Empathy

Chapter Twenty

Nonni and I left the mental health wing of St. Patrick Hospital. A new light now shined down on me.

My family, Peri, Luna, and Aiden's family were in his hospital room. I saw that they were all around his bed. I couldn't see Aiden in the circle of people, but I could tell that he was hooked up to an IV, giving him fluids.

"Is it alright if we come in?" Nonni asked the crowd as we entered through the room. Numerous eyes turned to the two of us. Including Aiden's.

"Yeah," he said, his voice raspy from disuse. "If it's alright with you guys, I'd like to speak with Marvel alone." His parents nodded in the affirmative.

"We should leave, too," Gemma said, a gleam in her eye that I caught. You going to be alright? She mouthed to me as she pushed and pulled our mother, Luna, and Peri out of the door.

"Ah, but I want to watch the show," Laurel whined. Seriously, wasn't she an adult?

"Come on, Lulu. Take your brother to the cafeteria and we'll all meet you down there," Carlton spoke.

"Fine," Laurel chimed. They were all out the door, but not before Laurel stopped and winked at us. "Keep it PG, we wouldn't want to take advantage of our hospitality, now, would we?" And with that, we were alone.

"So," Aiden rasped. He winced, sitting up straighter in his bed. "You want to tell just what last night was all about?"

I winced along with him. "You look great," I said, changing the subject. And he did, despite the description I got from Mom earlier today. He still looked like he was in pain. The cut on his forehead was stitched up, little black lines covering the wound. There was still some swelling and bruising, along with his fractured ribs, but other than that, it looked like he was hurt playing a game of football at a game.

"You're stalling, Vel," he told me. "Just tell me what that was. Please."

"I'm sorry," I said, kneeling down at his bedside. "I'm so sorry. I let my powers get out of control. And when I realized how badly you were hurt, I was so afraid I lost you." I didn't realize I was crying until Aiden wiped a tear from my cheek. "I can't lose you like I lost my dad. I couldn't survive it back then. And now that I have you, I don't think I could live if you weren't in my life."

A little laugh escaped him. "Who's the dork now?" he asked. I smiled, taking one of his hands in mine, grasping it so tightly. "How about you tell me everything." I nodded.

"Just let me do one thing first," I told him. An expectant look was on his face. I leaned down to his face and kissed him gently, our lips meeting innocently, so very unlike the teenagers we were. I parted from him but he leaned forward, chasing my lips.

"I love you so much," he proclaimed. "So damn much, Marvel Vayle."

A watery laugh left my lips. "I love you so damn much, too, you giant dork. So, where do you want me to begin?"

"How about with the part where you became such a badass?" he suggested with an adorable shrug of his shoulders. I hiccuped a laugh.

"I'm hardly a badass, Aiden," I told him softly. "I could have killed you. I never would have forgiven myself if that happened."

The boy smiled at me before it turned into a wince. "That would never happen, Vel." He sat up straighter in bed. I could see him clutching his stomach in pain.

"Be careful, please. You could accidentally open your wounds."

"Vel," he whispered, pain evident in his voice.

"I'm serious." I couldn't hold back the sob in my voice. "Aiden, I never would have found out if anything happened if it hadn't been for your parents." I stopped, taking a deep breath. "Not to mention, I'm dangerous."

"You're not dangerous," he argued.

I laughed again. "Really? How did you end up in the hospital again?"

"I tried to get in the way of my super awesome girlfriend?"

I gaped at him, wonder in my voice as I asked, "You still think of me as your girlfriend?"

"What else would I think of you as?" he asked me. His eyes were so innocent and honest. He wasn't holding anything back from me or from himself. I couldn't get a read off of him, nothing at all except seeing the honesty and wonder in his big eyes. He was telling the truth, that much was certain. "Vel, I've always wanted you as my girlfriend. And now that I got you, why on Earth would I give you up?"

Another sob left my lips, barely containing myself from the emotions, my emotions in particular.

He continued, "So what if you threw me into a tree? With the sheer force coming off of you? That just makes you even more unique." He gripped my hand tighter in his. He seemed afraid that if he let go, I would disappear. "So, how about you tell me from the very beginning?" he asked, leaning into me and laying his head on my shoulder. I stroked his back gently.

"It all started when my dad died," I began. My hand clutched the back of his hospital gown tightly. I was unsure of how to go on. He simply gripped my hand tighter in a reassuring grip. I smiled and kissed his forehead, continuing on with my story, finally feeling the courage.