Chapter 44   -  411 on the 911

Tommy

Running into the emergency room waiting area I look around frantically until I see Payton hunched over in a chair with his head in his hands.

"Pay?"

He looks up when I get to him, his face is tearstained and his eyes are red and puffy.

"Where is he?"

Payton's mouth opens, but nothing comes up so he lifts a shaky hand and points down a hallway marked "Emergency Room Personnel Only".

"Where's Lane?"

Payton swallows a few times and clears his throat. "He's in there with him. He told them he was his brother. H...he told me to call Master Matthias so I called him right before I called you. He should be here any minute."

I crouched down in front of Payton, putting my hands on his knees to steady myself, or maybe him. "What happened Pay?" I ask quietly.

He takes a crumpled up brown paper towel from his pocket, one of those thin scratchy ones from public bathrooms and wipes the fresh tears that have trickled down his cheeks before attempting to blow his nose in the saturated scrap. The skin on his nose looks painfully red, poor guy.

"Here Payton. It's clean." I look behind me and Casey, who was parking the car, has walked up and is pulling a cotton handkerchief out of his jeans pocket. He's one of the few guys I know who carries a handkerchief and I think it's so sexy, but I shake sexy thoughts of Casey out of my head and look back at Payton who's taken the handkerchief and blows his poor nose again.

"We...w...we were at a party. Me and Lane went with Ashton...you know...to keep an eye on him. We were just drinking soda, but Ash was drinking beer...and I think he had a few shots, but I'm not sure how many." Payton stops every few seconds to dab at his nose or catch a shaky breath. "I was giving him water all night, he had some, but...and, um...I asked him to maybe slow down on the booze, but you know how stubborn he is. H...he wouldn't listen and I didn't want to make him mad at me." Payton stops and looks down and I can practically see all the negative thoughts and self-recriminations going through his head.

"Hey Pay, it's not your fault. We all know how stubborn Ashton is. If he doesn't want to do something, he doesn't. Keep going."

"Well, Lane went to check on him because he looked a little out of it and he said he didn't feel good, so Lane said we were leaving. When we got outside Ashton threw up so Lane told me to go get the car down the street. When I got back Ashton looked...awful, so Lane put him in the backseat and got in with him and I started driving. Ashton was saying stuff...like, it was scary he was so out of it and then Lane told me to head to the hospital, and I knew it wasn't good but I had to keep my eyes on the road. Then Lane's yelling at him to 'stay with me'....cause he passed out and he called 911 and told them where we were so they said to keep driving, that we'd get there faster than an ambulance and a few minutes later a cop car came along side and he led us here...and they had a gurney waiting when we pulled up and they brought him straight in. Lane made them let him go in with him, and I haven't seen him since and...I don't know what's happening because the nurse won't tell me anything." As Payton talks, his voice gets louder so I try to comfort him while Casey walks over to the desk to find someone in charge.

"It's going to be okay Pay. They probably had to pump his stomach or something, he probably had too much to drink, I'm sure he's going to be fine."

Just then the doors burst open and Matthias storms in. When he sees us he makes a beeline over and I feel Payton gasp. Even though we know we don't have to be afraid of Matthias, just his sheer size and presence is a bit unnerving.

"What's happening, where's Lane?"

"He's in with Ashton, Sir," I reply. "Ashton passed out at a party and Lane and Payton brought him here. We don't really know what's going on since they got here. No one's updated Payton."

Matthias turns his eyes on Payton. "Were you drinking?"

"N...no, Sir. Neither Lane or I had any alcohol to drink. I swear. We...we just went with Ash to keep an eye on him."

Master Matthias gives him a quick nod before walking over to where Casey is talking to a nurse or doctor. I look down at Payton who's eyes suddenly go big.

"Remy," he says so quietly I can barely hear him and I look at the entrance to see Remy and another handsome black man walking in the door. They see us and come straight over.

"Remy?"

"Hey Payton, Tommy. Guys, this is my cousin Christophe. Tophe, this is Payton and Tommy."

I realized it was Matthias' younger brother since Lane had told us about him. Once introductions were made Christophe went to see what Matthias and Casey were finding out while Remy sat down next to Payton.

"I got back this afternoon and was having dinner with Matthias and Christophe when you called. What happened?"

I walked over towards Casey while Payton filled him in. When Casey saw me he met me half way.

"Ashton still hasn't regained consciousness. They flushed his stomach and now have him on IV fluids and oxygen. They won't know much more until he wakes up."

"Will he be okay?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine baby, we just have to give him time, his body has to metabolize the alcohol, they're monitoring his alcohol levels and they're starting to come down. It's just a waiting game now."

It hadn't hit me until just now that...I couldn't even think the words. Ashton is going to be fine. I look around the emergency room at other people waiting tensely for their loved ones and it suddenly brings back memories of another time I was in a waiting room like this...when I lost my parents. A breath catches in my throat and I look up into Casey's worried eyes.

"He's going to be fine," I say because hearing the words out loud makes me feel like it's true.

"I know he is baby."

We sit down and I lean on Casey's shoulder while we wait. Lane comes out a few minutes later and talks to Master Matthias. I look over at Payton and he's sitting there calmly, nodding every now and then while Remy speaks intently to him. The way Payton looks at him makes me glad that they've become friends and maybe more. I've never seen Payton look at anyone like that before.

"Oh, I need to call Tai and Chris," I say as I pull my phone out. "I can't believe I forgot to do that."

When I reach Tai I fill him in on what I know and after he freaks out he tells me he's on his way. He's with Master Ken, so I don't have to worry about him getting in an accident, otherwise I would have made him promise to take a cab. Tai also says he'll call Chris, so I put my phone back in my pocket.

The sound of a door slamming open startles me from where I'm resting my head on Casey's shoulder. It's not the main entrance, but a door from another part of the hospital, but by the time I look over all I see is the back of someone in a white doctor's coat running down the hallway into the emergency room. Hopefully the doctor is for someone else and not something that's come up with Ash.

"Can you go see if there's any news yet?" I ask Casey.

"Yeah baby." He kisses the top of my head as he stands up and goes to speak with Matthias and Lane who are still standing near the main desk. I don't see Christophe so maybe Matthias sent him home. Remy also walks over to talk to them so I look back at Payton. When he sees me he gives me a sad smile and walks over.

"I called Tai and he's going to call Chris. They'll be here soon," I tell him.

"Oh thanks. I should have called them after you...I guess I was too freaked out."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm proud of you for getting Ashton and Lane here safely. That must have been scary, having to drive through the city streets with one friend unconscious and the other trying to help him. You did good Pay."

"Thanks. That's what Remy said too. It was weird, I'd have thought I would have been too freaked out to drive, but I just focused on the road and traffic and told myself I could fall apart once I got them here. Which, of course I did," he says with a chuckle.

"That's okay. You had every right. It's going to be okay bud," I say putting a reassuring arm over his shoulders.

"Hey, isn't that the girl who's always flirting with you in your Psych class?" Payton asks as several girls walk in, one of them clutching her arm.

"Oh yeah, I wonder what happened to her friend."

"I'm going to go to the bathroom, will you tell Remy where I am if he gets back before me?"

"Sure Pay."

After Payton walks away, Heather from my Psych class spots me and comes skipping over.

"Hey Tommy, everything okay?"

"Hi Heather. I hope so, a friend of mine got sick, we're just waiting to hear," I say, not wanting to give her too many details since it's Ashton's business. "What about your friend?"

"She might have broken her arm, or at least sprained it," she says as she plops herself down next to me and starts talking a mile a minute about unimportant things, despite the fact that we each have a friend in the emergency room. I tune her out as I look over at Casey and the others talking to a doctor.

"...so she said I can bring a date and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?"

Wait, whoa, what?

"What was that Heather? I'm sorry, I totally missed that."

"I was wondering if you'd be my date for my Aunt's fundraising gala," she says just as Casey returns.

I look up at him as he looks at her and raises his brows before sitting on the other side of me.

"Um, I'm sorry Heather, I can't. This is my boyfriend Casey," I explain as she gives me a surprised look. Before she can reply Casey pulls me into his lap, wraps his arms around my middle and says 'Mine' in a growly voice.

"Oh," she says with a false laugh. "Sorry, I didn't know. Uh...I'd better go check on Stacy, see how she's doing. Um, nice to meet you Casey." Heather jumps up with a red face, gives me a nervous smile and then walks double-time over to her friends.

I look behind me at Casey who's grinning ear to ear.

"Was that really necessary?" I ask, somewhat annoyed because this isn't the time to be fooling around.

He shrugs his big, sexy shoulders. "I didn't like the way she was looking at you and my instinct took over."

I roll my eyes before asking, "How's Ashton?"

"Tommy!" A frantic Tai calls out as he runs into the waiting area with Chris and...Master Clark on his heels. Master Clark?! Since when does Chris see Master Clark during the week. Last I heard they were just getting together on weekends to scene. That's it. At any other time I would have been all excited to find out details, but now all I want is to focus on was Ashton.

Tai

"Did your friends get off okay?" I ask Master Ken as we sit down in the restaurant where Master Ken suggested we meet. "No pun intended," I add smiling to myself.

"Yes, I dropped them at the airport earlier this afternoon," he replies, but I think my pun might have gone over his head.

Master Tatsuo and Destiny were really great and we didn't do anything kinky which was a fleeting thought I had while Master Ken had me take my clothes off for the demonstration. But he always practices shibari with a naked subject because it's part of the art form. It was kind of cute though, I could tell Destiny was a little shocked or embarrassed and kept her eyes averted from certain parts of my body, but I did catch her peeking at one point. Such a cutie.

It's been a few days since then and when Master Ken texted me and asked me to meet for dinner, I was a little surprised. I know he's been busy, so I figured I wouldn't see him until the weekend. He didn't act weird when we were together last, so I'd kind of gotten over my faux pas and figured he had too. Sometimes it's just better to pretend things didn't happen.

"They were nice, Destiny was such a cutie and they make a really cute couple. Definitely on my OTP list. Total relationship goals..." I stop when I realize my mouth is moving faster than my brain. Master Ken is giving me a puzzled look.

"OTP?"

"Oh.." I chuckle, "they, um. Never mind, they were a cute couple."

"Can I get you something to drink this evening?" A waiter asks.

Saved!!

"What types of fancy virgin drinks do you have?" I ask the very handsome waiter. Mostly to keep him talking and by the time we've finished ordering I can change the subject seamlessly.

"And what are your specials tonight?" I ask after we've ordered drinks. I glance at Master Ken but his expression is its usual unreadable self.

When the waiter finishes telling us about the specials Master Ken asks him to give us a little time so that we can also look at the regular menu. We're at his really cool Asian fusion place I've been to a couple of times before.

"How has your week been going Tai?" he asks after a few minutes, "are you making progress on the new dance you're learning?"

"It's been good. I have most of the routine down and now I'm focusing on perfecting the transitions and keeping clean lines. It's a much more physically demanding piece than the last one, but luckily I'd been training a lot more lately, so I'm only half dead at the end of the day instead of completely," I say with a chuckle. "Oh, and I was asked to join a summer dance company, a paying gig, so I'm pretty excited."

"That's great. Your hard work is paying off."

"Mhm. How was your week Sir?"

"It's been going well Tai."

Before there could be an uncomfortable silence, the waiter comes by with our drinks and asks us if we're ready to place our order, but of course, we haven't even looked through the menu yet so Master Ken sends him away politely.

"Sir, um...I just wanted to say that, well, the weekend before last when I was kind of out of it, you know, all high in subspace," I say as I wiggle my fingers up in the air to demonstrate what I'm trying to say, "I might have said some things, well that I didn't necessarily mean." Oh shit. Since when do I follow Chris' advice, but my mouth just won't stop. "I mean, well, you know, I think you're great, you're sexy as shit and the things you do to my body....Not to be believed..." This is just getting worse..so bad. "What I'm trying to say..."

"Tai?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Are you unhappy with our arrangement, would you like to end our contract early?"

"What? No! Wait, do you?"

Master Ken lets out a low chuckle. Sexy as fuck.

"No, Tai. Is there something you'd like to change about our arrangement?"

Damn straight, I want more, so much more, Master Ken naked on a Tai platter...or me naked on Master Ken's platter, wait...

Just then the waiter comes by again.

"I'll have the Thai platter," I blurt out.

"Certainly, would you like that hot, medium or mild?" he asks.

"Oh, very hot!" I reply with a smirk. "So amazingly hot."

I look over at Master Ken who's shaking his head and laughing quietly and I feel my face burn in embarrassment. But hey, it's funny too so I laugh with him.

"Okay, one Thai Platter, very hot and for you Sir?" he asks looking at Master Ken

"I'd like the Pad Thai."

"Chicken, Tofu, Shrimp, or the deluxe which is all three?"

"Deluxe."

"Hot, medium or mild?"

Master Ken looks at me as he replies, "Very hot. Amazingly hot."

"Wow!" the waiter says, "I'll bring you guys some extra water too."

After he walks away Master Ken and I just look at each other with grins.

"Did you mean what you said Tai?" Master Ken asks.

"Yeah, I like my food hot, if it doesn't make me sweat, it's not hot enough."

He chuckles while maintaining eye contact. His dark brown eyes glinting with humor and...and something else. Affection?

"No, I meant, what you were saying before, about not meaning what you said back in my playroom?"

"Oh well..." I look down because on the one hand, I don't want to embarrass myself (again), but the way he's looking at me. I don't want to hurt him either...

"Tai," he says, reaching over and lifting my chin with one of those long fingers that have brought me so much pleasure in so many ways. "I hope you meant what you said. I may not be good at expressing it or even saying it. The way I was brought up, my family didn't express much affection and verbalized even less. The men of our family especially were taught to be stoic, to keep our feelings under a neutral mask. But Tai, I do feel things for you. I found it very disconcerting at first. My past arrangements, they've been...of a practical nature..."

"You like me?" I blurt out?

"I like you very much."

"But...I mean, like 'like' like me?"

Master Ken let out that deep chuckle again. "Yes, Tai, I 'like' like you. My feelings go beyond submissive."

"Like how far?"

"Very far."

"Like...dating far?"

"Yes, I don't have much experience in dating, but yes, dating far."

"Like...when you're at work and hear a song we've listened to together, you'll stop what you're doing and think of me?"

"Yes."

"Like...you miss me when I'm not around?"

"Yes."

"You'd rather be with me than, say, our sexy waiter?"

"Most definitely. I'd rather be with you than anyone."

"Like...if I was going to move to New York, would you be sad and upset?"

"You're moving to New York?"

"No, I'm just trying to gauge this, stay with the program...Sir."

"Tai..."

"I just need to know."

"I'd be very sad and upset."

"Would you consider going with me?"

"Tai."

"It's hypothetical, don't worry."

"Yes, I would most definitely go with you, most of my work is portable."

"Master Ken!"

"Yes Tai."

"You loooooove me, don't you?"

"What?"

"Admit it, you love this fine sexy ass of mine."

"Tai."

"And this face, you love it."

Master Ken looks at me with his usual mask, his slightly stern, serious look. He stares at me for a good 30, 40 seconds before he cracks a smile. "Yes Tai. I love your face, I love your fine sexy ass, but mostly I love your spirit, your energy and the person within."

"WOOT!!!!" I jump up and cheer causing the entire restaurant to look our way.

"Ooops, sorry. Didn't mean to startle everyone. Go back to your food, talk amongst yourselves," I tell them before sitting down.

"So this is real?" I ask and then slap each of my cheeks. "I'm not going to wake up and be all, Damn! It was a dream!"

"Come here," he says and takes my hand, pulling me over to him. When I'm within reach he pulls me closer and before I can take a breath, his lips are on mine. His kiss is long and sensuous and everything I'd ever imagined this type of kiss could be. You know, the kind right after the sexiest God of a man tells you he loves you.

"Did that feel real?" he asks when our lips finally part.

"Yeah, that felt pretty real."

"Are you going to tie me up later and f..."

He stops with two fingers pressed against my lips. "Yes, I'm going to tie you up later and show you exactly how I feel about you, then I'm going to untie you and show you some more until every part of your body has no doubt that you're mine."

"I can work with that," I whisper.

Our dinner arrives a little later and we eat in relative silence, looking at each other, grinning, like we share a secret, though, when I glance around the restaurant and see people watching us and smiling, I realize, maybe it's not such a big secret. Yeah, so I'm a little bit demonstrative...okay, loud. Life is too short to be meek and quiet!

While we wait for the cheque after we finish my phone rings and I glance down. It's Tommy, but he's calling not texting. It's weird and I realize it might be important if he's actually calling so I look up at Master Ken and he nods. I answer my phone as I hustle out to the entryway since it's rude to talk on cellphones in restaurants.

"Hey dude, what's up?"

"Tai, we're at the hospital, it's Ashton. He passed out at a party and Lane and Payton brought him here. It's serious Tai...I thought you'd want to know."

"Oh my god! Is he okay?"

"We don't know yet, he's still unconscious."

"Who's there?"

"Payton and Lane, Master Matthias, Remy, me and Casey..."

"Does Chris know?"

"I was going to call him next, unless you want to call him."

"I'll call him, he may want to come down too."

After Tommy gives me the details of which hospital and where it is I call Chris. I have to call him three times before he finally answers, but once I tell him what's going on he tells me he wants to come too. Master Ken walks up while we're talking and we agree to pick him up on the way to the hospital.

It feels like forever, but it's probably only 20 or 30 minutes later, we pull up to the hospital. When we picked up Chris, Master Clark was there too so all four of us were packed into Master Ken's small sports car.

Master Ken lets us off at the emergency room entrance while he goes to park the car. Running in I see Tommy and Casey, Master Matthias, Remy...Remy! That's right, Tommy said he was here. Hmm...I wonder...No time to think about that now...

"Tommy!" I call out.

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