Hurts So Good (Neil Melendez (The Good Doctor) x OC)

I'm Still Standing...Better Than I Ever Did

"Well played with the metaphor, you could have convinced a judge to break the law."

I didn't know what to respond to that, so I just hugged myself, completing the act by just raising my good arm. He smiled and then said, "I'm gonna lower the blankets and then help you on your feet, is that okay? Or would you like me to call for a nurse?"

"No, it's fine, don't worry. It's just... I'm not used to being seen like.. THIS."

"'This' as in..?"

"As in... Not really ready to make an appearance."

He sighs and shakes his head, then starts taking down the blankets, leaving me there in my new apple green pj that Claire got for me (she's a saint that woman). He looks up once he's done and says, "You look amazing, you've got nothing to worry about."

My cheeks heat up immediately and I break eye contact. Compliments have never been a huge part of my life, the compliments a mother gives you can't compare to those given by friends...or lovers. Mums' compliments are pure and unintentional, they're given from a place of unconditional love and support. The other type though... they're raw, very much intentional and... different in a way that you can only understand if you've experienced it. To shake off the warmth growing in and outside me, I try stretching my legs.

"Everything's stiff as a board... Could you please help me sit up?"

He comes terribly close to my head, his arms going on both my sides to lift the pillows up so that I am more comfortable, then he carefully slips an arm around my shoulders and starts rotating me towards the side of the bed, until my legs hang loose. He smells of coffee. 

"I really want a coffee," Have I just said that out loud? 

"You want coffee?"

"Yeah, I smelled coffee and now I desperately want an espresso, which is really weird because a few weeks ago I would have puked right in front of you only at the sound of the word coffee, let alone smelling it," it's like I'm vomiting the words out, my brain filters are not working properly and I really need to shut up. 

"No more sickness then, good. My shirt feels way safer now."

"No problem, I would have tried to avoid the shirt, I probably would've centered your shoes though..." I look down at his feet as a demonstration, but the only thing I can concentrate on is the fact that he is standing way closer than really needed. 

"I would have cleaned those."

I look up again, trying to calm down a weird feeling which is rising from within my stomach, but all I see is his chest and it is doing an extremely poor job at soothing me. So I just decide to look up, defying my insecurity.

"No hard feelings then?" I say and I hear him laughing quietly, "No, no hard feelings. Let's get you up."

I move towards the edge and I can feel the floor under my feet again, stone cold floor.
I can pee on my own again! No more nurses coming and going to change me up like a toddler, thank goodness.

I assess my strengths by trying to get up on my own, but I'm still weak and my right leg is still bruised after the fall, so Neil takes my left hand in his and puts his right arm under my good one to push me up on my feet.
Finally. I snippet of freedom. I take a few steps, at first Neil helps me stay upright, then he loosens his grip on me and..

"Can I just say... This is the best feeling in the world, although I think I still have shak- ahhh"

Not again. NOT. AGAIN.
I'm not falling on the ground ever again. Not in my life.