Gavin stared blankly ahead, holding Emmett's hand firmly between both of his. Susan walked in.
"Gavin, it's ten o' clock. Visiting hours are over," she stated as gently as she could. Gavin looked up at the nurse.
"I know. Thank you," he said, starting to tear up again. He had cried every day at those words for the past week.
Susan left the room as Gavin stood and leaned over Emmett. He kissed Emmett's forehead.
"Emmett, I love you," Gavin choked. "I'll be back tomorrow." He kissed Emmett's hand and left.
Gavin arrived at the apartment and went directly to bed. He could still smell Emmett on the pillows and sheets as he lay down. He buried his face into the pillow, taking in Emmett's scent while sobbing.
The doctors were hopeful. Emmett was in relatively good condition. He had hadn't broken anything, which the doctors attributed to his relaxed physical state when the car struck, but there was head trauma. He had taken two blows, one from the windshield of the car, and the other from the pavement. The doctors, however, were extremely satisfied with the recovery process anatomically. Regardless, Emmett remained in a coma, tearing at Gavin's heart. He jumped at every phone call, praying that it would be the hospital telling him that Emmett had awoken.
Gavin tossed and turned all night. Although he was exhausted, he couldn't stay asleep for more than an hour. His mind was littered with thoughts of Emmett, as it had been for the past nights. Emmett's words ran through his head: 'I'm sorry . . . I knew you weren't going to leave me . . .'
Gavin was back in the hospital at eight the next morning, sitting at Emmett's side. Susan looked at the sight. At first, Gavin had been too embarrassed to show his tears in front of anyone at the hospital. Now, however, he cried openly. He had dark circles around his tired, sad eyes and had stubble on his face.
The first night, she had informed him that no one was permitted in Emmett's room except immediate family. Gavin had all but threatened to break into the room to see Emmett after telling her Emmett had no blood relatives. She had let him in the room after a couple of hours when she found out from an adamant Cassidy that Gavin was as close to family as Emmett had. He arrived just before eight every morning, like clockwork, and left at ten every night. He helped the nurses and doctors if he could, whether it was when they had to reposition Emmett to prevent blood clots and discomfort, or filling out papers and information. She admired his dedication to Emmett, and prayed that Emmett would pull through as she proceeded to another patient, glancing back one more time to ensure everything was okay.
--
Cassidy walked into the hospital room, not expecting the sight that awaited her. Emmett lay on his back in the small bed with Gavin's large frame lying next to him. Gavin had somehow wrapped his arms around Emmett, his face nuzzled in the crook of Emmett's neck, and his legs dangled off the edge of the bed. Cassidy chuckled to herself as she closed Gavin's computer.
"Always doing work for the restaurant," she said quietly to a sleeping Gavin. "Well, it's about time you actually got some sleep."
She sat in the chair in the room and drew designs for a client for the next two hours, oblivious to Susan's occasional checks on Emmett. A doctor finally walked in and talked to Cassidy, paying no attention to the couple on the bed.
"Good afternoon," he said to Cassidy's familiar face.
"Hello, Dr. Munich," Cassidy greeted. "How's our Sleeping Beauty?"
"Still completely stable, or seemingly so. The cranial swelling is almost completely gone, and his bruising is healing nicely, although he'll be sore for a while when he wakes up." He was interrupted by his pager screaming on his belt. Cassidy heard him curse as he ran out the door.
Gavin stirred, and turned over to see what the commotion was about.
"Hey," he said groggily to Cassidy, who had her sketches spread all over the floor. "You turned this place into a dump while I was asleep." He nodded at the papers strewn about.
"Yeah, well, you're not the only one who has to get some work done here," Cassidy said, not even looking up from her drawing.
"What kind of pansy-ass job is interior design and remodeling, anyways?" Gavin teased.
"Said the gay man," Cassidy giggled. Gavin laughed.
"Just because I plan on spending forever with this man doesn't mean I'm a fairy," he smiled toward Emmett.
"Aw. That's cute," Cassidy winked. "Seriously, though, you know I'm teasing you about the whole pansy thing. You're as manly as guys come, minus the bad smell, unkempt hair, lack of style, dumbassedness . . . well, maybe not the dumbass--"
"Thanks, Cass. I get the idea." Gavin's happiness vanished as quickly as it had come when he looked back at Emmett. Gavin laced his fingers through Emmett's, kissing the back of Emmett's hand.
"He'll wake up, you know. He's strong," Cassidy said, looking sympathetically into her friend's tearing eyes. "The doctor said 'when he wakes up' today, not 'if he wakes up'."
"I miss him, Cass. I miss him so much," Gavin said, cut off by another sob. Cassidy gathered her papers in a folder and stood up.
"I'm going to grab a bite, and then I have to be to a client's house. I'll be back tomorrow. Hang in there, Gavin." She walked out, leaving Gavin alone with Emmett once more. Gavin looked down at Emmett's peaceful face affectionately, then bent down and kissed him lightly. Gavin realized just how much he had missed Emmett's lips on his for the past week.
He repositioned Emmett, then crawled onto the bed, his legs hanging off the side again. He pulled Emmett's arms around him and sank into Emmett's chest as the tears continued down his cheeks.
"Emmett, I miss you," he croaked. He lay in Emmett's arms for a few more minutes, then got up and did work until evening fell. After he had put his ledgers and computer away in his bag, he finished reading aloud to Emmett what he knew to be one of Emmett's favorite plays:
The Importance of Being Earnest.
Gavin looked up after part one to see a tear dripping from Emmett's eye to the pillow. He looked and saw that Emmett's pulse had quickened as well. Both, he knew, were signs of developing consciousness.
"Thank God," Gavin said, brushing the tear off of his lover's face with one hand and clutching Emmett's hand with the other.
--
Emmett heard the steady pulse of the heart monitor and the various other hospital noises around him. As he became more aware, he had no recollection of why he was there, and was not calm enough to slow down and think about why. Tensing up, he began to panic, not knowing what to do.
"Emmett," Gavin said softly. Emmett immediately relaxed at the sound of Gavin's voice and the feel of Gavin's hand in his, knowing that he was safe. "Forgive me, Emmett."
Emmett was overwhelmed, but finally completely aware.
"Water," he rasped, hardly audibly.
--
