I wake to find myself in the biggest flare I've had since my arrival in Australia. My mouth won't even form words to shout so I just groan. Chappo must have been waiting for me to wake as he's immediately by the door.
"Hey, what's going on?" He steps towards me. "Brooke.. I want to take you up to the hospital.. I've never seen you this bad.." I barely have the energy to shake my head in response. "Seriously. I understand that you want to fight or whatever but I am not losing you." He shakes his head slowly as I look up at him pleadingly. "Okay, until some part of you tells me you're not going to survive we can stay.. But we really do need to get your joints back in place.." I can't move anymore as he looks concerned. "You can't can you..? Brooke, I don't know how." I try to communicate without moving and he seems to understand. "Okay.. I can try.. But you have to promise me you're going to go to hospital if we can't fix it." He nods, as if acting for me. "Will you let me Brooke? I'll tell you exactly what I'm doing.. You don't need to be scared.." He sighs as he leaves again, I don't know where to.
He wakes me again, holding ice. I must have passed out. "Right.. I'm going to ice your knee, your wrist and your ankle now.." He follows his own instructions. "We'll start with your wrist okay?" He smiles but I still flinch at his touch. "I'm just going to put it back, nothing else." He lifts my hand, slowly massaging the muscles around it before pushing it back. "Sorry, sorry.. Is that okay now..?" I still can't respond but he nods and does the same for my other joints. "Can you speak yet?" he asks cautiously.
"Stay." the single word causes my body to fall into darkness.
"Brooke. Please.. I don't like this.. I want to take you to hospital.." Chap's words wake me as I shake my head. "What do you want from me then? You're not going to let anyone else in are you? I don't think I can do this.." He trails off, looking scared. His hand is resting on the bed so I reach my fingers toward him. He grasps tightly. "We're going to be okay.. Thank you for trusting me for now.. Can I get you a drink or something?" I smile and he laughs. "Tea for the British lady?" Whenever I'm ill, I always want tea as it reminds me of home, times when my mum would look after me, before the diagnosis, before I truly needed to be looked after. Chap arrives back with a cup of tea. "Let's sit you up a bit yeah?" he asks, smiling as he lifts me up and piles cushions behind me before handing me the drink.
"I'm okay," I tell him truthfully as I start to feel more like my normal.
"You always are aren't you? I've told everyone you're not having visitors. Are you sure you don't need to go into hospital?" I nod slowly, knowing he's scared.
"Lifeguards look after me." He smiles slightly.
"Okay then, what are we going to do? Do you want to watch a film? According to Whip, Age of Ultron is out on demand?" I nod eagerly as he goes to get the TV. When he comes back, he sits in the chair. I don't like him being so far away.
"Sit with me?" I ask cautiously as he looks at me.
"Brooke.. I don't think that's a good idea.. You might get too panicky.. It's better if I don't.." He watches me cautiously.
"Love.." I mutter as the tears start to spill.
"Shh hey we're okay." Chap instinctively sits on the bed, holding me. "Does something hurt Brooke?" I shake my head. "Is this okay..?" he asks cautiously as he realises how we're sitting. I nod.
"I want to love you.." I tell him slowly as he moves closer.
"But it's scary right? Your head tells you that you shouldn't be trusting me, your heart tells you you should? The future is always scary Brooke, we never know what's going to happen. One bad experience can't mar every other. We're safe here, like this. I'm never going to hurt you." He lifts me so I can lie against his chest. "I'll move if you want me to.." I shake my head. "Are we ready for the film then?" He switches the TV on before wrapping me in his arms again. "I could get used to this.." He mutters.
Part way through the film, my phone buzzes with a text. Chap passes it to me, still engrossed in the film. I see the unidentified number, it's Luke. I pull away from Chap, breathing heavily as I read it. 'Meeting at the beach. Your lifeguard friends seem nice.'
"Call the Tower. Now." I say, trying to work out my plan. Jake can't be there, he's still in the hospital, isn't he? Did Luke see him before? "Where's Jake and Whip?"
"Brooke.. Calm down. You're too ill to deal with this now." I turn my phone to him and his face changes, all I see in him is rage.
"No.. You can't do this to me.." I panic pulling back. His face softens again as he looks at me.
"I'm not angry at you Brooke. I'm going to protect you. I'm angry with him. I need you to stay here. I'm going to fix this for you."
"There is no argument. He wants me, he won't hurt any of you if I'm there."
"That's the point. I'm not letting you out of here Brooke."
"Jake and Whip are working aren't they..? That's why you're not answering me.. He's going to kill them Chap. We have to stop him." My head swims as I pull myself into the wheelchair. "You have to take me with you.." I mutter as the world darkens.
