Everybody Hurts

by CCL

This story was written as part of the AoVD Lyric Wheel Project. The theme for the wheel was "Disaster." Lyrics were provided by FreeSpirit.

Dedications: To Lilith who gave me the great idea. And to FreeSpirit who sent killer lyrics. Also major thanks to Shiv who saved my ass when my puter crashed at the end of this thing and the file got corrupted. He saved the bits I IM'd him and really helped me out of a jam! To Dallas, who bravely read this thing and told me what she thought. Was afraid she was gonna kill me for what I did to Vince.

Warning: HEAVY ANGST ALERT!!! Grab the tissues ladies, you just might need them and I don't want you blaming me if you cry and short out your keyboards and the like!

The not knowing was killing him. It had been hours, days maybe. And it all just seemed to blend into one endless nightmare that had no beginning and no end. He hadn't slept or ate that he could remember. Every time that he closed his eyes those same images flashed over and over in his mind. It was time to end the insanity and find out the truth. No matter what that truth meant.

For the first time since it all started, he glanced in the mirror. Varying shades of brown stained the white cotton tee shirt. The larger spots he recognized immediately and had to clamp down on his stomach to prevent another revolt. Blood. Jesse's. Vince's. Some of it might have been his or even Letty's. The sight of it sickened him and Dom stripped quickly and made his way to the shower.

The water was scalding and reeked of the high level of chlorine. It made his eyes burn and tear but he didn't notice. As he frantically scrubbed at his chest and arms and legs, trying desperately to erase the sight from his mind as well as his body, silent tears fell down his face. He just blinked them back and continued to scrub until his caramel skin was a deep burnished pink. Only then did he relent and shut off the water, dressing in clean clothes and stepping out into the bright California sun. It was like someone forgot to tell it that today was one of the worst days Dominic Toretto had ever had.

The drive to the hospital was easy enough. Back roads and short cuts he knew like the back of his hand. He parked in a crowded lot where the car was less likely to be noticed and quickly stole his way up to the fifth floor intensive care unit. He winced at the guard at the door and frantically racked his brain for an idea on how to get past. A squeaky wheel and the smell of disinfectant caught his attention and Dom smiled at the sight in front of him. Ten minutes later he was dressed as an orderly and mopping his way into room 517.

"Excuse me, no visitors for this patient. Police orders."

Dom kept his head down and mumbled in a raspy voice, "Gotta make my rounds man. It's a hospital, ya know? The person could die from an infection if I don't clean in there. Then where will ya be?"

He chanced a glance up at the guard from the corner of his eye and nearly smiled when the man waved him inside with a huff. Too easy. And they actually expected to catch him this way?

The door closed behind him with a soft click and Dom pushed the mop and bucket to the side, stepping up to the drawn curtain and pulling it back with trembling fingers. And then there was nowhere to run. It was all there in the eerie fluorescent light with the sun still cheerily peeking in through the shuttered blinds and casting long lines of brightness in the grayish blue of the room. Vince. Eyes closed. Tubes and machines hooked to god knows what plugged into his best friend in god knows how many different places. Dom's face crumpled and his voice choked him. He couldn't even whisper a hello. He just stood there taking in the bruises and cuts and that huge bandage and cast around Vince's arm. And it was all his fault.

Dom eased his bulky frame down on the edge of the bed nearest Vince's uninjured arm and carefully reached for his friend's hand. It was cold, clammy and the first touch made Dom flinch and want to pull away. He swallowed heavily and grabbed the hand as best he could without disturbing the IV's and to his immense relief the flesh began to warm gradually. Long moments ticked by while Dom struggled for his voice and with a voice cracking nearly every syllable, he managed to speak.

"I don't have to tell you that these have been the longest days and nights for me, brother. I'm sure they've been hard on you too."

Dom managed a smile and looked up at the frozen facial features hoping for some sign that he was getting through, but looked away in desperation when he didn't even see an eyelid flutter, much less the smile he was wanting to see. A soft sigh filled the room as Dom closed his eyes and ran a hand over his rough scalp, bolstering his courage to go on.

"I know you probably want to give up right now, V. But I'm here to tell you that if you feel like letting go, don't. Just hold on. For me. For Mia. Leon. Letty. We're all waiting for you, Vince. Just take comfort in us."

The tears were back and the man on the bed remained motionless. Dom's breath hitched painfully and he squeezed Vince's hand tightly, only to release it a moment later when some machine started to beep rapidly.

Panic swelled in his chest and his eyes darted to the door, thinking of a way to brace it so that he wouldn't be interrupted. And then the room was quiet save for the gentle hiss of the respirator and the soft plink of the monitors for his pulse and blood pressure every few minutes. Another few deep breaths and Dom forced himself to calm and look back at Vince, leaning precariously to brush a lock of hair from Vince's eyes, and revealing another nasty cut that was covered by a seeping bandage.

"We've always kinda been on our own in this life. You, me, Mia, Leon, Letty and Jesse. We made ourselves a family. And I know that right now you probably think that you're alone and that none of us know what you're going through, man. But you're wrong."

His voice cracked and broke again and Dom had to force himself past the tears to finish what he started. He sniffled quietly and rubbed at the tears with a fist, knowing that this might be the last thing he'd ever get to say to the man he'd called friend since his childhood. He had to make it good.

"Everybody hurts, sometimes. And you are most definitely not alone. We're all pulling for you, Vince. And we're all gonna be waiting for you. You're gonna pull through this, I just know it."

He sniffed again and smiled, cradling Vince's good hand in both of his large ones, licking his lips to help ease the last words out of his mouth, saying them like a prayer to anyone or anything that would listen.

"I know that it's not gonna be easy for you, Vince. Hell, I probably know you better than anyone in the world. And I want you to know that if it gets too much. If it all seems to dark and you--" He paused and swallowed again, almost afraid to say it lest is actually happen. "If you can't make it back to us. You still won't be alone. Cause I know that Jesse will be there for you, man. And he'll take care of you the way I couldn't."

With trembling legs, Dom stood and wiped at his eyes again, grabbing a nearby tissue and doing his best to clean up his face. Silence stretched for minutes more while Dom regained control and then, forcing a smile he didn't feel onto his face and into his voice, he leaned close to Vince and whispered to him.

"Just hold on, brother. Don't give in just yet. We'll be there for you all the way. I'll be there. And I promise I won't let you down this time."

He pulled away and set something down on the tray next to the bed before grabbing the mop and opening the door, quickly.

"I'll be seeing you, Vince. I promise."

Mia entered the room a few days later to a weak but very much alive Vince and smiled a warm welcome.

"Looks like you're feeing better. Up to terrorizing the nurses yet?"

Vince gave her a puzzled look and shook his head, motioning for her to close the door and come closer to the bed. She shot him a puzzled look but did as he asked and when she sat on the bed, he pressed a small object into her hand.

When Mia opened her palm she saw Vince's guitar pick from the house and gave him a wide eyed look.

"Where did this come from?"

Vince swallowed and shrugged before he finally managed to get some sound out of his abused throat

"I thought I'd dreamed it. That Dom was here and...and so was Jesse. And Dom kept telling me to hold and Jesse kept telling me to let go and it was weird. And I remember him saying that he knew Jesse would take care of me... and I'd almost let go, ya know? Just let the pain end. But I coulda sworn I heard him crying. Talking about everybody hurts. And that he wouldn't screw it up this time. And after that I just couldn't let go. He sounded... gods Mia he sounded like he was really hurtin'. I guess everybody does cry, huh? Even tough guys."

Mia blinked against the tears in her eyes and nodded, a half smile grazing her lips.

"Yeah, I guess so, Vince. I guess so."

The Song

Everybody Hurts
Performed by REM

When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,
when you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on.
Don't let yourself go, everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes.

Sometimes everything is wrong. Now it's time to sing along.
When your day is night alone, (hold on, hold on)
if you feel like letting go, (hold on)
when you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on.

Everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends.
Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand.
If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone

If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,
when you think you've had too much of this life to hang on.

Well, everybody hurts sometimes,
everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes.
And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on.
(repeat & fade)

(Everybody hurts. You are not alone.)