The Scariest Days of Our Lives (Big Time Rush Fanfic)

Chapter Eight

Carlos had been home for less than 12 hours when he woke up screaming. My heart beat faster than it ever had. Cristian almost fell out of the top bunk. James sat up so fast he almost fell on top of me. Kendall rushed to Carlos's side and was quickly joined by both of Carlos's parents.

"My head," he cried. "It hurts—like it wants to explode."

"It's going to be okay, Carlitos," Kendall held our best friend's hand.

"You guys haven't been roughhousing have you?" Mrs. Garcia asked.

"No," we responded.

"How bad is the pain?" Mr. Garcia asked.

"Seven." Carlos used the number scale they used in the hospital. His parents looked at each other while Kendall, James, and I exchanged our own looks.

"OK, we're going back to the hospital," Mr. Garcia ordered.

"No!" Carlos shouted.

"The doctor said if you have any kind of pain over a five we need to take you back to get checked up. You would like the pain to go away?" Mrs. Garcia sat down on the bed and rubbed Carlos's back.

"Yes," he sobbed. "Make it go away. It hu-urts!"

"Mommy? Daddy?" Nina appeared in the doorway rubbing her eyes.

"What's wrong with Carlos?" Tina joined her.

"His head hurts," Mr. Garcia said.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Yes," Mr. Garcia ushered the girls back to their bedroom.

Mrs. Garcia scooped Carlos up and carried him toward the door.

Kendall had let go of his hand and joined us back on the sleeping bags. No one knew what to do or think. We had just gotten him home and now he had to go back?

Mrs. Garcia took Carlos to the hospital leaving Mr. Garcia, Nina, Tina, and Cristian with James, Kendall, and me. Mr. Garcia had tried putting Nina and Tina back to bed, but they would have none of it, so the three joined us in the boys' room. Mr. Garcia laid down with Nina and Tina on the twin bed.

"Is Carlos really sick?" Tina asked.

Nina squeezed the stuffed brown rabbit in her arms. "Daddy, I don't want to lose Carlos."

"We're not going to lose Carlos," Cristian exclaimed from the top bunk. "He's going to be okay."

"But, he's at the hospital," Tina interjected. "You don't go to the hospital if you're okay."

"You go to get okay," Mr. Garcia said.

"Carlos is going to be okay, right?" James whispered to us.

None of us went to sleep that night while waiting for news on Carlos. We couldn't. We didn't even try. We just sat there in the dark in Carlos and Cristian's room talking.

Around the time the sun began to rise in the morning, Mrs. Garcia stepped into the room carrying a sleeping Carlos. Mr. Garcia, Nina, and Tina who were struggling to stay awake themselves, scrambled off the bed.

"The doctor said Carlos will be fine."

We let out our collective breaths.

"He's experienced these headaches before, but because he was in the hospital they were able to just up his morphine and have him ride it out. He hadn't experienced any in five days so they thought he was over it. The doctor gave us a prescription for a steroid that I'd really rather not use, but if Carlos has any more pain like tonight I'll get it filled." She sighed. "He also said while it might not be comfortable there's nothing wrong with Carlos sleeping in his helmet," she yawned. "Carlos is sleeping comfortably." She placed his helmet on the little nightstand next to the bed. "Boys, do try to see he doesn't sleep in it, please."

We nodded knowing this was a promise we couldn't keep. It was hard enough to keep the helmet off Carlos when he was in the hospital and unable to wear it. What extra work it would be when the only reason we kept it away because his mom said no.

The four of us slept until after one in the afternoon. Knowing Carlos was okay allowed us the much needed slumber. As a guest in someone's house, I hated lounging all day in bed, but I think this was one time the Garcias understood.

"How do you feel, Carlos?" I asked sitting up rubbing the sleep off my face.

"Tired," he yawned. "And hungry."

"What would you like?" Kendall asked still laying with his face smooshed into his pillow so it sounded like "Wha' 'ou' 'oo 'i'?"

"Corndogs," Carlos replied automatically.

"All right, we'll bring some up to you."

Kendall made to get up when Carlos shouted "No!"

"What is it, Carlitos?"

"I'll go down and get it." He sat up, reaching for his helmet. "I have spent way too much time lying around in beds. I want to get out."

"How about we go together?" I suggested which was what we would have done whether I brought it up or not.

"You wake up sleeping beauty over there." Kendall pointed to James who was lightly snoring away next to me.

I threw my pillow at James. He groaned but did not move. I reached over and tickled his sides. He squirmed and swatted my hand. I tickled harder.

"Hey!" He shouted. "I'm trying to get my beauty sleep."

"Yeah, yeah, we're going down for some breakfast."

"Lunch," Kendall corrected.

"Lunch," I repeated.

"Lunch!" Carlos repeated with more enthusiasm. "Corndogs."

"If that's what you want," Kendall said.

"Yeah, okay, just allow me to wake up first." James wiped the sleep out of his eyes. "What is it? Like eight o'clock?"

"Yeah, it's eight o'clock," Kendall said.

"Try one o'clock," I corrected.

James yawned at my answer.

"It's going to be one of those days," he said.

"Corndogs," Carlos said. Even at the age of ten he was obsessed with them. "Come on, dude, I haven't had one since…" he counted on his fingers and did some math in the air, "before the accident."

"Well, then, we gotta get the boy a corndog." Kendall jumped up and pulled Carlos off the bed. James and I trudged behind him. No matter how late one sleeps staying up all night has its evil effects.