33. Mercy

"Those doctors don't knowwhat they're doing," his father grumbled. "If you had just listened and?—"

"Dad, would you let it go?" Chase sighed. "I need some sleep."

That had his mom up and out of her chair in a flash. She hurried over, patting his hand like any loving mother would as she looked at her only child like he was on the verge of death. He wasn't, and I knew it pissed him off to be treated like he was.

"We'll let you get some rest." She looked up at me, those eyes just like Chase's pleading with me. "Please call us if anything changes."

"I will," I promised, though nothing would. Still, it was the reassurance she needed.

I avoided his father's glare. He didn't like me for whatever reason, but I didn't care. He wasn't the man I was concerned about. As the door swung shut, I nudged Chase's large body, forcing him to scoot over and allow me room on the bed. I was tired from long nights sleeping in the chair and I wanted to snuggle him again.

He pulled me into his arms and pressed a kiss to my head. "Okay?"

"Yeah, just tired."

"Tell me about it. I can't remember the last time I got a full night's sleep."

I shifted to look up at him. "Well, to be fair, you hallucinated half of those nights anyway."

He pinched my side, forcing a laugh from me. "You're supposed to be nice to me. I'm injured."

"You're fine," I laughed. "Don't think you fooled me with that act you put on for Asher."

He looked at me in shock, then shook his head with laughter. "How did you know?"

"Oh, please! Your brain is conjuring up hallucinations to help you deal with Asher's departure? I'm not even sure Asher believed that shit."

"It could happen," he said defensively.

"Right, and the only people who believed him were your parents. Maybe Cash. I haven't figured him out yet."

"Nobody has him figured out," he grumbled, closing his eyes.

Sighing, I snuggled back into his chest. "So, do you think Asher will stick around for a while?"

"Maybe a day or two. He'll catch on that I'm fine and leave again."

"So, what do you hope to accomplish by getting him to stay?"

He let out a whoosh of air as he pulled me closer. "I don't know. Make him feel like he's still needed? Maybe I can get him to talk to me."

"Have him help with your therapy tomorrow," I suggested. "You need to go for walks, so have him help you."

He grunted, not liking the idea of another man helping him walk.

"It's a means to an end. You don't actually have to lean on him."

"That's the problem. I do. My feet don't work yet."

"Your brain doesn't work. That's not the same thing," I corrected.

"Yes, but will you still love me in a year when my brain makes me do and say things you won't like?"

I tilted my head to stare at him. "I know what you're playing at, and you won't get away with it. This isn't some free pass for you to do stupid shit and then blame it on a brain injury."

"It was worth a shot," he grinned.

"Just remember, I knew you were playing Asher without you having to give me a subtle head shake."

"You saw that, huh?"

"I see everything."

Everything except the fact that he was hallucinating another person the whole tine I was with him.

"Hey," he muttered, shaking me by the arm. "If I don't get to pout, neither do you."

"I wasn't pouting," I pouted.

"You so were. I'm such an idiot. I should have seen this. You were pouting."

I pinched him in the side, using his own abuse against him. "It's not nice to point out a lady's faults."

"And it's not nice to pick on the sick kid, but you're doing that."

"Just wait until I get you home. I'll make sure you're well taken care of."

"And where's that going to be?" he yawned.

He hadn't lied to his mom about needing to sleep. He was rarely awake for more than a few hours at a time, and that was very sporadic. Most of the time, he would doze off mid-conversation. It would take time for him to build up his stamina again.

"That depends. Do you want to live with me?"

"You don't have an apartment."

I jabbed him in the side. "Just answer the question."

"Mmm," he hummed. "I like the sound of the invitation."

"Just for a while."

His head jerked in my direction and he came fully awake. "What do you mean? Why just for a while?"

"Because eventually, you'll need more of a workout than walking around my apartment or going for a midnight stroll. You'll need to be at OPS where the guys can push you to get better."

"You're sending me away?"

I chuckled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I've already worked it out with Cash. Besides, I need to put in my notice at the hospital and work out my time. Then we'll move back to Kansas and I'll wear red heels and have a little Yorkie dog."

"I'm not sure it was a Yorkie. Besides, that's not a very masculine dog. It wouldn't protect you worth a damn."

I shrugged. "He was very protective of Dorothy."

"Yes, but a real dog would have bitten the witch's head off," he mumbled. He squeezed my shoulder. "It's settled," he said, his eyes drifting closed. "We'll find a real dog."

"And the living arrangements?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, and I worried he wasn't okay with them. But when I looked up, I saw he was already sleeping. Or so I thought.

"You've got me," he said before drifting off to sleep.

I did have him, and now that we were moving past all this stuff, I was never letting him go.

"Lucy, get the door!"I hurried around to the other side of the minivan, waiting for the door to open. We were those people now, people who drove around in a minivan like parents instead of the young people we were. Well, I was still young. Chase was moving like an old man.

Lucy huffed, thrusting her hand on her hip. "You know, I did not become your friend to do all your dirty work for you."

"It's opening a door," I pointed out the obvious.

"Yeah, and that was not in the job description of being your friend. But I digress…"

Chase grinned at me as I pulled out the cane for him. "You don't think I'm really going to use that, do you?"

"You're supposed to. The therapist said you're not ready to walk alone."

"I have you to hold me up."

"Nice try," I laughed, thrusting the cane in his direction.

"I'm not an old man."

"No, but you are weak like a girl. So, carry the damn stick and move your ass."

Grumbling, he snatched it out of my hand and heaved his body out of the minivan. When I turned, I nearly ran into Patrick. "Geez, make a little noise next time."

"You know, I'm really uncomfortable with this new dynamic."

"And which dynamic is that?"

"The one where Chase is happy. It's unsettling. See, he was always the grouchy one and I was the fun one."

"And me?" Asher said, stepping out from behind the minivan with bags in tow.

"That depends. Are we talking pre-Jade or post?"

"You stupid fucker," Chase muttered under his breath.

But to my surprise, Asher didn't get angry at the inference. "I'm the one who will kick your ass if you don't get your woman under control. She's a menace," he growled, glaring at Lucy who stood by the door, staring at her nails.

"She's not a menace," I laughed. "She's fun."

Asher growled low in his throat as he watched her, and to my surprise, Patrick jumped to her defense.

"Back off, Ash. She's fine."

"Hey, how about we focus on the guy struggling to get out of the van?" Chase jested.

Asher stepped forward, practically shoving me out of the way to help Chase. He was confident he could make it inside without help. Asher and I knew better. We'd been helping him with his therapy while Patrick took a back seat so they could convince Asher he was still needed. It had been a week. I wasn't sure he would stick around too much longer.

Chase was sweating by the time he got out of the van and made it halfway to the door. Of course, he was an idiot and tried to walk faster just to prove that he could. I watched from behind as he struggled to stay upright as he took in deep breaths.

"So, this is the new place, huh?" Patrick asked, looking up at the building. "Looks kind of modern. I don't like it."

"It's a short-term lease," I reminded him. "It's only until we're ready to make the trip to Kansas."

"If we're ever ready," Chase grumbled. "Fuck, I think I need to sit down."

"I told you not to rush it," I chastised.

When he didn't answer, I knew he was doing a lot worse than he was letting on. I started walking toward him, but Asher shook his head slightly.

"I need to talk to Chase. Why don't you guys go up?" Asher said, shooting me a pointed look.

"Is this one of those times ‘you guys' means the girls and me? Or do I get to stay and hear this news you have for Chase?"

I skirted around them, tugging on Lucy's arm when she ignored me to check out Patrick.

"What?" she whined. "I was just getting a look."

"You've already had several," I reminded her, pulling her into the building.

I'd only been here a few times, just long enough to get a few things set up and sign the papers. I was supposed to take the lease to Chase at the hospital for him to sign, but Cash worked a miracle and got the owner to let it slide. All it took was a little cash under the table for him to only put my name on the lease.

"I can't believe you're really leaving me," Lucy grumbled.

"I thought you were coming with?" That's what she kept telling me, anyway. She was determined to chase Patrick down until she stole his heart. Unfortunately, I had the feeling Patrick wasn't ready to be chased yet.

"I don't have the luxury of quitting my job right now," she grumbled. "It's not fair. I was supposed to get the hot guys. We had a deal."

"I'm sure there will be plenty of hot guys in your future," I said, hoping to put her at ease.

"Sure, easy for you to say. You already have one."

I opened the door to the apartment and stepped inside. It wasn't as homey as my other apartment, but it had walls and working appliances. And since the building was new, it was highly unlikely there would be a gas explosion anytime soon. That gave it massive bonus points.

"Are you sure I can't talk you into sticking around longer than a few months?"

I turned and rolled my eyes at her pouty face. "Yes, I'm sure. This isn't even a choice I have to make. Chase will need a lot of support going forward. It'll be fine here while he gets back on his feet, but he's going to need a lot of therapy, and from what Cash told me, he'll have a massive gym where he can work out.

"Maybe I can visit once a month," she continued to pout.

"Lucy, I hate to say this, but I don't think Patrick is all that serious about relationships."

Her lip quivered right before she bent over laughing. "That's—oh my God! Did you think…" She was gasping for air as she continued to laugh.

I didn't really think what I said was all that funny, but to each his own. "Um…so we're good?"

She waved a hand in front of her face as she took in huge gasps of air. "Girl, are you trying to make me throw up? God, why would I want to be in a relationship with Patrick?"

"Be…cause you've been sleeping together and spending every minute together?"

"So? It's good sex. What was I supposed to do?"

I should have known better. Lucy had always been like this, so I wasn't sure why it surprised me when she didn't want to date him. "Well…I guess it's all good then."

"He's just not dating material. Not that I am either," she huffed. "He's so good in bed, but a relationship? Blech!"

"Hey, I heard that," Patrick said as he walked through the door, pretending to be wounded.

"I'm sorry, baby," Lucy said to him, "but dating you would be like sticking spikes through my eyeballs. Unnecessary and painful."

"Like you're much better," he cheerfully chided her. "The first thing you said to me when we were alone was that you wanted to use me for my dick and nothing else. I had the decency to at least compliment you first."

"Hey, saying I wanted to bounce on your dick was a compliment!"

"Alright, can we stop talking about dicks?" I shouted, cutting through the argument.