Vic’s P.O.V.

“Vic Fuentes?” a male doctor suddenly called out.

It had been about two hours since everyone had arrived, and the sudden mention of my name caused everyone, including myself, to perk up and all but throw ourselves at the doctor. I was automatically up on my feet and saying, “That’s me.”

The doctor nodded at me and then looked over my shoulder to the other large mass of people that had stood up with me. His gaze finally settled back on me and he looked down at me with a soft expression. “Well, first off, I’d like to inform you that Dean is fine-” a large sigh of relief was let out by everyone and the doctor didn’t even blink as he continued “-and that she’s awake now. We do want to keep for just a bit longer, so in a few hours, you all are free to take her home. However, since she is awake, she has asked that she talks to you first,” he adds, nodding at bit towards me with his head.

Just as soon as my heart stopped hammering in my chest, it picked right back up again. I was happy to see Dean, I really was, but why me? Why did she want to see me first?

With a bit of a nervous gulp, I nodded and looked back at my friends one last time before I followed the doctor down the hallway from where he’d come from. We walked through a few corridors before finally stopping in front of a dull grey door marked ‘29’. The doctor twisted the handle and stepped into the room first, but before he could even begin to say anything, a soft, quiet voice asked, “Is he here?”

“Yes, Ms. Manchester, Mr. Fuentes and half of Houston are here to see you,” the doctor told her, shaking his head as he scribbled something down on his clipboard.

“Well, I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s half of Houston, but it’s pretty close,” I joke, finally stepping into view. Dean’s eyes immediately landed on me, and her tired, fatigued body immediately perked up. She was still very pale and fragile looking, but she no longer looked like death, and for some reason, just seeing her sitting up and actually breathing made the nervous feeling in my stomach subside and brought a smile to my face.

“Vic,” she quietly breathed, her small lips turning up a bit in a smile. “You came…”

I couldn’t help the soft chuckle that escaped my lips as I made my way over to the side of her hospital bed. “Of course I came, Darling,” I say, sitting down in the chair next to the bed and taking one of her hands in my own. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Dean’s eyes shone a bit with tears as they began to flicker from my face to our intertwined hands. “I- I just…” she shook head and tore her gaze away from my face. “It’s not important,” she finally whispered.

My eyebrow shot up a bit in suspicion, but I quickly brushed the feeling off and let it go for now. I wasn’t going to press anything like that when Dean was in this state. “Why’d you call me in here, Dean?” I softly asked.

Dean still refused to look at me and instead started to pick at a loose thread on the hem of her blanket. “I...I don’t know, I just needed to see you,” she whispered. “I wanted to hear your voice and make sure that I haven’t lost it all just yet.”

My eyebrows furrowed together a bit in confusion. “Why would you lose it all?” I asked, softly squeezing her hand as I did so.

Dean opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a dry, heartbreaking croak. Tears immediately streamed down her face as she shook her head, yanking her hand away from mine and scooting over to the opposite edge of her small bed. I jumped up from the chair and sat on the bed, trying to comfort her and see what was wrong, but all Dean did was flinch at the sudden contact between us and place her hand over her mouth as she let out a muffled sob. She started to mumble some bits of nonsense, but between the tears and her hand muffling the sound, I couldn’t make out anything that she was saying. Seeing her just break down all of the sudden broke my heart. I couldn’t stand seeing her like this, seeing in her so much pain.

I tried again to wrap my arms around her, and while she did cower away again, she eventually relaxed into my arms and twisted around to sob into my chest. Her sobs had gotten heavier and more painful to listen to, but I still sat there with my arms around her in comforting, protective matter while I whispered random bits of nonsense in her ears. I was a bit surprised the doctor or the nurse that walked in not long ago said or did anything, they just carried on with what they were supposed to do like this was a normal thing, and honestly, I was kind of grateful for that.

Several minutes later, Dean’s sobs finally ceased and she was left sniffling into the soggy part of my shirt. I had taken to lightly resting my chin on the top of her head, and when I heard her breathing start to even out and felt her body stop shaking so violently, I leaned down a bit so I could whisper into her ear.

“You okay, Darling?” I quietly questioned.

I got a sniffle in response and a few minutes later heard Dean let out a shaky sigh. “I’m fine,” she barely whispers.

I had to keep myself from outwardly cringing at her response. I knew she wasn’t fine, and just by saying she was fine, I knew she was so very far from fine. However, I didn’t question it or saying anything against it. I wanted to help her, but I wasn’t going to push her if she wasn’t quite ready to talk about anything.

“Alright,” I mumble, quickly kissing the top of her head and beginning to slowly rock back and forth with her in my arms. We stayed like this for quite awhile, just sitting here and listening to each other’s heartbeats, until the doctor finally spoke up and asked to check up on Dean’s vitals.

Reluctantly, I unwrapped my arms from around Dean, but Dean quickly grabbed hold of one of my hands and shot a very frightened, pleading look my way. I knew what she was silently asking me, and I gave her a small nod before lightly squeezing her hand and sitting on the edge of the bed. The doctor checked her pulse and a few other things before scribbling a few things down onto his clipboard and looking back at up the both of us.

“Well,” he spoke, “it looks like you’re going to be just fine, Ms. Manchester. You sustained a few bruised ribs and several other scrapes and cuts on your body, so you’ll probably be sore for a couple of days. Other than that, you’ll live.”

I released a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding and gave the doctor a grateful smile. “Thank you,” I breathed.

The doctor nodded and then turned his attention back to Dean. “Would you like me to bring in the rest of your friends?” he asked.

Dean nodded in response and smiled ever-so-slightly. “That’d be great,” she spoke softly.

The doctor smiled back and then left the room to go get the rest of the guys who still sitting in the waiting room. The nurse had left a little while ago as well, so Dean and I were completely alone in the room together. There were so many things I wanted to ask and wanted to say, but I didn’t know where to start. Dean also made no move to start speaking anytime soon, so I decided that for now, keeping my mouth shut and thoughts to myself would be the best action to take.

It wasn’t long until the door burst open and everyone was flooding into the room, buzzing with questions and gushing with all forms of sympathy. They all began to crowd around the small hospital bed, and I could see Dean shrinking back and shake out of the corner of my eye, so I decided to speak up.

“Guys, I know you’re worried, but give her some room, will ya?” I shout, immediately silencing the loud buzz in the room. Everyone mumbled some sort of an apology and they all took a few steps back from the bed. Dean almost instantly relaxed and stopped shaking, letting out a small breath as she looked out at the large group in front of her. She started to tear up again at seeing everyone standing there, but she swallowed back the tears and just forced on a smile.

“How are you holding up?” Jaime asked, being the first one to break the silence.

Dean shrugged her response and mumbled a quick, “I’m fine.”

“The doctor said there was nothing really major to worry about with her, either,” I chime in, causing almost every single pair of eyes to fall on me. “She just has a few bruised ribs and some other scrapes and cuts on her body. She should be fine and healed up within a few weeks.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Justin spoke, everyone else nodding and murmuring in agreement. “You really had us worried there for a minute, Dean.”

Dean’s eyes flickered down to the ground as she started to absentmindedly pick at another loose thread on the sheet. “Sorry,” she sheepishly mumbled.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, baby girl,” Kellin spoke up, giving Dean a reassuring smile. “We’re all just really happy that you’re fine now-”

“Yeah, I definitely couldn’t stand losing you right now, Dean,” Mike butt in. “I’m still in need of a drinking buddy for the tour-”

Several loud groans rose up from the others while a few mumbled something along the lines of ‘Jesus Christ, Mike’ and/or scolded him for being so insensitive. However, when I looked over at Dean, I saw a ghost of a smile playing across her lips, and I knew what Mike did made her feel at least a tiny bit better, and that brought a bit of a smile to my face as well.

As time went on, we all settled into the small hospital room with Dean, some of us sitting on chairs or the floor while others just stayed standing or leaned up against any empty space of wall available. Thankfully, the doctor was able to pull some strings and allowed to let us all stay in the room for the rest of Dean’s visit. Gabe and Tony left at one point to go back to the bus to get some clothes for Dean to change into when she was released from the hospital while everyone else hung around and talked with each other. Dean didn’t do much talking, she just kind of sat there and stared off into space while she listened to our many conversations. Sometimes, she’d say a word or two to someone, but for the most part, she kept to herself. Her hand never let go of mine though, no matter what. Nobody even questioned the fact that we were holding hands, that is, if they even noticed.

Soon enough, the morning rolled around and the doctor told us that we were all clear to check Dean out of the hospital. Everyone let out a bit of a consensual cheer at this, even Dean, and we all got ushered out the room so the doctor could do one last test on Dean and so she could change into the clothes Gabe and Tony returned with. This left us to crowd back into that small waiting room again where we freaked out yet again another group of people waiting for their own loved ones. Chris, however, went to the front desk so he could sign any paperwork he needed to take care of and to make a few phone calls about the tour. We may have had one of our days off today, but that didn’t mean that there were still some things that needed to be changed due to our new time restraints. Besides, we still had to drive 15 hours to St. Petersburg, and that no doubt was going to be hard on the bus drivers.

Moments later, a nurse came out with Dean at her side, and after discussing the pain meds Dean had to take for the next two weeks, Chris signed the last piece of paperwork he needed to sign and we were all free to go.

Honestly, the guys were more excited to leave the hospital than Dean was. Granted, she was beyond relieved to leave the place, but the guys really hated in there. Dean and I had gradually fallen back behind the large mass of band members wandering off to whichever bus they’d all taken to get here, but while we walked, I could tell there was something that was scaring Dean about having to go back. When I was sure we were out of earshot of everyone else, I made my move to speak.

“Well that place was kind of horrible,” I joked, looking over at Dean with a slight smile.

She smiled a bit herself and let out a small snort. “Right,” she mumbled.

“I mean, the least they can do is maybe make the place not so depressing and invest in some decent chairs,” I continue, getting more of a smile and tiny giggle in return.

“I’m sorry you guys had to go through that for me,” she softly spoke after a moment.

I shrugged and kept on walking with her, the soft sound of our shoes scuffing the asphalt filling up the silence. “You really don’t have to apologise for that Dean, we didn’t care about how bad the hospital was. We just wanted to make sure you were taken care of-”

“Why?” she suddenly snapped, taking me a bit by surprise. “Why do you even care?”

“Because we do,” I carefully say. “Dean, we’re your friends- I’m your friend, and friends care for each other-”

“I didn’t ask you to care for me,” she quietly mumbled, staring straight at the ground as she walked.

I snorted a bit and rolled my eyes. “Well you don’t really have a choice in that matter,” I say.

Dean rolled her eyes as well and let out a low, tired sigh. “Whatever,” she grumbled.

More silence fell between us again momentarily before I finally asked the question that had been bugging me for the past few minutes. “Dean, are you okay?” I asked her. “I mean, I know I already asked you that, but-”

“I’m fine, Vic,” she quickly replied. “Just peachy, in fact.”

I let out a mildly annoyed sigh at her response and turned to give Dean a bit of a pointed look. “I honestly have a hard time believing that-”

“Then believe what you want!” she hissed, turning on me and glaring daggers at me. “I just got out of a fucking hospital, Vic, give me a break!”

My face fell and I looked back at Dean’s angry face with a guilty expression. “I- I’m sorry Dean,” I softly apologised. “I just want to help-”

“If you really want to help me, then you would stop asking me questions and let me be,” she spat, quickly turning on her heel and stalking off towards the bus.

I stood there and watched her go, frozen to my spot like the idiot I was. Dean wasn’t alright, that much I was sure of, but that didn’t mean I felt incredibly guilty for making her blow up like that. I honestly just wanted to help, but maybe I was pushing her too much on the subject. I just couldn’t help but worry about her, though. Dean was my friend, and there was something else about her that I just felt protective over.

I finally made my way back to the bus, which just so happen to be my band’s bus, and the moment I walked through the doors, all eyes turned to me.

“Dude, what the fuck did you do?” Mike asked.

My eyebrows furrowed up in confused. “What do you mean?”

“Dean looked like she was ready to kill when she got onto the bus,” Jaime said. “She also ignored all of us and locked herself up in the back lounge-”

“Yeah, and you were the last person she was talking to, so this is all on you buddy,” Kellin butted in, everyone else nodding in agreement.

I let out an exasperated sigh and shook my head at everyone staring at me. “I don’t know what to tell you,” I admit. “We were just talking, and then I asked her if she was okay and she just blew up in my face-”

“Dude, Vic, you don’t just ask people, especially if they could be emotionally unstable, if ‘they’re okay’,” Gabe groaned, wiping his face with his hand.

“I’m sorry, but I needed to know, okay?” I sigh. “I’m really worried about her-”

“Oh, like we’re not?” Justin snapped.

My eyes narrowed at him and it took all my will-power not to glare a hole through his head. “I’m not saying you’re not, but you didn’t see what I saw back in that hospital room,” I snap back in reply. “She basically broke down all because I walked into that room and said ‘hi’!”

The bus went quiet for a few seconds while everyone sat there and stared at me with wide eyes. “Seriously?” Tony quietly asked, being the first to break the silence.

I just sighed and nodded, quickly running a hand through my already disheveled hair. “Yeah, basically,” I told him. “You guys, I’m really worried about her. I just have this feeling that whatever happened to Dean and caused her to end up in that trash can was bad.”

“Well what are we supposed to do exactly?” Jesse asked, his eyebrow cocked up in a questioning matter. “I mean, I’m pretty sure I’m speaking for everyone here when I say that I want to find whoever was responsible for this and tear them a new one, but where do we even start? We’ve got nothing to go off of.”

“We can start by asking around with the crew and with Deaf Lions,” Chris spoke up, looking out at everyone with a careful gaze. “Someone’s bound to know something about this.”

Everyone nodded and started talking amongst themselves and forming plans on finding out what happened. Me? I just sank down onto one of the couches and blankly stared up at the ceiling. My mind was swimming with too many thoughts for me to properly think about this. I barely picked up on the few people who would try to talk to me and I was barely aware of the bus stopping and the Sleeping With Sirens guys all piling out of the bus to get onto their own bus.

I was out of it completely. My brain and body were exhausted and everything around me just didn’t seem right. Nothing looked or felt real, and it wasn’t until I didn’t even respond to Jaime hitting me with a pillow that I was finally forced by the rest of my bandmates to go lie down in my bunk.

Once I’d numbly found my way to my bunk, I crawled into my bunk and just lied there. I didn’t bother taking off my clothes or even my shoes. All I wanted to do was lie there in my bunk and stare into the light colored fabric of my pillow, which in my tired, mildly delirious state, was quite fascinating.

Eventually, my body started to accept the thought of sleep, but even as I started to slip into sleep’s warm embrace, my mind was still alert and thinking. My thoughts were still racing, and even when my mind finally blacked out and I was overcome by sleep, one thing remained present in my mind:

Dean.

Notes

Ugh, this is horrible. But hey, I got the update up! This was kind of just a bit of a filler, so I'm sorry for that. The next chapter should be up tomorrow, and maybe I'll get a couple more in after that, but I go back to school on Thursday, so I'm not making any promises on that.