The world seemed to be slipping away. Nothing else seemed to matter. Just the warmth so close to him. Gabe. So familiar. His only link to the past. To Connor. To what used to be. And such a beautiful voice. Niles seemed to melt into that softly hummed sing, his eyes falling close. He seemed lighter, now. Moving more easily with Gabe's guidance. Gliding through the room. He was light headed, his fingers feeling numb.
The world grew distant and dim. He couldn't feel his hands. And still he followed Gabe's every step. "Lead the way..." he breathed out. It was like they were in a spotlight. Just the two of them, everything else too dark to see...
***
"Hey." The voice was sharp and firm. The sort of tone that never tolerated nonsense. "I know you're in there. Now wake up."
Niles eyelid was pride open by gloved fingers, his vision invaded by a blinding light. He tried to lift his hand to fend it off, but his movement was halted. By tubes and something tight around his wrist. "What...where am..." but his throat hurt, his voice a barely audible croak.
"You've been unconscious for three days," Yewll said, lowering her pen light. "You're lucky Amanda found you when she did. Ten more minutes and you would have bled out. I'd ask what you were thinking, but I'd actually want the truth."
"What..." Niles managed again, trying to remember what happened.
Yewll let out an irritated sigh and flipped open a chart. She seemed to be reciting off it directly. "Self inflicted lacerations to forearms and wrists. Blood alcohol level bordering on alcohol poisoning. Restrained for fear of harm to self and others." She looked up as he cleared his throat, trying to swallow. "You can thank the tube that kept you breathing for these last few days." With little in the way of gentleness, she pushed an ice chip between his lips.
He let it melt on his tongue as she checked the rest of him. Pulse, IVs, bandages, blood pressure. A little less parched, he found his voice a little easier. "Where's Gabe?" he asked, his voice still rough.
She almost dropped the chart she'd been jotting notes on. Slowly, she looked up, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Did you just say what I think you said?"
"Gabe...he was..." Niles tried to gesture, so he could indicate what he meant, but the leather cuff halted him, winching as it rubbed one of his stitched wounds.
no subject
The world grew distant and dim. He couldn't feel his hands. And still he followed Gabe's every step. "Lead the way..." he breathed out. It was like they were in a spotlight. Just the two of them, everything else too dark to see...
***
"Hey." The voice was sharp and firm. The sort of tone that never tolerated nonsense. "I know you're in there. Now wake up."
Niles eyelid was pride open by gloved fingers, his vision invaded by a blinding light. He tried to lift his hand to fend it off, but his movement was halted. By tubes and something tight around his wrist. "What...where am..." but his throat hurt, his voice a barely audible croak.
"You've been unconscious for three days," Yewll said, lowering her pen light. "You're lucky Amanda found you when she did. Ten more minutes and you would have bled out. I'd ask what you were thinking, but I'd actually want the truth."
"What..." Niles managed again, trying to remember what happened.
Yewll let out an irritated sigh and flipped open a chart. She seemed to be reciting off it directly. "Self inflicted lacerations to forearms and wrists. Blood alcohol level bordering on alcohol poisoning. Restrained for fear of harm to self and others." She looked up as he cleared his throat, trying to swallow. "You can thank the tube that kept you breathing for these last few days." With little in the way of gentleness, she pushed an ice chip between his lips.
He let it melt on his tongue as she checked the rest of him. Pulse, IVs, bandages, blood pressure. A little less parched, he found his voice a little easier. "Where's Gabe?" he asked, his voice still rough.
She almost dropped the chart she'd been jotting notes on. Slowly, she looked up, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Did you just say what I think you said?"
"Gabe...he was..." Niles tried to gesture, so he could indicate what he meant, but the leather cuff halted him, winching as it rubbed one of his stitched wounds.