Logan

106. Wanna Write You Love Notes

*Desmond's POV*

This isn't my bed.

I gotta get out of here.

I felt the pang of pain in my head as I sat up, but I managed to spot the door and walked down the steps into the parking lot. Wherever I'd just been, I don't want to know how I got there. My last memory was talking to the bartender, and then nothing. Shit, did I black out?

Last time it got that bad...

It was after he died.

I shook my head to forbid me from the thought, last time I blacked out, I woke up near a dumpster on some street in Sunnyside. Luckily this time I had my wallet and keys still in my pocket.

I felt like death, and managed to hurl into a trash can. I checked my phone, no new phone calls from Babs, no messages from Natalie.

But there was a text from Cap: "Gideon got into a car accident, a little fender bender, but he won't be able to come in for his 12 hour. Could you cover?"

I groaned, messaging back, "Sure, what time?"

"2pm"

I looked at my phone, shit. I needed coffee. How could it only be 6am yet it felt like two in the afternoon?

I messaged back, "See you then"

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*Natalie's POV*

I jolted awake from a nightmare, shit they're back.

I felt the pang of panic in my chest, and coughed a bit from moving too fast as I sat up. Frankie was gone, probably awake making breakfast with Alex. I could hear movement, and managed to make my way into the living room.

"Morning," I mumbled gruffly, still waking up.

I managed to gingerly sit down on the edge of the kitchen bench, and Frankie set a cup of coffee in front of me. I warmed my hands on it, taking in the smell and waking up. "Oh my god, you're a goddess divine, this is wonderful."

Frankie laughed, "She's awoken! The smell of coffee is her true love's kiss!"

I snickered, "Only because it's been almost a week out of the hospital and I'm barely starting to feel like myself again." Frankie sat a plate down beside me with some eggs and bacon. I mumbled a 'thank you' as I stuffed some eggs in my face. I looked down to see a voicemail.

"heyyooo, it's me. Desmond. Sorry to call youuu so late," he laughed, "I just um, oh wait, what was I going to say. Um....I really like you. I do, I um, I'm nervous." He laughed again, with a voice in the background, "What? Mr. Bartender said I should tell you the truth, so here it goes. I'm-" then it stopped.

"What the hell?" I scoffed, setting my phone down. "That was Desmond, he sounded drunk."

Frankie rolled her eyes, "Probably got wasted after you called him out and tried to call you to suck up."

I shrugged, "I don't know, but it was weird." Just as she sat down, the door rang.

Alex looked at us confusingly, "I wasn't expecting anyone, were you guys?"

I shook my head, so he went to the door. He opened the door and I could see Desmond.

"Hey Alex, I know it's really early for me to be coming here, but I was wondering if I could talk to Natalie."

He looked to be in his emt uniform, which was weird, I thought he had three days off.

Alex knew what had happened last night, I told him after he came home from work. "I don't know, Desmond."

Desmond's face was pleading, but he stepped back. "Okay, I'm going to work at two, Gideon had a car accident so I have to cover his shift."

Alex stepped back and turned to me and Natalie, "Frankie?"

Frankie looked at her phone and shook her head, "No I didn't know." She stood up, and grabbed her keys from the counter, "Uh, I should go. I'll pick up the rest of my stuff later."

I started to get up, but Frankie put her hand on my shoulder, "You don't have to get up, I'll be fine. I'll text you."

I shook my head, "I need to, I want to talk to him."

Frankie nodded and shuffled her way past Alex and Desmond, heading to her car.

"Natalie, you should lay down and rest." Alex said. I looked over at Desmond as I took a few more steps, almost to the door.

"Alex, let me talk to him." I motioned behind me so he could move from the doorframe, and he did. Alex knew how to make himself scarce, yet I could still see him from the corner of my eye.

Desmond's eyes looked tired, and I saw the smallest smile at the corner of his mouth. "Hey."

I sighed, "Hey." Then I remembered I was still in my oversized old t-shirt and pajamas and suddenly felt very exposed, my hair was still in its bed-head shape, and I tried to flatten it. "Um, I'm really not prepared for human eyes." I chuckled.

Desmond smiled, reaching out and tucking a bit of hair behind my ear, "You're fine, in fact, you look quite beautiful."

I felt conflicted, he didn't like me the way I liked him, yet he was being sweet with me. Was this some kind of ploy? I didn't want it.

I took a step back, my voice coming out more moody than anticipated, "Why are you here, Desmond?"

Desmond looked down and fiddled with the strap on his uniform, then looked back up at me, "I need to explain something to you, but it's not the time for this. Not while I'm standing at your door, trying to get back in your good graces. You're such a ray of light on my cloudy days, that I want to tell you everything. But the truth is, I'm scared to mess things up. I really like you, as in eighth grade like like you, get butterflies in my stomach whenever you look at me, wanna write you love notes kind of like."

I couldn't help but smile, but then reality rushed in. I stepped back a little more and he noticed.

"Can we talk later, maybe after my shift? I will bring you a full meal with all the fixings or I can bring you a snack, I just, I need to explain things." He was pleading with me, but he knew not to push.

I didn't say anything, and so he took a step back. "I understand. If you're still interested in talking later, I'd really like to hear from you. See you later." Desmond nodded and walked back to his car and then drove away.

"Natalie, why don't you hear what he has to say?" Alex asked as I sat back down.

I sighed, "I'm scared, Alex. I really like him, but I don't want to get hurt again."

Alex nodded, putting some pancakes on my plate, "If you ask me, I'd call him. Take it from me, sometimes you have to take risks, even if you might get hurt."