I Think I Love You | Randy

track 34. i'll be there - jackson five

Just call my name, and I'll be there.

***

I tasted blood when I came to.

It was sharp and metallic against my tongue. My head pounded. The gravelly concrete dug into my back. It was hard to breathe.

Voices were shouting nearby. Aggressive, male voices. As well as more distant ones, distress in their tones. Sirens blared somewhere in the distance, but the ringing in my ears was loud enough to muffle them. My eyelids were heavily shut, not seeming to budge as I willed them to open.

The sounds grew clearer. The shuffling of feet near to me. The dull thud of blows. A clatter, right next to my ear. Metal on concrete.

I used all my strength to force my eyes open, a moment of blurry action passing through my vision before they fell shut again. I tried again, more successful this time. The figures of two men were locked in a struggle, their feet scraping against the ground as they slipped and dug in again, neither seeming to have the upper hand.

"I'll kill you both," one of the men growled.

"Get the fuck away from him." That voice was familiar. I focussed on the person it came from until recognition finally settled. Rye.

"The police are on their way," Rye snarled. "I'd run if I were you."

"Not before I fucking batter you," growled his opponent, a name flashing into my mind this time as he spoke. Jason Clemonte. I blinked until everything was clearer.

Rye got a punch in that sent Clemonte reeling back a few paces. Then another as he tried to recover, dropping to a knee on the ground.

Come on, Rye, I begged internally. Don't let him up.

Rye swung again but his fist was caught, Clemonte using the opportunity to get to his feet again before he came in hard with a punch. It connected, blood spraying from Rye's face.

No, no, no. Keep going Rye.

As if he could hear me, Rye stumbled back to his feet, just managing to curl his arms in front of his face in time to block the next punch. He ducked and swung low, the jab connecting with Clemonte's middle. Not particularly forceful, but enough to disorientate him.

Rye took the chance and leaped on his opponent, using his momentum to wrestle Clemonte to the ground before landing punch after punch until the man below him stopped trying to block them. Still Rye persisted, going and going until Clemonte's body was limp beneath him, unmoving.

Stop, I tried to say but the word couldn't form, I ended up choking on the blood instead. Coughing and spluttering I tried again. "Rye, stop! Stop!"

That last word was enough to get through to him as his arms fell limply to his sides. I watched him turn to me, breath heaving, that beautiful familiar face beaten and bloody. But the brown eyes still found mine, that moment of connection between us seeming to last an eternity.

"Andy," he breathed, stumbling over to me. He collapsed on the ground next to me and we laid there on the hard concrete, staring into each other's eyes. I used my last bit of strength to move my hand forward, clasping his shaking one in mine. The energy of that simple movement proved too much. I felt his fingers link with mine, his brown eyes welling over with tears before I couldn't hold mine open a second longer, the blackness returning.

***

When my eyes opened again I was staring at a bright white ceiling. I rolled my head to the side, seeing a dripping IV bag suspended above me. I followed the line down until I was staring at my own arm. Suddenly a face was hovering above me, someone in scrubs who I didn't recognise.