Running Free // Calum Hood AU //

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

I smiled as I sat in the cafeteria reading the words on his board as he wrote a joke. I shrugged in reply.

"No, I don't know." I held back a smile. He quickly rubbed off the words previously written there and he scrawled down a reply and I met his eyes for a brief second before bursting out laughing. Everyone else who was sat in here looked at us with wide eyes and Michael's cheeks turned a bright red as he smiled at his legs hiding his face behind the board. I covered my mouth and giggled almost silently. "Okay okay, you got me with that one."

He peeked from behind his board his eyes smiling.

"Here, I have a joke for you." Another person walked up, his friends behind him. "Why don't you kill yourself you mute freak."

The eye smile that brightened up the area around Michael faded, and tears brimmed his eyes. Michael stood up and went to run away and I grabbed his hand gently and pulled him close. He hid behind me and I could hear his sniffles.

"Now that's not very nice is it?" I spoke strongly. "If the positions were reversed, you wouldn't like it would you?"

"And who are you to speak? You tried making friends with a murderer, I don't care if you're a doctor or not in this place I'll beat you up too."

"Calum, sit down." I heard Doctor Hemmings say a few tables away.

"Try it." I narrowed my eyes. "Insult a patient of mine again and I won't hesitate to put you on your ass in solitary confinement."

He swung for me, drawing his arm right back. A bad mistake. I pushed Michael out of the way behind me and grabbed his punch, the force sending me onto my back. I twisted his arm and watched as his face contorted in pain and I twisted our bodies so I was on his back and his arm was pinned behind him.

"Why didn't you believe me?" I spoke lowly.

"See, she can handle herself. Let's go back to your room Calum." Doctor Hemmings spoke. Michael ran over when the guards came and collected the person from underneath me and clung to my side sobbing hysterically. I pulled him close and ruffled his hair gently.

"Calm down, it's all okay." I whispered softly. "No one will hurt you." His fists grabbed the material of the white coat as his sobs became louder. "Should we go to bed now? It's getting late." I spoke. He nodded and I lead him through corridors to his room. I smiled slightly and laid him down.

I wiped away his tears gently and he sniffled, his eyes widening like a little kids.

"I'll be here at ten am tomorrow morning okay? I have things to do around here in the morning. But if you need me-" I paused and grabbed his board and wrote down my number so he could go to another doctor and get them to call me. His eyes widened as he snatched the board off me.

'Your phone number? Really?'

I nodded smiling at him.

"I want nothing but you to feel comfortable and get better." I spoke softly. "If that means you get someone to call me to be here at every moment you need me, so be it."

'Thank you, Elizabeth.'

He started tearing up again and I smiled softly and pressed a kiss to his forehead and tucked him in.

"I'll be here till midnight tonight, if you need me between now and then buzz for me." I smiled. He nodded and his eyelids drooped. "Goodnight Michael, sleep well."

--

I sat in my office typing up reports for a while until I came across Calum's old report from when he was my patient from our sessions together. My mouse hovered over the file with his name on for a few seconds.

I knew he didn't have it in him to be a murderer. But should I still uncover the truth even when he isn't my patient?

Calum

I walked into Michael's room after I saw Elizabeth leave, he was half asleep in his bed. His eyes widened when he saw me and he sat upright in bed reaching for the buzzer on his bedside table.

"No no!" I whisper yelled. "It's me Cal. I'm here about Elizabeth okay?"

'What do you want?'

"She's very prone to getting injured, as you know she was in the infirmary the other day because she was protecting me. She managed to stop herself or you getting hurt today by the other bloke." I paused. "I want you to protect her okay? I can't do it. You will have to. She means a lot to the both of us clearly."

'Why me? Have you seen me I'm pathetic.'

"Because around me she will get hurt, so I can't look out for her."

'I can try.'

"Thank you Michael, it means a lot."

'I'm tired now, can you leave?'

"Of course, goodnight." I spoke softly, my eyes glancing over the board and in the top corner, I could read the faint numbers of a phone number. As I shut his door behind me I couldn't help but let my blood boil realising who's number it was.

Hers.