A/N: Great response on this story; I'm really enjoying this side of Reid. I like him all angsty and everything, it's kinda hot. Anywho, enjoy.

Chapter 05 – Liking Her

The next morning Reid woke up with the light from outside shining in on him. A small smile plastered on his face as he looked over at the bed next to him. The smile slowly faded when he noticed that the bed was empty.

"Ah, Mr. Garwin, up and at'em, are ya?" The southern nurse came in with a large grin on her face. "How ya feelin' this mornin'?" She questioned.

"Fine, where's Isobel?" He asked glancing over at the empty hospital bed.

"Oh, Miss Brady is in her treatment for the mornin' she should be back in the next hour or so…" The nurse stated checking Reid's vitals and then changing his gauze.

He didn't ask any further questions, he figured she was having some kind of counseling or something for her suicide attempt, or attempts. His mind began to race, he wondered if he'd have to talk to a counselor, or if he'd have to have some kind of weird treatment.

The nurse watched as the look on the young boy's face changed from concern, to worry, to discomfort. She smiled and touched his arm.

"Don't worry boy, it's for her NHL…" The woman had a warm smile; she took his chart and left the room.

NHL? Reid questioned himself. What the heck did her suicide have to do with hockey?

The question plagued his mind until a familiar face came through the door of his room, though it didn't settle his mind any at all. Tyler took a seat next to his best friend and gave him a worried glance. It looked like there was a lot on the blonde Sons mind.

"What's up Reid?"

"My roommate," He lifted his chin to the empty bed.

"The cute girl you were totally shunning yesterday?" Tyler asked raising an eyebrow.

"That's my…" Reid stopped himself and looked away form Tyler.

"You're what?" Tyler grinned stupidly.

"My roommate, don't talk about her…" Reid ordered.

Tyler's smirk mirrored one that Reid would often give the boy. Especially when he knew something the brunette didn't know. Reid shook his head and rested back in to his pillows.

"What's the word around school?" He asked.

"No one knows the truth, Caleb and Pogue made sure of it…" Tyler stated.

"What're they telling everyone?" He questioned.

"That you're sick and that you're not feeling good… for a lack of a better excuse…" Tyler lifted his shoulders in disinterest.

The two younger boys chatted for awhile until the sound of someone struggling caught their attention. Tyler and Reid both looked up as a young nurse struggled to help Isobel out of her wheelchair. Isobel gave the woman a frustrated look.

"I can do it," She barked angrily. The nurse backed away slightly as the young girl pulled herself out of the chair and nearly collapsed. "Damn these impossible legs," she cursed.

Tyler got up quickly and scooped her up in his strong arms. She looked at him shocked and though about to yell at him, decided against it when she saw the look on Reid's face. She bit her bottom lip and looked down at the adorable brunette.

"Thanks, Tyler right?" She asked.

"Right you are," He grinned setting her down in her bed.

"I'm Isobel, by the way,"

"Nice to meet you Isobel," He grinned shooting a look over at Reid who was glowering at him.

Isobel smirked and she looked at Reid, "What's wrong Reid?" She asked with a cute grin.

"Nothing, Tyler get back over here and keep me occupied please…." Reid barked as he sent a look at his best friend.

Tyler laughed to himself and walked over to Reid's side of the room and the blonde pulled the curtain. He made conversation with the boy other than the girl on the other side of the room, and Isobel felt set off to the side, and that irked her.

"I'm gonna go grab some food, you want something decent?" Tyler asked glancing around at the hospital room, knowing that their food probably sucked.

"Yeah," Reid muttered.

Tyler smirked and he pulled back the curtain, Isobel was jotting something down in a notebook and he smiled, "How about you gorgeous, hungry?"

She gave him a small smile, "No thanks, I'm really not hungry…" She stated with a small grin.

Tyler pouted, "You sure, my treat?"

"No, really I'm ok,"

Tyler nodded his head and left the room. Reid glanced over at her and he felt his insides bubbling. His lips pursed as he watched her go back to writing in her notebook.

"What was that about?" He asked carefully, though his tone was showing that he did not like whatever just happened between his best friend and his current roommate.

"What was what about?" She asked confused, she put her notebook to the side and turned in her hospital bed to look at the handsome young man.

"With you and Tyler?" He asked his eyes narrowed in on her.

"I don't even know him,"

"But you were flirting with him," Reid accused.

Isobel scoffed and pulled her curtain back.

"Isobel…" Reid's voice was rough as he tried to reach for her curtain, but he couldn't reach it. "Damn it woman," He growled pulling himself out of his bed. He pulled her curtain back a bit and found her writing again. "What are you writing about?" He asked aggravated standing there his arms crossed over his chest.

"None of your business now go lay back down…" She stated angrily writing.

"Not until you tell me what you're writing about…." He demanded.

"Why do you care?" She asked him hotly.

"Because I do, I want to know, are you writing about him?" He asked pointing to the door, insinuating his best friend.

Isobel drew her eyebrows together, "No, I told you I don't even know him like that… Jesus Reid… you need to get off of whatever high horse you're on buddy…" She growled tilting her notebook so he couldn't read it.

"Then what are you writing about?" He asked, this time in a calmer voice.

"What an asshole you're being…" She remarked not bothering to look up.

Reid glanced at her and then back at the door, how was he being an asshole? He pursed his lips together and grabbed her notebook, winning in their short battle of tug-of-war. Reid read over her scribbled hand writing and sure enough, she had wrote down dates and times of Reid acting like a complete jackass, then him being sweet and caring like he was last night.

"I'm starting to think that you're bipolar, or have multiple personalities…" She dictated.

"I am not bipolar and I do not have multiple personalities…" He offered shoving her notebook back at her. "Why are you psychoanalyzing me anyway?" He questioned a bit aggravated.

"I was planning on studying psychology when I went to college, but…" She trailed off not wanting to continue.

"But what?" Reid questioned sitting back down on his bed.

"But I don't know how that's going to pan out now…" She gave an evasive answer.

Reid sat back down and studied her for a minute, he didn't know why he decided to snap at her and accuse her of flirting with Tyler. Why did he care? He didn't, he decided. He couldn't.

"I'm sorry about earlier… I don't know why I snapped…" Reid apologized.

He seemed to be doing his share of that in this room. Was it something about the hospital atmosphere that made him feel so guilty? Made him feel… human?

Isobel looked over at him and shrugged, "I'm starting to get used to you being an ass one minute and a complete angel the next… it's kind of entertaining…" She mused giving him a small hint of a smile.

Small talk ensued until Tyler came back with food, he offered extra to Isobel but she refused. The doctor's ushered her off again for another round of treatment. Reid didn't have time to ask questions because he didn't want to look too concerned in front of Tyler.

"What's your deal man?" Tyler asked taking a sip of his coke as he glanced up at the television Reid had put on after Isobel left.

"What are you talking about?"

"Why are you so jealous?" Tyler questioned, he pulled at the black jeans adorning his body.

"Jealous?"

"Yeah, you snapped at Isobel after I left because I was flirting with her…"

"Why the hell were you flirting with her?" Reid asked angry as he listed to his best friend fess up about flirting with his pretty roommate.

"Because she's a pretty girl, why wouldn't I flirt with her?"

"Because you're baby boy, you don't flirt with girls. You blush and hide behind one of us whenever there's a chick around," Reid snapped.

"That's in Ipswich, none of the girls in Gloucester know me like that… maybe it's time to expand my horizons… maybe become the next Reid Garwin…."

"You will not," Reid stated, his blonde eyebrows slammed together as he stared at his best friend in contempt. Tyler started laughing and this just infuriated Reid, "You will not do that to her, she is not the kind of girl to fuck around with,"

"I'm just messing with you, dude… chill out…" Tyler grinned. "You like her,"

"What?" Reid asked as if it were the most unnatural thing in the world.

"You like your suicidal roommate, that's kinda cute…" Tyler grinned glancing over at her empty bed.

"Don't…" Reid pointed a finger at him. "Don't talk about her like that goddamn it Tyler," Reid's teeth were clenched as he looked at his best friend with the most evil glare he could muster up.

Tyler threw his hands up in defense, "Sorry, I'm just saying, for once in your life you actually like a girl…"

"You don't know anything," Reid snickered brushing it off.

"I do, I know you Reid and I know when it's more than just physical for you… you don't want to rip her close off and do her on her hospital bed…" He rolled his eyes. "I was only flirting with her to see if you'd get pissed off… because if I flirted or talked to any of your one-night stands you could care less… but with her…"

"It's different," Reid finished softly.

"Exactly,"

Reid let out a low sigh and looked at Tyler, "Sorry for biting your head off man, I don't know what's going on in here…" He pointed to his head. "I just can seem to think clearly anymore,"

"Don't worry about it… I'll drop by tomorrow to check on you… and you are free to go Wed afternoon so I'll skip out the rest of the day and come pick you up, k?"

"Sure man, thanks for coming by, tell the girls and Cale and Pogue I said what's up…"

"Will do; call me if you need anything…"

Reid nodded his head and settled down in his hospital bed.

Could what Tyler say be true? Could he actually like this girl? He's only known her for about twenty-four hours. But he was jealous when Tyler was flirting with her. That's why he had gone in to asshole mode that was the only way he knew.

It was his defense mechanism.

He watched Isobel come back in looking not much like herself. He felt an internal tug as he watched her slip in to her bed with the help from the male nurse. He was in his mid-twenties and Reid felt his entire body tense as his hands seemed to be all over his roommate.

He didn't like that. Not at all.

He shook his head, he had it bad. He was really starting to like her. Reid Garwin was actually falling for a girl.

Oh eM Gee! -- LOL, sorry I was having a giddy-cheerleader-like-experience. Woo, don't ask me why... but I'm in this really interesting mood. Really. Dont' know why, I'm still sick, I'm at work... and I have to attend a meeting in 10 minutes, I should be totally bumming right now but I'm not.

SO REVIEW!