The Space Between Us

Chapter Twelve

Another blonde hero was sitting somewhere else, but in a very different mood from what Dave's had been. Her black-lipstick mouth was pinched in worry as she looked over the bleak waiting room with distrusting eyes.

"I hate hospitals." Rose grumbled to John, who was sitting beside her (and trying to hide the look of terror on his face). "They smell like medicine and old people."

He nudged her playfully in the ribs, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't forget you'll be old one day too!"

Rose growled in reply, turning her gaze down towards the phone in her hands. Her body was curled in tightly on itself and her hands shook slightly.

"Any word from Kanaya?" John asked nervously. 

Rose shook her head. "She's probably busy with her mom and stuff. I can't worry too much about it now, right? There's only so much anxiety I can take."

Man, she was really down. John needed something to cheer her up... "Dave's coming by, though. Then you'll have his support."

"Yeah. Just what I need." She said flatly, before looking down at her phone when it let out a happy beep. "Speaking of need..."

"Please." John teased. "You don't need a high school girlfriend. I need a girlfriend like I need a pair of balls on my forehead."

"That's vulgar. Anyways, you're so gay you emit gaymma rays. Don't judge my lifestyle."

TT: Darling, I hope all is going well for you. I'm at the hospital now.

GA: oh everything is fine here ::::)

Rose narrowed her eyes, looking at the odd smiley face on her screen. Kanaya never used smileys... in fact, the only person she knew who did was Jade. But Jade's smileys never had so many eyes.

Eight, in fact.

"John?" Rose asked softly. "Does Vriska use smiley faces with eight eyes?"

"Yeah..." He said, confused. "But how did you know that?"

She didn't reply, instead typing more.

TT: That's wonderful! I'm glad to here. Hope Spiderb***h is leaving you alone

GA: spider8itch is nowhere to 8e found.
GA: dont worry rosie.
GA: its all good ;;;;)
GA: our relationship is safe from her arachnids grip.

"I think Vriska has Kanaya's phone."

"Why would you think that? Let me see those chats." He paused. "Unless they're... dirty."

She stuck out her tongue at him. "Like you can judge me, with how much you surely do with Karkat."

"You're changing the subject. Gimme the phone." John teased, but the smile dropped off his face as he scrolled through the texts. "This... this is weird, Rose. That's definitely Vriska."

"Are you sure?"

"Look at my texts with her." He held their phones side-by-side, comparing a recent conversation he'd had with Rose's logs with "Kanaya".

EB: vriska I really hope you aren't messing with kanaya and rose again

AG: silly john, id never do something mean like that ::::)
AG: dont you trust me?

"God, John, she sounds like a total b***h right there. Why are you guys friends again? It can't be that you're into her- as I said, gaymma rays."

John shook his head, clutching his phone tightly. "If she's with Kanaya, I might need to reconsider our friendship. But don't do anything yet, okay? You have your mom to worry about right now. Kanaya and Vriska can wait."

"I'm sick of waiting, John."

"I know."

They spent a few minutes in stressful agony, Rose slumped against the back of the uncomfortable chair. She stared blankly at the chipped, white ceiling and listened to the noises of the hospital. Grunts, cries, screams, and high panicky voices filled the empty halls.

God, it was depressing. Even John couldn't muster up a smile.

Finally, though, relief came- in the form of Dave barging into the room with a thousand-watt grin on his face.

"Hey, Dave. What's with the smile? You look like you just had sex." chided Rose. He'd changed into a soft red hoodie and jeans- but it looked like there was a red mark on his neck someone had tried to cover up.

Jade was shortly behind him, looking lovely with a flowing green dress (and a neck absent of possible hickeys- Dave!). She waved shyly to Rose and John, trying hard not to look nervous. Rose smiled back.

"I didn't, I swear. We kept our hands above the covers and everything." Dave said smoothly. "How's Mom doing? Any word? Jade talked some sense into me- I've got some things I need to tell her."

Rose shrugged. "Nothing yet. She's still in the ICU- John's dad is with her, so don't worry. She's not alone."

"Won't they let us see her? We're family."

"I'm guessing the doctors don't watch a bunch of teenagers barging into the room. Just wait a little, okay? Sit down. It'll be like old times before John came out and I dumped his butt and all the crazy stupid drama stuff happened."

"It's not over yet." John said softly. "Here comes the doctor."