Rebuilted

[LipsGF4Life]

Hey guys. So I kinda been wanting to write this fanfic about Lips recently. If you haven't seen the video where Steve Whitmire and Kermit the Frog talk about the Lips inncident at DragonCon 2015, I'll leave a link in the comments so you guys can check that out. Just scroll down till you see the video.
But PLEASE watch the video first before you read this story because it'll make a lot more sense when you read it after Steve tells you what happened.This is basically my perspective of what happened cause the inncident was sort of a behind the scenes kinda and never filmed. Although this is a puppeteer and puppet interaction, as well as the kind of story that brought the same tears to your eyes when you read the previous story I wrote called, "What Would I Do Without You?".
Please enjoy the story and let me know what you guys think of it afterword.
___________________________________________________________________________
The Electric Mayhem were preparing their final scene in Kodachrome. Each band member were jamming to the last part of the song, a little bit too hard.
To Lips, it felt like he was actually performing live onstage again like in the Muppet Show. The encouragement from his bandmates over the years brought him great comfort and appreciation. Even at that moment he felt at peace no matter how hard he played. Lips always considered the Electric Mayhem as his happy place. They make him happy, laugh, and smile. His fear of performing in front of millions of people faded away quickly after he joined the show.

At the moment, while aiding Zoot in performing their little duet, performing beside Floyd, he hears Floyd say, "Let's go, Lips!" he exclaimed cheerfully. That made Lips want to play harder and harder, making Lips lucky to have great friends like the Electric Mayhem. The song is over. The Electric Mayhem were bowing and thanking the crowd gracefully after a great day of shooting.

Until Lips found himself slipping on his own pantsleg and felt something scratch his face harshly as he fell to the ground. His trumpet flew beside where him and Zoot stood before. The director quickly yelled "CUT! Cut the footage!! Someone see if he's okay!"
Zoot ran to Lips's side as Lips held the side of his cheek.
"Lips you okay?" Zoot asked.

"Yeah hun, like, you took a rull fall!" Janice said, patting Lips's shoulder.

Lips sighed and tried to ignore the pain on his cheek. "It's alright, you guys." Lips said, "I'm fine. Must've slipped on something..."
Lips suddenly felt wobbly and his skin hurting.

"You sure you're alright, Lips?" Dr.Teeth asked, approaching to the trumpeteer with a concerned look.

Lips began to shake. "Y-yeah." Lips replied faintly, "I'm fine..." Lips then saw his trumpet on the floor when he fell. The mouthpiece area looked splattered with blood, just a bit. Lips's eyebrows raised and eyes widened.
Lips then felt the urge to black out. He began wobbling as he fell into Zoot's arms. The Electric Mayhem gasped in shock as Lips's hand fell from his injured cheek, revealing the heavy gash on Lips's cheek.
Zoot sat on his knees on the ground, keeping Lips's head on his lap while using a nearby dabbing towel to cover the gash.

"We need an ambulance!" Floyd called, "Someone get Steve and the Frog on the phone!"
Lips looked up at his friends, who were staring at him in worry and trying to console him and keep him awake as much as possible.

All he heard in the background was Animal screaming, Janice crying on Floyd, scared, and Zoot, Floyd, and Dr.Teeth telling Lips to stay awake and with them until the ambulance arrived. All Lips did before he blacked out was smile as the background noise faded away and hearing his own voice saying, "Guys...why are ya cryin'?...I'm fine...I'm fine...I'm okay..."

All of a sudden, Lips blacked out, right after Zoot shouted, "LIPS!"
__________

Lips, all of a sudden, woke up to the sound of nurses and doctors screaming at each other and the feeling of being pulled on the gurney. From the looks of it, even with blurry vision, Lips was in the hospital! He saw a familiar hand. It wasn't anyone in the Electric Mayhem. Lips faintly looked up to see one of his best friends, Steve Whitmire.

"Lips, buddy?" Steve asked, "It's me, Steve. Listen okay? You're gonna be okay."

Lips whispered faintly. "Steve....what happened...." he asked.

"Don't worry okay?" Steve said as the nurse placed an oxygen mask over Lips's mouth and nose, "The doctors are going to just try and fix what's wrong with you, alright? You're just gonna go to sleep for a little bit, okay? I promise me and the band will explain when you wake up. For now, just take a nap for a little while..."

"Where...wheres the band...?" Lips asked, beginning to hyperventilate, "Steve what's goin' on? Why's my skin hurtin' n' burnin'?! I'm real scared, man!"

Steve gently shushed Lips and began petting his hair. "I know buddy, I know." he said, "The band is in the waiting room. I'm taking them home after I leave here."

"Why can't I see them...?"

"Because..." Steve said, "This operation is gonna take a while...just hang in there okay? You're gonna be fine, I promise..."

Lips suddenly started feeling sleepy, about ready to black out. With strength he had left before passing out, he gripped Steve's hand in fear with tears falling. "No Steve! Please don't leave me! I don't wanna black out again!" Lips cried.

Steve hugged Lips, gently shushing him. "Shh Lips it's okay...you gotta relax buddy," Steve said quietly, feeling Lips starting to become limp as he laid Lips back down on the bed, wiping Lips's tears, "Just go to sleep. You'll be fine when you wake up..."

"Steve.....am I gonna die?..." Lips asked, sniffling.

"No." Steve replied, watching Lips go to sleep, "No you'll be fine. Nothing bad is gonna happen."

At the moment, Lips passed out once more.
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Lips then woke up feeling rain drops on his face. He felt dirt on his face as he wiped it off, sitting up and brushing the dirt off himself. He checked his cheek: the injury wasn't there anymore. Lips covered his hair from the rain as he surveyed the area.

Lots of tombstones around the area, most of them were large and less were flat ones. It made Lips wonder what brought him here. Maybe the accident was a dream? Or is this a dream? He also wondered why just a simple slip and scratch in the face by his own instrument would cause him to be in the emergency room.

Lips decided to walk around for a bit. With the rain coming down harder and harder, Lips hid under a tree to get dry, which didn't seem to help at all. Lips grumbled, thinking he probably won't even solve the puzzle on why he was here.

Then something caught the corner of his eye. He turned around to see a group of people; approaching a bit closer to the group, Lips realized it was the band! Lips smiled gracefully as he ran up to them.

"Guys! Holy heck what happened?" Lips asked as he approached them, now seeing Steve as well, "Steve, buddy! You're here too!"

Lips stopped at his path noticing his bandmates, not even Steve, was responding to Lips. Confused, Lips tried to get their attention, not even paying attention to the fact they were all wearing funeral clothes.

"Uh guys?" Lips said, trying to get their attention, "Hey-uh, 'ol Lips is here eh?"
Nothing.

"Kay seriously you guys deaf ovah there??" Lips asked, with no response, which frustrated him, "C'mon guys look! I'm alive! I'm here! Like nothin' happened ah?" Nothing.
Lips decided to just physically interact. He approached behind Janice.

"Jan-Jan, you contactin' spirits again?" Lips asked, no response, "Jan, you even listening?"
Janice made no response, except hearing her sigh and her head laid on Floyd's shoulder.

Zoot finally broke the silence. "I can't believe it....he's actually gone.." he whispered.

"Who's gone?" Lips asked to himself, "No one died as far as I know.."

"I know, man." Floyd said, hugging a sad Janice, "But at least we earned enough money to remember him..."

"He would've wanted us to move on....right?" Janice asked dabbing her eyes.

Floyd and Dr.Teeth nodded. "Of course, mama..." Floyd replied, "We're hiring new musicians on Monday..."

Lips was starting to get confused. "Guys, can someone tell me what the heck is goin' o-" Lips stopped his sentence with a shock after tapping Janice's shoulder and seeing that his hand went right through her shoulder! It did the same to everyone else. Lips began freaking out.

"What the heck....this ain't real...please tell me it ain't real.." Lips whispered to himself.
Lips slipped through the crowd only to find a casket being lowered.
"Whoa I'm at someone's funeral?" Lips asked himself, "Who died?"
Lips's mouth dropped when he saw the photo picture behind the casket revealing a picture of him.

Lips shook all over. "What?!" Lips shouted, begining to cry, "No! NO I couldn't have died!! I couldn't have had!! I took the immortality shot!! Steve said I was fine!!"
Lips fell on his knees and laid on his side on the ground to cry. He didn't realize that some mistake couldn't be that fatal and life changing. To make it worse, the Electric Mayhem thought Lips wanted to move on and now they are searching a musician to replace him! Lips cried harder, the thought of his friends abandoning him after all he's done for them were unbearable.

The Electric Mayhem and Steve Whitmire walked away, leaving Lips alone as he watched the casket being covered.

"NO!" Lips shouted, now running away, hyperventalating and having a straight up panic attack, "This is a nightmare! This ain't real! It ain't real! I gotta get outta here!!" Lips literally ran to a tree and began banging his head many times on a tree sobbing.

"WAKE UP! WAKE UP DARN YOU!!" Lips screamed, "WAKE UP!!"

It took a lot of bangs to the head until Lips felt dizzy, he fell on his knees, now seeing he somehow was back at his site where he was buried. Lips fell on his back and passed out once again, not feeling the rain drops on his face anymore as he cried.
_______
Hearing the familiar sounds of a heartbeat monitor in the background, Lips felt like he came in contact with the real world.
He slowly began to open his eyes and try to familiarize himself with his surroundings. He began to realize that he was in a hospital room. Although his skin felt a bit different, he tried to remember where he was and why he couldn't move much at all over his body. Lips got goosebumps when he felt something touch his hand. He slowly turnd his head and saw Steve, smiling and petting Lips's hand with his thumb.

"There he is...." Steve said, petting Lips's hair, "You're finally awake! The nurse said you were gonna finally wake up today..."

Lips became confused, but he was extremely relieved that Steve was there and that the little vision Lips had was just a bad nightmare.

Lips smiled with watery eyes. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Steve..."

Steve smiled. "Aww buddy it's okay..." he said, "I told you you'd be fine. You're brand new!"

Lips became confused again. "Brand new....?" Lips asked in a groggy voice, "Whaddya mean?..."

"OH!" Steve began to explain, "Well when your trumpet cut deep in your face, your skin kinda began peeling all off...."

Lips was shocked at Steve's response. He remembered when Dr.Teeth and the rest of the Electric Mayhem had their old skin removed and had to be rebuilt, but they were well-known when those situations were happening. It was hard for them to recover after their operations, but Lips was able to work together with each member and care for them. When they had it, Lips would lose it and think he was gonna lose one of them. However, everytime a Muppet gets "rebuilt", it's always a successful operation and turned out fine afterwards. And Lips felt totally relieved about that, but he didn't really think it would happen to him.

"So..." Lips began to ask, "I got rebuilt...?"

Steve smiled and nodded. "And it was successful, it did take a while..."

Lips sat up in worry, but slid down a bit more because he was sore a lot. "Why??" Lips asked, "How long was I out?! Weeks? Months?? Years???"

"Whoa Lips, buddy," Steve said, "Calm down! It's only been two months, but it's oka-"

"Two months?!" Lips exclaimed tiredly, now panicing, "Oh god...the band must've found my replacement while I was out...they probably forgot about me already...."

"What? Forgot about you? Replacement?" Steve asked, trying to calm Lips down, "Lips where did you get that?"

Lips sighed. "When I blacked out," he explained, "I woke up in at a funeral...my funeral...you were there..and the guys were there....I tried gettin' into contact with y'all but ya didn't listen. I touched Jan's shoulder, I went through her! You didn't listen either..."

Steve nodded during the story, begining to sit next to Lips. He even gave him a worried look.

"They kept saying that I think it would be best to move on and forget about what happened 'n me...." Lips continued, letting his tears fall, "And then you guys walked away and left me all alone...I was so scared! I really thought I died!..."

Lips began sobbing again. He felt Steve gently scoop Lips in his arms and hug him as Lips sobbed in his shoulder blade.
He began shushing Lips gently.

"Lips, listen to me, it's okay..." Steve whispered, stroking Lips's hair, "No one is going to replace you. No one is going to forget you. If something like that did happen to you they're gonna know that your wishes matter. They're gonna know that you don't want to be forgotten again. No one is walking away from you like when they found you before. That must've been a really bad dream you had after being asleep for 2 months.
And the Electric Mayhem would never, ever, replace you in such a way. In fact after you got into the operating room when I was with you, Floyd put out a tweet on Twitter asking for prayers from the fans for a speedy recovery. You'd be surprised to see all of the amazing things the fans sent you and texted on social media. You're all over the news because of the band. They love you like family and they know very well that family doesn't get left behind. You're their Ohana, alright? They would never permanently replace you in such a way. They would never replace their trumpet player."

Lips sniffed and looked up at Steve. "Promise.....?" he asked with tears falling.

Steve smiled and chuckled. "Promise." he replied, wiping Lips's eyes gently.

Lips forced a small smile as he looked at a wall across from his hospital bed.

"2 months huh....?" Lips asked.

"Yeah..." Steve replied, rubbing Lips's back gently, "It was because your old self was used for about 40 years and it was kind of time for a rebuilt for you."

Lips gave him a look. "Get outta here!" he exclaimed, smiling, "Ya kiddin'? 40 years?? I ain't 40 I'm still in my 30's!"

Steve couldn't help but laugh. "You're 38." he said.

"So?" Lips laughed.

"I guess the accident kind of showed that it was time for a rebuilt." Steve said, laying Lips back down, "It only took two months because you fell into a coma for a little while..."

Lips nodded in understandment. "What happened while I was out?" Lips asked.

Steve sighed. "Well...I'll let the guys tell you what happened.." Steve said, standing up, "You wanna see them? They're in the waiting room."

"Why aren't they up here tho?"

"They couldn't contain their excitement." Steve replied, smiling.

"Are ya kiddin'?" Lips said, "Heck ya I wanna see them! But...I don't feel like tellin' them 'bout the nightmare I had..."

"Don't worry, bud. I gotcha covered." Steve said, "I'll make sure they don't mention it when they come up here."

Lips gave a smile. "Thanks, buddy." Lips said.

As Steve left, Lips closed his eyes and sighed with relief. He was going to be fine. That's all that mattered; and he was going to see his bandmates after two months of worry and sorrow.

After a few minutes of waiting and watching a random TV show on the hospital T.V, Lips heard the door open slowly. Lips slowly sat up and awaiting at who's at the door. He heard Steve for a moment.

"Now remember guys," Steve said, "He just woke up not too long ago and he's a little bit of a wreck about being out for 2 months. Just be careful okay? He's a little sore from the operation and coma."

"A wreck?" Lips thought to himself, "Really, Steve?"

Then he heard Floyd's whispering. "Okay. You heard him, Animal. Go easy on Lips, alright?"

He heard Animal's whispering. "In control..."

Tears began coming and flowing to Lips's eyes when he saw the Electric Mayhem walk in with happy faces and even some tears in their eyes as well.
There was silence for a moment until Lips broke it.

"I just wanna hug it out..." Lips said, about to cry, "You guys have no idea how happy I am right now to see you all..."

Janice was the first to run to Lips, hugging him and kissing his head after shedding some tears. Floyd and Zoot came up behind her and joined the group hug, Animal jumped on the bed and crawled into Lips's lap and snuggled on his chest, and Dr.Teeth came behind Zoot and hugged Lips tight. Lips began to whimper as he sobbed into Janice's shoulder and felt the feeling of each band member comfort him by rubbing his back and hair many times.

"Lips are you okay?" Steve asked.

"I don't care about the pain anymore, Steve..." Lips sobbed, "I just want some love right now!"

Steve couldn't help but laugh quietly and smile.
"And you're gonna get some right now, man!" Floyd said, trying his best not to cry around his friends because that's how cool he is.

(Author's Note: Plz don't ask me why I put that there...I really don't know at that point.)

The giant group hug began to break as Animal continued to snuggle on Lips's lap.

"Animal okay the hug's over." Floyd said, wiping his eyes.

"It's alright, Floyd." Lips said, scratching Animal's head, "He's allowed. Besides, I missed the guy and you all anyhow."

Janice sniffed. "Like, how're you feeling, sweetie?"

Lips smiled at her. "Not exactly 100%..." Lips said, remembering how sore and shaken up he is currently, "But my anxiety's gone now that you all are here..."

"Permanently?" Zoot asked.

"Temporarily.." Lips replied, "I dunno how much pain I'm gonna be in while I recover."

"Well we'll be there every step of the way if it happens, okay man?" Dr.Teeth said, half hugging Lips, "Don't scare us like that."

"Yeah, you almost gave us all heart attacks." Zoot exclaimed.

"I'm sorry...." Lips whispered, "I honestly wasn't expectin' that either..."

"Well," Janice said, sitting next to Lips, hugging him again, "All that rully matters is like, Lips is awake and with us again!"

"So what happened while I was out?" Lips asked.

"Our fans were loving the Kodachrome video!" Janice said, "There were like, so many views after it got uploaded!"

"Yeah. It even got lots more when we sent that prayers tweet out for ya." Zoot said, "Steve tell ya about that?"

Lips nodded. "Yeah."

"Show him, Doc." Floyd said.

Dr.Teeth sat on the oppisite side of Lips and pulled out his phone, showing Lips the # prayersforlips tweets from every Muppets and every Electric Mayhem fan sending lots of love and pics and videos just for Lips. Lips scrolled through every tweet and read each one individually. Lips once again had tears in his eyes at how touched he was seeing everyone loving the trumpeteer. Lips never felt so much love in his life, and his heart melted knowing that everyone cares about him.

"There's even gifts fans sent ya at the house!" Floyd said, "We'd bring them, but Animal wanted to see you so bad and we admit, we were ALL too excited to see you and we forgot."

"You guys...." Lips whimpered, "This is literally the best ever.....thank you guys so much...I didn't know I was gonna get THIS much attention.."

"Well you did it for us." Zoot said.

"Yeah and besides my golden friend," Dr.Teeth said, wrapping his long arm around Lips's shoulders, "Yours is a big deal! You old skin surviving for 40 years! Man mine only lasted-"

"Teeth we really don't wanna know..." Floyd said.

"Oh right." Dr.Teeth said, "Sorry I forgot."

"I think what Teeth is like, trying to say is," Janice said, "Your old skin lasted longer than ours!"

"Huh..." Lips said, "I guess in ever thought of it that way..."

"So...do you like how ya look?" Floyd asked.

"Oh crud I never even thought to look at myself yet!" Lips replied.

Janice pulled out her phone and opened the selfie camera. "You look so handsome, man!" Janice exclaimed, "Take a look!"

Lips did so and was surprised. His skin looked a bit greener than yellow, his hair was still the same fluffy yellow hair, and his eyes looked more blue and his nose looked more pink than orange. He was even excited he got to keep his goatee.

"Dang I like it!" Lips said, "Although I don't feel too different..."

"Yeah you're still the same Lips we know and love!" Zoot said, hugging his friend.

Lips smiled.
__________________________
Lips has been in the hospital for about a week. Being spoiled by not just the Muppets, Steve, and the rest of the puppeteers, but the Electric Mayhem spoiled him with get well gifts like crazy! The Electric Mayhem spent their day rehearsing for a bit without Lips, but would ALWAYS come up to the hospital to see Lips and help him with whatever. They even video-tapped Lips for Twitter so their fans can keep up to date with Lips's recovery. The band even helped Lips with getting out of bed and walking, which Lips was doing well with.
The Electric Mayhem spent their nights with Lips in the hospital so Lips wouldn't feel so alone. Floyd would always order pizza and end up having that for dinner for everyone. Whenever everyone was asleep, he smiled and felt very grateful about his friends being with him.
Then the time finally came when Lips can finally go home. However, he can't really play the trumpet for about another week or two, but the doctor issued two weeks without doing anything involving playing an instrument, lifting, or anything else. Just rest and walking, and eating of course, just until the bruise heals up.

"Well sucks I won't be playin' for a little while.." Lips said sadly to Floyd and Zoot, who were in his hospital room helping him get ready to leave while Janice pulled the bus up.

"Don't worry about it, man." Zoot said, "We've played without you before."

Floyd smiled and sat beside Lips. "And besides, it'll be only a couple weeks until the doctor gives you the OK to play. You got time to rest till you do your best."

"What's with the rhymin', man?" Lips asked.

"I dunno, man." Floyd said, "Just in the mood."

Janice then came in. "Bus is totally pulled up!" Janice said, "Ready to go home, Lips?"

"Am I ever!" Lips said, getting into the wheelchair as gets wheeled out by the nurse. Zoot and Janice followed behind them with all of Lips's presents while Floyd is ahead of them, heading to the bus to get ready and help Lips into the bus.
_________________________
Dr.Teeth held up a banner that wrote, "Welcome Home Lips!" onto the wall by the T.V. While Delores was over, making a bed on the couch for Lips, since the doctor said Lips can't really go upstairs cause of how sore he still is. While Animal was watching for the bus, Delores and Dr.Teeth finally finished everything.

"Once again, I appreciate you comin' by and giving me a hand, Delores." Dr.Teeth said, "Are you sure Mildred didn't mind about you assisting us today?"

"She doesn't mind at all!" Delores replied, sitting down, "I actually rather be here than shopping for fine china again. Besides, I haven't seen Lips yet!"

"Well we're very grateful." Dr.Teeth said, now turning to Animal, "They here yet, Animal?"

Animal then sees the Electric Mayhem van pull in the driveway.

"LIPS HOME! LIPS HOME! LIPS HOME!" Animal cheered.
--
Zoot was the first to get out of the car and help Lips out of the car. Lips got out and smiled seeing how much the Electric Mayhem humble abode never changed after the accident. As Floyd and Janice grabbed everything from the van, Zoot lead Lips inside carefully with the steps.

Lips groaned a bit.

"I know, I know you don't like the stairs right now," Zoot said, "Just hang on, okay?"
Lips nodded. "God it feels good to be home." he muttered.

Dr.Teeth opened the door to help Lips in. "Welcome home, man!" Dr.Teeth exclaimed, hugging Lips and helping Lips inside, "Zoot, me and Delores got him. You go and help the lovebirds."

Zoot smiled and nodded. "Sure, doc." And walked away.

Lips smiled as he finally smelled the auroma of his and his friends' home. He then saw the surprise. The bed on the couch and the big banner on the wall; and Animal coming to Lips and hugging his legs.

"Aww hey Animal!" Lips said, petting Animal's head.

Delores then approached him. "Hey you!!" she said, pacing to Lips smiling.

"Delores!" Lips said, hugging her, "How are you? How's Mildrid?"

"She's good! I'm good!" she replied, kissing Lips's non-bruised cheek, "C'mon come test out your bed."

Dr.Teeth eased Lips on the couch and helped Lips lie down.

"Aww guys thank you...it's gonna suck not bein' able to do anythin' for a li'l while.." Lips said.

Dr.Teeth hugged Lips. "Don't worry, bud. We'll keep ya busy; and we'll give you time to rest as well."

Lips smiled. As Dr.Teeth left, Delores sat on Lips's lap and began to kiss his head and gently on Lips's injured scar on his cheek.

"Does it hurt when I kissed it?" Delores asked.

Lips shook his head. "No no no not at all, baby," he replied, "It's only sore if there be pressure on it."

"Oh good...I'm glad." Delores said, snuggling Lips, "Aww sweetie I'm sorry I didn't come see you in the hospital...I was so busy with work and Mildrid's keeping me busy.."

"Baby baby it's alright.." Lips replied, kissing her cheek, "I knew how busy you were...but I missed you so much.."

"I missed you too so much!" Delores replied, kissing his lips.

Lips smiled, now happy he's home with his good friends and doesn't have to worry about rejection ever again.

 

[LipsGF4Life]

http://www.muppetcentral.com/forum/threads/dragoncon-2015.59717/page-2
here's the link guys, sorry. I forgot to put it in the post!