Pull the Plug

Hi, my name is Billy.

NATHAN: Benny, babe, you look so goooood.

I'm throwing up in my mouth.

I agreed to go with Nathan to see Ben in the hospital. He'd taken a turn...for the better, and was probably going to get out earlier than expected.

Nathan, on the other hand, seemed to have a terminal case of Florence Nightingale syndrome.

BEN: I can't wait to get out of this bed and back into yours.
NATHAN: Awww, you're so bad. Isn't he bad, Billy?

Oh, he's a real motherf--

ME: I'm glad you're okay, Ben.

...Although if you had been struck mute, I can't say I'd be devastated.

There was another perk to him being laid up.

Ever since Ben got taken out of commission, Nathan and I had been spending a lot of time together, and I'd really been enjoying myself.

Part of me thought that if I could just keep Ben out of the picture for a little while longer, I might actually had a shot at wrenching Nathan away from him.

Maybe that's why my eyes kept drifting to his I.V.

NATHAN: So, you're cool with rescheduling, Billy?
ME: Huh?
NATHAN: Dinner tonight? You're okay with doing it some other time? I want to get my room all set for when Ben gets out tomorrow.
ME: Oh, sure. That's cool.
BEN: Hey Nate the Great, can you go grab me a soda from the nurse's station?
NATHAN: Sure, babe.
BEN: With ice?
NATHAN: Yeah, no problem.

Nathan gave him a kiss on the cheek and took off. Then Ben's gaze zeroed in on me.

BEN: Stop.
ME: Stop what?
BEN: You know what.
ME: No, I really don't.
BEN: That golly-gosh-gee 'I'm a virgin' act might work with everyone else, but don't go trying it on Nathan.
ME: What happened to the new leaf you were going to turn over?
BEN: Turning over a leaf and becoming a push-over are two totally different things. Now, back off.
ME: Um...how about...make me?

I was fully expecting to leave when he said--

BEN: You know, it's funny. One minute you don't remember something...

I saw Ben nearly get hit by the car, so I called out to him.

He jumped out of the way just in time, and walked over to me.

BEN: Lousy night, huh?
ME: You didn't exactly make it any better.
BEN: I said what I had to say.
ME: Oh right, word of God.
BEN: Whatever.

He started to walk away from me.

ME: You should stay away from Nathan.

Then he stopped and turned back towards me.

BEN: Excuse me?
ME: He deserves better than you.
BEN: Wow, that's what Jeremy said about you.
ME: He was right.
BEN: And yet you made your own decision. So why don't you let Nathan do the same?

He started to walk away from me again so I went up and grabbed him by the shirt.

BEN: Hey, let go of me--

He tried to push me away, but I pushed him instead.

Right into the street.

Right into the car.

And I was running before I saw the car pull away.

BEN: ...And suddenly it's all so clear.

Part of me really believed he'd never remember, but now that he had--

BEN: I'm not going to tell anyone. Provided you do what I tell you, and leave Nathan alone. Go find someone else to adore your holiness. Nathan likes the bad boys.

Like clockwork, Nathan appeared in the doorway with Ben's soda.

NATHAN: Here we go, plenty of ice.

I smiled through my teeth, through my fury, through my fear.

It seemed reasonable to think I was going to be smiling like this a lot from now on.