Slipknot's Daughter

Chapter 9

The next morning, Mick, Corey, Shawn and I all go to the hospital to see how Rick was doing. When we reach his room, I hurry to his bedside. Hearing me, he slowly lifts his head and a smile appears on his face. "Hi, love," he whispers.
"Hi," I whisper, kissing his forehead.
"I didn't die on you." Rick murmurs softly. He chuckles, then winces.
I look him over. He looks a lot better to me; just quite bruised. There was a bandage wrapping around his side, and it was slightly stained with blood.
I gently take his hand and stroke his thumb. "What hurts the most?" I ask him, slightly fretful.
He shifts a bit and winces again. "My side," he replies. "Had to get stitches. Didn't break anything, though... Just a really nasty cut." He sighs and slowly brings my hand to his lips, kissing it. "I'm glad you're here, love... It gets lonely without you." Rick murmurs.
I smile a little. "So what, you're saying you want me to get hit by a car, too? You selfish little butt." I tease him.
He smiles and shakes his head.
Right then, Corey, Mick and Shawn enter the room.
"Hey, kid," Mick says gently. "How are you feeling?"
Rick smirks and says, "Pretty well. The doctors here aren't total quacks, despite my former belief."
Mick chuckles. "Yeah, they sometimes know what they're doing," he agrees. Shawn leans over and inspects Rick's bandage. "Agreed. That looks like that will heal up real nice." he observes.
Rick smiles. "I hope so. Else I'm going to have a very irritated girlfriend..."
Everyone laughs.
Corey says, "Well, guys, let's leave these two alone..." Shawn and Mick nod and file out. Corey shuts the door gently. With them gone, Rick and I were alone. He slowly shifts over and pats the space next to him. I carefully slide into bed with him.
He puts his arm around me and I rest my head on his chest. His heartbeat was steady, a fantastic sign.
I press my nose into his shoulder and breathe in his smell. Under the usual hospital smell was his fresh apple scent. I feel him breathe into my hair at the same time.
He says, "You know, your smell calms me down a lot. It's nice."
I smile and look up at him. His eyes were still that perfect shade of brilliant green. His lips were still full and rosy. The dark circles under his eyes and his skin, pale at first but now deathly white, was what worried me.
I reach up and gently trace his bottom lip. He kisses my finger. I move up and kiss him softly. His hand finds its way around the back of my neck, locking my lips to his. He caresses my cheek with his thumb, and I wrap my arm around his waist, taking care to not touch his wound.
He starts to get frisky, lightly biting my bottom lip. I pull on his top lip with my teeth, then wrap one of my legs around his. He smirks a bit and pulls me closer, lightly squeezing my side.
I giggle and pull away. "Hey! No tickling!" I object.
Rick laughs. Then he lays his head down, yawning sleepily.
"Are you getting tired?" I ask, gently brushing a lock of hair off his cheek.
He gazes at me with half-closed eyes and nods a little. "Yeah, kinda. Don't go, though... Can you ask Corey if you can stay?"
I sigh. "I don't think I can, love. Corey doesn't want me out of the house at the end of the day."
Rick frowns. "Damn it," he grumbles.
I smile at him. "I'll come back tomorrow, don't worry." I comfort him.
He takes my hand and kisses it. "You better," he mumbles against my skin. "Otherwise I'm checking myself out and going to your house."
I roll my eyes. "Sure, sure," I tease. Carefully climbing out of the bed, I give him one last kiss.
"Seriously, though," he murmurs. "Please come back."
I lean over and cradle his face in my hand. "I will. I'll visit every day until either you get out or you get sick of me." I reply.
He closes his eyes, pressing his cheek into my palm.
I smile. "My little kitten," I mumble.
Rick groans. "Doonn't," he whines.
"Kitty cat," I joke. "Kitty, kitty, kitty cat!" He rolls his eyes and makes a weak attempt to throw his pillow at me. I catch it easily, laughing, then walk over and tuck it back under his head. Pulling up his bedcovers, I kiss his forehead. He pulls his head up and kisses me again. "Okay," I murmur. "I really have to go. Sleep well. I love you."
A tiny grin creases his face. "I love you too." he replies.
I smile at him, then walk to the door, turn out the light, leave, then gently close the door.
Mick, Corey and Shawn were in the waiting room, chatting softly.
Corey looks up, and, seeing me, gets up and walks to me. He slings an arm across my shoulder and kisses the side of my head. "How did it go? You were in there a long time." Corey says quietly.
I nod. "We were just cuddling and talking." I sigh. "I hope he's not in here for much longer... Corey, he hates it here. He's lonely." I shake my head. "Can we come back soon?" I ask.
He nods. "Of course, Col." he replies.
We finally reach Mick and Shawn. For some reason, I go to Mick for a hug. He gently (and awkwardly) wraps his arms around my shoulders. We hug for a minute, then pull away. All four of us exit the hospital, eager to escape the smell of sanitizer.

*THREE DAYS LATER*
I was lounging on the couch, doing homework. Corey and the others were upstairs, resting. They had just come back from Rock Am Ring and were extremely tired and jet lagged.
I was almost finished with a math worksheet when my phone starts buzzing. Answering it, a smile grows across my face when I hear Rick's voice. "Hey, love... I just got out of the hospital. The doctors said I should take it easy, though. Do you want me to come over?" he asks.
I sit up excitedly and say, "Of course, dummy!" I giggle.
Rick laughs too. "Good, because I'm two blocks away from your house." he says.
I roll my eyes. "All right, I'll tell Corey." I reply.
I hear Rick's smile through the phone as he says, "Okay. See you soon, precious. I love you."
I blush happily and reply, "I love you too. I can't wait to see you."
He then hangs up, and I shut off my phone. I get off the couch to run to Corey's room.
I pause outside his door and softly knock. "Corey, Rick's out of the hospital! Would it be okay if he came over?"
I hear a quiet grunt from behind the door. "Uh, yeah... Yeah, he can come over... Just keep it down, all right? Everyone's pretty tired..."
I nod. "Okay," I reply. I turn, then start down the stairs. I see Rick's silhouette behind the door, and I run to open it. There he was, my lanky, beautiful Rick.
I stand there for a second, looking at him and letting him look at me. Then I couldn't take it anymore and throw my arms around him, pressing my face into his chest.
I feel his arms slide around my shoulders and squeeze me tight.
I look up at him, reaching for his cheek. I gently stroke it with my thumb, then pull him down into a kiss. His hand slides around the back of my neck, locking his lips with mine. But it didn't stay there; it moved slowly, ever so slowly and lightly down my spine. Suddenly, something unexpected; he grabs my thigh and hikes it up to his waist. He picks me up, and instinctively, I wrap my other leg around his waist. One arm was tightly around my waist, the other was pushing the door open and quietly moving inside.
He was still kissing me, fiercely this time; he was everywhere. There was not a place that I could not feel him, smell him, taste him... He closes the door and quickly moved to the couch, quietly sitting. I was now on his lap, my legs still around his waist. We were pressed tightly together.
His hands were on my thighs, slowly moving up to my hips, then slowly back down to my knee. One of my hands was on top of his, the other on his neck. My tongue swipes between his lips and he willingly gives in. Our tongues dance and tussle, and I moan very, very quietly.
It was new, exciting, and a little scary, but I didn't care. I was loving every minute of it.
He slows down, then slowly pulls away. He was breathing hard, as was I. We gaze into each others eyes, smiling shyly.
"You call that taking it easy?" I whisper, giggling.
"I know," he murmurs. "But damn, I should get hurt more often." Smirking at me, he places his hands on my cheeks and squeezes them softly.
I giggle and pull on his wrists, trying to get them off my face. He complies, sliding his long, slim fingers through mine instead.
He inspects my hands, then my face. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" Rick inquires.
I feel the blood flood to my cheeks, and I quickly look away from his eyes and focus on our hands.
"I'll take that as a no," he chuckles. "Well, it will be my pleasure to tell you."
He lets go of my left hand and touches a knuckle under my chin, lifting my face to his. "Colleen, when I look at you, I feel like a blind man who has finally seen a gorgeous sunset. I can't look into your eyes for too long, because they remind me of a deep ocean that I could drown in, but honestly, I wouldn't mind the drowning. You are the light of my day-no," Rick corrects himself. "You are the light of my life. The angel I was praying for, the one I want to get my shit together for, the one I want to grow old with.
"Colleen," Rick says, "Before I met you, I didn't know what the fuck I was doing or where I was headed. My head was so clouded with depression and self-loathing... And then you come along and shatter all the bad and reshape it into good. You made me realize how great life can be. You have given me more than I ever could, and I have no idea how to match you in your kindness and beauty."
I was blushing furiously now, and happy tears gather at the corners of my eyes. "Ricky..." I whisper.
He smiles a little, tenderly stroking my cheek. "Yes?" he replies.
I quickly swipe at my eyes. "Y-you're the first guy t-to tell me those s-sort of things... I never... I never felt this way about a guy before... Ever..." I smile shakily. "It's like I can just... Be myself around you... You're more than my perfect boyfriend, you are my counselor, best friend, husband all rolled into this very handsome package that also includes the key to my very shitty heart... It's like you're my other half..." I was staring at his shirt while I said all this.
I slowly look up at him. He looks like he was about to cry, but he had this huge smile on his face. He opens his arms and I snuggle into him. He slowly strokes my hair, and we just sit there in silence for a while.