Jowd sighed as he realized that he had just read the same sentence yet again without absorbing any of it. He raised his gaze to the sleeping man in front of him.
Cabanela. In a hospital bed. It was unsettling to see him so still and … vulnerable. It still wasn't an overly common occurrence to catch the man asleep despite years of him regularly crashing on their couch. He was the last to go to bed and the first to rise often with coffee already made and breakfast waiting, either made or bought by the time the pair came down.
Oh there were times certainly where he'd pass out in a sprawl over their couch or commonly over Jowd, especially after long nights over difficult cases.
But, this. This was just wrong.
It also wasn't the first time he'd seen him badly injured. He'd never forget entering that room in another time seeing him collapsed exhausted, dusty and bloodied over a chair, but there hadn't been time then to fully absorb it all or question the situation. And, he'd been awake then and still, despite everything, held an element of control.
It wasn't until later when everything was resolved that the full implications of what Cabanela had done truly hit him.
And would keep hitting him it seemed.
It was those implications that still gave him pause in the moments of back and forth banter, the unquestioning trust in having each other's back during a case or the quiet moments when they were all nestled together on the couch watching some movie with Jowd inevitably becoming a pillow for both Alma and Cabanela.
He had lost all of that and them or rather he had lost Alma and thought he had lost Cabanela and deservedly so, or that's what he had convinced himself.
Instead Cabanela threw away five years of his life trying to prove his innocence. Six years later (he found it easier to think of it that that way) it still made him wonder why. What had he done to deserve that? On more than one occasion he'd been almost tempted to ask why, but beyond having no reason he could say for such a question, he also dreaded the answer because where people often made a mistake with Cabanela was in thinking he was complicated. He wasn't. He was very straightforward. He always knew exactly what he wanted, always had an absolute certainty (even in him it seemed … why?) and threw himself wholeheartedly at his goals.
Cabanela wasn't the only one. The past six years had further hammered home his family's unwillingness to lose him – Alma had been furious when he eventually broke down and told her everything - and he himself had taken on a more protective stance over them.
The real crux of the matter was that the issue here wasn't just Jowd. He wasn't the one throwing himself in front of a bullet (or at an explosion). In another time Cabanela had been investigating his case at this point. In this time he was taking bullets. Jowd knew now what his family thought of him. They didn't want to lose him, but Cabanela's absence was unacceptable as well.
He frowned at the sleeping form in front of him. Fine thoughts, but trying to steer Cabanela onto a different course was like trying to turn a car with no steering wheel.
He was shaken from his musings by movement. Cabanela was stirring.
"Finally awake there sleeping beauty?"
Eyes cracked open and squinted at him. "Beauty … finally admitting it?" Cabanela replied in a slight mumble.
Ahh, from unconsciousness straight to annoying in seconds.
"So, you're my Priiince Charming watching over my bedside," he added in a stronger tone as he woke up more fully.
Jowd rolled his eyes and Cabanela grinned before it faded into a pained frown.
"Do you need anything? More painkillers?" Jowd asked.
His expression turned to distaste. "Nah, they make me feel too," he waved a hand as though trying to fetch the word he wanted out of the air, "woobly. This is enough."
'Woobly?' Jowd thought. I think you missed there, partner, but maybe that illustrated his point well enough. Still, "Nothing to worry about while stuck in bed, is it?" Jowd pointed out.
Cabanela scowled at him. "Some prince. You're falling from grace as the bearer of bad reminders." His frown deepened as he took in more of the room. "It's bein' stuck here I don't like."
Jowd leaned back feeling more relaxed. This was more normal. "Maybe you'll think about that the next time before leaping ever so majestically in the way of a bullet." If he poured enough sarcasm into one remark would that get through to him? Doubtful.
"Only you could make such a looovely word sound bad. But, if you think I'm going to let that big hide of yours get shot you've got another thing coming, baby."
Jowd frowned at him again and opened his mouth to reply, but was spared a response to that particular declaration by a soft knock at the door.
"Hello. Oh you're awake!" Alma and Kamila entered.
"Uncle Cabs!" Kamila darted in carrying a small vase. "We brought you roses!" Jowd rescued the roses from Kamila's excited grasp and placed them on the table beside the bed.
"Well thank you little lady," Cabanela said with an appreciative look at the roses. He shot a look at Jowd. "Niiice to know someone didn't inherit your bedside manner."
"Someone has to keep you from being overly spoiled." Jowd scooped the young girl onto his lap.
She beamed at Cabanela. "Guess what? At school we made a block castle and it was huuuge! And I made it a drawbridge that worked! Kevin said I couldn't, but it was easy. You just need string and tape – it's not as good as daddy's tape – but it holds the string and if you tie that around – "
Cabanela let her chatter wash over him with a smile before raising an eyebrow at Jowd in a silent exchange.
She's too clever. Are you sure she's yours?
Why, do you want her?
Mutual horror at that idea.
No.
No.
After Kamila wound down and fell quiet, Alma lifted a small bag that on opening revealed a pair of books.
"I raided our collection. I figured you could use something to stave off the boredom when you're feeling well enough."
He peered in the bag and recognised two titles Alma had been trying to get him to read, and he had intended to honest. He had just never been able to find the time. Well that wasn't going to be an issue now and judging by the look in Alma's eyes she knew it. No wonder she was married to Jowd (and could put up with him).
They traded banter and talk for a while. Jowd gave a quick and glossed over run down of what happened after Cabanela had been taken to the hospital; they would have to speak more later. Alma then told him about her day and some of the ridiculous requests she had received from her customers.
And, finally as Cabanela faded out of the conversation more than in Alma stood up.
"I think it's time to let you sleep and for us to get home. We can stop by tomorrow evening," she said taking his hand and giving it a quick squeeze.
Cabanela gave a half nod and wave, his eyes dropping shut, but managed a mumbled "Looking fooorward to it."
"Go ahead without me," Jowd said, "I'll catch up."
When Alma and Kamila left he looked at his friend who while not asleep yet looked well on his way. He laid a hand lightly on Cabanela's shoulder.
"Don't do this to us again," Jowd said quietly pouring all the sternness he could muster into his voice as though tone alone would be enough to pierce Cabanela's stubbornness. "But … thank you." And he added in an even quieter tone, "For everything."
Cabanela's lips curved into a smile.