[NYC] Distractions & Company

[cameronpreston]

Who: Harri & Cameron (Preston)
Where: Mount Sinai Hospital
When: Friday evening
Follows: THIS___________________________________________________

Comments

[cameronpreston]

"It does," Cameron agreed in amusement. "We have calm patches where everything is fine, then it all blows up at once and we bring in reinforcements. Lachlan is a disaster magnet of late. But he's a Scot. They were born to fight and come out with their heads held high. He's never been one to do things in halves. He used to end up in huge amounds of shit when we were teenager. He'll be fine in a few days. Just needs a good dose of TLC, which luckily us lot have in bucket loads."

He paused and rubbed his hand over his mouth. "Recover from this hospital stay? Yes, he will. But it will be temporary. It's a revolving door. After this, he might have lost a lot of his functions again, which he'll gradually regain again until the next time. That's why they call it relapsing-remitting. He will get better, but he will get worse again eventually, too. But he's on really great meds and he has determination. I spoke to his doc... looks like we'll be getting the wheelchair out again. But even then, he takes it in his stride. It's just hard. That's why I came on so heavy with Aiden in the start. It's not for the faint-hearted. Pat will need help showering, getting to the toilet, remembering to take his meds because this all fucks up his short-term memory."

[straight2point]

"Good thing there's so many of you. And now you have me, so that eases the burden even more. I admire Lachlan's strength even if I'm sure he must question how much more he is supposed to deal with."

Harri squeezed his hand. "Oh love, I'm so sorry. I'm afraid I have to admit to being rather ignorant of MS. I know roughly what it is and what it means, but this attack has been as much a learning curve for me as it has been for Aiden. I think Aiden has the strength to cope, but he needs to believe it himself."

[cameronpreston]

Cameron nodded. "He's a fucking tough bastard. When Pat told us what he had done to save Tara's life, none of us were really surprised. Shocked, of course, because we nearly lost him, but in essence, it was so Lachlan. A guy had a go at Pat in a bar when they were younger for being gay. Calling him all the charming names. Lachlan decked the guy and then keyed his car, writing one of the names neatly into the paintwork of his brand new Audi."

He smiled and wrapped his fingers with hers. "You have nothing to apologise for. We didn't know all that much either until it was hitting us in the face. None of us knew what to do in the early days. We just knew Pat was so sick and we had no way of helping him. He nearly let it break him, too. For months, he just wasn't the Pat we knew. He was angry and dark. It was hard to experience. It's going to be like nothing Aiden has experienced in his life, but when you love someone, you cope. You just do. It's hard to explain, but you seem to find some inner strength to draw on to deal."

[straight2point]

Harri laughed as she imagined the scenario. "So Lachlan is the knight in a shining kilt. Pat is the style. They all have heart, but slowly they're starting to fall into place for me."

She smiled back at him, still amazed by the way he dealt with it all. The more she got to know Cameron the more she liked. "Inner strength that you seem to have in spades. I think you're truly amazing, Cameron. You are more than capable of having fun, you've pursued a career you have passion for, and you take care of your twin without complaint. My owning a magazine is nowhere near that level."

[cameronpreston]

"Oh yeah, absolutely. But don't peg our Tara as a damsel in distress. She'll kick any guys arse at ten paces and then give him a boot when he's down just for emphasis. Especially when someone is trying to hurt someone she loves. It's going to be interesting to have a baby on the scene. It's only been recently any of the bunch have decided to settle down."

He warmed his hands around the mug of coffee. "I'm good at faking how I'm really feeling. I guess that comes with being in the spotlight. I feel a lot of what Pat is, but its like a dull thrum under my skin." He pointed to his head. "I have a headache, but it's not really a headache. Just a sensation my head doesn't feel right. It's Pat's headache. I know, we're freaks," he laughed and then squeezed her hand. "You need to give yourself credit. What you did takes fucking guts. It's a tough world out there."

[straight2point]

"I wasn't about to," Harri replied with a smile. "I can see that in Tara. I don't think anyone in the bunch is a damsel in distress. Are you happy seeing them settle down? Tara and Lachlan appear made for it and I still stand by my thoughts on Aiden and Pat. They will get married."

"No, you're not freaks. I think it's remarkable. Is there anything I can do to help? Anything that might help take your mind off it?" Harri gave a shrug as she sipped at her coffee. "It is, but sometimes I think the real fight is the personal side of life. Money is easy."

[cameronpreston]

Cameron nodded and set his coffee back down after taking a mouthful. "Yeah, I am. It's still a little odd for me. I'm used to Lachlan the Rebel, the one who just anything and everything and pulls it off. It's fantastic seeing him like this, but he's different now. Very different. He's content and happy, before he was just hyperactive and on the go, non-stop. Now he's all married and husbandly. He's going to be a brilliant father and Tara is just his perfect match. It was love at first sight for that pair. It makes me jealous sometimes. But in a good, proud way," he laughed and then looked at her curiously. "You think so? I guess I just see Pat's nervousness and apprehension louder than anything else because I want to protect him. I think Aiden could be his one, though."

"Nah, it's okay. It's better than it was earlier, so I know he must be okay. In good hands." It took a lot for him to admit that any one was 'good hands' for his brother, but Aiden was. He made a note to talk to his parents when they arrived and before they crossed Aiden's path. "Nothing in life is easy. Hell, I play a game for a living but it comes with fucking hard work. We all have a place in life, some are just luckier than others when they find it."

[straight2point]

"I wasn't aware there was a good, proud way to be jealous. Oh wait, yes I did. When Aiden told me about Pat the first time." Harri grinned. "Yeah, I think so. I'm willing to lay a long term bet on it and everything. It'll be a few months off, but I'm sure it'll happen. Aiden will do anything for Pat, and he's always been the type to dream about white picket fences and a husband."

Harri lifted a hand to push her fingers through his short hair and smirked lightly. "Now I know you're focused on your brother. That could have been an opening for so much. A massage... a good orgasm." She dropped her hand away and leaned down to pick up a paper bag that had been sitting next to her chair since she'd arrived. "This is for you, by the way. A place is definitely a hard thing to find. We're both lucky."

[cameronpreston]

"You were jealous, huh?" Cameron smirked. "Does that mean you want to find your own Pat one day? I wouldn't have pegged that in Aiden on first sight. But as I've gotten to know him a little better, I can see it. But then, if you find someone you can't live without, why keep looking?"

He put his hand up to his head with a sheepish laugh. "I'm going to blame jetlag, seriously. I totally missed your opening then. My brain is about as useful as tits on a bull right now." He took the bag, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "What is it?"

[straight2point]

She nodded before she held a finger to her lips to indicate he needed to keep that piece of information quiet. "Maybe. I just... I envied his happiness, the way he looked so complete while he talked about Pat. So you've never found someone?"

Harri shook her head and laughed. "Don't worry about it, tiger. I won't hold it against you. Just means I might offer to be your pillow tonight so I can take advantage in the morning." Harri rest her arms on the table as she smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. "Converse. You said you needed some. Pat would probably never forgive you if you went back into his room with vomit-covered shoes."

[cameronpreston]

Cameron made a zipping motion across his lips to indicate her secret was safe. "I know that look. Pat gets it regularly, these days," he said and then shrugged. "More like I've found a lot of someones who just aren't the one? Or that I'm not really looking for the one is probably more accurate. My career comes first and my schedule is fucked. It wouldn't be fair to try and have a relationship with anyone. They'd have to settle for being second to a team of sweaty footballers and a big shiney Prem League trophy cup."

He laughed taking the shoes from the bag and holding them up. "Wow, I could get used to knowing these sexy people in high fashion places." He pointed down to his feet. "I had to settle for Pat's red ones because I left everything back at the hotel. I've been told it should be good to have an identical twin for clothing purposes, but this is Pat we're talking." He stuck his foot out for her to see. "They have fucking sparkles!"

[straight2point]

"It would almost be nauseating if I didn't want him to be happy. That's how I feel. It's unfair of me to subject anyone to my schedule and expect them to put up with it." Harri offered him the same shrug. "Just without the sweaty footballers and big shiny Prem League trophy cup. Although right now I'm not complaining about one particular sweaty footballer."

She grinned at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "My pleasure." She looked down at his feet as he pointed and tried to stifle a laugh. "Have you tried clicking the heels three times and thinking of home?"

[cameronpreston]

"Do you feel like he's not going to have as much time for you anymore?" Cameron asked. "That's a natural feeling for besties when one hooks up. Pat was a little like that when Lachie fell head over into Tara's pants." He tugged on his shirt. "I'm not that bad, am I?" he laughed.

He shook his head in amusement. "Seriously, I might turn into a drag queen called Lotta Cleavage. I'm walking with my feet firmly apart in these things."

[straight2point]

"I don't know. It's never like I've had to share him that much in the past. I suppose I do. I'd lie if I said I didn't care, but I really do just want him to be happy." Harri shook her head as she looked at him. "Not right now you're not. I was thinking a different kind of sweaty."

"Best get them off then since I don't know if I feel like competing with Lotta Cleavage. I might get fashion envy."

[cameronpreston]

"You can be happy for him and still worried he'll not be around as much. It's natural when you're close. I know that Pat won't let that happen, though. He really loves you and won't let anything come between you and Aiden," Cameron promised, knowing exactly how his brother would tackle the situation. "Can I take a rain check til I get a bit of sleep? Don't mean to be a dampener, but its a real downer on a lad's ego to fall asleep mid-fuck," he laughed.

He glanced down at himself. "My fashion as always been Nike, Addidas, Converse... or whoever is sponsoring the team at any one time. I'm not allowed to wear any other brands, much to Pat's horror. I'm a walking billboard."

[straight2point]

"My offer still stands to be your pillow," Harri reminded him gently. "I don't offer to be just anyone's pillow. I could use the sleep myself anyway. I trust Pat not to come between us. I would never think of him that way."

"It's business. Not every part of business is likeable," Harri commented with an understanding look.