A Debt to Repay (SMG34)

Long Road Ahead

((Author's note: Happy holidays, guys! Sorry about the wait again, I think I'll be able to update more normally now that things have settled down. Hopefully. Anyways, take care of yourselves in the coming new year and be good people.))

"Who do you think gave you the heart?"

Those words echoed in SMG3's head as he stared at the duo, time seeming to slow down around him. He felt sick to his stomach as he finally registered what Mario had told him. He looked down at his bandaged chest and teared up. 'Four, no...no...' He thought as he wanted this to all be a dream. He felt his whole world crumbling down. He soon heard a loud smack and looked back over to see Meggy glaring at Mario, and Mario rubbing his reddening cheek in pain.

"Mario! Don't be a jerk!" Meggy yelled at her Italian friend. "SMG4 isn't dead and you know it!"

Mario grumbled. "Mario just wanted to make a funny like those people on reddit!" He stated as he continued to rub his cheek in pain.

Meggy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Sorry Three, SMG4 is gonna be here shortly. He was gonna meet us here when he was done getting dressed." She said as she looked back at SMG3, who had let the tears fall down his cheeks. She picked up a nearby tissue box and used one to wipe away his tears. "He'll be here soon. I promise."

SMG3 felt a huge weight being lifted off him when he was informed that SMG4 was okay and that he'd be here to see him. He felt himself being brought up into a reclined sitting position and looked at Meggy with a grateful look. He let out a puff of air as he slowly relaxed. He closed his eyes for a moment before hearing the door open again. He looked over and saw SMG4 standing in the doorway.

SMG4 immediately ran to the side of the bed, carefully holding SMG3's face in his hands before peppering his face desperately with kisses. SMG4 began to cry as he pulled back, gently placing his forehead against SMG3's to look into his eyes. "I thought I would never see your eyes open again..." He choked out as he looked at his lover happily before kissing him gently on the lips.

"How about we give you guys a minute alone? Come on, Mario." Meggy said behind the two of them, taking hold of Mario's hand to pull him out of the room. Once the door shut, SMG4 pulled back and held SMG3's hand. SMG4 sniffled a little before looking down, sighing softly.

"When you told me you thought you were dying, I ended up spiraling. I found the gun you kept in your car's glove compartment and I came so close to using it on myself. I would have done it after a call to 911, but the hospital called me first to inform me they had found a donor for you. I'm so sorry. If they hadn't called I would have left you all alone." He said, his voice quiet and trembling.

SMG3 gently squeezed his hand as he did his best to comfort him. SMG4 looked back up at him and sighed softly. "I'm gonna get some professional help, I promise." He said before bringing SMG3's hand up to his lips and gently kissing the back of his hand. He brushed his thumb over his knuckles before seeing the ring on his finger. He smiled slightly. "I still can't believe you said yes." He said before looking back up at SMG3.

He leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I promise I'll do a better proposal when you're out of here." He said before hearing the door open again, turning to see Meggy and Mario come back into the room, the duo talking with SMG3 until it was the end of visiting hours. SMG4 gently kissed SMG3 promising that he would be back first thing tomorrow.

.

.

.

It was a few short months later when SMG3 was going through the end of his physical therapy appointment, and he was struggling by the end. Once he was over, SMG4 was right there to help him back into the wheelchair he had. SMG3 let out a soft puff of air. "Jesus, I didn't realize just how hard physical therapy was. How did you do this?" He asked as SMG4 wheeled him to the exit after he spoke with the doctor in charge of his therapy session.

"A lot of patience for my end." SMG4 said as he pushed him out to the car. "You're making a lot of progress, you know. Doc said you should be able to regain full ability to walk by the beginning of next year." He said as he unlocked the car, opening the passenger door and beginning to lift SMG3 out of the chair.

"Yeah, but it's so long away, and the doctor said I may have a limp for the rest of my life." SMG3 bemoaned as he held on to SMG4'S shoulders, even if he could technically just shift himself into the seat, he liked being carried.

"May, being the operative word. You could make a full recovery." SMG4 said before placing SMG3 in the passenger seat and getting the wheelchair into the trunk.

"You really like seeing the glass half full, don't you?" SMG3 asked as SMG4 got into the driver's seat, starting up the car.

"My therapist says that's a good thing since I'm not being so pessimistic anymore." SMG4 said as he began to drive off.

"Pessimistic? You acted like an emo teenager who wanted to be edgy." SMG3 teased, causing SMG4 to chuckle.

"I wasn't that bad." He said as he focused on driving. He soon sighed. "We both have a long road of recovery ahead of us." He stated before feeling SMG3 take hold of his right hand.

"Hey, at least we're heading down that road together." SMG3 said, making SMG4 smile as he gave the other's hand a soft squeeze.

"Yeah, and I'm glad that I get to do it with you." SMG4 admitted before making a turn into a McDonald's parking lot. "How about we get some fast food to celebrate our progress?" He asked as he put the car in park.

SMG3 looked over at him and smiled. "Honestly, I think that's just what we need right now." He said before SMG4 came around to the other side with the wheelchair, getting SMG3 out of the car. The two went inside the building to have a nice quiet meal to cap off the events that unfolded today. Through the whole meal, they held each other's hand for comfort, knowing that the other wasn't going anywhere.