Pain & Gain

Chapter 1

Three days since the attack. The hospital waiting room is like a second home to me. I try to go and see Marshall but they won't let me. They tell me to just go home. From what I'm permitted to know, he's been unconscious for three days. The stabbing ruptured something important and the blood loss contributed. But he's alive. My Marshall is alive.
Four times since I got here this morning, the nurse has told me to go home. We'll call if anything happens, she says, he'll be alright. The last time she said that was about an hour ago. I can't leave. I can't go home. I want to be here of something, anything, happens. Not only that but I can't bare to go home knowing that I'd be sleeping alone. All I would have is some dog tags and a t shirt. My eyes water just thinking about them, him.
I grab a tissue from the box the nurse has given me. I can't get a hold of Ren or Rule. I wouldn't dare call my mother. She would smother me and make me cry harder. I have to be strong this time. As I look around the room it occurs to me that I'm the only person here for Marshall.
Across from me, there's a little boy and his grandma. Occasionally he asks her if they can go see the new baby. From what I hear, the little boy has a new sister. I smile at them, not all reasons to be here are as bad as mine. Moving down a few chairs there's an old man in a wheelchair with a cannula tank strapped to the back. He breathes through tubes inside his nose and does crossword puzzles silently. Every now and again a nurse comes to ask him if he needs anything and he simply replies with 'come get me when I can see Delilah'. I wonder about Delilah. Is she his wife? His daughter? Did she have something awful happen to her or is she just sick? I find myself wanting to be invested in other people's stories so I can forget for a while about my own.
My eyes travel up to the TV. Friends is playing. It's the very first episode. My mind rewinds to the first time Rule and I sat in these same chairs for Marshall. He was beaten badly. All cut up and bruised. But I got to see him. I knew he was alive and breathing and talking. I could feel him. I got to kiss him. I could be with him. But they won't even let me do that. I push my face into my hands and rest them on my knees. I feel like sobbing in the middle of this room. Don't. I beg myself. I can't cry in here. I won't. Just as I'm composing myself, Rule walks through the emergency door, holding his leather jacket in his hands. He sees me and I stand.

"You okay?" He asks, pulling me into a hug.

"No." I latch onto him and try to keep from crying. I wish it was Marshall hugging me.

"I'm sorry Rach." He hugs me tight while I let some tears out. "He's gonna be alright, I know it."

I nod against his chest and we sit back down. I cry to myself for a while and Rule throws his arm around my shoulders. It's good to have him here. I wish Ren was here too. Where is she? Whatever. At least someone showed up. I feel bad for Marshall sometimes. He really doesn't have anyone but us.

"Where's Ren?" I ask, sniffling.

"She's with Tony." Rule sighs a long sigh.

I make a mental note to ask Rule about this later. For a moment I'm distracted but when that moment is over I go right back to worrying. What if he never wakes up? I quickly dismiss that thought from my head. There is no way in hell he won't wake up. He has to. They say he's doing great. But what is "doing great" when he isn't even conscious? I wonder how much blood he lost. Does he need surgery? God I wish I could be there with him.

"You talked to the cops?" Rule asks, glancing at me.

"Yeah." I crunch my nose, remembering the awful encounter.