Chapter Forty-Three
She had called Aaron this morning to confirm Eliot would be at home before showing.
He had called back twenty minutes later after a call to Nate to inform that Eliot was back in the hospital.
That news suddenly had her unsure if she wanted to go but with a little (ordering) from Aaron she was dropping the kids off with a friend and heading to the hospital.
His room wasn't hard to find but entering was a different story entirely.
She'd been standing in the hall for close to fifteen minutes trying to figure what she would say once she got in there.
Sorry was sensible, probable even, but it wasn't likely.
She just didn't feel like she was in the wrong.
"Can I help you?"One of the nurses that had been eyeing her finally asked.
"No I'm just.." She was getting a serious stank look and it had her pointing to the room with a forced smirk as she grabbed for the door handle. Here went nothing.
The first thing she saw upon entering was Eliot's back, the television too low to be offering anything other than back round noise. "Eliot?"
She'd have thought him to be asleep if it wasn't for her going around the bed to find him staring absently. "Eliot?"
He didn't acknowledge her presence and it left her unsure of what she should do.
She glanced between him, the door, and the television before grabbing a chair and pulling it to the bed. "So?"
As she glanced around the room she noticed that ever present person Aaron had been swearing by was absent. "Where's Nate?"
"Work" The word didn't sound right as it left his mouth but she kept the comment to herself.
"Well that's good." Talk about awkward.
"Yeah" He offered as he tried his best to keep attention on her.
Apparently his doctor had gotten held up somewhere because he had yet to visit, but a nurse had.
She'd explained quite a bit on facial paralysis and Nate had absorbed just about it all but all he had taken from the conversation was that that was the apparent reason for his difficulty blinking. That and it would go away within a few days.
"So how have you been doing?" It was a stupid question but it was the first she had come up with.
"I jus' had a seizure Sarah." It came out more like 'Sea shore' but she caught his drift.
"Eliot what are you doing?"
"I got bored." She smiled at the unintentional line.
Eliot had always asked that question and his answer had always been her reply.
"You 'member the las' time I asked you that?"
"Yeah. Ma's still got the mark on the wall." He smiled faintly and it had her remembering how they could be.
She missed it. "Eliot I'm sorry alright. It's just all gotten to be too much lately and I couldn't handle it.
You're the only person I know that can get under my skin so bad and this time.. well you really did."
So much for not apologizing but then again he always had her doing things she normally wouldn't.
"But you're right... well at least about you and Nate.
I married a man before you got to meet him so who am I to judge you dating one I don't know." The apology Nate had given her spoke great deals about the kind of person he was. "Your relationship is your business."
"I didn't lie." An apology from her was like getting money from Parker so in the very least he'd try to meet her half way.
"Eliot"
"No.. At Christmas I told you things were done with us because they were." He reached over to grab the remote that would adjust the bed as he did the same with himself. "We had barely started things back up when you met him."
"How'd you meet him?" The enviroment actually seemed settled which she was thankful for.
"Work" She huffed at that, she should've guessed.
"So it was instant than?"
"Hell No!" She probably shouldn't be laughing but the lisp he had picked up made that statement all the funnier.
"I could barely stand him at first. Then I tolerated him but he still annoyed me to death and then.. well I don't even know." If they were anywhere near normal he'd probably be able to say something simple like, 'I met him at a bar'.
"How'd you end up dating a guy you didn't like?" He was speaking about progression which meant they worked together for a good while, something she hadn't known.
"We had a fight."
"You have a lot of those?" An argument didn't sound like the best way to start a relationship.
"I'm stubborn, he's hard headed.. it happens." He shrugged it off without much thought.
They were how they were and he knew that wouldn't change.
"Is that what happened at Christmas?" Him being there was nice but she sure hadn't planned around it.
"Right after my birthday things blew up and well.. I work with him.
I leave him I lose my work so I came down this way looking for some.
If I didn't spend Christmas with you I would've been in some hotel instead." With the way he phrased that she was feeling extremely loved, not.
"Well you're always welcome to come stay with me instead of some hotel." He looked worn out, exhausted even and she couldn't help but think he could use a very long nap.
He seemed to read those thoughts as he settled with a yawn but she broke it with a question. "Is it hard?"
"Bein' here? Not really it's ju-"
"No. Dating him. Is it hard?" She had seen a bit of Nate's character and she knew Eliot's personality but she personally saw all kinds of clashing when she paired them.
"In general or because he's a guy?" She shrugged and it left him wondering which way he'd answer.
"Him bein' a guy is the easiest part of the whole thang. It's everything else that does us in.
A lot of people would probably say we're no good for each other but we ain't good for anyone else." Nate had been cold and distant to him since his arrival last night and he had finally sent him away early that morning.
"Is he good to you though?" That was all that mattered to her.
"I ain't been good to him lately Sarah." He could trash talk and complain all he wanted but that wouldn't change the truth.
"Why?" They stopped for a minute to listen to the footfalls nearing the door but continued as they passed.
"I don't like being like this.
I don't like ya'll seein' me like this and I just"
"Got grumpy." She offered and he nodded with a smirk at her word choice.
"Especially to him. He's been good and he's been trying but I think he's just about had it.. and I don't blame him." This was what he wanted, it was for the best.
"Well I will." Sarah stated as she stood from her chair and took the spot next to him on the bed. "He's stupid if he thinks he can do better."
"Tell you what," He shook his head, his sister was a nut. "If we break up I'll call you... you can beat him up for me."
"I will too." He started laughing but she was serious.
"You're crazy." He offered simply as she shifted until her own back was resting against the bed.
"No more than you." She dropped her head to his shoulder but he was soon rearranging them until he could wrap an arm around hers.
"I'm sorry too Sarah." He barely offered as he shut his eyes in memory of a little boy opening his.
Many a night she and teddy would stumble through his door asking if there was any more room and though that was a long time ago this felt no different.
"Brian missed you on his Birthday." She wasn't trying to make him feel guilty but she wanted to let it be known so he'd mend his wrong doing.
"Damn.. when was it?" To be honest if asked he wouldn't even be able to tell you the date.
"Friday. It would mean the world to him if you visited." She was pressed against his side and had to admit Aaron was right, she was feeling quite a few ribs.
"I don't want them seeing me like this." He knew he looked an absolute mess, he sure felt it and he didn't want the kids witnessing it.
"Eliot"
"I'll call when I can." He assured as he stretched his ever aching knee.
"Alright" He sounded tired and she planned on keeping things relaxed so he could rest possibly sleep even.
"Did you give him a nice party?" The simple sharing was taking his mind away from dark thoughts and pains which in his book was a blessing.
"We set it all up for him but he wasn't too happy with the haircut I made him get for it." She wouldn't share Brian's disappointment, Eliot already seemed disappointed enough.
"Why wont you leave that boys hair alone?" It seemed like every time he talked to her she was getting that kids hair cut.
"It grows really fast! Besides he doesn't need to take after you any more than he already does."
"Was that a diss against my hair?" He pulled at a strand in defense but he would relent to it not being in the greatest of shape at the moment, much like him.
"Yes!" Sick or not he was looking extremely shaggy.
"What's wrong with it?" He had first grown it out to fit in with the locals but had quickly come to like it.
"When's the last time you cut it?" No way would he be asking that question if he'd gotten any decent kind of look in a mirror lately.
He opened his mouth with plans of a snarky reply but shut it with the realisation of not having one. "I don't remember."
"Well then that settles it." She moved to sit up as she took a good look at what she'd be working with.
"Settles what?" The glint in her eye was devious.
"I'm cutting your hair." The opportunity was too good to miss.
"No you are not." She'd have better luck saying she was setting it on fire.
"Oh come on. I'll get the clipper"
"A.. a clipper?" His eyes widened, no way would he let that happen.
"Yeah a clipper. We'll just take it all off and let you start over."
"And that idea right there is why you are not touching my hair." It had taken a long time to get his hair grown out the way he wanted and he wasn't touching it now.
"Alright we wont buzz it. What about faded in the back with length to style on top?" That was about the way Aaron kept his most of the time.
"I don't think so." If anyone was cutting his hair it would be more for a trim than anything.
"Boy band-ee?" That one was far fetched and she wasn't surprised when he swiftly turned it down. "Will you go for anything above the ears?"
He shook his head no, his luck he'd end up with a bad bowl cut.
"In the very least can we take off a couple inches?" She couldn't get an exact idea of the length because of the way he was slouching but her best guess would say it was sitting around the shoulder blades.
"Alright" The devious glint was back and it quickly had him asking, "How much?"
"Like six inches."Any less and a haircut would be pointless.
"Two maybe." She seriously had it out for his hair.
"Four at the very least." If she only did two it would still be right there with his shoulders.
"I'll think about it." She was persistent and he knew that was the quickest way to get the subject dropped.
"Good because I'm cutting it just as soon as you get out of here." She stated as she leaned back against him.
"I can't wait." Eliot spoke dryly as he dropped his head back onto his pillow.
The daze he was desperately trying to shake off had everything but pain just out of reach.
"I bet." She snarked before an ad on the television pulled her attention away from him. "Eliot"
She had only lost focus for a moment but apparently it was long enough for him to drift off. "Oh Eliot."
She hugged a chest that was more boney than broad. "You better get better for us.. we need you."
Sarah only glanced at his face for a second before burying hers in his shoulder, he looked ghostly. "I need you."
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"Is he gonna go back to the hospital?" Hardison whispered as he switched his stance in the alley.
"I don't know..." Parker whispered back exasperatedly as she leaned in to hear him over the sirens. "ask him."
"Well I would if-" He was about to say if he was here but the thought was cut short as Nate came flying down the stairs with an ordered, "Go, Go, Go!"
"Think you cut it kind of close this time!" Sophie yelled as she pulled up and they quickly jumped in.
"We had plenty of time to spare." That's why he was breathing harder than if he'd just run a marathon.
"Where to?" Away from the cops was obvious as she quickly pulled out of the alley but she needed more direction than that.
"The house."
"Aren't you gonna go see Eliot?" Hardison finally asked.
All of yesterday he had been reminding them to keep the morning clear but then today he shows well before the time they needed to leave with an attitude and no explanation.
"We have other things to do."
"Like?"
Parker rolled her eyes as Hardison scooted forward and she back.
This was probably closer to round 30 something but it might as well have been 792.
"For starters you need to cut the grass." It was a lame excuse but it was the first he had come up with.
"And why can't you!" He wasn't a lawn care service.
"Who do you think's been doing it this whole time!" In all actuality ten dollars got the kid up the street to do it but Hardison didn't need to know that.
"Well surely there's more to it than mowing the lawn?" Sophie sent the question over to Nate as she turned the corner. If this had anything to do with what hadn't happened between them they'd be having words.
"You and Parker are going to find us our next client and I've got to go smooth out some wrinkles with Eliot's health insurance." From an insurance point of view sure so many similar tests done so close together seemed suspicious but from a patients stand point it was the most logical.
"What's wrong with his insurance?" Now that caught Parker's attention.
She had helped Hardison to make sure his case would be nothing but smooth seeing as Nate threatened anything not covered would be paid with her personal funds.
"He's got the kind of agent I used to be." Except him being a hard ass in antiquities never stopped anyone from getting treatment that could quite literally mean life or death.
"Well anyway after that are you going?"Hardison asked anew.
Even if what they had to do took all night he could still go thanks to a new 24 hour visitation policy.
"Maybe." There they went hounding again and honestly?
He kind of preferred it when nobody knew about his relationship with Eliot.
It seemed like things had been easier then.
"Well I'm gonna.
He shouldn't have to be alone wh-"
"He's not alone Hardison!" He didn't like what the implication suggested. "And he doesn't need anyone holding his hand. He's a grown man for Gods sake!"
"Alright then." Hardison grumbled more to shut Nate up than anything.
Once he finished the damn grass he was so going.
"Oh look," Parker spoke blankly as she grabbed for her door handle. "We're here."
She didn't stop to listen to what Sophie had to say as she got out and closed the door.
In all actuality they were stopped at a light and nowhere near the house but she didn't care.
Those three were always fighting about the same thing, Eliot, and she was sick of it.
She was also positive that it had been making Eliot worse.
He was supposed to be resting, recuperating, but she knew that wasn't really happening because they weren't giving him a chance to.
Instead he had to listen to their half cocked nonsense which surely had him wanting to run away; she knew she would.
"Well," A look around told her she had absolutely no clue where she was. "crappity."
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An apartment complex fire had all hands on deck including him.
Thankfully none of the cases had been as bad as they had prepared for but after working through the night, giving his entire shift the grand total of eighteen hours, he had been thinking of nothing more than a bed.
It wasn't until after a few hours sleep that he remembered what he had been up to the previous night and it had him going back to the hospital even though he had the next few days off.
"Julie is Spencer still sitting tight?"
"He's right where you left him." She offered with a smile and the patients file.
"Thanks" It didn't take long for him to reach the correct door and for the first time in forever he wasn't dreading walking through it.
Upon entering he expected to find like always an impatient Nate, instead he found Nate to be absent and a woman to be sleeping on the other side of an alert Spencer who was staring at him coldly.
Who she was or where Nate was wasn't concern of his as he walked further into the room.
All that mattered now was the confirmation of his newest discovery. "Mr. Elliott"
E/N: Any thoughts?
I for one have more questions than answers at the moment.