Angels To Fly

Lifting the Fallen Angel

Ben woke up groggy and sore and sleepy and all the horrible adverbs he could think of. His mind was a bit foggy when he first opened his eyes but he could figure out where he was. A hospital. Oh yes. A hospital. After a moment of calculating, he realized why he was there. An accident. No, a hate crime had been committed. Suddenly, he had the urge to grab his phone, telling the world about it. But he couldn't find his phone, and he didn't know where his clothes..or anything else on his person was. He remembered having his phone in his pocket. Oh no. His everyday clothes were in the lounge. He didn't really have clothes when he was attacked. Just short shorts and his wings.

He decided to stir and immediately regret it. His muscles became tense and pained and he laid back down. Damn. He scanned the hospital room again and finally saw his jeans and Angel wings in the far corner. But no other signs that perhaps someone came to go see him.

He found a dry erase board below the TV and it was revealed to be the next day. That's it. No coma. Well, perhaps coma for a few hours but a doctor had yet to come in to tell him otherwise.  Thank god, perhaps. He remembered Joe was in a coma for a few days after the accident. Oh god, Joe.

Suddenly Ben's chest clenched due to the pain in his heart rather than actual pain at his chest. Did Joe hear about this? It didn't look like anyone had visited him since the accident and it was clearly the evening. Did Joe even want to visit him? Around 3 months dating and suddenly the one thing that made your boyfriend stay in the closet for so long due to memory loss happened to his partner. Shit, he should've stopped dancing when they got together. This might've been New York, a progressive state for the most part but still, being so out and open in a smaller region of New York was risky.

Ben was ready to cry. Panic overtook pain. How could Joe ever want to visit him after this? Might as well just go back in the closet and stay safe here, Joseph. Besides, Benjamin Jones would eventually return to the UK so why risk anything for a blond who should've known better?

Ben was a second away from pushing the button for the nurse when a familiar face came strolling into the room. Not Joe. But his darling Analise.

"Oh my. Hello princess."

Analise looked him up and down, her brows furrowing a bit, obviously not happy that Ben was in this state but knowing the hospital bed all too well herself and just knowing that Ben was awake and speaking made her feel far better. Her worried expression soon became content and she gave him a coy smile, "that ooposed to be me in da bed."

"I'm sorry. I have to steal it for a bit. If that's okay with you?"

"That's okay" She rolled tentatively forward, lifting a paper that was resting on her lap when she rolled on in. "They said a bully hurt my Benny. So I want to give you one of my teddies.  And a card from me and the boys."

Ben couldn't lean forward. He assumed the bullies did a number to his chest, so he asked if she could hold it and show him and read it. She was quick to accommodate. After setting up the teddy next to him, Ben questioned her on who brought her here. Mommy? Daddy? Where were the boys?

"Joey, of course!" She giggled and as she giggled, placing the card on his end table, there he was at the door frame with a similar concerned brow but also pleased that Ben was awake. Joe.

"Joe...you came." Ben sighed in relief.

Joe began walking forward, taking his hand in Ben's as soon as he could. It was warm. "One time at the lounge, I asked the manager about your emergency contact information. I kept your host family phone on there but I took your mother off. Sorry. She's in the UK. She can't help. And I put me..sorry for not telling you."

"Did you just get here with Analise?"

Joe shook his head, "No. But there's a closet, so I put your clothes and mine in there. The work costume just didn't fit the ordinary aesthetic. I've been here since midnight when you were admitted."

Ben lifted Joe's hand up to his cheek, "I thought you wouldn't come because of your accident....Joe, I am so sorry. I should've quit a long time ago. I shouldn't be so out and open around here."

"Yes. You should. And you should always be. That's one of the things I love about you. I needed that. Please don't fade into the shades now, Benny." Joe took his hand and rubbed a thumb on his cheek, being careful of the scraps on his face.

"How's the leg?" Analise popped back in to say.

Ben had no idea what she was referencing to until he looked down and saw that he had a splint on his leg.

"Looks like they hit you hard enough to make you blackout but even if you did, guess they didn't want you mobile. Your femur has quite a fracture."

Ben turned to Analise and gave her a small attempt at a grin amongst the heavy pain meds that made him forget about his leg injury. "Guess we are going to be wheelchair buddies at the house for a bit. You can teach me all you know!"

"That's why Joey said yes. I wanna come and Joey said, come and show him how it's done."

"Smart man." Ben glanced back at his boyfriend and without a mark, Joe couldn't help himself perhaps and kissed Ben soundly. "So we are still good?"

"Yes. Perfect and guess what else? Your use of the iPhone Emergency home button hack got the cops there so fast that they saw the men who did the job on you speeding and with a bloody bat in the back. Smart men, they were not."

Ben was in awe, "So they won't go free anytime soon?"

Joe took a sheet, an arm gently coming to stretch around the beaten up blond, "Nope. And apparently, they've done this to other gay clubs around upstate New York and another victim came down this afternoon to make a statement."

"I'm so sorry they never found yours, love." Ben leaned his head on the brunet.

"This was validation enough for me. The bad guys finally got what they deserved, right Ana?"

Analise nodded before outstretching her arms, "Can I sit with Benny too?"

Joe leaped up in a second, "Of course beautiful." For someone who Ben thought he didn't have much practice assisting, Joe went immediate into caretaker mode and loaded her out of her chair and at Ben's other side within seconds.

"Benny....I like him."

Ben, though he still felt a brick on his chest and couldn't lean up, was able to lift his arms and directed joes body when he returned to his other side to give him a quick yet sweet and admiring kiss, "Mmmmm...as do I."

He may be in a hospital bed. And sore as hell. But he was alive. And this fate, even though pain and time in a wheelchair loomed over his head, having Analise on one side and Joseph on the other side, Ben was in metaphorical heaven.