Classification: RPS AU
Catergory: Drama
Part: 10/?
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Jeff/Drew
Copyright: © 2002 Jasper Jeff
Summary: Tragedy happened. Truth was making its presence.

Nick

"How're we going to gather that sum of money, Nick?" I was in a panic.

"I'll think of a way," Nick said. Not too convincing, but he did seem like he had ideas running around his head.

"I have around ten thousand." That was all I had. Drew meant so much more to me than that. But that's all that I had, and I wasn't going to hold back. However, I felt disappointed in myself.

"That was for your college? Not to be disrespectful, but it's not going to help much." Nick said bitterly. "I've got about twenty... And we're still at least seven hundred and twenty short. Damnit!" Nick cursed under his breath. He was frustrated to say the least.

I just stood there, feeling ashamed of myself. When Drew was in need of help, I couldn't give him any. Yet he risked his life trying to save me.

"I'm going to make a call and tell my family about this. And I'll see how much they can help with this situation."

"Mr. Timmons." A man around mid-thirties came up to us. He showed us his police badge. "If you can spare a few minutes, I'd like to get your statements on the shooting."

Nick went to make the phone call. He said he'd be back with me as soon as he got off the phone.

I was telling Detective Reardon everything I could remember. Twice. He tried to make sure I didn't forget any small detail which would be important. That one minute nightmare replayed itself vividly each time I told it all over again.

Like witnessing the whole thing wasn't enough, I was forced to re-live the event again, and again. All I could think of was the last smile Drew gave me. He was in pain but he smiled for me.

I would have broken down right there if it hadn't been for Nick being there for me. For that, I was thankful.

"Not to scare you, but this looks like more than a random shooting. And the man may even be a hired killer. For safety's sake, try and be careful. The shooter may come back to get you," Reardon said. "Here's my card, contact me if you consider you're in danger. We'll see if the police can provide some protection for you."

"Thanks detective," Nick said, taking the offered name card for me.

The detective nodded to me and shook Nick's hand before leaving.

"We have about a hundred thousand in total now. But that's all of the money our parents have. We still need another six hundred fifty."

I looked at Nick worriedly. There's no way I can think of to raise that sum of money in such a short period of time.

If someone hired a gunman to have me killed, would it be possible that he would simply give me the money and I finished off myself right in front of him?

I knew it wasn't practical, but that's all I could think of.

Drew was lying on the bed peacefully, looking like he was simply asleep. His face looked pale but still breathtakingly handsome. His head, neck, shoulders, arms and upper body were held down onto the bed with padded restrains. I could only assume those were to prevent him from moving too much.

Seeing Drew lying motionless there, I couldn't help the involuntary tears starting to fall from my eyes.

He shielded me from the assault and ended up now on the brink of life and death. He brought laughter into my boring life, but I brought him into such danger.

I felt like an unworthy piece of shit.

I was in Drew's room doing nothing but feeling miserable and hating myself. It might have been minutes but it also might have been hours. Passing of time simply didn't register on my sadness-dominant mind.

"Jeff." Nick called quietly to me from the door. "Can you come out for a minute? I need to talk to you about Drew's operation."

I wasn't about to leave Drew's side. But since Nick wanted to talk about the surgery, maybe he's found a way to raise the money for it. So I got up and followed him out in silence.

The night was a little warm, but I felt a chill when I stepped out of the hospital. We went past the main hospital building and rounded the corner, coming to a small garden for the patients.

Nick sat down on the grass and motioned me to sit down opposite of him. He had a paper file with him.

"Jeff, I have some questions to ask you. I know it's not the right time but I'll be asking anyway since it concerns Drew's chance of making through the surgery. Some questions may make you feel uneasy and some aren't my business under normal circumstances." Nick stopped to breathe, then looked at me. "But this's important to Drew. I love him and I'm only doing this to help him."

I simply nodded to him. I would've done anything in my ability to get Drew the help he needed. If it helped Nick by answering several questions, I wouldn't shy from any of them. Besides, Nick was Drew's brother, I had to trust him.

"Do you love Drew, with all your heart?"

"Yes." The answer came without any hesitation. If I had any, it went away that day.

"You had sex with him?"

"We did. He let me make love to him." I felt my face flush, remembered the time Drew and I shared.

"Did he tell you about our family?" This question came a little bit out of place.

"He was going to before the masked gunman showed up."

"I see... It's probably better for him to tell you about our family. Since he was going to tell you, that meant he considered you family already. I can tell you on behalf of him later on 'cos it's your right to know about Drew. For the time being, just consider our family a very unique one and we've always stayed low profile. No one except family knows."

My curiosity was aroused. Sounded like they have some kind of secrets... Family disease? Inherited inability? Drew seemed very capable to me, in every aspect. But from the way Drew and Nick behaved when they mentioned the subject, it appeared to be of utmost importance.

"Will you forgive Drew if he ever lies to you in order to protect you?" Nick continued with his questions.

I was a little taken aback for not seeing this one coming. "I guess so, but I may be mad. No matter what that is, I believe we can get through it together. If he's hiding things from me to protect me I'm going to be mad, but I'll forgive him." My eyes were getting moist remembering what happened earlier.

Nick nodded. He seemed to understand where that was coming from even though I wasn't expressing myself that well. "I guess you'd do the same for him if you were in his shoes."

"No doubt about that."

"If you have the money, will you help Drew?"

"Drew means more than anything to me. I would sell myself for him if that would give us the money." I was getting emotional but I meant every single word I said.

Nick nodded again. "Even if that means you might not live your life as it was? That could mean losing Drew too." He asked seriously.

I lowered my head, contemplating the situation. Losing Drew - the most fearful thought at the moment. It's hard to imagine living without Drew. It might have been a brief three months, but those were also the best months in my life. Losing Drew to myself but having him living well and happy seemed better than losing him to the world beyond. I seriously doubted I'd ever stop loving him.

I'd rather die instantly if Drew lost the battle for his life.

So I nodded. Gathering up courage to say the words, "Yes, I'll do it, as long as Drew can recover and be his old self again."

Nick broke a weak smile - somewhat relieved, somewhat disappointed - which puzzled me. "I can tell you love my brother very much."

Nick pulled out a set of documents from the paper file. He handed it to me with a pen and said, "Sign on the last page. I'll sell your body. We'll then have the money for Drew's surgery."

"You're not joking." I stated, rather than asked.

"I'm not. Not when it's about my brother's life."

That was a good enough answer. I trusted Nick, for I believed he wanted to help Drew as much as I did if not more. Turning to the last page I found where to sign, and I did it without looking through any of those pages. I handed them back to Nick.

"You didn't look at them at all." Nick said a little surprised.

"I have faith in Drew. You're his brother, so I have faith in you as well. You'll do whatever it's possible to help him. I'm not going to question how you do it 'cos I have no idea whatelse I can do."

"I can see what Drew likes you so much. You're a great guy and Drew's lucky to have met you."

"I'm the lucky one."

"Why don't you go in and say good night to Drew? You're going to stay in my place these few days and I'll give you the whole story behind this," Nick said waving the paper file. "And of course, our family."

"I don't want to leave him here alone." I protested.

Nick sighed. "Trust me. Drew would want you to be with me in my place after signing this."

I couldn't fully understand what Nick had meant by his words. But I decided since I'd started trusting him, I would do as he told me to.

Nick drove us back to his apartment. It was already two in the morning on Sunday when we got there. He showed me in the room where Drew lived. He'd cleared out this morning and moved to my place. Tonight, I was going to sleep here on his bed. It was all so surreal.

There was a duffel bag on Drew's bed. It looked familiar. It looked like mine.

Nick saw me looking at him, and he said, "I brought you some clothes from your place. Take a shower and change into something more comfortable. I'll be in the living room. If you're not too tired, I'll tell you what I've promised." Then he turned to leave.

"How did you get into my apartment for my things." I was more than puzzled now.

"Answers come later. Go ahead and shower first," Nick said and headed out of the room.

From the author:
Yeah, I'm an attention-sucker. Write to me with your comments and ideas!

Copyright © by Jasper Jeff
http://jasperjeff.no-ip.org/