Time stops

Chapter 4

A few days passed and Ellen was discharged, Patrick still right by her side.

"Ready to go home El?" Patrick asked. "Uh, yeah." Ellen said with a laugh. She slowly stood up and Patrick ushered her into a wheelchair. "Pattttt, I don't want to sit in that." Ellen whined. "Ellen, doctors orders not mine. Please sit." Patrick begged. She rolled her eyes but complied and sat down in the wheelchair. He grabbed her bag and hung it on the back of the chair, then wheeled her out of the room and out of the hospital.

Patrick reached his hand to Ellen's and pulled her up. He lifted her and gently placed her in the car passenger seat. "You good?" He asked. "I'm good." Ellen confirmed. Patrick nodded and shut the door. He folded the wheelchair and quickly brought it back to the hospital and hurried back to the car.

"Hey." He said as he turned on the ignition and looked at her. "Hi." She replied with a smile. He drove off and grabbed her hand over the console. She held on tightly, appreciating the contact.

Once they arrived at Ellen's house, the pain meds seemed to knock her out. Smiling, Patrick got out and opened Ellen's door quietly. He reached across her and unbuckled her. He looked an arm behind her back, and one under her legs, trying not to jostle the leg too much. She curled into his body and sighed in contentment.

Patrick carried her up to what he assumed was her bedroom and placed her down gently. He propped her leg and arm on piles of pillows and pulled the blankets over her small body and tucked her in. He put her crutches against the counter and Before leaving, he kissed her forehead gently and left the room, surprising that she didn't even stir the whole trip.

Patrick went back out to the car and got the rest of their stuff, which was mainly just clothes and blankets. He brought the stuff in and placed them on the couch for the time being.

Knowing that she had to take pain meds when she woke up, he made some lunch since she wasn't able to take them on an empty stomach. He grabbed some bread, cheese, and butter from the practically empty fridge and threw together a grilled cheese for him and her.

He placed the grilled cheeses on the counter and sat down on the couch and waited until she woke up, and decided to check his texts. "How is she?" Shonda asked in the greys group chat we had. "Good. She's sleeping." I sent back. Even if Ellen was In the groupchay, I think she'd stil be okay with me filling them in on her condition. "Good. She needs her rest." Sandra sent back. I put my ohone away and flicked on the tv, watching some football.

Ellen woke up happy and hungry. She was in pain, but her number at the moment overruled that. She grabbed her crutches and slowly moved out of her room and was doing well, until she reached the stairs. At a crossroads, she yelled for Patrick. He ran to the stairs and smiled when he saw Ellen standing at the top of the stairs with a smile. "I need help." She whispered, adorably. Patrick went up the stairs and took the crutches from her and placed them on the wall. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up, and she put her arms around his neck. As they went downstairs and to the couch, Ellen rested her head against his shoulder.

Patrick put her down on a chair in the kitchen and quickly went up to bring her crutches back down. "I made some grilled cheese if you wsnt it. I can make something different though." Patrick said. "That's good. Thank you Patty." Ellen said with a smile. She dug in to the grilled cheese and sighed with contentment.

When she finished eating, Patrick helped her to the couch and they sat down. Patrick opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of Ellen's phone stopped him. She answered the phone. "Hello?" She asked. "Ellie? Are you okay?" Ellen's dad, Joseph asked. "Oh yeah. I'm fine." Ellen replied. "Are you sure? What happened?" Joseph asked. "I'm fine, reallt. It was just a car accident." Ellen explained. "What are your injuries? I heard you were in the hospital." He asked. "Broke my leg and my arm. I'm fine, dad." Ellen lied, not wanting to tell him the whole story. "Okay Ellie. Let me know if I can come out to help." Joseph said. "Okay. Bye dad love you." Ellen said as she hung up the phone.

"That your dad?" Patrick asked. "Yup." Ellen replied. "Why did you lie about your injuries?" Patrick asked. "When my mom died, he became very very overprotecivd, and if I told him I had surgery, he would've been on the first flight out. And I love my dad, I do, but he is a handful." Ellen explained. Patrick nodded and smiled understandingly. "El? Do you...miss your mom?" Patrick asked hesitantly. Ellen smiled sadly. "I do. But whenever I go to Boston I visit her grave and talk to her, so that helps." Ellen said. Patrick nodded and wrapped his arm around her. She leant into Patrick and buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"Thank you Patrick." Ellen said quietly. "For what?" He asked with a confused expression. "Being here with me. And helping me. I really appreciate it. And if you want to go, by all means you can go. I don't want to burden you." She elaborated. "Ellen. Your not burdening me. All I want to do is be with you. To help you. Okay?" Patrick asked softly. "Okay." She said.

"Now, how about we watch 'Can't buy me Love'? Ellen asked with a laugh. "Fine. But we're watching 'Moonlight Mile' after." Patrick chuckled and agreed.

He put on his old movie and the two cuddled on the couch and relaxed togetehr.