Chapter Thirty-three
They had gone to Eliot's follow up.
Had learned that his brain was showing signs of residual swelling that had been hidden under the hematoma he received.
He had been shown the tear and a few other nicks in his muscle that was causing the pain in his back.
Good news was his femur was all sealed and near healed but it was short lived as they were told about Eliot's knee.
It was wrapped for now but tissue damage was becoming a worry and he had only been given a week for improvement before more drastic actions would be taken.
The feelings were mixed on all of this information and to top the morning off Eliot lost his stomach unexpectedly.
It wasn't pleasant but he was ready to go after sitting the insisted time the doctor ordered to insure there'd be no sudden dizzy spells.
That was until his stomach lurched for the second time.
By the third time his chest was on fire and he was finding it hard to catch his breath as the muscles clenched painfully tight.
He wasn't surprised when he was admitted for observation nor were Nate's complaints unexpected when he was released a little over six hours later after a bout of oxygen and a slightly more settled stomach.
"Will you stop staring at me and pay attention to the road." He didn't bother opening his eyes as he kept an arm wrapped around his midsection.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Nate glanced back over to Eliot before focusing his attention on getting them home.
"I'm fine." Nate had been asking variations of that question for a few hours now and though he appreciated the worry he was getting annoyed.
"Apart from that being the most common answer it's also the most told lie." He had watched Eliot absorb everything said, had held his hair with a soothing hand as he lost control and he knew for a fact that he wasn't "fine".
"I'm sure it is." He didn't bother with trying to sit up even as they were just houses away from their own.
"We've got company." Nate spoke as he pulled in behind Eliot's truck and next to a car he vaguely recognized.
For that Eliot opened his eyes only to close them again a second later with a deep sigh.
"What?" He questioned as he glanced between Eliot, the car, and the house knowing he knew this answer but not finding it.
"It's Aaron."
"Eliot I swear I didn't tell him."
"Nate" He had immediately gone defensive and Eliot would swear he was seconds away from beginning a plea.
This side of Nate wasn't one he liked seeing, he was unsure of himself and seemed too eager to please and it just wasn't the self confident man everyone else knew him to be. "I told him to come. When we were talking Friday he asked and I said he could. I just forgot that was today."
"So what do you want to do?" He had yet to kill the engine and Eliot hadn't shown any signs of planning to move.
"It's my house." That was answer enough as Eliot got his door open and Nate quickly moved to be of help.
"I understand that.
I was just wondering if you'd want me to ask him to leave." Nate questioned as he helped Eliot rotate the now unbendable joint out of the car.
"If I want him to go I'll tell him myself." Eliot grumbled as much to his annoyance an arm was wrapped around his waist and Nate gave him no choice but to use him as a support system.
"Alright" The car door was closed but the house one was opened before they even made it toward the porch.
"Eliot?" It only took Aaron a second before he was pulling his arm around his shoulder and honestly, he wasn't crippled. "I thought you said you were doing good?"
"I am" He was focusing on the movement and not so much on how he was suddenly feeling uneasy.
"Really? Cause right now you're lookin' like somethin' that got chewed up and spit out."
"Off day." He swallowed hard as he tried to ignore the phrasing his brother had used.
"If you say so." Aaron helped him toward the couch as Nate closed the door wondering where the other two were.
"Do you want water or Gatorade?" He asked as he stuffed a pillow under Eliot's foot.
"Ice" Nate was hovering, Aaron was staring, and honestly all he wanted was to try for a nap.
"Are you alright?" Aaron sat on the edge of the coffee table as Nate left to get a glass of ice.
"I'm fine." He forced a calm into his voice that he wasn't feeling as he tried not to get frustrated with the repeated question.
"You're looking a little green, you sure you don't need a bag, maybe a bucket?" Aaron asked as he glanced toward the kitchen.
"I'm good." Eliot answered as he looked to his brother who was still looking suspiciously toward the other room. "You uncomfortable around him?" Aaron looked like he was trying to say everything on his mind before Nate got back.
"No I'm... I just..."
"He ain't gonna bite ya." And here he had thought Aaron and Nate were good.
"I'm just trying to watch out for ya Eliot." His brothers laughter wasn't unexpected since he was the baby of the family but it still peeved him. "Seriously. How much older is he than you anyway?"
"Does it matter?" Now Eliot was glancing toward the kitchen, not because he didn't want Nate to hear but because he believed him to be listening in.
"I just want you... I want you to be..."
"I hear where you're comin' from Aaron but your worry ain't worth nothing here." He had expected more questions, it was human nature to be curious about something that was out of the norm but he wasn't really up to answering them at the moment.
"This is where you want to be though right?
If you ain't happy here you're more than welcome to come crash with me." The offer was more for his own sake as he was strictly family first and he didn't want to feel like he had abandoned Eliot by leaving him with no other options.
"I'm liking right where I am just fine for now and before you ask I mean it in every sense you wanna question." His life, his relationship, his job, he was set and content for now. Well at least as much as he could currently be.
"Good" It was the closest he'd get Eliot to saying he was happy and he was happy with that.
"Ice" Nate announced as he came into the room as if on que.
Not only did he have a glass of ice that he handed to Eliot but also a pack that he dropped on his knee and a few assorted drinks. "I wasn't sure if you wanted anything or if you had a certain liking so I brought you a few choices." Nate placed a water, an apple juice, and a Gatorade all chilled next to Aaron.
They were pretty limited on what they had.
Beer had been kept out of the house, Eliot believed soda to be artificial crap, but he had a strange liking for apple juice.
Nate was near positive it had to be a childhood thing and was proven right as Aaron picked up the juice without hesitation.
"Thanks" Aaron mumbled as he moved himself off the table and to a chair.
Nate just nodded as he grabbed the Gatorade and removed the cap before offering it to Eliot. "You need to drink some of this."
Eliot accepted the drink without comment though he didn't do much more than sip at it.
Sure fluids were important but they'd be useless if he threw them all back up.
"So..." He didn't know if anyone else was feeling it but to Nate the silence that fell was nothing less than awkward. "Have you started planning the wedding yet?"
"Not formally but apparently Ashlee's been at it since seven." By the way Aaron said it you could tell she had already shared more than a thought or two.
"Sounds like Maggie." It was just Eliot's luck to have a mouth full of ice at that moment.
"Who's Maggie?"
"My wife." Nate let out absently before a foot was stuffed in his back.
Eliot nearly choked down his ice as he rushed to say, "EX! Maggie's his ex wife." The last thing he needed was his brother thinking he was dating a married man.
"Completely right." Nate added at the look coming from Aaron's wide and accusing eyes. "I've been divorced for years now." Though it still pained him to admit that failure.
"Anyway," Aaron put that information to the side for now, he'd figure out what he wanted to do with it later. "Ashlee sends her best and she's already asking for your measurements. You're best man and don't even try getting out of it."
"Ain't it a lit-"
"I JUST HAD KITTENS!" And seconds later Parker appeared in the livingroom with a tiny black and white kitty in one hand and a near silver in the other.
"Nice to see you're up and movin' so soon." Aaron snatched the chance to snipe at the woman who he was still reluctant to be around.
"Parker go put them back." Nate ordered as he deducted where she had been, one down.
"But they're mine." Parker pouted as she held the two kittens that were mewling helplessly closer.
"They're babies Parker, they need to eat and you need to go put them back with their momma." She tried puppy eyes but Eliot stood strong and eventually she relented.
"Fine but this means you're telling Hardison he doesn't get to name any of them.
He already tried to claim the white one and he's calling it Zero.
What kind of name is that?" She didn't get any answers and after a few awkward stares she was leaving the house again mumbling how it was a stupid name.
"I bet you anything they all end up named after currency." Their whereabouts no longer unknown Nate offered up a fun little wager.
"You see I would... but there's this small little thing..." Nate lifted a curious eyebrow at Eliot's words. "I like my money."
"You think we can convince her to only keep one?" Nate moved on, he wasn't really an animal person.
"You'll be lucky if you convince her to keep them outside." Eliot was amused by Nate's wrinkled expression though he went back to their original topic as Aaron was looking off put. "You choose a date yet?"
"I would have preferred sooner but she wanted a special day so it's August 12th next year... the day we met." Aaron's last words were spoken more carefully as he studied the look that crossed Eliot's face. "What?"
"It's nothin', that's just Nate's birthday." It was kind of weird that they'd have a day in common like that.
"Strange coincidence." Aaron shrugged it off.
"If you look on the bright side of it it means you only have to remember one anniversary." Nate stretched out the last word as he directed it toward Eliot.
"You already forgettin' 'em El?" Aaron spoke amusedly at that revelation.
"HEY! I've got brain swellin' over here!" He'd swear they'd use anything to nag him with.
"Use it as an excuse while you have it." Nate lightened a subject that was otherwise too weighted for his liking.
"You should have told me when it was. I would've..." What was proper gift etiquette for your brother and his partner?
"Sent a card?" Eliot teased.
"You know what? Now I'm gonna get you one." Eliot breathed a laugh at that, knowing his brother it would say something along the lines of, 'Happy 50th Grandpa'.
"Better yet I think I'll get you one each."
"Thank you?" Nate spoke cautiously, it had sounded more like a threat than anything.
"You drive all the way out here or?" Eliot continued on as he tried to find a position that would relieve some of the pressure on his back without him having to get up.
"Yesterday. I brought Ashlee up, her and Sarah were already out and looking for dresses so we just stayed the night.
I've got work tomorrow though so we'll be goin' just as soon as she gets here.
I was expecting you earlier but I'll be back up this weekend so I'll come see you, see what trouble we can't cause." Aaron spoke as he twirled his now half drunk juice bottle through his fingers.
"He's already caused enough of his own trouble, he doe-"
"Ashlee's coming here?" Nate was cut off by Eliot's deeply accusing words.
"Yeah. You're closer to the highwa-"
"Who's dropping her off?" Aaron was too cut short by near icy questioning.
Eliot didn't have to wait for an answer, the slight shift his brother did in his seat said it all. "NO!" It was harsh and dark as he shook his head but he didn't care. "You call her and you tell her you're gonna pick up Ashlee cause she ain't comin' over here."
"Eliot" It was Nate who had something to say about the cold coming from his right.
"I'll give you the extra gas money if that's what that's about but I don't want to see her right now." Nate was ignored as he made himself heard.
"Eliot you can't just not talk to her.
I've been stuck in the middle of this crap and I'd appreciate it if I could plan my wedding without having to deal with the damn Hatfields and McCoys!" Sarah had been giving him the same stubbornness and it was maddening.
"Five weeks Aaron!
I haven't seen her, she hasn't tried to make herself heard in over five weeks!
I've been twenty minutes away this whole time and she's acted as if she didn't even have the breath to waste just to come and say she was done." He could feel the headache that had been patiently waiting on the sidelines all day starting to push itself forward.
"Well you didn't go over there either." He wasn't trying to place the blame he was just letting Eliot know he had his own free part in it.
"Like that's so easy to do right now... and I highly doubt I would have been welcomed."
"Well somebody has got to start somewhere and we both know it wont be Sarah." Talking to Eliot was like talking to a deaf mule but believe it or not it was still better than trying to get through to Sarah.
"Well right now it wont be me either.
She was fine waiting this long so she can just keep up with that." He did things on his time and no one was gonna force him to do any different, not even his brother.
"Either way you two need to calm this down." Nate interrupted. "You just got out of the hospital and this isn't doing you any good." Eliot had a thin sheen of sweat starting to show on his face which considering they were sitting in an air conditioned room wasn't good and his color was looking nothing less than ghostly.
"Alright, I'll ca-" the doorbell interrupted that thought and for a minute the silence was eerie.
"Am I getting that?" The air was tense but a rough jerk of Eliot's head had Nate moving to the door.
"Hi Nate!" Ashlee spoke cheerily as if she didn't realize the situation she had just walked into, but given the circumstances she probably didn't.
"Hello Ashlee" Nate greeted barely as he looked to Sarah who was holding an arm full of bags much the same as Ashlee.
It was obvious she was helping unload but whatever thoughts she had been sharing stopped as she caught sight of Nate. "Sarah"
"I thought you said this place belonged to a friend of Aaron's?" Sarah questioned as she ignored Nate, trying to look past him instead but he was holding the door too close.
"That's what he told me." Ashlee was confused with Sarah's sudden attitude change.
"That's because he is a friend." Aaron spoke as he came up behind Nate and pulled the door open. Ashlee as always looked happy to see him but Sarah's glare was near identical to the one he had left Eliot wearing.
"Sarah!" Nate was stunned to hear Eliot call for her after everything he had just said but maybe, not likely, but maybe Aaron had said something to change his mind in the last two seconds.
"Eliot's here?" Ashlee asked which Aaron confirmed as Nate welcomed the girls in though Aaron had to more push Sarah through the door.
"Wow" Ashlee breathed as they left the small entrance and she entered the livingroom to get her first glance at Eliot.
"You should have seen him a month ago." Aaron offered despite his brothers glare.
"Ashlee" Eliot greeted though he wasn't amused with his brother acting as if he was a show nor the audience he had gathered. "it's nice to see you again."
"As it is with you." Ashlee returned as she did her best to keep her manners and not stare.
"We've got to get goin' Ash."
"I'll help you out with your packages." Nate offered referring to the ones that had been dropped by the door.
"I wish you well in your recovery Eliot, may it go well for you." She bid as she left the house with Nate after Eliot offered his thanks.
She wasn't sure why but there was definitely tension between that group and it disappointed her.
With how close Aaron claimed Eliot to have come to death she had expected them to start celebrating his life and why they weren't was something she'd have to figure.
"Sarah" Aaron warned as he grabbed her by the arm to prevent her from leaving like she was trying to do. "Can you please just try."
Sarah simply crossed her arms and he found himself steering her butt into a chair. "Both of you," Aaron backed up to the rooms entrance, he really did need to get going. "please try to work through this."
He had gotten them together again but the rest was out of his hands. "TALK" It was his last plea as he left hoping he hadn't made things worse.
Nate had taken his time coming back.
He had even gone around the yard to tell Hardison and Parker to get lost for a few hours.
Hardison's thoughts had of course been lewd but it didn't matter much as long as he left, right now was no time for them to be meeting Sarah.
Only after he made sure they were on their way did he go back into the house and eventually the livingroom.
Sarah was looking at anything but Eliot, Eliot was staring straight at her and he felt like an intruder.
The quiet was killing him, this sound was one he didn't believe existed but he was hearing it.
He was hearing the actual sound of stubbornness.
It was a creepily dreadful non-noise and he just had to break it and as he sat down he did. "So?"
E/N: Next part will pick up at the exact spot and or word we stopped with.
Thanks in advance for R&R!