Farewell to Falwell

Part 3

The emergency room of St Mary's Hospital, one of Pittsburgh's designated trauma centers was being taxed to its limits. The influx of injured partygoers filled its waiting rooms, and hallways, now turned triage, where the most seriously injured were separated from those who could wait longer to be attended to. Among those deemed less serious was Michael Novotny. With his oxygen tank by his side, and O2 mask firmly in place, Michael watched news reporter Linda Yu's on the scene broadcast on St. Mary's waiting room television……

"This is Linda Yu reporting to you live from Liberty Avenue, where as you can see firemen have finally gotten the fire at Babylon nightclub under control. The fire began shortly after 11pm, following reports of an explosion near the club's rear entrance. Miraculously, so far there have been no reports of any dead; however, local hospitals are overflowing with injured, mostly due to burns, and smoke inhalation.

Hospitalized club owner, Brian Kinney is being hailed as a hero tonight. According to witnesses Mr. Kinney first evacuated the washrooms, then proceeded to guide dozens to safety through the club's four fire doors. Those two extra exits that were installed by Mr. Kinney when he purchased Babylon two years ago, along with Mr. Kinney's quick thinking, relieved a front entrance stampede that could have quickly turned deadly……"

Michael inhaled deeply, and rested his head on the wall behind him. He watched as the emergency room doors glided open and shut, bringing in even more injured, and now families who had gotten word that their loved ones had been taken to St. Mary's Hospital. Some were being stopped at the front desk, while others were being whisked away immediately to receive treatment. Brian had been one of those who required immediate assistance, but what had become of Emmett and Ted?

Suddenly a stretcher, guided by two paramedics came bursting through the sliding glass doors. "Everybody stand back! Coming through! We've got a possible MI here!"

Michael concluded that this was another one that would require immediate attention. Wait a minute, that was Justin following behind that stretcher, and there's Emmett. Michael removed the oxygen mask from his face. "JUSTIN… MA…EMMETT…!" he called out.

Debbie, Emmett, and Ted made a beeline toward Michael's voice, while Justin continued to follow the paramedics. "You little shit, what the hell were you doing at Babylon? Thank god you're ok." Debbie fussed, as she wept, and bear-hugged her son.

"Brian, where's Brian?" Ted scanned the waiting room.

"They took him upstairs. He kept going back inside to help everyone get out, and ended up taking in too much smoke. How did you guys get out?" Michael wedged himself from his mother's grip.

"Teddy and I were on the dance floor, not far from the front door. We were so worried about you, baby. We thought you went to the washroom." Emmett said.

"I did go to the washroom. That's where Brian found me. I didn't even have time to zip up before he hauled me out of there, and shoved me outside into the alley with my dick still hanging out." Michael said.

"Thank god for Brian." Debbie began to weep again.

"That was Tony that they just took to the back." Ted said.

"What? What happened?" Michael turned, and looked at the closed doors of the treatment area.

"We don't know what happened. He just collapsed." Ted said.

"I didn't even know he was at Babylon." Michael said.

"He wasn't there, he was at home, where you should have been!" Debbie stopped crying long enough to bop Michael on the side of his head.

"OUCH!"

"Poor Justin, poor baby, he was already worried about Brian, and now this." Emmett shook his head.

"There's Ben." Ted pointed. "BEN…BEN OVER HERE!"

Ben spotted his group, and hurried over to embrace his lover. "Michael, thank god you're alright. Ted, Emmett, where's Brian and Justin?"

At that moment Justin emerged from the treatment area, and headed to the front desk. "Brian Kinney…"

"Yes, he's here." The receptionist informed him without even looking at her list. The hero of the night was turning out to be the patient most inquired about.

"Where is he, can I see him?" Justin asked.

"I'm sorry, but the hospital is unable to accommodate visitors at this time. My suggestion for you is to go home, and come back tomorrow," she said.

"But you don't understand. I can't go home. Both of my boyfriends are hurt!" Justin pleaded.

"I'm so sorry, honey." The receptionist said as gently as she could.

"OH GOD, JUSTIN!" Jennifer's voice rang out. The frantic mother ran to her son, with Craig Taylor in tow.

"Mom, oh mom!" The overwhelmed young man fell into his mother's arms, and wept.

"It's alright, son. You're safe now." Craig embraced them both.

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Brian lifted his head from the pillow, and looked over at the two occupied beds on the other side of the room. Like himself, both men were wearing oxygen masks. One man was also sporting a huge bandage on his right arm from a burn he had sustained. The other man's face, and eyes were swollen shut from the intense heat of the flames. Brian had been given a sedative, and ordered to relax, but try as he may, the sounds emanating from the hall outside his door only made him worry more about the fate that had befallen Emmett and Theodore. Dear god, why didn't he listen to Tony, and close Babylon for the night? Arrogant fool, Brian had allowed his pride to get the best of him. There was no way that Anthony Massey was going to tell him how to run his business. Now look at what had happened. There is no more Babylon, there is no accounting for the death and injury toll, and worst of all, Brian may have very well lost two of his closest friends. If any good could be said of this nightmare, at least Justin and Tony were home safe.

"Brian, why are you still awake?" The nurse walked in pushing a battalion of portable equipment.

"I can't sleep." Brian said through his oxygen mask.

"You might if you tried. I gave you 2mg of Ativan. That can knock a horse out. Close your eyes, and relax." She suggested, as she proceeded to connect the cables, and plug in the monitors.

"Is that for me?" Brian asked.

"No." the nurse chuckled. "We've got another roommate for you. This one is a transfer from CCU."

"What's CCU?" Brian asked.

"That stands for Cardiac Care Unit," she informed him. "Don't worry, this patient is just here for observation. He wasn't in the fire. Poor guy just happened to collapse on the wrong night, that's all."

Brian watched as the plain hospital bed next to him was wheeled out into the hallway to make way for his new roommate, in the special CCU bed. "Tony!"

Tony lifted his head, and turned toward the familiar voice. "Brian." He sighed with relief.

"Hey, you two know each other!" The nurse smiled, as she hooked Tony up to the monitors.

"Vaguely." Tony said.

She continued about her business, which included injecting a sedative into Tony's IV port. "Now I want you two to both go to sleep. It's been a long night, and we all could use some rest, especially me. Good night." The nurse gave her final order.

Brian waited until she was gone before he removed his oxygen mask. "Tony, where's Justin?" he asked.

"The last time I saw him he was freaking out in the emergency room. He was worried shitless about you. We both were." Tony admitted.

"What about Emmett, and Ted? Have you seen them?" Brian needed to know.

"They're ok. They were with me." Tony said.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Brian asked.

"They call it atrial fib, some kind of irregular heartbeat. The doctors think that it was brought on by a sudden jump in my blood pressure." Tony yawned.

Brian sank back onto his pillow. "This is all my fault," he said.

"No it's not…" Tony adjusted his pillow.

"The fuck if it isn't. You warned me that there was going to be trouble, but I didn't listen to you. I was so goddamned pigheaded, and look what it almost cost me. I nearly lost everybody in this world that I care about." Brian anguished.

"But you didn't." Tony reminded him. "So what happens now?"

"I guess tomorrow I'll call my insurance carrier, and start rebuilding as soon as possible." Brian said.

"And?" Tony waited.

"What do you mean, and?" Brian looked over at Tony.

"I'm waiting to hear how you're going to avenge yourself, or are you done for? Are you now content to waddle in defeat, and let a bunch of breeders get away with blowing up your place, upsetting our boy, nearly killing your friends, and dictating how we're going to live? What are you going to do now, Brian?" Tony pressed the issue.

"What the hell do you want from me, Tony?" Brian snapped.

"Can I make a suggestion, that is, without you thinking that I'm trying to run your business?" Tony said sarcastically.

"I'm listening." Brian said.

"I can't think of a better way to say farewell to Falwell than to defeat Proposition 14." Tony's voice was now starting to drift.

Brian thought for a moment. "You're right.…."

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right." Tony yawned again.

"I can see it now, a flock of fags descending on city hall, demanding marriage licenses. The fat fuck would turn flips in his grave." Brian grinned.

"I'll bet if you lined up all of the guys you've fucked, that alone would be more than enough to sway the vote in our favor." Tony closed his eyes.

Brian was about to hurl a witty comeback when he heard Tony snoring softly. Instead he removed his oxygen mask, and ventured over to Tony's bed. Brian maneuvered his way through the IV lines, and monitor cables, then leaned over, and grazed his sleeping lover's lips with a kiss. "I love you." Brian whispered.

"I know." Tony whispered back.

NEXT WEEK: to be announced

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