Us Forever

A/N: GALE IS OUT!!!!! (of the hospital that is, not the other kind of out, unfortunately) so, REJOICE!!!!

He was out. After about a month of recuperating in the hospital and he was as good as new. I was glad I'd dropped everything and flew out to California to be with him during that time. I don't think I would have been able to stand it if I'd just stayed in New York and let the highly trained hospital staff take care of him, nope, because only I could. Heehee.

"Randy, stop grinning like the Cheshire cat, it's freaking me out." Gale informed me as I watched him, fully dressed in his normal clothes, signing out of the hospital.

"What? I can't be happy that you're finally out of here, thus ending the daily request for my autograph and picture?" I continued to grin as he slung an arm around my shoulders and we walked out of the hospital. The doctors had said that as long as he doesn't put pressure on his shoulder and came in for monthly check ups for a while he'd be able to jump back into his life, which of course made me one happy blonde boy to hear that.

"You're just happy that you don't have the nurses batting their eyelashes at you anymore." Gale teased, making me lightly thump his stomach. "Because, apparently, they think that if they flaunt enough they'll turn you straight." He continued, making me laugh. This man always seemed to have that ability, even from day one, to make me laugh even at the most depressing of times.

"Like that's going to happen."I smiled as the warm Californian sunlight beamed down at us. For December it was quite nicely warm, a pleasant change from the weather I would have otherwise been experiencing in New York.

"So," Gale huffed out a breath, taking on his serious tone. "When do you think you'll be heading back?"

I stayed silent for a moment as I thought about that. Up until that point, as wrong as it may be to admit, I hadn't even thought about going back to New York. It seemed that I didn't even care about the month of work I'd missed out on, everyone I'd left behind abruptly, even my boyfriend. At that thought I suddenly got a heavy sinking feeling in my stomach. I had a boyfriend to go back to. One month in California with Gale and already I didn't want to go back to what was my life.

"Randy? Where'd you go blondie?" Gale's teasing voice brought me out of my thoughts, making me force back my newfound reluctance to go home for the moment.

"Ah, no where special." I replied, putting the smile back onto my face so as to not let anything slip. "Just thinking about the shitload of work I'll have waiting for me when I get back." Gale laughed at that.

"Well what about me? I've been in the hospital all this time and the show's been rolling right along without me. I wouldn't be surprised if they've already written my character's death. Sometimes it seems like that's all people ever do." Gale sighed, making me wrap my arms around his waist to offer some comfort.

"That's because they can't write a part good enough for you, and they know it. So, to save themselves the embarrassment they simply kill you off before you figure out what shitty writers they are." I assured him, making him laugh and squeeze me tight. God I loved his laugh, it was one of the most beautiful sounds I'd ever heard.

"You really are something Randy." Gale gazed down at me with fondness beaming from his eyes.

It was about a week later and I was sitting in Gale's living room. He'd let me use his apartment while he was in the hospital to crash in and now he was letting me stay with him until I returned back to New York. "To save you the cost of renting an overpriced hotel room," he'd said. I knew I'd have to go soon, or else I probably never would, and I knew that asking him if I could just stay there forever would be a bit much.

Over the past week he'd been a busy little body. He'd been on Oprah (still not so sure if I liked the woman), called everyone he needed to call for work, and currently right at this moment he was catching up with his current costars to talk about what had been happening lately on the show. I could tell that every time the subject came up he was a bit edgy. It was very obvious that he was afraid his absence for a while would lose him his role. Even if the knuckleheads killed him off I was confident that he'd find another role in no time and be right back on his feet. Justin and I have that in common, stubborn determinedness, and if need be I'd lend some of that to Gale.

As I leaned back into the sofa with the TV on my thoughts were aimed towards the future, and what would happen once I left this little piece of paradise I'd found with my best friend. I'd probably get shit from my boyfriend for leaving so abruptly and then not taking any of his calls while I was here, in fact I was surprised he hadn't banged down the door yet. Simon was generally a nice guy, but when he got mad he got really mad. Then there was all the slack at work I'd be expected to pick up, what were we working on? Shit, I can't even remember that. Ah well, I'll figure it out. Then there was the big factor of what would happen between Gale and me. We'd tried to keep in contact over the years since QAF ended, and for a while there we did great. But work, life, and the fact that there was a whole country between us eventually caused us to drift apart, and I hated that. For the months that we didn't talk were the longest and loneliest months I'd ever had to endure. What would happen this time though?

"Randy Harrison you open this fucking door right now!" A loud banging at the apartment door made me jump and stare wide-eyed at the direction of the angry voice. I'd sort of known it was only a matter of time before my boyfriend tracked me down, but I still wasn't expecting to be faced with and angry him and only a door between us.

"If I open this door will we talk this out like adults?" I moved cautiously towards the door but didn't move to unlatch the lock.

"Fucking adults my ass!" Simon shouted, making me jump away from the door as if it wasn't there. He sounded pretty mad. "You open this door right now or I'm busting it in, breaking and entering charges be damned!"

Shit. I really didn't want to face him when he was this mad, but I also didn't want to have to explain to Gale how his door got busted off its hinges. Either way I'd have to face him, so might as well do it in the least destructive way possible. For the apartment anyways, I make no promises about me.

I tentatively turned the lock and the second it clicked open the door was flung open right into my face, slamming into my nose and forehead hard enough to break my nose but thankfully didn't. I'd definitely have bruises later though.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I suddenly had a very menacing looking Simon looming over me.

"You're the one who tried to bang the door in." I retorted, determined to not be pushed around like a little faggot.

"That's because my boyfriend took off a month ago to take care of some shit of a straight guy he used to know and didn't bother to return any of my calls or even make a call." He snarled, making the hair on the back of my neck bristle a bit as I got defensive.

"Gale is not some shit of a straight guy, he's my best friend." I made sure to make that clear to him. I'd told him before, when we first started dating, that any jabs at Gale would not be taken kindly by me at all. No one talked bad about my best friend.

"Oh yes, and I'm just the boyfriend who had to stay at home while you went off to be with him." Simon's voice took on a dramatic mocking tone, and for the first time I saw him as the ugly ass guy he'd always been. "I told you before to stop chasing after him." He was back to snarling. "After all, what would he want with a pathetic little faggot who's got no backbone?"

I don't know what made me do it, all the anxiety that had been building up in me over the past week, the fact that Simon was actually standing there, the fact that he was talking about Gale like he was not better than a pile of shit, or the fact that he'd just called me a pathetic spineless faggot. Either way, what happened next was something I never thought would happen. Simon had been glowering at me with hardly enough room between us for a book to fit though, so when he called be a spineless faggot I snapped and shoved him back with everything I had. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten the coat rack right by the door and Simon crashed into it, causing it to teeter before slamming into his head.

"Fuck! Motherfucking piece of shit!" Simon yelled out, cradling his head. I was about to rush forward to see if he was alright when I caught sight of a very dangerous glint in his eyes that I did not like one bit. "You cocksucking son of a bitch," he hissed as he straightened and started advancing towards me, making me back up until my back hit the wall. "I always knew you were a worthless piece of junk not worth my time." And with that he punched me in the gut, hard enough that if I'd eaten just a bit more at dinner I would have lost it all.

While I was doubled over and trying desperately to get the screaming pain to go away I saw out of the corner of my watering eyes his fist coming at my face and had just enough time to flinch so that he didn't slam into my cheekbone, but he did catch my nose. If it hadn't been broken from the door it sure as fuck was now as it started spurting blood.

Looking around frantically for something I could use to defend myself, knowing that he would not stop until I was either unconscious or dead, I found nothing lethal enough that was in my reach. So, as a snap second decision, I turned off my brain and let my body revert back to the good old way of hand to hand combat. Not even realizing my decision I felt my hand clench into a fist and drive itself into whatever part of Simon it could get to, which just happened to be his stomach, repeatedly.

This time while he was doubled over something my mom had told me a long time ago flashed into my mind. "If a man ever tries to come after you all you've got to do is slam down on the bridge of his foot right here, and then go for the balls with your knee." Well heck, who would have thought that would actually work? Remember to thank mom next time I call her.

With Simon effectively immobile I let my body relax and wiped at the blood streaming from my nose. Damn I hated the taste of blood, and my nose hurt like hell. I looked down at Simon curled up on the floor in pain. "You do realize this means we're breaking up right? I mean, even a stupid as fuck asshole like you could see that." I managed to force a smile while he moaned on the floor.

Once I finally kicked him out the door and shut it firmly I felt myself collapse in sheer exhaustion. Well, on the bright side I don't have to worry about him anymore. On the downside however I just got beat up by my ex-boyfriend. Fuck, why do these things happen? How does someone turn against the person they have a relationship with like that? The other person falls in love with his straight ex-costar, that's how.

When I realize that I'm bawling my eyes out I also realize that I've reached for my cell phone and already hit the first speed dial. I bring the phone up to my ear and listen to the ringing, the only sound that I can hear at this moment. The second I heard his voice I could have broke down all over again, it was the best thing I had ever heard. Like the first drop of water after being lost in the desert.

"Hello? Randy?" Gale's voice sounded worried and it was only then that I realized he'd been talking for a while now.

"Hey," I whispered, trying hard not to let my tears affect my voice.

"Randy are you okay?" Gale's voice just got more worried and I really wished I hadn't caused him that worry. He'd just gotten out of the hospital, he didn't need any stress put on him.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." I tried to sound convincing but knew I wasn't kidding anyone. "Simon decided to drop in for a visit." I waited while the other end of the line was dead silent for a long moment.

"Did he hit you?" Gale's voice was surprisingly soft, I'd expected it to come out angry and full of hatred towards me for letting it happen.

"Yes." At this point my body was wracked with another wave of sobs and I couldn't hold them in. "I kicked him out but I'm so confused and scared and alone and-" I gulped in a wet breath and tried to steady my breathing.

"Shh, it's okay baby, calm down." Gale's voice soothed over me as I gasped at air while trying to get words out. "I'm coming home right now, do you think you can hold on for ten minutes?"

"Of course, I'm not a spineless faggot after all." I laughed bitterly.

"No, you're not. You're a proud, beautiful man who just got hurt by the biggest fuckhead in the world, you have a right to be scared Randy. I'll be home soon and once you're in my arms with a mug of hot chocolate we're going to work this out, okay?"

"Promise?" I actually manage a small genuine smile at the image he gave me.

"Promise."

Gale's POV

That fucking piece of rat shit! I knew he was bad news the second Randy met him, but I didn't say anything because Randy seemed so happy. Now look where that got him. That bastard doesn't deserve someone like Randy, he doesn't deserve anyone but the meanest most heartless raper or whatever. I'm not thinking straight. And can this fucking car go any slower?!

I finally see my apartment building come into sight and sigh in relief. I'm that much closer to Randy. I jerk the car into the nearest parking space, not giving a damn if it's not mine, and fly into the building and up the stairs, too impatient to wait for the elevator. I burst into my apartment and look around wildly, frantically searching out my blonde.

"Down here." A small, defeated voice that I've never heard before says from somewhere to my left. I turn and there he is, sitting with most of his weight on the wall behind him and looking like he'd just walked through a battlefield.

"Damn that bastard," I whisper as I kneel down and gently touch his slightly swollen and bloody face. "He's damn lucky he's not here or he'd be heading to the ER or hell right now." I gently coax Randy's limp body into my arms and hold him tight as I feel his still falling tears soak into my shirt.

"It's my fault really,"

"No it is not." I cut him off firmly. "He's got issues of his own if he can't talk things out and has to resort to violence. You have nothing to do with that." I tell him, making sure my voice leaves no room for argument. "Now come on, let's get you washed up." I lift him into my arms and carry him into the bathroom. His body is light as a feather as it snuggles into mine.

I turn the light on and carefully set him on the edge of the sink, making his body face away from the mirror so he doesn't have to see what his asshole of an ex did to him. Grabbing a washcloth I run it under some warm water before gently wiping at the drying blood that seemed to have come from Randy's nose. Once his face is clean I help him out of his bloodied shirt and put one of my comfy worn sweatshirts on him before carrying him out into the living room.

"Stay put." I tell him before heading into the kitchen to whip up the hot chocolate that was promised earlier.

"You're the best, you know that?" Randy asks me with a tired smile as he accepts the mug from me.

"I've been told." I smile back as I sit down next to him and fold him into my arms. "Now, how about we have a little heart to heart?"

It takes him a little over an hour to retell the events that happened while I was gone, making me wish a thousand times over that I'd just stayed home with him, and work out what he was feeling after all of this. By the time he'd finished and fell silent his mug was empty and his body was comfortably molded into mine.

"So that's why I just couldn't go back to him, because he's not the one I want to go home to every night and he's not the one I want holding me." Randy's voice has fallen very quiet and I can tell that sleep is closing in on him.

"Who do you want to come home to every night?" I ask him, though already knowing the answer I feel the need for him to confirm it before I go any further.

"More than anything, I want it to be you." He says unhesitatingly.

"And if I told you I feel the same way?" I ask tentatively.

"I'd have to remind you that you're straight." Randy replied instantly with a slight bitterness to his voice, making me smile.

"And if I told you I love you?" I questioned. Randy looking up at me with those blue eyes of his searching my face and soul for…something.

"I'd have to say you were crazy for loving me, but also that I love you too." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Get some sleep baby, we'll work all this out in the morning." I say upon seeing him stifle yet another yawn. "Just know that I'll forever be here when you wake up, and right next to you when you go to sleep." I whisper into his ear before gently kissing it. "And know that no matter what, I'm going to love you forever."

A/N: So yeah, this is how I imagined the two of them finally actually getting together. Does anyone by any chance know if Randy actually went to see Gale in the hospital?