Mr. B. Urie

24

"I'm sorry, but she's not waking up. We have to let her go," the doctor sighs, unhooking the IV from Ariella's wrist. She looks cold and lifeless in the hospital bed, and I can feel hot tears searing into my cheeks.

Then I'm laying in the bed, and I'm Ariella. I can hear people talking around me. "I love you, I will always love you." I hear Brendon—myself?—say. Then I feel soft lips press to my forehead, and a painful yank in my arm. I try to scream, but I can't move. I'm frozen, and I'm dying.

I wake up in a cold sweat in a chair beside Ariella's hospital bed. She looks the same as she has for the past two weeks. Yes, two weeks. If she doesn't wake up in the next four days, the hospital is going to transfer her to a long term care facility.

I keep an eye out for any sudden movements, but there hasn't been any since before the seizure. I'm honestly a wreck; I'm wearing week-old clothes and haven't left the hospital in days. My guitar is sitting in the corner of the room, mostly collecting dust. It's ready for the unlikely event that Ariella should awaken. Even if she does, I probably won't be a familiar face . . . Which is why I wrote her the song I did.

"Hey, Brendon?" There's a knock on the door behind me and I jump, turning to see Taya in the frame. "Sarah and Darren are here. They wanna talk about the surrogate thing?"

"Oh!" I stand up too quickly, and almost lose my balance, but catch myself on the edge of the bed in front of me. I squeeze Arie's hand and clear my throat. "I'll be right outside the door. Don't worry, dear." I whisper to her. Then I walk towards Taya. "Yell if anything happens, okay?" She nods and takes my place beside Arie.

Sarah and Darren are, indeed, waiting in the hallway just outside the door. "How is she?" Darren asks, rubbing his hands together anxiously.

"The same, I guess. It's hard not to think that she's just asleep and could wake up any minute." I sigh, leaning on the wall for support. Sarah gives a sympathetic look and pats my shoulder.

"We're here to tell you that if Arie doesn't come out of the coma, I'll be the surrogate," Sarah says.

"How could I say no to my girlfriend having her ex's and my best friend's baby?" Darren chuckles, and I hug him to my chest. Sure, it's not 'manly' to hug people, but I'd rather show my appreciation than save my reputation.

"You've no idea how much this means to me, guys. And I don't know—"

"Oh my God!" I hear Taya scream from inside. "Guys! Come here." I burst through the door to the sight of one Ariella, who's eyes are slowly blinking open, and an over ecstatic Taya.

"Where's Mr. Alvos?" Darren asks Taya. She shrugs and rushes out of the room, presumably to go find him. Or maybe a doctor . . . Or both?

I approach Arie slowly, sitting in the chair beside her bed. She looks up at me with a sort of questioning look. "Hi, sweetheart," I smile, waving at Darren and Sarah so one of them can grab my guitar for me. Sarah obliges and lingers by my side for a moment before stepping back to stand with Darren. "I wrote you a song. Hopefully, it helps you remember some things, okay?" Arie nods, and I grin, strumming out a chord nervously.

Do you remember me? My name is Brendon Urie. Your name is Ariella Alvos, but you probably remember that much so . . . I don't know why I'm telling you?

Anyways, I wrote this song to tell you, that I will always love you. And if you died, well I'd die too. I'm not sure how, but I would.

Ariella, mon amour! I don't really speak other languages . . . But that's not important.

Do you remember me? I'll tell you all about how we became, well, this. I taught you English for a while, and I fell in love with your smile. Your heart of gold was all I knew, and before that, it was true. You were my friend when we were young, at least I thought we were, you? Not so much.

Ariella, mon amour! If you died then I'd die too, for sure. I know I've said it all before, but it's true, cuz I love you.

There was this big fiasco with my ex, I almost married her then we had . . . Yeah. Well, she got pissed and found out about your tragic past. Well she told Darren, and he was an ass, but we've moved past that, now they're in love . . . I guess?

Ariella, mon amour! You're more than I ever bargained for. I love you with my whole core, and what's more: I couldn't stand to ever lose you. So I have a question for you:

(I know it says guitar in the story, but I don't play guitar so it's on uke)

"Will you marry me?" For a minute, I think she's going to start crying and say that she has no idea who I am or why I'm asking her to marry me. Then, her face brightens and the biggest smile I've ever seen spreads across her face.

"Brendon," she rasps out. "First, maybe you should ask my dad for permission. After all, we've already been through this whole thing where I'm forced to choose between you two. I'd rather not relive that."

"Yeah—yes, you're right. Of course!" I stutter out. "I love you so much, you know that? I was afraid you'd forget,"

"I couldn't even if I tried," she smirks at me, taking my hand in hers. It feels like centuries, even though it's only been fourteen days since she's done this. "And you know, I think the fact that you talked to me the whole time I was out kind of helped."

"You heard that?" I bite my lip at how awkward that is. I mean, I suspected she was listening, but I didn't think she would remember.

"Oh yeah. And I think it's adorable how much you kept saying you'd miss me." She looks away and her smile fades. "But then you started talking about when I was gone as if you thought I wouldn't wake up. You know I'll always come back for you, B."