Work Text:
24 Hours: 8 Hours
by Damion Starr
"In just 8 hours they'll be
laying flowers
on my life, it's over tonight.
I'm not messing no I
need your blessing
and your promise to live free
please do it for me."
~ "24 Hours" Jem
John awoke a few hours later with Aiden still securely held in his arms. The younger man was draped over Sheppard's body, with his head resting in the center of John's chest, one arm thrown over his stomach, and their legs entangled. John gazed down at his Lieutenant's now-peaceful face and gently touched his cheek. Aiden's skin was clammy beneath John's fingertips. John felt Aiden's forehead with the back of his hand, only to recoil quickly. Aiden's temperature was soaring.
John carefully untangled himself from Aiden's arms and carefully laid the younger man supine tucking the blankets in around him. "John," Aiden moaned softly in his sleep.
"Shh, I'm right here," John replied quietly, gripping one of Aiden's sweaty hands in his own while laying a cold, wet cloth on the Marine's fevered brow. "Go back to sleep, Aiden. I'm not going anywhere, I promise,"
"John, I-" Aiden's eyes cracked open, but seemed unable to focus on John. "John, there's something I have to tell you, before...I..."
"Quiet," John gently chastised. "You can tell me later, when you're all better,"
"Let's be realistic, John, the chances of me living are-"
"I'm not giving up on you," John interupted, gripping Aiden's hand with the ferocity of his declaration. "So don't you dare give up on me. That's an order,"
"I'm not giving up. I'm just saying-" Aiden replied calmly.
"You're saying that I should expect you to die!" John jumped to his feet, releasing Aiden's hand. "You're saying that you've given up on life already, so I should just let you go. Well, I'm sorry, but I can't. I won't!"
"John, I am not saying that-"
"Yes, you are!" John's voice teetered on tears. "Godammit, Aiden, you are so much stronger than this! I have seen you cheat death dozens of times, what makes this time different?!"
"This isn't an electrical jolt, or some kind of wound, John, this is Cancer," Aiden spat weakly. "I am fighting this the best I can, but even I can't fight it off entirely!" He sat up a little as he spoke, then fell back again, exhausted.
"Yes, you can!" John blurted out, blinded by the rage, hopelessness, helplessness, and saddness engulfing his soul.
"What?!" Aiden sat up again, anger giving him new strength.
"You can fight this, you're just being spiteful!"
"Spiteful!"
"Yeah! You know how I feel!" At this point, John was watching himself as he ranted at the weak Aiden.
"Oh, yeah, like anyone could ever know how you feel!" Aiden spat back.
"Please, you know that I love y-"
John didn't get to finish his sentence. Aiden vomited thick, viscous blood onto the floor before he could. John jumped back to avoid getting splattered. "What the-?" Aiden began to fall off the bed. "Aiden!" John swiftly caught the younger man in his arms. "Aiden? Aiden?!" John sat down on the edge of the bed, cradling Aiden's pliant body in his arms. "Aiden?! Aiden, say something! Aiden!" Tears began to fall down John's face. "Aiden? Aiden, please, say something," He begged softly. "Aiden, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said, just, please, wake up,"
"Major?" John looked up. Through his tear blurred vision, he saw Gaigun standing over him. "Let me take a look at him,"
John nodded and, with a heavy heart, laid Aiden on the bed, then quickly went into the other room. Once alone, the Air Force pilot dropped to his knees and did something he hadn't done since he was a child: he prayed, hoping that, even if God was in another galaxy, He would hear his prayer.
***
It was about an hour before Gaigun appeared in the doorway, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "How is he?" The scientist jumped when John spoke in a quiet, toneless voice. The Major sat against the wall with his legs pulled up to his chest and his arms crossed on top of his knees.
"He's slipped into a state of unconsciousness that we cannot rouse him from,"
John winced, as if struck. "Coma," He whispered.
"I'm sorry, John," Gaigun finally said softly after he failed to find the right words.
"Don't apologize," John looked over at Gaigun for the first time. "He's not dead. Get back to work and make sure he doesn't die,"
The two men stared at each other for a long time, then Gaigun simply nodded and strode purposefully into his lab. John stood, if a bit unsteadily, and walked slowly toward Aiden's room.
***
John stopped in the doorway of the room. Gaigun had lit more candles and placed them at the head and foot of the bed. The candlelight cast a gentle glow over Aiden's still form.
John slowly tread across the cluttered room and knelt at his friend's bedside. (Gaigun had been kind enough to clean up the blood.) Flames by Aiden's head flickered, causing the shadows on his handsome features to dance. Tears welled up in John's eyes again, and he lovingly stroked Aiden's cheek with two fingers.
"I'm so sorry, Aiden," John whispered. "I didn't mean any of that stuff I said, I was just frustrated, you know?" John wiped his tears away and took Aiden's hand into his own. "But, that's no excuse. I had no right to yell at you like that, and...I'm sorry," John sat on the edge of the bed, still holding the limp hand. "Aiden...I love you," John whispered. One of his tears hit Aiden's cheek and ran down the younger man's face. John chuckled weakly and wiped it away. "Sorry about that," His forced smile faded away, but his fingertips remained on Aiden's cheek. "I mean it, Aiden. I love you. I love you more than anything, and if I lose you..." He really didn't want to think about that possibility, but, unfortunately, it was a possibility. "Aiden, if you die, I think, inside, I'll die right along with you," John's voice broke, but he didn't let himself break down. He had to stay strong.
For Aiden.
To Be Continued...