Darling, You'll Be Okay

Chapter 8- Sometimes You Gotta Fall Before You Fly

Vic's POV

I woke up to a hand shaking my shoulder and the bright lights of the hospital waiting room. The whole place reeked of disinfectant. I wrinkled my nose at the scent and peeled open my eyes. It took a second for me to focus on Mike standing above me. "Vic, wake up." I recognized Jaime's familiar voice. I looked around the waiting room. Kellin's band mates were supposed to be all here, but I could only see Nick was sitting beside me, loud music bleeding through his headphones. I could make out Shay's voice singing some of the lines of Second and Sebring.

"Vic, Kellin's awake." I snap my head around. "What? Now?" I stand up quickly, almost knocking the chair over. Next to Jaime is a man with a curly afro. He introduces himself to me as Dr. Toro and shakes my hand, giving me the friendliest smile I have ever seen. He tells me that Kellin is awake, though a bit sleepy from the morphine. He leads me past a bunch of glass doors that need security cards to get into. He leads me into a room with a baby blue door. Lying on a steel bed with a white mattress I see Kellin. My entire body is on fire when I see how broken he looks. A white bandage is wrapped around his neck, blood beginning to dye it red. A heart monitor is beeping, marking the signs of life Kellin had tried to eradicate. His eyes are glassy and he seems to be very focused on a small spot on the ceiling. I knock on the door and push it open. Kellin looks at me as I enter. Dr. Toro taps me on the shoulder and mumbles "ten minutes".

Kellin doesn't meet my eyes as I sit down on the bed.

"Hey," I whisper. He gives me a sad smile. "Hey." His voice is hoarse, like it pains him to speak. I grab his hand and squeeze it. He looks at me nervously, like he doesn't know what to expect. I don't know what to say to him. A billion questions are circling around in my mind, many of them I doubt he'd have the answers to. My tongue is itching to spit the words out, but I know doing so would only drive Kellin away. I need to say something, though. I need to get this agonizing weight off of my chest.

"Why, Kellin? What happened?"

"I-I..." He stuttered out. He sighed. I looked at him with worried eager eyes. "Gerard... and Frank..." his eyes darted around the room, his breath jumping at even the smallest noise. I place my hand on his. "I'm not gonna pressure you," I say quietly.

"No, no... it's fine. I trust you." He took in a breath, then continued slowly. "Vic an"I just... I wrote a song for you." He raises his eyebrows, inviting me to continue. I hum a few notes, then begin to sing quietly.

"So long to all of my friends," I begin, slowly.

"Every one of them met tragic ends

With every passing day

I'd be lying if I didn't say

That I miss them all tonight" I take a deep breath. I can feel Kellin's gaze burning a hole in my flesh.

"And if they only knew what I would say

If I could be with you tonight

I would sing you to sleep

Never let them take the light behind your eyes

One day I'll lose this fight

As we fade in the dark

Just remember you will always burn as bright" I'm already beginning to tear up as I begin the next verse.

"Be strong and hold my hand

Time becomes for us, you'll understand

We'll say goodbye today

And we're sorry how it ends this way