The Expansion of the Universe

Forty-Seven | "Right back at you."

"Think ya can stand?" Austin asked as the elevator crept closer to Elijah's floor.

She was still cold, but her teeth weren't chattering nearly as much, and she felt a bit more centered than she had when she'd been tucked in a tree, fearing for her life. "I'll t-try."

"A'ight, here we go." He set her down carefully, ready once more to catch her if she tilted, but she only swayed once before catching herself.

"I'm good," she assured him, ignoring his skeptical look.

"If ya say so, Tiny," he grumbled, "but I'm'on be keeping an eye on you."

She quirked a miniscule grin. "I'm telling E-Elijah."

"Oh, great," he rolled his eyes dramatically. "Just what I need."

The elevator beeped as they reached the fifth floor, and she shuffled off, Austin right beside her with Milo's leash grasped loosely in one hand, both man and canine eyeing her for any signs that she would collapse. As they neared the room, one of the female nurses approached her with a blanket. "Rumor had it that you might be a bit chilly," she said with a small smile. "Here you go," the nurse passed the blanket to Austin, who took it gratefully before turning to Liza and helping her wrap it around her body until she looked like an awkward, shuffling burrito.

Liza's grip on the blanket was tight as she peered towards room 507. "Is . . . is he still there?" She asked quietly. As bad as she felt now that she knew the man was only Elijah's brother, he was still an unknown man, and she'd likely never be entirely comfortable around him after their introduction, thanks to her less-than-impressive mental health.

The nurse, an older woman, nodded. "Yeah, but I'd say your man gave him a good tongue lashing. I'll be charting right outside, so just holler if you need anything, okay? Can I get you some coffee or something?"

Her stomach was too upset to even think about consuming anything, and she was nervous being around yet another stranger, even if the nurse seemed nice, so she shook her head to the negative, and the nurse took off. Liza turned to Austin. "Will he yell at me again?" She knew who Zach was, but she wasn't sure if he knew who she was yet.

Austin eyed her incredulously. "Seriously, Tiny? If Zach yells at ya again, I'll help Eli throw him off the damn roof. He's got no business talkin' to you like that."

The last thing she wanted to do was cause a rift between Elijah and his brother, so she just shrugged but chose not to say anything. Noting this, Austin huffed a sigh and leveled her with a stern stare. "You're gonna march back in there, and you ain't gonna give two shits 'bout what Zach says, 'cause he can screw off—and you can tell 'em that!"

The words won a smile from her, even though they both knew perfectly well she'd never be able to do that. The old her would have, but the new, traumatized version, still taking things one day at a time? Yeah, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

She jolted abruptly when she heard muffled yelling, her eyes wandering to Elijah's room before she swiveled back to Austin and demanded, "What happened?" Was Elijah truly alright? Or had more happened than even Austin knew?

Austin scoffed something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like an insult towards Zach as he approached the door, saying to her over his shoulder, "Let me check it out first now, Tiny." She allowed him to, waiting just to the side of the door, knowing she wouldn't be seen even after the door was opened thanks to her spot hidden behind the wall. Austin waited until he was sure she was settled before he rapped on the door—four times, she noted in the back of her mind—waiting for the yelling to cease and then cracking it open and sticking his head inside.