Help Me

Hospital Appointment

Mikey

It had already been a week since he'd left the hospital. A whole week.

And that week had been, well... Interesting. He'd texted his mother a few times after Rye had passed his mother's message on. But what kind of a son was he? He couldn't bring himself to call his own mother... To hear his mother's voice. All because he knew he'd just break down again.

Mikey knew he couldn't do that again, especially to the boys, to Rye, because that's all he had been doing since he left the hospital exactly a week ago. A whole week.

And now he was going back for his check up appointment, knowing full well that afterwards they were filming covers till late that night.

In a way Mikey was excited to get back to work, and to get out of the house, but he was nervous. He was nervous that he'd mess up, or that something would happen. They were filming in the dark for gods sake! But he had to pull himself together. For the boys, for Blair, for the Roadies, for his mother... Just because everyone knew now it didn't mean that he could break down after every little thing.

He had to be stronger than this. He had to show that man that he hadn't affected him. He had to prove that he could move past it.

And that was Mikey's mistake.

***

Blair and Rye had accompanied him to the hospital, even though Mikey had insisted that he was quite capable of going in by himself. It was as if they'd ignored him though, almost like they pretended not to hear him.

And then Mikey was sat patiently on the bed, Blair and Rye sat on the chairs, the three of them conversing quietly, just waiting for the doctor to arrive.

Mikey shivered suddenly. The last time he had been in this room...

Pain, physical and emotional. Tears. Shock. Worry. Panic. Realisation. Hate. Relief. And also the comfort he drew on from the other boys. But that was overlooked easily, simply by the fact that he'd been the centre of attention for so long... Even if he didn't remember it. And also the look in Rye's eyes when he'd woken up that first time. There were tears in them, stressed and relieved at the same time. He should never have had to have been stressed.

"Mikey... Are you okay?" Rye's voice tore down the memories that had attacked him all of a sudden, and he looked up quickly. Eyes drawn together in a frown, lips pressed together, half in, half out of his seat. Mikey nodded in response, not trusting his voice. There was nothing wrong. He was fine. He was fine.

"Morning Mr. Cobban... How've you been this past week?" The same doctor smiled as he entered the room, and Mikey couldn't help but smile in return. This man was no threat, and had helped him out last time, even if Mikey had been harsh and difficult... But Mikey was surprised by his response.
"I could've been better." He said honestly. He didn't look over at Rye or Blair, instead focussing on twisting the bedsheet between his hands.
"And why's that? Is it the pain, or... Other things. If you don't mind me asking?" The doctor continued to question, but his voice softened towards the end.
"A bit of both really." Mikey answered quietly, feeling heat rush to his cheeks as three pairs of eyes stared at him.

Even though he wasn't looking, he could feel Blair's and Rye's eyes heavily trained on him. His blood pounded in his ears, not heavily, but enough for him to suck in an uneven breath.
"Okay... The nurse is going to come in again, and she's going to check you over just like she did last time Mikey. Is that okay?" He asked kindly, and Mikey looked up and nodded.
"Yeah." He fiddled with the bedsheets again, trying not to show that his hands had started to shake. Why was the doctor treating him like he was five years old? He didn't need this kind of treatment... He was in his twenties for gods sake!
"Alright then, I'll go and call her in for you. I just need to go and see another patient, but I'll be back to see you out." The doctor left then, beckoning to Blair to go with him.