Fortune Cookies -A chenford story

-5. Can't happen again-

When I came into work, three days later, Tim was acting wreid.
I first thought it was because of what had happened when he had been at my apartment, even if that hadn't really been something, but you can never know. That caused a known anxiety raising up, heavily in my chest. The fear of losing Tim. Not because he dies, no. Because he pushes me away, after a wreird moment between us. I knew I had made a mistake at the hotel in Vegas that time, and I regretted it so hard, but then he had sent me to UC school, and this fear, since a long time not felt anymore, came up again. In that moment.
Great.
I took a deep breath and went over to him.

"Hey, should I get the gear?"

I asked with my friendliest smile but stayed calm with my voice.
But I hadn't expected this reaction. When I talked, his face changed into something like... pain.

He then just nodded.
Didn't say something.
Didn't change his expression.

Shaky breaths.
Take a deep breath, Lucy. I told myself and did.
I took the gear and loaded them into the shop.
When I then went to the passenger seat, as always, I stopped abruptly. Tim sat in the passenger seat. TIM! Ok, something really had to be wrong.

"Ok, what's wrong?"

I opened the door of the car and got a confused stare as an answer.

"Huh?"

"Come on! I know you long enough to tell that something is wrong. And even if I didn't, you're sitting in the passenger seat!"

I gave him a knowing look but filled with concern, too. He finally opened his mouth just to say

"I'm okay."

He pulled his face together again because he knew that I knew what was going on now.

When he had talked out the words, it sounded raspy and painful. A little smirk flew over my face for a short time, but then changed into something worried.

"You sure?"

I asked, remembering what had been when he said that last time. We had ended up in the hospital with a bad concession. He nodded, so I took the back of my hand and put it I slightly against his forehead. My body, as always, heated up by the contact with him, but not that much.

"Hmhm. Of course, Mr. Stove. Get out!!"

I saw the protest in his face, so I pulled him out what let him groan a little.

"Ok, go to lockers! And if you won't, I will carry YOU!"

A slight smile appeared on his mouth.
Mission done.

I went to Greys office and waited for his agreement to come in.

"Hey Lucy, what's up?"

"Uh... Tim's sick and will go home now... And, I wanted to ask if I could take today off because we both know Tim isn't the person who takes good care of himself."

I saw a shadow coming over his face when he must've thought about the same day as I did.

"Of course."

His expression then changed into a little smirk, and he was about to say something, but I interrupted him.

"Nope! No!"

I knew where this would have gone to.

I waited in front of the locker room when Tim finally came out.

"Ok, so we'll drive to mine, and you will stay there until tomorrow!"

He opened his mouth to say something, but

"No! No more from you!"

And eith that he didn't say anything until we arrived at my apartment.

I let him lay down on the couch and got a thermometer from the bathroom.

"Ok, open your mouth."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, really."

He opened his mouth, and I waited for the beeping, which took me a little too long, making me a bit nervous.

"103!... 103! God, Tim! You shouldn't have DRIVEN TO WORK!"

I hadn't wanted to, but I had gotten louder either every word until I screamed, what caused Tim to wince a little.

"Everything went ok, you were there."

He told me calmly, and I felt tears rising up in my throat.

"Yes! THIS TIME! This time, I noticed it before it was too late.! But last time I... I didn't..."

A sob.

"I didn't it had almost killed you! And you must've felt terrible, but you didn't say something or did something or..."

Another sobbs.
I felt Tim gently grabbing me on my lower arms and pulling me onto the couch.
Another touch.

"You... you never told me you're so upset about that, I-"

I grinned bitterly.

"Of course I didn't Tim! How should've I? I had just gotten you back! After I had gone to UC school, we fell apart! And we had needed so long to get friends again after that, I didn't want to destroy that, with being mad at you! I was afraid that you would push me away again! I wouldn't have been to go through this again!
So no, Tim. I didn't tell you! But I had been so afraid to lose you that I already felt haviley for a half year, when you just didn't answer the radio in like a ten seconds!"

He sat there and just stared at me.

Shit!