Escaping the Pain - 13. Chapter 13

That had been a fun interview when he got out of jail. He had gone home, cleaned up fully in the privacy of his own bathroom and put on a crisp new suit before heading off to put a half day in at the office. He had no sooner checked in with his secretary and sat down at his desk when he got a call.

"Mr. Kendricks, please come to my office."

"Yes sir," Alan hung up the phone and stood up, straightening his tie and buttoning his jacket. A quick glance in the mirror hanging in his private bathroom ensured his hair was tidy. A brisk walk down the hall and up a floor in the elevator brought him to the office of his boss, GT&W senior partner, Larry Welch. The secretary sitting in her own office guarding that inner sanctum didn't smile at him when he entered, waving him to a seat.

"Mr. Welch is taking a call at the moment."

Alan had been kept waiting a full ten minutes during which his mind seethed at the insult though his outward demeanor showed no sign of it. Finally the intercom on the secretary's desk came to life.

"Send him in." The words were terse and Alan tensed up even more. Smoothing his expensive looking black jacket he had entered that office and faced the dragon he worked for. The older man was imposing, his heavy frame covered by a tailored suit, power radiating from him as he sat silently. Mr. Welch pointed him at one of the dark leather seats that sat in front of the desk.

Mr. Welch had friends and contacts all over the area. Clearly the incident that Alan had been provoked into by the failure of his son had made its way into his ears. He was told he was clearly overwrought with the death of his wife and the emotional issues facing his son and himself. He was to take some time off, talk to someone and come back when he was more clear-headed. Which would be at least several weeks or not at all.

Alan snorted to himself as he took another drink of his beer and stared blindly at the curvy blonde woman giving the next weeks forecast. He was clear-headed alright; his mind had never been so razor sharp or focused. He would not be thwarted in his desires!

** ** ** ** ** ** **

Mr. Echels always got into the office early. Leaving his wife asleep in bed he took his time getting ready and then drove into work. He always stopped at his favorite coffee shop near the high school for his morning caffeine fix and a paper before making his way into his office to take his time reading and sipping his beverage. He supposed he could do this at home but something about the relaxing in his office before work began seemed to reduce his stress level, no matter what came up during the course of his day.

Thursday morning was bright, the sky a deep blue populated with fluffy white clouds scattered here and there. His coffee was made perfectly by the lovely Keri, his favorite worker at the shop and so far all seemed right with the world. That was before he turned to the page containing news of Daniel Kendrick's accident and hospitalization. Mr. Echels sat forward, reading the article intently. Frowning he picked up the phone, ringing for his assistant who frequently came in just as early as he did.

"Sara, please get me the number for the hospital ICU department. I need to make some calls."

"Right away Mr. Echels."

** ** ** ** ** ** **

"Hi Dane," Dr. Wickels breezed into Dane's room early that morning, "I just thought that I would check in with you this morning before my rounds. How are you feeling?"

"Like a car rolled on me," Dane said fairly sarcastically. He was tired of being asked how he felt when it was clear that he felt like crap.

"I see," Dr. Wickels was smiling, looking at Dane's chart before he closed it and put it down. "Do you mind if I check you now?"

"You mean someone is actually going to ask? I had some nurse in here earlier with a sponge insisting she was going to 'bathe me'. It took an act of god to make her go away without getting under my gown."

Laughing, Dr. Wickels turned back the sheet and pressed his stethoscope into Dane's chest. He got quiet as he listened. He checked Dane's pulse and took off the bandages on his head, examining the stitches in his scalp. He made some notes in Dane’s chart.

"I think we'll let those stitches get some air but they're looking pretty good. Physical therapy has you up and moving a bit I see. How's that going?"

"Slowly and painfully of course. Laurelai is an evil slave driver. She got me up 5 times yesterday."

"Well I'm going to get her work for the day started. I want to see how you are moving." Dr. Wickels moved Dane's bed down and brought his head up a bit farther so he was sitting up fully. Moving the reclining chair so that nothing was in the way he pulled the sheet off Dane's legs. "Alright, up you get."

Dane held on to the doctor's arm and tried to keep in the whimpers in as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He eased onto his good foot on the floor and waited a moment while his head spun. He'd learned the hard way yesterday that Laurelai was strong enough to catch him when he tried to move too fast and almost fell. Holding onto the good doctor he carefully hobbled the 3 steps to the chair and turned to sit down. Lowering himself was painful, all the bruises on his abdomen objected to the change in position. He was sweaty, shaking, and panting by the time the doctor had his pillows supporting him properly.

"Very good Dane. I know that was hard but we don't want you staying in any one place too long, that's not good for you. I know you won't be mobile really but the more you get used to moving around the easier it will be for you when you leave."

Dr. Wickels looked down at Dane who looked upset and had tears in his eyes, "Are you okay son? Are you in pain anywhere?"

"Where am I going to go when you say I can't stay here anymore? I can't go home, I don't want to even if I could. But some foster home with strangers who will have to take care of me? I... I'm scared." Dane wiped the tears that had begun to fall down his cheek but they just kept coming.

Dr. Wickels pulled up the extra chair in the room and sat down so he wasn't standing over Dane. "Look, son. I know you are scared and that a lot has been going on in your personal life before this accident. I can't make all of that go away, but I can help you deal with how you are feeling. I have a friend here, a psychologist who works upstairs. He's who I talk to when things get too much for me and he might be able to help you. What do you say?"

Dane couldn't meet Dr. Wickel's eyes but he nodded.

"Okay son, I'll give Tom a call after rounds. Maybe he can fit you in today. In the meantime, do what Laurelai says and you'll be better in no time." He put his hand on Dane's shoulder, just lightly pressing in a gesture of comfort.

He walked out of the room, hating the defeat he could see in someone so young. Dr. Wickels had children of his own and he knew just how difficult this time of transition from boyhood to adulthood could be. When adding in the death of his mother, his father's antagonism, his sexual orientation and his current injuries to the hormones he had surging through his body it was no wonder he was by turns cranky, sad, happy, and scared. Tom could help guide him through all that.

** ** ** ** ** ** **

Tap had dropped Neri off last night and then gone home, taking his time and driving slowly. He'd sat alone in his car in the driveway for long moments, thinking over all that had happened in the last few days. His kisses with Dane had been sweet and arousing at the same time. He was willing to wait for Dane for as long as it took for him to come to terms with his feelings and begin to trust him.

His dreams were not willing to wait however. He was sticky when he woke up and blushed when he remembered the dream that had gotten him that way. Stripping for his morning shower Tap grinned and shook his head. His teenage hormones had gotten the better of him even if he had vowed to himself the night before to go at Dane's pace and not press him. He got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and checked his feet. They were tender but healing so he just put some of the bandages his mom had gotten for him on the worst of the cuts and then pulled on a clean pair of socks and tennis shoes.

It was time to get back to his Dane.

** ** ** ** ** ** **

Tap spent the day with Dane, watching TV and doing homework. Tap quizzed Dane on some of his Economics and Trig questions. He made a sneak run to the coffee shop that morning and had made a few sandwiches that the nurses pretended they didn’t see Dane eat, winking at them when they took his barely touched tray away. The afternoon was spent sharing the things they both loved and getting to know each other better.

Tap's main love was baseball of course, playing it, watching it, even reading about it. It turned out his favorite book was a Yogi Berra biography. One of the reasons why he had originally gone out for the catcher’s position on the team was his admiration for his favorite player. He'd read just about anything baseball related he could get his hands since he was a kid though.

"So, do you have a shoebox full of baseball cards then?" Dane teased.

"Hell no!"

"Aww, c'mon, you're telling me you love the game that much and you don't have a baseball card collection? I don't believe you!" Dane scoffed.

"Oh I have one," Tap said, a grin on his face when Dane crowed in triumph at his correct guess. "I was saying hell no about having them in a shoe box."

"What do you have them in then?"

"Binders with plastic sleeves."

"Binders? As in more than one?" Dane asked.

Tap did blush a little, looking down a bit before admitting, "I have 4 binders full of cards. I think I have around a thousand total. I uh, even have them separated by team and then by the year the player started."

Dane was laughing so hard at the sheepishly embarrassed look on Tap's face that he had to clutch his sore ribs with his good arm. "Ooh, that hurts. Don't make me laugh like that."

"Me? You were laughing at me, not like I can help that!" protested Tap.

"Yeah you could. Stop being such a dork."

"Hey now! You better watch it mister! You won't be in that bed forever," threatened Tap.

Dane got quiet, his smile leaving his face serious and a little scared looking. "Yeah, I know."

Tap cast about for something to distract Dane from his dismal thoughts. "Okay, so what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Did you collect anything? Favorite books? Movies?"

"Umm, no collections for me. I'm normal, you know," Dane winked at Tap, gratefully playing along with the change of subject. "Let's see, favorite book? I guess it would have to be Dune. Total sci-fi classic. I read it when I was 11 and just got sucked into the genre. I had all the Dune books, some Asimov, Cherryh , Jordan. Though the last one is more fantasy than science-fiction. I was really into the whole Pern series as a kid so I had a ton of the older McCaffrey books." Dane had a smile on his face, thinking fondly of his favorite books; the worlds he had escaped into whenever things in the real world got too much for him. They had been a little worn around the edges and some downright falling apart from being read so much.

"You keep saying had," Tap observed. It wasn't quite a question, he was curious but he really didn't want to bring up any more upsetting topics.

"They got lost in the move," Dane said shortly. He took a breath, shaking his head and then he kept talking, refusing to let anything ruin the day. "I like science fiction movies too, things like Serenity, the Dune movie remake, stuff like that. I really like almost anything with a fantasy or science fiction bent though not the horror type stuff."

Tap nodded eagerly, "I like some modern stuff too but I really get into historical action stuff, like King Arthur, Robin Hood, Pathfinder, 13th Warrior."

"Oh yeah! Those are great. I really liked 13th Warrior, that movie was such a fascinating mix of historical legends and time periods." Dane was talking fast, excited by finding out something else they both had in common. "But what did you think of 10,000 BC?"

"I didn't really like it," Tap admitted. "It felt too mixed, the mix of the cultures too deliberate to be believable."

"I totally agree!" Dane said.

The pair was facing each other, Tap again sitting with the chair down toward the middle of the bed and turned to Dane so they could see each other. The day passed quickly as the topics seemed to naturally move from movies to hobbies to favorite vacations and other little bits friends just knew about each other. The conversation was fast paced and punctuated by frequent bouts of laughter.

"Alright, I think I need to get going. I'm heading to the school, is all your work for this week in the folder done?" Tap asked about 45 minutes before the end of the school day. He stood and stretched, hands balled into fists as he groaned and pulled straight those muscles kinked from days in a slightly uncomfortable chair.

"Yeah, I finished next week’s too."

"Good lord, could you be any less of a geek? Sheesh, overachiever much?" Tap was poking Dane's ribs, making him giggle as he teased him, making sure he knew it was just a joke. He sat back and grinned at the happy look on Dane's face.

"You know you tease me all the time about being a geek but who's the guy who finished all his credit requirements early? Hmm? I know you're not the goofy jock you portray you know!" Dane cocked an eyebrow at Tap, smirking a little.

Tap flushed a bit, his grin a bit sheepish, "Shhh, keep that quiet," he winked, "The girls would never swoon over me if they knew a brain existed to control these big muscles they like to squeeze."

Dane flushed and glared, "You had better not be letting any girls feel you up! Not if you're mine."

Tap purred at that, thrilled his teasing had gotten such a strong reaction from Dane. "And am I? Am I yours Dane?"

Dane blushed crimson, just then realizing what he had said. He had been up most nights fighting the pain in his arm and leg and wondering what was going to happen with his dad or where he would end up when he left the hospital or a horrible mixture of both. But last night he had been up thinking about the kisses Tap had given him and what he felt for him, whether or not it could ever work out. He had fallen asleep still feeling confused but apparently his mind had been made up without him ever really knowing it.

"Yes," he whispered, "if you want to be." Dane's chin was lifted from his chest by Tap's strong fingers.

"Oh, I want," Tap's voice was throaty, raw. He sat on the edge of the bed. He moved closer and kissed Dane, twining his fingers in the soft hair on the back of his head as he gently pressed their bodies together, chest to chest. Dane's good hand caught in the shoulders of Tap's tight t-shirt, balling up the fabric as he pulled him closer in his eagerness.

"Hmm," Tap moaned deep in his throat, loving the passion Dane was showing, pulling back with difficulty to press their foreheads together.

"What? Why did you stop?" Dane whispered. "Was I… wasn't it good?"

"Any better and I'd have embarrassed myself right here," Tap said ruefully.

Dane looked down, gasping a bit when he saw the impressive tent in Tap's jeans. He swallowed hard, his fingers twitching where they were still holding onto Tap's shoulder. He buried his head in the crook of Tap's neck and shoulder, shaking a little. He didn’t need to look down at the sheet over him; he was so aroused it hurt.

"But this isn't a very good place for that sort of thing, especially considering how embarrassed you got just getting caught kissing. Plus I don't want to push you."

"Oh," Dane flushed a bit when he thought about getting caught, "you're right but damn it, I just can't seem to help it when you touch me."

"I think that's a good thing," Tap whispered in Dane's ear, chuckling at the shudder and gasp his hot breath caused. Definitely a spot to remember.

Dane went from pulling Tap closer to pushing him back a bit. "Oh, you're just evil! You did that on purpose."

"Maybe," now it was Tap's turn to smirk.

"Alright, you can just get out then. Take my work back to school, slave!"

"Yes, Oh Great and Honorable Lord and Master," Tap laughed as he stood up.

Dane turned serious, "Will you be back?"

"Not tonight. I've got to talk to Coach and I promised Neri I would take her to the mall. Something about a big shoe sale and she needs a bag mule. Honestly I'm a bit scared."

Dane laughed. "Alright, I guess I won't complain. I wouldn't want Neri to come in here and get mad at me for distracting the help."

"We'll both be here tomorrow with a surprise, okay?"

"Oooh, a surprise? For me?" Dane lit up a little like a kid on Christmas. "What is it?"

"You'll just have to wait to find out." Tap laughed as Dane pouted, his bottom lip thrust out. Yep, just like a little kid. "Alright, I'm gone. See you tomorrow babe."

"Bye!"

Tap waved as he walked out the door. Dane's head fell against his pillow as he let out a big sigh. 'Babe,' he thought, 'He called me babe!' Dane was happier than he had been in a very long time. If his future wasn't quite so uncertain he would have been just about perfectly content.

** ** ** ** ** ** **

The next morning Tap showed up with a full backpack and Neri in tow.

"Hi Dane!" Neri went over and kissed his cheek. "I missed you at lunch this week. I hope you'll be coming back to school soon."

"I don't know," Dane said, "even if I'm released I don't know where I'm going to go. Plus well," he held up his arm and looked at his leg with a sour frown on his face.

"Well I for one intend to think positively," Neri said, "and hope for the best. It does no one good to bemoan the problem." She gave Dane an arch look, daring him to argue.

"Yes, Neri." Dane was smarter than that. Arguing with her was bad for one's health. Neri snorted and sat down on the side of his bed next to him, getting ready to lecture.

"Okay, okay, surprise time," Tap interrupted to head off the lecture he could see Neri gearing up for. "I bet you forgot!"

"I didn't!" Dane said in denial. "It kept me up. If I'm tired and cranky it's all Tap’s fault, teasing me," Dane said to Neri.

She laughed. "I guess we could blame him. Lord knows it's the most fun."

"Hey now! I might just take my muffins and movies and go elsewhere if the two of you are going to gang up on me." Tap had put his backpack down on the chair and was standing with his arms crossed over his chest looking grumpily at the pair snickering on the bed.

"Movies!" Dane was excited. Anything that interrupted the routine of the last few days was especially welcome. "What movies? And what are we going to watch them on? All I have is a TV."

"I asked the nurses if I could bring in a DVD player and they said yes." Tap produced the machine with a flourish, grinning. "I brought an assortment of movies. Neri picked some," he said with an over the top grossed out expression. "They're all sappy and stuff."

"Hey! First Knight is not sappy. Neither is Braveheart."

"Sure, Neri," Tap said sarcastically.

Dane was craning his neck as the movies Tap was stacking on the counter by the TV. "What else?"

"I brought Fifth Element, King Arthur, and 13th Warrior since you mentioned you liked it. Turns out my brother Brett is a sci-fi nut too. I never really knew that. Anyway, he had Dune."

"Sounds like a good selection. What's first?"

"Why don't you pick, Dane?" Neri smiled at him.

"Umm, well, I've never seen First Knight. How about we watch that first then 13th Warrior?"

Neri smiled happily and Tap just laughed. "We always watch hers first when we watch movies. Good plan."

Tap set up the DVD player while Neri got out the muffins. Tap had brought an assortment but had remembered to grab 2 of Dane's favorite. Soon they were all happily munching away watching Sean Connery play King Arthur.

"Yeah, too much romance," Tap said as he got up to change discs.

"Umm, Tap?" Dane seemed hesitant.

"Yeah buddy?"

"Could you help me get up? I need to use the bathroom," Dane flushed in embarrassment.

“Sure,” Tap said. He was a bit nervous but he hid it.

"Uh, I think I'll go get some sodas and more snacks from the cafeteria," Neri grabbed her purse and fled the room.

"Okay, let's get you up." Tap had watched the nurses closely. He gently sat Dane up and helped him move his body close to the edge of the bed. After that he just let Dane hold on to him as he slowly made his way to the bathroom. Keeping his eyes to himself was hard but he managed it, staring at the ceiling instead of peeking. It bothered him how much Dane was shaking when he finally got back into bed but he didn't say anything.

The trio sat and watched The 13th Warrior and then Neri had to go. Tap had given her a ride so he gave Dane a soft peck on the cheek and told him he'd be back.

"Awww, how sweet," Neri teased after the chaste kiss.

"Can it Neri!" Tap snapped, making Neri laugh.

When Tap got back he and Dane sat through the entire 4 hours of Dune.

"That was a good movie," Tap said. "The costumes were a bit over the top on those women though."

"Yeah, I think so too. The costumes from the 1980's movie were a lot less overdone but the acting and effects on this movie are way better."

Tap smiled at Dane's enthusiasm. "It was fun today. I'll leave all this here for you if you want to watch something else this evening."

"Are you coming back tomorrow?" Dane tried not to sound too eager but he was hoping the answer would be yes.

"Of course. Might bring another surprise." Tap wasn't above teasing Dane.

Dane was too happy Tap was coming back to really care. "Okay."

"That's all you're going to say, okay?" It was Tap's turn to pout since his tease didn't work.

Dane laughed, "Yes, now get out of here. I'll see you in the morning."

"Bye!" Dane watched as Tap waved and walked out the door. Dane was a little bit disappointed that he didn't kiss him, especially since they were alone this time.

Tap peeked his head around the edge of the door, snickering when he saw the dissatisfied look on Dane's face.

Dane looked up, surprised.

"Did you really think I would forget to kiss you goodbye?" Tap asked as he walked right up to Dane's bed before bending over and kissing him. The stubble on his face rasped at the soft skin of Dane's cheeks and Dane sighed and gave himself over to the pleasure the touch gave him.

"I'll see you tomorrow babe," Tap whispered, softly pecking Dane's lips twice before he forced himself to leave.

All the sleep Dane had gotten the night before didn't help his restlessness that night. His mind was consumed with worry about what would happen between him and Tap if he had to move. He got a few hours of sleep after dinner but spent a good portion of the darkest time of night and the early morning hours dozing lightly as he fought bad dreams and anxiety that would not allow him to rest. The nurse coming in to check his vitals and give him his medicine was a welcome distraction.

"Don't worry, dear," said the new nurse as she patted his hand, her nametag said Denise. She was one of the older staff, her hair was neatly coiled into a bun and she had a grandmotherly air about her. Somehow it felt like a warm blanket, a plateful of cookies and a hug all from that simple gesture. It was a feeling Dane had last experienced with his mother and tears began to fall from his eyes as he sniffled.

"There now, it's okay. I’m here sweetie. You cry it out now." She gathered Dane up in a hug and just rocked him, patting his back and smoothing his hair now and again. She could feel the tension draining from his body as he grieved and cried out his stress and fear. Soon he was limp, the tears having run their course and left him behind, exhausted and yet a little more at peace.

"You just lay back and relax for a bit, okay, hun?" Denise fluffed Dane's pillow a little and pulled up his blanket. She bustled around, turning the ringer off on his phone and closing the curtains she had just opened. By the time she was done and quietly easing the door shut he was already slipping into sleep.

Walking over to the nurses’ station Denise looked to see who had phone/visitor duty. "Hey Cherie, do me a favor and let that big guy that comes to visit the sweet boy in room 11 to go in quiet today, okay? He's resting and I don't think he got much sleep last night."

"Sure, Denise." Cherie looked up and saw the wet patch on Denise's shoulder, "Did he have a breakdown?"

"Poor thing, I think I reminded him of his mom. He just started crying and it was all I could do not to cry with him," Denise shook her head.

She had seen a lot of sorrow over her life but that hadn't hardened her to pain and heartbreak; it just made her empathize with it all the more. Sure as she was breathing that boy had seen more than his fair share and was still just as sweet as could be under all the hurt and anger. He'd turn out alright in the end, given half a chance, she was sure of it.