Some hours later, I was sitting in a hospital room with Nathan. He had laid motionless on the mat for only several seconds, but it seemed like a hundred years to me. He and Edge finished the match, but Nathan had a blank look on his face and his eyes were unfocused. I knew that he had a concussion, and it scared me. It was a head injury that had killed Scott.

When the show ended, Nathan was taken to the hospital and I followed. After a million or so different tests, he was diagnosed with a mild concussion. As soon as the doctors left his room, I went in to see him.

How're you feeling? I asked as I sat in the chair next to his bed.

I ache all over. But I've been told that I just wrestled in a hellacious match, which definitely explains the pain, Nathan joked about how he couldn't remember his match due to the concussion.

I smiled and said, When can you get out of here?

I have to stay tonight for observation, so I'm guessing tomorrow.

That sucks.

I know. He looked at the clock on the table beside the bed. Maybe you should go back to the hotel and get some sleep.

According to the clock, it was 1:02 in the morning. I was tired, but I didn't want to leave. No, I'll stay here, I said.

It's late, go back to the hotel. There's no point in staying here with me.

Sure there is. You're hurt, I argued.

I'm fine, there's no need to worry about me, Nathan told me.

You have a head injury, there's plenty to worry about, I said. I really was worried about that, too. I could remember Scott's doctor telling me that patients with head injuries could suddenly get worse. What if that happened to Nathan? I couldn't leave.

he said with a sigh. I'm not going to die.

He figured me out. Suddenly, my eyes filled with tears for some reason that was unknown to me. Maybe it was the terrible memories of Scott in the hospital, or maybe it was the crazy love I felt for Nathan at that moment.

Kev, I'll be okay, Nathan said. I was just knocked a little silly. They're just keeping me here to get more money from me.

I smiled. You're sure?

Yeah, I'm positive that I'll be just fine. Now, go to the hotel.

I agreed. I was still a little scared that something would happen, though.

he said as I got up from the chair and leaned over to kiss him. We shared a short, little kiss before I walked towards the door.

Hold on, Nathan called as my hand was about to turn the knob.



Could you please come and pick me up in the morning? Don't want to stay here any longer than what's necessary, he said with a smile that made his blue eyes twinkle.

I replied with a smile of my own. He didn't need to ask that, though. I was planning on coming back to the hospital in the morning to check on him anyway.

I was in the hotel bed an hour later. I was exhausted from a day with Shawn and worrying about Nathan, so I fell asleep quickly. I woke up every hour, though, wanting to call Nathan at the hospital and make sure he was still okay. However, I didn't because I didn't want to disturb the rest that he needed. Instead, I feel into another short, restless sleep.

As soon as the first sliver of sunlight peeked around the curtains on the window, I crawled out of bed and got in the shower. After I was clean and dressed, I all but ran out of the hotel to get in the rental car and raced to the hospital to see Nathan. I was afraid that I would walk into his room and see him laying motionless on the bed with various beeping machines keeping him alive.

When I opened the door to Nathan's room, I was surprised but very relieved at what I saw. He was dressed in actual clothing--blue jeans and a baby blue t-shirt that showed off every one of his muscles--instead of that terrible hospital gown. He was sitting in a chair instead of the hospital bed, flipping through the TV channels. He looked up when he heard me enter, and immediately jumped up to hug me.

Kevin, where have you been? I'm sick of this place.

Goodness, you've only been here for a few hours, I said with a laugh. He looked like the Nathan I knew, with no hint that anything bad had happened overnight.

Well, it stinks here, they don't have HBO, and that bed is the worst thing I've ever had to lay on, Nathan complained.

Poor baby, I laughed at him, and he laughed, too. How are you feeling? I asked seriously.

Tired. I'm not allowed to sleep for twenty-four hours. Other than that, I feel fine, though.

That's good, I said. Are you ready to leave?

God yes! I hate hospitals!

Then let's get out of here.

Hold on, Kev. I talked to Mr. McMahon this morning and he told me to go home today and rest for the week, Nathan said.

Yeah, you're certainly in no condition to wrestle, I said. If Vince had not given him some time off after a concussion, I would've forced all my friends to quit--Nathan had a very serious injury.

You wouldn't mind coming with me, would you? he asked.

Of course not, I said. He needed someone to make sure he didn't go to sleep, and I certainly found nothing wrong with spending the day with Nathan.

Great, because someone has to keep me awake. With your inability to shut up, we should have no problems, he said with a smile.

Well, if we were quiet, I'd never get to hear that beautiful accent, I said.

It is sexy, isn't it?

Almost as sexy as my own voice, I joked and we both laughed.

I've got to call the airport and get us on a plane back to Florida, Nathan said and started pushing buttons on his cellphone. I thought it was as a good a time as ever to call Shawn and tell him that I was going back home, so I pulled out my own cellphone and speed-dialed him.

Hey Kev, Shawn answered. He must have checked his caller ID.

Hey, good morning.

What do you want? Hunter and I are about to hit the highway. Shawn's not really a morning person.

I'm going home today, I said.





You're going home because you don't want to tell Nathan that you love him, he said.

No, I'm going home with him, Shawn. Vince is sending him home because of the concussion.

Oh. Have fun, Shawn said, and paused to tell Hunter what was going on. God forbid that either of them know something that the other doesn't for more than two seconds. How is Nathan? Shawn asked when he finished talking to Hunter.

Good, he's just not allowed to sleep for twenty-four hours, I said.

That's good. When will he be back?

Next week.

Okay. Well, we've got to get moving before Vince sends us home for good, Shawn said.

Make a good show for us tonight.

How can we do that if half of the new big storyline is sitting at home because of a concussion? Shawn complained.

I don't know, maybe you could go out there and strip naked, I suggested.

Shut up, asshole. Shawn apparently didn't like my idea.

Gosh, Shawn, you need to find an empty room when you get to the arena and have some good, hot sex with Hunter, I said.



So that you won't be so grouchy, I said and Shawn laughed.

Sounds good, he said.

Yeah, I'll let you get to that, then.

Okay. Don't forget, Kev.



Tell Nathan that you love him! Hunter yelled in the background. Sure didn't take long for Shawn to tell that to somebody else. Now I have two stubborn people on my back about it.

Call me later with the details, Shawn said.

I said and we hung up. I doubted that there would be any details to give, though.

*****

A few hours later, Nathan and I were sitting on his couch in Orlando. I was sitting on one end with my feet lounging on his coffee table. Nathan was stretched out on the couch with his head laying in the crook of my neck and my arm hung loosely around him. He was so tired and just wanted to take a nap, but he was kept awake by a really funny rerun of Will & Grace.

Ever since we arrived at his house I had been thinking about the love issue. There was no doubt that I was in love with Nathan. Just being around him made me happy, and it comforted me. There was rarely a waking moment that I wasn't thinking about him, and there was rarely a night that I didn't dream of him. However, there was also no doubt that I still loved Scott. It was pretty confusing--loving two men so much, and it didn't make sense at all. But, as I sat on the couch with Nathan, I finally decided to stop fighting with myself about it. I decided that I could love both Scott and Nathan, and I should tell Nathan if I wanted Shawn and Hunter to leave me alone.

So, when a commercial break started, I waited for Nathan to stop laughing at the last joke, and got his attention.

He lifted his head so he could see me.

Sometimes strange things happen, I started.

Like what? he asked.

I love Scott. I'll always love him, forever. I thought it was important that Nathan knew that first.

I know, but why is that strange? he asked, his eyes showing his confusion at my somewhat absurd statement.

I looked directly into his blue eyes and answered, Because I love you, too.

Nathan smiled and I could see the happiness in his twinkling eyes, and I believe that my heart melted. Then, oddly enough, he asked,

I love you, I said, slightly worried that maybe he didn't love me in return.

I like the way you say that, he said, still wearing that mind-blowing smile. I love you, too.

Then, he met me halfway and we shared a short, yet very passionate, kiss to prove our words. When our lips parted, Nathan got comfortable in my arms again, and we laughed as Will and Grace competed for the same man on the television. Being in love sure did feel great, and knowing that Nathan loved me was also a wonderful feeling.

TBC