World Turned Upside Down

Yeah, The Truth Is...

"You WHAT?!" Guy yelled. "Jon, have you completely lost your MIND? What's Chris gonna do when he finds out, hey?"

"I- I'm sorry..."

Will glared at Jonny.

"You do realise of course, that if you and Chris fall out Coldplay is finished! Never mind this tour, everything is finished! You're gonna risk that over a girl you didn't even know a month ago?"

"C-Chris wouldn't- do that..." Jonny answered, fighting to hold back tears.

"If you go through with this, you're an idiot," Guy said sternly. "Now get in the car. Or we'll be late for Chris." You're one to talk, Guy, Jonny thought as he sat in the back seat. Didn't your marriage end in divorce?

The car came to a stop, and the boys got out. Just before they headed in, Will took Jonny aside.

"Now you listen to me. You stay away from Shona and don't look at her. You are here for Chris. Got it?" Jonny nodded to show he understood, and they went in.

Shona had seen them arrive, and went over to them.

"Right on time. You know where to go."

"Don't," Will muttered to Jonny, pushing him in the direction of the Intensive Care unit before he could even attempt so much as a glance. When they got there, Chris was sat up in bed nibbling at a bowl of Twiglets that had been put out on his bedside table. The now infamous banner was hanging up on the wall above the bed behind him.

"Look at that," Chris said, pointing up at it. "Shona thought- it'd be nice... to put it up... to keep me in good spirits..."

"Oh, did she, now?" Guy retorted. "How thoughtful."

Chris looked bemused. What's up with him?

"Huh...? I thought- you'd be happy..."

"Look, I'm sure she's a nice girl, just- don't let her get too close, hey?"

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"Shona, you coming for drinks?"

"No thanks, I'm knackered," Shona replied to Dr Taylor, closing up her locker. "Night," she said as she headed out. She went to her car, and took out her keys. But before she could get in, she heard a voice from behind her.

"Shona." She froze. It's him. Please don't hurt me... Please don't hurt me... Then man whose voice it belonged to gave her a tug. "Over here." She nervously turned around.

"M-Mitchell..." she stuttered fearfully.

"Hello, darling. Good day at work?"

"F-Fine... W-What are you- doing here?"

Mitchell smirked.

"I just thought I'd check on you." His dark brown eyes stared deviously into hers. "I see that you're growing rather fond of that patient of yours." How does he know? "Yes, I know what you're doing. I wouldn't waste your time, Shona. He won't want you. You're nothing without me. Everything you have is because of me. Look at all the things I do for you. He won't have time to do any of that."

"See, you're- you're wrong, Mitchell... I thought there might have been something at first, but I realise now that I'd just let the fangirling get to my head..." She went to get in her car, but Mitch blocked her arm.

"I don't believe you, Shona."

"Mitchell, please-"

"Who is it, then?" Mitchell shouted. "Because you don't seem to be interested in me these past few weeks." Shona tried to lift Mitchell's arm off the car door desperately.

"Please, l-leave me alone..."

Mitchell grabbed her and pushed her up against the car.

"If you're gonna ditch me you should at least give me the loser's name. Everything I've done for you and this is how you treat me?" Mitchell could see somebody coming. "You come straight home, you hear me? And if you're really not getting it elsewhere you won't mind giving me some tonight. Right?" He slapped her in the face before finally letting her go and walking off. Shona saw there was someone approaching and, in case it was someone who knew her, wiped her face clear of tears.

"Shona?" Jonny! What's he doing here? "Are you alright?"

"Fine, I'm- fine..."

Jonny was unsure.

"You don't look it."

"I am fine, honestly. I've got to go, I'm running late." Before Jonny could get another word in, she got into the car and drove off. He didn't have much time to think about it, because Guy had appeared out of nowhere.

"There you are! Come on, the doctors have finally finished with him so we can go back in for a bit." As they went back inside and down the corridor, Will spotted them.

"Oh, you found him," he said as they caught up. "Where was he?" he asked, joining them.

"Just outside," Guy answered.

"Not talking to Shona again, I hope." He gave an interrogative look towards Jonny.

"No," Jonny replied, continuing to look down. They arrived at the unit, and went over to Chris' bed. He was sat up and staring ahead. "Chris?"

"Jon... Good... Guy...? Will...? Can you- leave us a minute?"

"What- what's going on?" Guy asked confusedly.

"Come on, let's just give them a moment," Will put in, leading Guy away.

"Close- that..." Chris said to Jonny, gesturing with his left hand towards the curtain. Jonny was worried, but did as Chris asked. "Jon... You know- I loved you... and I always will..." Jonny sat on the bed and grasped his hand.

"Yes... What about it?"

"I'm sorry, Jon... It's not... what I thought- it was..." Chris continued, his voice cracking. There's- someone you need- to know about..."

"Actually..." Jonny responded. "While we're doing confessions, I've got one too. But... You first."

Chris was shaking inside. He didn't want to hurt Jon, but knew that the truth would come out eventually anyway and would rather it came from him than someone else.

"I... found someone... a while ago... I've- kinda- fallen- for them... I'm- so sorry... I- still- love you... Just not- the way I- love them..."

Jonny gripped Chris' hand tighter.

"Who is it?"

Yeah, the truth is...

"Shona King..."