The Only Exception

Twenty One

~Spencer~

I spent the whole god damn operation pacing outside of the room because apparently I couldn't go in. It was a simple surgery, they said, just move the bones back into place with some plates and screws and she'd be good as new in a few weeks. I'd sent James back to my place to get some of her stuff so she'd at least be more comfortable when she came to. This was supposed to be a quick stop off. Get her arm potted up but because it'd been broken for at least 10 days, it was already healing so the operation was needed. That paired with multiple sets of stitches for wounds she'd forgotten even existed meant she was currently more stitches than person. 

The op meant an over night stay as opposed to the quick visit I'd told her we'd have. It'd gone well, thankfully, and she was now back in her private room still asleep with the anesthetic but I could not take my hand out of hers. 

2 weeks she'd been in there. Having people who weren't me touch her, hurting her. And I was completely useless. I couldn't do a damn thing but try to track her down. I let my feelings get too involved with the search and it made me sloppy. If I'd have had my head on I'd have hacked into her cloud storage sooner and seen the text to Chelsea and I'd have been able to track her quicker. I'd have had her out in a matter of days. 2 weeks was despicable. 

I have never, in my whole life, been that worried about someone. The second I saw her, my heart broke but I felt like I could breathe because she was alive. She was breathing. Hurt and broken and so, so scared. But she was breathing and alive and I had her back in my arms and I was serious about never letting her out of my sight again. 

"Don't think so hard, you'll pull a muscle." I lift my head up from where I was staring at her hand in mine. She gives me a weak smile. 

"Hey. How are you feeling? In pain? Achy?" 

"I'm good." She nods, furrowing her brow slightly and gripping onto my hand a little tighter. "I have a question." 

"Shoot." 

"If I've got metal in my arm now, am I gonna set the detectors off at airports? Oh! And when the robot uprising starts, will they think I'm one of them?" I chuckle at her, bring my head down to where I'm cupping her hand. I let the smile free, kiss her hand gently. Only Lainey would try to change the topic and make everyone else smile whilst she's laid up in a hospital bed after having the worst 2 weeks of her entire life. 

"You think you're funny?" 

"I am hilarious. I've got chemicals all up in my blood. You need to be nice." 

"I have 0 intentions of being anything but nice to you Sunshine. Anyone who even tries to look at you wrong will be meeting my fist." 

"So violent." 

"Only for you." 

"Dramatic too. I'm gonna buy you a plastic crown when-" Lainey gasps, a huge smile taking over her face. "For Halloween, can we dress up? Drama king and queen? That would be so cute! We can have like capes and I'll wear a huge-" I leaned up and kissed her carefully, trying not to inflict any more pain on her wounded body. She sees us being together at Halloween, over 6 months away. This is the first time Lainey has felt like I'm somewhat permanent in her life and has been comfortable enough to say that. It's enough for me to see that as horrible as the experience has been for both of us, she had the time to realise I'm not like everyone else. Not for her. Never for her. She's the only thing that matters at all to me. Nothing else is important. I pull back, lay my forehead on her as she lets out a shaky breathe. "A huge ballgown." She mutters, grabs for my tee-shirt with her bandaged hand. 

"We can go as whatever you want Sunshine." I kiss her quickly again before shuffling into the bed beside her. 

"I have another question."

"Is it about the metal spreading?" 

"Can that happen?" She looked concerned and I had to laugh, making her giggle as I pulled her as close as we could get. It's 3am and we both really should try to get some sleep but I know I will not sleep right now unless she's wrapped up with me like this. "What exactly do you do? For work?"

"I own a personal security business. People like your dad hire me to provide high level security for whoever it is. Usually people but property too." She lays down onto my chest, pulls her leg up so it's laid across my hips. I love having her close like this. Any anxiety or worry and concern I had in my body is just, gone. Like it never actually existed. "I've got employees everywhere doing all sorts of jobs. Celebrities, royalty, high end business people. Everything really." 

"Does my dad know what happened?" I pull her a little tighter. 

"You should sleep Sunshine. It's late, you've had a rough time." 

"So he does but it wasn't important enough for him to come home. Right?" I can hear the emotion in her voice no matter how hard she tries to not let it out. "Was he even going to-" 

"Lanes?" She peers up at me. "You don't want to know the answer to those kind of questions baby.  What matters now is you're safe, you're getting better and whoever did this to you- I'm taking care of it. Okay? I told your dad and Noah you were out of surgery and that it went well. Nothing else matters right now." 

I can't imagine how much it must hurt to know they didn't care enough to come home right now. Her life was at risk and they couldn't get the time off work to make sure they were here doing  everything they could to get her home safe. Sure they text to check in daily but that was it. Life went on as normal for them whilst she was being abused. I'm sure they'd throw some money at her for therapy and forget it ever happened. If she wanted to cut them off, never speak to them again, I had more than enough coming in to support us both and hold the life she deserves. I'd make it possible for her. 

"I have a joke." She whispered. "Want to hear it?" 

"I always want to hear what you have to say Sunshine." 

"Okay, ready?" I nod, kissing her head. "And the Lord said to John, 'Come forth and you will receive eternal life.' But John came fifth and won a toaster."  I laughed into her hair, pulling her ever closer. 

"You're the best thing to happen to me Lainey. I hope you know that." 

"Of course I am. I'm amazing. Want another joke?" 

"You're not gonna go to sleep yet are you?" 

"Nope. Knock knock." 

"Who's there?" 

"Woo." 

"Woo who?" 

"Glad you're excited too." She giggled. "I have more!" 

"Lainey?" 

"Mhm." 

"I love you." She looked up, smile slowly vanishing from her face. "Life's too short for you to not know that." 

"You love me?" 

"Yes." 

"But you-" She tries to move back but I keep her right there. "You barely know me." 

"I know you Sunshine. Need me to prove it? Okay. You love anything chocolate. Always have. But not chocolate ice cream. You love a bad dad joke but your favourite one always has been the one about a magician's dog being called a labracadabrador. You act like your confident but you're really not. You actually hate interior design even though you're so good at it. You think it's better to just go with you're heart on things like that and people who think there is a science behind it only develop cold, meaningless designs. That's how you want to lead the department with your dad but you're terrified about starting there and just being the boss' daughter and not being seen for your hard work. You hate having your hair tied up but sometimes it just pisses you off when it's down.  You're favourite sport is ice skating but you say it's hockey because they guys are attractive. Do I need to go on?" She shakes her head. "Good." I kiss her head. "Now sleep. Before I get the nurse to come in and tell you off."