Chapter 43

Everything was dark and silent. I felt like I was asleep, but there was something off. Suddenly it all came rushing back, hitting me in a wave of sound, confusion and pain. Sirens were wailing and I was laying on a bed, I could tell we were moving before I even opened my eyes, and we were moving fast. My eyelids fluttered and immediately stung in the brightness of, what I realised, was an ambulance.

"Evan, can you hear me?" I heard a vaguely familiar sounding voice asking from beside me.

I managed a groan of response, opening my eyes.

"Yeah." I muttered.

"Good, you gave us a scare there for a minute."

I blinked, some of the blurriness finally easing off, and the man's face becoming clearer.

"Wait, I know you." I said, attempting to sit up, and failing as I realised I was practically bound to the stretcher, my neck fixed in a brace. "What the fuck?" I snapped moving my arms to try to free some part of myself.

"No, stay down. You need to keep still, besides Kat will kill me if we turn up and you're not still bound to this stretcher."

Kat?

It suddenly dawned on me who he was.

"Owen. You're erm..." I closed my eyes, trying to think. "Poppy. You're Poppy's guy." I managed to say.

"That's right, and a good sign that you remember." He added, lightly patting my shoulder.

"What, as in that I don't have memory loss?" I said snarkily, looking up at him, irritation at this whole situation, already beginning to bubble up inside of me.

"Nah, as in that you remember she's taken." He smirked.

I could tell he was joking, and tried to laugh, stopping pretty fast as a sharp pain hit me in the back of the neck.

"Ugh!"

"You're in pain?"

"Yeah, that joke was terrible."

He chuckled slightly then turned more serious, giving me a scrutinizing look.

"A bit, it's not too bad."

"Well hardly surprising, seems you took quite a hit. We're nearly there now."

I was already dreading the arrival at the hospital. I wanted to avoid exactly this kind of dramatic show. I knew Jamie would have called Roxy by now, and she was bound to be worried. Thankfully I didn't have to worry about my parents being summoned.

I felt the ambulance slow to a stop and the sirens were cut. I heard the rear doors open, followed by Owen reeling off a list of medical terms, and updating on my 'condition'. Irritation continued to build as I was removed from the ambulance, I hated not being able to get up and walk inside myself.

"I can walk." I snapped through the noise of their chatter. I tried to reach up again, but felt a small slap to the back of my hand followed by a woman's voice.

"Don't even think about it." Kat snapped back.

Oh brilliant.

They steered me into another room, and then stopped, beginning to remove the straps holding me onto the stretcher, and then moving me over onto the bed. The moment I was free, I went to move again.

"Kat, I mean it, let me up."

"Stop being the World's worst patient and let me check you over."

There was a slight quiver in her voice, it made me freeze. I couldn't see her face properly from the angle I was at, but it sounded almost as if she'd been crying. That couldn't be right though surely. I cooperated, laying my arms back at my sides, and sighing.

"Fine."

Her hand rested on the back of mine for a moment, it was such a small thing, but her touch calmed me.

"Thank you." She whispered back.

A couple of nurses were scurrying around me whilst Kat carried out checks, and made a few orders, asking me questions as she went.

"When do I finally get this thing off?" I asked gesturing at my head where I was still locked in place.

"Soon, I am pretty sure you have a minor concussion, but because you lost consciousness, I want to rule out any possible brain injuries." She said, scribbling on the clipboard and hanging it on the end of the bed.

She finally came into view as she checked the machine next to me. Her eyes were slightly red, and puffy, she looked paler than usual, and the hand that rested against the monitor shook slightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, fine." She smiled at me.

I could tell she was lying, she always had this small tell, where she would tap her thumb against her index finger in rapid movement, and avoid eye contact.

"You sure about that?" I pushed.

Her eyes met mine and she seemed to calm. The tapping stopped and I lost myself for a moment in the warm depths of those eyes.

"You were the one who got half buried today, in rubble, or whatever. I should be asking you that question."

"Then ask." I smirked.

She laughed, and it was such a welcome sound. I could see some of the concern ebbing away as her expression returned to normal, and a smile lingered on her lips.

"I already know the answer." She said playfully.

She stared into my eyes, and a beat of silence passed between us, the tension in the room rising dramatically. Had I actually been on my feet, I was pretty sure I'd have been recreating my dream right about now. I felt my lips part a little at the thought, something that I noticed she didn't miss. Her eyes catching the small move, and then darting back to my own. A sudden thump of the door opening made us jump. I squeezed my eyes shut, hissing out a breath between my teeth at the jolt of pain.

This fucking brace! Meant to help my ass. That wouldn't have hurt as much if I could MOVE!

"Dr Campbell, how's everything going in here?" I heard a man say.

There was something about his tone that already got my back up. An edge of fondness, or similar that suggested more than colleagues.

It was confirmed by Kat's reaction to the newcomer. Her cheeks tinged a slight pink and she looked his way, taking a small but obvious step away from me. I felt a small sinking feeling in my stomach quickly followed by a rising frustration.

"All good here." She replied.

I heard the clink of the clipboard against the bed and realised he was checking my notes.

"Would be even better if I could leave." I muttered, now even more eager to get up and get out of here.

I had absolutely no desire to be stuck in a room with him fawning over Kat.

"Not happening." Kat hissed at me.

"For crying out loud." I felt like a small boy, throwing a tantrum over being denied his favourite toy, but I didn't care, I hated everything about this day.

"Can't you just go back to behaving Ev?" She scolded me.

The use of my nickname did the trick, even delivered in that tone. I sighed and relaxed once more.

"Fine. Just hurry up, I want to go home." I half pleaded.

"You two know each other?" The man asked in surprise.

"Yes." We both replied.

"Evan is my sister in law's best friend. Evan, this is Dr Kapes, Travis, my e-.. My colleague."

I knew she was about to say something else. She was about to say ex. This is the man she was telling me about the other night.

Great now I have to actually speak to him, I didn't ever even want to meet the twat at all, and now here I am. And of course, how bloody brilliant that I should meet him when I'm strapped to a fucking bed. Perfect.

"I'd say it's nice to meet you, but, well, given the circumstances, I'm not exactly thrilled." I said with slight irritation in my tone.

I was surprised to hear him laugh, then answer in a perfectly decent, and almost friendly manner.

"I totally get it, I wouldn't be too happy in your shoes either. I imagine you're getting pretty antsy there."

"Pretty antsy, I'd say close to homicidal, but let's go with your analysis instead, much nicer."

He laughed again, and I heard the sound of pages turning.

"It won't be long. I promise. But, if you keep up the childish tantrums, I'll draw it out, and let Roxy deal with you."

"Fuck, well played." I knew Roxy would flip at me, and probably insist on every single medical check known to man, be performed on me. "I'll behave, but tell Rox to go home. I don't need anyone here."

There was something in her expression, as though she was hiding something. Something that she knew I wouldn't be happy about. I saw her eyes move towards the doors and that's when it dawned on me.

"She's not alone is she?" I groaned.

Kat seemed to draw inwards, as though cowering away in case I exploded at her.

"Oh no. She's not alone at all." Travis answered, coming into view for the first time.

I cursed inwardly that he happened to not be bad looking. His ash blonde hair was cropped short and he had a distinguished and rugged look about him, with sharp features and bright, icy blue eyes. He didn't look much older than me, maybe a few years at most. His teasing smile at Kat was playful rather than malicious or cold, and I could almost imagine how well they must have got on, and it caused a lump to form at the back of my throat, and a sick feeling to stir in my stomach.

"Gee, thanks." Kat sniped at him.

"I can read you like a book Kat, besides, I was wondering why your mother was getting coffee outside."

"Your mother? Why is your mother here?" I half shouted in shock..

"I guess Roxy called them." She shrugged.

"Rox wouldn't do that." I replied.

She knew that I wasn't good with fussing. It was something that I'd never really experienced. I'd grown up just sweeping stuff under the rug, it was something that I just naturally did. The only person who ever saw a vulnerable side to me was Roxy. She'd seen every side of me that there was to see, the same as I had with her.

A beeping sounded and Kat glanced down at her hip, then looked back at me.

"Okay, looks like they're ready for you upstairs."

"Finally." I breathed.

The sooner I got out of here the better.

The scans took a while to do, and then I was moved back downstairs and into a regular cubicle, where finally someone removed the collar and brace. It felt strange to be able to move my head again, not that I did a lot, given that it was slightly painful and made me a little dizzy. I was told to wait there for the doctors to return, which happened about five minutes later when Kat, and sadly Travis too, entered the cubicle, drawing the curtain behind them. Kat seemed to brighten when she saw me sitting up, Travis gave me a small smile, and gestured towards me.

"Feeling more comfortable now I hope."

"Yeah, much better, now that it's not like I have my head trapped in a concrete slab."

Kat giggled slightly and held the brown envelope up to cover her mouth.

"So, am I clear to go?" I asked hopefully.

"Not just yet. It seems you've been very fortunate today Mr Daniels." Travis said.

He opened his mouth to continue, when another beeping sound began and he pulled out a pager.

"I'm sorry, I'm needed elsewhere, I'll leave Dr Campbell to explain and then see to your discharge papers."

He nodded his head in a final acknowledgement and then smiled at Kat, ducking out of the cubicle and leaving us alone.

"Discharge papers sounds good, let's crack on." I said excitedly.

She shook her head, as she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Okay, the scans have come back clear. There is no severe head trauma or brain damage. My suspicion was right, you do have a mild concussion, but thankfully it seems you were kept relatively protected by the hat you were wearing. As for the other injuries, you have sustained some bruising to your back, ribs and shoulder, but nothing severe, there's no breaks or cracks, or internal injuries. You will need to take it easy and rest, for the next seven to ten days, and have a check up with your GP, and no work for two weeks."

"Two weeks?"

I already had a ton of work to do, and that was whilst being there to keep on top of it. How the hell was I going to keep up with two weeks out of my schedule.

"Yes." She said firmly. "You need to give yourself time to heal. That means taking it easy. I know you're stubborn, so I want to make it clear, if you push yourself, and go back too soon, you'll be out even longer, so do everyone a favour and don't be an idiot."

Okay, so maybe she had a point, I was sort of thinking that I could have gone back regardless, but I really couldn't get caught up and have to take off even longer. Not to mention that I didn't want to. I loved my job, well, aside from this new part of it.

"Okay, no work, got it."

"Good, and I want you to have someone to stay with you tonight, or stay with Roxy or something. You should have someone with you in case of any other symptoms."

"Any point in arguing with you?" I asked sarcastically.

"Nope."

"Didn't think so." I sighed.

"Couldn't have grasped that earlier could you?" She replied irritably.

We paused for a moment, the irritation between us was back and climbing. Then suddenly she just laughed. As though the stress from the entire day was finally leaving her, she laughed so hard that she had to hold onto the edge of the bed. Just like that I laughed with her, the thudding pain in my head not even enough to stop me from getting sucked into the moment with her. When she eventually straightened up, choking back the laughs, happy tears glistening in her beautiful warm eyes, she looked up at me and held up her hand.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." I smiled, "I needed a laugh after today."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." She pulled a pair of latex gloves from the dispenser box on the wall and pulled them on, then stepped closer, cupping my cheek. "You had us all worried you know." She whispered lifting her other hand and brushing her fingers over my temple.

I winced a little, and that's when I remembered the cut that was there.

"I'll get some things to clean this quickly, it doesn't look that deep, it won't need stitches."

She scurried away and returned a few minutes later, then proceeded to gently clean and dress the cut. The entire time my stomach was doing back flips, the feel of her touch sent shivers through my body and I had to fight with myself to not reach out and touch her. It was the closest we'd ever been, and it was in an intimate way. I wasn't sure what was making me more confused by this point, the concussion, or the mixture of things that she was making me feel. One thing was for sure though, whatever feelings I was having, were getting stronger, they weren't fading or disappearing, they were just starting.