All For The Love of Rock & Roll: A Y/N x Eric Singer Story

Right

Bruce POV

I hadn't wanted to be right. I mean why the hell would I want there to be something wrong with my friend's son? But I could tell by the looks on their faces when they returned that I had been right, that something was wrong with John. Y/N walked to their room, mumbling she was going to put him down for a nap, while Eric shook his head.

"You...you were right," he mumbled. "He's got a hole in his heart. They'll need to do surgery on it when he's four months old, if things don't get worse before then."

My own heart sinking, I pulled him into a hug as he broke down into tears.

"It'll be okay," I said.

"T-thanks for suggesting we take him to the doctor's," he whispered. "I don't...I don't want to think what would've happened if we didn't find it so soon."

The atmosphere in the house was a sad silence for the rest of the day, and I opted to go to bed early to give them space.

There was a soft knock on my door near two in the morning and I slid out of bed, pulling it open. Y/N was standing in the hall, arms wrapped around herself, dressed in a robe. It was clear she had been crying.

"I'm so sorry to wake you up, but I can't find Eric, I think he's left the house and-and he left his phone behind, can you watch John while I go look for him?" she whispered.

"I'll go find him," I said. "You stay here with John, I'll call you once I find him."

She nodded, biting on her lip.

"Thank you," she said in a soft voice.

"Of course," I said, pulling on my shoes.

I walked to the bar three blocks away from my house, stepping inside and letting out a sigh as I saw Eric sitting at the bar in tears. I sat beside him, taking the beer from his hand.

"You should come home," I said.

"It-itsh all m-my fault, if I h-hadn't take his place Eric w-wouldn't have given m-my baby heart problems," Eric sobbed, hiccupping uncontrollably as his words slurred together.

I closed my eyes at the mention of Eric's name, knowing he didn't mean any offense, that he was drunk and terrified his son would die, but it still hurt thinking about him.

"It's not your fault. Eric would never do that, you know he wouldn't," I said gently, rubbing him on the back.

"H-he did! H-he h-hated me b-b-because I replaced him! I didn' want to! It-it was just 'pposed t' be until he g-got better!" he wailed.

"He didn't hate you. Trust me," I said. "We talked about you plenty, he never said he hated you. He hated the situation, but never you. Eric would never hurt your son. He hasn't. It's not your fault."

"Y-you promise?" he whimpered, blue eyes bloodshot from a mix of sobbing and alcohol.

I nodded, still rubbing him on the back.

"I promise."

Eric buried his face in his hands, shoulders shaking.

"And-and I n-named him after my brother and n-now I'm gonna lose t-two John Singers," he sobbed.

I pulled him into a hug.

"John's not going to die. I promise," I said. "He'll get surgery in a few months and then he'll be okay. Now come on, we should get you home. Y/N misses you and she's worried," I said.

He nodded, stumbling to his feet. I led him outside, hailing a cab and quickly calling Y/N, telling her that I found him and he was fine and we'd be home soon. Eric had sobbed himself to sleep on my shoulder by the time we reached my house so I carried him inside. Y/N's eyes went wide as I stepped inside, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Is he okay?" she asked.

"He's fine, just drunk," I said. "I think he blames himself and just wanted to get away from the guilt for a moment."

Y/N's face fell and she let out a soft sigh, following me as I carried Eric to their room. I laid him on their bed, turning to leave when Y/N gave me a tight hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You've done so much to help."

"It's the least I can do," I said, hugging her back.

"How d-did you know something was wrong?" she asked, and I winced.

"I don't know, just got lucky," I lied. I knew damn well what a heart that wasn't working right looked like, as much as I wished I didn't.

I woke up to my phone ringing early the next morning and answered it in confusion.

"Hello this is Bruce Kulick," I said.

Moxie: Hi Bruce, this is Moxie, I'm a close friend of Y/N's. I need your help with something.

"Alright. What is it?" I asked.