Stronger Together (bxb) ✔

Chapter 24 - Jesse

Jesse's POV

Chase is taking longer than expected at the vending machine. It isn't too far away so why isn't he back yet? I get up to go check on him but immediately sit back down remembering him saying that he needed to start being independent again and I smile at that thought.

Another two minutes pass and I still don't see him. I consider going to check on him again but I don't want to be overbearing so I sit there anxiously tapping my foot for another five minutes before I decide to get up and look for him.

I'll just go take a peek and make sure that he's ok.

When I get to the vending machine I look around in confusion as there is no Chase in sight. Surely he didn't leave without saying anything!

"Excuse me, have you seen a brunette guy wearing a white and yellow striped T-shirt?" I ask an elderly man sitting near the vending machine.

"Oh you mean the boy that fainted? A man took him. Check with the nurses," he croaks out with a thick French accent.

A man took him! What? Why? Who? These questions bounce around my brain as I make my way to the reception area to find out if they know anything. "Umm I'm looking for my brother, Chase Lambert. Someone said he fainted near the vending machines." My voice comes out strained and my heart is beating a mile a minute.

"One second... Yes, he's in ward 7," the nurse replies.

I practically run to the room and look through the beds until I find Chase and some buff guy sitting next to him.

"Who the hell are you? And what did you do to my brother!" I ask through gritted teeth.

The guy quickly turns around and I breathe a sigh of relief as I recognize it's Diego. However, my relief is short lived since I still don't know what he did to my brother! My jaw ticks as I glare at him.

"Hi Jesse, Chase was in some sort of weird staring match with a guy approaching the vending machine. Chase looked tensed, borderline scared so I called out to him. He didn't seem to hear me so I moved closer and caught him just as he fainted. Then I asked the nurses to help." Diego hurriedly explains standing up and cautiously approaching me.

"You're not off the hook yet, I need to check with Chase and hear what happened first," I reply harshly while glaring at him.

I rush over to Chase leaving Diego awkwardly standing at the door. After fussing over Chase for a minute, I realize that it might have been worse had Diego not asked the nurses for help. I release a sigh as I realize that I should give Diego the benefit of doubt. I turn back towards him, give him a small smile and say, "Thank you for helping."

This is new. Chase seemed to be doing better and he had so much fun last night. It was so refreshing to see Chase smiling and laughing again. So what the hell happened?

"No problem, I was just worried," Diego replies, his deep set dimples on both cheeks visible when he flashes me a warm smile. "I actually brought my neighbour to the hospital so I have to go see if her children are here so that they can take over. Would I be able to come back and check on Chase later?"

I nod and he flashes me an appreciative smile before he leaves.

I text Justin to let him know where Chase and I are and what happened as well as to tell him to call me if there are any changes with Aerial. I also text Shawn a detailed update because I know that he will flip out if I don't.

"Is he ok?" Mason's worried voice draws my attention away from the mind numbing phone game that I'm playing.

"What are you doing here? You should be with your wife," I scold.