Hurt

Slash's POV

Thank God I didn't get pulled over.

I was at least speeding 20 over the limit. I couldn't help it. My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty, my teeth were clenched, veins pumping with adrenaline.

"Get to my apartment now!"

Nikki's words replayed in my head like a broken record. All the worse possible things that could happen at that moment in time flashed before me as I drove fast, foot pressed hard on the gas.

What happened that got Nikki so worked up?

I didn't know. That scared me.

My wheels screeched to a halt as I slammed on the breaks in front of Nikki's apartment. My hands were trembling when I yanked the keys out of the car, unbuckled, slammed the car door, then ran up to Nikki's door, knocking frantically.

The man answered as soon as my knuckles rapped the wooden door. His eyes looked red, his bottom lip trembled. 

"Slash-" He started to say, then cut himself off by engulfing me in a tight hug. "A-Axl-"

"What? What happened to Axl!?"

-

Third person POV

Nikki stood their in silence, biting his tongue.

"TELL ME!" Slash screamed, eyes watering. "What happened to my boyfriend!?"

"The hospital." Nikki whispered, barely audable at first. "He's at the hospital."

Slash's eyes widened and his throat swelled with anxiety. Then it turned to anger.

"Then what the hell are we doing standing here! Why didn't you just meet me there! Why am I here and not with Axl! Why-"

"Shut up!" 

Nikki's face was red, he grabbed a jacket next to the coat rack at the entrance to his house, grabbed his keys, then pushed past the flustered Slash.

"Don't get pissed at me. I knew if I told you he was at the hospital you surly would have gotten in a crash or something. That's why I'm driving us. It's not far. Now get in the fucking car."

Slash nodded, mute at his friends outburst. They were both distressed, reasonable emotions were out the window.

They both frantically got in Nikki's car, and sped off.

-

"So Vince and Tommy burnt his place down with him inside? Did he get burned? Is he okay?" Slashes anxiety radiated through out the car as his mouth rambled every little question that popped in his head at that moment.

"I don't know!" Nikki snapped. "I don't know if he's burnt, if he breathed in too much smoke, I don't know if he's..." 

Slash bit the skin off the bottom of his lip. His left leg bounced up and down. His pointer finger dug the skin of his thumb. All his bad, nervous ticks came out at once as he pictured his poor baby in the hospital. 

"We're here." 

They both got out in silence, running to the entrance and pushed open the doors, greeted with white walls and too bright of lights. 

"Hello, how can I-" The lady at the front desk began.

"Axl Rose!" Slash said, slamming his hands on the smooth granate desktop. "W-William."

"I believe he's in room 26, but they won't allowed visitors in at this time-"

"We're family." Nikki butted in. He didn't wait for the ladies approval, just grabbed Slash by the arm, then dragged him down the hallway all the way to room 26.

Time slowed down for Slash as he was dragged past people in wheelchairs, figures dressed in scrubs, cries from rooms they passed. Time didn't exist. 

"Boys." 

Mick Mars was outside the door the two wanted to get through. He had his arms crossed, head lowered.

Slash didn't bother to acknowledge the man's existence. He had one goal and it was to see Axl. He slid past Mick, barging through the door to be greeted by doctors in blue masks. They were leaned over a body, hooking up equipment to it, mumbling worriedly to each other. 

"Sir, you can't-'

"Fuck off!" The curly haired man snarled at the doctor trying to get him out of the room. "Where's my boyfriend!? Is he okay!?"

The doctor sighed and motioned for the upset man to see the redhead laid down on a white bed, respiratory system hooked to his his face, multiple IV's in his arms and hands.

Slash choked, covering his hands with his mouth. He collapsed to his knees at the edge of Axl's bed. 

"W-What hap-p-p-ened?" He sobbed, staring at his soulmate.

Axl's hair was almost black, no longer the strawberry blonde he loved to show off. His soft skin was now rough, dusted with grey and black. His wrists were scrapped raw, as if something was tightened around them for too long. His chest gently rose, then fell, rose, then fell. His face was screwed into a pained expression, eyes furrowed. Past tears made a trail down his face, wetting away trails from the ash.

"Is-Is he-is h-he-" Slash couldn't speak, his eyes and nose were running, his lips were trembling, partly open showing strings of spit starting to make their way down his chin.

"He inhaled too much smoke." The head doctor spoke solemnly, taking off his rubber gloves. "His lungs have burnt inside and are now filled with fluid. The only thing keeping him alive is... The respirator."

"The only thing... k-keeping him alive?" Slash gawked, peering at the doctor in betrayal. "Th-there's got to b-be something! You can't j-j-just let him die!"

"I'm sorry, but we can't do anything. The damage is done, and he is in excruciating pain."

"Sorry, Slash. Mick was telling me about..." Nikki opened the door to room 26, then trailed off as he saw Slash kneeling next to a limp Axl. "Oh... Oh, my god..."

"We will give you time." The doctor whispered, putting a hand on Nikki's shoulder as him and his team started to walk out of the room. "Let us know when you are ready."

Nikki nodded, and knelt down next to the sobbing Slash. He didn't say anything, there was nothing to be said. They both sat there, the only sound was Slash's choking sobs and the slow, slow beep of Axl's heartbeat. Only, it wasn't his anymore. It was the machines, holding his last bit of life together. 

-

"How the fuck could you love someone like me." Axl said, resting his head on Slash's shoulder. "I'm such a mess."

"But..." Slash trailed off, then smiles cheekily. "You're my mess."

Axl snorted, shoving his boyfriend playfully.

"Watch it!" Slash yelped, grabbing onto the edge of the building near his thighs, making sure he didn't slide off. "You don't wanna push me off this building. I would be a very angry spirit and haunt you... BOO!"

Axl laughed, and trailed off, staring off into the distance at the city lights, cars flashing by, a dog barked in the distance, some honks and sirens ominously howled into the night.

"Slash... What do you think happens when we die?"

Slash furrowed his eyebrows together, pursing his lips and swinging his legs gently. 

"Well, that's a deep question. I guess I never thought about it. I don't commonly think about death."

"I have." Axl smiled. "I've been so close. Like right now. One mistake and boom, death."

"I guess I'm kinda oblivious to it, huh?" Slash chuckled. "I've never really had the death of a close one before..."

"It's not a pleasant feeling. One moment, they're alive, texting you, posting photos on social media, hanging out with friends, then the next thing... they are gone."

Both of them were silent, off in their own thoughts.

"But, the one thing that death has taught me is to enjoy every moment. We never know when our death will happen, that's why I try my hardest to enjoy every moment, even the bad ones. They all make up part of our lives."

Slash nodded.

"I believe that when someone dies, their physical body is gone, but not their soul." The redhead said sweetly. He turned to his boyfriend. "What do you think?"

"I would like to think that is true. Maybe they go to a beautiful place. Some might stay on earth, watching over their loved ones. Others might go somewhere and be at peace. I don't know..."

Axl grinned at Slash, leaning over and kissing his soft cheek. He grabbed the soft hands next to him, holding them in his.

"I like that."

-

A/N

Haha.

Munky