𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑| 𝐋.𝐂.

44: Weird

"Hey, Cruz." I say, walking into his room number.

He looks up at me and just simply nods. Okay, something must be off. Or it could just be from all the medication wearing off now.

"Look, I was really worried about you. So, how are you doing?" I sigh, taking a seat in a chair.

"Considering I almost met Prince at the pearly white gates, pretty good. Would've been cool, though." Leo says and I nod.

"Do you remember anything? After you left the cave?" I ask him.

"Not really." He croaks out, staring off into space.

"Hey, did you dream about anything?" I say.

"I don't think so. Why, did you?" He asks, looking me in the eye.

I just bite the inside of my cheek, then looking down at my folded hands.

"Hey, man. You look better." Alex says, holding a box of pizza in his hands.

"I feel like shit, though." Leo scoffs.

"So do I. It's normal." I shrug at him and he nods at me.

"Then, have a slice. The food here sucks." Alex says, putting a piece of pizza on a napkin down on Leo's blanket.

"Actually, I'm not that hungry." Leo says to Alex.

"Seriously? Man, I saw the food they give here. It's not pretty." Alex says.

"He's said he isn't hungry." I say, looking up at him, rubbing his arm.

"Okay. Can you put it next to him? Just incase you do get hungry." He asks me and I nod, setting the pizza down.

"Well, you should probably rest. I'll come visit you later." I say.

"I'll wait for you outside." Alex says, kissing my cheek and I nod at him as I stand up from the chair.

"See you, Cruz." I say, turning on my heels.

||

"What's wrong, babe?" Alex asks me, shutting the pizza box.

"Didn't he seem weird?" I say.

"Who, Leo? He's always weird. He almost died last night, so..."

"I know. It's just, there was something else." I shrug.

"Look babe, you literally saved the guy's life. Now, seriously, you need to concentrate on getting stronger yourself, so you can get out of here." Alex tells me.

"Yeah." I softly say, nodding at him.

"What are you doing?" He asks me as I grab the pizza box.

"I'm gonna throw this out." I say, getting off the bed.

"Well, I can do it." Alex says, putting his hand over the box.

"No, no, no, it's fine. I gotta get stronger, right?" I chuckle as I take it from him and stand up.

I then walk over to the door and open it, finding the trash can. Once I throw the box out, I hear something fall from Leo's room and my face drops. I run over to see Leo lying flat on his stomach.

"Leo, what happened?" I ask, running over to him.

"I'm fine." He winces.

"No, you're not." I say.

"I'm fine." He says again.

"No, you're not. Here, let me help you. C'mon." I say, kneeling down to him.

"No! Get the nurse." He grunts as he tries to pull away from me.

"Leo, I can help you." I say.

"Just get the nurse." He says again.

"Cruz's, c'mon." I say, trying to lift him up once again.

"Just get the fucking nurse!" He exclaims at me and I let go of him.

"Nurse! Nurse!" I shout, leaving the room and a a brunette lady looks at me.

I tell her about Leo and she nod, jogging into the run and I run after her.

"You can go now, Ramirez." I hear Leo say as the nurse lifts him off the floor and places him in bed.

  ||

"I knew something wasn't right. He was so angry." I sigh, siting on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, I remember after I snapped my ankle in half, I didn't want anyone to help me, either. It's a pride thing with guys." Alex says and I sigh.

"Look, Alex, with all due respect to your ankle snapping in half, this isn't the same." I tell him.

"Look, I know you saved his life, and you think you have this connection now, but he's just not in a place to express gratitude." Alex says.

"You think I wanna a thank you from him? I don't need him to thank me. Him being alive means a lot more to me. He's my old team's captain. And what are you, my shrink?" I tell him.

"I'm just trying to help." He says and I sigh, rubbing his shoulder as I sit next to him.

"Hey, um, Carter called. He says hi. They're going to do a five mile run on the beach, and then spend the rest of the day here." Alex says.

"Sounds like fun." I say.

"What?" He says, furrowing his eyebrows together.

"Maybe you should join them." I suggest.

"No. I wanna be here with you." He grins at me.

"You really don't have to. I don't want you to start giving things up for me." I say.

"I'm not giving anything up. I mean, I'm-"

"Alex, I don't need a babysitter. Really, I'm fine. Just a little tired is all." I tell him, pushing some hair behind my ear.

I'm not some scared little girl.