Make Me (Remdy)

We All Put Up A Barrier

Trigger warnings: Mentions of death, depression, injury, PTSD

"There's been an accident." 

Juliet is knelt before him, leveling his eyes with hers. She looks behind her at Lucas and then back at Remington. "There's been an accident," she repeats. 

He nods. The ground is still tilted. 

"Andy's been in an accident?" 

"Yes." 

"We have to go to hospital," she decides. "Lucas, honey, put your shoes on, okay?" 

"Okay, mummy." 

Looking back at Remington, she then says, "Are you okay? You sorta' collapsed." 

"No, yeah. Fine. I'm...fine." He swallows. 

"Did they say which hospital he's at?" 

"Uh, St John's."

"Alright, that's pretty close." She checks on her son briefly, who's obediently putting his shoes on. "Do you need a minute to calm down?" 

"No, I'm fine," Remington says. He stands and takes in a deep breath. If it was bad, they'd have said it was bad. 

Remington doesn't want to get in her car but he has no choice. He grips the door handle so tightly that, by the time she is pulling safely into the car park, he fears his fingers might be locked into position. 

"Good afternoon," greets the receptionist. "How can I help you?" 

"There's been an accident," is all Remington says. 

Juliet puts a hand on his shoulder. "Andrew Biersack. He's been in an accident. We're his family." 

"I'm going to need names and ID, miss."

"Yes. Of course." She routes through her bag for her wallet. "Here. Juliet Simms. I'm his ex-wife." The receptionist looks towards Remington, but he isn't moving. Juliet frowns. "Remington," she tries. "They need to see your ID, honey." 

Remington still doesn't move, but internally, he's screaming for his brothers to wake up. 

"Remington," she says again, then to the receptionist, "I'm sorry, can we have a minute?" 

"Of course, miss, take your time." 

Juliet puts a hand on Remington's back and guides him over to the waiting room. Lucas's hand is in her other, and she points him over to the play area. "Remington, honey," she tries for the third time.

He's turned pale again, and blinks, looks at her.

"They need your ID." 

"I don't have it." His voice is weak. 

"Okay, I'll go and-" 

"I don't have anything."

"What're you talking about?" 

"They took it all."

"Who?" 

He looks down and takes his ID from his pocket, stands, and returns to the desk. "Remington Kropp," he says. "Andy's boyfriend." 

The man takes it and checks it over. "Ah, you're the one we called. Of course, Mr Kropp, Miss Simms, a nurse will be right out. Please take a seat." 

Remington is unable to sit still. He plays manically with his shirt and his rings and his doesn't listen or reply to anything that Juliet says. 

When finally a nurse approaches, he looks up and stops moving. She smiles at them and her eyes flick down to her clipboard. "Andrew Biersack?" She checks. Juliet nods. "Andrew was involved in a car accident at around one pm. Fortunately, he was not on the side of his car that was hit and therefore has undergone minor injuries. The worst of it is a fractured elbow and whiplash. We have run multiple scans and I can assure you, there is no internal damage. Andrew will be discharged tomorrow, after we have monitored him for the night. He was in a medically induced sleep following the accident, but has recently woken and is anxious to see a Remington Kropp." 

Juliet nudges Remington because it seems he isn't taking in anything that has been said. He blinks and looks at her. "Andy wants to see you," She says. "He's okay, just a broken elbow and whiplash." 

"Fractured," the nurse corrects.

"Fractured," Juliet says. "That's even less bad, see? He's okay." 

Remington's eyes are filling. 

"Is everything okay?" The nurse asks. 

"Andy's very important to him," Juliet answers, though doesn't understand why he's taking it so badly. 

"Would you like to follow me? I'll show you to Andrew's room." 

"That'd be great," Juliet says. 

Remington nods. 

"Okay, no problem. Right this way." 

Andy is in room 104 and is sat up in bed flipping through a magazine. He closes it when the door opens, puts it aside, smiles.

Juliet returns the smile but Remington is already crying. "I'll give you a minute," she says. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks."

She steps out and closes the door.

Stood still, Remington stares at him.

"Hey, darling," Andy says. His neck is in a brace. "Come and sit. You don't look too good." He pats the bed beside him, moves up to make room. 

Remington sits on the bed and puts his hands in his lap. He says nothing. 

"Are you okay?" 

"No." 

"Sorry I scared you." 

The younger sighs. 

"Now's when you tell me it's not my fault," Andy hints. 

"It's not your fault." He plays with his fingers. "You didn't have to be driving today, though." 

"So it is my fault?" 

"No, I didn't say that." 

"You sorta' did." 

Remington shakes his head. "I said you didn't have to be driving today. That's all." 

"You're blaming it on me?" 

"No." 

"Uh, yes. That's literally what you just said." 

"Why were you driving?" 

"In the nicest way possible, Remington, I just spent ten minutes trapped in my car with a broken elbow and a banging headache, I'm not exactly thrilled." 

"I know what it's like," Remington says dryly. 

"I know you know, so why are you being so insensitive?"

"I'm not." 

"Yes, you are." 

"I'm in shock." 

"You're in shock? All you've done is played with my son and sat in a waiting room. I could've died." 

"You broke your arm, it's hardly fatal. I broke my collar and watched my brothers get impaled with pieces of car." 

"Are you seriously comparing traumas right now? I love you, but shut up. You're supposed to be happy I'm not dead." 

"I am." 

"You're doing a cracking job at showing it." 

"Stop acting like you nearly died." 

"You are unbelievable." 

"You were barely even touched." 

"You know what, I'm not doing this. I'm sorry if my injuries aren't serious enough for you, but if you're not willing to be a supportive boyfriend, just go. And tell Juliet she can come in. Maybe she'll be a little more sympathetic." 

"Sympathetic? For what? A fractured elbow? Get over it." 

"You get out." 

Remington gets off the bed and aggressively says, "Gladly." He leaves the room, makes it a few steps down the corridor, and slides down the wall in tears.