Long Distance Check Up | [NYC to UK]

[isabelowens]

Who: Iz & Cameron
Where: Izzy's Hotel, Cameron's hospital room
When: Early Sunday morning
Follows: THIS______________________________________

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[cameronpreston]

Cameron had been expecting Pat or his Mum or even one of the Princeton bunch alerting to their arrival in Kilt Land. Pat went back to the apartment for a shower, so maybe he left something at the hospital. Cameron hadn't exactly been thinking rationally. Only hours early, he had been delivered the blow that he was out for the rest of the season and facing a lot of intense physio on his knee to even hope to get his strength back by the start of the next one.

He had been staring blankly and numbly at the hospital roof when the phone rang. He blinked, it taking a couple of moments to place the voice. His head was still hurting dully from the concussion, but overall, he was starting to feel better. "Izzy?" he said, awkwardly trying to catch sight of the clock. "I was sure I'd here from you."

[isabelowens]

"You have other kismet lays?" she asked, slightly amused. "Yeah, it's Izzy. I know I only promised to say goodbye and not run, but I kind of figured that since I missed you that maybe you wouldn't mind if I called. And I wanted to know how you were. How you're going..."

[cameronpreston]

Cameron faltered a little, even had her slight joke. He shifted against he pillows, careful not to try and move any of his injuries bit. His knee was now in a large and uncomfortable brace and his arm in a sling so he didn't disrupt the strained shoulder. "Sorry... my head is a train wreck. Why would I mind? Yeah, I'm... maybe we should just talk about the weather or Brangelina?"

[isabelowens]

"Understandable. I'm sorry, I really did just miss you. I wasn't sure if maybe you weren't feeling up to it. Or if you just didn't want to talk to me. Still having moments of self-doubt, but I'm getting better." She looked out over the City from her window, trying to imagine it being London so that she felt closer to him. "That good, huh? So do you think her kids are band-aid babies?"

[cameronpreston]

"Yeah, well, self-doubt seems inevitable all round right now," Cameron murmured, through a sigh. "I'm behind the times. I don't even know what a band-aid baby is."

[isabelowens]

"Apparently." Iz wet her lips and let her eyes slide closed. "I spoke to Pat again. I don't know if he said anything... Apparently we've got even more links. He called me family. He was actually pretty understanding. He's an amazing guy. Aiden's very lucky. And so are you for having a great twin."

[cameronpreston]

"You're right. He is. Now you can see why I felt like such an arsehole for giving him a hard time about his marriage. And I feel probably a billion times more guilty now knowing they both rushed from Princeton here after I got hurt. He was here with me when I got the bad news. Which was only a little while ago, so I apologise if I seem off my face. It's not the drugs. I'm glad you spoke to Pat. He has a knack of helping people see things through."

[isabelowens]

"What bad news? What happened?" The concern was suddenly evident in Izzy's voice, and her eyes snapped open as she frowned at the window. "I'm sorry I couldn't have timed the call better. Have you had a chance to fix things with him yet? And he rushed to you because he's your brother. He loves you. He's not going to leave you hanging."

[cameronpreston]

"I can't play for the rest of the season. My knee could be permanently fucked. The surgeon did the best he could, but only physio and time will know for sure where I stand... and hopefully I can still stand." Cameron's voice was hoarse as he told her, trying not to let the disappointment and lack of self-worth as anything but a footballer come through in his tone. "We haven't really spoken about the fight. He won't bring it up until I do."

[isabelowens]

"Oh, Cameron... Fuck, I'm sorry. I wish I was back there. I'd give you a hug right now. You know that scar on my stomach? I was shot once on duty... I know it's not my knee, but for a little while I thought that was it for me. I sort of know how you feel. I'm so sorry." She sighed as she swallowed back a sudden lump in her throat. "Why don't you bring it up? If you talk about it, it can be done with."

[cameronpreston]

Cameron nodded a little. "I'm sorry to hear you went through that, love. I understand crystal clear. Pat's best mate was shot and nearly died just over a year ago. Lad's like a brother to me. Guns can be a bit of a sore subject. But I guess with the FBI, you've just gotta roll with it. I just... football has been it for me since I was a kid. I started playing in comps when I was abotu six years old."

He wanted to roll over but the brace meant he was stuck on his back and he hated it. "I just haven't been in the right frame of mind. We've mostly just been sitting together in silence."

[isabelowens]

Iz changed her grip on the phone as she cleared her throat quietly. "Thank you. And maybe you don't want to hear this right now, but there's always options. This doesn't have to be it, Cam. And if I can do anything to help, I will."

"At least that's a start. Some people don't even get that far."

[cameronpreston]

He knew a lot of people were going to try to tell him the same thing and he tried not to get angry and frustrated hearing it. As far as he was concerned, it was 'it' until he could get off his arse and make sure his knee was fine for next season. And the sooner the better. "Right now I'm just stuck on my back and really want out of here. I have to be out of here by Sunday."

"He's tired and he's not well. I don't want him to think he needs to fall into nurse mode, because he does it automatically. I figured if I just keep telling him I'm tired, he might sit still too. Thing is, he knew what I was doing and told me he was onto me."

[isabelowens]

"I don't think I should call in another favour to bust you out. I might get us into even more trouble. Is Sunday the christening?"

Iz smiled a little. "There should always be one person you can't bullshit. One person that knows you inside and out, because they're the ones that stick around when it gets hard. No matter how much you try and keep them away. I don't think Aiden will let Pat wear himself out from what I saw."

[cameronpreston]

Cameron laughing a little and drew his lower lip in between his teeth. "I'm discharging myself if they don't do it before me," he resolved. "Pat's becoming a godfather, Lachie's wee one is going all official and Lachie and Tara don't get a second bite of the kid apple. Plus, it's their anniversary. I'm not missing that day."

"Pat knows me better than I know myself. I swear he's reading my mind some days. That's the thing. He's feeling my pain, but won't tell me he is. He keeps rubbing his head. I need to talk to him. I know I do. I don't know if I can do it without losing it, though."

[isabelowens]

Iz smiled at hearing him laugh, even just a little. "Wow, that's some day... I don't really blame you for not wanting to miss it. I really would come help you if I thought I could get away with it. I look cute as a nurse."

"It's alright to lose it if you need to... It's part of what makes us heal, letting those emotions go."