You're My Medicine When You're Close To Me

13

They all stayed in the hospital lobby overnight catching a few winks of sleep or none at all. Murdoc paced around the dark building searching for something to keep him up or find where 2d was.

He opened door after door until he found what he wanted and lay next the man sobbing softly into his chest. 2d put a hand on his back and smiled sleepily.

"Yew shouldn't be here."

"I need to."
He pressed his lips to 2d's head and brushed the hair out of his face. 2d held onto his fingers looking at him with half lidded eyes.

"I'm gonna be ok."

"Ya better. I don't know what I'm gonna do if yer not."

2d smiled again and kissed him softly like he didn't have the strength to give a proper one. It broke Murdoc's heart and pulled 2d into a hug being extremely careful with him.

2d patted his back. He pulled away and held his hand as he drifted back to sleep.

His body waged war with him as he stood and exited the room.

He sild down the wall crying softly into his hands. He stayed there until his tears dried and breathed slowly for air. He stood back up feeling renewed and strode down the hall for Noodle and Russel.

He plopped in the chair next to Noodle who looked like she was having a nightmare and rubbed her arm as it got increasingly worse. She shifted around hugging his jacket to her chest like a teddy and fell into a regular sleep pattern. Russel kept his head under his jacket either asleep or on his phone. Murdoc didn't bother to look and down in his seat dozing off.

Morning came sooner than expected rousing them out of thier broken sleep. The building became a river of people and staff as they swarmed in. Noodle sat up rubbing her neck and stretching.

Russel was already off somewhere probably in search of coffee. Murdoc was trying to curl back into sleep but Noodle shook him anxiously. He sat up rubbing his eyes and wiping away the crusty eye sand out of the corners.

A doctor walked towards them with Russel in tow. She sat on a chair arm looking at all of them. "You can go see Stuart today before he goes into surgery. We're trying to get this done quickly as possible before something else gets worse. Take him out and enjoy the day with him. He needs to be back by four, then we'll be prepping him."

They all nodded eagerly and followed after her. Murdoc sped past the three knowing exactly where 2d was. He could find him in a blackout with both hands behind his back.

He burst into the room where 2d was being fed and his cot was being changed.

He looked so fragile.

Murdoc paused waiting for the others who were rushing after him and almost knocked him over. Noodle swept 2d in a hug making the food he was eating dribble down his chin and cough. She pulled away wiping it off him and bouncing around excitedly.

Russel took his turn giving 2d a hug and patting him on the back. Murdoc slowly approached and pulled 2d him like he was his lifeline. 2d squeezed him meaningfully and slipped a secret kiss to his cheek. Murdoc rubbed his shoulders and sat on the cot next to 2d who seemed unable to let him go.

The doctor explained to 2d what she told everyone else making him perk up and nod. He hugged Murdoc happily as he went to stand up.

They left the room while the nurse got 2d dressed and sent him out looking more like himself.

Noodle grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall like when she was ten and wanted him to see a special rock.

Russel and Murdoc chuckled watching her chatter to 2d and him nod slowly. They looked at each other and gave playful punches.

"Ya raised her well."

"You did pretty good yourself."

"Sounds gay. But thanks."

Russel laughed as Murdoc walked away to the other two, pulling them into a hug.

They drove around taking 2d pretty much wherever he wanted and stopped at 1:30 for icecream.

2d struggled to lick it up, it kept melting all over his hand and got the substance smeared over his face which he tried to lick up with his tounge.

Noodle laughed as Russel and Murdoc shared a mischievous grin and scooped a bit of thier icecream and put it on 2d's face making him frown and continue to probe at it with his tounge.

Noodle felt bad and wiped it away with a napkin tears leaking out of her eyes.

Murdoc grabbed his hand under the table and continued to eat his icecream as 2d doused his dessert in way too many sprinkles and smeared them around like a little kid. Noodle was dropping gummies in her's while Russel squirted chocolate sauce over his, Murdoc opted for plain vanilla licking at it lazily not really being a fan of frozen dessert.

They got cleaned up and walked by the park all watching as 2d and Noodle ran around pushing each other on swings or chasing after/from sea gulls. 2d screamed and hid behind Murdoc as a particularly angry gull swooped down trying to nail him. Murdoc swatted at it getting a feel of soft feathers as it screeched and shot up into the air. Noodle ran over laughing hysterically and gasping for breath.

Russel looked at the time. "We should go. D's gotta get ready." They piled into the car thier faces slowly sobering.

2d and Murdoc sat in the back, 2d's head in his lap as he tried to fall asleep but Murdoc played with his hair and gave him his phone to mess with.

2d grabbed his hand and kissed his palm with a small smile. Murdoc blushed and continued to pet his head.