"Jonathan."

"Yeah?" He said and poked his head out into the hallway where Melanie was standing there by herself. She was a tiny blonde who was maybe his age, possibly younger. Jonathan liked her, she was kind and had been more than helpful considering he'd never been to Canada and didn't know how anything worked in their world.

"I got your rental car driven over here for you and it has GPS. Here's a list of essential stores and whatnot and their addresses in case you need something while you're here." She handed him a pair of keys and a small stack of papers. "Also, there's a list of vitamins and good healthy recipes that'll be good for him. To help him recover quicker, good for his eyes as well even if his vision fails."

"Wow, Melanie. You didn't have to do all of this." Jonathan shook his head and she shrugged with a cute smile.

"I had time. Plus, you're in a new place and the only other person that would help you is crippled for the time being."

"Thank you. Seriously, this means a lot." Jonathan gave her a quick warm hug because he meant it. "He's still asleep so do you mind telling me how to get to the garage so I can pull the car around to the front?"

She grinned and looped her arm through his, "It's this way, come on."

It took him a while to get the car down and out of the parking garage where they'd left it for him and by the time he pulled up to the pick up zone, he could see Melanie just inside the door with Evan in a wheelchair. He still looked half asleep.

Jonathan got out and shrugged out of his jacket before throwing it in the car. He grinned at the fact that Evan was wearing his clothes, the ones he had packed in his bag in a rush to get here. His H2O shirt with the big hockey mask on it. His jeans fit him just so and he was barefoot.

"Well, there goes my extra pair of underwear." Jonathan joked as she rolled him out.

Melanie smiled, "It was your clothes or the hospital gown and I doubt he'd want his ass end exposed the entire ride home."

"Fair enough. I'll just steal some of his clothes. Now, to get him in the car..."

Jonathan leaned down and slid his arms around Evan's waist and got a firm grip, trying not to hold him where he was hurt. "Grab onto me, Evan. I'm gonna pull you up, alright?"

"Mm." He grumbled in his ear.

Melanie gave him an apologetic smile, "Sorry, they doped him up a bit before I wheeled him down so he'd be more comfortable on the ride home."

"No, it's okay. I've got him." He said and waited for Evan to lift his drowsy, casted arms and link them around his neck. He pulled him and stood tall. Evan sagged against him, trying to hold himself up on his tired legs, but it wasn't happening.

"Okay, man. The car is right behind me. Let's turn." Evan slowly shuffled his feet with Jonathan's as they spun. "Good, now sit. Slowly."

Evan let his his knees bend, his grip on Jonathan tightened even further he went until he felt his ass touch the seat. Then he pulled his feet in and turned into jelly once he got comfortable. Jonathan shut the door and watched him for a moment. He was already asleep again.

"We really should've made him stay longer. He's still in bad shape. He needs a lot of bed rest. Like, a lot. Don't let him do anything for at least a week and keep medicine in him or he's going to be even more miserable than he already is." She eyed him seriously.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of him and I agree he should stay here but he really doesn't want to. He'll feel better being in his own room and I'll be with him to fight him if he tries to get out of bed." He chuckled.

Melanie handed him a bag. "These are his belongings, what was on him when they brought him in." Then she pulled out another small piece of paper. "And here is my number, cell phone and work. If you need me to come help, I will, just give me a ring."

"You are an angel." He smiled down at her and gave her another hug before she shooed him away and into the driver's seat. "Drive safe."

"I will." Jonathan started the car and pulled up Evan's address on the GPS as he began driving them off and out of the hospital parking lot.

It was quiet, but not the odd kind that made you feel uneasy. It was calm and his mind was surprisingly clear for once instead of being loaded down with worry and what ifs. All he knew was that Evan needed him and he'd do whatever he had to do to make him better. He would cook, clean, bathe him if it was necessary.

Anything.

He glanced over at him in the sunlight and he felt like they had always been this close and never seperated by an entire country for years. His face didn't even matter, he'd packed a bag and it didn't even phase him that Evan would finally see him for who he truly was. That had never mattered, not for a second.

Now that he was here...

Evan still hadn't laid eyes on him and he wondered if that was fate. Was Evan destined to never know?

He shook his head, he couldn't think like that. Evan's eyesight would come back eventually and when it did, he'd be waiting right there in front of him with a smile on his face.

Evan's house was very nice. Two story and roomy which meant lots of opportunities for him to hurt himself. He was still groggy but he could walk on his own. Jonathan grabbed their bags and took him by the arm and guided him through the front door.

Evan mumbled and Jonathan watched as he used his fingers. He let them slide along the wall until he found an opening and disappeared into the dark. He appeared again with an umbrella in his hand, looking around expectantly.

Jonathan smiled, "Dude, you are so high right now."

"No."

"Yes." Jonathan laughed and took him by the arm again. "Which room is yours?"

Evan pointed to the ceiling and Jonathan nodded. "Of course it's upstairs. Wonderful."

He pulled him to the staircase and took it one step at a time, pulling Evan's other hand away from his head where he was messing with the gauze wrapped around it.. "Stop touching it."

"It itches."

"I know but you need to leave it alone." They made it to the top of the stairs and Jonathan sighed. "Which door?"

"That one." Evan pointed straight ahead at the wall. Jonathan rubbed his lips together patiently.

Once he got him in the bed and comfortable, he went down stairs and sank onto the couch where he stared at the black television screen before he pushed himself back up and grabbed the lists Melanie had given him and the keys to the car.

He drove to the store and stocked up on everything they would need. Food, bandages, vitamins galore and he headed back as fast as he could hoping Evan hadn't woke up again.

He hadn't.

It was like that for an entire week. Evan slept for the next seven days only waking up when he needed to use the bathroom or if Jonathan gently shook him awake to eat. He cooked him smooth warm soups that he let Evan carefully spoon into his own mouth, sitting up in his bed. Unless he was too tired to, then Jonathan fed him himself.

For a week it was quiet and Jonathan spent most of that time watching tv with the volume down and the subtitles on so he could hear if Evan started moving around. It was his eighth day being there when he heard a commotion finally and he ran up the stairs to find Evan trying to pick the objects off the floor that had occupied his bedside table.

"Hey. How do you feel?" He asked when Evan finally got his lamp sitting upright again. He plopped to the floor and sighed as he let his head rest on the wall behind him. Jonathan could see the aggravation bubbling up behind his eyes.

"Blind."

Jonathan ran a hand through his hair. "Are you hurting? Do you need anything?"

He could just barely see his head over the edge of the bed from where he was standing in his doorway. Evan shook his head, "I'm fine. I could use a shower, maybe."

"Yeah." Jonathan said but quickly shook his head. "No. You can't get your casts wet. They make cast protectors but you'd have to wrap both of your arms and hands entirely and then you wouldn't be able to bathe. So, no showers."

Evan groaned as he try to pull himself to his feet. He swayed where he stood. "So I have to be gross until my arms heal?"

"No, I can run a bath and you can soak in it. I'll wash your hair for you. You still have dried up blood caked up in your hair. You tore your bandages off three days ago."

"How long has it been?" Evan asked and he was starting to look a bit confused, like he didn't know where he was.

"A week and a day."

Evan sat down hard on the edge of the bed. "I've been asleep for a week?"

"No." Jonathan grinned. "You've been in and out. Waking up to use the bathroom and to eat. You've just been doped up, high, and sleeping it off. Probably why you don't remember."

Evan rubbed his face, wincing when he touched his eyes. "Shit."

Jonathan could see it starting to sink in by watching the muscles starting to tense in his shoulders. "I'm blind."

"It's only temporary."

"What if it's not? What if they have to replace my nerves or whatever that guy said?" Evan's voice was rising and laced with a hint of panic. "What if I never see again?"

Jonathan walked around the bed and sat down beside him to where their shoulders were pressed against each other's. "Evan. Don't get worked up about it. He said pretty much every person that goes through this sort of concussion regains their vision. He said they'd only do surgery if your nerves were too badly damaged. So, until your head heals and your appointment comes up, just focus on getting better, please. It's going to take time. It's not going to come back over night."

Evan rubbed at his face again, clearly frustrated. "Okay."

Jonathan nudged him. "And if you go blind forever, then I'll stick around and make sure you don't burn your house down."

Evan smiled at that and he wanted to laugh but he couldn't find the will to. He was too terrified of the thought of being trapped in the endless black, the void that he was already looking into. Instead he nudged Jonathan back and said, "Thanks."

"No problem." He responded softly, quietly because he knew what was running through Evan's head. He was scared but he was putting up the best show he could to make it seem like he wasn't. He couldn't be tough all the time and Jonathan knew it was just a matter of time before Evan realized it too.

Evan stood and made his way to the washroom where he felt around for the faucets in his bathtub and turned them to the temperature of his liking, which was nearly scalding. He pulled the plug.

"I was gonna get that for you." Jonathan said behind him.

"It's fine. I've got it." Evan said stubbornly.

"Okay, then pour some soap in there." Jonathan said and stood back with his arms crossed. He waited as Evan's fingers twitched, trying to figure out what was soap and what was shampoo.

"Fine." Evan ground out and felt his way to the sink where he brushed his teeth, letting Jonathan step around him and make his bath. The woodsy fragrance filled his nose and a few minutes later as he was rinsing his mouth out thoroughly, the water was shut off and it got quiet.

"I'll be out here, just let me know when you want me to wash your hair. I made it really bubbly so I won't see your junk." Jonathan said and Evan heard the smirk in his voice. "Just be careful not to put your arms in."

Evan nodded and when the door clicked shut his fingers when to his shirt that he realized wasn't his when he felt the vinyl lettering. He pictured it in his head as his fingers traced the texture on the soft fabric and it spelled out H2O in large letters. There was a huge oval in the middle of the shirt and he knew which one it was then. This was Jonathan's.

He pulled it over his head smelling the faint musk of pine needles and washing detergent. The jeans weren't his either, but they fit very well, nice and comfortable and it was still processing in his brain that Delirious was there and those were his clothes he just pulled off his body. The underwear could be his, he didn't know, but he slid them off and carefully stepped into the tub.

The water was such a relief and he felt all the suds clinging to his legs as he lowered himself down into the steaming bath. His bruises were tender to the touch but the heat made the ache disappear and he sighed heavily into the open room that had always been too big. Big enough for him to have a free standing tub that he could walk around. His breathing echoed around him and he could see it all so clear in his head, but it still made him dizzy anytime he moved. Even if he turned his head, the vertigo hit him like a wave and he had to concentrate to walk steady. He felt sick.

"Delirious?" He called out and the door opened a few seconds later.

"Sup?"

Evan turned his head toward his sounds "Turn that radio on, please."

He listened to his shuffling and relaxed when his ipod dock burst to life, distracting his thoughts as the music bounced off the tile that he knew was bright white and spotless.

"I'm totally jealous that you have a clawfoot tub. It's awesome." Jonathan commented and it sounded like he was sitting right behind his head.

"Hm. It came with the house." Evan sank deeper, up to his neck letting his feet prop up on the edge of the tub. "And it's deep so dudes can actually fit in it. So, yeah. It's pretty awesome."

Jonathan hummed like Evan was so used to hearing but now he was so close and he was hearing his voice with own ears, in real time. "It's still blowing my mind that you're here."

"Trust me it's blowing my mind, too." He said. "I never thought I'd get to see you with my own eyes."

"I wish I could say the same." Evan's words drifted around them with the music and they both fell into a silence until he sat up in the water. He didn't mean to darken the mood any more than it already was. "You can do your thing now."

"Kay. Lean your head back." Jonathan instructed and Evan listened as he scooted closer on what sounded like a small stool.

Evan dropped his head back and relaxed when the hot water poured over his head and he wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around his knees and pull them to his chest. But he couldn't or his casts would get wet and that was another thing that was aggravating him; feeling constricted. Not only was he blind, but he also couldn't hardly use his hands.

He focused on the music and let his mind drift when he felt long slender fingers soaping up his hair, slowly massaging his sore scalp. Evan felt his body tiring again already and he felt one of Jonathan's hands slide down to his shoulder.

"Sit back."

Evan slid back until his back was against the porcelain and Jonathan kept rubbing circles on his head. It felt like an eternity and Evan could hardly keep himself awake. He felt more water pouring over him and a gentle hand shielding his eyes from the residue.

"Close your eyes."

Evan shut them, still staring into darkness. Those fingers ran over his face, smooth like a hot knife on butter. He rubbed behind his ears, beneath his chin and briefly ran his hands over his chest and shoulders. More water. His fingers were gone. Evan opened his eyes and tried to stop feeling so disappointed when it was just as black as it was when his eyes were shut.

"I sat a towel on the toilet, so whenever you're ready to get out... if you need me just call me." Jonathan said and Evan felt the uncertainty that was settling around him. He listened to the door click shut and he almost asked him to stay, but he bit it back.

Jonathan dug through Evan's dresser for clothes and laid them out on the bed for him and went downstairs to cook them something for lunch.

He felt the air shift as a figure appeared at the top of the staircase. Jonathan stoped stirring the vegetables in front of him on the stove and looked up at Evan standing there in the black briefs and the white t-shirt he'd left out for him. Evan grabbed the rail and went to take his first step.

Jonathan abandoned the veggies and bolted forward. "Evan, wait!"

"Delirious, I'm fine. Do you know how many times I've gone up and down these stairs?"

"No." Jonathan ran up to his side. "But I bet you never did it blind."

Evan held back the remark that was poised on his tongue and let Delirous lead him down until his feet felt the the kitchen tile beneath his toes. "What are you cooking?"

"Food."

Evan found a seat at the bar and tapped his fingers against the marble. "What kind of food?"

"The kind you eat."

"Seriously?"

"Oh yeah." Jonathan smirked to himself as he stirred. Then he busied himself with cooking noodles while Evan sat in silence and when he felt the lack of noise begin to claw at his ears he turned around to find him staring blankly at the window across the kitchen. Jonathan couldn't comprehend the look on his face nor could he think of what to say to make it disappear.

He looked... empty.

"Are you okay?" Jonathan asked and he knew what the answer was going to be and he knew it was a lie.

Evan flicked his eyes in his general direction and cleared his throat. "Yeah."

Jonathan didn't miss the shine in his brown eyes, or the tears he was blinking back. He didn't miss the anger he was suppressing or the pain he was pushing down. He didn't miss a single moment of Evan's frustration anytime his food would fall off of his fork as they ate side by side, or the shaking of his fingers as he led him back upstairs to his room. Jonathan saw all of it and he saw Evan holing himself up as he crawled beneath his sheets.

He saw it and he didn't know how to fix it.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

He sat down next to him and thought long and hard. Long enough that Evan rolled over.

Jonathan looked over at his absent eyes. "If... you want to be alone, just tell me. Because I know you do, but I don't want you to lock yourself away all day everyday. You need to move around and get used to things. If it doesn't..."

"Get better?" Evan whispered.

"Yeah. I highly doubt that will happen. I just don't want this to stop you from being you."

Evan closed his eyes and took a deep uneven breath. "This stops me from doing everything and you fucking now it, Delirious. I can't just get back into the swing of things. I can't do anything."

Jonathan nodded to himself and Evan didn't need to tell him that he wanted him to go. He wanted to be alone and he needed time, so Jonathan gave it to him.

He left his door open just in case and he made his way back downstairs to clean up the mess he made and he tried his best to sleep that night but the heavy silence was driving him up the wall and he felt the worry starting to settle in. The what ifs.

It had him staring out the window until the sun rose and the birds began their daily ritual of screeching at full volume. It had him cooking breakfast in the early morning light, the smell waking his burden up. Evan's hair was stuck up in the most ridiculous ways as he stood at the top of the stairs.

Jonathan turned the burner off and walked up the steps, taking him by the arm and guiding him down into the chair at the bar. He made him a drink and gave him a plate of food along with his vitamins.

They were almost done eating, sitting in the quiet when Evan put his fork down and said, "I'm sorry. I never even thanked you for flying up here just to take care of me. I guess it just won't sink in until I can actually see you and comprehend you really being here. I know you're sitting right beside me but it doesn't..."

Jonathan licked his dry lips. "It doesn't feel like it should. I know. But I'll still be here when you can see again. I'm not gonna tuck tail and run."

Evan gave him a crooked grin and he fiddle with his fork again. It was pretty and it disappeared just as fast.

"Evan..." Jonathan sat back in his seat and rubbed his face. "I want to ask you something."

Evan hesitated but eventually nodded and Jonathan forced out the question. "Where is your family?"

The look on Evan's face went from empty to solemn in a split second and he pushed his plate away. Jonathan didn't expect the dull ache that settled in his chest when Evan sniffed and fought back tears. He was so torn and Jonathan couldn't stop his fingers from reaching out.

"Hey, it's -"

"No." Evan moved away and shook his head. "Not now."

"Okay."

He watched Evan pull himself up the stairs where he turned and said, "Thank you for breakfast."

Then he disappeared into his room for the rest of the day, staying as quiet as if he weren't even there, like he didn't exist.

The dull ache in Jonathan's chest wasn't so dull anymore. It was like a hot knife burning a hole straight through his sternum.

Listen to Jose Gonzalez - Down The Line for this chapter. (: