Chapter 28

Oh wonderful.. the hospital again.

Usually I would’ve been ecstatic to be alone with Abigail, but the fear running through me was too great. I’d never actually seen anything like this before. I’d never had to go to the hospital for anyone else. My parents were always healthy. I didn’t have grandparents. Now the fear of losing David was too close and I didn’t like it.

Abigail’s eyes stayed firmly planted on the road ahead until we reached the hospital. As I unbuckled my seatbelt and started to get out she said, “Zander.” I stopped and leaned back into my seat. I sucked up my emotions and looked deep into her eyes. “Your dad’s right. It will be okay.” She was the only one I wanted to hear that from.

I gave her a quick smile and then left the car. She followed behind me closely. Her white flip flops slapped across the bottom of her feet. She tried to keep up with my long steps but she finally gave up and walked a few feet behind me. Noticing this I stuck my hand out. Without question she carefully places her small white hand into mine. It was hard for me to slow my pace but I did. We walked in the same time everyone else did. We each walked into the emergency room waiting room only to see Rylan having a complete fit. There were three doctors surrounding him.

“For five years I practically ran this hospital. That is my son in there and if he is having surgery I will be working on him.”

One doctor seemed to be the one he was talking to. His balding scalp shone dazzlingly under the bright lights. “I understand Dr. Khorry, but we can’t have you in the operating room unless you are an employee here. You left many years ago.”

“It doesn’t mean I forgot what I do. I worked in Lincoln City. I’m not a complete Idiot, Andrew.”

Shiloh pointed towards the waiting room making us go and sit in the folding chairs. Tex herded us that way. Everyone’s attention stayed on Rylan. “Rylan I understand that you are upset but we can promise your son is in safe hands.”

Shiloh walked up behind Rylan who was now fuming. His hand spread on Rylan’s back and tried to relax him. “What’s going on doctor?” Shiloh asked calmly. Rylan huffed and started pacing in the hall.

“Your son David is losing his kidney function at an alarming rate. We must either put him on Dialysis right away or give him an emergency surgery and take one of his kidneys.”

“He’ll need a donor?” The doctor nodded and Shiloh sighed. “Is there anyone?”

The doctor pointed to the nurses, “we are looking. If you have family members or friends who can donate let us know as soon as possible.”

Shiloh nodded and turned around. He grabbed Rylan’s arm and started pulling him towards us. They stood in front of us. “He needs a kidney donor.”

Rylan sighed and it looked almost as if he was going to punch something. “I can’t.”

“Why not?” asked Madeline with tears still in her eyes.

Rylan again sighed. “I’m Khtulan. I’ll give David the virus through my blood.”

“So will I.” Shiloh started rubbing his temples carefully.

Tex bit his lip, “I can give him mine. I’m A positive.”

“David’s B negative,” I mumbled under my breath. Everyone looked at me, “We had biology together when we tested our blood.”

Madeline sniffed away some tears, “I’m also A positive.”

Tex started talking again, “Kei also has the virus. That also takes out Justin and Phoenix.”

“Take mine,” I finally said. Every pair of eyes in the room looked at me. “I’m O negative. He can have mine.”

Shiloh smiled down toward me, “are you sure?”

I nodded and a laugh left my chest, “I’m not using it.” Shiloh kneeled down in front of me and wrapped his arms around me.

“You are the best brother and son I think anyone could ever ask for.” He kissed my jaw and stood up. Rylan stroked the side of my other jaw and together they both walked off to the doctors. Tex followed right behind them. Madeline walked off to go find some tissues.

Abigail turned in her seat to face me. “That’s really… Heroic of you.”

I smiled and looked down at the ground. She put both of her hands in mine. My head shifted up to look at her face. “Thank you.” I whispered as I stared deep into her beautiful eyes. Her raspberry lips parted showing me her bright smile once more.

The doctor walked up to me, “Zander we have to get you in for post op, if that’s alright.”

I nodded and stood up. My hand didn’t want to let go of Abigail, of this moment. Perhaps this would be the last time she would say kind words to me. Just in case, I made sure to get everything out of it. Before slipping our hands apart I lowered my head and kissed the top of her cheek bone. A light flush of pink appeared where my lips touched and I pulled away. Our hands slipped apart and I walked with the doctor.

They put me in the same room as David. He was hooked up to many different machines each running a separate part of his body. They had stitched up the back of his head and put bandages over it.  The doctors surrounded me and started running tests. The whole time I watched David. I watched as his chest breathed in and out. I could only hope that I could save him. My parents both walked into the room. Madeline and Tex had to stay in the waiting room until the surgery was over.

The doctors started hooking me up to different machines. Finally Rylan spoke, “Andrew we need to talk to you alone.” The doctor nodded and the nurses and interns left. When the last one left the door was closed quietly behind them. The only sounds in the room were from the medical monitors. Shiloh stroked the top of David’s head as Rylan started to talk. “Doctor I realize how I was acting before. I was out of line. I should know better than to do that. I turned into one of the parents I hate.”

The doctor laughed. “When my little girl Lilly got sick in Texas I did the exact same thing.”

Rylan nodded, “But doctor I do have to be there in the operating room.”

The doctor squished his face together, “Why’s that?”

Rylan took a deep breath, “You see Andrew. We aren’t normal. Actually we’re heroes.”

What? I couldn’t believe it. Rylan was actually exposing us. He was telling someone the great family secret that he could hardly even tell me. How did he go so many years working there without people realizing he was a hero? “Heroes?” Andrew asked carefully.

Rylan nodded. “Zander can heal himself.”

That was news to me, “I can?”

Rylan looked down at me and nodded. “In order for you to operate on him I have to disable his powers. If not, every incision you make will naturally heal itself.”

Andrew looked down at me this time, “Heroes, huh?” Rylan nodded. “Even you?” Andrew pointed to Shiloh who also nodded. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice then.”

“I swear the only thing I will do is make sure his powers don’t take control. Especially if you’re cutting him up you’ll want me there.”

“I bet I will. Now let me talk to you.” The two of them nodded and so did I. Andrew held the clipboard close to his chest. “I can’t promise you anything with either boy. In surgery there are always complications. David’s condition is rather severe and we must take extra precautions due to his virus. We will have two teams working. The only one who will be switching bodies is me and in between the two I will rewash and re-glove.” Rylan nodded he understood.

Now everyone looked at me. Perhaps they thought I would change my mind. Even if I lost my life I would do it in order to save David. He had finally gotten his family and I wanted him to be happy for once in his life. Who was I to take that away from him? I gave a thumb up accompanied with a smile.

“I guess we better get going then?” Andrew said and walked out the door.

Shiloh kissed the top of David’s head. “I love you David, it’ll be alright.” He kissed him once more then walked around to me. Rylan took Shiloh’s old spot next to David and kissed him. “Zander, you are my hero.” I smiled. The medicine given to me was starting to make me groggy. Shiloh kissed the tip of my nose. “Be safe.” I nodded and he stepped back. Rylan wrapped his arms around him and they kissed once before Shiloh left. 

Rylan walked over to the side of my bed. “You’re a great man, Zander.” His dark grey eyes looked deep into mine, “and I am very proud to call you my son. I love you.” I think that was the first time I’d ever heard him say he was proud of me. A beam of light practically shot through me as those words flowed through me. “Now when I take your powers away you aren’t going to feel well. You’ll be in human form. Your powers will try and work but you have to help me and tell them to just stay dormant for awhile.” I nodded carefully. “You’re going to be very weak, but don’t worry you’ll get over that as soon as I release them back to you.”  Again my head nodded. “Are you ready?” I think the medicine was already doing more than my powers being taken away would. My eye lids started to droop when I saw Rylan’s eyes snap on. The light illuminated my face. Suddenly my body went completely numb. It wasn’t anything I expected. It seemed harder to breath, harder to move, harder to do anything. I guess I relied on a lot of my powers. I felt my hands droop inside Rylan’s.

“Dad,” I said with great force.

“Yes son,”

I felt the fog completely taking over now. “I love you too.”