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The dinner had been Patrick's idea. He thought that things had gotten a bit hectic lately with them constantly working and his rehearsals. David had agreed to the dinner only because he couldn't say no to fine cuisine. But if he'd been really honest he would've said that a night at home was really all they needed.
Which is why their dinner had ended in frustration. Patrick was showering him with love and attention and for some reason, it was rubbing David the wrong way. Honestly, he'd been irritable in general since Patrick had started rehearsals for Cabaret. While he appreciated Patrick making time for him he also felt like he was trying too hard.
Whatever the real reason, David was irritated and so when the restaurant messed up his order he reverted back to his old spoiled self. The type of person he hasn't been since long before Patrick. Sweet Patrick couldn't do anything but try and placate David.
“David. It's fine. They'll fix the order.” Patrick reached across the table to clasp David's hand.
“That's not the point. It's been weeks since I've seen you and you can't even get a dinner date right.” David pulls his hand away and huffs, refusing to make eye contact with Patrick.
“Are you seriously spinning this on me? I see you every day! We work together, David!” Patrick's voice gets more firm by the end and his eyes turn angry.
“Yeah! Working! That's all we do anymore is work!” David gets more and more irritated the longer they wait.
Finally, he stands up and storms out of the restaurant. He hears Patrick call after him, but he doesn't stop or turn around. All he wants is for Patrick to want him like he used to. When they would spend hours alone together just talking and laughing. Now the first chance they get to be together it's at a fucking restaurant.
The little box in David's pocket weighs like an anchor on his chest. This isn't how he planned this to go. And now his anger and frustration over it all were clouding everything else.
“David! Would you wait?! What is wrong with you?” Patrick comes running up behind him just as they both reach Patrick's car.
“Let's just go. I don't want to talk about it. The night is ruined anyway.” David's voice cracks and he tries to hold back emotions.
The two climb inside the car without another word. Patrick doesn't immediately start the car, instead, he sits there for a moment before turning to speak.
“I don't know what's going on. But I love you.” Patrick's words come out a bit hurt. Especially when David turns towards the window instead of responding.
David knows that his distance is hurting Patrick, but the voices in his head are telling him Patrick doesn't really care for him anymore. He's just placating David so that the breakup isn't a public affair. If Patrick really wanted quality time with him wouldn't he have suggested cooking at his place or ordering take out? Instead, he took them out just to butter David up before the fall.
Suddenly, David is pulled from his thoughts by the gentle touch of Patrick's hand. After all that, the guy still wants to hold David's hand. David knows he should turn and apologize, explain his actions but his pride momentarily wins over and he pulls his hand away.
In the silence between them, he can hear Patrick sniff. Then comes his signature cough. Yep. Patrick is trying to hold back an outward showing of emotion. David takes a deep breath and turns to apologize. That's when everything gets super bright, there is a loud noise, and then David's world goes dark.
~~~
David awakes to chaos. His eyes are immediately assaulted by extremely bright lights and his ears pounding from all the voices and noises surrounding him. He crinkles his nose at the smell of disinfectant.
He closes his eyes once more to try and quell the pounding in his head. But that only makes the pain in his hips and left arm that much stronger.
Suddenly everything that had happened that evening came rushing back. The dinner. Their fight.
Patrick.
David tries to use his right side to sit up, but he's barely on his elbow before a sharp pain radiates from his abdomen and his IV pokes deeper into the crook of his arm. It takes so much energy to hold his position that sweat soon forms and he falls back down exhausted.
“David!” The harping sound of Alexis’ voice breaks through the fog of his pain. When he opens his eyes again, he notices that his sister is sitting next to his bed.
Her usual confidence is gone, in its place is a frazzled, puffy-eyed Alexis.
“Alexis?!” David croaks, his throat scratchy and his tongue feeling too big for his mouth.
“David!” Alexis cries out this time. It's evident she wants to throw herself onto her brother, but just as she lifts her arms up for a hug she thinks twice and puts them back down.
Just as David is about to open his mouth again, this time to ask for Patrick, his parents come rushing over.
“Don't worry son. They'll be moving you to your own room soon.” Johnny Rose takes charge of the situation even before he reaches his son's bedside. Moira is right on his tail looking dramatically distraught.
David can feel the pain all over his body building up to the point of no return. All of a sudden his throbbing headache shoots a particularly sharp pain at his skull. David can’t hold back the groan that escapes as he tries to escape the pain by rolling his head into his pillow. He can’t see himself at this moment, but he is sure that he doesn’t look good based on the pain he is now constantly feeling and the looks on his family’s faces.
He starts to slip in and out of consciousness at this point. The pain attacking him from all angles as he moves his body around to find comfort. His mother grabs his hand, but through his pain, all he really wants is to feel Patrick’s embrace.
Just as the pain reaches a crescendo and a nurse comes over with what he can only imagine is morphine, David cries out once more.
“Patrick!”
Then the morphine kicks in and he almost immediately feels like he’s floating on air. There is definitely a dopey look on his face, he can feel the smile creeping in. It takes a few moments of intense focus for him to realize that his mother is trying to tell him something.
“-- the impact of the car was much greater on him. He bore the full impact. The doctors have him in surgery right now.”
“He was found on top of you.”
“May not make it through the night.”
All of the words being thrown at David get received in his brain a jumbled mess. He hears “may not make it” and his whole body goes numb. The argument of a few hours ago seems petulant and insignificant now. Why didn’t he say it back?
“What David?” Alexis is now on his other side, gently stroking his hair.
Before David can answer, the nurse comes back and informs them he is being transported upstairs to the third floor. David closes his eyes as he feels the hospital staff prep him for transfer.
As they wheel him towards the elevator, David feels the tears well up in his eyes.
“Why didn’t I say it back?” he looks to his mother in a rare moment of vulnerability in the hopes that she can give him the answer he seeks.
“Say what darling?” Moira grabs her son’s hand and won’t let go. It isn’t lost on either of them that if the accident had happened two years previously this moment of affection between them wouldn’t have happened.
David uses his free hand, even though it hurts from the effort, to wipe away the tears. David Rose doesn’t show emotion. He is stoic and strong, especially in the face of tragedy.
“We were having a fight and he said I love you. But I refused to say it back.” David’s voice is barely above a whisper.
The two Roses ride the rest of the way to David’s room, A304, in silence. Moira knows her son doesn’t actually want an answer to his question. Mostly because there isn’t one. Over the past year or so, Moira has really grown to love Patrick.
Especially because she knows how much Patrick loves and respects her son as he is, not as he wants him to be. She prays to whatever being is out there that Patrick pulls through. She knows that if he dies, David will never forgive himself and the son she knows and loves will cease to exist. Losing Patrick will shatter his heart.
By the time Johnny and Alexis join them once more, this time with Ted in tow, David is settled into his new room. Moira asks the nurse what she is doing as she adds something to David’s IV. The nurse explains that a mild sedative would be very beneficial to David right now.
“The nurse gave him a sedative.” Moira addresses the group. “He needs it. He’s in immense pain, both physical and spiritual.”
“Hey, Ted.” Alexis looks from her prone brother to her boyfriend, “Would you be able to convince them to give us information about Patrick?”
“David!” a breathless Stevie comes running into the room at that exact moment.
“I’m gonna go find out stuff.” Ted awkwardly excuses himself, it’s clear from his face that he doesn’t know how to deal with the full situation evolving before him, but he’s there to support Alexis.
“What happened? The call just said David was in an accident.” Stevie is fighting back tears as she notices her best friend on the hospital bed.
“Thanks for that by the way.” She suddenly turns to Alexis in gratitude.
“From what the police told us, David and Patrick were driving back from Elmdale when Patrick went to make a turn and a truck blew the red light, hitting them directly in the drivers' side.” Johnny supplies from his position towards the corner of the room.
“How is David? And Patrick?” Alexis moves and allows Stevie to take her place. Stevie sits and immediately grabs his hand and holds on tight.
“David has a fractured ulna on his left side, three broken ribs, a torn spleen, fractured hips, and a mild head contusion. It all sounds bad but, it could’ve been much worse.” Johnny just continues to spurt out facts, it’s how he deals with crises.
“And Patrick?” Stevie looks at Johnny with a level of trust bestowed upon a parent or hero.
“We don’t know for sure. His injuries are much more severe. From what the police told me after I persuaded them, he was found on top of David in the car. He bore the full brunt of the impact. We aren’t family so they won’t tell us further details.” Johnny stares at his son. His eyes are misty and there is a broken down look to him, a chip in his stoic armor. The armor he passed on to his son.
“What about the Brewers? Did anyone call them?” Stevie asks, looking from Moira to Alexis and finally to Johnny.
“We don’t know how.” Alexis supplies in a soft whisper.
“I’ll call them. I have the number. They need to know.” Stevie sucks in a breath and gives her best friend a rare act of love with a kiss on the forehead.
Then, just as quickly as she flew in, Stevie was gone. But all the Roses knew that she would be back as soon as she made the call. A silence falls on the room, broken only by the blips of David’s heartbeat. Ever since they’d moved to Schitt’s Creek the four Roses had grown very fond of each other.
In the blink of an eye, their family unit had almost been destroyed. Now it hung in a state of limbo. Not just because David’s life was in danger, but because Patrick’s was too. Without Patrick, they knew David would be broken beyond repair.
Ted comes back in and breaks the silence once more.
“So I was able to charm a nurse into giving me some information. Patrick is out of one surgery, she said he’d have another one tomorrow and is currently in ICU.” Ted smiles apologetically at Alexis, but she is so wrapped up in her brother that she doesn’t even notice.
“Clint and Marcy will be here by the morning. They live about 5 hours away.” Stevie says as she comes back into the room.
For the next few hours the Roses, Ted, and Stevie stand vigil over David’s bed. At around 3 am, Ted takes his leave due to work in the morning and Stevie follows him out with a request for information. The Roses stay, none of them wanting to leave David alone ever again.
~~~
At around 8 AM a nurse comes in to do her hourly check on David’s vitals and tells Johnny that a Clint Brewer was looking for him in the hall. Without disturbing his sleeping daughter, Johnny gets up and makes his way towards the door. Just as he reaches the handle, David wakes up from his sedative with a loud groan.
The sound scares Johnny, he’s heard his son complain and whine about everything under the sun. But, he has never once known his son to be in excruciating pain. He doesn’t look back as he opens the door. If he had he would’ve broken at the sight of his son writhing in pain which was causing more pain due to his injuries.
Sure enough, right outside his son’s hospital room, Johnny finds Clint Brewer concernedly pacing and looking towards the sounds David was making.
“Clint. It’s good to see you again. I just wish it was on better terms.” Johnny reaches out to shake Clint’s hand and the man shakily offers it up.
“Marcy and I got here about 3 in the morning. We went straight to our son, I’m sure you understand.” Clint steps back and goes right into it, his exhaustion evident in his tone.
“Of course. How is he?” Johnny motions for Clint to follow him towards the waiting area down the hall. He needed a cup of coffee and he was sure that his fellow dad did too.
“He’s currently in surgery. He has a lot of internal bleeding caused by a piece of metal going straight through his abdomen and chest. The doctors performed emergency surgery on him last night to start the process of patching up everything. His heart couldn’t take the strain of a surgery to fix everything so they left him open, covering it up, and took him back to his room. Until about half an hour ago when they started the process up again.” Clint chokes out the update. His love for his only son breaking through with each stall and choking of words.
“Geez. I knew he was worse than David but I didn’t realize it was that bad.” Johnny hugs his coffee and collapses into one of the blue chairs provided.
“The doctor mentioned to us the possibility of a medically induced coma. Apparently, the strain on his heart and the damage to his torso is causing swelling on his brain as well.” Clint starts off fighting the tears threatening to fall. He eventually decides that he can’t do it anymore and collapses into a fit of tears on the chair next to Johnny.
“Your son is a strong young man. He will fight. This may seem like the end of it all for him, but Patrick doesn’t give up.” Johnny leans closer to Clint in the best way of comfort he knows how “Did you know that a little over a year ago our sons almost broke up. Patrick gave David the space he needed to clear his head about things, but at the same time he never let David forget that he was going to fight for them.”
“Your son isn’t going to give up, because he still has something to fight for. My son.”
Clint collects himself and gives Johnny a nod. With a relieved sigh, Clint gets rid of all the pent up tension he’d been carrying since receiving the dreaded call.
“How is David?” Clint sips his coffee and looks to Johnny.
“As well as can be expected. He’s gonna be in a lot of pain for a while due to both his hips being fractured. Then there is the matter of his head contusion and the broken ribs. It could’ve been worse, and probably would’ve been if not for Patrick.” Johnny makes a point of driving home to Clint once again that their boys are going to fight for each other.
“What do you mean?” Clint turns to look directly at Johnny this time.
“They didn’t tell you? Patrick was found on top of David in the car.” Johnny states, his heart breaking a bit more each time he utters those words.
“I had no idea,” Clint whispers with a small smile. “I should get back to Marcy, I just wanted to give you guys an update. I’ll come to find you again when we know more.”
“Please do,” Johnny replies as Clint stands up. The two men exchange a handshake and go their separate ways.
~~~
Johnny steps back into his son’s room and finds Moira in complete distress.
“John! Our son is getting moved!” Moira shrieks, snatching John and dragging him further into the room.
“What?” Johnny looks between Moira and Alexis.
“After you left, David’s heart gave out. It was utterly devastatingly horrid. Our son stopped breathing!” Moira grabs at the front of Johnny’s suit and cry screams.
“David’s fine now, but the old man doctor wants to keep a close eye on him so they’re transferring him to the ICU.” Alexis supplies the finer details her mother couldn’t provide.
Just then, a team of doctors and nurses come in with a transport bed. Johnny watches as each of them gingerly lift his son off his current bed and transfer him to the transport bed.
“Why exactly are you moving him?” Johnny asks the closest white coat.
“He’s had two instances of cardiac trouble in the past hour. It’s better than we put him in the ICU for now so that he can be monitored more closely.” The doctor is brisk in his response and moves on before Johnny can even reply.
He won’t even look at his son as they wheel him past and into the hallway. He can’t bear the thought of his son being so broken. David has always been a vivacious, energetic person. Seeing him on a hospital bed sedated is the tip of the iceberg for him. David’s frailty is compounded by Moira’s hysterics and Alexis’ despondency. Johnny has to remain the glue holding them together in this time of chaos.
Moira comes out of her hysterics long enough to say, “At least now he will be with Patrick.”
Sure enough, when they get off the elevator at the 4th floor ICU they see the Brewers down the hall. They end up in Room 6. The Brewers are across the way in Room 2. On their way into David's new room, Johnny makes eye contact with Clint. The two men share a moment of mutual sympathy.
The new room is bigger and colder. Johnny moves about the room taking note of it all. If David were in a better state he knew that the younger Rose would be complaining about the color scheme. Too much white and fluorescent. Johnny takes a moment to pray that his son will have that chance.
“Clint tells me that Patrick isn't doing well at all. He had surgery last night to fix internal damage, but there was so much the strain was too much and they had to stop. They started up again this morning.” Johnny breaks the somber silence with the update.
“That's devastating,” Moira exclaims through her tears as she clings tighter to her son's casted hand.
“He also said they're putting him in a medically induced coma to allow his body an easier time to recover.” Johnny continues. He sits down in the chair near the window, still unable to get too close to his son.
“Patrick.” Alexis pouts looking across the way to Patrick's empty room.
Johnny couldn't help but silently agree. While the situation with his own son was bad, it was nothing compared to Patrick. He never thought his son would ever get to experience all the goodness that love brings. Through the years he watched as his son went through one disastrous relationship after another. Until he was the cynical, broken David that existed when they moved to Schitt's Creek.
Then Patrick came along and picked up the pieces of David's heart to put them back together again. Patrick got David to trust and love for the first time. Johnny could see in David's eyes at Patrick's birthday that he'd found his forever.
Johnny is pulled back to the present by a shrill alarm. All at once multiple things happen. Nurses rush in and push the Roses back from the bed. Moira clings to Johnny once more, her eyes are fearful. And Alexis declares she can't sit and watch him die so she rushes out of the room.
Johnny and Moira watch helplessly as the doctors and nurses shock their son. His limp body shakes with each shock. Then after what seems like a million years, David's heartbeat returns to normal.
“Mr. and Mrs. Rose, we need your permission to take your son for a chest x-ray and further testing. We need to figure out why his heart keeps arresting,” a kind-voiced doctor asks them once David is out of the woods.
“Save my David.” Moira whimpers, not pulling her head away from Johnny's chest.
“We're doing our best ma'am.” The doctor replies before stepping away to speak to the head nurse.
Within minutes David has been taken out of the room for his x-ray. Johnny pulls Moira from his chest and motions for her to take his hand and follow him. They leave David's room and walk across the way. The closer they get to Patrick's room the clearer it becomes that he is back from surgery.
Through the window, they can see that Patrick is unconscious and surrounded by tubes and machines. There are visible cuts and bruises all over his face and arms. The normally strong and steady Patrick now lays a shell of the man he is.
Moira moves out of Johnny's embrace entirely to step closer to the window. She places her hand on the window and Johnny hears her whisper through her tears.
“Don't you dare give up now Patrick. You and David need each other.”
“Excuse me. Only family is permitted to visit this patient.” A sharp-voiced nurse comes over and tries to pull Moira away.
“He's my future son in law. He's family!” Moira digs her heels in deep.
“Moira, let's just go get a coffee and call Stevie.” Johnny tries to step in and redirect her.
“No John! Our sons are dying! Patrick needs to know we and David are here!” Moira's tears erupt angrily down her face.
“He knows. Let's just go before we get kicked out from David's room as well.” Johnny steps forward and forcefully directs her towards the ICU exit.
They walk until they reach a beautiful sunlit hallway with windows lining the walls on each side. John pulls out his cell phone, something David had convinced him to purchase, and called the motel. Stevie answered on the first ring, a first for her.
“How's David?” There is no greeting, no small talk. Just getting right down to business.
“They just took him for a chest x-ray. His heart keeps arresting and they don't know why.” Johnny gives Stevie the update with a somber tone. “They moved him to ICU, right across from Patrick.”
“And Patrick?” Stevie's voice cracks a little.
“He's worse than David. He's got tubes everywhere and they put him into a medical coma.”
“Fuck,” Stevie mutters under her breath. “So last night, Alexis handed me David's bag of personal belongings from the hospital. I didn't look at it till this morning.”
“And?” Johnny is extremely curious to find out what Stevie thinks is worth mentioning.
“I found a ring.”
“David wears tons of rings. That's nothing new, Stevie.” Johnny brushes off the find.
“Not ones he keeps in a little black box,” Stevie replies.
“Ohhhh.” Realization dawns on Johnny. The enormity of its meaning hits him soon after.
The pair hang up the phone with a promise of an update later. Johnny stands to stare at the greenery just outside the hallway, not realizing his silence is concerning to Moira.
“What did Stevie say?” Moira nudges her husband.
“She found something in David's belongings from last night.” Johnny can't even look at his wife. Instead, he moves back in the direction of the ICU.
“What did she find?” When Johnny doesn't stop or turn around, Moira rushes to catch up. “What did she find, John!”
“A ring! In a black box!” Johnny practically yells. The chance that his son may never get the opportunity to give Patrick that ring weighs heavy on him. If anyone deserves that kind of happiness it's David.
“Oh, John.” Moira's voice is laced with tears as she wraps her arm around her husband.
They make it back to the ICU sometime later. With a sad glance, they look at Patrick's room before turning into David's to await his return.
A few hours later, David is wheeled back into his room. He's still sedated but for the most part, looks to be in ok condition.
“So we were able to do some imaging and get a clearer picture of what is going on with David. A fragment of his rib bone broke off during the crash and slowly made its way to his heart. Which is why he didn't have issues until hours later.” David's doctor makes his way over and updates both of them.
“How will you fix it?” Moira can't stop looking at her son. All the money in the world couldn't turn back time and stop the accident from happening.
“We will go in later and retrieve the fragment, stitch up his heart and everything should be ok.”
“Thank you for everything you're doing for our son,” Johnny replies with a hand out for a handshake.
The doctor leaves after that. Johnny wraps Moira into his arms and kisses her on the head.
“He's going to be just fine.” He's not sure who he's trying to reassure more, himself or her.
~~~
Sure enough within the week, David was on the road to recovery. After five more days in ICU and a surgery to repair his heart, they moved him back to the 3rd Floor. He had wanted to visit Patrick in the ICU before leaving it himself, but the doctors nixed the idea due to his hips. That didn't stop him from trying.
On one particular day, two weeks after arriving in room A308, David was conversing with Stevie about the Schitt's Creek happenings when he got a devilish look on his face. David turned on the charm and smiled at Stevie.
“You know you want to do me a favor.” David reaches out his hand and dances his fingers in front of Stevie's face.
Stevie could tell her friend was on the mend because he was back to his old self. David could charm her into selling both her kidneys right about now if he tried; a side effect of him almost dying.
“Will I get arrested for doing this favor?” Stevie gives David a signature cock of her head and the raise of her eyebrow.
“Possibly. If we get caught.” David's eyes are lit up like she hasn't seen in him since before the accident. Before Emir broke up with her even. Come to think of it she realizes her friend has been really anxious as of late and covering it up as well as he can.
“Ok. I'm in. What are we doing?” Stevie decides that if David's idea has him excited like this then it was worth whatever consequences.
“You're going to sneak me to Patrick's room. It's been three weeks and I haven't shown up to see him yet. I'm the worst.” David starts to spiral a bit, so Stevie jumps in to stop him.
“One, you've been recovering as well. Two, he's in a coma. And three, it might be really hard for you to see him right now.” Stevie attempts to placate her best friend before getting up to retrieve a wheelchair.
The doctor had only just informed David that morning that he could ride around in a wheelchair for half an hour a day. Half an hour wasn't much but at this point, anything to get him out of bed is a godsend. Also, this new freedom makes it easier for him to leave without raising suspicion.
With a groan, David gingerly sits in the worst wheelchair on the planet. But once he's seated they arrive at the ICU within minutes. The doors to the holy land are closed when they arrive and David finds his confidence burst. This isn't going to work.
But then Stevie takes charge. She opens the doors and marches them right up to the nurse's station.
“We're Patrick Brewer's family. This is his husband who was in the crash with him and I'm his sister in law. We were wondering if we could visit him.” All the while Stevie is talking her hand never leaves David's shoulder.
“His parents didn't mention a husband.” The stern but sweet nurse replies.
“They may not know. You see my brother got married in secret without many of the people we care about.” Stevie tries to fix the mistake.
“I have an aversion to fancy parties.” David supplies as back up.
Stevie turns away from the nurse in an attempt at hiding her eye roll and mischievous smile.
“Well, his parents are here let me go and get them.” The nurse clearly doesn't believe David based on her skeptical look as she walked away.
A moment later she returns with an extremely disheveled, emotionally drained Clint and Marcy. Their faces light up the minute they see David.
“David, sweetie! It's so good to see you up and about. How are you doing?” Marcy immediately flocks to him and gingerly hugs him close to her.
David isn't one for hugs but, he really needs one right about now, though he won't admit it. He feels tears well up as he wraps his casted arm around Marcy's shoulder.
When she finally releases him the only word David can muster is, “Patrick?”
“This man says he's your son's husband and demanded he be allowed to see him.” The rude nurse interjects unnecessarily.
“Yes. He's very important to our son we will take it from here.” Clint and Marcy both take it upon themselves to push David's wheelchair closer to Patrick's room.
Once they are out of earshot of the nurse, Clint breaks the silence.
“Husband? A bit presumptuous are we?” There is a definite air of teasing which is how David knows everything is great between Patrick's parents and himself.
“David! Wait!” Stevie comes rushing up, “you might want to hold onto this now.” She backs away with a smile after handing him the ring box she's held onto since that fateful night.
David holds the box in his hand and feels a smile creep up his face. With a bite to his lip, he turns to Clint with a grin.
“You were saying?”
“Oh, honey,” Marcy exclaims her voice laced with tears. She starts pushing David towards Patrick once more.
“I was going to ask him the night of the accident, but then we fought and I got stubborn.” David feels tears well up in his eyes once more but he clamps down on those feelings immediately.
“Patrick knows David.” Marcy replies. “even if you haven't said it lately.” She parks his chair next to Patrick's bed.
David nods and then looks at Patrick for the first time since the accident. What he sees breaks his heart all over again. His heart is in his throat and he can barely speak. The tears well up and David fights to hold them back.
With the steady beep of Patrick's monitors to keep him steady, David grabs his hand. What is normally a warm and inviting touch, is now colder and more lifeless.
“Patrick.” David breathes out. His tears lace his voice and with the one simple utterance his dam breaks.
David leans over as best he can and places his head against the one spot of Patrick he could easily reach, his arm. He sobs in silence for what seems like an eternity. There are so many things David had been determined to say, but now that he was here he couldn't find the strength to say them.
He lifts his head, wipes his eyes, and looks about Patrick's room. The only personal item in all of the room is Patrick's signature iPod. He always had it on him when he went for hikes or runs.
David reaches out and gingerly picks it up. Wanting to feel close to Patrick, David places the earbuds in his ears and presses play.
Treated me kind
Sweet destiny
Carried me through desperation
To the one that was waiting for me
The sound of Mariah Carey's voice causes David to lose it once more. The memory of Patrick first uttering “I love you” fills his mind.
You're my Mariah Carey.
David feels a gentle touch on his shoulder which brings him out of his memories. He pulls the earbuds out and turns. It is Marcy looking a little worse for wear.
“Stevie came back saying you have to go back.” Marcy gives him a look of sympathy. She knows he'd rather stay here, and she'd be more than willing to make that happen.
David turns away from her and looks back at Patrick. He's never seen Patrick so frail before. If he wasn't recovering himself he would demand to be taken to the real Patrick because this is clearly a sick joke. As it is, this is the real Patrick and David has to accept that.
“There are so many things I wanted to say but found myself unable.” David breaks the silence.
“Don't beat yourself up. He knows what's in your heart.” Marcy looks at David as if she's looking at a son, a look filled with love and pride.
“You know the doctors said that playing music for him might help. That's why his iPod is here.” Marcy adds as she watches David place the device back on his table.
David can't say anything else out of fear he will break down completely. So instead he silently nods. That's when he gets an idea. He will be back as soon as he can and he will speak his heart to Patrick.
Stevie coughs from the door and David knows that his time with Patrick has come to an end. He leans over, almost standing, to kiss Patrick on the cheek, and whispers “You’re my Mariah Carey.”
He shakes himself to stop the flow of tears and emotions bubbling on the surface. David Rose doesn’t cry. He is strong and only slightly dramatic, but never a crier.
Once back in his room, Stevie and a nurse help David back into his bed. The pain in his hips is excruciating. He knows that he pushed it a little too much today by visiting Patrick and doing all that leaning, but it was worth it. The pain is a small price to pay for Patrick.
He grimaces as the nurse hooks him back up to the IV. It makes the delivery of meds that much easier, even if the look is totally not on brand with David Rose’s aesthetic.
“I’m going to go and see if the doctor will sign off on some morphine for you. To help with the pain.” the nurse says, his voice carries like that of a dudebro at some party. A quality that throws David off because the nurse is smaller than he is and appears to be a bit mousy. The nurse leaves; Stevie and David now the only occupants of the room.
“Ok. I’m just going to say it. Patrick looks rough.” Stevie breaks their awkward silence in true Stevie fashion.
David doesn’t reply, instead, he looks down and his blanket and starts using his fingers to pick at it. The guilt is tearing him up inside, but that is his burden to bear alone. It isn’t fair on Stevie for him to unload everything. They are best friends but, David still struggles to open up to her.
“It’s not your fault, David.” Stevie steps forward and sits down next to him on the bed. It’s a gesture not normally shared between the two but, David appreciates it just the same.
“But. I.” David starts and stops, unable to find the words. “You know I’m not good at emotions.” His statement comes out barely above a whisper.
“I know. You don’t have to talk about them. I just want you to know that it’s not your fault.” Stevie leans over and wraps her arms around David’s torso. She lays her head on his shoulder and doesn’t let go.
Eventually, David gives in and wraps his arms around her back in response. “I couldn’t say it.” David lets the tears just flow. In the arms of his best friend, he feels safe enough to just let all his defenses go.
He can’t lose Patrick. He can’t lose the one person who saw through his defenses and found the gold. He can’t lose the one person who believes in his every dream, no matter how outlandish it is. David Rose needs Patrick Brewer more than he will ever admit to out loud.
~~~
David went to see Patrick every day for the next week. He utilized his limited time by holding Patrick's hand and whispering daily updates to his lifeless partner. David never once ventured into emotional territory, at least not out loud. Instead, he chose to express his feelings through the music he played.
Every day he'd play a bit of Mariah Carey, Tina Turner, and of course Beyonce. But on the third day, David played Patrick a new song that had just been released by a young artist.
David had come across this artist when going down a music black hole on YouTube. The young man was apparently some big Broadway star, but David had never heard of him. After listening to the whole album he found the perfect song to play for Patrick. So, he "borrowed" Patrick's iPod and had Stevie add the song to his music library.
You put all your faith in my dreams
You gave me the world that I wanted
What did I do to deserve you?
I follow your steps with my feet
I walk on the road that you started
I need you to know that I heard you, every word
I've waited way too long to say
Everything you mean to me
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you now
I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you the truth
I'm everything that I am because of you
David gives his signature crooked smile as he listens to the song with Patrick. He has never been good with words, but even he knew the power of song. Patrick taught him that when you can't say it, sing it. David can't sing so he's letting this kid do it for him.
I, I've carried this song in my mind
Listen, it's echoing in me
But I haven't helped you to hear it
We, we've only got so much time
I'm pretty sure it would kill me
If you didn't know the pieces of me are pieces of you
I've waited way too long to say
Everything you mean to me
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you now
I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you the truth
I'm everything that I am because of you
David wants nothing more than for Patrick to wake up so he can tell him just how much the man means to him. It's been a long couple of weeks. The guilt of David's actions that night eat him up inside more and more the longer he goes without speaking to Patrick.
Over the next few days, David adds the song to their daily jam session. Everyday David hopes for Patrick to show any sign that he hears it. A smile, a twitch. Anything.
As the week wears on, it becomes harder and harder for David to move. He doesn't say anything to his doctors because he knows that the visits to Patrick will have to stop. For the first time in his life, David doesn't whine or complain about something. Patrick would be so proud.
Surprisingly, the hardest person for David to fool is his father. For a man who used to barely acknowledge his son's existence, he sure did notice every grimace. On one particularly difficult day, David was attempting to take a couple of steps with the walker. His father was there and just as David was about to pass out from the pain, Johnny dragged him back to the bed.
"Son, you can't over do it. It's not good for anything." Johnny states as he helps David into a prone position on the bed.
"Says you. I'm fine. I was doing great before you swooped in and saved me when I didn't need to be saved." David rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.
"David! Your face was sickly pale and you were unsteady." Johnny can't believe his son was really trying to be this pig-headed.
"I haven't eaten since breakfast. I'm starving. Not in pain." David's tone is snarkily accusatory.
However, when David tries to stand up once more his legs give out and he has to accept defeat. He looks to his father in the hopes that he will cover for him, he hasn’t missed a single day of visiting Patrick since he was first released from his bed almost two weeks prior. David knows that a setback means no Patrick.
When his physical therapist comes in to check on his progress he ends up giving David the words he’s been dreading all day.
“While I admire your drive and determination to heal, your body is protesting that it’s too much too fast. I am going to recommend you be confined to bed rest for the next 3 days so that your body can rest and recover a bit.”
“I can’t even use a wheelchair to go and visit my boyfriend?!” David asks in the vain hope that his doctor will agree to at least that.
“David. Your body is regressing because you’ve been doing too much. You need complete rest to heal better.” the doctor takes on a frustrated look.
“So that’s a no then?”
The doctor doesn’t even respond. He just throws his hands up and leaves the room. Johnny takes this opportunity to step closer to his son. He knows that David isn’t going to take kindly to being barred from seeing Patrick for three whole days.
As he gently pats his son’s arm in what he hopes is small comfort, Johnny hatches a plan. He can’t stand to see his son looking so forlorn and he is worried that this separation will set David’s progress back even more.
“I have to see him. He can’t wake up and I not be there. I-I-I” David’s words come out fast and desperate.
Johnny knows that his son is starting to panic. So he does something he normally doesn’t and reaches out to grab his son’s hand. He knows that David needs to find focus instead of continuing down his spiral of current thoughts, but Johnny is at a loss as to what he can really say. Then he thinks of Moira.
Moira gets into these panics all the time and how does he handle them? With grace and serenity. Of their two children, David is definitely more like Moira. He may not get as dramatic as she does, but the level of anxiety under the surface is one and the same. So, Johnny does what he does for Moira.
He walks around the bed so that he is facing his son and sits down in a chair to put himself closer to David’s level.
“Son, Patrick knows that you are here. You have been going to see him every day for the past couple of weeks now. He loves you and would be very upset with you if you chose him over your own health.” Johnny Rose’s voice is soft and calm, the very cadence that David needs right now.
“Lay down David.” the younger Rose mumbles in reply.
“What’s that?” Johnny doesn’t really quite understand what is going on but, he’s going to try.
“Patrick. He’d tell me ‘Lay down, David’ if he were awake and aware right now. He would probably throw in a stern look for good measure.” David croaks, trying to smile but the gesture not quite reaching full effect.
A silence falls between the two men, it isn’t awkward it’s balanced and relaxed. Johnny uses the time to reflect on his own love story and how he hopes his son will get to experience all the joys that he has over the years with Moira. He never would’ve guessed years ago, when they were forced to move to Schitt’s Creek, that the little town would be just the thing they all needed to recapture their lives. Schitt’s Creek gave them back their relationship and helped to foster it into a closer bond.
“I was going to propose.” David breaks the silence. Once their eyes meet, David gives his father a look, begging him to understand.
“I know. Stevie told me she found a ring.” Johnny gives his son a small, but comforting smile.
“I was going to propose that night. I had been planning it for weeks. Then I let my anxiety get the better of me and I treated Patrick horribly. What if that’s the last memory I get to share with him?” David’s voice gets smaller the more he speaks, officially breaking at the end.
Johnny doesn’t say a word, instead, he pulls his son into an embrace. With his father’s arms around him in a rare moment of vulnerability, David gives in and cries. He cries for all the pent up emotions he’s been experiencing over the last month. He cries for the missed opportunities his actions and the accident caused. After a long moment, David pulls away. He’s still not completely comfortable with emotional displays.
“Have faith --” Johnny begins, his words stopped by the sound of the door opening.
Both of them turn to see Marcy Brewer standing in the doorway looking concerned.
“The doctors are bringing Patrick out of his medically induced coma today. I came to see if David was ok since we haven’t seen him yet.” Marcy nervously steps into the room and addresses them both.
David doesn’t reply, instead, he turns his body ever so slightly to allow himself to look away from both of his visitors.
Patrick was waking up today and he was stuck in his hospital bed. Stupid setback. Now Patrick would never know how sorry he was. He’d wake up and think that David abandoned him. David can’t live without Patrick. The anxiety creeps back into his chest and he finds himself unable to breathe. His breaths start coming out in short little gasps.
Before long he feels his father’s touch on his arm. It’s enough to center him once more. The panic falls away and he is left feeling empty and numb. It’s only right that he should end up this way. David Rose never gets to come out on top when it comes to love.
“Sorry, Marcy. David has just been told by his doctor that he is on bed rest for 3 days. His body isn’t healing as best as they thought and the doctor feels rest will go a long way towards helping.” David hears his father gently explain.
“Oh.” Marcy’s voice is laced with empathy and concern. “David, I’m going to talk to Patrick’s doctors. Maybe they can delay waking him up for a few more days. He’d want you there when he wakes up.”
David looks up and sees Marcy standing before him, having crossed the room to the other side. The look on her face breaks David’s heart. It’s the same look Patrick gives him every time he’s had a freak out around him. There's so much love and compassion built into that look. David knows in his heart that he chose right when he said yes to Patrick to a birthday dinner all those months ago.
“That’s ok. You don’t have to delay on my account.” David gives a sigh of resignation, even though he wants to beg Marcy to go through with the delay.
"Nonsense. It doesn't hurt to ask. Well, I'm going to let you rest. I'll give Patrick your love." Marcy awkwardly smiles at David and gives his hand a squeeze.
After she leaves David asks his father to leave as well. He just wants to be alone for a while. He needs to collect himself and find a way to make peace with his very discouraging setback.
His doctors said that since his heart seemed to be settled now the only thing stopping him from being released was his ability to walk with a walker a significant distance without getting weak. This physical setback today was his body way of saying it hated him. Which seemed fair, after all, he hated himself too. Patrick had wanted to have a nice dinner and David had turned into a selfish prick.
That wasn't you; it was your anxiety.
Anxiety or not David had been unnaturally cruel to Patrick that night. He didn't expect Patrick to even want to see him when he actually woke up. That's the thought that made him the most disgusted with himself. He had a perfectly great thing and he had to go and fuck it up beyond repair.
He could see himself sharing a future with Patrick. Now he wasn't sure he even wanted to try getting better if it meant going home to a life without his soulmate.
David is in the deepest parts of his doom spiral when Stevie shows up. She looks to be in a rush, but David is just glad to see his best friend. It had been days since she last came to see him.
"Hey, stranger." David's tone is rejected but he gives a smirk.
"Sorry. Someone has to run your store since you can't be bothered." Stevie snarks, but her eyes reveal just how happy she is to see David.
"So you took it upon yourself? If our business fails I'll know who to blame." David's mood is quickly picking up.
"Not me! I've been forced to run the motel solo while your dad works your store." Stevie supplies, awkwardly standing next to David's bed.
"Wow. It's as if the motel is your job ." David replies sardonically.
"Best wishes." Stevie states.
"Warmest regards," David replies without missing a beat.
The two friends exchange loving smiles and fall into a comfortable silence. It isn't lost on them how close they are to losing the status quo they love so much. Ever since Patrick came into their lives there hasn't been the two of them without him. Their duo easily became a trio, and without it, their lives would be much less colorful. And not just because he adds a splash of blue.
"Wait if my dad isn't at the store who is?" David breaks the silence.
"Normally it would be Clint. He does Fridays and Saturdays, but today he couldn't do it so I covered until Alexis got there." Stevie looks at her best friend cautiously, knowing he's going to react to the Alexis news.
"YOU LET MY SISTER RUN MY STORE?!" David hysterically yells.
"Relax. She's been extremely helpful. The customers kind of like her."
"Ugh." David's groan says annoyance but his physical demeanor states he's relieved that Alexis is helping.
"It's just weird Clint didn't want to work this weekend. He does it every weekend saying it's the least he could do." Stevie gives a rare moment of caring.
"Patrick is being taken out of his coma today," David answers forlornly. The tears threatening to fall. He can't even look at Stevie.
"David! That's great! Why didn't you say so sooner?" Stevie is so excited that she doesn't initially see her friend's body language. "Oh. You can't be there."
"I'm fucking stuck in this bed. The doctor put his foot down because I'm not healing properly." David is practically crying and Stevie's heart aches.
"It's ok. He'll understand when he finds out your condition." Stevie rationally reasons.
"Or he will remember our fight and give up on me." David picks at his blanket once again.
Stevie can't stand to see her friend like this. She gets it into her head that she needs to help him be there, even if it kills him or gets her banned from the hospital.
Unfortunately, as Stevie excuses herself with the excuse of the bathroom she runs into Marcy. It's clear to Stevie this conversation is going to be awkward.
"Hey, Mrs. Brewer. Hows Patrick?" Stevie breathes awkwardly. She barely knows the woman but knows that if she bears bad news it's best she hears about it before David.
"The doctors took him out from under the medical coma a couple of hours ago, but Patrick still hasn't woken up. The doctors said that it may take a day for him to wake up." Marcy answers Stevie, giving her a sympathetic smile.
"Please don't go in there and tell David. He's not in a good place right now. I think it may be best if I tell him." Stevie pleads with the elder woman before her.
"I just wish this could all be over and they could go back to just loving each other," Marcy replies, knowing how fragile David is right now.
"When you tell him please let him know that Clint and I care about him very much and want nothing more than for him to get better."
"Of course." Stevie gives Marcy a forced smile.
~~~
For the next three days, Stevie barely leaves David's side because she knows in his unstable mindset being alone is the last thing he needs.
Every day she keeps his mind off of Patrick too much by asking David to look at inventory sheets and assess what needs to be ordered for the store. She even goes as far as to convince him to keep up with his physical therapy.
Then on the third day, his doctor finally signs off on David leaving his bed. David is in the best mood he's been in days. He is practically buzzing with anticipation as Stevie helps him into his wheelchair.
"Don't forget he's still unconscious." Johnny intones from the corner.
"That's ok Mr. Rose, David is going to bring him back with true love's kiss." Stevie jokes, her eyes twinkling with laughter.
"Fall off a bridge." David snarks. He refuses to let anything stop his happy mood. Especially considering that happiness is a thin veil to the sadness underneath.
He doesn't need anyone to worry about him. But he also knows that the minute he sees Patrick there is no telling how he will react.
Stevie pushes him the whole distance to Patrick's room. They move in silence, the anticipation buzzing within them. Neither can imagine what they'll do if Patrick is permanently in a coma.
The room is empty except for Patrick on his bed. He's no longer hooked up to any machines beyond an IV and a heart monitor. This makes him look more like he is sleeping.
David immediately grabs his hand. Patrick's hand is still slightly cold, but David knows that once he's awake the warmth will come back.
He quickly grabs Patrick's iPod and presses play. The music surrounds them and David feels his anxiety slip away. Here, in Patrick's presence, David feels more at ease than ever before.
He lays his head down next to Patrick's leg and closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath and finally voices the things he's been holding in since the accident.
"Patrick. I'm sorry. You didn't deserve the way I treated you. I was feeling anxious and I let that take over. I would give anything to have you wake up. I miss you. Please, Patrick, I need you." David lets the tears fall as he finishes.
A silence falls as David continues to silently cry. He's kept all of the emotions pent up for the past few days. All his fears about Patrick dying or Patrick waking up and rejecting him comes out as tears.
~~~
Patrick wakes up slowly. His senses coming back to him one at a time. It's like being reborn. He hears music playing, a poppy sort of ballad David would listen to.
I'm everything that I am because of you.
"Bold claim, though I take no credit for your wardrobe." Patrick's voice is scratchy and soft from lack of use.
Suddenly David removes his head from where it lay next to Patrick's thigh, his hand maintaining the grip it has on Patrick's. He sees Patrick looking back at him and he bursts into tears.
"Patrick!" David launches himself forward, almost completely off of his wheelchair and into Patrick's bed. His other hand grabs Patrick's as he kisses his boyfriend without restraint. The salt of his tears leak into their kiss but it doesn't stop him. He kisses until he needs to come up for air.
Then he moves away slightly, but still remaining close enough to be in physical contact with Patrick at all times.
"Who knew you had a heart, Dave?" Patrick gives a smirk, his eyes alight with mischief.
"We are NOT doing Dave," David hiccoughs through his tears. His smile never faltering.
The two fall into silence, staring at each other. They're both drinking each other in, quickly becoming drunk on the presence of the other. David never wants to lose this chance ever again. The fragility of it all influences his every move.
"The store!" Patrick exclaims suddenly, pulling his hand out of David's embrace, breaking the magic.
"Only you would come out of a month-long coma and immediately worry about our store." David teases with a signature crooked grin and eye roll. Now that Patrick is awake David can't help his overwhelming joy.
"You mean to tell me that you aren't worried at all?" Patrick re-inserts his hand into David's and interlocks their fingers.
"I only slightly worry on Wednesdays and Thursdays because those are the days Alexis keeps an eye on things. Every other day it's my father or yours. So my trust is higher." David explains with a smile. He squeezes Patrick's hand and rubs his thumb in gentle circles.
"My father?!" Patrick lays back against his pillow with a sigh. David knows that even though Patrick just asked a question he is relieved to know all their bases are covered.
"I think he felt helpless during all this and he knew that looking after our store was something he could control." David tears their hands apart so he can lovingly caress Patrick's face. "You're going to have scars after this. That's hot."
Patrick doesn't say anything. He just relaxes into David's touch. The two stare lovingly into each other's eyes for what seems like an eternity.
Then at the same moment, they both utter the exact same words.
"Marry me."
The ridiculous nature of it all sends them both into laughter. Not uncontrollable laughter just a gentle cadence of merriment.
"I guess I got my answer." Patrick smiles, grabbing David's face and giving it a look over as he caresses his cheek.
"On second thought I think I'll give this ring to Jake." David gives a mischievous grin before planting a huge kiss on Patrick's lips.
Then he pulls out the black box he carried everywhere now and opened it. Gingerly taking the ring from the box he places it on Patrick's finger.
"I was going to ask you that night, but I let things get all messy. I'm sorry." David's voice is soft and gentle.
"I honestly don't remember anything about that night. I only remember closing the store that night." Patrick looks worried, but David pulls him in for another kiss to reassure him.
"It doesn't matter. It was just one night." David's words are meant to reassure Patrick but they end up helping himself as well.
~~~
One Year Later
David was all nerves as he tried to tie his bowtie. His father has to step in because he keeps messing it up. The royal blue bowtie and vest are the only parts of his outfit that aren't his signature black and white.
"I wonder if Patrick is having this much trouble." David quips, clearly annoyed.
"Patrick is wondering if you're ready." Alexis pops her head into the room. "Ugh, David! You don't have your tie on yet?!"
"Eat glass, Alexis!" David starts to pace. His nerves are really starting to overwhelm him.
"What if I fuck it up? I'm emotionally stunted. I can't do this!" David gets more dramatic and erratic the more he paces.
"David. You read your vows to me many times. They sound great. If you forget them just look at Patrick and be honest." Stevie steps in and grabs ahold of her best friend, trying to calm him down.
"I can't do that!"
"Stand still son, so I can finish tying this." Johnny gives David a stern look that stops him in his tracks.
When Johnny finishes, David resumes his freak out. Johnny turns to Alexis.
"I've seen this before. When your mother and I got married they had to call me in beforehand to calm her down. Go get Patrick."
Alexis immediately leaves and David continues to pace and wring his hands. He is completely sure that he’s going to fuck everything up. He even says so a few times.
“I fuck everything up. Look at my long, tragic history.” David stops in front of Stevie, emphasizing to the air around him for effect.
“Right because Rose Apothecary is such a failure that you guys are planning a branch in Elmdale.” Stevie deadpans, clearly not here to put up with David’s self-deprecating bullshit.
“The only reason that hasn’t fucked up is because of Patrick. I don’t know how to do anything right!” David continues, refusing to give in to Stevie’s pressure.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit.” a gentle voice carries over from the door.
David looks up and his anxious hand movements and lip biting stop. His breath catches for a moment at the sight of his fiance. Patrick slowly crosses the room, his eyes never leaving David’s.
Where David’s tux is black with hints of blue, Patrick’s is a deep blue with hints of black. It’s a perfect representation of them coming together in the most beautiful of ways. Within seconds the two are in each other’s arms. Patrick pulls David against his chest and doesn’t say anything.
He knows that at this moment David needs an anchor, something to make him feel like he won’t float away. In the three years that Patrick has known David, he has come to know just what David needs at certain times. Not all of David’s anxious fits need the same remedy.
When he is anxious about something to do with his family a simple squeeze of the hand and an offer for time off to check on them does the trick. When his anxiety stems from his past coming back to haunt him, Patrick simply has to kiss him and tell him he loves him. If the anxiety is about David’s personal failings the remedy is a hug that doesn’t end until David decides it’s over.
Patrick realized long ago that the reason for this is because when David is feeling unsure about himself he’s also feeling like he could blink and life as he knows it will disappear. A hug reminds him that he has things to hold onto that won’t let him wash away like the tide.
After what seems like an eternity, David pulls away. He looks 100% better and as calm as can be.
“I will never understand how you do that,” David whispers as he leans back into Patrick’s space, connecting their foreheads.
“What?” Patrick feigns ignorance.
“Know exactly what I need with just a glance.” David smiles.
A slight cough from Stevie brings them out of their little bubble. Patrick quickly pecks David on the cheek before pulling away completely.
“Meet you by the flowers. I’ll be the one in blue.” Patrick replies sweetly.
As he walks away, David can’t help watching him go. They have come a long way to get to this moment. Patrick’s hair has grown out a bit which covers up the scar from his brain surgery and David still bears the scar of his ordeal in the slight limp to his every step. They are both bruised, but far from broken.
This past year has been a trying time for both of them. It took quite a bit of adjusting for David to be okay with his permanent injury. It’s not like him to ever show weakness and now it follows him everywhere. Through all his depression over “not being whole” as he put it, Patrick stood with him and gently reminded him that a little limp didn’t make him any less of the man he fell in love with.
Now here they are on their wedding day and once again, Patrick is proving to David that he chose correctly when he said yes to date all those years ago. As he walks alongside his father towards the flower arch that had been placed in the field near Mutt’s barn, David is overwhelmed with love for the man he sees waiting for him. The closer he gets to the man of his dreams, his soulmate, David hears the words of a song in his head once more, echoing from the depths of his memory.
I’m everything that I am because of you.