The Darkness Inside the Light-Chapter 3
Again, a big thanks to all who reviewed. Sorry about the wait, but I've been really busy this weekend. Anywayz, here's chapter three along with links to the previous chapters.
Title: The Darkness Inside the Light
Chapter: 3/5
Author: jalluvsrmz
Pairing: Bam/Ville
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: some cursing-that’s about it
Summary: Bam saves Ville from a life of sorrow.
Disclaimer: Don’t own, don’t sue. You won’t get any money outta me anyway. This is totally fictional and never happened, I swear.
Chapter1
I knew something was wrong when I hadn’t heard from him after a few months. He used to call every week, but now it was a week before Christmas and I hadn’t talked to him since the end of September. But I never expected to find him half-dead in the woods behind my house.
It had been snowing the night before, and we’d gotten almost nine inches-not uncommon for this time of year. In the morning, I went four-wheeling in the woods with Raab and Dunn. We were bored, and there was nothing else to do.
We were about half a mile out when I saw his body lying on the ground almost completely covered in snow. I got to him as fast as I could and checked for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. Then, I noticed that his lips and the tips of his fingers were tinted blue, his skin more pale and white than the snow beneath him. He wasn’t even wearing a coat or scarf, just a thin, black T-shirt and ripped jeans.
I picked him up in my arms and held him on my lap trying to decide what to do. He was freezing. He could die at any minute, and I was too shocked at finding him to do anything. He shivered against me which made me worry even more for him. It was then that I noticed the bruises. There was a small one to the side of his left eye and another on the left side of his jaw. Who had done this to him?
Raab suggested calling an ambulance, but I knew that he would be terrified if he woke up in the hospital, especially if he woke up alone-they probably wouldn’t let me in to see him since I wasn’t a relative. There was no way I was going to put him in the care of a bunch of white coats.
I checked his pulse again to find that it had gotten slightly stronger, probably because of my body heat against him. It wouldn’t be enough to get him back to the house, though. Sitting him forward slightly, I took off my coat and wrapped it around his shaking shoulders wondering for a moment if he’d lost weight. He looked thinner than the last time I’d seen him, but the thought was dismissed as I lifted him, sitting him in front of me on the ATV. I drove back with one hand on the boy in my arms and the other on the handlebars, Raab and Dunn close behind.
It only took a few minutes to get back, but it seemed like an eternity as he trembled more and more against me. Finally, we left the woods and traveled the short distance to my back door. Raab and Dunn took care of the ATVs as I carried the unconscious boy into my home and up the stairs to my bedroom. As I lay him down on my bed, I knew that I had to get him warmed up. The snow on him had melted and soaked into his clothes probably making him ten times colder.
Wanting to get his body temperature back up to normal, I took him into the bathroom closing the door behind us. Turning the knob on the bath tub, I waited until the water was warm enough, plugging the drain and letting it fill up. I spent the next few minutes taking his clothes off and listening to him whimper in his sleep the entire time. Was I scaring him? He sounded terrified and subconsciously shrunk away from me. When I finished stripping him of his wet clothing, I looked him over only to find bruised ribs protruding from his white skin. There were more bruises on his legs and arms along with a few cigarette burns and a good many scars. Clearly, someone had been hurting him for a long time now.
I thought back to the last time he called me. He’d said something about a new boyfriend, but he seemed to be really happy. Had this guy started being abusive?
My thoughts turned to my friend as I heard a small cry escape his lips. He would probably awaken soon, but I wanted to get him cleaned up. I turned off the water and carefully lifted him into the bath tub. Remembering that he wouldn’t be able to sit up on his own, I held his head above the water as I washed him gently with a hand towel. He seemed to be getting better because his fingers and lips were no longer blue, but he still felt cold to me. Maybe it was just my imagination, but he kept crying slightly, and tears were beginning to flow freely from his eyes. He must’ve been having a nightmare, but I still couldn’t wake him up.
When I was finished, I pulled the boy out of the bath tub and wrapped a towel around him wondering what I could give him to wear. He used to be three sizes smaller than me, but he’d clearly lost a lot of weight since then.
I took him back into my room and set him on the bed before I started rummaging through my drawers. Eventually, I found an old CKY shirt and jeans that were both too small for me and hoped they would work. As carefully as possible, I dressed him in the clothes. They were noticeably big on his frail body, but they would work. I then went back to the bathroom to empty the tub and get a thermometer. I was still worried that he might have hypothermia, so I put the small stick under his tongue and waited for a result. A few minutes later, it beeped, and I pulled it out of his mouth to find 96.6 on the small screen. That’s good. It’s almost back to normal.
I went to take the thermometer back to the bathroom when I heard a thickly accented voice call my name. He’d woken up. That was a good sign. I turned and walked toward him only to see more tears running down his face, so I sat on the bed and took him into my arms again. He sobbed harder as I tried to calm him down by rubbing his shivering back and running my fingers through his long black tangle of hair. We sat like that for an hour. I did all I could to stop his cries. I told him that it would be okay, that he was safe here and that I wouldn’t let anyone hurt him.
When his sobs finally died down, I hugged him closer to me and asked him what had happened to him, and he’d told me everything. His boyfriend, Ron, had been forcing him into bed every night and wouldn’t let him call me or any of his other friends. He started crying again as he continued his story. Yesterday, the sobbing boy had tried to break it off with the man that was hurting him, and he was beaten and raped. After that, he ran out of Ron’s apartment only to be chased down the hall by the angry man. Apparently, he’d managed to hide in the alley behind the building until his tormenter had left. Then, he used the only money he had with him to buy a plane ticket to the airport near my town. He walked most of the evening until he got to the woods behind my house. Because of the fact that he hadn’t had time to grab a coat, he’d been too cold to go on, and he’d collapsed in the spot where I’d found him hours later.
By the time he’d finished telling me what had happened to him, he began to sob even harder, and once again, I held him close to me. That’s when it slipped out.
“Shh, it’s okay. No one’s gonna hurt you ever again. I’ll protect you, I promise. I love you, Ville.”
I couldn’t believe it had slipped out. He looked up at me, shocked at what I’d just said, but then he spoke softly as he buried his head in my shirt.
“I love you, too, Bam. I didn’t want to tell you because I thought you’d hate me.”
He loves me, too?!
“I could never hate you.”
I held him for a few more minutes until his cries stopped and he fell asleep in my arms. Still, I couldn’t comprehend what he’d just told me. I’d always felt close to him somehow, and one day a long time ago I realized I loved him more than anything in this world. He’d come for a visit and we’d shared my bedroom. I woke up to his screams in the middle of the night and realized that he was having a nightmare. After awakening him, he had cried for hours as I tried to comfort him. I ended up staying up with him for three more hours because he was too scared to go back to sleep. That was when I realized that he was more than just a friend to me.
I kissed the top of his head as I tucked him in under the covers and put an extra blanket over him to keep him warm. I then sat next to him on the bed and watched him as he slept. He looked so innocent when he was asleep, and I was glad that he was getting the rest he needed.
He woke up a few hours later, and I asked him if he thought he could eat anything. He said that he hadn’t eaten a full meal in about a month because Ron had told him he was fat. At this, I got mad. How could that bastard tell him he was fat?!
“You’re not fat in the slightest, Ville. I can lift you with one arm, and you weigh like nothing.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you angry.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m not mad at you, baby. I’m just ready fucking kill Ron right about now.”
He said nothing as he looked up at me. He still didn’t look good, but I hoped some food would help. I asked him again if he could eat, and he said that he would try. So I went to the kitchen to try to find him something. There was plenty of food in the refrigerator, but I didn’t know what he would be able to keep down. And Ape was there, so I had to tell her what had happened. She offered to help, but I told her that I had it taken care of as I chose a cup of blueberry yogurt and got a spoon. I wanted to escape before she found out the part of the story where I told Ville that I loved him. I wasn’t sure how she’d feel about that-knowing that her son was gay with his best friend. So, I left the kitchen and returned to my bedroom to find him coughing profusely into his hands.
I approached him as gently as possible and asked him if he was alright. He said that he was fine, but I was still concerned. I helped him to sit up and gave him the yogurt. He ate about a third of the container and then said that he couldn’t eat anymore. I told him that he could try again in the morning since it was getting rather late. I wanted him to get some more rest. It was probably the best thing for him right now, so I helped him lay back again on the bed. I started to leave to take the unfinished yogurt down to the kitchen, but I heard Ville call to me.
“Please, Bam. Please don’t leave me.”
“I won’t. I promise. I’m just gonna go and take this downstairs.”
“Okay.”
I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was still scared because of what had happened, so I hurried to get back up to him.
“See. I told you I wouldn’t leave you for too long.”
“Thanks, Bammie.”
I snuggled in close to him and let him rest his head on my arm until he fell asleep. Soon after, I joined him.
Chapter 2
“Bam. Bam. Wake up, Bam.”
Was that Ville calling me? I opened one eye, not sure if I was totally awake or still dreaming. The first thing I saw was Ville staring at me.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“I don’t feel well, Bam.”
“How sick are you? Did you have an asthma attack?”
“No, I…my chest hurts…”
He began coughing violently into his hands again, and I knew that something was definitely wrong. When he was finished, he removed his hands from his mouth, and I gasped at what I saw. Both of them were covered in blood.
I jumped out of bed and hurried over to him, trying to help him out of bed. As soon as he had both feet on the floor, both legs collapsed underneath him, and I caught him before he hit the floor. He was so weak, and I knew he wouldn’t be able to walk, so I carried him the rest of the way to the bathroom. As soon as I got him to the sink, he hacked up more blood. I felt his forehead and realized that he was burning with fever. So, I waited until the coughs ceased, and I took his temperature. This time, the screen read 104.6, and I knew that it was time I got him to a doctor. But it was Saturday now, and my only option was the emergency room.
“Ville, I need to get you to a hospital. I’m sorry. I know those places scare you, but I don’t know what else to do. You’re losing a lot of blood each time you cough like that.”
“No, Bam, please. I’m scared. I don’t wanna go. Please!”
I could now hear the panic in his voice.
“What if I stay with you the entire time?”
“They won’t let you, Bam. You’re not related to me.”
“Look, we’ll tell them that we’re brothers, okay?”
After a long pause, he agreed. I was glad. I didn’t mean to scare him, but he needed to get medical attention before he got worse. It wasn’t a good idea for him to be walking, so I carried him to the garage. It was then that I noticed that he’d started to tremble again, so I set him in the passenger’s side of the Hummer and went back for a blanket. Upon returning to the garage, I wrapped it around him and we left for the hospital. There was little conversation on the way there, but his coughs became much worse. When we arrived in the parking lot, I unbuckled him from the seat, and he finally spoke.
“What are we gonna tell them, Bam?”
“What do you mean, sweetie?”
“I don’t want them to know that I was raped cause then they’ll want to examine me…umm…down there.”
“It’s okay. I’ll think up something to tell them. Don’t worry about it.”
I helped him inside and sat him down in the waiting area. It was almost completely empty seeing as it was about three o’clock in the morning. That was a good sign, and I hoped it wouldn’t take long for them to call us in.
About an hour later, they called us into the emergency room. The next thing they did was try to tell me to stay in the waiting room, but luckily, I was able to convince the nurse that I was Ville’s brother. She looked skeptically at me but let me go with him. Ville was given a bed and a hospital gown. The nurse wanted to help him change, but I could see him flinching away from her, so I told her I’d do it, and she left, pulling the curtain shut behind her.
I helped him get his shirt off and put the gown on him in place of it, tying it in the back so he wouldn’t feel exposed. I knew that the doctor might want him to take his jeans off as well, but he begged me not to make him undress any further, so I left it alone. Instead, I tucked him under the covers so the doctor wouldn’t see that he still had his pants on. I always hated that about hospitals. They were so bitchy about little things like that.
After a few minutes, a doctor came in to see Ville and asked what his symptoms were. After I told him, he asked about the many bruises on Ville’s pale skin. Ville tried to answer but stuttered not knowing how to reply without saying what really happened. That’s when I jumped in.
“He was mugged on his way out of the club the other night. I was the one that found him. He was pretty beat up.”
Fortunately, the doctor didn’t press the issue further. He then proceeded to examine Ville. The doctor took his temperature first, and it had escalated to 105.0. Next, he moved to the throat. He seemed surprised at how swollen Ville’s throat was, and he seemed to find a good amount of blood. Before leaving, the doctor told us that he was going to order some blood tests and IV fluids. Then, he exited the curtain, and I looked over at Ville. He seemed even more frightened, and I knew why. He hated needles. The only ones he could tolerate were tattoo needles and the little guns they use for piercings. His terrified eyes glanced up at me.
“Bam, I wanna go home. I don’t like needles. Please, can we just go back to your house and go to bed?”
“No, babe. I wish we could, but you’re only gonna get poked twice. It’s just like getting a tattoo. It won’t be bad. I promise…”
We were interrupted when the curtain opened and the phlebotomist appeared in front of us. She came up beside Ville and asked him his name and other information in order to complete her patient identification form and label the tubes of blood. Soon, she’d finished gathering the equipment that she would need, and Ville buried his head in my shirt. He was shaking, and I remembered that he’d had to spend two weeks in the hospital when he was seventeen because of an asthma attack. That was probably why he hated these places so bad. I put an arm around him and rubbed his side with my thumb as the needle went in. He relaxed when it was over, and the phlebotomist left, saying that she would take his blood to the lab.
Next was the nurse who came in just minutes later to start an IV. Once again, he buried his face in my chest as another needle was inserted into his weakened body. Even I was relieved when the nurse was done. I knew that Ville was becoming even more terrified with each passing second, and I held him close to me after the nurse closed the curtain.
“It hurts, Bam.”
“I know. Everything’s gonna be okay. The doctor will be back soon, and we can get outta here as soon as he tells us what’s wrong with you. Until then, I’m right here. I’m not gonna leave you.”
Minutes passed as he lay against my chest. I stroked his hair and held his hand in mine hoping that his condition was nothing serious. He seemed alright until his breathing turned into short, pained gasps. At first, I thought it was an asthma attack, but I tried the inhaler I’d brought with me, and it didn’t work. I sprinted for the nurses’ station, petrified that I was going to lose the most important thing to me in this world
The nurses followed me back to Ville. One of them checked his pulse, and the other grabbed an oxygen mask and slipped it over his nose and mouth. His breathing became normal again, and words couldn’t describe how glad I was. The two women left, and I returned to Ville’s side. He’d fallen into unconsciousness from the lack of air flow, and I was still shaken from what had happened. His face was ghost white, and a single tear fell from his closed eye. I whispered to him, trying to comfort him as much as possible. Soon, the doctor returned with his diagnosis.
“From the test results, it appears that Mr. Valo has pneumonia.”
Oh my God.
“He’ll recover, won’t he?”
“Yes. He should be fine, but we’ll need to keep him at least until tonight for observation. I want to treat this with IV fluids and give him some antibiotics. That should do the trick, but not to worry. He’ll make a full recovery.”
I thanked the doctor and returned to Ville’s side. I never wanted him out of my sight ever again. My only wish was to be with him forever so I could make sure that no one and nothing ever tried to hurt him.
There was nothing to do except watch his breathing and hope that it didn’t stop. I sat down next to him, holding his hand. He was beautiful. I leaned forward to kiss his forehead and feel his fever burn my lips. It scared me to see him like this because it reminded me of the other day. He looked just as helpless now as he did when I found him in the snow, so cold and lost. I thought to myself as I stared at the boy before me. I wanted to get him outta here, but there was still hours left until he could leave. But when we did get out of here, I wanted to take him somewhere special, somewhere miles away from the hospital and the woods. Maybe, I could take him out to LA. He always liked California, and I knew that his band was taking a break, so no one would mind. And not only would I take him there, but I would do something really special for him like…that’s it! I would propose to him, buy him a ring and everything. That would make him happy. And we could go to Canada and have our wedding…
My thoughts drifted into the darkness as I fell asleep at Ville’s bedside with my head resting on the sheets.
I walked through the door to the house. It was dark inside, and I could hear small cries coming from another room. I followed the sound into the bedroom and opened the door. There was someone lying on the bed. It was Ville, and each of his arms and legs was tied to a bed post. He was crying through the gag covering his mouth. I ran to him. His eyes were shut tightly. He probably thought that I was the person that did this to him when I came in. I undid the straps that bound his wrists and ankles only to find bloody cuts from where he was tied down. As carefully as possible, I lifted him from the bed. Underneath him, the sheets were soaked in blood. I looked at his face and noticed that he’d lost consciousness. Laying him on the floor, I listened for a heartbeat. There was nothing, nothing at all. Nothing. Oh, God!...
“Bam! Come on, Bammie. You, need to wake up.”
I woke up to someone shaking me and yelling my name. The first thing I saw was Ville’s face. He looked worried. He must’ve noticed that I was having a bad dream. I couldn’t even describe in words how happy I was to see him. Standing from my chair, I hugged him, scared that he would disappear if I let him go.
“What’s wrong, Bam Bam?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Nothing at all, baby. So what time is it anyway?”
“About nine in the morning. Are you sure you’re okay?”
God, I must’ve really been tired.
“Yeah, sweetie, I’m fine. How are you doing? Feel any better?”
“I’m alright.”
He didn’t want me to worry about him. I could tell. He must be at least a little better because he wasn’t wearing the oxygen mask anymore. That was good.
“Can we go home now, Bam?”
That’s right. He was unconscious when the doctor came back, so he doesn’t know what’s going on.
“No, they don’t want you to leave yet, babe. The doctor said you have pneumonia. You have to stay until tonight.”
“I wanna go home. Please, Bammie. Don’t let them make me stay here. Tell them I’m okay. Please.”
He was starting to panic again. I felt bad because I was the one who told him he would only be here a few hours, not an entire day.
“I’m really sorry, sweetie, but pneumonia’s pretty serious. I don’t want to take you home and then have to bring you back here.”
“Okay.”
He leaned forward to hug me, and I put my arms around him in return. He seemed better. Maybe they would let him leave sooner. I kissed him on the forehead. He still had a fever, but it had gone down substantially. I was glad.
“Am I interrupting something?”
Oh shit. That bitchy nurse from earlier-the same chick that thinks we’re brothers.
“Incest is illegal. I’m calling the police!”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, lady? He’s my boyfriend, not my brother. I just wanted you people to let me stay with him. Now fuck off.”
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. We only allow immediate family members to stay in the same room with the patient.”
I was afraid this would happen.
“I’m not leaving him. I love him, and I’m not gonna make him stay here by himself. He’s terrified as it is.”
“I’m calling security!”
Shit.
Chapter 3
Great, now the fucking security guards are gonna screw with me. There’s gotta be a way outta this.
I didn’t want to leave Ville. He’d freak out. He hated being here as it is, and I could tell just by looking at him that he was frightened now. It was really getting at him, and he looked like he would start balling any minute. Poor thing.
Just as I was about to speak, I was surprised to here a thick Finnish accent instead.
“Please, don’t make him leave. Please, ma’am. I don’t wanna be alone anymore. Please…”
He couldn’t hold back anymore and he started crying. This was driving him crazy. In all honesty, I’d never seen him cry this much in my life, and it hurt to see him so broken like this.
“Look, lady. The last few days have been really bad for him. He’s scared of hospitals, and I can see why. Just let me stay with him, and I promise, I won’t cause any trouble.”
“I’ll see what the attending has to say about it.”
She left, finally. I was glad that she decided not to call security. Maybe the attending would be a little less of an ass. I turned my attention back to the sobbing boy next to me. He was crying harder now and I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t even calm him down at all.
“Please don’t leave me, Bam. Please, don’t make me stay here alone. Please, Bam. I’m scared. I wanna go home. I don’t wanna be here.”
I didn’t know what to do for him. He was so vulnerable, so terrified. And I knew it had to do with what Ron had done to him. The only thing I could do was rub his back and try to quiet him down.
“I told you before. I’m not gonna leave you. Ever. Don’t cry, okay? I’ll figure out something, but you gotta calm down or you’ll get sicker. Come on, please, Ville. I need you to calm down. It’s alright. I promise, everything’s gonna be okay.”
“Please don’t let them hurt me, Bammie.”
“No one’s gonna hurt you. These people are just being real assholes. I’m not gonna let them do anything bad to you.”
He seemed to calm down after I said that, but he was still trying to bury his face in my shirt, his tears soaking into the fabric.
Suddenly, the curtain opened and another nurse stepped inside and spoke.
“Hello, I’m the attending. Don’t worry about what the nurse said. She likes to do everything by the book. Plus, neither of you are causing any trouble, so, sir, you can stay with Mr. Valo if you wish. Oh, and I’ll be taking over his care so she doesn’t give you anymore trouble.”
I thanked her as she left, and then I turned back to Ville.
“See, it’s okay. I’m gonna stay with you. Now, just try to relax.”
He sobs seemed to have stopped, but he looked exhausted, so I helped him lie down. Covering him with the blankets, I snuggled in next to him on the bed and rubbed the side of his cheek. I wanted to make him feel more at home. Then, I remembered that he hadn’t had any breakfast. At least I didn’t think he’d eaten.
“Did they give you anything to eat while I was asleep earlier, baby?”
“They wanted to, but I didn’t feel like eating anything.”
God, I wish he’d get his appetite back.
“You gotta eat, sweetie. Otherwise, you’ll starve to death. You’re way too skinny.”
“I’m sorry, Bam.”
“It’s okay. Just try to get some sleep, and I’ll see if I can call Dunn and tell him to grab you something good for lunch.”
“Alright. I love you, Bammie.”
“I love you, too. Now, get some rest.”
With that, he drifted off to sleep. He would feel better if he stayed asleep as long as possible. In the meantime, I had to call Dunn and see if he would be willing to help me out, so I grabbed my cell phone and dialed his number.
“Bam, where the hell are you? Ape’s freaking out cause you never told her you were leaving.”
That’s right. I didn’t tell anyone about Ville getting sick. Oops.
“Hey, man. Chill out. Everything’s fine. Ville got sick last night, and I had to take him to the hospital, so we’re in the emergency room now. He has pneumonia, but he’ll be fine. They said he could go home tonight if he feels okay, but I can’t leave him. He’s freaking petrified of this place.”
“Well, do you want me to come over there?”
“No, and tell Ape and Phil not to come over either. The nurses are kinda pissed off at me right now, and they aren’t going to want to deal with any more people. But hey, can you do me a favor?”
“What do you need?”
“Ville won’t eat, and hospital food is fucking gross. So, can you go out and get him something good for lunch?”
“Yeah, but what does he like?”
“Umm…just get him some yogurt and a salad or something. He doesn’t like meat very much, so yeah, just try to find something.”
“Okay. I’ll be over in around noon.”
“Thanks, man.”
I hung up the phone hoping Dunn would follow through for me. Meanwhile, Ville was fast asleep, so I went back over to him, holding his hand and lying next to him. He subconsciously scooted closer to me when he felt me next to him. He was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, and I could never ask for a better boyfriend. I didn’t think I could bear it if I lost him-like in that dream. Flashes of the nightmare came back to me, and I remembered every part of it. There was so much blood, and it was everywhere. Was that what Ville saw beneath him after Ron raped him? Did he bleed that bad? I wish I would’ve known so I could’ve saved him from it somehow. But now all I could do was hug him closer and let him stay with me. No way was I gonna let him go back to Finland, not with that sex fiend looking for him.
I sat up and looked at the clock. It was ten til noon. Dunn would be here soon, and I’d have to awaken him. He really did seem better. Maybe they would let him out of here soon. It seemed like the pneumonia was pretty mild. He was lucky.
The curtain opened to reveal Dunn and the attending. She told him he could stay as long as he wanted and then left to tend to her other patients. In the meantime, I felt Ville stir against me, and I gently shook him awake. Dunn had gotten him a container of yogurt and some ramen noodles that were still warm. He’d had a good idea-Ville liked Chinese a lot, and he would probably eat now.
I gave the food to him and watched him eat as Dunn and I talked of what had happened. I told him everything except the fact that Ville was raped and the fact that we were a couple now. I didn’t know if Ville wanted to tell anyone yet, so I left that part out. As for Ville, he actually ate a substantial bit of the noodles before quitting. He didn’t think he could eat any of the yogurt, but that was okay. I was just glad that I’d finally gotten some food into him.
Dunn left soon after Ville had finished eating, and we were left alone once again. And soon, we were lying next to each other on the bed, arms around each other. He fell asleep first and I followed soon after that.
When I awakened, Ville was still asleep, and it was almost four in the afternoon. I spent the next hour watching him sleep. He finally woke up around five, and the doctor came in soon after that. He explained that the nurse had said that he seemed a lot better and that he would allow us to leave after another blood test. Yes, Ville hated needles, but after just one more, he could finally go home. He seemed happier now, and soon the phlebotomist came back to draw another tube of blood. He buried his face in my shirt again, but I could tell he’d calmed down. If he could get through this, he could get out of here. Luckily, she found his vein, and it was over pretty fast.
Around six thirty, the attending returned with discharge papers for us and took out Ville’s IV. We filled out the papers, and I helped Ville get his clothes back on. Soon, we were walking toward my car ready to go home.
The drive seemed to take forever, but we finally walked through the front door of my house. Ape immediately started complaining when we entered. She was mad that I hadn’t called, but I told her that she could yell at me in the morning. I wanted to get Ville upstairs, so he could get cleaned up and go to bed. He still seemed a little feverish to me, but it would probably be gone in the morning.
I took him into the bathroom and helped him take a bath again. I knew he was probably capable of doing it himself, but I was afraid he’d fall trying to get into the bath tub. He still seemed a bit unsteady to me. After I got Ville cleaned up, I led him into my bedroom where I dug up another set of clothing that was too small for me, and I helped him get dressed. Then, I tucked him into bed and gave him some of the yogurt to eat. Soon after, he fell asleep, and I got in with him to keep him company.
Title: The Darkness Inside the Light
Chapter: 3/5
Author: jalluvsrmz
Pairing: Bam/Ville
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: some cursing-that’s about it
Summary: Bam saves Ville from a life of sorrow.
Disclaimer: Don’t own, don’t sue. You won’t get any money outta me anyway. This is totally fictional and never happened, I swear.
Chapter1
I knew something was wrong when I hadn’t heard from him after a few months. He used to call every week, but now it was a week before Christmas and I hadn’t talked to him since the end of September. But I never expected to find him half-dead in the woods behind my house.
It had been snowing the night before, and we’d gotten almost nine inches-not uncommon for this time of year. In the morning, I went four-wheeling in the woods with Raab and Dunn. We were bored, and there was nothing else to do.
We were about half a mile out when I saw his body lying on the ground almost completely covered in snow. I got to him as fast as I could and checked for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. Then, I noticed that his lips and the tips of his fingers were tinted blue, his skin more pale and white than the snow beneath him. He wasn’t even wearing a coat or scarf, just a thin, black T-shirt and ripped jeans.
I picked him up in my arms and held him on my lap trying to decide what to do. He was freezing. He could die at any minute, and I was too shocked at finding him to do anything. He shivered against me which made me worry even more for him. It was then that I noticed the bruises. There was a small one to the side of his left eye and another on the left side of his jaw. Who had done this to him?
Raab suggested calling an ambulance, but I knew that he would be terrified if he woke up in the hospital, especially if he woke up alone-they probably wouldn’t let me in to see him since I wasn’t a relative. There was no way I was going to put him in the care of a bunch of white coats.
I checked his pulse again to find that it had gotten slightly stronger, probably because of my body heat against him. It wouldn’t be enough to get him back to the house, though. Sitting him forward slightly, I took off my coat and wrapped it around his shaking shoulders wondering for a moment if he’d lost weight. He looked thinner than the last time I’d seen him, but the thought was dismissed as I lifted him, sitting him in front of me on the ATV. I drove back with one hand on the boy in my arms and the other on the handlebars, Raab and Dunn close behind.
It only took a few minutes to get back, but it seemed like an eternity as he trembled more and more against me. Finally, we left the woods and traveled the short distance to my back door. Raab and Dunn took care of the ATVs as I carried the unconscious boy into my home and up the stairs to my bedroom. As I lay him down on my bed, I knew that I had to get him warmed up. The snow on him had melted and soaked into his clothes probably making him ten times colder.
Wanting to get his body temperature back up to normal, I took him into the bathroom closing the door behind us. Turning the knob on the bath tub, I waited until the water was warm enough, plugging the drain and letting it fill up. I spent the next few minutes taking his clothes off and listening to him whimper in his sleep the entire time. Was I scaring him? He sounded terrified and subconsciously shrunk away from me. When I finished stripping him of his wet clothing, I looked him over only to find bruised ribs protruding from his white skin. There were more bruises on his legs and arms along with a few cigarette burns and a good many scars. Clearly, someone had been hurting him for a long time now.
I thought back to the last time he called me. He’d said something about a new boyfriend, but he seemed to be really happy. Had this guy started being abusive?
My thoughts turned to my friend as I heard a small cry escape his lips. He would probably awaken soon, but I wanted to get him cleaned up. I turned off the water and carefully lifted him into the bath tub. Remembering that he wouldn’t be able to sit up on his own, I held his head above the water as I washed him gently with a hand towel. He seemed to be getting better because his fingers and lips were no longer blue, but he still felt cold to me. Maybe it was just my imagination, but he kept crying slightly, and tears were beginning to flow freely from his eyes. He must’ve been having a nightmare, but I still couldn’t wake him up.
When I was finished, I pulled the boy out of the bath tub and wrapped a towel around him wondering what I could give him to wear. He used to be three sizes smaller than me, but he’d clearly lost a lot of weight since then.
I took him back into my room and set him on the bed before I started rummaging through my drawers. Eventually, I found an old CKY shirt and jeans that were both too small for me and hoped they would work. As carefully as possible, I dressed him in the clothes. They were noticeably big on his frail body, but they would work. I then went back to the bathroom to empty the tub and get a thermometer. I was still worried that he might have hypothermia, so I put the small stick under his tongue and waited for a result. A few minutes later, it beeped, and I pulled it out of his mouth to find 96.6 on the small screen. That’s good. It’s almost back to normal.
I went to take the thermometer back to the bathroom when I heard a thickly accented voice call my name. He’d woken up. That was a good sign. I turned and walked toward him only to see more tears running down his face, so I sat on the bed and took him into my arms again. He sobbed harder as I tried to calm him down by rubbing his shivering back and running my fingers through his long black tangle of hair. We sat like that for an hour. I did all I could to stop his cries. I told him that it would be okay, that he was safe here and that I wouldn’t let anyone hurt him.
When his sobs finally died down, I hugged him closer to me and asked him what had happened to him, and he’d told me everything. His boyfriend, Ron, had been forcing him into bed every night and wouldn’t let him call me or any of his other friends. He started crying again as he continued his story. Yesterday, the sobbing boy had tried to break it off with the man that was hurting him, and he was beaten and raped. After that, he ran out of Ron’s apartment only to be chased down the hall by the angry man. Apparently, he’d managed to hide in the alley behind the building until his tormenter had left. Then, he used the only money he had with him to buy a plane ticket to the airport near my town. He walked most of the evening until he got to the woods behind my house. Because of the fact that he hadn’t had time to grab a coat, he’d been too cold to go on, and he’d collapsed in the spot where I’d found him hours later.
By the time he’d finished telling me what had happened to him, he began to sob even harder, and once again, I held him close to me. That’s when it slipped out.
“Shh, it’s okay. No one’s gonna hurt you ever again. I’ll protect you, I promise. I love you, Ville.”
I couldn’t believe it had slipped out. He looked up at me, shocked at what I’d just said, but then he spoke softly as he buried his head in my shirt.
“I love you, too, Bam. I didn’t want to tell you because I thought you’d hate me.”
He loves me, too?!
“I could never hate you.”
I held him for a few more minutes until his cries stopped and he fell asleep in my arms. Still, I couldn’t comprehend what he’d just told me. I’d always felt close to him somehow, and one day a long time ago I realized I loved him more than anything in this world. He’d come for a visit and we’d shared my bedroom. I woke up to his screams in the middle of the night and realized that he was having a nightmare. After awakening him, he had cried for hours as I tried to comfort him. I ended up staying up with him for three more hours because he was too scared to go back to sleep. That was when I realized that he was more than just a friend to me.
I kissed the top of his head as I tucked him in under the covers and put an extra blanket over him to keep him warm. I then sat next to him on the bed and watched him as he slept. He looked so innocent when he was asleep, and I was glad that he was getting the rest he needed.
He woke up a few hours later, and I asked him if he thought he could eat anything. He said that he hadn’t eaten a full meal in about a month because Ron had told him he was fat. At this, I got mad. How could that bastard tell him he was fat?!
“You’re not fat in the slightest, Ville. I can lift you with one arm, and you weigh like nothing.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you angry.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m not mad at you, baby. I’m just ready fucking kill Ron right about now.”
He said nothing as he looked up at me. He still didn’t look good, but I hoped some food would help. I asked him again if he could eat, and he said that he would try. So I went to the kitchen to try to find him something. There was plenty of food in the refrigerator, but I didn’t know what he would be able to keep down. And Ape was there, so I had to tell her what had happened. She offered to help, but I told her that I had it taken care of as I chose a cup of blueberry yogurt and got a spoon. I wanted to escape before she found out the part of the story where I told Ville that I loved him. I wasn’t sure how she’d feel about that-knowing that her son was gay with his best friend. So, I left the kitchen and returned to my bedroom to find him coughing profusely into his hands.
I approached him as gently as possible and asked him if he was alright. He said that he was fine, but I was still concerned. I helped him to sit up and gave him the yogurt. He ate about a third of the container and then said that he couldn’t eat anymore. I told him that he could try again in the morning since it was getting rather late. I wanted him to get some more rest. It was probably the best thing for him right now, so I helped him lay back again on the bed. I started to leave to take the unfinished yogurt down to the kitchen, but I heard Ville call to me.
“Please, Bam. Please don’t leave me.”
“I won’t. I promise. I’m just gonna go and take this downstairs.”
“Okay.”
I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was still scared because of what had happened, so I hurried to get back up to him.
“See. I told you I wouldn’t leave you for too long.”
“Thanks, Bammie.”
I snuggled in close to him and let him rest his head on my arm until he fell asleep. Soon after, I joined him.
Chapter 2
“Bam. Bam. Wake up, Bam.”
Was that Ville calling me? I opened one eye, not sure if I was totally awake or still dreaming. The first thing I saw was Ville staring at me.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“I don’t feel well, Bam.”
“How sick are you? Did you have an asthma attack?”
“No, I…my chest hurts…”
He began coughing violently into his hands again, and I knew that something was definitely wrong. When he was finished, he removed his hands from his mouth, and I gasped at what I saw. Both of them were covered in blood.
I jumped out of bed and hurried over to him, trying to help him out of bed. As soon as he had both feet on the floor, both legs collapsed underneath him, and I caught him before he hit the floor. He was so weak, and I knew he wouldn’t be able to walk, so I carried him the rest of the way to the bathroom. As soon as I got him to the sink, he hacked up more blood. I felt his forehead and realized that he was burning with fever. So, I waited until the coughs ceased, and I took his temperature. This time, the screen read 104.6, and I knew that it was time I got him to a doctor. But it was Saturday now, and my only option was the emergency room.
“Ville, I need to get you to a hospital. I’m sorry. I know those places scare you, but I don’t know what else to do. You’re losing a lot of blood each time you cough like that.”
“No, Bam, please. I’m scared. I don’t wanna go. Please!”
I could now hear the panic in his voice.
“What if I stay with you the entire time?”
“They won’t let you, Bam. You’re not related to me.”
“Look, we’ll tell them that we’re brothers, okay?”
After a long pause, he agreed. I was glad. I didn’t mean to scare him, but he needed to get medical attention before he got worse. It wasn’t a good idea for him to be walking, so I carried him to the garage. It was then that I noticed that he’d started to tremble again, so I set him in the passenger’s side of the Hummer and went back for a blanket. Upon returning to the garage, I wrapped it around him and we left for the hospital. There was little conversation on the way there, but his coughs became much worse. When we arrived in the parking lot, I unbuckled him from the seat, and he finally spoke.
“What are we gonna tell them, Bam?”
“What do you mean, sweetie?”
“I don’t want them to know that I was raped cause then they’ll want to examine me…umm…down there.”
“It’s okay. I’ll think up something to tell them. Don’t worry about it.”
I helped him inside and sat him down in the waiting area. It was almost completely empty seeing as it was about three o’clock in the morning. That was a good sign, and I hoped it wouldn’t take long for them to call us in.
About an hour later, they called us into the emergency room. The next thing they did was try to tell me to stay in the waiting room, but luckily, I was able to convince the nurse that I was Ville’s brother. She looked skeptically at me but let me go with him. Ville was given a bed and a hospital gown. The nurse wanted to help him change, but I could see him flinching away from her, so I told her I’d do it, and she left, pulling the curtain shut behind her.
I helped him get his shirt off and put the gown on him in place of it, tying it in the back so he wouldn’t feel exposed. I knew that the doctor might want him to take his jeans off as well, but he begged me not to make him undress any further, so I left it alone. Instead, I tucked him under the covers so the doctor wouldn’t see that he still had his pants on. I always hated that about hospitals. They were so bitchy about little things like that.
After a few minutes, a doctor came in to see Ville and asked what his symptoms were. After I told him, he asked about the many bruises on Ville’s pale skin. Ville tried to answer but stuttered not knowing how to reply without saying what really happened. That’s when I jumped in.
“He was mugged on his way out of the club the other night. I was the one that found him. He was pretty beat up.”
Fortunately, the doctor didn’t press the issue further. He then proceeded to examine Ville. The doctor took his temperature first, and it had escalated to 105.0. Next, he moved to the throat. He seemed surprised at how swollen Ville’s throat was, and he seemed to find a good amount of blood. Before leaving, the doctor told us that he was going to order some blood tests and IV fluids. Then, he exited the curtain, and I looked over at Ville. He seemed even more frightened, and I knew why. He hated needles. The only ones he could tolerate were tattoo needles and the little guns they use for piercings. His terrified eyes glanced up at me.
“Bam, I wanna go home. I don’t like needles. Please, can we just go back to your house and go to bed?”
“No, babe. I wish we could, but you’re only gonna get poked twice. It’s just like getting a tattoo. It won’t be bad. I promise…”
We were interrupted when the curtain opened and the phlebotomist appeared in front of us. She came up beside Ville and asked him his name and other information in order to complete her patient identification form and label the tubes of blood. Soon, she’d finished gathering the equipment that she would need, and Ville buried his head in my shirt. He was shaking, and I remembered that he’d had to spend two weeks in the hospital when he was seventeen because of an asthma attack. That was probably why he hated these places so bad. I put an arm around him and rubbed his side with my thumb as the needle went in. He relaxed when it was over, and the phlebotomist left, saying that she would take his blood to the lab.
Next was the nurse who came in just minutes later to start an IV. Once again, he buried his face in my chest as another needle was inserted into his weakened body. Even I was relieved when the nurse was done. I knew that Ville was becoming even more terrified with each passing second, and I held him close to me after the nurse closed the curtain.
“It hurts, Bam.”
“I know. Everything’s gonna be okay. The doctor will be back soon, and we can get outta here as soon as he tells us what’s wrong with you. Until then, I’m right here. I’m not gonna leave you.”
Minutes passed as he lay against my chest. I stroked his hair and held his hand in mine hoping that his condition was nothing serious. He seemed alright until his breathing turned into short, pained gasps. At first, I thought it was an asthma attack, but I tried the inhaler I’d brought with me, and it didn’t work. I sprinted for the nurses’ station, petrified that I was going to lose the most important thing to me in this world
The nurses followed me back to Ville. One of them checked his pulse, and the other grabbed an oxygen mask and slipped it over his nose and mouth. His breathing became normal again, and words couldn’t describe how glad I was. The two women left, and I returned to Ville’s side. He’d fallen into unconsciousness from the lack of air flow, and I was still shaken from what had happened. His face was ghost white, and a single tear fell from his closed eye. I whispered to him, trying to comfort him as much as possible. Soon, the doctor returned with his diagnosis.
“From the test results, it appears that Mr. Valo has pneumonia.”
Oh my God.
“He’ll recover, won’t he?”
“Yes. He should be fine, but we’ll need to keep him at least until tonight for observation. I want to treat this with IV fluids and give him some antibiotics. That should do the trick, but not to worry. He’ll make a full recovery.”
I thanked the doctor and returned to Ville’s side. I never wanted him out of my sight ever again. My only wish was to be with him forever so I could make sure that no one and nothing ever tried to hurt him.
There was nothing to do except watch his breathing and hope that it didn’t stop. I sat down next to him, holding his hand. He was beautiful. I leaned forward to kiss his forehead and feel his fever burn my lips. It scared me to see him like this because it reminded me of the other day. He looked just as helpless now as he did when I found him in the snow, so cold and lost. I thought to myself as I stared at the boy before me. I wanted to get him outta here, but there was still hours left until he could leave. But when we did get out of here, I wanted to take him somewhere special, somewhere miles away from the hospital and the woods. Maybe, I could take him out to LA. He always liked California, and I knew that his band was taking a break, so no one would mind. And not only would I take him there, but I would do something really special for him like…that’s it! I would propose to him, buy him a ring and everything. That would make him happy. And we could go to Canada and have our wedding…
My thoughts drifted into the darkness as I fell asleep at Ville’s bedside with my head resting on the sheets.
I walked through the door to the house. It was dark inside, and I could hear small cries coming from another room. I followed the sound into the bedroom and opened the door. There was someone lying on the bed. It was Ville, and each of his arms and legs was tied to a bed post. He was crying through the gag covering his mouth. I ran to him. His eyes were shut tightly. He probably thought that I was the person that did this to him when I came in. I undid the straps that bound his wrists and ankles only to find bloody cuts from where he was tied down. As carefully as possible, I lifted him from the bed. Underneath him, the sheets were soaked in blood. I looked at his face and noticed that he’d lost consciousness. Laying him on the floor, I listened for a heartbeat. There was nothing, nothing at all. Nothing. Oh, God!...
“Bam! Come on, Bammie. You, need to wake up.”
I woke up to someone shaking me and yelling my name. The first thing I saw was Ville’s face. He looked worried. He must’ve noticed that I was having a bad dream. I couldn’t even describe in words how happy I was to see him. Standing from my chair, I hugged him, scared that he would disappear if I let him go.
“What’s wrong, Bam Bam?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Nothing at all, baby. So what time is it anyway?”
“About nine in the morning. Are you sure you’re okay?”
God, I must’ve really been tired.
“Yeah, sweetie, I’m fine. How are you doing? Feel any better?”
“I’m alright.”
He didn’t want me to worry about him. I could tell. He must be at least a little better because he wasn’t wearing the oxygen mask anymore. That was good.
“Can we go home now, Bam?”
That’s right. He was unconscious when the doctor came back, so he doesn’t know what’s going on.
“No, they don’t want you to leave yet, babe. The doctor said you have pneumonia. You have to stay until tonight.”
“I wanna go home. Please, Bammie. Don’t let them make me stay here. Tell them I’m okay. Please.”
He was starting to panic again. I felt bad because I was the one who told him he would only be here a few hours, not an entire day.
“I’m really sorry, sweetie, but pneumonia’s pretty serious. I don’t want to take you home and then have to bring you back here.”
“Okay.”
He leaned forward to hug me, and I put my arms around him in return. He seemed better. Maybe they would let him leave sooner. I kissed him on the forehead. He still had a fever, but it had gone down substantially. I was glad.
“Am I interrupting something?”
Oh shit. That bitchy nurse from earlier-the same chick that thinks we’re brothers.
“Incest is illegal. I’m calling the police!”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, lady? He’s my boyfriend, not my brother. I just wanted you people to let me stay with him. Now fuck off.”
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. We only allow immediate family members to stay in the same room with the patient.”
I was afraid this would happen.
“I’m not leaving him. I love him, and I’m not gonna make him stay here by himself. He’s terrified as it is.”
“I’m calling security!”
Shit.
Chapter 3
Great, now the fucking security guards are gonna screw with me. There’s gotta be a way outta this.
I didn’t want to leave Ville. He’d freak out. He hated being here as it is, and I could tell just by looking at him that he was frightened now. It was really getting at him, and he looked like he would start balling any minute. Poor thing.
Just as I was about to speak, I was surprised to here a thick Finnish accent instead.
“Please, don’t make him leave. Please, ma’am. I don’t wanna be alone anymore. Please…”
He couldn’t hold back anymore and he started crying. This was driving him crazy. In all honesty, I’d never seen him cry this much in my life, and it hurt to see him so broken like this.
“Look, lady. The last few days have been really bad for him. He’s scared of hospitals, and I can see why. Just let me stay with him, and I promise, I won’t cause any trouble.”
“I’ll see what the attending has to say about it.”
She left, finally. I was glad that she decided not to call security. Maybe the attending would be a little less of an ass. I turned my attention back to the sobbing boy next to me. He was crying harder now and I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t even calm him down at all.
“Please don’t leave me, Bam. Please, don’t make me stay here alone. Please, Bam. I’m scared. I wanna go home. I don’t wanna be here.”
I didn’t know what to do for him. He was so vulnerable, so terrified. And I knew it had to do with what Ron had done to him. The only thing I could do was rub his back and try to quiet him down.
“I told you before. I’m not gonna leave you. Ever. Don’t cry, okay? I’ll figure out something, but you gotta calm down or you’ll get sicker. Come on, please, Ville. I need you to calm down. It’s alright. I promise, everything’s gonna be okay.”
“Please don’t let them hurt me, Bammie.”
“No one’s gonna hurt you. These people are just being real assholes. I’m not gonna let them do anything bad to you.”
He seemed to calm down after I said that, but he was still trying to bury his face in my shirt, his tears soaking into the fabric.
Suddenly, the curtain opened and another nurse stepped inside and spoke.
“Hello, I’m the attending. Don’t worry about what the nurse said. She likes to do everything by the book. Plus, neither of you are causing any trouble, so, sir, you can stay with Mr. Valo if you wish. Oh, and I’ll be taking over his care so she doesn’t give you anymore trouble.”
I thanked her as she left, and then I turned back to Ville.
“See, it’s okay. I’m gonna stay with you. Now, just try to relax.”
He sobs seemed to have stopped, but he looked exhausted, so I helped him lie down. Covering him with the blankets, I snuggled in next to him on the bed and rubbed the side of his cheek. I wanted to make him feel more at home. Then, I remembered that he hadn’t had any breakfast. At least I didn’t think he’d eaten.
“Did they give you anything to eat while I was asleep earlier, baby?”
“They wanted to, but I didn’t feel like eating anything.”
God, I wish he’d get his appetite back.
“You gotta eat, sweetie. Otherwise, you’ll starve to death. You’re way too skinny.”
“I’m sorry, Bam.”
“It’s okay. Just try to get some sleep, and I’ll see if I can call Dunn and tell him to grab you something good for lunch.”
“Alright. I love you, Bammie.”
“I love you, too. Now, get some rest.”
With that, he drifted off to sleep. He would feel better if he stayed asleep as long as possible. In the meantime, I had to call Dunn and see if he would be willing to help me out, so I grabbed my cell phone and dialed his number.
“Bam, where the hell are you? Ape’s freaking out cause you never told her you were leaving.”
That’s right. I didn’t tell anyone about Ville getting sick. Oops.
“Hey, man. Chill out. Everything’s fine. Ville got sick last night, and I had to take him to the hospital, so we’re in the emergency room now. He has pneumonia, but he’ll be fine. They said he could go home tonight if he feels okay, but I can’t leave him. He’s freaking petrified of this place.”
“Well, do you want me to come over there?”
“No, and tell Ape and Phil not to come over either. The nurses are kinda pissed off at me right now, and they aren’t going to want to deal with any more people. But hey, can you do me a favor?”
“What do you need?”
“Ville won’t eat, and hospital food is fucking gross. So, can you go out and get him something good for lunch?”
“Yeah, but what does he like?”
“Umm…just get him some yogurt and a salad or something. He doesn’t like meat very much, so yeah, just try to find something.”
“Okay. I’ll be over in around noon.”
“Thanks, man.”
I hung up the phone hoping Dunn would follow through for me. Meanwhile, Ville was fast asleep, so I went back over to him, holding his hand and lying next to him. He subconsciously scooted closer to me when he felt me next to him. He was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, and I could never ask for a better boyfriend. I didn’t think I could bear it if I lost him-like in that dream. Flashes of the nightmare came back to me, and I remembered every part of it. There was so much blood, and it was everywhere. Was that what Ville saw beneath him after Ron raped him? Did he bleed that bad? I wish I would’ve known so I could’ve saved him from it somehow. But now all I could do was hug him closer and let him stay with me. No way was I gonna let him go back to Finland, not with that sex fiend looking for him.
I sat up and looked at the clock. It was ten til noon. Dunn would be here soon, and I’d have to awaken him. He really did seem better. Maybe they would let him out of here soon. It seemed like the pneumonia was pretty mild. He was lucky.
The curtain opened to reveal Dunn and the attending. She told him he could stay as long as he wanted and then left to tend to her other patients. In the meantime, I felt Ville stir against me, and I gently shook him awake. Dunn had gotten him a container of yogurt and some ramen noodles that were still warm. He’d had a good idea-Ville liked Chinese a lot, and he would probably eat now.
I gave the food to him and watched him eat as Dunn and I talked of what had happened. I told him everything except the fact that Ville was raped and the fact that we were a couple now. I didn’t know if Ville wanted to tell anyone yet, so I left that part out. As for Ville, he actually ate a substantial bit of the noodles before quitting. He didn’t think he could eat any of the yogurt, but that was okay. I was just glad that I’d finally gotten some food into him.
Dunn left soon after Ville had finished eating, and we were left alone once again. And soon, we were lying next to each other on the bed, arms around each other. He fell asleep first and I followed soon after that.
When I awakened, Ville was still asleep, and it was almost four in the afternoon. I spent the next hour watching him sleep. He finally woke up around five, and the doctor came in soon after that. He explained that the nurse had said that he seemed a lot better and that he would allow us to leave after another blood test. Yes, Ville hated needles, but after just one more, he could finally go home. He seemed happier now, and soon the phlebotomist came back to draw another tube of blood. He buried his face in my shirt again, but I could tell he’d calmed down. If he could get through this, he could get out of here. Luckily, she found his vein, and it was over pretty fast.
Around six thirty, the attending returned with discharge papers for us and took out Ville’s IV. We filled out the papers, and I helped Ville get his clothes back on. Soon, we were walking toward my car ready to go home.
The drive seemed to take forever, but we finally walked through the front door of my house. Ape immediately started complaining when we entered. She was mad that I hadn’t called, but I told her that she could yell at me in the morning. I wanted to get Ville upstairs, so he could get cleaned up and go to bed. He still seemed a little feverish to me, but it would probably be gone in the morning.
I took him into the bathroom and helped him take a bath again. I knew he was probably capable of doing it himself, but I was afraid he’d fall trying to get into the bath tub. He still seemed a bit unsteady to me. After I got Ville cleaned up, I led him into my bedroom where I dug up another set of clothing that was too small for me, and I helped him get dressed. Then, I tucked him into bed and gave him some of the yogurt to eat. Soon after, he fell asleep, and I got in with him to keep him company.