Raven rolled over and looked at the bedroom clock and read the time as 3:42 AM. He had been lying in bed with Bobby for the past two unbearable hours unable to sleep and would occasionally hear Bobby mumble some words of concern to Raven as he slept.
"I can't do that... Raven... would never forgive me..." "No... please..." Bobby mumbled in his sleep.
These really worried Raven as they had somewhat of a fight earlier in the week, of how others were harassing Bobby on the job and Raven was claiming to be too busy and they would "talk about it later". Raven telling Bobby this made him feel like he was being put on the back-burner and not considered as an importance to Raven. Thoughts raced through Raven's mind for hours as he laid in bed wondering if he was even enough for the love of his life. Some of these thoughts ate at him consistently throughout the night. It felt like an eternity before Raven finally fell asleep and it seemed like only minutes before he heard Bobby getting out of bed to take his morning shower at 7 AM. Raven never liked getting up so early like Bobby always had, they were complete opposites but yet so connected at the same time, and yet he loved that so much about him.
Raven knew he had to do something or else. He wrote a letter stating "I love you so much and you know that, but I feel as if I'm not enough for you as of late. I feel like I need to do more or I could possibly lose one of the few reasons in my life that makes me want to keep going. I love you to the moon and back honey. - Raven <3" Raven left the note on the island in the kitchen since he knew on Bobby's days off he took extra long showers and then watched the TV in their bedroom for a couple of hours before even going to the kitchen.
Raven went to the bathroom door, cracked it open and yelled "hey hon, I know that it is our day off and you wanted to spend some quality time together but Andrews called me saying there is emergency paper work that I need to finish that never got done. I'll call you as soon as I am headed home. Love you!" and softly closed the door.
"Alright babe, be safe I love you." Bobby yelled back as Raven shut the door.
Raven felt severely guilty about lying to Bobby about the paperwork, as Andrews had not called him saying there was emergency paperwork but there were some things that Raven had needed to get done.
The morning was gorgeous, there was not a cloud in sight as the sun started to rise over the city of Los Santos. As Raven got into his car and started to head to MRPD he had that pit in the bottom of his stomach feeling, that something was not all well with what was going to take place that day, and what would... would change his life and Bobby's life permanently.
As Raven pulled into the parking spot at MRPD and headed inside Copper stopped him just short of the door. "This was both your and Bobby's days off today. Why are you here?" Asked Copper confused.
"Uhh... I just have some paperwork that I need to finish up on... then I will be out of your hair"
"Yeah okay, you... willing to come to work this early to do paperwork? We both know that is not true Raven. What are you doing here?"
"Fine you caught me..." Raven said in a sad and depressed sort of way. "Bobby and I had a fight and I am feeling like everything around me is gonna cave in. I feel like I need to be better or I might lose him."
"Wow... okay, well go clear your head. Try some patrolling on the bike, we both know that you love the bike Raven." Said Copper.
Raven paused for a moment,"Yeah you're right. I really need to clear my head. I really want to thank you Copper for being there for me and Bobby, it really means a lot."
Raven headed inside to finish the last little portion of paperwork that was unfinished and like usual left for him to complete. This took him around 40 minutes to finish up and once he was finished he took to the road to clear his head.
As Bobby finished up his shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, he headed to the kitchen to grab something to eat before he headed back to the bedroom to watch the TV. Initially he walked right past the dear note that Raven preciously left for him to find. As Bobby turned and found the note, he picked it up. As he picked it up and started reading it, tears began to swell in his eyes and trickle down his face. "H-h-how. How could he think that he needs to be any better? He is perfect and I could not change a thing about him..." As he finished reading the note, the realization struck him as if he was hit by oncoming traffic. They had been in a fight earlier in the week and this is what Raven was referring to. With tears in his eyes Bobby began to pick up the phone to call his husband and apologize for being so misunderstanding about the whole incident.
The phone rang and rang but with no answer. This upset Bobby even more as he tried to call Raven again. After multiple attempts he gave up and wondered what to do. "P-pick up the phone dammit!" Bobby managed to get out through his tears. He slammed the phone down on the kitchen counter and headed to the bedroom to get dressed. After changing he picked up a picture of the two of them that was on the nightstand across the room where Bobby kept the first present Raven ever gave him. A custom engraved police issued pistol.
Bobby slowly opened up the wooden case to view the pistol and got lost in the memory of what happened that day all those months ago.
"So uh... I got this for you Bobby." As Raven handed over the present Bobby slowly opened it up to reveal the pistol. "A pistol? I already have one on me..." "Yeah but you need it for personal protection... when you are not... on duty." Raven stuttered to say. Bobby knew this was a present that Raven had put much thought into as the pistol he gave him had Bobby engraved on one side of the handle and Raven on the other. Bobby loved it. "Thanks for the present Raven" Bobby said with a smirk, "Don't think of it as a present think of it as me wanting you to stay safe." Raven softly exclaimed.
As Bobby snapped back to attention he slowly put the gun in the case and closed the wooden lid. He sat the case back in the small nightstand across the room and picked up the picture of the two of them on the table next to the lamp that Raven had picked out. As Bobby picked up the picture he realized just how much more upset and guilty that made him feel.
"60... 70... 75... 95... 110" Raved read to himself as he sped down Senora Freeway on his way to Paleto. He never intended to head up that way but with the way he was feeling, he didn't know what to think or do anymore. As Raven revved the gas on the bike harder to gain more speed, an 18-wheeler that he was passing had a tire blowout and swerved to the left and into his lane, causing Raven to ram the bike into the side guard rail and fling him off into opposite lanes of traffic resulting in him striking an all black super diamond head on. As his limp body fell to the side of the road his panic button went off and he slowly felt everything fade to black.
As Bobby paced around the house not knowing what to do, his thoughts just keep digging and prying at the back of his skull like a dull bullet. As he finally figured out a plan he frantically looked around the house for his keys still with tears in his eyes, he remembered he'd placed them in the dresser drawer in the bedroom and ran to grab them. Bobby weaved in and out of traffic as he rushed to MRPD. Once he saw Raven's car parked in front of MRPD his heart stopped racing so much and he started to calm down ever so slightly. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his sleeve as he got out and locked his door. As he walked through the front double doors of MRPD he made his way past the empty front desk to Ravens office, however the window curtains were shut, this confused Bobby as Raven always kept them open while he was in his office. Conveniently Copper unlocked and walked through the doors leading downstairs.
"You are here too Bobby? I told Raven the same thing, Its your day off so why are you here? Woah woah, you don't look so good... everything okay Bobby? It looks like you have been crying... is this about the fight you two had?" Copper asked in a sympathetic tone.
"I have to... I have to talk to Raven. Immediately. But, yes this is about the fight that we had recently." Bobby said defeated. "Is he not in his office?" Asked Copper.
"No, doesn't seem like he is... and the curtains are closed which worries me as they are always open when he is in there." Copper walks past Bobby and knocks on the door. "Raven you still in there? Bobby is here for you." After a couple of moments with no response she takes out the spare office key Raven gave her and unlocked the door. She peaked her head around the door and looked around. "Hes not here Bobby, so that means hes on that bike patrolling. I wouldn't worry too much about it."
"How did you know about our fight? Did he tell you?" Bobby asked.
Copper sighed, "Yes Raven told me that you two were in a fight and he knew he had to do something or he might lose you, or something, so he came down here to finish some extra work. After he finished that it seems that he headed out to patrol on the bike."
So he lied to me... so he could try and fix everything... this is all my fault
The both of them stood there in the lobby of MRPD for a couple of moments in utter silence before the loud click of the radio Copper was wearing took over. "Dispatch we have a reported 10-13 on Senora Freeway just past Bolingbroke Penitentiary" "10-4 238 En Route" Copper said clearly over the radio. "I'm going with you" Bobby instantly blurted out. He had a tightening knot in the pit of his stomach that made him feel like he had to go with Copper. As they started up the highway farther from the PD, his heart slowly started racing as they headed up Senora Freeway. Even though to him it felt like hours it was only a couple of minutes before they got there. Bobby's heart sank when he saw an overturned 18-wheeler and the mangled metal of the inner guard rail as they arrived on scene. EMS and other PD officers had already arrived as the scene was called Code 4. Once the car came to a stop he instantly jumped out and ran over to the EMS as they were loading Raven onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. Tears streaming down his face Bobby clenched Raven's blood stained hand and promised him that everything would be okay. "You're going to make it through this honey, I know you will." Bobby shakily said through his tears.
"Dont worry Bobby, although he is unresponsive he has a pulse, although its a weak pulse, his heart is still beating." The EMS calmly reassured him. As Bobby had been in such shock from the events taking place he had not taken the time to look at the EMS that had been securing Raven with a C-Collar and loading the stretcher into the ambulance. As he wiped the tears from his face he looked up to see that it was Khloe.
"Please Khloe, tell me that he will pull through..... please" Bobby shakily managed to get through.
Khloe paused for a second before responding, "I am going to be honest with you Bobby, this accident was really severe. We are doing everything we can for him." Although she was not sure of the outcome, as the traffic collision Raven had been in looked really severe when she arrived on scene.
As the ambulance zipped down the highway to Pillbox speeding past all of the vehicles pulling off to the side of the road, Bobby was gripping Raven's hand the whole way. Bobby was pulled into a trance of all the memories both of them had shared together, their first date, the first time they met, their first kiss. All of it passed through his mind so fast it seemed absurd. However he was quickly snapped out of his trance as the EKG monitor connected to Raven's heart had started flat-lining. Bobby's heart dropped and he started to panic. A couple of moments later Raven's heart beat returned and stabilized as they pulled into Pillbox. Khloe and another EMS rushed Raven into the building and disappeared behind the doors as Bobby stood there in complete shock.
How had this happened? Was I to blame? What would have happened if we never had that fight?
These thoughts rushed through Bobby's mind as everything was spinning around in a daze. Before he knew it he had been sat down in a chair inside the lobby.
Many minutes had passed by, 164 to be exact, Bobby had kept track of every minute since he had been in that chair. Doctor Choi opened the door and slowly walked towards him holding a stack of papers. Bobby's heart raced as he hoped for the best but ultimately knew what was to come, would not be the best news he would hear.
"Bobby... this isn't easy for anyone... but..."
"Tell me hes okay! ...... please"
"You know I wish I could instantly heal him and have him walk through those doors right now if I could Bobby... but you and I know both know that I cannot do that"
With tears streaming down his face as he braced for the news as he told Choi, "okay Choi... give me the news."
An eerie silence washed over the building before Choi spoke.
"Well for starters... we stopped all the bleeding and miraculously there is no bleeding internally, which is good. However it appears that he had broke his forearm, three ribs and snapped his spinal cord at the base of his back, as well as he suffered a traumatic head injury. According to the consistency of his injuries it matches blunt force, in this case blunt force being a vehicle"
This broke Bobby even more as he knew in his mind that this was ultimately his own doing. He knew that if he had not said anything to cause that fight that the both of them would be snuggled up on the couch or in the bedroom watching TV together.
"So what does this all mean Choi..."
"Well the traumatic brain injury matches the symptoms of a Coup-Contrecoup brain injury. This happens when there is significant impact to the brain that causes the brain or skull to slam into the opposite side of the site of impact. More commonly in serious car accidents."
Bobby stared at the floor in silence as his tears dripped off his face and hit the colorless tiles beneath him. "So what does that mean for Raven..."
"As of this time he has been diagnosed to be in whats known as a Medically Induced coma. I'm so sorry Bobby."
Bobby winced at this wretched word, for he knew that this could mean that Raven might not wake up for weeks, months or not even at all... he couldn't stand the thought of Raven not waking up and it sent chills down his spine. Choi gave Bobby a comforting hug before she stood up and walked back through those dreadful doors. What seemed like hours to Bobby was only about 5 minutes before the automatic entrance doors opened and Copper walked through. "So... how is he?"
Bobby didn't say anything, the tears dripping down his face said it all. Copper slowly walked over to Bobby and sat next to him curling her arm around him to try and somewhat comfort him. Copper could feel his body quivering with all the emotions, the tears and crying being the main force behind it. Once he felt the embrace of Copper's arm he broke the silence with heavy crying as he had been silent the whole time the tears were streaming down his face.
"Copper...?"
"Yes Bobby?"
"Please tell me... that...that this isn't real..."
"What do you mean... how is Raven?"
"Choi just told me that he snapped his spinal cord... and suffered a traumatic head injury so he is now in what they said was a... medically induced... coma" Bobby babbled through his profuse tears. That last word... Coma, he just couldn't wrap his mind around the situation. He saw things on TV about people being in comas but he never had the slightest of thought that this horrible thing would happen to someone he loved. Copper let out a slight gasp as she heard this horrible news. For the first time... she was speechless...
Hours had passed since Choi had told him the news and went back into the back room. Everything was slowly crumbling around him in his mind as his thoughts slowly spiraled out of control. Finally after the unbearable time that had passed Choi came back and gave the okay for Copper and Bobby to come back and see Raven. As they walked past the dreaded double doors into the ICU wing Bobby felt sick to his stomach, walking back there knowing that his husband was there and there was nothing that he could do about it. Walking into the room that Raven had been put in and seeing all the wires hooked up to him made Bobby wince out of shock. He had never seen his husband this way. As Copper stood in the doorway Bobby slowly walked up and softly gripped Ravens hand.
"I will always love you and there is nothing that will change that. You are my everything and I know... I know you will make it out of this." Bobby kissed Raven on the forehead trying to avoid all the IV tubes and the oxygen mask that was put on him to help him stay alive. After a bout 10 minutes a nurse had come in to tell them that it was time for them to leave as more tests had to be done.
The time seemed to have changed so fast as it was now sunset and was getting dark fast. The sheer chill of the night shook Bobby to the bone as he had forgotten his jacket in his rush out of the house earlier that day. Copper took Bobby back to MRPD so he could grab his truck and make the dreaded trip home. Alone. Considering what had gone on that day he completely missed that Raven's car had disappeared from the parking lot of the PD and was towed home. As he pulled into the driveway of the hollow shell of a house. He got out and walked up the walkway to the door and unlocked it. The door slowly swung open and Bobby stepped in and took a deep breath trying to hold back the tears. He stepped inside and shut and locked the door trying to mentally prepare himself for the tough times ahead.
Two Weeks Later
Ever since the accident Bobby had not been himself, he woke up last minute and rarely had time to properly take care of himself. He was a wreck ever since that dreaded day those two long weeks ago. The house was also a complete mess, the air was dusty and felt stagnant. The sheer stillness in the air was chilling, as if the house itself had died. Although he really appreciated all the support he was getting from everyone, he just could barely get himself out of bed every morning. There were unopened letters and flowers that he received that just stayed by the door wilting away, void of life.
Bobby knew it was gonna be a long day at work because his paperwork had been piling up as he had been such a wreck recently he could not get anything done. As he was finishing putting his uniform on he went to the bedroom to grab his watch. He finally headed towards the door and grabbed the doorknob, he stood there for a minute really trying to keep his composure. Just then the phone rang, it had been ringing multiple times throughout the week and Bobby genuinely thought about ignoring the call and walking out the door. He gave in and walked over to the phone that was sounding off throughout the house, and picked it up.
"Hello...?"
"Bobby! This is important!"
"What is it Copper." Bobby said depressingly.
"Hes awake!"
Editors note:
This is actually my first EVER story that I have written. Hopefully it wasn't overly long and hopefully was enjoyable to read!