Vincent woke up the next afternoon and surprised the nurse, who had gotten used to him being comatose. "I want to see Blake." The entire staff had heard of the previous nights event so she was understandably concerned. "Um, honey lamb, he's...a sick boy...and you've been asleep for a while now...and-"
"Blake is NOT sick. I can prove it. Please...just let me see him."
The nurse promised to ask Dr. Chambers and left the room. Vincent sighed and swept his hair behind his ear. He couldn't lie to himself, he was scared. But in his dreams, the old Blake was there, saying "I'm not gone." Vincent knew that he had to work to find him though.
The doctor walked into Blake's room, making Blake skink back into his corner. He didn't want to hurt anyone anymore. "Blake..." the doctor knelt in front of him. Blake tried to shrink more. The doctor was a gentle man but that made Blake want even more not to hurt him.
"Blake, you aren't a sick boy. You can prove that, now." Blake dared to look at the doctor. "Vincent wants to see you." Blake felt his eyes go wide. "No..." he whispered. "I can't hurt him again, sir." "Son, that was an accident, wasn't it?" The doctor asked, becoming concerned. Blake started shaking. "Doesn't matter, I killed him, I won't hurt him anymore, never again."
"Don't you want to see him?" Blake nodded, looking ashamed. "Well...we could supervise you. We could restrain you," Dr. Chambers saw his fear and sighed, "Oh hell kid, I know this doesn't help you much but he wants to see you. If you don't want to see him, that's fine. If you do, that's fine. But I have to tell him something."
Blake thought about it for awhile. "Put me in a straitjacket or something. Keep me from touching him, from chasing after him. Only let me talk to him," Blake fell on the doctor's chest. "Promise you won't let me hurt him."
Doctor Chambers muttered a simple, "I promise," before leaving to procure restraints.
When Vincent walked in 10 minutes later, he openly stared at the other boy in the room. Blake was fully strapped to a bed, like Vincent had been a few days before. He was trapped, unable to move, looking up at Vincent in the most pathetic way he'd ever seen the blond. Vincent swallowed his disgust and walked to him.
Blake tried to flinch away, he couldn't let himself hurt Vincent again. He went panicky, hyperventilating and trying to squirm away.
"Blake...hey man, calm down, no one's going to get hurt here, okay?" Blake stilled, crying a little. "Vince...I don't wanna hurt you again."
Vincent sat on the bed next to him, being mindful of his hospital gown and started trying to loosen the restraints on Blake's arms. "Vince...don't touch me, I might-"
"Blake, I need you to help me...see if you can flex." Blake complied, not looking at Vincent, a curtain of matted hair in front of his eyes.
Vincent hesitantly reached out and pushed the hair back, cringing at the amount of grease in it. Blake's eyes moved to meet his own. Vincent saw a mixture of fear, happiness, love...love?
He opened Blake's arm restraints. He knew they were under heavy supervision. Hopefully Blake could help him prove this was all a mistake.
Blake tried once again to flinch away as Vincent's head fell on him, a one sided hug. He was too afraid to function. Vincent knew, he'd felt the other boy's heart beat speed. Vincent rubbed Blake's chest, trying to slow the erratic beating beneath him.
Blake, against all his own wishes, felt himself starting to relax, leaning his head down on Vincent's shoulder. "Vince...I didn't-" "Shhhh. It's okay. I know you didn't mean to do any of it. You're still my best friend."
Vincent hadn't undone all the restraints. He felt some guilt, as Blake couldn't sit up. Or move his legs...but he was afraid. Blake was too, he knew. He knew why Blake wouldn't touch him.
"Blake, we have to prove you're not violent. The doctors-" "Are watching, I know. But...if I touch you, and you die again-" "I'll be fine. I'm just gonna undo the last one that's not, you know, on your legs." "Are you sure you want to do that?"
In all honesty, he wasn't sure at all. But he just went to work until Blake was able to sit up.
Blake sat up gingerly, rubbing his sore arms. His hair flopped back into his eyes and he stiffly swept it back in to place. "Vince...are you sure your heart is strong enough to be around me?" "...it's strong enough. Just...be gentle for now? I don't know, no one ever specified what all I shouldn't do."
Blake gingerly put his arms around Vincent, trying not to crush him. "Is this okay?" Vincent hugged Blake tightly, until their chests were pressed together. "Um, Vince...your heart-" "My heart is just fine, Blake...but I've missed you, and I'd like a hug."
Doctor Chambers watched through the mirrored window as Blake slowly tightened his arms around Vincent. He looked at the psych ward's supervising nurse. "Are you satisfied?" The stern woman looked back at him. "Are you, Doctor Chambers?" He said nothing, but looked back at the two boys as they held one another.
"Sophia...are you certain? Blake's...he's not..." "Antoinette, I understand that you're new as of three weeks ago, physical time. But have you not read about Blake at all?" "I've been busy..." "...okay. Long story short, he's unlabeled. He loves who he loves. And as you can see if you read forward in the report..." "I get it. But I thought...he and the girl-" "Emma Chambers is too untamable for a man like Blake Stewart to handle."
Blake and Vincent seperated at the sound of the door opening. Joanie Stewart ran in and gathered her son into her arms, sobbing openly. Maria Flack followed, with quiet composition. "Mom, I'm fine..." Blake said in exasperation.
Maria took her son's hand and led him out of the room. She knew he could not come home yet, that there were many days of therapy to come. But her son was alive. And he was happy. That was enough.
