Let's Not Talk About Tomorow

Jon

RING! RING! RING! RING! I froze, Ben was in the shower. Should I answer it? I burst into the shower, panic ringing in my ears. Ben poked his head around the shower curtain at my outburst, head covered in suds.

"Princess? Are you alright?"

"Benny, the phone's ringing!"

"Baby, I'm in the shower. You'll have to answer it"

"But-"

"But what if it's about Jake? Go! Quickly!" Ben urged, completely oblivious to the panic attack I was on the brink of having. "Baby, breathe. Get the phone, accept the call and come back up here" Ben instructed gently "I'll talk"

I nodded and ran out of the room and down the stairs, accepting the call just in time.

"Hello?" A man asked, I panicked "Is this-"

"BEN!" I yelled "BEN! BEN!" I heard a thump and a thunder of footsteps, Ben burst into the room. Stark naked, not that I was complaining.

"Give me the phone" He held out his hand. I handed it to him and wrapped my arms around his wet body "Hello? Sorry about that, can I help?.... Jake?! Oh my god! You know where he is?!.... Where?!....Thank you! Thank you so much!... we'll be there!" He chucked his phone onto the sofa and picked me up, whirling me around.

"Who was it?" I asked once he set me down

"Guy called Liam, he rescued Jake!" Ben kissed me excitedly

"Where are they?!"

"Jake's in hospital, we'll go when I get dressed" He pecked me on the forehead and jogged upstairs.

I couldn't sit still the entire car ride. Ben threatened to strap me into the chair if I didn't stop jiggling my leg. I noticed that Ben seemed out of breath, like how he used to be when he was ill... I frowned. Surely it was nothing right? Just me being paranoid? I hope so. I focused on a curl that stuck up at the back of his head like a ducks tail. His hand found mine, squeezing it reassuringly. I pressed lttle kisses on his knuckles and kept his hand close to my chest,only releasing him when he needed two hands. The drive was impossibly long.

Our shoes squeaked on the highly polished floors as we trekked through endless amounts of corridors. Finally we were here, he had a private room... that meant it was bad, right? I tugged on Ben's arm, hoping he'd get the message I was desperately trying to put across.

"You're going to be okay, princess" Ben wrapped his arm around me "Stay strong for Jake, he needs us"

"I'll try" I said in a small voice. Ben stopped and grabbed me by the shoulders

"No, you will" He said "You will be there for him. You can't disappear because it's too upsetting for you, he needs you and you are going to be there for him. Understood?"

"Yes, Benny"

"Okay, good" He took a deep breath and slowly opened the door.

He was asleep, his chest gently rising and falling with each breath he took. His pale skin was stretched tightly across his body. Skeletal, claw-like hands lay either side of him. Already my vision was beginning to blur. His auburn curls were in desperate need of a wash. I watched as Ben sank down into the chair beside his bed and entwined his fingers through Jake's. His eyelashes fluttered slightly as he stirred. I sat down on Ben's lap, resting my head on his chest

"Jake?" Ben asked hopefully. "Jake, wake up!" Slowly, his eyes opened. Immediately he squinted at the bright light and held up and arm, that was match-stick thin, to shield himself from the light.