Page 119 of Xavier

I gasp, but he's not done yet.

"But what the doctors are most worried about is that he might have some internal bleeding. They... they beat him up pretty badly."

I don't know what to say; I just stare up at him. He's pulled his hoodie back, his face completely exposed. But instead of feeling uneasy, I find something comforting about his scars. Or that he trusts me with them.

"We'll know more soon. I've got the best doctors on it, you know that."

I nod. I know.

"Why... what? Why did this happen?"

"I'm... I'm not sure. We're still looking into it."

There's a twitch of his jaw, and I know there's more than what he's telling me. But I'm too busy worried about Xavier's current state to dwell on it too much.

"Can... can I do anything?"

"I think being here is the best thing you can do. I know he'd want you to be here."

"I don't know. We... we had a fight at the..."

Kaine reaches out and squeezes my hand. "No. He'd want you to be here. No matter what," he says, his voice soft but firm.

I just nod.

Down the hall, we hear Jade cough, and his head whips toward her, his eyes sharp but worried. It's an involuntary action that tells me everything I need to know about them. She wraps her arms around herself but doesn't cough again. I see his shoulders relax and he turns back toward me. The corners of his eyes crinkle a little when he realizes I was watching him.

"She's been a little tired lately, the baby's been keeping her up."

I shake my head, "No, don't apologize for worrying about your wife. It's really sweet."

He smiles at me and walks back to her, before stopping and saying over his shoulder, "You know, everyone cares and worries in different ways. Sometimes it's sweet. Sometimes it's destructive. And sometimes it's up to us to decide whether the way we show that love is right or wrong."

***

An hour later, I see Ram walk through the hospital entrance. Leaning against him is Xavier's mother. He helps her over to a chair before giving me a quick look, as if to ask if I'm okay. I shrug and give him a little wave. His chin drops in the slightest nod and then disappears back down the hall, his giant shoulders slumped, his head down.

We haven't heard anything from the doctors yet, and with each ticking minute the tension rises.

I do the only thing I know how to do in that moment. I get up and sit down in the empty chair next to his mother. She scowls at me, her eyes wet and red, her lips tight against her lips. I ignore it and simply reach over, take her hand and squeeze it tight, not letting go.

She looks at me for a moment and then turns her face away but doesn't pull her hand back.

We all care and worry in different ways.

***

The door swings open and the doctor walks toward us down the hallway. We all stand up spring-loaded ready for the news.

"There was some damage to his spleen, but not a lot and we were able to repair it. His broken ribs didn't puncture his lungs and that's what we were most worried about. He should make a full recovery. We’re going to keep him sedated for a few more hours to make sure he gets the rest he needs. He’s very lucky that the damage wasn't worse and he was found when he was," the doctor says, and gives us a small smile.

Xavier's mother bursts instantly into tears. I have to bite my lip to stop myself from joining her; instead, I watch as Jade runs over and puts her arm around her. I hear Kaine pull the doctor aside with questions as I face the wall and stare at a poster of a doctor explaining to a child about cancer, trying not to think about what could’ve been.

The hours tick by. Slowly. Torturously so.

Several nurses come by to tell us he won’t be waking up any time soon and maybe we should go home and get some rest, but nobody moves. Eventually, they just stop trying.

I’ve felt time moving this slowly before.