Saving the Rockstar

Chapter 28 Asher

I sat by Jared's hospital bed, my heart in my throat as I watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, the beep of the monitors a constant, reassuring rhythm in the background. He looked so still, so pale against the stark white sheets, the bandages around his abdomen a stark reminder of how close I had come to losing him.

The tears came then, hot and fast and unstoppable. I clutched his hand in mine, bringing it to my lips and pressing desperate, fervent kisses to his knuckles, his palm, his wrist.

"Please, Jared," I whispered, my voice raw and broken. "You have to wake up. You have to come back to me."

I closed my eyes, resting my forehead against the cool metal of the bed rail. "Fight, Jared. Come back to me, my love. Come back and let me spend the rest of my days showing you how much I love you."

The minutes ticked by, each one an eternity as I sat there, holding his hand, whispering my pleas and my promises and my love.

But just as I felt myself start to slip, to fall into that yawning chasm of grief and hopelessness, I felt it. A twitch, a flutter of movement beneath my fingers.

My head snapped up. "Jared?"

And then, like a miracle, like a prayer answered, his eyes fluttered open, hazy and unfocused at first, but then locking onto mine with clarity.

"Asher," he rasped. "Ash, baby. Don't cry."

The tears came harder then, but they were tears of relief, of joy so intense it bordered on painful. I surged forward, cupping his face in my hands and peppering every inch of his skin with kisses.

"Jared," I sobbed, my voice muffled against his cheek. "Oh god, Jared. I thought I'd lost you."

He smiled, weak but genuine, and brought a shaking hand up to brush the tears from my cheeks. "Never, Ash. You'll never lose me. I'll always fight to come back to you, always."

I kissed him then, hard and desperate and full of love. He kissed me back just as fiercely, his fingers tangling in my hair, his heart monitor spiking with the force of his emotions.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us breathless and flushed, I rested my forehead against his, my eyes slipping closed. "Don't you ever scare me like that again."

He huffed out a laugh, wincing a little at the pull on his stitches. "I'll try my best. But you know I'd do anything to keep you safe, to protect you. That's what love is. Going through hell and back to save the ones you care about most."

We were quiet for a moment, just basking in the warmth of each other's presence, the steady thrum of our hearts beating in sync. Then Jared's brow furrowed, his eyes going sharp with concern.

"Carter," he said, his voice low and urgent. "What happened with Carter, Ash? Is he... did he...?"

I shook my head, quick to reassure him. "He's in custody. The police took him away. He's going to jail for a long, long time."

I swallowed hard, the memories of that night, of Carter's cruel words and vicious threats, still so raw and painful. "I confronted him, before they took him away. Told him that he had no power over me anymore."

Jared's eyes went wide, his expression a mix of awe and pride. "You did? Oh, Ash. Baby, I'm so proud of you."

As the minutes ticked by, I could feel the old fears, the old insecurities, start to creep in, insidious and cold.

Jared, attuned to my every mood, my every shift in emotion, noticed immediately. "What is it, love? What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I can't help but think about how much of my past, my trauma, is still a part of me. How it's always going to be there, lurking in the shadows. Waiting to pull me back under."

Jared's expression softened, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. "Oh, Ash. Baby, listen to me. Your past, your pain, it's a part of you, yes. But it doesn't define you. It doesn't control you. Not anymore."

He looked at me, his gaze fierce and unwavering. "You are so much more than the hurt you've endured, the scars you carry. I know it's hard, baby. I know the fears, the doubts, they don't just go away overnight. But I promise you, with time and love and patience, it will get easier. You will heal, you will grow. And I will be with you every step of the way, holding your hand and cheering you on."

I surged forward, capturing his lips in a kiss that was both gentle and desperate, a seal and a vow and a promise all in one. He kissed me back just as deeply, just as tenderly, pouring all his love, all his devotion, into the press of his mouth against mine.

We were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by the sound of Dylan and Mason bickering in the hallway.

"I'm telling you, Mase, flowers are the way to go. They're classic, they're thoughtful. You can't go wrong with a nice bouquet."

"And I'm telling you, Dyl, that's boring as hell. Jared's a man of action, he needs something with a little more oomph. Like a gift basket full of his favorite snacks and movies and those weird little puzzle books he likes so much."

"Gift baskets are for corporate events and elderly relatives. Flowers are timeless, romantic. They send a message."

"Yeah, the message that you're lazy and unoriginal. Face it, man. I'm the superior gift-giver here."

"Superior my ass. You wouldn't know romance if it bit you on the..."

The bickering was cut off as they entered the room, both of them freezing comically at the sight of me and Jared, awake and alert and grinning like idiots.

"Well, well, well," Jared drawled, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "If it isn't our favorite comedy duo. Please, don't stop on our account. I was just getting invested in this riveting debate."

Mason scowled, his ears turning an interesting shade of pink. "Shut up. We were just discussing our options. Trying to find the perfect way to show our support and affection in this trying time."

Dylan scoffed. "More like trying to one-up each other in the world's most pointless dick-measuring contest. Honestly, you'd think he'd have figured out by now that it's not the size of the gift that matters, it's how you use it."

Jared choked on a laugh, his eyes going wide. "Christ, Dylan. It's too early in the morning for sexual innuendos. At least let me have my coffee first."

I shook my head, feeling a warmth, a lightness, start to spread through my chest.

"Some things never change, do they?" I mused, leaning back against Jared's pillow with a contented sigh.

A comfortable silence settled over the room. But there was a tension, an anticipation, thrumming just beneath the surface. I could see it in the way Dylan fidgeted, the way his eyes kept darting to Mason's face and then away again.

Finally, with a deep breath and a blush staining his cheeks, Dylan spoke. "Actually, while we're all here, there's something Mase and I wanted to tell you."

Jared raised an eyebrow, a slow, knowing grin spreading across his face. "Oh? Do tell, Dyl. We're all ears."

Dylan shot him a glare, but it lacked any real heat. "Well, um. The thing is, Mason asked me to move in with him. And I said yes."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, like a dam breaking, the room erupted in a cacophony of whoops and cheers and congratulations.

"About damn time!" Jared crowed, pumping his fist in the air. "I was starting to think you two would dance around each other forever."

Mason, looking slightly shell-shocked but undeniably pleased, just shook his head. "It wasn't like I had much of a choice. Dylan was basically living at my place anyway, with the amount of stuff he kept leaving behind after each sleepover."

I laughed, feeling a warmth, a joy, bubbling up in my chest. "Damn, you two move fast. Must be true love, if you're already at the U-Haul stage."

At the word love , Dylan seemed to choke on air, his eyes going wide and slightly panicked. "Love? Who said anything about love? That's a big word. A really big word, saved for, like, way down the line. Like, retirement home down the line."

But Mason, to everyone's surprise, just reached out and took Dylan's hand, lacing their fingers together with tenderness. "But I love you, Dylan," he said simply, his voice low and earnest. "I have for a long time, even if I was too stubborn to admit it. And I'm done denying it, done pretending that what we have is anything less than the real thing."

Dylan stared at him, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. For a moment, I thought he might bolt, might make a run for it and leave us all in the dust.

But then, slowly, a smile spread across his face, bright and blinding and full of joy. "I love you too, Mason," he whispered. "God, I love you so much."

And then they were kissing, right there in the middle of Jared's hospital room, and it was messy and awkward and absolutely perfect.

When they finally surfaced for air, both of them flushed and grinning like idiots, Dylan turned to me, his expression turning sly. "So, Ash. Speaking of big reveals, have you heard anything from the label? About your little coming out party at the press conference?"

I felt my stomach clench, the old fears, the old anxieties, rising up like bile in my throat. "Yeah, actually. They called me."

Jared's hand tightened around mine, his brow furrowing in concern. "What did they say, love? Do we need to lawyer up, start drafting a strongly worded email?"

I couldn't help but smile at that, at the fierceness, the protectiveness, in his tone. "No, nothing like that. They just wanted me to keep our relationship out of the public eye. Said it could be 'damaging to my brand' or some bullshit like that."

Dylan's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching. "What, because you're dating a man? That's such bullshit, Ash. You can't let them get away with that."

I held up a hand, cutting off his tirade before it could gain steam. "I didn't, Dyl. I told them that if they had a problem with me being open about my love life, about who I am, then maybe it was time for me to start looking for a new label. One that would support me, not try to shove me back into the closet."

There was a beat of silence, then Jared let out a low whistle. "Damn, baby. Look at you, standing up for yourself. I'm so proud of you."

"Yeah, well. I learned from the best, didn't I? Watching you, seeing the way you've always fought for us, for our love, it gave me the courage to do the same."

Jared's expression softened. "Asher..."

But before he could continue, Dylan was there, tugging at my elbow and pulling me off to the side. "Hey, Ash? Can I talk to you for a sec? In private?"

I blinked, taken aback by the urgency, the seriousness, in his tone. "Is everything okay?"

He led me out into the hallway, checking over his shoulder to make sure we were alone before turning to face me, his expression uncharacteristically solemn.

"I just wanted to say... I'm proud of you, Ash. Not just for standing up to the label, but for everything. For how far you've come, how much you've grown."

I swallowed hard, feeling the sting of tears prick at the backs of my eyes. "Dyl..."

He shook his head, holding up a hand to stop me. "No, let me get this out. I remember how scared you were, back in college. When your parents found out you were gay, when they kicked you out... I thought it would break you, Ash. I really did."

I flinched, the memory of that pain, that rejection, still so raw and aching after all these years. "It almost did," I whispered, my voice cracking. "If it hadn't been for you, I don't know if I would have made it through Carter’s manipulations."

Dylan smiled, soft and sad. "You would have, Ash. You're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. But I'm glad I could be there for you. That I could help, even a little."

He took a deep breath, blinking back his own tears. "And now, seeing you like this, happy, and in love, and so brave, it's everything I ever wanted for you, Ash. Everything you deserve."

I surged forward, pulling him into a hug. "I love you, Dylan," I mumbled into his shoulder.

He hugged me back just as fiercely, his fingers digging into my shoulder blades. "I love you too, Ash. Always have, always will."

When we pulled apart, both of us sniffling and wiping at our eyes, Dylan grinned, nodding his head back towards Jared's room. "We should probably get back in there, before they start getting ideas. Wouldn't want them to think we're planning some kind of shenanigans, would we?"

I scoffed, shoving at his shoulder. "Please. As if they could stop us."

We were still laughing as we made our way back into the room, our arms slung around each other's shoulders. Jared and Mason looked up as we entered, their eyes soft and knowing.

"Everything okay?" Jared asked, his gaze flickering between us.

I nodded, feeling a warmth, a contentment, settle deep in my bones. "Everything's perfect, Jared. Absolutely perfect."

And it was. Because as I looked around the room, at the faces of the people I loved most in the world, I felt a sense of peace, of rightness, wash over me.

This was my family. My real family, the one I had chosen, the one that had chosen me.

Dylan, my best friend, my brother in all but blood. The one who had been by my side through every up and down, every twist and turn of this crazy, beautiful life.

Mason, my brother's love, his partner in every sense of the word. The one who brought out the best in him, who challenged him and supported him and loved him with fierceness.

And my Jared. My love, my heart, my home. The one who had seen me, really seen me, and loved me anyway. The one who had fought for me, for us, with every breath in his body.

I thought back to the person I had been, the scared, lonely boy who had been so desperate for love, for acceptance, that he had let himself be consumed by a monster. The boy who had been kicked out of his home, his family, for daring to be his true self.

With my new family by my side, I knew I could face anything. Because I was loved. I was cherished. I was finally home.

As I closed my eyes, as I let myself sink into the warmth and comfort of Jared's arms, I couldn't help but smile. Because I could see it, clear as day. The future that stretched out before us, bright and shining and so full of promise.

A future full of laughter, and love, and music. Full of early mornings and late nights, of silly arguments and stolen kisses and quiet moments of perfect, unshakable joy.

A future with Jared by my side, my partner in every sense of the word. My lover, my best friend, and one day, my husband.