246 30 Bonds

There was a buzz of commotion. Monitors beeping, IVs dripping. Rick began stirring. He sat up clumsily. He looked around, then let out a sigh. "I'm alive..." he muttered. He looked around the hospital room. Suddenly, a nurse came walking over. "Ah, Mr. Summers, you're awake!" She gave a smile. Rick gave a nod. "Your friends are out right now, but said they'd be back soon." She paused. "Is there anything I can get you?" Rick shook his head. The nurse smiled sadly. "Not in the mood to talk I see." She said, walking away.

As he was eating some pudding, there was a knock on the door. The door opened, and Chris walked in. "Yo." He gave a wave. He quickly sat on the stool next to the bed. "Get me the h.e.l.l outta here." Chris scratched his head. "Geez not even a h.e.l.lo, huh?" "Seriously," Rick narrowed his eyes. Chris huffed as he clapped his hands on his knees. "The doctors said you're doing swimmingly, I'm sure you'll be outta here soon." Rick sighed. "Tammy's at school so she couldn't make it, she apologizes." Rick looked out the window. "Is that so." He said, not taking his gaze off of the outdoors. "The suns bright." He said. "Really, I had no idea." Chris snickered. Rick laid back a bit. "Where are Sena, and Abbey?" He asked. "Watching your kid." Rick frowned, then bit his lip. "What?" Chris looked at him. "Ya look like you have somethin' to say." Rick turned back toward the window. "How's Annette...?" Chris looked down for a minute. "They placed her in a mental asylum." Rick quickly looked up. "Huh!?" He cried. "She didn't do anything though!" Chris looked at him. "Rick she-" Rick glared. "In fact, I don't think I ever asked for your involvement." Chris folded his arms, and huffed. "If I hadn't helped you, ya could'a seriously gotten hurt, maybe not a near death situation, but-" Rick laughed. Chris looked stunned, as Rick continued to laugh. "Maybe its what I deserved." He said, wiping a tear. "I took the one thing, the one person that meant the world to her." He looked down. "Give her a break, will ya?" Chris looked steadily at the floor. "If none of this happened, Maru wouldn't have come into your life," He paused. "And you wouldn't have come into ours." Rick fell silent. "Who's?" Chris shot him a look. "Don't play dumb, ya know I meant Sena, Abbey, Tammy's, and mine." Rick kept looking down. "Am I really that worth it to you people." Chris didn't answer. "Cole, and especially Maru would have been much better off without me." Chris' hand slowly formed a fist. "I shouldn't have taken that f.u.c.kin' jo-" before he could finish, Chris slugged him across the face. Rick's eyes widened. Chris' fist shook. "Do ya hear yourself..." He looked down. "Do ya hear what yer sayin'?" His fist shook harder. "If you didn't take that job, both of 'em woulda ended up dead." Chris began shaking. "Both of those innocent kids, they woulda never lasted in that place, that's why...!" He looked up at Rick. "That's why it's your job, it's your job to keep your d.a.m.n promise!" He cried. "Keep your promise, not only for that kids sake, but for Maru's sake!" He shouted. "You're right, Maru deserves better," he paused. "That's why," he shook. "That's why you're in her life, that's why..." tears began to slip out. "That's why you're in all of our lives..." he smiled, as tears fell. Rick looked at him, stunned. "Chris..." He said, touching his cheek. "Don't f.u.c.kin' punch me like that again, ya jerk!" He cried. "Give me a warnin' at least!" Chris gave a smile through his tears, and began laughing. "You're really one of a kind." He smiled. Rick smiled, looking up at him. "Thank you, Chris." Chris nodded. "That's what friends are for." Rick closed his eyes, nodding. "That's what friends are for." He repeated.