Ashten and Alex disappeared to the ER leaving the drummer and bassist alone staring at the closed door in disbelief. Tommy let out a deep breath glancing at Nikki who ran his hands through his hair and took a few paces around the room looking like he either wanted to pass out or puke. After a few random aimless steps the very unglued Nikki finally took a seat and hunched over with his elbows resting on his knees, his eyes glued to the floor.
They sat on opposite sides of the room from one another in the available but horribly uncomfortable plastic blue chairs. It had only been a few minutes but the punishing tick of the wall clock made it feel like time stood still. The already stale air of the waiting room grew thick as silence cloaked them save the sounds of Tommy fiddling with something every few minutes and the tapping of Nikki's foot on the linoleum floor.
They sat for a grand total of fifteen minutes before the silence and the anticipation began to suffocate Nikki. Desperately needing to get out of that intense pressure cooker-like room, he grabbed his pack of menthol cigarettes from his coat pocket and stalked out the exit door.
When Tommy followed two minutes later he found Nikki standing outside leaning against the exterior wall of the hospital exhaling a mouthful of smoke with his eyes closed. Tommy approached slowly and lit a cigarette of his own and took a drag before looking up at a silent Nikki Sixx. While they hadn't been on the best of terms as of lately he knew his Terror Twin better than he knew himself. And Tommy knew a silent Sixx wasn't a good Sixx.
"Jozie's on her way. I called her. Figured she'd wanna know," Tommy offered in an attempt to break some of the silence.
Nikki opened his eyes and merely looked to the sky in annoyance. He didn't even acknowledge Tommy's presence. The two hadn't said much to each other in the past couple of days that didn't include yelling or some sort of snide jab and Nikki just wasn't in the mood for it.
Tommy, never one to embrace too many consecutive moments of silence, furrowed his brow and rolled his eyes huffing before he took another drag of his cigarette. "SIxx—"
"Not now, Tommy." Nikki muttered, his eyes again closed as he leaned his head against the stone wall.
"She's gonna be ok, right?" Tommy asked quietly, ignoring the previous warning. He was not quite sure if his question was rhetorical or if just pondering out loud may guarantee Ashten's safety.
Nikki's eyes flew open as he scoffed and he shot a hard stare of outrage at the tall, lanky man standing six feet to his right. He took another drag of his cigarette and exhaled, a humorless laugh accompanying the smoke.
"What difference does it make to you? You think she's just a lying whore, remember?
"Don't start this shit, Sixx," Tommy grunted, equally shocked and irritated at the accusation. "And don't stand here and act like you're the only one who cares about her."
"No," Nikki seethed, his voice low, bellying the rage he felt starting to simmer. He took a final drag and flicked his finished butt to the ground, turning a look of contempt back to his drummer.
"You don't get to do this. You don't get to talk to and about her the way you have been for the past couple of days then come out here and suddenly get all compassionate and act like you give a fuck."
"I resent that!"
"Resent it all you want to, Asshole! You've been treating her like shit for no good reason," Nikki spat and stood at full height taking a step closer to Tommy.
"No reason?! You two—"
"Yeah, I know what we did, Lee! So does she! You don't fucking let her forget it for a second!" Nikki snapped, his voice raising with every syllable uttered as he balled his right hand into a fist, pushing it into his left palm to crack his knuckles. "It happened! And you know what? I'm not sorry. And if you're waiting for me to apologize for falling in love with her you can fuck off because that's NEVER gonna happen! And if you don't like it you can suck my fucking dick!"
"I think Ashten pretty much has that covered," Tommy muttered, snorting and snuffing out his finished cigarette in the large ashtray. He had always had trouble controlling his mouth and let it get him in trouble quite a few times over the years. He should have expected this time would be no different. Nonetheless, he didn't see it coming so he wasn't prepared for the fist that slammed into his jaw, spinning him around and into the wall. Tommy caught himself on his hands, avoiding smashing his face into the hard concrete. Shocked, he wiped the side of his mouth across his lower lip and pulled it away to examine the trickle of blood that decorated his thumb and index finger. He fumed and spit a mixture of salvia and blood on the ground as he pushed himself off the wall, turning around with full intent on retaliation.
"Want some more?!" Nikki antagonized glaring in an all out rage, his fists clenched at his sides but ready to deliver another blow at a milliseconds notice. "Keep running your fucking mouth. I fucking dare you!"
"Yeah, I can spare a few seconds to kick your fucking ass," Tommy's temper flared and he made a lunge at his best friend of over twenty-five years. He made it about one step away before he was stopped by a loud voice.
"Hey! You two stop this shit right now!" The boys froze when Jozie approached and bravely squeezed herself between the two of them, nudging them both with each of her elbows and successfully creating some distance for the friends who seemed dead set on killing one another. "Not here. Not now."
Nikki let out a heavy sigh through his nostrils and snapped his fierce gaze from Tommy to Jozie, giving her a curt nod of surrender at her plea. He backed away, wiping his hand over his face as he turned to stare at the wall for a minute. Jozie watched him close his eyes and try to calm some of the fury as he walked away, looking very much like a caged animal trying to find a way to escape. He was tense and coiled, like he was going to snap at any moment for any reason. He looked anguished and furious and Jozie had no doubt the had she not shown up when she did Tommy would have taken the beating of his life.
"Fucking prick," Tommy spat on the ground and glowered in Nikki's direction.
"Ease up," Jozie sighed as she continued to watch Nikki. "He's scared."
"We're all scared." he replied, still fuming.
She shook her head and locked eyes with Tommy before speaking sternly. "Not like he is."
Tommy met her eyes briefly before glancing back over at Nikki, his expression softening a bit. He let out a deep sigh of regret and silently nodded before he took out another cigarette and lit up.
Satisfied with her peacemaking efforts, Jozie followed Nikki into the waiting room and took a seat next to him. He'd calmed down slightly but still looked like a scared and lost little boy.
"Do we know what's going on yet?" She asked. Nikki simply shook his head and Jozie nodded towards the ER door frowning. "Have you been back there to see her?"
"Alex said to stay here," he replied quietly with a shrug.
Jozie scoffed and stood up pulling him up by his arm. He furrowed his brow but stood up along with her letting her pull him towards the forbidden door.
"You're Nikki Fucking Sixx. Since when have you ever done what you were told?"
As soon as Jozie reached for the handle the door flew open and she gasped in shock as Alex appeared before them wearing green surgical scrubs and removing a pair of latex gloves. He looked up at three sets up eyes, including Tommy who had just joined them, gaping at his blood splattered scrub top. Panic ensued and they all began talking at once.
"Dude, what the fuck?!"
"Holy shit!"
"Oh my fucking GOD!"
Alex frowned at the three of them in confusion before looking down at his shirt to compute the cause of their alarm. He quickly looked back up, his eyes wide and held his hands up when he realized he'd just scared the shit out of them all.
"Oh! No, no no! This isn't hers! I got pulled into a trauma! Car wreck."
"Jesus Christ!" Nikki exclaimed, holding his palm to his chest and rolling his eyes in a mixture of annoyance and relief.
"You couldn't have changed your fucking clothes before you came out here?!" Jozie chastised glaring at Alex like she wanted to rip his hair out by the roots.
"You're right. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to freak you all out."
"What's going on? Is she ok?" Nikki asked with his face buried in the palm of his hand still trying to get back the ten years of his life that disappeared with that scare.
"She's doing fine. Not in as much pain and her fever has gone down a bit. They ruled out her appendix and they took urine and blood samples to check kidney and liver function. They just did an ultra sound to check for gallstones or an inflamed gallbladder so we're waiting on all those results...."
"Excuse me, Dr. Montgomery?" Alex was interrupted by a petite brunette nurse who seemed a tad irritated. "She's still refusing a hospital gown and she wants to see her chart."
"Of course she does." Alex rolled his eyes.
"Ashten?" Nikki asked with a hint of a smile.
"Who else? You guys can go on back. She's in room 15." He smiled at the trio before turning back to the nurse. "I'm going to change. Tell her she can have her chart when I say so."
Nikki followed the nurse down the hall to Ashten's room while Tommy and Jozie hung back to give them a moment. He found room 15 and poked his head in to see his girlfriend sprawled out on a bed and scowling at the TV as she flipped the channels and muttered about how daytime TV sucks.
"Ya know, I distinctly remember telling you not to make me worry about you today," he gave her a mock stern look.
Ashten looked over see him leaning against the doorframe with his arms across his chest. She smiled warmly and sat up shrugging her shoulders sheepishly.
"Uh...." she picked up a plastic pink cup from her tray table and sipped from the straw before responding. "I'll never do it again?"
"Somehow I doubt that." Nikki grunted and pushed himself off the wall, making his way to her bed and sitting on the edge. "How are you feeling?"
She shrugged and took another sip. "Not as lousy, I guess. They just came in and did a bunch of poking and prodding. We're waiting on some lab work but shouldn't be too long because apparently Alex ordered a rush on the test results. I still think it's just the flu. Or maybe a kidney infection. Hence the cranberry juice."
She held up her cup and grimaced at the taste.
"Must not be super serious if they are letting you have fluids." Nikki leaned over and kissed her forehead before flopping into a chair next to her bed eyeballing her IV drip. He studied her face. Beautiful as always but definitely looked exhausted. Still way better than when she'd first arrived and was practically comatose.
Ashten looked at the clock on her phone. "I wish they'd hurry up already. The show starts in an hour and a half."
Nikki raised his eyebrows and looked at her like she was insane. "Babe, you are NOT going to the show tonight."
"Nikki—"
"Ashten, I'm serious. Don't fuck around with me right now. When they let you go you are going back to the hotel and going to bed."
She scowled at him but didn't seem to have the energy to argue. She also knew he was nearing the end of his rope and didn't want to be the one who caused it to snap.
"Fine," she grumbled and pressed the button on the bed so she could sit up a bit more. "You're right."
Nikki jokingly held his hand over his chest and shot her a glance of disbelief . "I'm sorry I thought I just heard you tell me I was right.
"Yeah, well. Don't get used to it because you'll probably never hear it again," Alex commented as he entered the room in a fresh, blood free pair of navy blue scrubs. In each hand he held a coffee from Starbucks, one of which he handed to Nikki as Tommy and Jozie filed in behind him.
"Is that my chart?" Ashten perked up when she noticed the folder tucked under his arm.
"Yes."
"Test results back?"
"Yes."
Ashten held out her hand. "Are you gonna let me see them?"
"Are you gonna stop terrorizing my nurses?"
She scoffed.
"I didn't....you know what? You're not even the treating physician. You can't tell me what to do."
"I'm the chief. I can do what I want." Alex sipped his coffee and handed her the file.
Ashten opened the folder and scanned the first page.
"Kidney and liver are good. No bladder infection," she mumbled before flipping to the next page. Her eyes moved over the sheet in front of her and she furrowed her brow before doing a double take. "Whoa...are...is this...are they sure?"
Ashten looked up at her brother who replied quietly. "Yeah."
She frowned and blinked her eyes in disbelief before closing the file. "So what now? D&C?
Alex shook his head as a nurse entered in behind him pushing a tray which contained a vial and a very large needle. "Methotrexate."
Ashten nodded in understanding.
"Hey, can one of you medical nerds translate that into English?" Tommy asked impatiently looking between the siblings.
Alex raised his eyebrows at his sister as if asking for permission. She just nodded silently in approval as the nurse approached her and closed the curtain around her bed for privacy. He motioned for the three visitors to follow him out to the hallway.
"She's not sick. It's an ectopic pregnancy."
Three pairs of dumbfounded eyes looked at him.
"A what?" Nikki's face screwed up in surprise, looking at Alex like he'd just pulled the world's stupidest prank. Whatever Nikki had been expecting him to say, it wasn't that.
"Wait. She's pregnant?" Jozie inquired in disbelief.
"Technically, yes." Alex nodded.
"Technically? What does that even mean?" Tommy inquired.
"An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus. In about 90% they are in the Fallopian tube which is where Ashten's attached. It's not a viable pregnancy and can't proceed," Alex explained. "The pain she is having is caused by the cells, or egg, trying to grow within the tube. There isn't enough room so its causing the tube to stretch. If it were to rupture it would cause her to start bleeding into her belly. Which could be fatal. If that were to happen she'd have to go into emergency surgery."
He looked at the frightened faces staring back at him and sighed when he realized he was again freaking them out.
"We're not there yet, guys. They caught it in time and now the focus is to stop the pregnancy."
"How?" Jozie asked, still shocked.
"Since the tube hasn't burst it can be stopped with an injection of Methotrexate. Its a drug that keeps cells from growing. It will stop the pregnancy and her body will flush it."
"You mean like bleed it out?" Tommy asked.
"Yeah. Now the injection is easy but the next few days are going to be very tough on her. The drug itself is a pretty heavy dose. Its also used for chemotherapy to keep cancer cells from spreading so it is very strong. It usually takes 2-3 days to really make a big impact and the side effects are pretty gnarly. Vomiting, back and abdominal pain, cramping, headaches, dizziness. Add to that the fact that her hormone levels are going to be shot all to hell and....." Alex trailed off.
"What?" Jozie prodded.
"In about 48 hours Ashten is going to wish she was dead," Alex finished regretfully.
"When are they doing the injection?" Tommy sighed after a few seconds of silence.
"Right now," Alex looked over at Nikki. "You can go in and be with her if you want to."
Nikki sighed sharply out of his nostrils and his demeanor turned from concern to callous. "No. I'm done here. We've got a show."
Jozie and Tommy's heads whipped around in surprise and they watched as Nikki made his way towards the exit.
"What the fuck was that?" Jozie's eyes widened.
"He's freaking out," Tommy muttered and took off to follow Nikki out the door. He caught up with him just as he was leaving the lobby.
"Dude, what are you doing?"
"Leaving," Nikki snarled and kept walking.
"You can't just leave her here!"
"Watch me."
"I know you're freaked out, but she's fine. She's gonna be fine!" Tommy exclaimed."
"Yeah, fine." Nikki finally stopped walking and let out a humorless chuckle as he glared at Tommy. "Just one problem T-Bone. I had a fucking vasectomy.
A look of comprehension slowly settled on Tommy's face as the realization finally dawned upon him. Jesus fucking Christ.
"You can't really think—"
"Actually, I can," Nikki snarled back.
"You think it isn't yours." Tommy's eyes widened in disbelief.
Nikki just shook his head before he stalked away.
A/N--Finally the damn holidays are over! They were cutting into my writing time.
Ok, so what the hell is Nikki thinking? And what's gonna happen next?
As always I LOVE your comments and love you all.
Happy New Year!