just_muse_me | 18.2.4. Three little words
18.2.4. Three little words
Co-written with straight2point
[Follows THIS]
Marc found a deserted courtyard in the large hospital and exited into it, closing the glass doors behind him. He rubbed his hands over his face and then leaned against the wall to unclip his PDA from his belt under his jacket. He slowly brought Harri's number up in his extensive phone book and hit call, putting the phone to his ear. He listened to the monotonous ringing, it almost hypnotic to his tired brain. Somewhere in the shit hitting the fan (again), he had become an insomniac. He could've gotten a hotel room, but he chose to just hang around the hospital with Izzy instead. The staff had told them Cameron wouldn't wake up until late morning at least, but Izzy had wanted to stick around. Marc knew as he watched her sitting beside Cameron's bed holding his hand that she really had moved on. It did hurt on some level, but at the same time, it was inevitable. He had already moved on.
It was around seven am here in England, so it would be lunch time in New York. When he heard Harri pick up on the other end of the line with her standard business greeting, he rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "Hey, babe," he returned. "How are you?"
Harri let out a heavy sigh as she dismissed some of her little worker bees. It was getting to the point where she didn't even remember their names, and it was horrible. At least she remembered Kara. The rest were new employees that she hadn't bothered getting to know yet. It made her a bitch, she was sure, but it also helped her fire them when they didn't do their jobs properly. "It's so hard to find good help these days," she said, affecting an incredibly snobbish British accent. "Even harder when I don't have you to help my forget my troubles. You sound tired, love. Are you okay?"
Marc inhaled slowly at the question. "Not particularly," he murmured. "I'm not really sleeping. It's making the job hard. I should be home tomorrow or the next day. I just... needed to hear your voice. There's a few things I need to talk to you about when I get home, babe."
"What would you like my voice to say? I'd sing a lullaby, but I don't actually remember any." Harri frowned at his last comment as she sat down at her desk. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me anything if I ask what things? You need to sleep, love. I know it's probably something that's easy for me to say, but it's true. When you come home, take a day off and I'll take the day off as well and we'll just sleep together. Lord only knows my pregnant body won't mind more sleep."
Marc hugged his jacket tighter around him, imagining how nice it would be to just curl up in bed for a day. Then he thought about spending the night with Izzy and immediately felt guilty, even if it was just sleeping and nothing sexual. "That sounds great, babe," he agreed. The day he couldn't argue with. If he didn't take one, he was going break down and that could be worse than anything lack of sleep would do to him. "You'll appreciate me talking to you about them face-to-face. You know, in case you want to yell at me. Unless Aiden already got to you and you want to start the yelling now."
Harri didn't say anything at first, her eyes staring at the desk as she picked up a pen and started to twirl it through her fingers. "He rang, but he didn't say much. Just said he wanted to tell me something, but it was for you to tell me."
"Bloody hell. Why does he have a knack of making me sound like a hitman or something?" Marc mumbled. He really needed a smoke but he was out. He doubted the hospital cafeteria was going to have any on offer, either. "I was on a job, of sorts. But not really. I have no idea how to explain this without it leading to more questions."
Harri cleared her throat, and it turned into a slight laugh. "Because he still wants to find a reason to hate you. If you can't tell me what's going on, then just tell me something you can. Anything."
"He's probably found it," Marc told her, shaking his head. "Something I can? I'm in England. And I'm in reaching distance for Aiden to kill me. A copy of my will is in my safe. And even though they already did that, I'd like Amazing Grace on bagpipes at my funeral."
"This isn't exactly filling me with confidence. However, I'll make sure you get what you want at the funeral." Harri set the pen down and rest her head in her hand. "Pat's brother is in hospital in England. You're not there, are you? Aiden said they'd sedated Cameron."
Marc groaned softly. He didn't want to be tied up in the lies anymore. They were making him feel sick. "I'm here. In Liverpool. Just up the hall from his room. He is sedated. He fractured his knee in that game and won't be able to play the rest of the season. It's up in the air if he'll even be able to play beyond the season. As weird and as fucked up as it sounds, a friend of mine got together with Cameron in New York over the weekend. They hit it off and she was worried about him when she saw the game. So I pulled some strings to help her get here. Only, I didn't realise it was Cameron... or Pat's brother, so I didn't exactly count on Pat and Aiden being here to intercept me and now I just have one fuck of a headache and Aiden wants to strangle me. Again. I should be used to that by now."
"Is he angry you tried to spook your way into the hospital?" Harri asked as she tried to understand. "Or is it to do with your friend?"
Marc tried to think back over the whole conversation in the corridor near Cameron's room. "You know, I think it's just because I'm me. Not surprising. I seem to be on everyone's shit list these days. Pat was okay with it once he knew she wasn't some obsessed fan trying to access Cameron when he was weakened."
Harri smiled a little. "Then you did the right thing. You were helping a friend, and I think that's admirable. Aiden will get over it. He's probably just concerned about Pat and how his husband's dealing with his brother's condition. I'm sure it was just a bad reaction to the shock of seeing you there. I'm glad there's someone good for Cameron. I'm assuming your friend is good for him. He needs someone special... even if he'll try and fight it. Just like all you boys do."
Marc went over to sit down on the bench in the court yard. He couldn't believe how tired he was. "I don't know Cameron. I hardly know Pat. But I know my friend and I know she'll... she'll be amazing for him if they hit it off. I think Aiden is going to want to kill me by default no matter what. Harri, I-" He started and stopped, frowning. "I was thinking of taking a leave of absence from work. I'm more screwed up in my head than I thought I was."
"Love, why didn't you say something? Is there anything I can do? Just tell me what you need. I'll take care of you if you let me." Everything else was forgotten in an instant as Harri's focus shifted to Marc and his wellbeing. "We could get away... just the two of us. Three, I guess, if you count Dior."
"There's just a lot I really need to talk to you about. The secrets. I can't do it anymore. It's driving me crazy. I don't know who I am anymore and I feel like crap. I'm just operating on autopilot and trying to focus on the job, but everything beyond the job is suffering... Who the hell is Di- oh no! No way. I'm not letting you call our kid Dior!" Marc cried.
Harri grinned in spite of herself. "I have to call them something while they're still a blob. I don't feel right deciding on any names until I know they'll be okay. So if you can come up with something better, be my guest. So then let's talk, but let's do it somewhere away from everything and everyone."
"What's wrong with Junior or something? Don't scar the poor kid with Kermit. Look at Jamie. She was born a girl and was a boy name through the whole pregnancy. I still say that's why Ali had a thirty six hour labour. Jamie was getting her back." Marc sighed. "Let's talk at home and then you can decide if you still want to spend some time away with me."
"Junior? Don't even think about it. It sounds like... I don't know what, but it's not good. I am not calling them Junior." Harri let out a sigh, a feeling of dread washing over her. What was so bad that Marc was talking like they were going to break up? "When are you going to be home?"
"I guess it depends how Cameron is when he wakes up. I figured I'd stick around in case Pat and Aiden need anything, just in the background. Come back to New York with my friend. There's a lot up in the air, but hopefully tomorrow or the next day. If you... if you need me to come sooner, I will," he added, almost hoping she would ask him to come home.
"I want you to come home," Harri replied, hearing the change in his tone. Maybe they weren't perfect, but she was getting to be able to read him. Especially over the phone when he made those quick calls from other countries. "I want to know what's going on."
Marc closed his eyes and nodded. "I'll be there before dinner," he promised. "Harri?"
"I'll make sure I'm home. I won't stay at the office too long after I finish the next meeting." She looked out the window as she stood up. "Yes?"
Marc drew a small breath and let it out slowly. "I love you."
Shock crossed Harri's features as she looked out at the City, but then she smiled. "I love you, too."
All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe
Word Count | 1,772
Co-written with straight2point
[Follows THIS]
Marc found a deserted courtyard in the large hospital and exited into it, closing the glass doors behind him. He rubbed his hands over his face and then leaned against the wall to unclip his PDA from his belt under his jacket. He slowly brought Harri's number up in his extensive phone book and hit call, putting the phone to his ear. He listened to the monotonous ringing, it almost hypnotic to his tired brain. Somewhere in the shit hitting the fan (again), he had become an insomniac. He could've gotten a hotel room, but he chose to just hang around the hospital with Izzy instead. The staff had told them Cameron wouldn't wake up until late morning at least, but Izzy had wanted to stick around. Marc knew as he watched her sitting beside Cameron's bed holding his hand that she really had moved on. It did hurt on some level, but at the same time, it was inevitable. He had already moved on.
It was around seven am here in England, so it would be lunch time in New York. When he heard Harri pick up on the other end of the line with her standard business greeting, he rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "Hey, babe," he returned. "How are you?"
Harri let out a heavy sigh as she dismissed some of her little worker bees. It was getting to the point where she didn't even remember their names, and it was horrible. At least she remembered Kara. The rest were new employees that she hadn't bothered getting to know yet. It made her a bitch, she was sure, but it also helped her fire them when they didn't do their jobs properly. "It's so hard to find good help these days," she said, affecting an incredibly snobbish British accent. "Even harder when I don't have you to help my forget my troubles. You sound tired, love. Are you okay?"
Marc inhaled slowly at the question. "Not particularly," he murmured. "I'm not really sleeping. It's making the job hard. I should be home tomorrow or the next day. I just... needed to hear your voice. There's a few things I need to talk to you about when I get home, babe."
"What would you like my voice to say? I'd sing a lullaby, but I don't actually remember any." Harri frowned at his last comment as she sat down at her desk. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me anything if I ask what things? You need to sleep, love. I know it's probably something that's easy for me to say, but it's true. When you come home, take a day off and I'll take the day off as well and we'll just sleep together. Lord only knows my pregnant body won't mind more sleep."
Marc hugged his jacket tighter around him, imagining how nice it would be to just curl up in bed for a day. Then he thought about spending the night with Izzy and immediately felt guilty, even if it was just sleeping and nothing sexual. "That sounds great, babe," he agreed. The day he couldn't argue with. If he didn't take one, he was going break down and that could be worse than anything lack of sleep would do to him. "You'll appreciate me talking to you about them face-to-face. You know, in case you want to yell at me. Unless Aiden already got to you and you want to start the yelling now."
Harri didn't say anything at first, her eyes staring at the desk as she picked up a pen and started to twirl it through her fingers. "He rang, but he didn't say much. Just said he wanted to tell me something, but it was for you to tell me."
"Bloody hell. Why does he have a knack of making me sound like a hitman or something?" Marc mumbled. He really needed a smoke but he was out. He doubted the hospital cafeteria was going to have any on offer, either. "I was on a job, of sorts. But not really. I have no idea how to explain this without it leading to more questions."
Harri cleared her throat, and it turned into a slight laugh. "Because he still wants to find a reason to hate you. If you can't tell me what's going on, then just tell me something you can. Anything."
"He's probably found it," Marc told her, shaking his head. "Something I can? I'm in England. And I'm in reaching distance for Aiden to kill me. A copy of my will is in my safe. And even though they already did that, I'd like Amazing Grace on bagpipes at my funeral."
"This isn't exactly filling me with confidence. However, I'll make sure you get what you want at the funeral." Harri set the pen down and rest her head in her hand. "Pat's brother is in hospital in England. You're not there, are you? Aiden said they'd sedated Cameron."
Marc groaned softly. He didn't want to be tied up in the lies anymore. They were making him feel sick. "I'm here. In Liverpool. Just up the hall from his room. He is sedated. He fractured his knee in that game and won't be able to play the rest of the season. It's up in the air if he'll even be able to play beyond the season. As weird and as fucked up as it sounds, a friend of mine got together with Cameron in New York over the weekend. They hit it off and she was worried about him when she saw the game. So I pulled some strings to help her get here. Only, I didn't realise it was Cameron... or Pat's brother, so I didn't exactly count on Pat and Aiden being here to intercept me and now I just have one fuck of a headache and Aiden wants to strangle me. Again. I should be used to that by now."
"Is he angry you tried to spook your way into the hospital?" Harri asked as she tried to understand. "Or is it to do with your friend?"
Marc tried to think back over the whole conversation in the corridor near Cameron's room. "You know, I think it's just because I'm me. Not surprising. I seem to be on everyone's shit list these days. Pat was okay with it once he knew she wasn't some obsessed fan trying to access Cameron when he was weakened."
Harri smiled a little. "Then you did the right thing. You were helping a friend, and I think that's admirable. Aiden will get over it. He's probably just concerned about Pat and how his husband's dealing with his brother's condition. I'm sure it was just a bad reaction to the shock of seeing you there. I'm glad there's someone good for Cameron. I'm assuming your friend is good for him. He needs someone special... even if he'll try and fight it. Just like all you boys do."
Marc went over to sit down on the bench in the court yard. He couldn't believe how tired he was. "I don't know Cameron. I hardly know Pat. But I know my friend and I know she'll... she'll be amazing for him if they hit it off. I think Aiden is going to want to kill me by default no matter what. Harri, I-" He started and stopped, frowning. "I was thinking of taking a leave of absence from work. I'm more screwed up in my head than I thought I was."
"Love, why didn't you say something? Is there anything I can do? Just tell me what you need. I'll take care of you if you let me." Everything else was forgotten in an instant as Harri's focus shifted to Marc and his wellbeing. "We could get away... just the two of us. Three, I guess, if you count Dior."
"There's just a lot I really need to talk to you about. The secrets. I can't do it anymore. It's driving me crazy. I don't know who I am anymore and I feel like crap. I'm just operating on autopilot and trying to focus on the job, but everything beyond the job is suffering... Who the hell is Di- oh no! No way. I'm not letting you call our kid Dior!" Marc cried.
Harri grinned in spite of herself. "I have to call them something while they're still a blob. I don't feel right deciding on any names until I know they'll be okay. So if you can come up with something better, be my guest. So then let's talk, but let's do it somewhere away from everything and everyone."
"What's wrong with Junior or something? Don't scar the poor kid with Kermit. Look at Jamie. She was born a girl and was a boy name through the whole pregnancy. I still say that's why Ali had a thirty six hour labour. Jamie was getting her back." Marc sighed. "Let's talk at home and then you can decide if you still want to spend some time away with me."
"Junior? Don't even think about it. It sounds like... I don't know what, but it's not good. I am not calling them Junior." Harri let out a sigh, a feeling of dread washing over her. What was so bad that Marc was talking like they were going to break up? "When are you going to be home?"
"I guess it depends how Cameron is when he wakes up. I figured I'd stick around in case Pat and Aiden need anything, just in the background. Come back to New York with my friend. There's a lot up in the air, but hopefully tomorrow or the next day. If you... if you need me to come sooner, I will," he added, almost hoping she would ask him to come home.
"I want you to come home," Harri replied, hearing the change in his tone. Maybe they weren't perfect, but she was getting to be able to read him. Especially over the phone when he made those quick calls from other countries. "I want to know what's going on."
Marc closed his eyes and nodded. "I'll be there before dinner," he promised. "Harri?"
"I'll make sure I'm home. I won't stay at the office too long after I finish the next meeting." She looked out the window as she stood up. "Yes?"
Marc drew a small breath and let it out slowly. "I love you."
Shock crossed Harri's features as she looked out at the City, but then she smiled. "I love you, too."
All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe
Word Count | 1,772