Untouchable face

44.

Derek wanted to be happy. He wanted to be the guy who grinned and laughed with his best friend. He wanted to be a good boyfriend to Maggie. But as each day passed, he was finding it more and more impossible to be that guy. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on with him at this point. He was usually a guy that bounced back from just about anything but this time was feeling really really different. And he'd give just about anything to smile again, really smile. He had thought it would come when he had gotten his walker, or when Maggie had gotten confirmation that they could have sex if he felt up to it. But instead, he was angrier and every time Maggie tried, he faked pain, or at least exaggerated it. There was something really wrong with him.

He really had no idea. He loved Maggie. He loved his life, at least he had until his accident. He had been happy and thriving and didn't have a single complaint and now it was like it had all vanished. It made no sense. Everything had gone to hell and he didn't know how to get it back. Or if he even wanted to. He figured he should talk to someone but that thought just made him angry. Everything made him mad. "Derek, can you get the door?" Maggie called as someone rang the doorbell.

"What the hell are you doing?" he snapped.

"The dishes. Can you just answer the door? You know Aaron wants you moving more."

"Fine," he groaned.

"Thank you," Maggie sighed.

"No problem," he muttered under his breath as he grabbed for his walker. He could walk without it, but not very far and his back was killing him after therapy today. "I'm coming, damn it!" He shouted as the person rang the doorbell again. "Some of us have broken backs!"

"Or you're just a lazy ass!" his brother called from the other side of the door.

"Oh god, go away," Derek groaned. "The door's unlocked anyway."

"I was trying to be polite."

"When have you ever been polite?" Derek swung open the door.

"Lexie tells me I should work on it," Mark shrugged. "Look at you."

"What?"

"Standing."

"Yeah, yeah," Derek shrugged. "Walking too. With a walker."

"Good job," Mark nodded.

"Thanks," he turned to shuffle back to the couch. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to come say hi, didn't know I needed a reason."

"So you're not bringing me more paperwork?"

"Well...okay, I might have some paperwork for you."

"That's what I figured."

"But I wanted to say hi."

"Okay," Derek groaned as he fell back onto the couch.

"How you doing?" Mark asked.

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah," Derek shrugged. "I have a broken back that's healing."

"So?"

"So I'm fine."

"Who is it, Derek?" Maggie yelled from the kitchen.

"It's me, Mags!" Mark called back.

"Hey Mark," Maggie yelled back. "Derek can't drink yet but we have beer if you want one."

"Sounds good to me!"

"I'll bring you one in a bit."

"Thanks, Mags," Mark grinned.