deciding against it and following the nurse out of the room.

“Who was it you were arguing with?” The nurse inquired as they stepped in the elevator.

“God.” AJ replied shortly.

“Oh,” the nurse nodded. “Any particular reason why?”

AJ looked at her unimpressed. “Take a guess.” He replied dryly.

The nurse shook her head. “God will give us the strength to carry our burdens or relieve us of them young man. You’ll do well to remember that.”

AJ didn’t reply. He just stared straight ahead. He didn’t need strength from God. He’d never had it before, and he didn’t need it now. He didn’t want help from the very person who was putting him through this.

“Mr. McLean?” The nurse asked him stopping.

He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow.

She frowned but continued. “Mr. Carter is hooked up to a lot of machines at the moment. He’s also got a few cuts and bruises from the crash. I’m just warning you, seeing him may be a bit of a shock.”

AJ swallowed and blinked away tears that had made there way back to his eyes. “Okay.” He said barely above a whisper.

The nurse nodded, smiling gently, and lead him into the room.

AJ followed her, his mind numb. At first he couldn’t seem to focus and all he could see in the room was the bright white lights. He blinked hard, and took a deep breath in, his sight returning. Slowly he turned towards the bed, and his eyes rested upon Nick. “Oh my God.” He said slowly, his voice barely above a whisper. “That, that can’t be him.That’s, that’s not Nick, I’m sorry we’re in the wrong room, that’s not him.” He continued shaking his head.

“Talk to him.” The nurse instructed.

AJ shook his head. “I… I can’t”

“And why is that?” She inquired .

“I… we… we had an argument. I… I… he doesn’t want to listen to me.” AJ replied, hanging his head.

The nurse bit her lip. “The doctors told you about his condition, hasn’t he?” AJ nodded. “I don’t mean to be blunt, but I don’t believe in giving people false hope, it makes things worse. But he doesn’t have a high chance of getting a donor. I think talking to him is the least you can do. He’s probably scared, he’ll want to hear a familiar voice.”

AJ nodded again and wiped away his tears. ‘It’s the least he could do’ he told himself. Then he stopped, a realisation dawning upon him. But what about the most he could do? He had a heart. Nick needed a heart. He didn’t want to be here without Nick. Nick wanted to be here.

“Mr. McLean are you alright?” the nurse asked confused.

“Uh… sorry,” he said clearing his throat. “Uh, could you get me a doctor. A doctor please? I need to speak to him.”