Cottage on the Hill (MxMxMxMxM)

Chapter Seventeen

7:24am, Monday October 26th

There was a crash and something smashed. I woke up, heart racing and monitor beeping. Someone put their hand on my chest and I heard someone else chastising whoever made the noise.

"Sorry," Ollie murmured, frowning, clearly upset with himself. I whined, feeling the tube in my throat still. Hale sat beside me, in exactly the same place he sat last night, the empty paper cup next to him on the bedside table.

"You're ok. Just try and relax," Hale murmured. He seems almost used to the hospital setting, and he's lost the sharp, unsure tone to his voice. His usual calm, soft demeanour is back and I missed it so much.

I held up my fingers to grab his hand and he sighed, kissing my knuckles, which are covered in tape holding down the IV line. James sat down on the chair beside me and sighed. "Ollie and I have to go work today, but Hale and Casper are going to call out to be with you, is that ok?" James asked.

"He does like us too, you know," Casper said as he helped Ollie put things back into the duffel bag.

I nodded, despite Casper's harsh words and the thudding pain in my head. James stood up, saw that Ollie was still stuffing around, and stepped into the tiny bathroom that I am yet to use. I feel like I haven't showered in days, and honestly, I probably haven't. I don't want to think about anyone giving me a sponge bath, or that I might be starting to smell. I certainly feel grimy enough.

I looked up as my doctor, whose name I still don't know, came into the room with his clipboard. He didn't look up immediately. "You won't be going home today. You can start thinking about going home on Friday," he said, then turned, and left again. All four of us stared after him and James stuck his head out, glaring at where the doctor once stood.

"Asshole," Casper mumbled. "No need to be that rude." Cas pulled out his phone and I watched him dial a number. Ollie came over and kissed my forehead.

"I'm sorry I woke you. You should go back to sleep."

I shook my head and whined when he went to pull away. I don't care how childish I sound. He stopped and sat back down, smiling sadly at me.

"I hate seeing you like this, so helpless, so sick." Hale shot him a look I failed to miss, but Ollie ignored him. He squeezed my hand and sighed.

Ten minutes later both Ollie and James had showered, Casper and Hale had gotten the week off work, and Ollie was getting ready to leave while James texted Casper his schedule and where he'll be in case we need him. In case I need him. Hale stayed seated right beside me, hand wrapped around mine, no matter how limp my fingers are. Once James and Ollie had left, Hale got up and went over to the bag – this one is not the same one as yesterday – and got out a book. Casper sat beside me, texting someone.

"Can I use your laptop?" he asked suddenly. I nodded, still entranced with the book Hale is opening. Casper got up and muttered something about doing some research. But I just watched Hale.

"Want me to read to you?" the man murmured, little more than a breath. I nodded and waited with bated breath. I love being read to. He started on chapter one of The Night Circus and smirked at my delighted noises the further he got through the chapter. This is one of my favourites.

Casper glanced up every few minutes with more and more frequency until he was just watching and listening to Hale read, both of us enamoured by the man beside me. He paused to turn the page glancing up.

"What's with those looks?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know about Elliot, but I am completely and utterly, divinely in love with you," Casper said softly. I made a noise of agreement and shifted my hand in his.