Chapter 29
He had tears in his eyes and running down his face. Something had happened to Chester. What had happened? Was he going to be ok? He had to be ok. Chester was always ok. He pulled into one of the parking spaces at the hospital and ran inside. He couldn't stand being in here. He hated it. He walked to the desk.
"Where c-can I f-find Chester B-Bennington?" he managed as the guy behind the desk started looking through files.
"Alright sir, he's up on the third floor. Room 36-C."
"Thank you," Mike said as he hurried towards the elevator. He stood there as it took him two floors up and his mind filled with all the terrible things that could've happened to the boy he was so in love with. The doors opened and he slowly made his way down the hallway.
"33, 34, 35......," Mike stopped at the next room and wondered if he even wanted to look inside. A doctor came out.
"You are Mike Shinoda?"
"Yes," Mike whispered.
"Well he's awake. I'll let him talk to you," he said and Mike nodded before walking in. Chester lay awake staring up at the ceiling. When he heard Mike come in, he turned his head.
"H-Hey," he said softly. Mike sat down next to him.
"What happened Ches?"
"I...I was driving home and this car came out of nowhere. They...They hit me and drove off. I got knocked real hard. My leg was crushed and....yea," Chester said quietly.
"You're gonna be ok Chaz," Mike whispered as he brushed Chester's hair out of his eyes. Something wasn't right.
"Don't say that Mike."
"But you are. You're going to go home."
"Mike....Mike stop," Chester said.
"You're going to be ok. You listen, you're going to be ok," Mike said softly. Chester motioned for Mike to grab him a tissue and he did so. Chester started coughing uncontrollably and when he pulled the tissue away, it was covered in blood.
"Tell me I'll be ok," Chester said softly, "Does this look like ok Mikey?"
"Chaz....they can fix it...they'll fix it," Mike started. Chester looked into his eyes. Mike felt tears build in them as Chester gave him a sad smile and shook his head.
"The car didn't just crush my leg Mikey....it hit me hard in the ribs too. One...One ripped right through a lung. They can't fix it Mikey. I'd die anyway."
"No.....Chaz, you're......no," Mike whispered. Chester raised his hand to Mike's face and brushed the tears away.
"Don't cry over me Mikey....I'm...I'm not worth that."
"You're worth so much Chazzy. So much," Mike whispered as he stroked Chester's hair back. Chester closed his eyes.
"I....I really love you Mike."
"I love you too Ches. More than anything in the entire world."
"Thank you. For everything that you've done for me. It means so much that I got to be your date for Homecoming," Chester said with a small smile. Mike couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't believe it.
"Ches, you're not going to die. You're going to be ok," Mike said as he continued to brush through Chester's hair, "There's gotta be something I can do."
"There's nothing you can do. There never was," Chester said quietly. His breathing was becoming ragged, "I don't want to die anywhere else. I want to die with you here. Right here."
"I'm not leaving you. I never would."
Chester nodded slightly and took another shaky breath. His hand slowly reached out towards Mike's. Mike swallowed back a sob and gripped Chester's hand tightly in his own.
"Don't leave me," Chester whispered.
"I never will," Mike said. Chester smiled slightly and then squeezed his hand. Mike felt tears on his face again as he saw Chester's face. He was so calm. They sat there for a little while until Chester turned to face him again.
"D-Do you think it h-hurts? D-Dying?" Chester asked. Mike looked down at the boy on the bed and shook his head.
"I think it'll be easier than falling asleep," he whispered. Chester nodded and then squeezed Mike's hand again.
"It's hard to breathe. Mike....M-Mike...y-you still have the r-ring right?"
"Yea. Of course. I'd never take it off."
"Ok. I want you to. I want you to take it off. I want you to find someone else after me."
"Ches...."
"Please. Promise me you'll take it off and find someone else?"
"I can't promise that Chaz. I can't," Mike said.
"You have to. You have to promise me," Chester said, "I don't want you to be alone. You deserve someone that will love you like I did."
"No one will love me like you did Chaz. You're irreplaceable."
"Promise?"
Mike closed his eyes and lowered his head, "Ok. I promise."
"Thank you."
Mike nodded slowly and then looked back up to Chester's eyes, "I...I love you so much. I really do."
"I love you too Mikey," Chester whispered. It was killing him. Mike could feel Chester's grip loosening on his hand every second. He was slowly dying.
"M-Mike?"
"Y-Yea?"
"I'm s-scared," Chester said and Mike stroked his hair again.
"You have nothing to be afraid of sweetheart. It's going to be ok."
"I'm afraid of dying."
"You're going to be an angel Chester. You'll have wings. Just like the ones on your necklace. It won't hurt."
"I won't be able to see you."
"Yea you will. You'll be up there. You can watch me all day if you want," Mike whispered. Chester nodded and then tears started down his face.
"Mikey....I don't want to die," he whispered. Mike leaned down and gave him a kiss.
"I know. But I promise Ches, it's going to be alright. You're going to be just fine," he said. He tried to ignore how he was gripping Chester's hand and Chester's fingers were just barely curled around his. "You'd rather be there than here. You're hurting."
"I'm ok as long as I'm with you."
"Ches....please don't say that."
"I am. And I love you so much Mikey."
"I love you too Chester," Mike said quietly. Chester smiled at him and then turned back to the ceiling.
"You can read the last page of the book," he whispered. Mike nodded.
"Ok."
"Just.....I want you to know that.....it was written just for you."
"Ok."
"I guess that's all I have to say."
Mike felt tears on his face again. Chester wasn't looking at him and he just wanted to break down. He wanted to die with this boy.
"Ok. You just close your eyes ok? And I'm going to tell you a story," Mike said softly. Chester nodded and closed his eyes.
"Does this story have a happy ending Mike?"
"Yea. Of course it does."
"Ok."
"One day.....there was this little boy. He was about fourteen years old and he was going into high school. He'd had a hard time making friends in junior high and now he was worried about how he would survive high school. He decided that he was going to be a guy that everyone would like. He'd create a personality that wasn't his, but would make him likeable. So he did. And everyone loved him. They all thought he was great. He loved it but he realized that it wasn't who he was. He was a completely different person. And then, a few years later, he met another boy who absolutely hated who he was. He hated how he acted."
Chester's breathing had slowed considerably but he was still alive. He was still breathing. Mike swallowed.
"But he loved him at the same time. He loved every part of him. That night, the boy let his other side come out. He let himself be who he was before and found that someone did love him for who he was before. Because the person he was before, had been absolutely perfect," Mike said. Chester didn't respond but he was still alive. Mike leaned down and pressed his lips to Chester's.
"I'll never forget you. Never. You've made my life so much better. Chester Bennington, I love you with all my heart, and I will be yours forever."
Mike sat back and allowed himself to cry as he saw a small smile on the other boy's features before his chest rose and never fell. He was gone. Mike swallowed but he couldn't hold back his grief any longer. He broke down at the side of the boy that he loved with all his heart. He'd stayed alive long enough to hear the end of the story and to have Mike say that he loved him.
"Chaz....oh god Chaz," Mike whispered as the doctor came back in and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm truly sorry. Is there any family we need to call?"
Mike stood there and slowly shook his head, "I honestly don't think they'd care."
"Ok. I'll still call them to let them know."
Mike nodded and then stared down at Chester's body. The smile was still there. At least he died happy. And then there was someone running towards him and wrapping him into their arms.
"I'm so sorry Mike. I'm so sorry. I just got the text."
Mike let himself be held in Dave's arms as he cried. He glanced at his watch. 11:59. Chester had died on his birthday. He'd died one minute before his birthday was over. Just minutes until midnight.
"I'm sorry Mike. I'm so sorry," Dave repeated. Mike just shook his head.
"He's gone Dave. He's gone," he cried. Dave nodded as he rubbed his back.
"I know. I know he's gone. I'm so sorry."
He didn't stop crying. He just stood there being held by his best friend until he felt too weak to stand. Dave led him to the waiting room and sat him down.
"You don't have to talk. I don't need to know. Just let it out," Dave said quietly. Mike nodded as he let more tears fall. How could Chester leave? Why was it him? Why did he have to die?
"W-Why'd he have to die Dave?"
"I don't know. I don't know."
"He's not a bad person. He's good. He didn't deserve to die," Mike managed before hugging him tightly.
"It's going to be ok. Mike, it'll be ok. Everything will be ok," Dave said quietly. Mike shook his head.
"Nothing will ever make this ok."