There's more to it than meets the eye ... 7/?
Title: There's more to it than meets the eye ... 7/?
Author: lausbub0402
Beta: disneymagics
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 3.227 in this part
Characters: Jensen, Jared + just about the whole SPN gang - RPF, gen
Warnings: none - although the story takes place while filming 6.16 ... there are no actual spoilers for the episodes as such
Disclaimer: I don't own Jensen,Jared or any other people from the SPN set, I'm just borrowing their names/characters, no harm or infringement intended
Summary: “Alright? Misha, did you even hear what the set medic said? It looks like Jensen had a freakin’ heart attack! A heart attack, man! The guy‘s not even 33 yet!” Jared furiously yelled at the man in front of him.
A/N: So sorry it took me so long (again) but RL keeps getting in the way somehow. A huge thank you to my wonderful beta disneymagics, without her and her amazing work I wouldn't be writing the 8th chapter by now.
In case you forgot what happened in the last chapter (such as my lovely friend cadia58 you might want to go back first and read it again - back to chapter 6 this way
If not here's chapter 7 ... ;o)
No matter how hard they tried, Jensen’s fever wouldn’t budge. For several hours, Jared and Jim were kept busy wiping Jensen’s feverish skin with cold washcloths while the nurse and an orderly replaced the icepacks from time to time.
Jensen opened his eyes occasionally but didn’t seem to realize what was going on around him.
They were about halfway through the night when things took a turn for the worse.
Jared wasn’t sure how, but when asked later, he remembered feeling that something was drastically wrong before it actually happened.
The next round of icepacks had melted away and the nurse had gone with the orderly to get new ones. Jim was slumped in a nearby chair while Jared was wiping Jensen’s chest with the washcloth for what felt like the hundredth time that night. At first it was only a small twitch of muscles underneath his fingers, so imperceptible that he nearly missed it, followed by a weak trembling that seemed to shake Jensen’s entire body.
Jared shook his head. It had been a long, exhausting night, maybe he was starting to imagine things? He had just finished his thought when another, stronger shudder coursed through his friend’s body and the lines on the monitors next to Jensen’s bed went crazy.
“Jim!” Jared’s gaze frantically ricocheted from Jensen’s body to the monitors and back. “Something’s wrong, get the doctor!” he yelled at the other man who was already halfway through the door.
Jared kept his hand on Jensen’s chest while his eyes were glued to the monitors. The lines and figures were doing a crazy dance and without any warning Jensen’s back arched off the bed.
Jared’s eyes widened in horror, as a series of spasms wracked his friend’s body. He held on to Jensen for dear life.
“No! No don’t do that to me, man. Please!” He begged, although he knew Jensen was too out of it to hear him.
Jim returned with the nurse who immediately checked the readings on the monitors.
“He’s seizing,” she stated calmly. “I’m going to page Dr. Spencer. Try to hold him still so he doesn’t hurt himself.” With that said she hurried out of the room.
Jim and Jared took their places on either side of the bed and grabbed Jensen’s shoulders. They felt the tremors right before another spasm forced Jensen’s upper body right off the bed. Jensen’s convulsions were so strong that even with both of them holding onto him as tightly as they dared, it was nearly impossible to keep their friend from falling to the floor. Jared knew Jensen was too sick to be consciously fighting them, but he couldn’t help feeling guilty about holding the man down. Then, just when Jared didn’t think it could get any worse, Jensen’s whole body started to shake uncontrollably as multiple spasms coursed through his muscles for what seemed like an eternity.
“Stop it Jensen, please! Oh God, please stop it!” Jared felt the panic rise with every new spasm and helplessly looked over to Jim with pleading eyes.
“He’ll be fine Jared, he’ll be …” Before Jim was able to finish his sentence, Jensen’s body went slack underneath their hands.
Jared released a shuddering breath and took an unsteady step back to take a closer look at the now still form on the bed.
Too still!
At that moment a shrieking alarm went off and both men stared in horror at the two flat lines on the monitor.
“NO!”
*****************************
Within seconds the small room was filled with people and Jared and Jim were pushed aside and out into the hallway where they were left staring helplessly at the closed door while inside doctors and nurses were frantically working on Jensen.
A nurse rushed out of the room, accidently leaving the door ajar so that muffled sounds and voices revealed what was going on inside. Jared stood frozen to the spot and, although he couldn’t see inside the room, his mind created images to go along with the sounds he heard. The alarm had been turned off but the steady, single tone of the heart monitor made his stomach clench.
He knew the swooshing sound meant that they were pushing air into Jensen’s lungs and the strange snap of the defibrillator sending about 300 volts of electricity through Jensen’s chest instantly reminded him of the similar scene from In my time of dying. Only this time no one would be shouting Cut! And no one would start laughing at Jensen’s disgusted look while they finally freed him from all the wires and the plastic tube.
This time everything was for real and his best friend was fighting for his life without his friends in a cold, sterile hospital room.
Jared gasped for air. His chest felt like something was squeezing it with ice-cold fingers and it was getting difficult to draw adequate air to fill his lungs. His heart thudded heavily underneath his ribs as if it was trying to find a way out of his body. It was getting harder to breathe and all he could hear was his blood rushing in his ears. His vision started to get fuzzy around the edges and as if from a great distance he could hear Jim’s voice saying something, but he couldn’t understand what.
Suddenly all the noises and voices were gone except for the one imaginary voice screaming in his head, taunting him with the words he feared like nothing else in the world.
“Jensen’s heart stopped! He’s dying!”
He wanted to move, wanted to get to Jensen so badly, but he was not able to, his body stiff and unresponsive.
His mind went completely blank, the only thought repeating itself over and over again: ‘This is not happening! This can’t be happening! It’s just a freaking nightmare and I’m gonna wake up any second now.’
Jared felt the tears well up, greying his vision even more. A white shadow moved toward the spot where he still stood unmoving and stopped in front of him. Doctor Spencer! He could see the doctor’s lips moving but he couldn’t hear a sound which wasn’t so bad since he didn’t want to hear the words anyway.
He really didn’t want to hear that the doctor was sorry, that they weren’t able to get Jensen’s heart to beat again.
He really didn’t want to hear that there was nothing more they could do.
And he especially didn’t want to hear that his best friend had passed away because his heart was just too weak to deal with the fever seizures.
All he wanted to hear was the heartwarming laugh that never failed to make him smile.
All he wanted to see were the emerald green eyes that always seemed to sparkle happily when they were looking at Jared.
All he wanted to do was wrap his arms around his best friend, feeling the warmth and the affection that had been between them for the past six years.
A lot of people liked to conjecture that there was more between them than met the eye and they were right. Over the years they had become more than just co-workers and good friends. Jensen was the best friend he’d ever had, more like a brother, a soul-mate. With Jensen around he felt comfortable, safe, prepared to face life no matter what obstacles might be thrown in his way. He had never realized before how much he actually needed Jensen. Not 24/7 - no, they were both living their own lives with their wives and families, but the fact that he knew Jensen would be there for him, whenever he needed him, had always been his lifeline, a constant in his life he never thought he would ever lose.
Jared just couldn’t bear the thought of never hearing that laugh again, never looking in those beautiful green eyes again. He couldn’t stand the thought of a life without Jensen.
A strangled cry tore from his body before his vision turned completely dark and Jared reluctantly let himself sink into the blissfully black oblivion.
**************************************
Jim was devastated at the sight of Jensen flat lining.
Unable to say a word, he stood in the hallway with Jared, his mind racing, not believing what he had just witnessed. This couldn’t be real!
He desperately fought the urge to turn on his heels and run out of the hospital. He had been confronted with too many losses of loved ones and dear friends lately and just didn’t want to go through this ordeal again.
He couldn’t even imagine how this horrible turn of events must be affecting Jared. If he already felt crushed like this, how must Jared be feeling right now?
The two young men meant more to him than he was willing to admit but he couldn’t deny the feelings any longer. Everybody talked about the crew of Supernatural being one big family and it was oh so true. During all those years working with the same people day in day out, he had become accustomed to having all of them around. Especially those two boys. Both such friendly and lovable human beings, down to earth despite their growing success, always looking out for each other and helping everybody whenever and wherever they had a chance.
There have been various occasions where Jim felt a lot like Bobby, not only seeing Jared and Jensen as his friends, but also as his sons. So how was he supposed to deal with losing a son like this?
The only thing that kept him from instantly leaving the hospital was Jared. Jim knew that the young man needed him more than anything in this situation. He could practically hear Jensen’s voice begging him to look after his brother and to not leave him alone right now.
Jim stepped closer to Jared, trying to find comforting words, reaching out to put a shaking hand on the other man’s shoulder. He could see a single tear slowly making its way down Jared’s pale left cheek while his friend blankly stared at the door in front of him. Jared was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn’t realize the doctor was approaching them and he didn’t seem to hear the words either Jim or the doctor were saying.
“The Seizing … heart stopped beating … got him back … sinus rhythm … sedated …resting for now ...”
Although Jim was only able to grasp bits and pieces of what Dr. Spencer was saying he clung to the words got him back and resting for now.
He looked over at Jared and said, “Did you hear that, Jared? He’ll …” he was interrupted by the inhuman cry that erupted from Jared’s body with such velocity and power that Jim and the doctor were caught by total surprise and hardly had time to react when the young man crumbled to the floor in a boneless heap.
“We need a gurney.” the doctor instructed a nurse and gently patted Jared’s cheek.
“Mr. Padelecki … Sir, can you hear me?”
Jim crouched on the floor next to Jared and stroked his hair.
“Jared? Come on boy, don’t do this to me … open your eyes … are you two idjits try to kill me here? You heard the Doc, Jensen’s okay … he’s resting and he needs you to be there when he wakes up, kid!”
**************************************
Slowly Jared’s eyes fluttered open and he blinked a couple times to clear his vision. “Did you say…is Jensen really okay?” he croaked out, fearing the answer but needing the reassurance so desperately.
Jim nodded slowly and gave the young man an encouraging smile, swallowing hard around the lump in his throat.
“Your friend’s resting … he gave us quite a scare but the crisis is over and I don’t think we need to worry about any further complications tonight.” Doctor Spencer assured them.
“Thank God!” Jared sighed and slowly tried to sit up. He wanted to get to Jensen, to see with his own eyes that what Jim and the doctor had told him was really true. He didn’t get far though. Strong hands held him down and the doctor started to speak in a soothing voice. “Easy there, young man. We’re going to put you on that gurney now and I’d like to give you a quick once-over, before you go anywhere.”
Jared impatiently waved him off and pushed himself to his feet. “I’m fine, I wanna see Jensen!”
Jim suspiciously eyed the young man who swayed dangerously and grabbed him by his right arm. “Hey Jared, you just fainted on us so please do as the doc says. You can see Jensen in a bit, but first we’ll have to make sure that you’re okay.” Jim pleaded and guided Jared toward the gurney.
Jared realized there was no use in denying that he wasn’t quite steady on his feet and gave in with a frustrated huff.
“Alright, but I can see Jensen as soon as you’re done checking whatever you need to check, right?”
“I promise Mr. Padalecki, as soon as I’m satisfied with your condition I’ll allow you to see Mr. Ackles.” Doctor Spencer smiled and gently pushed the young man down on to the gurney. “Just try to relax, we’ll take care of everything.”
**************************************
A couple of hours later …
Jensen hesitantly opened his eyes and let out a small moan. His head was throbbing. He registered movement on his right side and sympathetically winced at the sound of popping joints. Slowly, Jim’s face invaded his vision.
“Jensen?”
“You shouldn’t put those old bones in a plastic chair all night long old man!” Jensen mumbled and forced out a small smile.
Jim opened his mouth to answer but then closed it again and simply shook his head.
Jensen cautiously moved his still pounding head to the left side. “Where’s Jared?”
“Taking a break in the bed over there.” Jim pointed over to the now occupied bed at the far end of the room. “It’s been quite a rough night, ya know.” He explained while he tentatively reached for Jensen’s forehead.
Jensen surprised himself by leaning into the touch instead of backing away as he normally would. But Jim’s hand was blessedly cool and it seemed to ease some of the ache away so he relaxed and let himself take comfort from his friend’s presence.
“Looks like your fever finally broke.” Jim commented.
“Hm … what time is it?” Jensen’s voice sounded weak but he felt more like himself than he had the last time his eyes had been open.
“About 5 a.m.” Jim replied and tiredly rubbed his temples.
Jensen’s gaze wandered back to the tall form of Jared on the other bed and his eyes widened when his sight fell on the IV pole next to the bed. He pushed himself up to get a better look and at the same time asked Jim: “What’s wrong with Jared? Why’s he …” He stopped short to catch his breath.
Jim put a reassuring hand on Jensen’s chest and answered softly. “He’s okay. They’ve put him on a drip to stabilize his circulation and gave him something so he’d finally get some sleep. Last night was a little bit too much for him.”
“Too much? What happened Jim?” Jensen asked with a concerned frown.
“What do you remember?”
“Huh, not much … everything’s kinda fuzzy, but I remember that whenever I came to you guys were there. I …” he took a minute to sort out his vague memories before he continued. “Somehow it felt like I was drifting under water … and there was this white light …” Jensen squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them again his gaze was absent and he seemed to be miles away, completely lost in his thoughts.
“Jensen?” Jim’s voice was soft, full of understanding.
Jensen turned his head and looked at his friend with bleary eyes. “Dunno Jim … there was this light … and then … pain. That’s all I remember.”
“You were seizing and then …” the older man swallowed hard “And then … your heart stopped beating.” Jim’s voice wasn’t more than a whisper.
“What?” Jensen stared at him with questioning eyes, uncomprehendingly.
“You … you flat lined!” Another voice was heard from across the room. “I … I thought you were dead!” Jared whispered in a shaky voice, his whole body trembling as he tried to get out of the bed.
“Stop it!” Jim and Jensen shouted simultaneously while the older man instantly jumped out of his chair and the younger one tried to get up as well.
“You both stay right where you are, you idjits!” Jim shouted angrily and a satisfied smile crossed his face when both of them stopped moving.
“You …” he pointed in Jared’s direction “stay right where you are until the Doc tells you that you can move. Do you hear me? And you …” he threw a threatening look over to Jensen “you just do the very same, got that?”
The young men both looked like they wanted to object, but Jim was saved from a discussion as the door opened and Doctor Spencer entered the room.
“Ah I see both of you are awake, that’s good gentlemen. So how are we feeling?”
“Fine!” Jared and Jensen answered in unison and Jim helplessly shrugged. “Idjits!”
Doctor Spencer walked over to Jensen and checked the notes on the clipboard at the foot of the young man’s bed. A small smile crossed his face. “Looks like your fever finally broke. You gave everybody quite a scare last night.”
Jensen nodded slowly. “I’m feeling okay, but what about Jared? What’s wrong with him?”
“Well the fact that your friend hasn’t slept much and has hardly had anything to eat or drink since you’ve been here, along with the extreme emotional stress of last night, caused a temporary shut-down of his circulation.” The doctor explained while checking Jared’s pulse and blood pressure.
Jared rolled his eyes. “Come on Doc, don’t be so dramatic. I’m fine, I just needed a little rest and now that I’ve rested I’m as good as new.”
Even from across the room Jensen could see the dark rings under his friend’s eyes that stood in stark contrast to what Jared just had said. He knew the last couple of days and the constant worry had taken its toll on Jared and the last thing Jensen wanted right now was to give him any more reasons to worry. He felt tired to the bone and the pounding in his head got worse with every minute he tried to keep his eyes open. He felt the urge to just close his eyes and sleep forever but he couldn’t allow himself to give in just yet. He first had to make sure that Jared would get what he obviously needed so badly right now.
Jensen wanted this whole thing to be over sooner rather than later, for the sake of his friend and for himself. He wanted to be able to just get out of that stupid hospital bed, get back to work and go on like nothing had ever happened.
But most of all he wanted to see Jared smile again!
tbc
chapter 8 this way