In Sickness and In Health

Chapter 6

Ted's POV:

"Hi Emm, it's Ted," I say into the phone.

"Hey, Teddy, what's up?"

"Um … have you heard anything about Brian?"

There is a lengthy pause. I wait.

"No, Teddy, I haven't heard anything."

"But wasn't he supposed to go to the doctor today?"

"Yes, he was."

I sigh in frustration. This is like pulling teeth. "Haven't they called, or better yet, haven't you called?" I ask.

"No and no! I don't want to butt into Brian's business. Why don't you call?"

"Me?" I don't want to answer that.

"You're just a big a scaredy cat like me. I don't want … to hear bad news." Emmett's voice cracks just a bit and I know he's on the verge of tears.

"Okay, I admit it. I don't want to hear that the cancer has come back," I state adamantly.

"Maybe it hasn't," Emmett offers.

"If that were the case, wouldn't they let everyone know," I say reasonably.

"Shit!" Emmett reacts. "That's what I'm afraid of too. In this case no news is bad news."

"Fuck!"

"Why don't you call, Teddy? You work for the man. You have a right to know if he's okay."

"You may think I have a right to know, and I may think I have a right to know, but I'm not sure Brian will see it that way."

"One of us needs to call, and I volunteer you," Emmett states.

"I'm not doing it, Emm. He likes you better. You do it," I whine, hoping Emmett will take up the gauntlet. No such luck.

"Teddy, this is your friend, your boss, your job. Man up and call," Emmett orders.

"I don't respond well to pep talks," I tell him.

"Please, Teddy," Emmett wheedles.

"Shit! Oh all right, I'll think about it."

"Okay, but after you think, call Brian. We all need to know what's going on."

"Coward!"

"I'm in good company today, aren't I? Let me know what he says"

The line goes dead.

I stare at the phone before setting it back in the base. I lean my head back in the armchair and close my eyes. Brian has to be all right. We all need him. I've got my life back largely due to Brian Kinney and his faith in me. I'd probably be a drug addict or … dead, if it wasn't for Brian. Surely all the things Brian has done to help the people around him must count for something. God wouldn't be so cruel as to take him from us … and from Justin and Briana and Gus … now. That would just be too evil.

"Ted?"

I open my eyes and look at Allen. He was in the bathroom when I made the call, but he knew what I was going to do.

"What did Emm say? Was it bad news?"

I realize that I must look like shit. The look of worry on my face, as I'm trying to convince myself that I don't have to call up to the loft, must have made Allen think I was grieving.

"It's nothing bad," I say quickly. "Emmett doesn't know any more than we do. He hasn't heard from Brian or John."

"Hasn't he called?"

"I think we're all afraid of what we might hear if we call," I say trying not to sound too pitiful.

"Want me to call for you?"

"What?" I ask in surprise. "You'd do that? For me?"

"Don't you know that I'd do anything that you need?"

"Aaah," I sigh happily. I love this guy so much.

"Ted, despite rumors to the contrary, Brian Kinney is not a monster," Allen explains. "He's just a man. I'm not as afraid of him as many of his friends seem to be."

"That's only because you don't know him as well as we do," I provide.

Allen laughs. "I like Brian. I haven't had a lot of dealings with him, but I know that he's a good man. He certainly has come to the aid of all the people in his wacky, extended family who have ever needed help. He helped you, didn't he?"

I nod my head. I owe everything to Brian Kinney. Without him I wouldn't have a job, at least not one that I love so much and that pays such an excellent salary. I wouldn't have this loft. I probably wouldn't have Allen either. I close my eyes again as I contemplate the unthinkable possibility of Brian no longer being with us.

"I'm calling," I hear Allen say.

"But…"

"No buts! You're worrying yourself sick. I'm calling and then we'll know if you have anything to worry about." Allen picks up the phone.

"God, I love you," I blurt out."

Allen smiles. "I know and that's why I'm doing this. I'm sure everything will be fine."

"From your lips to God's ears," I pray as Allen dials.

"John," I hear Allen say. Maybe it's better that he talks to John than Brian. John is always calmer and more rational, well, usually. But why doesn't Brian answer his own phone? Fuck! He must be sleeping or refusing to take calls. The news must be bad. I close my eyes and fight back tears.

Allen's POV:

I look at Ted's worried face as the phone rings. I hear John answer. That's not good. I wish it had been Brian answering the phone. That way I might be able to tell from the sound of his voice if everything is all right. The truth is I'm worried too. I like Brian Kinney, and yes, I respect him. He doesn't deserve this.

"John," I say. "It's Allen Long, Ted's partner." I know he knows who I am, but I feel compelled to stress the connection with Ted, and thus to the family. The information I'm going to ask for wouldn't be something John would share with just anyone.

"Hello, Allen, what can I do for you?"

"Um…" That vaunted courage that I had just been bragging about to Ted has suddenly vanished. I don't want to hear bad news. Please let Brian be all right, I pray silently.

"You want to know what happened at the doctor's, don't you?" John asks.

"Yes," I say letting out all the air I'd been holding since John answered the phone.

"What happened? Did you draw the short straw and get to be the one who makes this call?" John asks with a little chuckle.

That's good, I think. John wouldn't be making jokes if there was something really wrong. "Something like that," I affirm. "How … how is Brian?"

"He's a little uncomfortable. I put him to bed."

"Uncomfortable?"

"The doctor did a procedure. They took a specimen to biopsy."

Shit! That doesn't sound good, not good at all. I guess my face reveals my reaction.

"What's wrong?" Ted asks clutching at my arm. "What did he say?"

"Just a minute, Ted. Let me get the whole story."

"It's bad, isn't it? I know it's bad. I knew we should never have made this phone call. Now, I'll have to tell everyone the bad news. They're going to hate me. Why didn't you just let me wallow in the misery of not knowing? What am I going to do now?" Ted is becoming hysterical.

"Ted! TED!! Shut up for a minute," I say harshly, wanting to hear what John has to say. That's not possible as long as Ted keeps babbling in my other ear.

"I see Ted's got himself all worked up," John observes over the phone.

"Jesus, John, would you just tell us what they said about Brian? It's bad, isn't it?" I can't help but add.

Ted collapses down into the chair where he had been sitting. He cradles his face in his hands in a most Emmett-like action, showing his great chagrin at what he believes is bad news. At least he's stopped blathering about how everyone's going to kill him.

"I'm sorry, Allen. Brian had what the doctor thinks was an ingrown hair that caused an abscess."

I let out a long breath. "Thank God, that's a relief."

"It's not completely over … yet," John adds.

"Wh…What do you mean?"

"They need to get the test results back to be one hundred percent sure that everything's all right. Then we can collectively breathe a sigh of relief."

I hear the hope in John's voice. I like the sound of that. "But the doctor isn't worried?" I have to ask.

I see Ted look up at me when I say that. I smile at him trying to be reassuring now that the news doesn't seem so horrible.

"No, he's pretty sure it's not the cancer coming back. We should know for sure on Thursday."

"Can I ask why you didn't call to tell us this earlier?" I ask Brian's brother.

"I guess I should have," John admits. That's something Brian would never do, admit that he had people worried and should have let us know. "But we don't know anything for sure yet. On Thursday, if the results turn out the way we're hoping, I'll be sure to call."

"You do that, John. Everyone's been worried about him."

"Thanks for calling, Allen. Tell Ted that Brian will likely be back yelling at him in no time flat."

"I'll do that."

I set the phone back on its base. I turn and look at Ted. He's got this strange look on his face, half hope and half misery.

"Tell me everything," he demands.

"It's probably an ingrown hair that abscessed. They took a specimen and we'll know for sure on Thursday. The doctor doesn't think it's cancerous."

"Oh Allen," Ted says softly as he stands up and grabs me in a fierce hug. I can feel his labored breathing as he clings to me. I rub his back and whisper nonsense in his ear.

"You okay?" I ask after a minute or two. His breathing seems to be slowing down to something closer to normal.

"Yeah," he says, finally letting me go. He wipes at his eyes. "I … I'm so relieved."

"Me too, but we need to wait until Thursday before we know for sure."

"But it sounds okay. Brian's going to be okay?"

"It certainly looks that way," I say with a smile.

"Thank you for making that call," Ted tells me.

"That's what partners are for."

"Only great partners," Ted gushes.

"If you say so," I grin.

"I most definitely do say so."

"Now you can call Emmett," I suggest.

"How would you like to make that call too?" I ask with a mischievous grin.

I shake my head, but I can't stop myself from smiling. "Emmett's your best friend," I tell him. "You need to make the call."

"Are you always right about everything?" Ted asks.

"Usually," I chuckle. "And that's why you love me."

"Among many other reasons," Ted states.

"Make the call. I'll meet you in the bedroom when you're done."

"That's a deal!" Ted agrees. He picks up the phone and I head for the kitchen. I think some sparkling juice and maybe some chocolate would be great. I carry them into the bedroom as I hear Ted connect with Emmett.

Ted's POV:

I watch Allen getting the chocolate and the sparkling juice that we drink instead of wine. I still stay away from alcohol and drugs. Even after all this time, I worry about a relapse. But that's me. I worry about too many things. The phone's ringing at Emmett's. I wink at Allen as he disappears into the bedroom. God, I love that man.

"Hey, Emmett," I say into the phone.

"Teddy, did you do it? Did you call? What did Brian say?"

"Yes, I called. Well, technically Allen called. He took pity on me, so he volunteered to make the call, and of course, I told him to go ahead, so…"

"For fuck sake, Teddy, what did you find out? Or rather what did Allen find out?"

I can hear the exasperation in Emm's voice. I decide I better get to the point. I recite what Allen told me, and wait for Emm's reaction.

"So, it looks good. The doctor doesn't think it's cancer?"

"Doesn't look like it is," I say.

"That's great!" I can hear the relief in Emmett's voice.

"We need to wait until Thursday to be sure," I caution.

"Yeah, sure, but we couldn't ask for much better news."

"No, we couldn't. I have to admit that I'm greatly relieved."

"Me too."

"Well, I better go. Allen's waiting for me."

"In the bedroom?" Emmett has the audacity to ask.

"As a matter of fact, he is," I say proudly.

"Oooh, Teddy's getting lucky tonight," Emmett coos.

"I'm lucky every night when I have Allen here."

"I love you, Teddy," Emmett tells me in that soft, gentle voice he uses when he really means something. "I'm glad Allen called the loft."

"Me too. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night, Teddy."

I set the phone down and head for the bedroom. There's nowhere I want to be right now except in Allen's arms.

Allen's POV:

I'm sitting naked in bed waiting for Ted. I have the sparkling juice poured into two glasses and the box of chocolates sits open on the nightstand.

"Hey," Ted says in that husky voice of his, when he sees me sitting in the bed.

"Hey, yourself," I reply with a smile. "You have way too many clothes on. I've got everything we need ready."

"All I need is you," Ted says.

I can see that he's trying not to cry. He quickly shucks off his clothes and climbs under the covers with me. I reach for him, pulling him into a warm embrace and then a long, lingering kiss. "I love you so much," I declare when we break the kiss.

"I love you too, Allen," he replies.

I cradle him against my chest. Right now that's what we need, to be close and touching and alive.

"You okay?" I ask after a minute or two.

"I'm good," Ted replies. "I don't think I was aware how much Brian's condition was worrying me."

"I was. I could see the worry on your face and in those beautiful eyes of yours."

I smile up at Allen. "You always know the right thing to say."

"I try."

"I think I'd like one of those big gooey chocolates," Ted says with a smile.

"You got it." I pluck a chocolate from the box and feed it to him.

He moans in pleasure as he chews the rich confection. I pop one into my own mouth.

"Here," I say and hand Ted one of the glasses of sparkling juice. "We need a toast."

"That we do."

"To Brian fucking Kinney, the stud of Liberty, mogul of the advertising world, loving father and husband, and soon to be declared one hundred percent healthy."

"I'm glad you added that last part. It was starting to sound like a eulogy," Ted giggles.

"Shit! I didn't mean it that way."

"I know you didn't, and it's nice to be able to laugh about it," Ted tells me.

"Enough about Brian Kinney. I want to concentrate on you," I say.

"Feel free to concentrate on any part of me you'd like."

I take his glass and set it on the nightstand. "I'll start with those beautiful eyes of yours." I kiss each of his eyelids. "And that mouth." I kiss it gently then more forcefully, using my tongue and lips to get Ted all hot and bothered. I'm growing harder with each kiss. And so is he. "And this tempting spot behind your ear." I kiss and lick at the spot I knows turns him on. He moans as I lick down to one of his nipples and start in on it. This is exactly what we both need. I need to make love to Ted, to cherish him, to have him cherish me, to have mindless, earth shattering sex.

And we're well on our way to all of that.

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