Cut to the beat

Ignite

"I need a moment. Excuse me." Ellen said while she briskly left the hospital room. She leaned over the side of the bridged hallway, taking deep breaths. This was everything she wanted in such a terrible way. Custody? She would have to share with Patrick right? Were they able to? The press and the cameras....

"Take a deep breath." Ellen swung herself around to face Patrick. She glared at him, her expression hard.

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down Patrick. My son is dying. I am being offered custody of my dying son so this bullshit about comforting me and us falling in love really isn't the time for it now okay. So back off Patrick!" She hissed, her cheeks turning red. Ellen was angry.

"Our son. Our son Ellen. God. I want him too. I want to share him with you. I want to read him bedtime stories and play catch and watch movies with him. I want to be there for my boy. I want you to care about me. I am the father of this dying child." Patrick replied, equally as heated. Ellen turned back to look at the hospital. Nurses and doctors scurrying about. Typical work day. Ellen's paralleled that life on a screen but what happens when you're the mother of a patient? There's no fairytale here. "Don't turn away from me Ellen. We're trying to have a discussion," Patrick pleaded.

"A discussion about what? What exactly? That I should let you back into my life after you ran away? That I should allow you to see our son? No Patrick. No. I won't be- no that's just not how this works-" Ellen replied, extremely angry.

"Is there an instruction guide because I'd like to know-" Ellen cut Patrick off mid sentence, her hair falling in her face as her lips spewed.

"Grieving for grown ups. Is that want you want? You're here fighting me to make sure we what exactly for our dying son?" She questioned, looking at him. She was broken. Couldn't he see?

Patrick took a deep breath. He didn't want to fight. He didn't want any of this. Gently he laid his hand on her shoulder only to have Ellen flinch and move away. Flinch. Patrick pulled back, ashamed. He used to be able to touch Ellen, to calm her. He could no longer touch her. He didn't have that right.

"I miss you. My life has changed, a lot since I left you. Ellen I don't know what I want besides you-"

Ellen stared into his eyes for a good few minutes before replying in a strangled voice,

"I never stopped wanting you. You left me after you gave Everett away...I didn't want you to go," she choked on her words and swallowed before continuing. "I spent months and hours wishing for you back. Patrick..."

Patrick stepped closer to her, his hands clasping hers. She didn't pull away. Ellen took a deep breath looking into his indigo eyes. They both were thinking it. It was almost 8Pm, the entire ward had gone to sleep. Ellen could smell Patrick's sweet cologne wafting off of him as he waited for her to make a move. Her skin prickled with anticipation. She loathed Patrick right now but nothing sounded better than to sleep with him. To feel what she was missing.

Patrick licked his lips, feeling the space between them close rapidly. In mere seconds his lips were on hers with such ferocity that Ellen reached behind to hold herself steady on the railing. Her free hand went to pull his head in, tugging at the curls on the nape of his neck. They were just the same as they had been three years ago. Patrick continued the kiss, deepening it. His hands cupped her cheeks, bringing her into him. Ellen slid her hand along the rail, pulling back from Patrick. Their eyes asked the haunting question.

Would they do it? Open on call rooms called their name. Ellen backed her way into one and Patrick closed the door. He looked down at Ellen, taking deep breaths. She looked up at him, her green eyes pleading. It had been three years since their bodies were that close. Since her hands had felt his chest. Since he had kissed every inch of her. Patrick licked his lips. He used to be able to taste her, and he couldn't remember how she tasted. He couldn't remember her smell. The little organic details of her he just couldn't think of.