That Thing You Do! (Multiband Fan Fic)

Chapter 42 - All The Kings Horses

Katie's P.O.V

I held on tight to Dylan's waist as we searched for Stevie.
"Last deal went down a block away!" He called out to me, turning the left, going off the main road.
Eddie and Kirk were behind us in the mini van, Kirk driving, and Maria was at home waiting for Stevie to show up or call.

Dylan slowed down, coming to a stop at some red lights.
"It's that alley, by the hair dressers..." He pointed it out to me.
I climbed off the bike, taking my helmet off. I shoved the helmet into Dylan's hands and ran for the alley.
"STEVIE!" I shouted, running onto the pavement and straight for the alley.

I saw a wallet on the ground, just outside the alley.
I grabbed it and caught my breath, looking inside it.
"Steven King..." I saw the ID. I looked down the alley, not a drop of sunlight pouring in, garbage bins were all I could find, not a drummer in sight.
"Oh no..." Eddie took the wallet from me.

The lights changed and cars started moving. Kirk and Dylan parked up as close as they could.
"Where is he...?" I looked at Eddie, tears threatening to pour.
"We'll find him." Eddie placed a hand on my shoulder.
"OK, I'm gonna try the nearest hospital. Kirk, could you call the house, get Monroe home. Ed-"
"Wait!" Kirk stopped Dylan, looking into the alley.
"What?" I looked to where he was looking.

Behind the dumpster was a shoe... No, a boot. A black boot with a silver buckle.
We all walked over, Kirk pulling the dumpster out from the wall some more then it was.
"Stevie!" We all gasped.
He was lying on the cold hard ground, with saliva all around his mouth. His leather jacket was off on one arm and a needle was lying next to him.
"No... No, no!" I got down on the ground, lifting up his head, placing him in my lap.
"D-Do something." I looked at Dylan.
"Call an ambulance!" Dylan got down on the ground.
"On it! Kirk, call home!" Eddie instructed.

"Stevie, man?" Dylan called to my best friend.
He wasn't responding. He was pale and cold, but I'm calling that on the lack of sun.
"CPR." Dylan placed one hand over the other on Stevie's chest.
I shook Stevie some, trying to get something from him. "He can't die! Don't let him die, Dylan!" I screamed.
"One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four." Dylan started counting.
"We need an ambulance. We're in the alley by..." Eddie walked out the alley, looking up at the salon, his phone at his ear.
"We found him! We're calling an ambulance. Looks bad..." Kirk looked down at me.
"Help him!" I cried out, looking at Dylan.
"...Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four. Stevie, come on!" Dylan wouldn't stop.
"They're on their way!" Eddie came back. "Come on, Stevie..."

"Please, don't go..." I stoked his hair out of his eyes.
"... Four. One. Two. Three. Four." Dylan kept going, until Stevie choked.
His chest was raising, as if coughing, but he wasn't making any noise.
Dylan pushed me out the way and grabbed Stevie.
"Don't hurt him!" I screamed out, someone coming up behind me and holding me.
Dylan lay Stevie on his side and opened his mouth, where Stevie started throwing up.
"Come on, Stevie! I've got you, man. I'm not letting you go!" Dylan told him, speaking toughly, but sweetly.
Stevie was a mess, now starting to sweat. His eyes were open to slits, he was panting hard, saliva just everywhere.

"Stevie..." Kirk let me go, as I crawled over to him.
"Franh..." Stevie breathed out, before passing out again.
"Stevie, no! Wake up!" I cradled him again.
I moved his jacket onto his shoulder, and over his body. "He's cold..." I hugged him.
"He's alive. Where's the ambulance?!" Dylan called out, just as we heard sirens.

. . .

"Congratulations... You saved his life." A male nurse pet Dylan's shoulder.
We sat in a waiting room, just waiting for something.
"What happened to him? Stevie doesn't do hard drugs." Eddie asked, sat opposite Dylan, who had his head in his hands. He hasn't spoken since we got here.
Maria rubbed Eddie's arm, sat on his right, Vikki sat on Dylan's right, with me on his left, and Kirk sat on my left. Joe, Billie, Steven T, Liv, and the gov were all here too.
"It would appear he had an overdose of heroin. We've gotten it out of his system, but he's not going to be well for a couple of days." The nurse explained.
"I'll call Peter. You guys can tour at a later date... This isn't the end. The King still lives." Gov looked at us.
I nodded, sat in the plastic chair with my knees up, hiding from the world.

"Can we see him?" Liv asked the nurse.
"Only two of you. He's asleep, but is likely to wake up again soon." The nurse replied.
"Katie, go see him." Joe told me.
I shook my head, no.
"You're his only family..." Dylan croaked out, looking at me.
I shook my head, no.
I paused. Viv and Gabe had no idea...
I looked at Dylan and nodded at him. "Can you come with me?" I asked him.
He nodded and we got up, the nurse taking us to my cousin.

. . .

I sat on the bed, my legs crossed, holding Stevie's hand.
Dylan sat in a purple fabricated chair, on the right of Stevie, my left.
"... All the kings horses, and all the kings men, couldn't put Stevie back together again." I whispered, playing with his fingers.
He was limp, but breathing. Fast asleep.
"He's OK..." Dylan whispered.
We've been in here for twenty minutes.

"Can we not tell his parents?" I asked. "They'll blame me." As soon as I spoke those words, I began to reconsider. I can't run from this. Stevie's in my home, my care. I should own up to this.
"This wasn't your fault. His folks know he does drugs, he was forced into heroin. The only needle he likes is from a tattoo gun. Don't blame yourself for this. I should of gone with him, but I was just thinking about the tour..." Dylan sniffed.
I looked at him and he was crying. "Dyl-man..."
He wiped a tear away, furiously, and sniffed. "I'm gonna kill whoever did this." He looked at Stevie.

Stevie's fingers twitched.
I looked at him, but nothing.
"What did he say...?" I asked Dylan.
"He'll wake up soon..." Dylan wiped another tear.
"Not the nurse... Stevie... Before he passed out again..." I looked at Dylan.
"Sounded like 'Frank'... Whoever tha-" Dylan stopped and looked at me. "Your dad was called Frank..."
"Why would he say that?" My voice cracked, my heart hurting.
"I don't know..." Dylan shook his head.
"Mah...?" Stevie croaked out.
"Stevie!" We both sat up.