The first thing he noticed as he woke was that Serena was no longer in bed beside him. The second was the feeling of warmth on this lower back as he laid on his stomach. He shifted his hips slightly and Simba rolled to lay beside him.
He laid beside the purring kitten in the quiet of his room unable to force himself to face the day for a few more minutes. The house was quieter than he expected it to be. Eventually curiosity forced his hand and he moved to sit up.
Trent shuffled slowly from the bedroom. The daylight streaming into the dining area of the kitchen seemed brighter than it should. The room lacked the aroma of coffee that usually accompanied morning. He turned to the living room where Clay set the book he was reading down.
"Hey, how's your back?" Clay sat more upright but kept his leg elevated.
"Mhm, mornin'. It's a little better. Where are Serena and Sonny?" Trent looked at the coffee maker disappointed to see the pot was empty.
"Trent, it's noon." Clay laughed lightly. "Serena had an appointment and Sonny tagged along. They're gonna Christmas shop after."
"It's noon?" Trent looked to the closest clock. "What appointment?"
"I don't really know." Clay reached for his water.
"Why'd you let me sleep so long?" Trent scowled softly. "Any word about Brock?"
"He's the same. And cause Rena threatened to kick our asses if we woke you." Clay blushed. "And I believe she would."
Trent laughed a bit too loudly while nodding. "She'd certainly try." He turned back to the kitchen. "I'm making coffee. You hungry?"
"Yeah. There are sandwiches in the fridge. She made them this morning." Clay shifted again. "Can you maybe grab me my meds?"
"Shit, of course." Trent walked into the spare room and grabbed the Vicodin bottle with Clay's name printed clearly. He spun the bottle gently in his left hand feeling the weight of the pills before blinking rapidly and walking back to the living room. "Here you go."
"Thanks." Clay easily took the bottle and removed two pills before placing it on the coffee table.
They ate the sandwiches Serena had left as Trent sipped his coffee. His eyes wandered to the pill bottle on the coffee table. His left hand traveled to his right arm and then his aching lower back. He exhaled slowly and let his eyes drift closed.
"You okay?" Clay was looking at him when he opened his eyes.
Trent watched him briefly contemplating whether lying was ever alright when it concerned his sobriety. Jason and Ray knew. He suspected Sonny did as well. He had depended on Brock a time or two but their Kid had no idea. It had never been an issue that the youngest had the need to know.
Trent sat thinking until Clay asked the question again. He reached for his lukewarm coffee. "Not really. I could really use a meeting." The coffee tasted almost stale.
"A meeting?" Clay's face changed as understanding crossed his features. He reached for the pills he had left on the table, the one's that Trent was staring at. "Oh. Umm, I didn't know."
"I didn't want you to." Trent looked up at him. "There was never a reason for you to know."
"Right." Clay apologized with his eyes. "You're a medic... you have access?"
"It isn't usually an issue and Jace and Ray know." Trent shifted. "The morning you met Rena, that was the last time I really wanted to use but I haven't in nine years."
"That kid. I can still hear him sometimes." Clay looked at the floor. "Can't say I blame you."
"Yeah. Look it isn't that I didn't trust you."
"Didn't think it was." Clay looked up. "Started with your arm?" He shifted. "You don't have to get into this if you'd rather not."
"It started with my arm yeah." Trent sipped his almost cold coffee. "But it didn't end when the arm was as healed as it will ever be and that's the issue."
"So you need a meeting. I could go with you if you want?" Clay offered freely knowing Trent wouldn't leave him alone while he was injured.
"You'd do that huh?" Trent smiled briefly. "Maybe we could do some Christmas shopping after, if you're up to it? I have no idea what to get her but you seem pretty good at gifts for my wife..." Simba meowed up at them. "Nothing alive though." Trent laughed.
"She's wearing your clothes." Clay laughed.
"I was thinking a wedding ring." Trent smiled.
"That would be good too but seriously she needs clothes."
"She looks good in mine." Trent laughed. "I'm gonna shower before we go. You need help getting ready?"
"Nah I'm good." Clay lowered his injured leg to the floor.
The hot water cascaded down his shoulders to his lower back as he leaned forward with his forearms resting on cool tile. He shifted his hips from side to side trying to loosen muscles that felt painfully tight. Slowly he tilted his head back allowing the water to run into his hair.
He exhaled slowly as he thought of Clay crawling on his arms with one good leg to Ray while his other leg bled. To sitting in the dirt watching what could have been the last moments of two of his brothers. He gasped quietly as the imagines shifted to Brock laying in a hospital bed unnaturally still.
He didn't hear the click of the bathroom door as it shut behind her. Didn't know she was standing in the room quietly watching the water ripple down him. Didn't feel her silent support as she watched him try not to fall apart.
Trent tipped his head and leaned forward until the hot water hit the dark bruising low on his back and he winced. The low groan that escaped his lips echoed off the shower walls. He arched his back to relief the sting.
"That's worse than you let on." She didn't move as she spoke.
He jumped slightly at the sound of her words before turning slightly to face her. "Looks worse than it is." He attempted to see the dark purples, blues, and greens splashed across his back.
"You're a terrible liar, Trent." She smiled sadly. "And I know you hate being the one taken care of, but let me help you?"
"Yeah." He turned the shower off and reached for the towel she was offering. "Maybe some aspercreme with lidocaine would help and I can't really reach it myself." He looked down as he said it.
The small meow at the bathroom door made her chuckle as she let the cat into the room. "Hey buddy. Were you all alone? Don't like that huh?" The kitten meowed in response.
"He was sleeping on me when I woke up." Trent smiled as she picked up the orange ball of fur.
"He was when I left too." She looked down to talk to the cat in her arms. "You helped Daddy huh? Did you lay on his booboo? You're a good boy." She blushed as she realized Trent was watching her and trying not to laugh. "You talk to Cerb the same way. Get dried and I'll put that stuff on you."
"Cerb is a highly trained military working dog who risks his life in the field." Trent smirked at her.
"And Simba is a not so trained snuggler who keeps me warm when you're half way across the world. His service doesn't diminish Cerb's but he deserves to be recognized." She was laughing loudly while stepping into the bedroom.
Trent stepped from the bathroom with a towel wrapped low on his hips. "I'm going to a meeting and then Christmas shopping with Clay, if that's okay?"
"If that is okay?" She placed a hand on each of his sides and turned him away. "Why wouldn't that be okay?"
The gel was cold on his skin and he tried not to flinch away from her touch. "I haven't spent much time with you since I've been home."
"Trent." She rubbed gentle circles of medicated cream over his dark bruising. "Hey, it's okay." He exhaled slowly and a small shutter traveled through him. "I'm here but I also know that right now you need to be with your brothers. And that is okay."
Trent turned around to face her. "Thank you." He leaned forward while cupping her face with both hands until their lips met.
-missing scene included in Numbed-
"I'm amazing." Serena smiled up at her while rolling to her side. "You good?"
"Yeah." Trent picked his towel up from the floor. "Thank you."
"Trent, it wasn't a favor."
"Sometimes I wonder what good thing I ever did to deserve you." He said it shyly lacking the bravado he had shown the first night they spent together. The safety of time allowing vulnerability.
Serena laughed but not at him as she reached for him. "You're not serious?"
"I am." He looked to the floor as he took her hand. "I'm gonna get cleaned up and head out."
"Trent, every single day I look around at my life, our life, and I wonder how I ended up here. How I somehow fooled you into this life and everyday I worry you'll realize that I am trash from the wrong side of the tracks that no one ever actually wanted. And when you do you won't want me either." A tear ran down her face.
Trent settled into his knees beside the bed. "I will always want you so don't. Don't ever call yourself that again." He exhaled slowly. "Just because other people have been blind to how amazing you are doesn't mean you aren't amazing." His eyes welled with tears as he watched her cry. "I'm staying home."
"No. You go. I have things to wrap and I need a minute." She sat up and wiped her face.
"Are you sure?" Trent hesitated to move.
"I'm sure." Serena moved to the edge of the bed. "I love that you want to stay but you need a meeting and that's okay."
"Yeah?" Trent stood and then sat beside her.
"Yeah." Serena leaned into his side. "And Sonny is going to teach me how to make his 'great grand ninny's amazing sugar cookies' so I'll be okay."
"You don't like cooking." Trent smiled at her.
"But I like a challenge."