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"Aaron," I whispered back.

"Did we wake you?" Nick chimed, making sure to give his brother a look indicating that their conversation would be continued later. I heard almost the whole thing, I guess he just didn't realize it.

"Not really," I fibbed. Not entirely, really. I stretched out my arms above my head to show that I wasn't sleepy anymore anyways.

"You have a nice nap?" Nick cast another sinister look at Aaron before smiling angelicly at me.

I nodded. And your conversation wasn't all that bad either. Hold up, I'll have to put you on hold to sort what Aaron had just said.

I slid my vision to Aaron for a split second to see what he was doing; He was biting his fingernails.

"Don't do that, it kills the look," I told him. He took his hand away from his mouth and folded his hands on his lap. He looked like a little kid whose mom had just told him not to play with his food or something.

"Sorry," he squeaked. I turned away to look at Nick, and when I looked at him again, he was gnawing away.

"Aaron."

"I'm- I can't help it." He looked back at his brother and I couldn't see the look he gave him, but whatever look it was it stopped Nick from making his next comment.

Just like the other stuff, right? Oh stop giving him a hard time...

"So." I stated.

"So." He whispered back quietly.

"Have you pulled your head out of your ass yet?" I asked him. I heard Nick stifle a laugh behind Aaron, who kept his eyes on the floor in front of him. He nodded and stayed silent for a minute, so I tried a different route.

"What's up?" I inquired, trying for a nonchalant tone. Squeaky Miser came out instead.

"Just thinking, you know, about stuff." Aaron answered, staring at the most fascinating thing he could find: The same old floor.

"What stuff?" I asked. What does he find so fascinating about the floor?

"I can't tell you yet before I rehearse it in front of my mirror." He murmured quietly, our eyes finally embracing in a visual lock.

"If it helps, you can go into the bathroom and leave the door open." Nick suggested, pointing at the door he was standing next to.

Aaron shot Nick an evil stare, one meaning eat-shit-and-leave, from what I could tell.

"I don't have to, Nick. You can go into the bathroom and lock yourself in there, if it helps." Aaron quipped.

My lips felt a tinge that made me want to smile at their little arguement, but I didn't. Not a very appropriate time.

"So you gonna say it right here and now?" Nick asked, still standing his position.

Aaron nodded and looked me in the eye again, his brown ones sparkling with emotion. "I don't know what to say, really. Just that I'm sorry. You probably think that with all of the 'I'm sorries' I say, that this one is worth bullshit, but I mean it. You dont have to believe me, I mean, I wouldn't blame you, and I - "

I cut him off before I had to make him go on; He looked like he was mildly suffering, and I hate it when people I love are like that, even if I was supposed to hate them at that moment. "I heard what you said with Nick."

He frowned. "Oh."

"Yeah," I nodded, echoing the same texture of his voice. "All of it."

"All of it?" Aaron repeated. "So you heard what I said about leaving?"

I managed a nod. "No one wants you to leave." I said. I knew Aaron wasn't gonna look behind him, but Nick was nodding in agreement with me.

"I want to leave. I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have..."

"But I don't want you to leave."

"You do," he replied earnestly, "You do."

"And since when do you get to be the boss of who I want to leave and whatnot?"

"When the last time you told me something like that I hurt you even worse." he sighed. "Maybe I should have been clearer. I don't want to leave; I need to leave."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do. For everyone."

"Don't do us favors like that." Nick said, before I could protest again.

Aaron raised his eyebrows, apparently miffed that nobody was taking him seriously. "I'm serious! I'm going to go, and you can't stop me! I'm an adult, for Christ's sake!"

"Do you know how childish that sounded?" Nick asked.

"I'm taking you seriously..." I added before Aaron had the chance to reply to Nick. "I don't want you to go."

Aaron crossed his arms around his skinny chest, stubborn. "But you're not listening."

"I am listening!" I retorted, nearly sitting up and tearing out all the IV tubes. "I just know that's not what you really want."

"You don't know that." He said. I half-expected him to pout right now.

"Yes, I fucking do. If you wanted to leave you would have left by now, and you certainly wouldn't have told anyone."

Aaron flapped his mouth open and closed like a fish for several seconds, trying to think of something to say. When all else failed, he pursed his lips. "That's not fair. All I want is for us to be in love and happy and stuff, and I get this." He finally said.

"And I don't want that for us?" I argued. I love him and everything, but I'm still mad at him. He still hurt me. Again. "I just want you to be okay right now. To stop hurting yourself, stop hurting your sisters, your brother," I motioned to Nick, who remained in the same place the entire time.

"Don't forget you, Amy." Nick added. "He hurt you, too."

"Gee, Nick," Aaron responded sarcastically, "I'd completely forgotten about that." He rolled his eyes.

Nick finally moved; he leaned over, smacked his brother in the back of the head, and leaned back. "Sorry, Amy." He apologized. I nodded in acknowledgement

"All this isn't fair for anyone..." I said after a while.

"You don't deserve this." Aaron stated, again not looking at me. He sighed frustratedly. "I still love you, Amy."

"I still love you, too! Maybe I shouldn't!" I exclaimed, then continued after seeing the look on Aaron's face. "I mean, I can't believe you! You've been hiding this really big, really dangerous secret not just from me, but from your family all this time! Then not only are you forced to come here and see me again," I think I was a little bit more annoyed at the fact that I was in the hospital again than that he was forced to come see me again, "You're high when you get here! I love you, Aaron, but I gotta tell ya, this is probably the hardest thing I've had to deal with so far! And that says something!"

"Look," Aaron said, sighing and running his fingers through his hair. "Leaving is the only way I can stop hurting you. I'm sorry, but it's what I have to do."

"No it isn't," I said, he looked up at me with a confused look. "Aar, it's called rehab..."

"Wow..." Nick said. "Now I feel like the fucking moron... How the hell did I not think of rehab?!" he began scratching his head.

"Aaron you're not alone here. You can get help...you just need to want to stop. That's all."

"Yeah Aar," Nick added. He finally left his post and came forward to put a supportive hand on Aaron's shoulder. "And if you're having a tough time in rehab, I mean, if you ever feel like your gonna' give up, just call AJ, he'll definitely help you out. Maybe even give you some pointers on how to get through it."

He looked at me for a second before saying, "If I go to rehab... and I make it through, will you promise me you'll stay?"

I nodded and he said, "Okay, I'll do it..." I grinned and held out my hand for him. He took it in his and kissed it lightly.


~One week later~


Ring. Ring. "Hey!" Aaron said cheerfully on the other end of the line.

"Hey!" I answered, equally as happy. "I'm good to go. Finished the paperwork and everything."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

"See ya in a few." Click. Today is gonna be kinda bittersweet: Aaron leaves for rehab tomorrow. Hes gonna be there for a few months, depending on how well he does. I have faith in him; my accident seemed to cause a really big change in him.


~The Next Day~


After giving Bob a full tour of the rehab facility Aaron would be staying at, he seemed content leaving him there. There was a pool, cafeteria, nice rooms that the residents stayed in, and a rec room where they could get to know each other, play games, and watch TV.

Aaron, who had kept one arm around my waist for the entire tour, said, somewhat nervously - probably because it was real now more than ever that he'd really be going through rehab, "This place looks really nice."

"Your going to do fine baby," I reassured him going up on my tip toes to give him a quick kiss. "I'm so glad you're doing this."

"We all are," Nick said, coming up and putting an arm on Aaron's shoulder. "And I speak for everyone when I say we're proud of ya bro."

Everyone, including myself, Angel, BJ, and Leslie, nodded or gave an "Uh huh" in agreement.

"Thanks guys," Aaron said.

I gave him a tight hug, which he returned. "Well, let's get you moved in then!" Nick said, leading the way outside to the car, filled with any stuff Aaron was allowed to bring.