If I Fell

~51~

Night Watchmen

She was unconscious due to a liquid cocktail of painkiller and sedation, the room was dim and a nurse sat quietly beside the end of the bed, a table in the corner held a brown paper bag of her clothing, charred shoes sat on the floor, the heels and middle perfect, the toes curled and melted.

And bandages covered her. Part of her forehead, her shoulder strapped, one foot bandaged toe to ankle, a smaller one strapping her other foot.

Delicate lashes framed closed eyes, a pink tinge on her cheeks, pale skin beneath, remnants of her lipstick edged her lips. Arms flat at her sides she looked younger than her years and too small for the bed.

"One visitor at a time. She may wake soon" The nurse stood and Paul let John enter the room first, it was only fair John the lover, Paul the friend. He cringed at that and sat beside Mal as he contemplated just how to make her more, something more permanent in his, and his fathers, life. 'Sister' was a make-believe word in their case, not blood ties or adoption papers signed in blue ink.

As he picked up her hand gently John groaned inwardly at the painful things she suffered this afternoon.

"Sweet Abigail, what has that lorry done" John mused quietly hyper aware of his surroundings, the disinfectant smell overtaking his senses. Time slowed and he held her hand, rubbing circles, wishing her awake but more importantly whole and healthy.

He was quiet, just watching her breath and in that moment, felt privileged to know her. Innocent yet naughty, loving unconditionally and completely; him completely. He contemplated silently that, now, another person he loved had been so close to being lost to him forever, once again. He didn't cry but had to wipe his eyes with the back of his hand and steady his breathing, John never cried.

Like ships passing in the dead of night they traded places silently, Paul to her bedside and John to the hallway a few feet outside the room, the waiting area was too far, even though it was just down the hall to the right.

Paul stole a kiss from her lips then sat on the edge of the bed beside her hip, her hand felt small and fragile like delicate china and the bandages wove panic in his heart. She just had to be alright.

Brian had spoken to the doctor and found out most of the particulars, being assured the Abigail was stable and her injuries miraculously non-life threatening. The boys would surely want to know all of this as soon as they felt the need. 

Brian also broached the subject of making arrangements for the first available ambulance to take Abigail to the best hospital in London. If the boys felt the need to hurt him over the non-disclosure of the night before at least he had tried, as soon as he could, to bring her home.

"Abigail you are a deadset thief" Paul muttered tiredly to her. John sat on the floor in the doorway dying for a fag but not daring to leave the doorways frame. He listened while Paul spoke, nodding, agreeing at the words "You're a thief 'cause you have stolen many hearts so very quickly"

John moaned a tired agreement ducking his head into his shoulder and Paul carried on, he couldn't care less what John thought of him, if he stepped over invisible lines in the very early morning. All he cared about was their Abbs, his Abigail.

"First Da, lucky bugger wasn't he, had you all to himself, no wonder he didn't disagree with me when he sent you to Liverpool the weekends I came home. How many months have we missed out of your company....too many"

"John, he does love you but so do I and I'm not going to excuse that, I'm not going to apologize because you're you and you wrangle your way into everyone's heart, softly like the breeze. Even Brian's out there with tears in his eyes, tissue up to his nose"

Paul ducked down and kissed her cheek before leaning up again, John noticed the movement, a head tipped back on the wood behind, ceding, relenting to Paul's love, it never left and was always there, it just travelled under the radar so that Abs was ignorant of the fact.

"George thinks you're a riot, Pattie and Mo have a new girlfriend, Richard- a new foil to his comedy. I think Mal broke every bloody speed limit to get here you know, and you know for a fact, Mal never takes a step wrong, does he" Paul quietened and John couldn't see the sense in not being beside her, the nurse wasn't here to play Hitler, he stepped to the other side of the bed and took up position, guards on duty of their princess.

A tip of the head and they agreed silently, holding her hands gently, a sigh from Abigail making their fingers flex and feel for movement. Extreme tiredness was hovering over them, the night was already long and now morning was upon them. She moved and hissed. Neither went for the nurse, neither let go. A button called out instead.

Mal moved carefully forward from the doorway with the days local paper a large picture on the front, the Aston Martin looking more sardine tin than car. The lorry burnt out as it sat straddling the Aston Martins bonnet. The burnt and charred remains of the engine compartment.

"Oh God" Abigail sounded like Abigail and all heaved a sigh of relief. Light flooded her aching eyes, body tight and sore, and ever so painful; but she was awake and they were here "Paul.... John...... hello Malcolm where's Lil?" Abigail being Abigail lurched to rise but as she went about leaning on the bad shoulder it instantly had her crying out in distress. She was, as always, impatient, needing to be up and about.

"Abbs, lay back down. Mal get the doctor!" Paul took Abbs head and good shoulder, carefully getting her back to the pillow as she winced.

"Oh the car. Paul where's the car!"

"Oh, you're a worrier Abbs, don't worry bout the dumb car. It's you we're worrying about darling" John leaned into Abigail's line of sight pulling her blurred vision from the back wall to his eyes, calming her no end. "You're banged up but you're going to be fine, alright"

She nodded carefully and tried to grip the boy's hands as the doctor pushed them away and out of the room, she cried as he poked her about and sobbed as he wouldn't let them back in for over an hour after... it might well been an eternity in her eyes.