Starting Over (ITILMBBF Sequel)

Get To The Hospital

When I arrive at the hospital, I'm surprised to find Chace standing guard outside my brother's room. He's leaning against the wall next to Adam's closed door, in all his six foot two, board shouldered glory. Even with the past week and a half weighing heavy bags under his eyes and a scowl on his face, he still looks absolutely gorgeous to me. The epitome of the knight in shining armor that I never wanted, with his eyes scanning the hallway and face brightening up when they land on me.

He pushes himself off the wall, standing to his full height. The man is a full head above me, not that I usually notice it. However, up this close, craning my neck to look him in the eyes, it's difficult not to. I can't seem to stay away though. I need to be in his space with him. Hesitantly, I reach out and hold his hand so that we're two intertwined, dangling palms between ourselves. His brows dip.

"What are you doing here?"

Before I lose my nerve I rush out, "I need to talk to you."

He glances around the hallway, causing my eyes to do the same. Doctors, nurses, and family members are passing by us. While I would assume they're all too preoccupied to ease drop, the idea of talking to Chace about us while anyone could hear does put me off kilter. My eyes spot a storage room at the end of the hallway and I tug on his hand.

"Come on."

We walk in silence, hands still tangled together. He lets me be in charge, leading him to the closet and tugging on his hand to speed him up. I wonder if he can feel the sweat on my palms. If he knows that something big is up. More times than not Chace can read me like a book so I wouldn't be surprised.

The closet is pitch black, no windows obviously. I can feel the shelving at my back, lined along what I imagine to be the walls. Our hands finally drop from one another when he goes looking for a light switch on the walls. I hear him moving and then there's suddenly a sputter coming out of his mouth. A moment later, a hanging lightbulb flicks on momentarily blinding me. I come too just quick enough that I see Chace's hand retreating from the metal chain to rub at his eye.

Suddenly a bundle of nerves I ask, "Light bulb get ya?"

Shaking his head, with a good humored laugh, he responds, "I'm not that tall. The metal chain whacked me in the eye."

"You okay?"

"I'll live."

There's a beat of silence while I gather my wits. I've never had to profess my love before. In all the rom-coms Aaron likes to watch, that's the guy's job. Even when the woman is in the wrong, the leading man somehow ends up making the gesture. Somehow, I don't think running after Chace with flowers and a box of chocolates would work. Nor would I like to do that. Instead I go for casual, swallowing down the fluttering in my stomach and lump in my throat.

"Why were you standing outside?"

He shrugs. "Your parents are in there with the doctor. They wanted to discuss some things in private."

I nod solemnly, the lump in my throat getting worse at the thought that they're making decisions for Adam. That can't be a good sign. Decisions for a coma patient are usually whether or not to pull the plug. I wasn't ready to let my brother go. I think of the high school nurse telling me about young heart attack patients. I wonder if this was the inevitable outcome and the medically induced coma was just giving us time to say goodbye. Before I know it a sob is bubbling out of me and tears are sliding down my cheeks.

Chace's large hand comes to wrap around the back of my head, yanking me into his chest. For the second time in a week and a half I'm wetting his shirt with my hysterical sobs. Only this time, they're resigned. They're birthed from a place that is sure my brother's no longer going to be with us and the gut wrenching pain doesn't cease in Chace's presence.