Rainbow Heart

Chapter 36

Pink managed to force himself to transform back into Red just before the medical help arrived. It would be hard to explain why the pigment wasn't washing off of her skin when they tried to scrub it off. Red had a natural white human's skin color. That was good enough, even with his unusual hair and eyes, to pass as a normal human. They pulled Red up off the ground and tossed him onto the gurney. He cried and insisted that they let him hold Barney's hand. The medical professional sighed, disinfected both of their hands with alcoholic wipes, and let Red hold onto Barney. Then they were off. The ambulance zoomed away from the scene, leaving the police behind to deal with the bodies. 

Red squinted against the harsh lights that passed overhead as they rushed him and Barney down the halls of the hospital. As they were moving, they were hooking up machines and tubes to Barney. Red could only catch bits and pieces of what they were saying. 

"This man needs blood!"

"Get him to the operating room!"

"This shrapnel... Will he ever walk again?"

No, no. Red thought. Green can help him... If only I had the strength to transform. I'm too damaged.

One nurse put a syringe into a bottle and drew out a clear liquid. "Everything is going to be okay." She assured him. Then she put the needle in through his arm. In a moment, Red was out. He went willingly, succumbing to the comfort of needles and pins.

                 –•❤️💛💚💙💜•–

Is Barney okay? 

Where are we?

It hurts. 

Red groaned. He wanted to reach up and clutch at his throbbing head, but his arms didn't have the strength. When he looked down, he felt sick. He was covered in bandages, soaked with blood. In a paper hospital gown. When he saw the tubes taped down to his arms, he began to panic. Hyperventilating and crying. He feared it and he didn't know why. The memories came flooding back. Being strapped down to a bed as a child, needles and tubes and medicine. Oh no! 

He threw his head back and screamed. A beeping in the background that had been steady before began beeping frantically. Rising with his heartbeat. The nurses rushed in, holding Red down. They told him to calm down. Be still. This only made things worse. He sobbed desperately.

"Please... Please don't hurt me!" He hiccuped. The nurses shushed him, grabbing another needle. 

"We have to sedate him." One of them said. 

"WAIT!" Red screamed. "BARNEY! WHERE IS HE?! LET ME SEE HIM!"

They looked at one another. "You can't see him right now." They told him. "He's been on the operating table for two days."

"TWO DAYS?!" Red screamed.

"Sir! Calm down or I will be forced to sedate you!" 

"Is he going to be okay?!" Red asked. "Please!"

"He's... I don't know. Just calm down!"

Red refused, kicking and struggling. His heartbeat continued to rise. The needle went in and he went out again.

                –•❤️💛💚💙💜•–

When he woke up again, his bandages had been changed. Everything smelled of rubbing alcohol and blood. He was in hell. Red had died in that alleyway and gone to hell. That was the only explanation. Where was Barney?!

"Barney..." He called out weakly. His voice was hoarse and anything he said came out as a croak. "Barney."

A nurse walked in. Not a lady, but a man this time. A large, black man. He looked very kind. "Your boyfriend is just fine." He said. "He's still in very serious condition, and we're not sure if he'll ever fully recover. But he does have a very good chance of living now."

Red cried, breathing out a sigh of relief. He buried his face in the blankets. "Thank God." He mumbled into them. "Oh thank you."

The nurse handed Red a box of tissues. "Here." He said sympathetically. "I know how you feel. I don't know what I'd do if my wife had gone through that. Three days on the operating table... They were ready to give up."

Red felt sick. But he just nodded. "Can... Can I see him?"

He shook his head. "No, sir. I'm sorry. He's not ready for visitors."

"You're lying." Red said. "I know you are! Tell me why you won't let me see him!"

The nurse hesitated. But he seemed to take pity when he saw the look on Red's face. 

"You won't be able to handle it. Emotionally, that is." He explained. "Your boyfriend, he's not looking too good."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Red cried. "He's my soulmate! I love him! You can't keep me from him!"

The man seemed to be crumbling. But he still wouldn't surrender. "No means no." The nurse said. "Do you want to be sedated again?"

"Yes!" He screamed. "I want to go to sleep! If I can't see him there's no point to being awake! There's no point in being ALIVE! Just drug me up already!"

The nurse sighed, taking the syringe. "I'm sorry." He said before injecting Red with more drugs. Red felt one more tear trickle down his cheek before fell asleep again.

               –•❤️💛💚💙💜•–

His eyelids felt so heavy. They fluttered open when he felt strong arms wrap around him.

It was the black man from before. He was lifting Red up, transferring him from one bed to another. Red froze when he felt a body below him. The man arranged them in a more comfortable position. Pressed them together and wrapped their arms around each other. Red gasped when he saw that he was being put into a bed with Barney. 

"Thank you." Red gasped, stroking Barney's cheek with his hand. 

"Take care of him." Was all the nurse said. Then he was gone.

===========================

Well this was a real downer. Cool cool. Everything will be explained with time. I can't wait

-💕 Bubblegum 💕