A/N: I edited this, the first go around I had Zac’s dad’s name wrong, thanks to zacfan for pointing it out. And as a side note, seriously, I was feeling sick today and this story popped into my head, I never expected so many to like it, so thanks a bunch. :)

---

Vanessa Hudgens was cocooned in the blue covers of the large double bed sitting in the middle of her bedroom. The January chill was leaking through the windows of the house despite that they were closed. She hated the cold and right now, in the middle of her warm cocoon, fast asleep Vanessa was dreaming of the waves and beaches of Hawaii, waves crashing up against her as he pulled her closer to him and pressed his lips….

Vanessa’s eyes snapped open at the sound of her phone buzzing on her nightstand. Who dares to disturb her slumber? Stretching out one arm from the nest of warmth she had created she grabbed the silver contraption and stared at the picture gracing the front and sighed. As much as she loved her boyfriend, sometimes he had no sense of time. He’d be watching TV and see something cool and decide to call her, disregarding that it was three in the morning and she was fast asleep.

Clicking the screen Vanessa lifted the phone to her ear, “How am I supposed to dream about you if you won’t let me sleep?”

He grunted, “Van, I think something’s wrong.”

Vanessa shot up in bed at the sound of Zac’s pain filled voice, “Zac, baby, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t…god I’m in so much pain, my stomach…” Vanessa was out of bed already pulling on a jacket and a pair of flip flops. Her hair sticking every which way, but she didn’t even care as she listened to her boyfriend’s pain, “should I call an ambulance?”

“I’m on my way.” Vanessa said immediately, grabbing her purse and flinging open her door, rushing out of her room, past her sister’s and parents’ rooms and down the stairs.

“Are you okay to drive by yourself?”

The words came out slowly as if he had to force them out and she almost smiled at how he was still concerned for her even as he was in pain, “I won’t be alone for very long, I’ll be right there babe.” Vanessa was at her car and extremely thankful that all the paparazzi were gone for the night. All she received from him was another grunt but she didn’t let that deter her as she backed out of the driveway and took off in the direction of his apartment complex. Vanessa cringed as she heard the sounds of heaving in the background and when she heard silence she was pretty sure he had hung up on her. Setting her phone down she focused on the road.

Pulling the car in a no parking zone Vanessa put the car in park and jumped out before rushing down the steps. Fumbling with the keypad she typed in the code she had typed in so many times before and heard the door buzz open. She made a beeline for his apartment and immediately stuck her key in the door only to have it be pulled open by a very pale and weak-looking Zac Efron.

Vanessa wrapped her arm around his waist and he leaned into her, “What happened?” He had been complaining about his stomach the previous day, but he had said that he had eaten some out of date food on set and he was pretty sure he was just going to get food poisoning and Vanessa had rolled her eyes when he had sounded so proud about getting it. “I thought you said it wasn’t that bad?”

His face contorted in pain, “I lied.”

“Okay, okay, let’s get you to the hospital.” Vanessa pulled his door shut and began helping him over to the door and up the steps and then the longest ten minute drive of her life to the hospital.

---

Vanessa checked her watch, upon bringing him in he had been rushed into the OR and Vanessa had tried to catch pieces of what they were saying, but nothing had really made sense. About an hour ago a nurse had informed her that he had appendicitis and they were attempting to remove it. Attempting? What did that even mean? Could they not do it? And what if they didn’t do it, would Zac die? He was only twenty, he couldn’t die!

“Nessa, you’re doing it again.” Vanessa turned her head to the side and looked at an incredibly tired looking Ashley Tisdale, “You’re biting your nails, stop it.”

Vanessa pulled her hand away from her mouth and leaned on her thighs as the two girls waited in the waiting room. “I called Starla and she said that her, David and Dylan would be here as soon as they could, probably any minute now.” Vanessa sighed, “Gosh, it’s been two hours, shouldn’t they be done?”

“I don’t think they can tell us anything,” Ashley said wisely, “he’s twenty, we’re not family, you know, legally, and I think given his hunky heartthrob status they probably wanna be extra careful on what they say and who they say it to.” Vanessa shot Ashley a look, “I called Momo.”

Understanding washed over my face, of course, Monique Coleman, the wise one of the group. “Yeah, Corbin just said ‘wow, appendicitis, that sucks’.” Vanessa said using her best ‘Corbin’ voice.

“Lucas just isn’t answering his phone calls, so I sent him a text message,” Ashley looked over, “it said Zac’s dead, please send flowers.”

Vanessa snorted, “Lucas is gonna kill you.”

“Nessa!” Vanessa looked over to see Starla Efron running towards her, David and Dylan Efron lagging behind, “How is he, how is my baby?”

“Fine.” Dylan answered, “Thanks for asking.” David sent him a look that said ‘not now’.

Vanessa and Ashley stood up, “We don’t know,” Ashley answered, “our best guess is that they won’t tell us because we aren’t family.”

“Or he died.” Dylan quipped.

Vanessa looked at him wide-eyed, “What?”

“Dylan,” Starla scolded, “Zac didn’t die, its just appendicitis, right?” Vanessa nodded, “It’s a simple procedure, David had it done years ago.”

David nodded, “Yep, and I lived.”

“Family of Zac Efron?” Everyone turned and Starla rushed forward.

“Right here, I’m his mother, how is he?”

The doctor adjusted his glasses, but he wore a smile on his face, “He’s fine, he’s recovering. The appendix did not rupture and we removed it completely, he’ll have some post-op pain from the incisions, and he will have to take it easy for about three weeks, but he’ll be perfectly fine.”

“Jeeze,” Ashley said, “who wants to tell Zac he has to take it easy for three weeks?” she raised her hand, “Not it!”

The doctor laughed, “I got that covered, and you’re right, he wasn’t happy, but he’ll live.”

Vanessa took a step closer with wide-eyes, “He’s awake?”

The doctor nodded, “He was when I left, but he is very tired, so I don’t know how long he’ll be awake.” The doctor pointed down the hallway, “Fourth room on your right, this is a more private section of the hospital, and we are doing all that we can to maintain Mr. Efron’s privacy.”

“Thank you,” David stepped forward, “this means a lot to us.” The family rushed forward, Starla and Vanessa leading the pack, Ashley and Dylan behind them, and David bringing up the rear. It didn’t take long to reach the room and Starla pulled open the door before rushing inside.

“Zachary David Alexander Efron, what were you thinking?” Starla said walking in.

A still pale Zac looked up at his mother in confusion, “Thinking about what, it’s not like I chose this!” Zac’s eyes scanned over the other people in his hospital room before returning to his mother, “You guys didn’t all have to come.”

“Well,” Ashley spoke up, swinging an arm over Vanessa’s shoulder, “when Nesquick called all she said was I’m at the hospital, get here. I mean, if I’d have known it was for you, I wouldn’t have come.”

“And the love just keeps coming.” Zac said sarcastically, “Yeah, well, in her defense I think I scared her shitless first, so she had the right to do it to you.”

Dylan pushed his way between the two parents and landed on the mattress staring up at his older brother, “Dude, tell me they let you keep the appendix?”

Zac shot Dylan a disgusted face, “Why would I want to keep my appendix?”

“So I can sell it on eBay, duh!” Dylan said as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

“You little punkass!” Zac pushed him back and off of the mattress.

“Zac!” Starla scolded.

Zac gave her an incredulous look, “Mom, he just said he was going to sell my inflamed appendix on eBay for money.”

“Dylan, don’t sell your brother’s things online.” David told his younger son.

Zac shot his dad a look, “Way to sound convincing dad.”

“Well, since you can’t work for three weeks,” Starla began, “I think you should come home with us.”

“Who said I can’t work for three weeks?” Zac asked, “They said take it easy, I can take it easy and still work.”

Starla put a hand on her hip, “Zac…”

Zac matched her look, “Mom!” Starla narrowed her eyes at Zac, “Mom, I’m twenty, you can’t make me come with you, I can take care of myself, and Nessa and Ash are here to help too.” Zac put his hand on his stomach, “It’s just a couple of stitches, they said that barring any complications usually about three days.”

Vanessa tugged on Ashley’s sleeve, “What kinds of complications?”

Ashley looked at her scared friend and looked back over at Zac, “Yo, Efron!”

Zac looked at her with an annoyed gaze, “What do you want Tizz?”

“Your scared girlfriend and I would like to know what kinds of complications would arise. Is there the possibility that you will keel over and die or are we just not that lucky?”

Zac smirked, “Like I would die and give you the satisfaction of that? I don’t think so, mainly infections of the scars or an abscess in my stomach that would need to be drained, but the doctor sounded confident, that’s good enough for me.”

Ashley looked at Vanessa, “Sorry Nessa, you’re stuck with him.”

Vanessa was chewing on her bottom lip as though she was worried that Zac might die at any moment. Starla was fixing Zac’s pillow behind his head while Dylan already looked bored and David was just watching his wife fuss over their son. Zac was looking at her while swatting away his mother’s hands as she tried to fix his hospital gown, “Mom, seriously, wearing nothing under here, don’t mess with it.”

“Yes, please,” Dylan said, “despite that there are millions of girls all over the world that want Zac to flash them; I am not one of them.”

Zac looked at Dylan, “You’re not a girl? Oh my God, I’ve been telling everyone wrong all these years.”

“Ha ha ha,” Dylan laughed dryly, “asshole!”

“Dylan!” Starla scolded while Zac just laughed at his brother’s gutsiness/stupidity at doing that in front of their parents. However, he regretted it when he felt the tug of his stitches and his face contorted in pain. “Zac!” Starla forgot all about Dylan, “Sweetie, are you alright?”

Zac groaned, “I’m fine, I just can’t laugh.”

“You heard him,” Ashley spoke up, “no one say anything funny.”

“Like…” Dylan started, “platypus?”

Zac smiled, “Good try, you’ve pulled that on me before.”

“That’s because when you’re having an argument and someone throws a platypus out at you that’s it, end of argument.” Dylan explained.

Zac shook his head, “How did I get such a weird brother?”

“Mom, Zac called me weird.”

“You called me an asshole.”

“You are an asshole.”

“Zac, Dylan,” David started, “shut up.”

There was a knock on the door and Vanessa and Ashley turned to see a twenty-something nurse entering the room. “Sorry to interrupt, but I’m afraid we can only allow Mr. Efron a maximum of three visitors at a time, so I’m gonna have to ask non-family members to leave.” Vanessa blinked, the nurse was looking directly at her. Vanessa looked down, she got it, the nurse was a fan of Zac’s. Normally Vanessa would tell the nurse where she could shove her rules, but then she might hurt Zac in his sleep, or kidnap him, or worse.

Vanessa nodded, “Come on Ash,” she looked over at Zac, “we’ll be outside.”

“Van,” Zac’s voice stopped her and she looked back at him. He waved her over and she slowly turned and walked back over to him and he opened his arms so she could hug him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist, “you know I’m fine, right?”

Vanessa nodded, “I think so.”

Zac pressed a kiss to her cheek, “Good, because I am.”

Vanessa pulled back, “Is there anything you need?”

Zac nodded, “Underwear would be great.”

Vanessa smiled, “Feeling a little exposed?” Zac nodded eagerly, “Okay, Ash and I will head back to your apartment and get you some stuff.” Vanessa went to pull away but Zac pulled her back to him and pressed his lips to hers.

“Hey,” Dylan interrupted, “take it easy means no…”

Ashley placed her hand over Dylan’s mouth as Vanessa and Zac pulled apart sending him death glares. “I got it.”

Vanessa looked back at Zac, “See you later, love you, bye.” Vanessa sent him a wave as she walked over to Ashley and the two left.

“Love you too.” Zac shouted to her retreating figure, a smile on his lips. “And don’t forget my slippers.”