Kevin couldn't sleep. He tried and tried, but he refused to leave the hospital until they got news and the plastic chairs in the waiting room were horribly uncomfortable. Strange, he thought, considering a hospital waiting room is a place where people could use a bit of comfort. Nevertheless, he rested his aching head against the wall and closed his eyes. It was no use - despite feeling completely exhausted, the only sleep the boy got was tainted by nightmares. The misery experienced over the past couple of days was exacerbated by the dreams. It was as if every punch, every kick and every threat was intensified, and the strong façade he wore when trying to stand up to the captors had melted away. There was no hope, no way of escaping.
But it was just a dream.
The voice was recognisable, so much so that it sent nervous butterflies off in his stomach. "Kevin?"
Please let this be real. Don't let this be a dream. Kevin opened his eyes, blinked, and smiled. It was real. "Dynasty!" There was a dizziness in his head from standing up too quickly, but it didn't matter. He threw his arms around his girlfriend, the fire that fuelled his strength these last few days, and stayed there in the embrace for what seemed like hours. "I've missed you so much."
Dynasty's voice was muffled, but clearly strangled with tears. "I missed you, as well. I thought I'd lost ya!"
They finally broke apart. Kevin kissed her lightly, and said: "It's over now, I guess." He sighed; he was happier, though. "We just need Connor to get better, and then we can have a normal life. I think we deserve it, don't you?"
"A normal life? Like, a normal relationship?" She laughed, taking Kevin's hand in hers and sitting down with him. "Does that even exist?
"No. Not for us anyway." He grinned, despite himself. They sat in silence for a few moments, enjoying each others company. A reunion in a hospital might not sound the most romantic thing in the world, but this was Dynasty Barry and Kevin Chalk, the couple people still looked at as odd. After everything they'd been through in their short time together, this was perfect. "Oh.. has anyone told Imogen?"
"Mrs Mulgrew gave her a ring, I think."
"Have you heard anything? I think I must have fell asleep." Right on cue, Kevin tried and failed to stifle a yawn. He needed his bed.. but where should he go? Chalky would have to go back to London soon; sleeping in the flat where his girlfriend was attacked was a complete no, and he was pretty sure Dynasty wouldn't want to step foot in there ever again. There was the school-house to go back to, but Maggie didn't need his problems on top of her own.
"Come on." Dynasty ordered, with a gentleness in her usually loud voice. "We'll go see him. The doctors haven't said much but told us in so many words that he's out of danger. And if we go and see him, you might actually stop blaming yourself and smile!" Playfully, she pulled Kevin so he was standing, and locked him in a passionate, well-overdue kiss.
The silence was deafening; eventually, the beeping of the machinery fades into the background, and there's nothing left but pure, unadulterated silence. At first, Christine enjoyed the silence in her sons hospital room but once Chalky decided to go and get coffee and check on Kevin, it was quite painful. All the thoughts she didn't want to think were flooding into her mind all at once. She wondered, as anyone would do, if he was going to be okay. She wondered how on earth she didn't realise how much trouble he was in with Steve-O in the first place. Michael got it out of him, and she didn't even realise. She had even simply brushed it off as him not being a morning person when Michael mentioned he seemed distant.
Stop. Christine thought to herself. She couldn't start blaming herself, because it would undoubtedly lead to her looking down the end of an empty bottle. And that wouldn't help anyone, least of all her injured seventeen year old son. It wasn't your fault. She stood up and went out into the corridor, the room suddenly becoming unbearable.
"Imogen?"
Imogen was sat on a chair outside of Connor's room, next to a coffee machine. Her usually pale skin made her look ill, like she should be in a hospital bed, and it was clear she had been crying. The rims around her eyes were tinged crimson, though her cheeks were dry. She didn't say anything.
Christine sat down next to her. "What are you doing out here, love? You should have just came in."
"I didn't know if I could.. or if you wanted me to or.." The nervous stutter in her voice wasn't down to her boyfriend lying in a hospital bed. Imogen still felt quite awkward around Connor's mum in situations that didn't take place in an English classroom; they had both said some things to each other in the past that weren't particularly friendly. "I mean.."
"You think I'm angry about the wedding, don't you?"
Imogen simply nodded, tucking her feet in under the chair so as not to trip up passers by.
"Look, I can't say I was happy about it, but you've done it, and there's nothing I can do about it. All I can do is hope you two have made the right decision, and that it's not all going to end in tears."
Unconvinced, Imogen said: "It wasn't planned, you know. I mean.. it was, but we weren't going to do it this quick."
Christine saw Chalky walking towards them, and smiled gratefully when she noticed the two plastic cups in his hand. "Imogen, you don't have to explain yourself to me. I want Connor to be happy, and if him being happy means him getting married at 17, then okay. You do need to tell your mum, though. You can't keep it from her forever."
"I know. I suppose there's one good thing about all of this." said Imogen with the hint of laugh in her throat, gesturing over to her boyfriends room. "My mum can't put him in hospital if he's already here."
AN: So I know nothing much happened in this, and it's quite short, but hey. It's warm, haha.
I think there's going to be 3, maybe 4 more chapters until this is finished. Unless I think of something to add to it. (If you have any suggestions I'd be glad to read them!)
Thanks for the lovely reviews. Enjoy :-)
