couples_therapy || 57.2. Stay
57.2. Stay
Co-written with paramedically
[Backdated about a week ago | Follows THIS]
Ali arrived back in the bedroom with a sympathetic smile. She carefully set a mug down on the dresser and sat on the side of the bed beside Andrew, handing him the large bowl from under her arm. “All clean again and I brought you some peppermint tea. I thought it might be worth a shot to try and settle your stomach.” She unhooked a damp face cloth from over her wrist that she had collected from the bathroom on her way, too. As a new Mum, she was getting extremely talented with finding ways to carry a bunch of objects all at once. The maternity bra was a brilliant source for shoving things down, too. She brushed his hair back and gently wiped over his face with the cool cloth. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”
“Crap,” Andrew offered with a slight laugh which caused him to wince in pain. His torso was bruised too. Laughing hurt. Most things hurt actually. He accepted the bowl gratefully. He didn’t think he was done with it just yet. A broken and casted ankle made it impossible for him to run for the bathroom when the concussion caused him to vomit. There was not a single pleasant thing about what he was going through right now. But every time he was sick, Ali just cleaned him up and offered more TLC. He was lucky. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. “Woozy, nauseous, sore. The usual when one gets pushed down a flight of stairs.”
Ali pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Arsehole,” she murmured. “I hope they lock him up and throw away the key. Do you remember much about it? Luke and Tab are staying here for a couple of days, too. Do you remember them coming? You were pretty out of it when we brought you home and you’ve had a rough night.”
“I don’t remember getting pushed, really. I vaguely remember Tab and Luke being here. I mostly just remember feeling really dizzy and sick. Like I was stuck on a rollercoaster that wouldn’t stop. I feel like I just want to sleep now,” Andrew admitted, closing his eyes at the small relief that came with the cool dampness over his face. “Is Jamie okay?”
Ali leaned in and kissed his forehead. “You can sleep as much as you need, sweetheart. But will you try some of the tea for me? I’d rather a bit of something in your stomach than nothing at all. Even if it doesn’t stay down long.” She tucked her leg up underneath her and set the cloth aside. “She’s fine. She’s not been too bad today. Tab and Luke are entertaining her for me. They took over when I could hear you being sick again. Max is back from London tomorrow, too. He’s going to come stay for a few days to help out. Leave me open to play nursemaid. Don’t even think you’ll get my arse in one of those little uniforms, though.”
Andrew gave a small, strained laugh in amusement. “Damn,” he replied. “I might’ve set this all up just to get you into one.”
“How about a sexy cop uniform when you’re feeling better? Hell, I might even go the whole distance and wear the suspenders. I do really known how to handle my large weapons, you know,” Ali told him, smirking. She brushed her fingers through his hair gently, careful not to touch the wounded area. “I wanted to ask you something. I’ve been wanting to ask for a couple of weeks but things have been kind of up the arse, you know? Especially with the whole James thing. But now this has happened, I just want you to know this isn’t why I’m asking. I’m asking because I really want it…”
Andrew watched her through heavy-lidded, groggy eyes and wet his lips, smiling a little. “If my head wasn’t already pounding, that sentence would’ve just made it so.” He reached for her other hand and tucked his fingers in with hers. “Are you okay? Has something happened?”
Tears formed in Ali’s eyes before she could stop herself reacting. But she smiled. “God, you’re beautiful. You’re all smashed up and in pain, and worried if I’m okay. I am, gorgeous. As much as I can be seeing my beautiful lover all banged up like this because of some dickhead druggie.” She stopped for a moment to trail her fingers from his hair down to his cheek. “I want you to move in with me. With us. With me and Sunshine. See? I know that sounds like I’m just asking because you’re hurt, but I’m really not. I’d like us to make that next step together and now is probably good timing so I can take care of you. Hell, I’m already being a pain in your arse watching you like a hawk when you’re asleep. I promise I won’t do that if you come live here… with me. Stay. Please?”
Andrew wet his lips and blinked tiredly. “You don’t think it’s too soon. We’ve only really been seeing each other about four months. I know you prefer your whole independence thing. Are you sure this is not just… reactionary?” he asked quietly. “Or maybe because I’ve been kind of closed off recently?”
Ali shook her head. “No, but let’s talk about that. I know everything you learned about James… Marc… whatever,” she muttered, shaking her head, “was a shock. Hell, I’m still fucking in shock and I learned about it weeks ago. And I know he seems like an arsehole and that you probably hate his guts. Which is okay, you have every right to. When he went about all this, he fucking ballsed it up and you were the one who got hurt the most in it, but just know I will kick his arse for that once the dust settles. I think he knows I will, too. But I-”
“I don’t hate him, baby,” Andrew interrupted quietly, a small frown appearing on his face. “I just don’t know him. All I know of him is negative things and that he faked his own death leading to a grief which nearly ruined you. I know that he walked out on you and Jamie, but that his reasons were pretty important. I know he’s an important person. I know he has duties to fulfil. But I don’t know him. I don’t know how to take any of this and I don’t know what it’s going to mean for us if he’s in our life. I mean, he’s Jamie’s biological uncle. His brother is her father. I don’t think it’s a hard push for you to understand that this whole thing has just confused the fucking shit out of me and to be totally honest, the only thing I really knew what to do in the wake of it all was shut the fuck up and back away. Because really, I don’t think I was born equipped with the right brain cells to know what to do when one’s FBI girlfriend reveals that her dead best friend is actually alive and some multi-skilled, super secret 007 agent spy person. I’m a paramedic who likes to eat peanut butter out of a jar and sing in the shower. I suddenly feel like I’m out of your realm.”
Ali couldn’t help but laugh softly at his statements about 007 and singing in the shower. The singing was always something she absolutely adored about him, no matter how dorky. She shook her head fondly and then leaned over to nuzzle his cheek before giving him a soft kiss. “He feels the same, gorgeous. He feels like I’m in this sweet little happy world with you where everything is perfect and content, and he’s suddenly universes away from me… and you know what? He’s right. He is very right. You aren’t out of my realm, Andrew, you are my realm. You and my daughter are the reason I get up in the morning, because to be fucking honest, when I wake up most days right now, I feel so heavy and down that I really don’t know want to get up again. But then you’re lying there next to me and you’re warm and you’re touching me. You’re waking up and making sure I’m okay and, Andrew? No one has ever, in my whole life, made me feel the way you do every morning when I wake up and you lift that black cloud from my mind. Not James, not James’ brother, not anyone. I still love James. He’s my best friend and I hope that you can learn soon enough that beyond the secret James Bond exterior, he’s a fantastic guy that has so much love to give that he always fucking trips over it and stuffs up. He isn’t very well-versed in feelings. I never used to be so great, either. But you change my life. The day I had Sunshine was the best day of my life. Not just because I became a Mummy but because you were there to tell me I could do it and that I wasn’t alone. That’s why I need you, sweetheart. It’s why I want you, right here beside me, so I can have that waking up feeling all the time.”
Andrew nodded, slipping his fingers through the back of her hair and pulling her close against him. “Then I’ll stay,” he promised softly.
Marcus Fraser (aka James) [agentfraser] referenced with permission
Word Count | 1,566
Co-written with paramedically
[Backdated about a week ago | Follows THIS]
Ali arrived back in the bedroom with a sympathetic smile. She carefully set a mug down on the dresser and sat on the side of the bed beside Andrew, handing him the large bowl from under her arm. “All clean again and I brought you some peppermint tea. I thought it might be worth a shot to try and settle your stomach.” She unhooked a damp face cloth from over her wrist that she had collected from the bathroom on her way, too. As a new Mum, she was getting extremely talented with finding ways to carry a bunch of objects all at once. The maternity bra was a brilliant source for shoving things down, too. She brushed his hair back and gently wiped over his face with the cool cloth. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”
“Crap,” Andrew offered with a slight laugh which caused him to wince in pain. His torso was bruised too. Laughing hurt. Most things hurt actually. He accepted the bowl gratefully. He didn’t think he was done with it just yet. A broken and casted ankle made it impossible for him to run for the bathroom when the concussion caused him to vomit. There was not a single pleasant thing about what he was going through right now. But every time he was sick, Ali just cleaned him up and offered more TLC. He was lucky. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. “Woozy, nauseous, sore. The usual when one gets pushed down a flight of stairs.”
Ali pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Arsehole,” she murmured. “I hope they lock him up and throw away the key. Do you remember much about it? Luke and Tab are staying here for a couple of days, too. Do you remember them coming? You were pretty out of it when we brought you home and you’ve had a rough night.”
“I don’t remember getting pushed, really. I vaguely remember Tab and Luke being here. I mostly just remember feeling really dizzy and sick. Like I was stuck on a rollercoaster that wouldn’t stop. I feel like I just want to sleep now,” Andrew admitted, closing his eyes at the small relief that came with the cool dampness over his face. “Is Jamie okay?”
Ali leaned in and kissed his forehead. “You can sleep as much as you need, sweetheart. But will you try some of the tea for me? I’d rather a bit of something in your stomach than nothing at all. Even if it doesn’t stay down long.” She tucked her leg up underneath her and set the cloth aside. “She’s fine. She’s not been too bad today. Tab and Luke are entertaining her for me. They took over when I could hear you being sick again. Max is back from London tomorrow, too. He’s going to come stay for a few days to help out. Leave me open to play nursemaid. Don’t even think you’ll get my arse in one of those little uniforms, though.”
Andrew gave a small, strained laugh in amusement. “Damn,” he replied. “I might’ve set this all up just to get you into one.”
“How about a sexy cop uniform when you’re feeling better? Hell, I might even go the whole distance and wear the suspenders. I do really known how to handle my large weapons, you know,” Ali told him, smirking. She brushed her fingers through his hair gently, careful not to touch the wounded area. “I wanted to ask you something. I’ve been wanting to ask for a couple of weeks but things have been kind of up the arse, you know? Especially with the whole James thing. But now this has happened, I just want you to know this isn’t why I’m asking. I’m asking because I really want it…”
Andrew watched her through heavy-lidded, groggy eyes and wet his lips, smiling a little. “If my head wasn’t already pounding, that sentence would’ve just made it so.” He reached for her other hand and tucked his fingers in with hers. “Are you okay? Has something happened?”
Tears formed in Ali’s eyes before she could stop herself reacting. But she smiled. “God, you’re beautiful. You’re all smashed up and in pain, and worried if I’m okay. I am, gorgeous. As much as I can be seeing my beautiful lover all banged up like this because of some dickhead druggie.” She stopped for a moment to trail her fingers from his hair down to his cheek. “I want you to move in with me. With us. With me and Sunshine. See? I know that sounds like I’m just asking because you’re hurt, but I’m really not. I’d like us to make that next step together and now is probably good timing so I can take care of you. Hell, I’m already being a pain in your arse watching you like a hawk when you’re asleep. I promise I won’t do that if you come live here… with me. Stay. Please?”
Andrew wet his lips and blinked tiredly. “You don’t think it’s too soon. We’ve only really been seeing each other about four months. I know you prefer your whole independence thing. Are you sure this is not just… reactionary?” he asked quietly. “Or maybe because I’ve been kind of closed off recently?”
Ali shook her head. “No, but let’s talk about that. I know everything you learned about James… Marc… whatever,” she muttered, shaking her head, “was a shock. Hell, I’m still fucking in shock and I learned about it weeks ago. And I know he seems like an arsehole and that you probably hate his guts. Which is okay, you have every right to. When he went about all this, he fucking ballsed it up and you were the one who got hurt the most in it, but just know I will kick his arse for that once the dust settles. I think he knows I will, too. But I-”
“I don’t hate him, baby,” Andrew interrupted quietly, a small frown appearing on his face. “I just don’t know him. All I know of him is negative things and that he faked his own death leading to a grief which nearly ruined you. I know that he walked out on you and Jamie, but that his reasons were pretty important. I know he’s an important person. I know he has duties to fulfil. But I don’t know him. I don’t know how to take any of this and I don’t know what it’s going to mean for us if he’s in our life. I mean, he’s Jamie’s biological uncle. His brother is her father. I don’t think it’s a hard push for you to understand that this whole thing has just confused the fucking shit out of me and to be totally honest, the only thing I really knew what to do in the wake of it all was shut the fuck up and back away. Because really, I don’t think I was born equipped with the right brain cells to know what to do when one’s FBI girlfriend reveals that her dead best friend is actually alive and some multi-skilled, super secret 007 agent spy person. I’m a paramedic who likes to eat peanut butter out of a jar and sing in the shower. I suddenly feel like I’m out of your realm.”
Ali couldn’t help but laugh softly at his statements about 007 and singing in the shower. The singing was always something she absolutely adored about him, no matter how dorky. She shook her head fondly and then leaned over to nuzzle his cheek before giving him a soft kiss. “He feels the same, gorgeous. He feels like I’m in this sweet little happy world with you where everything is perfect and content, and he’s suddenly universes away from me… and you know what? He’s right. He is very right. You aren’t out of my realm, Andrew, you are my realm. You and my daughter are the reason I get up in the morning, because to be fucking honest, when I wake up most days right now, I feel so heavy and down that I really don’t know want to get up again. But then you’re lying there next to me and you’re warm and you’re touching me. You’re waking up and making sure I’m okay and, Andrew? No one has ever, in my whole life, made me feel the way you do every morning when I wake up and you lift that black cloud from my mind. Not James, not James’ brother, not anyone. I still love James. He’s my best friend and I hope that you can learn soon enough that beyond the secret James Bond exterior, he’s a fantastic guy that has so much love to give that he always fucking trips over it and stuffs up. He isn’t very well-versed in feelings. I never used to be so great, either. But you change my life. The day I had Sunshine was the best day of my life. Not just because I became a Mummy but because you were there to tell me I could do it and that I wasn’t alone. That’s why I need you, sweetheart. It’s why I want you, right here beside me, so I can have that waking up feeling all the time.”
Andrew nodded, slipping his fingers through the back of her hair and pulling her close against him. “Then I’ll stay,” he promised softly.
Marcus Fraser (aka James) [agentfraser] referenced with permission
Word Count | 1,566