Something Different- Fangs Fogarty

Thirteen

     I rush through the hospital doors with Betty hot on my tail, at the other end of the hall I See FP, Jug and Pea sat around the waiting room. FP looks up as we stop in front of them, Pea not looking up from the place he was staring at when we first came in. "How's Fangs?" I pull FP to the side so Pea doesn't hear what he has to say because I could tell it was going to be bad
 
     "He's still in surgery so I'm not sure but you guys need rest, how about you go back to the whyte wyrm? There's some pillows and blankets there? Take Pea with you please. That boys a mess right now" He pulls me into a hug as I start crying "Hey hey hey, Fangs is going to get through this. He's a strong boy, I believe in him"
  
      "I know how strong he is but what if he doesn't pull through, FP? What will happen then? I'm not ready to lose him and neither is Pea, Fangs is literally his other half" I look back over my shoulder as Pea sits playing with Fangs' dog tags "We'll talk later, I'll take everyone back"

     I tap Peas shoulder as he looks up at me "C'mon, we're going back to the Wyrm because we all need some rest. FP is going to stay here whilst Fangs is in surgery, okay? He'll be safe" He just looks up at me and nods as Betty and Jug follow us to my car 

*

     Everyone looks up as we all walk in the door, no one says a word as Pea stomps into the far corner without giving anyone else a second look his head is slumped down as I follow him through to the back as he rubs his eyes before shutting them and laying back, I sit and stare at him just to make sure he's okay.

 "You know Saskia, I can feel you staring at me" He keeps his eyes shut as he says that with a very forced laugh added "But honestly I'm fine, I promise"

  He holds his hand out towards me without opening his eyes to look at me, "I'm scared. What if he doesn't make it, Sweet Pea? Like I know we've been through a rough patch recently but I love him more than I've loved anyone and for him to just go...I don't know what I would do"

  He rubs his eyes and sits up finally making eye contact with me after hours of nothing not even a mutter of words from him, "He's Fangs Fogarty, That boy could make it through hell and backwards without a scratch on him." He holds out a cushion placing it next to him and pats it "Lay down here and get some rest, You look like you need it"

  *

  I wake up and look around the room to see Toni and Cheryl sat by the bar but for everyone else is still asleep. Everyone else that was in here when we arrived must have left or been kicked out by Toni or Jug "...Hey"

  Cheryl pats a space on the bar next to her silently offering me a seat, "How are you feeling, S? Probably a stupid question but I thought I'd ask anyway"

  "I'm fine just worried, you know?" I look down at Toni who is just staring down at the drink In her hand "How are you, Topaz?"

  "Me? I'm fine. My coke is flat now so I'll just go and grab another one" She hurries off into the kitchen as I look up at the clock noticing I'd only slept for an hour and half

   Hours pass without any contact with Fangs nor FP, The hours felt like days and the minutes felt like hours at this point and with each hour that passed I worried more and more. "Coffee?" I accept the mug of the steaming hot brew and look up at Sweet Pea who passes one to Jughead too "Heard anything?" 

   We both shake our heads at him as my phone starts ringing, everyone's heads turn towards me staring at me with some hope in there eyes that it's someone with an update "Sorry Guys it's my brother"

  I step outside to find that it's still dark outside, "Hey Alex" I quieten my voice before lighting a cigarette, "I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you...It's just"

  "You don't have to explain yourself. Verona stopped by to tell me what happened, Mum and dad aren't awake so they don't know anything, Do you want me to tell them?" I hear some other voices in the background assuming it's the TV I ignore it

  "Verona? Who the fuck is Verona, Alex?" After I say it out loud I realise who he means, I let out a sigh not even attempting a laugh 

  "Yeah the one with black hair? Her dad is a fucking dick" I hear him laugh down the phone and I know full well he knows her name he's just trying to get me to laugh "You know the one I mean, Right?!"

  "Yeah...Veronica" I stamp what's left of cigarette underneath my shoe as I see Sweet Pea sit on the bench by the doors "I'm going to go, I'll call you with updates later"

  "...Pea" I sit down next to him as he holds out a lighter towards me "Oh no Thanks just had one...Bad habit, huh?" I force out a laugh as he agrees with me continuing to smoke what's left of it 

  We stay sat there in silence as we hear a bike engine getting closer and closer until we see FP pull up in front of the club, He pulls his helmet off as he stops in front of us his eyes stained red from the lack of sleep, I'm hoping that's what it's from anyway, because seeing how he looks I dread to think what I look like, My eyes must be puffier than marshmallows at this point. "I think we should head inside, guys"

  "Dad..." Jughead lets out a sigh of relief as we all crowd around where Fp has taken a seat on the edge of the stage "How is he?"

  FP wipes a hand over his face not looking up at any of us "I'm so sorry...He didn't make it. I'm so fucking sorry, they did what they could and it just didn't work"

  I look around at everyone who is in the club, each of us look as numb as the other. I grab my keys from the pool table and my phone from the bar as I storm out of the club leaving everyone behind me "Saskia, where are you going?" I look back at Sweet Pea and Toni who are stood by the entrance

  "I need to go and talk to someone. I'll be back, okay?" I smile weakly at them all as I get into my car, I look at the passenger seat and see Fangs' jacket with his dog tags laid on the seat just like I had left them 

  "C'mon, Saskia. Pull yourself together, He's not really gone...He'll be here in the morning." I whisper to myself trying to convince myself that the love of my life hadn't died at the fault of Reggie fucking Mantle. "C'mon you can do this" I place Fangs' dog tags around my neck before I start my drive towards Reggie's house 

  As I pull up outside the house I see that Jughead and Pea made it there before I did, I rush out of the car attempting to get past the two rather tall boys "Saskia, Do you really think this is the best idea?"

  I step back looking up Jughead and frown so hard that my face might just stay stuck in this expression for the rest of my life "The best Idea? He took the life my boyfriend and you think that I'm going to sit back and watch him walk the halls of school knowing that he murdered one of yours? He murdered Fangs so I think it's only fair that we do the same to him"

  Sweet Pea grabs me by the shoulders to hold me back from storming up to the house "If you did to him what he did to Fangs you would be just as bad as him, okay? Leave it. Get some rest and see how you feel in the morning"

  "I'll feel the exact same way, you fuckers so let me do it now."