Dirty Gold ✓ [bxb]

Chapter 30 - Exhale

Song - Hold My Hand - The Fray

I consider this my late birthday
present to you all. Enjoy ; ).

I had never seen Axel so ruffled all the while I'd known him. I knew that he and Spencer were best friends for a long time and that he would do anything for him. But once we received the frantic call from a sobbing Martin, he rushed out with me on his heels, barely barking out any coherent orders to Stacey and called Timothy who was luckily on stand by at the time.

"Axel please breathe. You're shaking." I said once I noticed his shaky hands trying to grip unto his cell phone.

"W-what could have happened?" He asked in a panicked voice. "He was eating right and exercising properly according to Martin-"

"We'll find out soon. He'll be fine. I'm sure he'll be fine." I said to reassure him even though I wasn't so sure myself. Axel buried his face in my neck taking a few deep breaths before I realized that we hadn't moved and Timothy probably was still wondering where we were going since neither of us uad told him anythung. I had to give him props for acting completely unaffected even as his boss was having a breakdown behind him.

"Did Martin tell you where the hospital was?" I asked softly.

"St. Mary's. " He murmured. Timothy obviously heard because he began driving then without waiting for any of us to say anything else.

During the drive to the hospital, I hoped inwardly within myself that Spencer would be fine. I really didn't know him as well as did Martin but I wanted him to recover as much as everyone else.

We reached the hospital in record time and Axel rushed us to the main reception where he asked for where Spencer was staying. She directed us to the third floor where there were a bunch of private wards.

I immediately saw Martin and Shorty in the waiting area. Martin leaned against the wall with his eyes red and sniffing while Shorty sat down dabbing a Kleenex to her face occasionally.

"Oh thank goodness you're here!" Martin said launching himself into Axels open arms as soon as we were spotted. Axel held him close as the boy sobbed into his shirt.

I slipped next to Shorty and placed my hand in hers since she seemed to be the only coherent one at the moment "What happened? Did they say?"

She shook her head "All we heard was that some delivery van hit him but we haven't heard anything since he was brought in half an hour ago. I was with Martin when we got the news."

A short plump lady in scrubs who I assumed was the doctor came in shortly after "Family of Spencer Hale?"

Martin jumped forward from Axels arms like a pumped up balloon without waiting for anyone else to speak "We're here. What's wrong with him?"

The woman eyed him warily "Are you his immediate family?"

"I'm his boyfriend. He doesn't have any immediate family." Martin said and I was scared that the poor boy was going to burst into tears once again if this lady didn't let us pass through.

She nodded looking down at her clipboard "Well he's stable. No real damage except his broken arm and a few bruises so I'd say he must be really lucky. Especially since that truck hit him so close to impact."

It seemed as though we all let out the huge breath we were holding in. Both Axel and Shorty looked relieved. Martin smiled for the first time since we arrived.

"Can we see him?" Martin asked. The doctor smiled and nodded "Of course he's in ward 312. Come this way please."

She led us through the wards until we reached 312. Spencer was lying down wearing a hospital gown with his broken arm slung across his chest with a nurse attending to him. He looked a little better than I had expected. His face softened up at the sight of Martin "Baby."

Martin sobbed again and ran right towards his bed hugging him but carefully so at not to cause him anymore pain. "I was so scared. When they called me I was scared."

"Baby it's ok." Spencer cooed at him brushing his forehead with his good hand "I'm fine. See? Just got a bit unlucky?"

Axel snorted "I'll say." Ah, so worried, scary Axel was gone so soon? Spencer playfully rolled his eyes at him but I knew that he was happy at his presence. Shotty folded her arms "If you weren't already in pain, I'd punch you myself for being so careless."

"Not if I do it first." Martin said suddenly glaring at his boyfriend. "Why the hell would you cross the road without looking first? Are you trying to give me my first heart attack before I'm even thirty?"

Spencer looked a bit sheepish "Well to be honest I was a bit excited so looking out on the road wasn't my first priority."

"And what got you excited enough to want to die?" Shorty asked with a snort.

Spencer reached for something in the drawer next to his bed "I was I'd get to do this when I'm not high on morphine, but what the hell right?"

It was a small velvet box. I think all our hearts dropped at the same time.

"Martin, ever since the day I first me you at that stupid firm party when I made partner, I've always been intrigued by you. Your unique sense of style, your fascinating way of living, your sweet and wonderful heart. I was hoping that even though you're younger and hotter than me, you wouldn't mind spending the rest of your life with this boring old man?"

He smiled hopefully at Martin and opened the box with his thumb "Martin Henry Doyle, will you marry me?"

Martin squealed and hugged with all his strength causing Spencer to wince a little. We all clapped and smiled, even nurse who was there the while time.

"I can't believe this." Martin said as Spencer carefully slid the ring on his finger with his good hand and kissed his fiance's ring finger "I can believe it. I've been planning this for about two weeks now." Martin kissed him hard at that admission.

"Hey no rough games yet." Shorty warned but she was smiling also.

"Congrats guys." Axel said interlocking his fingers with mine. I smiled warmly at them "Least you didn't get hit for nothing."

"Hey that doesn't mean you should get hit by cars every time you want to do something big like this." Martin warned.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I picked it up to check the ID and it was my mom. I kissed Axel on the cheek and excused myself "I'll be back."

I went out of the room to the middle of the hallways where there was no one. I wasn't sure whether to answer or not because I didn't know of she had heard about the incident with Mara.

I answered the call "Hello mom?"

"Hello sweetheart." Her voice didn't show any indication that she was worried or heard any disturbing news. "Is everything alright mom?"

"Yes. I just want know if you're still coming down for Christmas?" I was evidently relieved. She didn't know anything yet. "Yeah I will."

"Good. I hope I'll also be able to get Mara. She's too busy nowadays."
Yes, making deals with criminals.

"Ok mom. I will. Love you." I said.

"Love you too my boy." She said softly. The line went dead. I knew that I had to tell her now. It had gone for too long. I would be the greatest villain ever, if i willing deceived my mother like this, even though the outcome would hurt her in the end.

"You ok?" I was a bit startled until I knew who it was then I relaxed. Axel placed his hand on my shoulder "You just left. Wanted to be sure you're ok."

I hugged him tightly "I'm ok. I'm ok."

Another update guys! Exams are coming up so I'm probably going to take another few months before I update, so please be patient with me.

P. S what do you think of Martin and Spencers engagement?

Zoe.