When Ale woke up she was very happy to see Quinn sitting next to her.
His hand was in hers, just like it was before the crash.
"Hey," she smiled, shifting a little.
She wasn't in as much pain as she was before she got taken to the hospital, but it was still there, hiding behind the drugs that she was being pumped with.
"I am so, so sorry," Quinn said, his eyes filling with tears.
"Hey, it's not your fault," she whispered, Quinn resting his head on her bed. Ale took her hand from Quinn's, running it through his hair. "It's not your fault at all. You couldn't have done anything. The guy was drunk, and he had a crazy theorem about red lights. It's definitely not your fault."
"How did you know about that?" Quinn asked, his voice muffled.
"He came over and was trying to talk to me before he started talking to you. He even told me how pretty I was. Watch out, Quinn, because I could have a drunk man who smokes and is usually very good at running red lights on my arm anytime. All I have to do is bail him out of jail," Ale joked.
Quinn was a little mad that Ale wasn't in the least bit angry or upset about what happened. He was still furious with that guy, and he had absolutely nothing to laugh or smile at when Ale was lying in the hospital bed.
"Seriously Quinn, I'm not dead. I'm obviously not that hurt, and you, thank God, are fine. We are all good. Although, they did have to cut off my dress. I loved that dress," Ale whined, Quinn smiling.
"It was a nice dress," Quinn agreed.
"What is wrong with me?" Ale asked, Quinn taking her hand once again.
"She has bruises all along the right side of her body, her knee is strained and she broke one rib. She will make a full recovery, but Ale will feel some pain for a while. She is in incredibly lucky. It was as if there was some kind of shield around her. This should have ended much worse than it did," the doctor said, explaining everything to Detective Bonanno.
He saw the team walk in, Eliot immediately noticing him leading the group over to him.
"Where is she and how is she?" Eliot asked, the rest of the team eventually catching up. Patrick explained everything to the team, Sophie letting out a large breath.
"Do you have any photos? Of the accident?" Nate asked, the insurance collector in him coming out.
The detective pulled out his phone, showing the team the pictures of the scene.
Sophie couldn't believe what she was seeing. Ale should have been in much worse shape than she was. Sophie didn't know if she believed in God, but she did believe that Ale had guardian angels watching over her.
"Can we see her?" Parker asked softly, Patrick smiling.
"She looks a little different but—"
The team was stopped as they heard a slight grunt. Quinn had walked out of Ale's room and Eliot was now clenching his fists.
Sophie looked Quinn over. Although he didn't have any injuries, he looked like hell. She could tell what the past few hours had done to him. Sophie could tell that he truly loved Ale, even though they had only been together for a while.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Eliot growled, shoving Quinn up against the wall, his forearm against his throat.
"Eliot, it wasn't his fault," Sophie said, not wanting to see the two hitters in a fight.
"You mean dating Ale wasn't his fault? Breaking the rules and getting romantically involved with his client wasn't his fault? Taking her out and getting distracted from his job, was that not his fault, Sophie? Cause it sounds to me like it was!"
Eliot was furious, and Quinn couldn't blame him. He was angry with himself, too. He felt so at fault for what happened to Ale. And, yes, Ale wasn't critically injured, but she was going to be in a lot of pain for a while, and it was because of him.
"Eliot, I get that you are upset with me, and I don't blame you, I really don't. But Ale is just in the next room, and I think the last thing she needs to hear tonight is the two of us getting in an argument and you, inevitably, punch me out," Quinn said, Eliot sighing and letting him go.
Eliot stormed into Ale's room, her eyes closed as she laid in the bed. She looked so small, and, in a way, she looked so much worse than she had when they had gotten her back from Buchamp's men.
Eliot walked into the room, sighing.
He was furious with Quinn for being with Ale. The thing that he was angry about, however, wasn't the fact that he wasn't being professional. The problem was that Quinn had actually gotten over the fact that he wasn't supposed to like Ale and did it anyway.
If Quinn could do it, why couldn't he?
He was also angry because now Quinn had something that Eliot wanted and couldn't have.
The next time Ale woke up Nate was in the chair next to her, watching her, Sophie on the other side, Parker curled up in a ball at the end of her bed. Hardison was sitting on the heat register. Eliot was nowhere to be found, and Quinn was sitting on the floor in the corner. The four younger members were all sleeping, but Nate was wide awake.
"Hey Nate," Ale whispered, not wanting to wake up anyone else. Nate smiled, leaning forward.
"How are you feelin', champ?" Nate whispered, taking Ale's hand.
"I'm okay," Ale nodded. "How are you? You shouldn't be here. I know how you feel about hospitals."
Ale felt so guilty. Nate had a hard time going into any medical establishment since Sam died, he had told her, and the fact that he was here now broke her heart. He was there for her. It made her feel extremely loved, if not horrible at the same time. She didn't want Nate to have to be here on account of her.
"I honestly was too worried to be uncomfortable," Nate laughed, Ale sucking in a deep breath.
"I think that this hurts more than before," Ale sighed, squeezing Nate's hand.
"Good news is is that we can take you home tomorrow. Bad news is is that Eliot knows."
Ale's heart dropped in her chest, her eyes widening.
"Is he mad?" Ale asked, Nate not knowing what to say. He was a little upset that Ale hadn't told him, but he understood why. He was happy for Ale, though, and he could tell that Quinn really cared for Ale.
Then again, so did Eliot.
"He is a little upset, yes. But not at you. And he will get over it, eventually. He is just worried."
"Yeah. Apparently, so is everyone else."
Ale and Nate both looked around the room, laughing.
"We should wake them up. You should all go home."
"We aren't going anywhere," Nate laughed. "Now, get some sleep."
Ale closed her eyes, knowing that when she woke she would be surrounded by those who loved her
"I have only been out of the hospital for two hours and already you all are babying me. I can certainly cut my own food," Ale laughed, the team laughing.
That morning when Ale woke up the team had all told her about the con, then went to Nate's to debrief and get ready for dinner together.
Quinn had stayed around and took Ale home when she got discharged, her cleaning up a bit before they headed over to Nate's, Eliot still not making an appearance.
Quinn was nervous to see Eliot, especially now that everyone knew about him and Ale. They could have an open relationship, but he wasn't sure how Eliot would handle seeing them together.
Then again, he was so happy to not be able to hide his relationship—he did wish, however, that everyone didn't find out the way they did. First of all, he and Ale wanted to be the ones to tell Nate, Hardison, and Eliot. And Quinn definitely wished that the fact they had been in an accident hadn't been why they were told.
Sophie was so excited to throw a dinner party. She was in charge of setting the table and picking the music and she even chose the menu from a catering company. She wanted to celebrate Ale and Quinn, but most of all she wanted to celebrate Ale. The face that she was alive and okay was still amazing in Sophie's eyes.
"I look horrible," Ale sighed, Quinn standing in the doorway. "It looks like a kid tried to use my face to make a jokolantern but couldn't quite decide on a pattern. And all of my good sundresses show my sides and bruises and I just look like one big purple mess."
"You look like you were in an accident, which you were, but you still look beautiful," Quinn smiled, walking into Ale's room, sitting down next to her on the bed. Ale was staring at herself in the mirror across from her bed, not being able to ignore the cuts on her face. They were hideous, but if she followed the care instructions the doctor gave her they should fully heal and wouldn't scar, which was good.
She had enough bad memories and bad scars…she didn't need anymore.
"I don't remember the crash, really," Ale said, looking at Quinn.
"That's normal. I wish I didn't," Quinn sighed, taking Ale's hand.
"Was it that bad?"
"It wouldn't have been if you weren't the one in the front seat. I was so worried about you," Quinn said quietly. Ale leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.
"I was worried about you," Ale laughed.
"When you opened your eyes, I was so relieved. And I was convinced that I loved you."
"And now?" Ale asked, her heart beating in her chest.
"I'm sure of it."
"Well we wouldn't have to baby you if you hadn't have just gotten in a huge car accident with your boyfriend who was supposed to be your bodyguard," Eliot snapped, everyone freezing in their spots.
Dinner had been good and the team was happy to be back with Ale. They also were happy to be spending time with Quinn, as well, and seeing the two interact. It was wonderful.
Eliot, however, had been quiet for most of dinner, and was even quieter once dessert was served. Just before the cake was brought out Ale had to use the bathroom, Eliot standing to help her. He realized, however, that Quinn was already by her side, helping her to the restroom.
After that, his blood was boiling.
"Eliot!" Sophie snapped, shocked that he had been so inappropriate.
"What, Sophie? You knew about this and you condoned it. He shouldn't be getting money for spending time with her if he is just spending that time kissing her. It's wrong!" Eliot said.
Ale slammed her fork down, glaring at Eliot.
"He gave the money away. To the children's hospital where he volunteers with me because that's what I want to do. He isn't taking any money, at all, and the minute he kissed me he promised me that this was no longer a job. He wanted to tell you sooner, too, and I didn't let him because I knew you would freak out, just like you are doing right now!" Ale snapped, her blood boiling. She knew Eliot would be upset, but she didn't think he would pick a fight in front of everyone and accuse Quinn of treating Ale badly.
"It's wrong, Ale. He was in a position of power and he abused it," Eliot growled, Ale sighing.
"No. He didn't. I'm sure it would shock you to know that I am not completely broken. I can make decisions for myself and I can sure as hell decide who I want to have a relationship with. You just have a problem with it because you aren't in control of me. You hated when I spent time with him and you hated when I did anything without you looming over my shoulder. I was suffocating, Eliot. You were so afraid that you couldn't control what I could do that you hated me having even a bit of freedom. The fact that I did something without your consent and knowledge drives you crazy."
"Yes, I did want to be in control. Because the last time that I gave up that control, your brother ended up dead. Sorry that I didn't want you carrying on the Mosetti tradition of dying before your time," Eliot scoffed.
Eliot immediately regretted what he had said. Yes, he could have voiced his concerns and could have explained the situation calmly to Ale, but brining up her family like that was wrong of him. He hated the way Ale's face crumpled, on the verge of tears, just because of what he had said.
"I cannot believe you," Ale breathed. "I am moving out of your apartment. Don't talk to me," she seethed, struggling to stand. Quinn helped her stand and handed her her crutches, Ale sliding them under her arms.
"Thank you for dinner," Ale said softly, looking at Nate and Sophie. "I'll talk to you later," she promised, looking at an upset Parker.
Ale then made her way out of the door, slamming it behind her. Quinn left a second after, grabbing Ale's coat off of the rack by the door.
"I'm sorry," he said, looking only at Eliot.
Eliot didn't know what to say, so instead he threw his plate across the room, putting his head on the table as he tried to calm down.
Instead, all he saw was Lio, his head resting in Ale's lap as she sang him to eternal sleep.