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monaboyd Jul. 18th, 2006 11:19 pm)
hyacinth-sky747.livejournal.com posting in monaboyd Jul. 18th, 2006 11:19 pm)The Long Night
Part One
d/b
hurt comfort
Disclaimer: I make this crap up.
Dom’s footsteps faltered. Billy slowed his jog.
“Keep up, numptie,” he called over his shoulder. Dom didn’t answer so Billy turned, still jogging to keep his heart rate up and noticed with some consternation that Dom was doubled over, leaning on a bench for support, one hand clutching his side.
“Dom, you okay?”
Dom grimaced. “I’m fine. Just got a cramp. You go on.”
Billy stopped his jogging and used the hem of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat off his face. He wasn’t going to leave Dom. The thought was ridiculous.
“Why don’t you sit down?”
“Yeah,” Dom said. He lowered himself to the bench gingerly and closed his eyes. “Just give me a minute.”
Billy stretched while he waited and then watched the people pass by. Dom opened his eyes.
“You need me to get the car?”
“No! I’m alright. That was strange though. I think I’ll just walk home if that’s okay. You can jog if you want.”
“Nah,” Billy said. “Let me just run down to that shop and get you some water, yeah?”
“Ta, Bill.”
The water seemed to help. By midmorning Dom had all his surfing stuff together and was nagging at Billy to get his arse in gear. Billy threw the paper aside.
“You sure you don’t want to take easy today, Dom?”
“I’m sure. It was just a little cramp, Bill. I’m not a big girl’s blouse.”
Billy rubbed his hands over his face and said, “Splinter,” into them.
“You know what would be sad, Bill?”
“What’s that, Dom?”
“If you were to find yourself on the receiving end of some prank, one that involved public nudity or some such, just because you couldn’t forgive an old friend a moment of weakness.”
Billy squared his shoulders. “Are you threatening me, Monaghan?”
“Me!” Dom was all wide-eyed innocence. “No! I’d never threaten you, Bill. Just like you would never remind me of certain unfortunate incidents that are best left unspoken.”
They eyed each other for a moment.
“Good,” Billy finally said, “Because you know I don’t have a problem with public nudity.”
The surf was fantastic. They hadn’t meant to spend all day at the beach but the waves kept beckoning them, one flawless curl after another. At three Dom called that he was heading in and Billy signaled that he’d follow in a moment. It was after four when he finally dragged himself onto the sand.
“That was wicked, Dom.”
“Perfect,” Dom agreed.
Dom’s sandwich was unwrapped on the bench next to him but he’d only nibbled on it.
“I’m famished,” Billy announced, unwrapping his own. “Aren’t you hungry?” he asked around a mouthful.
“I don’t know. I guess my stomach’s just off today.”
“Are you constipated?”
Dom shrugged. “I don’t think so.”
Billy stood. “Come on. I’ll drive. It’s nice to be home when you don’t feel well.”
Dom’s face was pinched but he managed to smile at Billy.
Billy sat in his sandy shorts and watched football on the kitchen TV while Dom was busy in the loo. When he finally emerged Billy looked up expecting to see Dom grinning sheepishly but looking relieved.
Dom hobbled over to a chair.
“Did you go?”
Dom shook his head before resting it on his arms folded on the table.
“I don’t need to.”
“Did you try? Is it gas?”
“For fuck’s sake, Bill. It’s probably just a virus or something.”
“When was the last time you went?”
“Will you leave me alone? I’m not constipated. I don’t have gas or the runs and before you ask I don’t have my period, nor do I think I’m pregnant.”
“Well, that just about covers everything then, doesn’t it?”
Dom shook his head. “No, I still don’t feel well.”
Billy pressed the back of his hand to his own forehead and then leaned across the table to check Dom.
“You don’t feel hot. Tell you what, why don’t you go lay down on the couch. I’ll make you some tea, get you some pillows and then when I’ve showered I’ll give you a nice foot rub.”
“That sounds nice, Bill.”
They lay around for the rest of the evening. Billy fed Dom Tylenol and Tums and then let him lie with his feet propped on his lap while Billy massaged them. The room grew dim and Billy heaved a great yawn.
“I’m tuckered, Dom. How do you feel?”
“Okay.”
“Really okay? Or you’re just saying that?”
“I don’t know. I wish I could sleep.”
“Let’s put you in bed then. You’ll be more comfortable.”
Dom agreed, wincing with pain as Billy helped him to his feet. Billy got him settled in bed with a glass of water on the night table.
“I’m just going to tidy up. Sleep.”
“Okay,” Dom murmured.
Billy sat out on the porch for a while and stretched his sore muscles. The sea had given him a pounding. Billy smiled, remembering the rush of the waves. Sore muscles were a small price to pay. When he had corralled all the dirty dishes into the sink he went to check on Dom. He was quiet, hoping to find Dom asleep but the bed was a tangle of blankets and pillows and Dom moaned when he heard Billy’s step.
“Bill.”
“Oh, Dommie, what can I do?”
“I don’t know. Will you come here; maybe massage my shoulders a bit? I’m all sore, Bill.”
Billy climbed onto the bed and rolled Dom onto his stomach. “That might not be the illness, Dom. I’m sore too. The sea gave us a beating.”
“The sea,” Dom said. He tried to will his body to relax under Billy’s deft hands. “Sing to me. Send me to sleep, somewhere where there isn’t this pain.”
Billy hummed something soothing while he worked his thumbs into Dom’s tight muscles. After a long while he stopped and pushed the hair back from Dom’s face. His eyes were still open and he was sweaty and hot.
“Dom? I think you have a fever now.”
Dom tossed his head. “Can you get off me?”
Billy quickly removed his weight from Dom’s body.
“Sorry, Bill. I know I asked. I just…make it stop, Bill.”
“Tell me what will help.”
Dom clutched at the pillow and then sat bolt upright.
“Dom!?”
Dom was up off the bed, hurrying to the bathroom. He didn’t bother to turn on the light, just found the toilet and heaved over the edge of it.
Billy followed. “You okay? No, don’t answer.” Billy pulled the hand towel off the rack and knelt behind Dom, mopping the sweat from his face.
“Nothing even came out, Bill.”
Billy glanced at the water in the toilet and saw that Dom was right. It was a weird little bug that he’d caught. The pain wouldn’t let up. It just kept mounting. Billy didn’t know what to do. He hated not knowing what to do. He propped Dom up against the bathtub. He had one last trick up his sleeve.
“Stay here, Dom. I’ll be right back.”
Billy cursed as he searched for his mobile but he finally found it and dialed as he returned to the bathroom.
His sister answered on the fourth ring.
“Billy.”
“Hi, how are you?”
“Bill, if you’re drunk and calling to tell me you love me I really rather you wouldn’t. Do you know what time it is here?”
“No. I don’t care. I need some help.”
Her voice changed from sleepy to wide awake. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. It’s Dom.”
“Oh.”
Billy winced. This was not the first time he had troubled his sister with a Dom related crisis. He plunged bravely on though.
“He’s sick. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. His stomach is all wonky and I…”
“Bill, it may have escaped your notice but I am, in fact, not a nurse.”
Billy heaved a deep breath and forced his voice to be pleasant. “I know. But. You are a mother, yes? I wanted to ask you what you would do if one of the kids was sick like this. If it’s not too much trouble.”
He gave them both a minute to gather themselves and when Margaret spoke her voice held a note of apology.
“Has he vomited?”
“Dry heaves,” Billy said, sighing with relief.
She made Billy run through the list of Dom’s symptoms again and asked all the same questions of Billy that Billy had asked Dom.
“I don’t know, Bill. If he’s in that much pain why don’t you take him to the hospital?”
“You think I ought to?”
“It couldn’t hurt.”
“No.”
“Why don’t you ring them? They can tell you if you ought to.”
“Okay, I will. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Bill?”
“Yeah?”
“Ring me back in the morning and let me know how it goes?”
“Sure.”
He rang off.
Dom was laying flat on his back on the bathmat, his hands over his belly.
“Okay, Dom. I’m going to ring the hospital and see what they say.”
“She doesn’t like me.”
“She loves you. She just knows you’re a handful.”
“I’m so sorry, Bill.”
“Shut it. Lucky for you, I’ve got two hands.”
Dom sat up and reached for the toilet again. Billy helped him to his knees and rubbed his back while Dom coughed.
“Nothin’” Billy said.
“I think my belly just reasons it will feel better if I throw up. But nothing works, Bill. Nothing, nothing. You’ve got to…help me.”
A little frisson of fear snaked into Billy’s belly. Dom was sobbing, actually sobbing though there weren’t any tears.
“Which hospital do I call, Dom?”
Dom gasped out the name and Billy dialed information, not trusting himself to navigate the phonebook. He was connected shortly and he frantically barked out a string of babble that included the words, help, sick and don’t know what to do.
“Calm down,” the voice on the other end told him.
“Right,” Billy said and forced himself under control.
Billy was on the phone for twenty minutes, running through all of Dom’s symptoms again and listing everything he’d gotten up to in the last twenty-four hours. Dom started to whine. He balled up the bathmat and stuck it between his legs and then pulled it out and began to tear at it.
“Well, I think you should bring him in. He should at least be checked out. Do me a favor?”
“Yes?”
“Is he lying down?”
“Yes.”
“Have him lie on his back and pull his right knee up to his chest.”
Billy didn’t think it was time for stretching exercises but he did as he was told. Dom cried out in renewed pain.
“Fuck!” Billy swore. “It hurts him!”
“It may be his appendix then.”
“What?”
“Bring him in now.”
Billy hung up the phone. Dom sobbed and reached for him. Billy knelt and held his hand, kissed the knuckles.
“I know. I know it hurts. We’re going to fix it. Dom, I need you to tell me where all of your insurance stuff is.”
“I just need the card. It’s in my wallet.”
Billy hurried to gather their things.
“Can you walk?”
Dom nodded. “If you’ll help me.”
Dom clutched at his belly as they made their way to the car and moaned with relief when he gained the back seat.
“Hurry, Bill,” he said.
Billy didn’t need to be told twice.
Part One
d/b
hurt comfort
Disclaimer: I make this crap up.
Dom’s footsteps faltered. Billy slowed his jog.
“Keep up, numptie,” he called over his shoulder. Dom didn’t answer so Billy turned, still jogging to keep his heart rate up and noticed with some consternation that Dom was doubled over, leaning on a bench for support, one hand clutching his side.
“Dom, you okay?”
Dom grimaced. “I’m fine. Just got a cramp. You go on.”
Billy stopped his jogging and used the hem of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat off his face. He wasn’t going to leave Dom. The thought was ridiculous.
“Why don’t you sit down?”
“Yeah,” Dom said. He lowered himself to the bench gingerly and closed his eyes. “Just give me a minute.”
Billy stretched while he waited and then watched the people pass by. Dom opened his eyes.
“You need me to get the car?”
“No! I’m alright. That was strange though. I think I’ll just walk home if that’s okay. You can jog if you want.”
“Nah,” Billy said. “Let me just run down to that shop and get you some water, yeah?”
“Ta, Bill.”
The water seemed to help. By midmorning Dom had all his surfing stuff together and was nagging at Billy to get his arse in gear. Billy threw the paper aside.
“You sure you don’t want to take easy today, Dom?”
“I’m sure. It was just a little cramp, Bill. I’m not a big girl’s blouse.”
Billy rubbed his hands over his face and said, “Splinter,” into them.
“You know what would be sad, Bill?”
“What’s that, Dom?”
“If you were to find yourself on the receiving end of some prank, one that involved public nudity or some such, just because you couldn’t forgive an old friend a moment of weakness.”
Billy squared his shoulders. “Are you threatening me, Monaghan?”
“Me!” Dom was all wide-eyed innocence. “No! I’d never threaten you, Bill. Just like you would never remind me of certain unfortunate incidents that are best left unspoken.”
They eyed each other for a moment.
“Good,” Billy finally said, “Because you know I don’t have a problem with public nudity.”
The surf was fantastic. They hadn’t meant to spend all day at the beach but the waves kept beckoning them, one flawless curl after another. At three Dom called that he was heading in and Billy signaled that he’d follow in a moment. It was after four when he finally dragged himself onto the sand.
“That was wicked, Dom.”
“Perfect,” Dom agreed.
Dom’s sandwich was unwrapped on the bench next to him but he’d only nibbled on it.
“I’m famished,” Billy announced, unwrapping his own. “Aren’t you hungry?” he asked around a mouthful.
“I don’t know. I guess my stomach’s just off today.”
“Are you constipated?”
Dom shrugged. “I don’t think so.”
Billy stood. “Come on. I’ll drive. It’s nice to be home when you don’t feel well.”
Dom’s face was pinched but he managed to smile at Billy.
Billy sat in his sandy shorts and watched football on the kitchen TV while Dom was busy in the loo. When he finally emerged Billy looked up expecting to see Dom grinning sheepishly but looking relieved.
Dom hobbled over to a chair.
“Did you go?”
Dom shook his head before resting it on his arms folded on the table.
“I don’t need to.”
“Did you try? Is it gas?”
“For fuck’s sake, Bill. It’s probably just a virus or something.”
“When was the last time you went?”
“Will you leave me alone? I’m not constipated. I don’t have gas or the runs and before you ask I don’t have my period, nor do I think I’m pregnant.”
“Well, that just about covers everything then, doesn’t it?”
Dom shook his head. “No, I still don’t feel well.”
Billy pressed the back of his hand to his own forehead and then leaned across the table to check Dom.
“You don’t feel hot. Tell you what, why don’t you go lay down on the couch. I’ll make you some tea, get you some pillows and then when I’ve showered I’ll give you a nice foot rub.”
“That sounds nice, Bill.”
They lay around for the rest of the evening. Billy fed Dom Tylenol and Tums and then let him lie with his feet propped on his lap while Billy massaged them. The room grew dim and Billy heaved a great yawn.
“I’m tuckered, Dom. How do you feel?”
“Okay.”
“Really okay? Or you’re just saying that?”
“I don’t know. I wish I could sleep.”
“Let’s put you in bed then. You’ll be more comfortable.”
Dom agreed, wincing with pain as Billy helped him to his feet. Billy got him settled in bed with a glass of water on the night table.
“I’m just going to tidy up. Sleep.”
“Okay,” Dom murmured.
Billy sat out on the porch for a while and stretched his sore muscles. The sea had given him a pounding. Billy smiled, remembering the rush of the waves. Sore muscles were a small price to pay. When he had corralled all the dirty dishes into the sink he went to check on Dom. He was quiet, hoping to find Dom asleep but the bed was a tangle of blankets and pillows and Dom moaned when he heard Billy’s step.
“Bill.”
“Oh, Dommie, what can I do?”
“I don’t know. Will you come here; maybe massage my shoulders a bit? I’m all sore, Bill.”
Billy climbed onto the bed and rolled Dom onto his stomach. “That might not be the illness, Dom. I’m sore too. The sea gave us a beating.”
“The sea,” Dom said. He tried to will his body to relax under Billy’s deft hands. “Sing to me. Send me to sleep, somewhere where there isn’t this pain.”
Billy hummed something soothing while he worked his thumbs into Dom’s tight muscles. After a long while he stopped and pushed the hair back from Dom’s face. His eyes were still open and he was sweaty and hot.
“Dom? I think you have a fever now.”
Dom tossed his head. “Can you get off me?”
Billy quickly removed his weight from Dom’s body.
“Sorry, Bill. I know I asked. I just…make it stop, Bill.”
“Tell me what will help.”
Dom clutched at the pillow and then sat bolt upright.
“Dom!?”
Dom was up off the bed, hurrying to the bathroom. He didn’t bother to turn on the light, just found the toilet and heaved over the edge of it.
Billy followed. “You okay? No, don’t answer.” Billy pulled the hand towel off the rack and knelt behind Dom, mopping the sweat from his face.
“Nothing even came out, Bill.”
Billy glanced at the water in the toilet and saw that Dom was right. It was a weird little bug that he’d caught. The pain wouldn’t let up. It just kept mounting. Billy didn’t know what to do. He hated not knowing what to do. He propped Dom up against the bathtub. He had one last trick up his sleeve.
“Stay here, Dom. I’ll be right back.”
Billy cursed as he searched for his mobile but he finally found it and dialed as he returned to the bathroom.
His sister answered on the fourth ring.
“Billy.”
“Hi, how are you?”
“Bill, if you’re drunk and calling to tell me you love me I really rather you wouldn’t. Do you know what time it is here?”
“No. I don’t care. I need some help.”
Her voice changed from sleepy to wide awake. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. It’s Dom.”
“Oh.”
Billy winced. This was not the first time he had troubled his sister with a Dom related crisis. He plunged bravely on though.
“He’s sick. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. His stomach is all wonky and I…”
“Bill, it may have escaped your notice but I am, in fact, not a nurse.”
Billy heaved a deep breath and forced his voice to be pleasant. “I know. But. You are a mother, yes? I wanted to ask you what you would do if one of the kids was sick like this. If it’s not too much trouble.”
He gave them both a minute to gather themselves and when Margaret spoke her voice held a note of apology.
“Has he vomited?”
“Dry heaves,” Billy said, sighing with relief.
She made Billy run through the list of Dom’s symptoms again and asked all the same questions of Billy that Billy had asked Dom.
“I don’t know, Bill. If he’s in that much pain why don’t you take him to the hospital?”
“You think I ought to?”
“It couldn’t hurt.”
“No.”
“Why don’t you ring them? They can tell you if you ought to.”
“Okay, I will. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Bill?”
“Yeah?”
“Ring me back in the morning and let me know how it goes?”
“Sure.”
He rang off.
Dom was laying flat on his back on the bathmat, his hands over his belly.
“Okay, Dom. I’m going to ring the hospital and see what they say.”
“She doesn’t like me.”
“She loves you. She just knows you’re a handful.”
“I’m so sorry, Bill.”
“Shut it. Lucky for you, I’ve got two hands.”
Dom sat up and reached for the toilet again. Billy helped him to his knees and rubbed his back while Dom coughed.
“Nothin’” Billy said.
“I think my belly just reasons it will feel better if I throw up. But nothing works, Bill. Nothing, nothing. You’ve got to…help me.”
A little frisson of fear snaked into Billy’s belly. Dom was sobbing, actually sobbing though there weren’t any tears.
“Which hospital do I call, Dom?”
Dom gasped out the name and Billy dialed information, not trusting himself to navigate the phonebook. He was connected shortly and he frantically barked out a string of babble that included the words, help, sick and don’t know what to do.
“Calm down,” the voice on the other end told him.
“Right,” Billy said and forced himself under control.
Billy was on the phone for twenty minutes, running through all of Dom’s symptoms again and listing everything he’d gotten up to in the last twenty-four hours. Dom started to whine. He balled up the bathmat and stuck it between his legs and then pulled it out and began to tear at it.
“Well, I think you should bring him in. He should at least be checked out. Do me a favor?”
“Yes?”
“Is he lying down?”
“Yes.”
“Have him lie on his back and pull his right knee up to his chest.”
Billy didn’t think it was time for stretching exercises but he did as he was told. Dom cried out in renewed pain.
“Fuck!” Billy swore. “It hurts him!”
“It may be his appendix then.”
“What?”
“Bring him in now.”
Billy hung up the phone. Dom sobbed and reached for him. Billy knelt and held his hand, kissed the knuckles.
“I know. I know it hurts. We’re going to fix it. Dom, I need you to tell me where all of your insurance stuff is.”
“I just need the card. It’s in my wallet.”
Billy hurried to gather their things.
“Can you walk?”
Dom nodded. “If you’ll help me.”
Dom clutched at his belly as they made their way to the car and moaned with relief when he gained the back seat.
“Hurry, Bill,” he said.
Billy didn’t need to be told twice.
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“I’m sure. It was just a little cramp, Bill. I’m not a big girl’s blouse.”
Billy rubbed his hands over his face and said, “Splinter,” into them.
I love the dialog in your fics, and the way they can turn from playful to serious in a blink. It's nice to read your work again!
Kerry =)
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Loved the whole "splinter"/public nudity exchange - *G*. I can just imagine the grin on Billy's face after delivering that last line.
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Good start; keep it up!
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*winces*
By the way, the writing was brilliant. Captured my emotions completely.
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