Chapter 1 

"Michael?"

"Here, Ma."

"How's he doing?"

"I don't know. Nick is with him now but the doctors haven't said anything yet."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. Karen said he got a phone call then next thing she knew, he was on the floor."

"Oh God, you don't think..."

"I...I...he's my son, but I don't know how to help."

"Pray, Michael, just pray."

*****

"Bri? I thought I'd find you in here. You okay?" Brian shrugged. He was sitting alone in the hospital chapel staring at the small altar. "You want me to leave?" Brian reached out his hand and latched onto Justin's; he remained silent. "He'll be all right. He'll get through this. I know he will." Brian nodded as silent tears crawled down his face.

*****

"Any news?" Melanie asked Danny as she entered the waiting room.

"No, and they're only allowing immediate family in."

"But you're his..."

"Yes, well, adoptive and only for a few months and Michael hasn't really acknowledged anything and..."

"He's strong and stubborn. He'll be up in no time, hustling kids off the streets, finding them jobs and..."

"I'm sure he will. He has to."

*****

"Nick?"

"Hi Ben."

"How's he doing?"

"Physically, he appears to be fine. His tests all came back normal. Normal for him, anyway. Ben, you know as well as I do that it's not just how you deal with the physical part of living with HIV but the mental attitude as well. We've been so happy together and the results of the fundraiser were so positive. I don't understand what happened to him."

"Were you there when he got that phone call?"

"No, I was coming to take him to lunch. I walked in and Karen had already called 911. He didn't have a seizure, his heart rate was a little fast but nothing dangerous, it was like he just shut down. I just don't know."

"Nick, has a…um…has a psychiatrist examined him yet?"

"Not yet, we have to make sure it's nothing organic. I'm still hoping he'll wake up on his own. He's in there, I know he is. He responds to painful stimuli but it's almost as if he's frightened to open up his eyes."

"Nothing frightens him. He's one of the bravest men I know."

"Me too."

"Have you spoken to Claire and John? You know how close they all are."

"I called earlier. They're working out the logistics now so that they can be here. Patrick can't miss school."

"And you? How are you?"

"I'm...I..."

Ben drew Nick into a hug. Nick buried himself into Ben's strong broad chest and allowed himself to cry.

"Shhh, he's going to be fine," Ben reassured the younger man. "I know he'll be fine."

*****

John, Claire, Bobby and Steve entered the waiting room. Michael was taking his turn sitting with Hunter. Dr. Nick, having privileges at Allegheny Hospital, was in and out keeping the family updated on Hunter's progress or lack thereof.

"How is he?" John asked Nick as he gave the young doctor a hug and kiss.

"No changes. And we don't know why."

"Can we see him?" Claire asked as she came close to Nick to console him.

"I'll clear it with the staff. It's supposed to be immediate family only."

"We are his immediate family," Brian said as he strode into the waiting room with Justin in tow and wearing his infamous arrogant air of authority. He was prepared to glare anyone to death who dared to defy him.

"Brian, I'm his grandmother. I have a right to be in there," Debbie said trying to be gentle but not quite making it.

"And he's my friend and business associate and he means a lot to me and FUCK! What the hell happened to him? He was fine; the happiest little ex-hustler, master of social work the world has ever seen. What the fuck happened to him?"

"Shhh, Brian, keep your voice down! I can hear you shouting from down the hall," Michael exclaimed as came back into the waiting room.

"Well, maybe if you shouted at him instead of whispering around him, he might wake the fuck up! Christ!" Brian Kinney was feeling helpless. Brian Kinney hated feeling helpless.

"Brian," Justin said gently as he placed his hand on Brian's arm. Brian's angry glare softened a bit as he walked to the windows and began to stare out. Justin gave him a moment then went to Brian's side. Brian pulled Justin toward him then rested his chin on top of the blond head. Justin snuggled into Brian's chest to give Brian the time he needed to get himself together.

"May I sit with him for a while?" Bobby spoke out.

"Sure," Nick answered.

"Hey!" Michael yelled.

"Michael, I know you're his father but I am Hunter's healthcare proxy and Bobby is his attorney. Hunter made his wishes painfully clear to us how he wanted his affairs to be handled in the event he couldn't do it on his own," Nick tried to explain.

"Fine. Go ahead, but you don't know anything," Michael said angrily.

"Michael, I know a lot more than you think I do," Bobby said. He gave Nick a hug, kissed John then went to find Hunter's room.

*****

Bobby settled into the uncomfortable chair that was next to Hunter's bed. Hunter was hooked up to a heart monitor and one IV line. His doctors were reluctant to insert a feeding tube in hopes that Hunter would wake up and eat on his own.

"You know, kid, I still have that crinkled up dollar bill you gave me when you hired me. I keep it safe in my office. I'm proud of you, Hunter. You've accomplished the near impossible. You're a survivor and now I need you to survive whatever this is, and wake up. You have to tell us what's going on so we can help you." Bobby paused to pick up Hunter's hand, squeezing it gently. Hunter's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

"They're all out there, fighting amongst themselves, declaring who has the right to come in here and sit with you. Debbie's throwing her weight around, Ben is doing his suffering father routine, Michael, well, Michael is being Michael. And Brian, he's growling and suggesting we shout at you. Maybe he's right. All this pussyfooting around, walking on eggshells, certainly isn't the right approach. Do I need to shout at you?" Bobby asked Hunter, squeezing his hand harder, his voice getting louder.

"Do I need to get into your face and yell at you? You little shit! I never thought you'd be a coward." Hunter didn't move. Bobby sighed loudly, placed Hunter's hand back onto the bed. He patted the hand just before he left the room.

"Anything, Big Red?" Brian asked as he passed Bobby in the hall.

"No, I thought I saw his eyelashes flutter but maybe I was wrong. I yelled at him, Bri. Called him a coward." Brian saw the grey-blue eyes begin to mist over.

"Good. Go out to John. I want the two of you to sit on Mikey. I may have to yell at the little shit too." Brian gave his brother-in-law a hug then sent him on his way. He took a deep breath then entered Hunter's room.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our littlest hustler. Oh excuse me, the master of social work. What the hell are you doing, taking a holiday? Who the fuck gave you permission to do that? Do you know you left Karen all by herself? She's buried under paperwork, not to mention all the kids that have been swarming. Bill took a leave from that high school of his to come down here and help. Danny looks like he lost his best friend. Mikey's convinced he's being punished for something. Ben is doing that sad thing he does. I'm not going to get into what Temmett has been doing, the fucking pests." Brian began to pace in front of Hunter's bed.

"You little shit! You have no right to just lay there and make the nurses clean your skinny ass every day. Nick is miserable; he doesn't know how to help you. I miss those stupid e-mails you send me. I've gotten used to getting them. I guess the only one who might be remotely happy with this situation is Justin."

Brian stared at the figure on the bed. Hunter looked so small, so vulnerable and so young; like the little hustler Brian had first met. Brian's shoulders slumped and he shook his head.

"Big Red was right, maybe you are a coward."

"I'd give Blondie a run for his money," Hunter said so softly that Brian wasn't sure he had heard correctly.

"You don't have his advantage."

"What advantage?" Hunter was trying to focus his eyes.

"His ass advantage."

"No one has THAT advantage."

"Let me call for the doctor."

"No, not yet."

"Why?"

"Because they'll all come running in here asking me stupid questions. I can't face them."

"Not even Nick?"

"Especially him. I let him down."

"No you didn't. But he is worried out of his mind. What happened?"

"I got a phone call."

"We know. Who was it from?"

"My mother."

*****

Outside in the waiting room Claire moved over to Nick. "How are you holding up?" she asked.

Nick turned to face her and just shrugged. He couldn't get his voice to work. Claire stepped toward him and pulled the young man into a warm embrace.

"He'll be all right, Nick. Have faith," Claire whispered.

"I … I wish I was sure of that. It's like he's given up. With him being positive, that's the worst thing he can do."

"What will be, will be. You knew that your time together was always something that might be cut short."

"Are you saying he's going to die?" Nick asked in disbelief.

"Good Lord, no. I'm saying that you two have faced so much. You mustn't give up on Hunter now. He is going to need you."

"How … how do you know that?"

"If something from that phone call did this to him, he is going to be shaken to the core when he revives. He will need you at that point more than he ever needed anything."

"But Hunter's always been so strong. What could have caused this?"

"I don't know, dear," Claire said gently. "But when he first came to the farm, he was very low. He had given up on almost everything. He needed us then, and he will need all of us now. But most of all he will need you."

"I'll be there," Nick stated as he hugged Claire close.

Just then Lacy walked into the waiting room. "Is there any news?" she asked Debbie.

Debbie shook her head. "Brian's in with him at the moment. There hasn't been any change."

"He has to be all right," Lacy said as she sat down beside Debbie.

"He will be," Debbie stated defiantly.

"The clinic needs him, and kids … like me," Lacy said sadly.

"No, not kids like you. You're doing great. But there are lots more on the streets who need Hunter's gentle guidance."

"Yeah."

*****

"Hi, Patrick," Rachel called as she pulled up in front of Patrick's school.

"Hi, Auntie Rachel. Hi, Bree. How come you're picking me up today?" Patrick asked as he crawled into his booster seat.

Rachel was driving Justin's Jeep. Brian and Justin had suggested she take it when she agreed to look after the little ones. It would be easier than trying to transfer the child seats to her own vehicle.

"You don't mind, do you?" Rachel asked. "I do know the way home."

"I know that," Patrick said seriously. "But where are my dads?"

"They had to go to the hospital in Pittsburgh."

"Are they hurt?" Patrick asked as his face clouded over with worry.

"Oh no, nothing like that. It's Hunter. He's in the hospital. Everyone went to visit him and lend moral support."

With Patrick safely buckled in, Rachel pulled away from the school.

"What's mortal support?" Bree asked.

"It means that all Hunter's friends and family are there to help each other and to make sure Hunter gets the best care," Rachel explained.

"Will Hunter be all right?" Patrick wanted to know.

"I'm sure he will. He has everyone's good wishes pouring out to him," Rachel said with a smile.

"Can me and Bree go see him?"

"I don't think they want children in the hospital."

"Make him a card," Bree said. "I draw good."

"That's a great idea, Bree," Rachel agreed. "When we get back to the cottage, that's exactly what we'll do."

Some time later the children were sitting at their little table in the sun porch coloring their cards for Hunter. Patrick was very careful with his. He had drawn a big needle on the front of the piece of paper. He printed very carefully inside: Get better soon and no needles. Patrick

Bree was making big swirls of color on her page.

"What are you making, Bree?" Rachel asked her.

"A rainbow."

"That's nice, Bree," Patrick told her.

"I got all the colors," Bree said proudly.

"Including brown and black," Patrick laughed.

Bree frowned and looked at her rainbow. "It's all right, isn't it, Auntie Rachel?" Bree asked.

"It's lovely and Hunter will be so pleased to get it."

"Good," Bree said giving Patrick a death glare that she had learned from her Dada.

"Everybody knows that rainbows don't have brown and black in them," Patrick said precisely as he finished coloring his needle.

"Bree has made a very special rainbow for Hunter. It can have whatever colors she wants. Right, Bree?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah!" Bree said enthusiastically.

"What are you going to put inside the card?" Rachel asked.

Bree frowned for a minute. She picked up her red crayon and opened the folded paper. She drew what looked like a big red heart and then with her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth she printed "bree". The "b" was backwards but that didn't matter.

"You should make a big 'B' for a name," Patrick told her.

"What's a big 'B'?" Bree asked her aunt.

"It doesn't matter. Hunter will know it's from you. Where did you learn to print?"

"At school," she said proudly.

"And she copies me," Patrick supplied.

"Do not!"

"Yes, you do," Patrick stated adamantly.

"Now that your cards are finished, let's have some cookies and milk," Rachel suggested.

"Yay!" both children yelled as they dropped their crayons and headed for the kitchen.

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