Chapter Fifty-Nine
"I can assure you his rem cycles haven't changed sir." She was quickly losing her patience with this man. "Spencer hasn't woken."
"I don't give half a damn about rem cycles lady! I'm telling you he was just up and talking."
"Sir that kind of langu-"
"What's going on here Julie?" Torlyn entered the room in what had to be perfect timing.
"This man," He was lucky she showed him that much respect. "Insists that the patient was just awake and speaking."
"Is that so?" He turned to Aaron in wonder. Though Spencer had introduced them personally he still knew nothing of the man other than his name.
"Yes, not twenty minutes ago he was looking at me and talking with me." Why was it that they'd sooner believe him crazy than to be telling the truth?
"Talking with you or talking to you?"
"What's the difference, he was talking!" He doubted if there was any real difference to be explained.
"Have you ever heard of an unconscious response?" Torlyn questioned as he stepped aside so Julie could exit.
"Yeah, it's when you do something out of reflex; without thinking about it."
"No, that would be a subconscious response. An unconscious response is less likely to be witnessed and harder to detect."
"Well I did so hows about we cut the psychology lesson and get to the point." He knew he wasn't the brightest of the bunch but he sure wasn't stupid enough to let himself be down talked either.
"Alright Aaron," He wouldn't waste his breath speaking words that wouldn't be heard. "The point is I don't believe he was talking to you. "
"What do you mean you don't believe it! It's the truth!" If one more person accused him of lying he just might explode.
"Now I do believe you when you say words left his mouth but I highly doubt it was an attempt at conscious conversation.
That just wouldn't be something he'd be capable of at the moment." How he wished it could be that easy.
"So you're saying words were just coming out of his mouth without him knowing it?" He couldn't believe that. "That it was just a coincidence they matched up with mine."
"No I'm saying that it was a response." Sean tried for a softer approach noting that Aaron was on the defense. "One that you unintentionally caused."
"What does that even mean?" Getting his brother to talk to him sure hadn't been accidental.
"I believe your words triggered his. It's like when someone tells you thank-you, immediately you'd respond with..."
"You're welcome" Aaron found himself answering out of habit.
"Exactly my point. Whatever you said triggered what he said and I bet if you look back on it hard enough you'll find that this wasn't the first time you've heard those exact words."
"I don't..." he was seconds away from saying remember until suddenly he did.
"Damn it" A nine year old Aaron swore as he called, "Eliot!"
"Shh" Eliot breathed out in a harsh whisper as he entered the room and reached his brother's side. "Dad will yell if he hears you saying those words."
"But Eliot!" He didn't want to be reprimanded; that's what was supposed to happen to Sarah after he tattled.
"Shh" A hand was clamped over his mouth in warning. "You'll get in trouble."
Whether it be recognition or understanding Torlyn clearly saw it painted across Aaron's features. "You see, he didn't have to think of a reply because it was already scripted for him."
"So he's still out?" It was hard to believe Eliot would simply repeat a random conversation from 20 years ago.
Hell, the only reason he still remembered it was thanks to the Tabasco bubbles he'd been blowing a good week after his dad finally did catch him cussing.
"Like a light."
"And there's no way of knowing when that might change?"
He looked past a questioning gaze and to his long time patient.
As a hospital doctor he had all but seen this case to its end yet it was still nowhere near finished. "It's all up to him."
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An announcement that they'd soon be landing broke through a slight slumber Nate had fallen into.
A little over three hours ago he had departed from his father with a reluctant promise to meet back up in a few months and was now heading back home.
Well back to Eliot at least.
Though he'd admit a few days away had been a nice reprieve that slight worry in the back of his mind had kept him from enjoying himself.
After all it only took moments for things to go wrong and he had been gone days.
The thought almost made him regret leaving his phone behind but the feeling soon changed as he reminded himself of how Hardison had been hassling him.
It seemed like every word he spoke was questioned and every action watched; like he was something that needed to be kept in close tabs.
As if he was no longer trusted by the man.
With a sigh he turned his sights out the window, beginning to ponder a sudden realization.
Somewhere along the way of mending his relationship with Eliot the one between him and the team had been damaged.
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"Hello Hardison" Sophie greeted as she walked into Eliot's living room.
"Don't hello Hardison me!" Within seconds he was off the couch; pent up frustration just waiting to be released. "Where have you been?"
"Working" She offered simply as she sat. Hardison's outbursts no longer fazed her.
She had long ago learned it was nothing more than him letting out emotions he couldn't deal with otherwise.
"Working? We haven't had a job!" He'd swear his head would explode if she said she'd found some man to con.
"Well I found one. Surely you didn't expect me to sit about and do nothing with the day." A lazy day might be luxury to him but it was torture to her; she just had to be doing something.
"Well when will you be finished with it?" The sooner she emptied the poor fool's pockets the sooner she could get her mind back on their reason for being here.
"When I quit I suppose," Sophie offered as she turned her gaze toward the kitchen. Where was Parker? "Unless I get fired first."
"Fired?" Hardison spoke with confusion before her meaning dawned on him. "You got a real job? Like a get up every morning and go to work job?" For some reason he needed to sit down with that news.
"It's that shocking?" Sophie shook her head amusedly.
"Where at?" He knew for fact it wasn't going to be some minimum wage customer service gig.
Anyone else maybe but he was pretty sure hell would freeze over before you found Sophie doing so.
"The hospital" Originally it had been a ploy to check on Eliot but for some reason she found herself continuously returning.
"Sophie you need training to work there. You can't just con the patients into feeling better!" He didn't even want to imagine what she had been up to.
"Money buys more than shoes Hardison." After all they had been through you'd think they'd stop with the assumptions already.
"She has two degrees you know." Parker's voice nearly boomed through the living room for how unexpected it was.
"And how do you know this?" Sophie questioned Parker who was propped in the entryway with Franc securely tucked in her arms.
"I don't" Parker smiled brightly as she placed the cat down, not at all bothered by the black fur that covered her white shirt.
"You..." Sophie cut the thought short as she shook her head. It didn't matter.
"I'm going to go visit Eliot." She announced as she walked past Sophie.
If she was a lesser person she'd be mad that Sophie had been unreachable up until now. "Do you wanna come with me?"
Since she didn't seem to be talking to anyone, her back was to them as she rummaged through a drawer, Hardison wasn't sure who she had intended to ask but still he answered, "Yeah I'm coming with you."
"Sophie?" Parker asked as she suddenly shut the drawer.
"Umm" She actually had to think a good moment before agreeing, "Yes of course I'll go."
She easily found herself being once again distracted with the tension that flowed thickly between them.
Something had obviously happened there.
"Good, then let's go." Hardison all but excused. Sophie was looking at him funny and Parker was giving him a look that clearly said, 'Don't look at me!'
"Lets" Parker agreed as she all but zoomed out the door. Sophie was looking at her funny and Hardison's gaze all but screamed, 'Stop staring at me! '
On autopilot she followed them out the door not wanting to disrupt her appraisal.
No doubt. Something had gone on between them.
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"You're thinking about him aren't you?" Michael questioned reluctantly as he sat beside his wife on their sofa.
It had been hours since she had said much of anything and whether he wanted to think about it or not he knew she was worried.
"I'd like to go see him." She knew it wouldn't sit well with him but she couldn't quite stop herself from voicing it.
"Caroline," He sighed as she turned to him with sorrow filled eyes. "That boy doesn't want us there. He hasn't wanted us in a long time now."
"How can you say that?" Admittedly there were troubles between her and her eldest but she still held hope in her heart that they could be remedied.
"How can't you?" Michael questioned firmly. "When's the last time that boy's made you feel anything other than hurt?"
"When's the last time we made him feel anything other than hurt Michael?" She knew the question would unsettle him but it didn't stop her from asking it. "For Christ's sake he thinks we blame him!"
"You know why I did what I did." That wasn't something he'd allow to be tossed in his face. Not when she had her fair part in it.
"Well it isn't a lesson unless the lessons learned." If there was ever a day to regret that one would surely be it.
"How was I supposed to know he'd go off and join the military! He was supposed to come back home a little shaken but better off for it!"
Not a day in his life had Eliot done what he was supposed to though so he wasn't sure why he thought he would then.
"Well it wasn't him that was shaken." Every night she shook with fear of what would happen.
Every day she watched the pain that it had caused her two youngest and eventually she just hollowed herself to it.
She distanced herself and her children as far away from it as possible so it wouldn't hurt as much if bad news did indeed come.
"Caroline" There was a reason they didn't talk about him; it brought just too much to handle.
"No Michael, he's your son." She barely remembered the excitement he had long ago showed at the revelation of being gifted with a son. "Try to remember that."
"Caroline" Michael called for attention as she moved from his side. "Carol!" Still she continued right up the stairs leaving him to sigh out with frustration.
Even if he tried he couldn't recall when things had gotten so out of hand.
On more than one occasion he had been ready to mend things with his son but it had just never happened.
Eliot was up to his ears in anger, maybe even hate for him and it was easier to return it than to open himself up to vulnerability.
This he knew could be fixed but if he humbled himself toward apology and it got tossed back at him he knew the damage would be irreparable.
Judgment was easier, it served him and Caroline like a shield. It also served to fuel the fire though and as much as it helped not to get hurt it hindered their chances at finding happiness.
"Lord," roughly he wiped a hand across his face as his head dropped and his forearms found their way to his knees. "If that boy does one thing right in his life let it be waking up."