Falling for my Best Friend

Can I Stay?

Kilian

"Sissy!" Quin runs over toward Wren, almost jumping on her.

"She's still a little out of it, they said it will take her a bit, you have to be gentle," I explain.

"Wren, baby, are you okay?" Shane says, bending down to kiss his oldest daughter's head.

Wren tries to nod yes but it's clear that she is still feeling weak. Gael and Declan shuffle up to the other side of the bed. Wren cracks a small smile at them.

"Glad you're okay," Declan says with a subdued grin.

"Me too," Gael joins in.

My phone pings with a text so I announce, "Nolan is back in the waiting room, he brought food."

"You all go get some food, Quin stay close to these boys, I'll switch out with one of you when you're done," Shane says.

I'm reluctant to leave Wren but he is her father and I need to listen to what he wants. I squeeze Wren's hand and head to the waiting room with everyone else.

Wren

After seeing my friends and family, I start to feel a little bit better. I'm finally able to sit up in bed a little bit; my dad puts some pillows behind me to prop me up. Once everyone else leaves the room, I look at my dad and say, "Mom?"

"Baby girl? Is it true? Kilian said and Quin said but I can't get your mother to talk, I told her to stay away until I know what happened," he says and he sounds so worried.

I close my eyes and nod my head up and down slowly, "Yes."

His face twists and turns red. It's like he can't decide what to do. "She put her hands on you?"

"Yes."

 "She's leaving, don't worry, she won't be around you until this is sorted. She is my wife and I love her but you are my child, what you want is important to me. Should I involve the police?" Dad questions.

"No, there is more... but I'm too tired," I say quietly and it takes almost all the energy I have to get that sentence out, "Listen to Kilian," I finish out of breath.

"Okay baby, you rest, I will be with you tomorrow and we'll sort this out. I love you," Dad says with a small smile.

I almost immediately fall asleep.

Kilian

Shane returns to the waiting room to find us all sharing burgers and fries. Nolan passes him his change and offers him a burger.

"Thanks son, thanks to all of you for being here for Wren, I know it means a lot to her," he says, smiling softly. "She's too tired for visiting right now, she fell asleep and she needs her rest, we can come back tomorrow."

"Can I stay with her?" I ask because the idea of leaving her here on her own is already breaking my heart.

"I don't see why not if that's what you'd like to do but you need to talk to the nursing staff," Shane says.

Seems like a small price to pay so I walk over to the nurse's station. After talking with the nursing staff, they agree to allow me to stay with Wren. 

I guess that Gael and Declan will probably leave now, "I'll text you guys in the morning when she's awake," and we exchange fist bumps.

Nolan stands up and embraces me in a hug; he says quietly in my ear, "You need to tell her."

"I'll take Nolan home, you should keep Wren's car in case you need to leave for any reason," Shane says, "And of course, if anything should happen don't hesitate to call me."

I squeeze Quin's shoulder and tell her, "Don't worry, I got her, you know you can trust me."

She smiles softly up at me, "Thanks."

I return to Wren's room and take a seat in the chair near her bed. She's definitely sleeping now; I can hear her soft, relaxed breaths. She looks like an actual angel, all pale and soft and quiet, her auburn hair sort of splayed out on her pillow; I feel bad for gawking at her when she is in this condition but she never stays still this long for me to look at her. I pull out my phone and start to play Liam LaGrange songs that I know she likes, quietly, hopefully she can hear them in her dream land. I swear I almost saw her smile so I'm just going to keep playing her favorite songs. After a while, my phone pings.

[Gael]: Any updates?

[Kilian]: Still sleeping

[Gael]: we got u some clothes from ur bro, drop them off in a bit

[Me]: Thx man

It's nice that Gael seems to have buried that hatchet for now but I know there is still going to be more drama between us. 

Gael

When I woke up this morning, my head was throbbing and everything was spinning. Declan wasn't kidding when he said I needed to blow off some steam, but sleeping in a truck was not all it was cracked to be. I climbed out and did my best to stretch my muscles before I shook Declan awake.

"Huh? Where are we?" he says, half asleep.

"The badlands, remember last night?"

"No, not really," Declan says smiling, "Seems like it was a success then!"

We say goodbye to the other party stragglers and head back to Declan's house. His parents are usually super cool and it's probably the easiest place to catch some more zzzs.

That was the last time I was awake and things were normal. Now everything is wrong. Let me tell you, you can shake a hangover off really quickly when you get a text that someone you care about is in the hospital.

Declan and I nearly sprinted to my truck, and I drove faster than I should have. We ran into the ER to find Kilian sitting there looking so deflated. I quickly notice that he has what looks like bloody smears on his pants and some blood on his shirt. He looks like he's been through hell.

No one seems to be able to tell us what really happened to Wren and it's pissing me off. How does no one know what happened? The night gets more and more confusing for me when apparently Wren is asking for Kilian. I do my best not to let this get to me but it does sting a little bit. I decide he's got her blood on his clothes so he can have this one.

When Declan and I finally get to go see Wren, my chest hurts, and the only words I can muster are, "Me too."

Come on, Gael, you can do better than that. I just look down at her and realize that the feeling I was having about her is becoming stronger. I see Kilian holding her hand and it makes my jaw clench, but now is not the time to deal with this.

We all share dinner in the waiting room before Mr. McCauley tells us to go home, but then Kilian offers to stay with Wren. Why didn't I think of that? I try to calm myself down, it's not like anything is going to happen between them tonight, she's hooked up to machines and sick, I need to let this go.

Declan and I leave the hospital but we don't say anything, it's like we don't know what to say.

When we finally get into the truck, Declan breaks the silence, "You okay man? That was tense."

"I guess I'm as okay as any of us are," I say quietly, "Okay as I can be."

"Well they said Wren is going to be alright so now we just have to do our best to be there for her," he replies.

"Don't worry, seems like Kilian has that handled," I say with a little more snark than I wanted to.

"C'mon man, let's not do this, we all need each other right now, he's just trying to be there for her as much as any of us are," Declan replies. "Imagine what he feels like, sitting there with her dried blood all over him, did you see his face?"

"I know you're right man," I take a breath, "Maybe we should get him some clothes or something, no one said we can't go back there. Then, if she wakes up, we'll all be there for her."

"Good idea, I bet Nolan is home by now and he was surprisingly friendly so he might even help us out," Declan says.

This is a great plan, I may not have been able to be there for Wren when whatever happened, happened, but I can still be here now.