Ian cannot remember a day when he ran faster than he is running now. He is stumbling, tripping over his own feet, rushing, sprinting. He ignores the elevator completely and takes the stairs up to Anthony's room. He's panting, out of breath, when he reaches the right floor. People are looking, nurses are scolding him for his strange behavior but he doesn't care. He doesn't have a second to spare.
The pager in his hand is still beeping when he storms into the correct patient's room, interrupting Dr. Riggs who is in the middle of explaining the machines Anthony is hooked to.
"Ian? What happened?", Anthony says, sitting up more and looking wide-eyed at his boyfriend.
Ian cannot talk, he would but he can't catch his breath now. He can't feel his lungs, or his feet, or legs. So, he simply holds out his hand. Anthony recognizes the black object, which Ian's fingers are tightly wrapped around, at once.
"The pager..."
Anthony's parents, who are at their son's bedside, look confused but they sense that this is good news. Dr. Riggs is the first one to start speaking.
"When did it start?", he asks Ian, who still hasn't calmed down but holds up his other hand. Five minutes.
Dr. Riggs takes the pager, excuses himself and leaves the room in a hurry. There is an important phone call to make.
"Ian, what does this mean?", Anthony's mother ask, sounding hopeful.
Ian walks over to them, sitting down on the bed, very close to Anthony. He doesn't care for the viewers, even if they are Anthony's parents. He wants to express the happiness he is feeling right now. He takes his boyfriend's face into his hands and kisses him passionately. The kiss doesn't take long, but it makes Anthony blush alright.
Ian takes a long glance at Anthony before he speaks out the word he has been hoping for to say for a long time now.
"It means you're gonna live, Anthony." He smiles and Anthony's face lights up also. "You're gonna live."
"When I get out of here, I wanna – I wanna eat a hamburger.", Anthony says, his head resting against Ian's chest. "A really big one. Like – super uber mega gigantic hamburger. With cheese. A lot of cheese."
Ian laughs out loud, relaxing more into the pillow.
"I'm not sure you will be allowed to have those things once you have your new heart."
Anthony looks up at him and shoots him a glare.
"But I guess one hamburger won't hurt you.", Ian adds, sticking out his tongue cheekily.
There is a moment of silence, in which Ian's fingers play with Anthony's hair and Anthony's hand run over Ian's shirt-covered chest.
"When do you think they will be back?", Anthony asks, breaking the silence.
"What time is it now?" Ian checks the clock on the wall. Shortly after 2 am. "They left an hour ago... so maybe another hour or two?"
"Hm. Yes. Could be."
"What are you thinking right now?"
"Nothing." Anthony sighs deeply.
"Liar."
Anthony chuckles.
"You're gonna think I'm weird."
"No, I won't. Come on, tell me.", Ian presses, sliding down the pillow. They position themselves anew so they lie chest to chest now, facing each other. "Tell me.", Ian whispers one more time, earning a smile in return.
