Crashing Into You ✅

Chapter 4: Pain

Kyle's POV

I could hear a noise. I swore I heard a noise. Shifting a little, it's probably just the dogs. I'm not at home, no idea what Finn and Roscoe do in the middle of the night. They were probably just walking to get water or something. Maybe they play at night. It's nothing.

However, I heard the noise once again and my eyes opened. I glanced over to see Roscoe hadn't moved from his spot curled up in the dog bed. Obviously this wasn't a source of noise from him. I then let my eyes drift to the man in the recliner, seeing Finn curled up against him as he had been since coming in from going outside. I swear I was jealous of their relationship as it was amazing how Finn just knew how to take care of his daddy.

There was the noise again. It wasn't the dogs. It was Alex. He was trying to get comfortable. It's one thing to sleep in a recliner - I know I could never ever do that. Tried it, never again, woke up way to stiff the next morning. Now trying to do that while in pain and wearing a neck brace? That didn't sound fun at all. Poor guy. I still couldn't believe what he was going through, and yet still partially blamed myself. Why did I convince him to come drive a sprint car with me?

I couldn't help but look at the time, and realize that was probably a good indication of why he could not get comfortable. It'd been four hours since we got home, he had morphine and fell asleep initially. Who wants to bet it had wore off again? Who wants to bet he was back to the searing pain that had been bothering him before? How was anybody suppose to sleep with that?

 "Oh man...." I hear him let out as he slowly sits up, the scrunch of his face obviously indicating that my prediction was right about the amount of pain he was feeling right now. 

However, that was why I had left the water and bottle within arm's reach, knowing that was probably going to be his new best friend - other than Finn - for the next couple days. I don't bother moving, or alerting him that I am watching, as I see the bottle open, a couple pills spill out, followed by the cap being carefully replaced. He then swallows them both with the water that was left alongside. 

"Deep breathes, you're going to be okay. I am going to be okay..." He tells himself as he relaxes back in the chair, as much as he could with the brace, trying to get his head settled against the pillow. Maybe I should make him aware that I was awake and help him with getting comfortable. That's why I was here, right? I was worried and wanted to watch out for him. What was I doing if I was doing nothing? "Oh man...."

I watch as he reaches for his phone, checking to see if there were any messages, typing a few in return. There was probably a couple from his guys as they seemed worried when they left the track without having heard many updates. There was probably one from Brad Sweet as he had asked me for updates, and seemed pretty concerned in what I had sent him return. Then there was Rico Abreu, the littlest man with the biggest heart in the pits. It didn't matter who it was, but anybody that got hurt or needed anything, he was there willing to do whatever he could to help out. I could see him checking in to see how Alex was doing, as well.

"Are you okay?" I finally crock out, unable to withstand the silence in the room any longer as I began to wonder just what was going through his mind. I was here to take care of him. I wanted to look out for my teammate, my friend. I needed to be doing that, not just trying to play quiet night watcher. 

"Really sore," he replies as he sets his phone back on the table, carefully. I had reached out with my hand incase he missed the table, knowing breaking that would end of the world for him. I have never seen someone as addicted to their phone as he was. "I should've known something was wrong when I couldn't take off my own firesuit by myself. I heard the crack. I thought it was just like going to a chiropractor. I could move my toes, legs, arms, everything. How was I supposed to know that I broke my back?" 

"It's one of those unfortunate things about the landing in those cars." There was nothing else to say. Everybody who raced sprint cars knew with how close the seats were mounted to the rear frame that landing on the back wheels after flipping could easily cause a back injury. It was one of those risk that you understood and took every time you strapped in one of those cars. It didn't make it easier when it happened, nor was it something we took lightly when it happened. It's also why we're always trying to improve the safety of those cars constantly and doing whatever we can with changes sometimes on a monthly basis. It'd be amazing if other sanctioning bodies followed that same rule of thumb - but we won't mention that right now. "At least it's not more serious than it is. It will be heal, and you will be okay. I know you will be okay and back to yourself in matter of a few weeks." 

"I hope..." I then stand up, noticing he still hadn't been able to get comfortable. I walk over, shifting the pillow slightly behind his head, giving it a fluff, before placing it carefully in trying not to push against the brace. 

"Close your eyes, Alex. Let the pain killers work. You're going to be okay." I then rub his shoulder slightly, feeling a deep breath leave him as I do so. If him being comfortable and getting some much needed rest means I need to do this the whole night, I won't move a single inch. 

I was going to do whatever necessary to take care of him now.