Work Text:
Caleb's phone starts blaring the custom ringtone he assigned you, breaking the deafening silence in his house. The phone doesn't ring for more than a few seconds before he answers it with a hoarse, sleepy voice.
"Hey Pips... what's the matter?" He mumbles, still half asleep.
He expects to hear your voice, but when a male's voice responds instead, he shoots up and checks his screen to make sure it's actually your number.
Now fully awake, he asks the man to repeat himself.
"Excuse the late night call, but are you Mr. Caleb?"
"Yes?" Caleb answers cautiously, his brows furrowing together.
"This is Dr. Vanderwood from Bloomshore Hosp-," a loud crash and then Caleb cussing makes the doctor pause. "Is everything alright, Mr. Caleb?"
"I'm fine. Please continue." Caleb swiftly picks himself off the floor, grabbing only essentials before rushing out of the house, the door slamming shut behind him. Bloomshore Hospital is a trauma 1 center. The crisp, night air biting at his bare skin doesn't even phase him.
"Alright... You were listed as her ICE contact. There was a large, high-level wanderer outbreak in our area and she was brought in with sustained serious injuries."
Caleb is in the process of swinging open the car door as the doctor finishes his sentence. He freezes as the words register and he stands there clutching the handle as if it's a high-voltage power line.
Caleb's thoughts become erratic but he needs to calm down. Calm down. Calm down. Calm down. You'll trigger the system override. Calm down.
"Mr. Caleb, are you still there?"
Caleb opens his mouth to answer the doctor, but his increasingly unsteady and raspy breathing renders him unable to respond.
"I know this is a lot to take in but we've managed to stabilize her. She's not completely out of the danger zone but rest assured we are running all the appropiate tests to see the full extent of the damage. I suggest you come to the hospital as soon as possible to discuss treatment options."
Calm down, Caleb.
He takes in a deep breath and slowly exhales, holding that breath until the urge to breathe is unbearable and his body takes over, forcing him to inhale.
"I'm coming right now."
*~*~*~*
Caleb would have gotten arrested multiple times with how fast he raced his car to the Fleet's HQ. Even Air Traffic Control gave him a few advisories while flying, but he ignored them. He needed to see you immediately and he'd deal with any consequences later.
*~*~*~*
Bloomshore Hospital
The nurse leads him to your room and his heavy footsteps reverberate in the quite hallways.
His blood runs cold upon seeing you in your battered condition and he runs to your side, grabbing your hand. Bruises and deep gashes that have been staunched peek out from beneath your gown, and there are early signs of evol overuse. You look lifeless- the only indication that you're still alive is the steady beeping of the monitor measuring your vitals.
Caleb's heart skips a beat thinking your arm moved, but in reality, his hands are shaking so badly that it's jerking your arm. He feels the onset of a panic attack as this situation reminds him of the years when you two were lab rats. He didn't know what it was they were doing to you at the time, but whenever he got to see you again after the experiments, he always had to reintroduce himself.
He kneels next to your bed and brings your hand up to his forehead, squeezing it tightly to ground himself. "Please..." He begs, his lip trembling.
He can barely speak as his chest heaves and tears roll down his face, soaking the hospital sheets. He chokes out between sobs, "You're all I have. Don't leave me alone in this world."
Almost on cue, as if a bitter reminder that he is always meant to suffer, the alarm from the monitor starts blaring. A nurse comes rushing in to assess you. After a few seconds, she reaches for the code blue button and presses it. An automated system repeats overhead, "Code Blue. Tower A, ICU, room 332. Code Blue. Tower A, ICU, room 332. Code Blue. Tower A, ICU, room 332."
Nurses and doctors fill the room and immediately get to work like a well oiled machine. Caleb is asked to stand outside to make room and he helplessly looks on, internally begging whichever God will listen to save you. His hands curl into fists as he's fully engulfed into a flashback. The day where he finally found out what they were doing to you.
He slipped out of his room when no one was looking and secretly followed the researchers as they carried you down to the experimentation lab. He went down this path so many times that even if he lost sight of the researchers, he'd be able to find his way to the lab. He waited for the door to close before sneaking into the theater that overlooked it. What he saw... them purposely killing you like that... and just standing around letting you die... it... it mortified him. Even through the thick glass, he could hear the alarms blaring from the monitor, just like how the monitor was blaring right now. In his frenzied and panicked state upon realizing he might never see you again, he barged into the lab and wreaked havoc with his evol. He held researchers hostage- threatened to flatten them like he did that clock if they didn't save you. In the end, he was young and could only do so much when backup was called. He was quickly restrained and dragged out of the room, kicking and screaming. However, not before he destroyed the majority of the room. The following days were hell between thinking he lost his only friend and the precautions they placed on him. Eventually, he refused to eat or drink, but they forced him to just after a few days. Progress began to stall and no matter what they did to him, he wouldn't budge. He didn't care anymore. Only when they showed him you were alive did he get any life back in his eyes.
Caleb shakes his head to snap out of the flashback but he can't shake the feeling of being useless. He's violently trembling and repeating in his head over and over that this has to be another one of his nightmares. Another side effect from the Deepspace tunnel incident.
The edges of his vision starts to fade to black and he leans against the wall to steady himself. The chip is activating due to his heightened emotions.
Caleb groans, "Not... now." He clutches his head as a pounding headache starts.
"Sir, are you okay?" A nurse quickly grabs a chair and places it behind Caleb, urging him to sit down.
Caleb sits but brushes off the nurse as he concentrates on not passing out - he isn't going to let the chip win.
After a few minutes of grounding techniques, he manages to at least get his emotions under the acceptable threshold that would otherwise trigger the chip again.
When he glances at you, he feels the color drain from his face. You're now intubated and hooked up to three times the machines and lines you were just moments ago. He starts to hyperventilate. No. Nonono. This can't be happening. He wobbly stands up, clutching the wall to try and get to you despite his dizziness.
"Mr. Caleb?" A voice calls out to him and Caleb's eyes focus on an older man.
"I'm Dr. Vanderwood. We talked earlier on the phone." Noticing the signs of syncope, he immediately pulls up a chair and guides Caleb to it. "Despite the scare she gave us just now, her stats are stable. We put her into a medically induced coma for the time being. In the meantime, I have some extensive tests and treatments that I'd like to go over with you."
"Do it all." Caleb says without hesitation. "Just... please save her." He pleads with the doctor, looking over at you again. The feeling of helplessness hits him like a train.
"I assure you, we will do everything in our power to make sure she recovers from this." The doctor reaches out and pats his shoulder reassuringly. The same shoulder he can't feel anything with. Caleb almost laughs at the situation. His emotions have been long frayed and his twisted sense of reality creeps in on him. He winches from the force he pinches his hand to make sure he really isn't dreaming. But unfortunately, he's as awake as he'll ever be right now.
"We'll keep you up to date on everything. You should head home and get some rest."
Caleb thanks the doctor and turns his attention to you. He's too afraid to touch you. Just like the researchers said, all he's good for is destruction. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say anything he touches gets destroyed. He just stares at you with lifeless eyes, longing to touch you, but all he allows himself to do is watch your chest rise and fall.
A nurse knocks on the door before entering. "Mr. Caleb, visiting hours are over. Visitors will be allowed to re-enter at six am."
Caleb nods his head at the nurse in acknowledgment and steals one last fleeting glance before heading to your apartment.
*~*~*~*
At Your Apartment
Caleb places his thumb over the sensor and the door clicks open. What used to be an inviting and warm experience every time he stepped through the door, was now glaringly cold and empty. No bright smile or cheerful welcome. No running up to give him a hug. It made him physically ill.
He grimaces upon noticing the half-eaten meal on the table. He understood now- it was a last minute assignment. But still...
"You should have at least tried to finish your meal, you dummy. It might have helped you fight." His voice cracks.
Caleb bitterly throws the food into the trash before heading to your room to grab some supplies for tomorrow morning. On his way out, a soft glow catches his eye and he curiously peeks at it.
The bag drops from his hand with a loud thud and his breathing hitches. It's a wooden picture board with fairy lights holding up various pictures from your recent outing on the island. Written in your handwriting, each photo has a comment:
- Caleb's eyes are so bright and colorful in the light, I love them
- Caleb is finally smiling <3
- Woof!
- My heart skipped a beat >///<
- Silly Apple Tart
And the last one destroyes him:
- My one and only <3
Caleb falls to his knees, clutching the edge of the desk to the point that his knuckles turn ghostly white, and he lets out a wail from the deepest part of his soul- one that makes his throat hoarse from the force and his lungs burn from the lack of oxygen.
When he can no longer make a sound, his shoulders shake from his silent sobs.
Why? Why did you come back into his life only for him to possibly lose you again? He'd do anything- no, give anything for you to recover from this. His other arm? His leg? Whatever shred of sanity he has left? His life? Take it all.
He can feel the chip trying to take over and erase the memories causing the intense emotions. But he won't let it take away the only thing in his life that makes it worth living. The strain from fighting the chip and the exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster completely drains him and he passes out on the floor.
When he wakes up, he winces and curls up into a tight ball from the pain of the splitting headache that feels like an axe is being repeatedly slammed into his brain. He checks his phone and despite it being on the lowest brightness setting, the light makes him feel nauseated. He was out for only a few hours.
"Ngh..." He groans, dragging himself to the bathroom to get the pain relievers that were prescribed to him since the Deepspace tunnel incident. He keeps some at your house in case an episode happens. It wouldn't completely stop the pain, but it would make the pain manageable enough that he could push through the day.
He grabs an icepack from the freezer and lies down on the couch, hoping to get some sleep before heading to the hospital.
Back at Bloomshore Hospital
He promptly enters the building at 6 a.m; he isn't going to miss a single moment with you. The nurses are already doing their hand-offs and he watches you without saying or doing anything. He's still too scared to touch you in fear of repeating the event from yesterday. Even if it's all just in his mind, why would he risk it?
"Hi, I'm nurse Luke and I'll be taking care of her today." The nurse cheerfully introduces himself, holding an armful of supplies.
"Caleb." His response is curt as he's too tired for pleasantries. The nurse doesn't take offense, taking note of Caleb's deep, dark circles and hollowed out expression.
"And you are her friend... boyfriend...?" He asks hesitantly, trying to figure out the relation to his patient.
"Boyfriend."
"Perfect." He turns to the white board on the wall and begins writing some things down. "We have a few exams scheduled throughout the day. Mainly to see the damage done before treatment begins."
Caleb nods along, listening intently as the nurse explains the procedures.
"Any questions?"
"No. Thank you." Despite his tone, he truly is grateful.
"If you need anything, the call light will be wrapped around the side of her bed. In the meantime, I need to get her and the bed cleaned up, do you mind giving me a hand?"
"Of course." Caleb agrees without hesitation, not realizing what it involves.
"I need you to grab this and roll her towards you." The nurse holds up the sheet that's underneath you.
Dread washes over him as he realizes he might touch you when he rolls you. He tries to steady his trembling hands while grabbing the sheet, concentrating on trying his best to avoid even his clothes grazing you.
The nurse notices the way Caleb's body is oddly positioned but decides not to say anything; it's not the weirdest thing he's seen. He stuffs the absorbent pad underneath you so he can get you cleaned up.
"Okay, can you hold her arm this way, please?"
Caleb freezes like a deer in headlights and his anxiety skyrockets; the fear in his eyes is apparent because the nurse looks at him with a concerned expression.
"Sir? Are you okay?"
Caleb's mind races. The nurse wants him to... touch you...? Is that okay? He won't hurt you again? He hesitantly reaches out to you and intently stares at the monitor before grabbing your arm. The alarm goes off and he immediately drops your arm, backing away in a panic. His terror filled eyes meet the nurse's calm and collected gaze.
He silences the alarm. "Don't worry, her heart rate just spiked a little. Maybe she recognizes your touch." The nurse tries to reassure Caleb.
Caleb's breathing is unsteady but the words do reassure him. It means that somewhere in there, you are aware and still fighting. Caleb takes in a deep breath and despite every alarm going off in his body telling him not to touch you, he still helps the nurse. Nothing happens this time and he relaxes just a little. Maybe he isn't just a bad omen. They get you cleaned up and Caleb sits down, rummaging through the bag he brought. They were mainly comfort items like your favorite blanket, your favorite plushie, and even what you consider your lucky pair of socks. You always wore them during evaluations at the Association and swore up and down that they improved your score. He thought it was silly, but it made you happy and if it helped you, was it really silly?
He laughs at the irony. "Look at me now..." His hands still hesitate at the thought of touching you, but surely putting them on wouldn't trigger anything... right? He tries his best to put them on with the least amount of touching. He's aware he's being irrational, but he just can't help it.
He carefully throws the blanket over you and places the plushie next to you. Music drifts softly through the room as he sets up a speaker that plays songs from your shared playlist.
He scoots his chair next to you. "Hey Pips..." He wants to talk to you, but his mind goes blank every time he opens his mouth. He sighs in defeat and just hums along with the songs as he watches your chest rise and fall.
Different medical professionals come to do exams on you throughout the day, but other than that, nothing eventful happens. Before he knows it, it's time for visitors to go home. He longingly looks at you, and he finally gets the courage to touch your hand again. At first, it's just a slight brush of the fingers, and when nothing happens, he hooks his pinky with yours. The monitor still beeps rhythmically but he doesn't want to push his luck.
"I'll see you tomorrow bright and early, Pips." He whispers lovingly to you.
The drive home is exhausting and despite not feeling hungry, he knows that he has to eat, even if it's a slice of bread and some veggies. But the exhaustion is too much for him and he goes to lay down in your bed. His foot kicks something soft- a little apple plushie. He probably knocked it on the floor when he passed out. He picks it up and notices a little gift tag sticking off its arm. It writes:
To: Caleb
Happy Birthday!
From: Your Favorite Person <3
On the middle of the plushie there's a sticker that says 'squeeze me'. He does out of curiosity and his breathing hitches.
I love you. The sound of your voice comes from the speaker. Caleb squeezes it again in disbelief, wondering if he's hearing things.
I love you.
His blood runs cold and he can hear his own erratic heart beat thumping in his ears.
I love you.
He lets out a dry, hollow laugh.
I love you.
More hollow laughs escape him as he verges on a mental breakdown.
I love you.
His laughs fade into sobs and he clutches the plushie against his forehead, tears welling up in his eyes. If only he could create a world for just the two of you where he could keep you safe forever. He sits down on the edge of your bed as a wave of dizziness hits him and he can no longer see through the tears blurring his vision.
I love you.
He falls over and curls up onto your bed, hugging the plushie. Your smell engulfs him, and the tightness in his chest becomes unbearable. Uncontrollable sobs rack his body.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
His fingers cramp from squeezing the plushie so many times, but he doesn't care. He just wants to hear your voice. When his sobs turn into sniffles, and his tears dry, he opens up his collection of photos of you two on his watch. The hologram pops up and he scrolls through the pictures until it becomes impossible to keep his eyes open.
Bloomshore Hospital
Caleb arrives at the hospital in a zombie like state. All he had were nightmares about losing you. He glances at his reflection in the window and the dark circles under his eyes are more prominent; his skin looks dull and dry. He honestly looks like he should be a patient himself.
A beep from his watch notifies him of a message and he opens it to see the documents he requested on what happened that night. Reports, communications, wanderer activity, and records. Everything. He'd look at them later on in the day, but seeing you is his top priority.
He enters your room, and the urge to cry is overwhelming, but he physically can't cry anymore. He's too emotionally drained and his reservoir for tears had run dry.
He sighs, weakly pulling the chair next to you.
"Hey Pips... I know you can't hear me, but I kinda, accidentally ruined the surprise for the present you bought me. But I promise I'll pretend to be surprised... you just have to hand it to me with your own hands though, otherwise I won't accept it." He hooks your pinkies together.
"I've been a hot mess these past few days." He lets out a bitter laugh. "You'd probably nag me for not taking care of myself properly. But at this point, I'd let you nag me until my ear falls off... as long as it means I can hear your voice again." He chokes on the last part of his sentence. Taking in a deep breath, he composes himself.
He needs to skim through those documents. He quickly reads through them; a skill he picked up from constantly reading reports as a colonel.
An outbreak of high level wanderers randomly occurred and the reason for it is still being investigated. There were only a handful of hunters patrolling that area. The SOS was given and hunters in the vicinity were deployed immediately. Caleb scoffs; that was such a gross miscalculation on the Association's part. The time it took for backup to arrive was too long based on the records from the watches. Again, a short-sighted response from the Association. They should have ordered a temporary retreat until enough hunters were gathered and more information on the situation was received. Civilians should have been given instructions on where to evacuate as there were many subway entrances in that district. His annoyance and anger increase with each page he reads. This atrocious execution of orders in response to a crisis would never pass in the Fleet. When this is all over, he'd be visiting the Association.
The crinkling of cellophane grabs his attention and at the door stands Captain Jenna and Tara. Huh, speak of the devil.
"Colonel Caleb." Capatin Jenna says his name in surprise, trying to contain the shock on her face from his disheveled appearance.
"Captain Jenna. Tara." He nods to them. The silence is heavy as he's not in the mood to entertain people. Especially knowing what he knows now.
Tara clears her throat, placing the flowers onto the table next to Caleb. "So, how is she doing?" She awkwardly asks him, fidgeting with her hands.
"She's stable, but the damage is yet to be determined."
"Right..."
More awkward silence ensues.
Captain Jenna speaks this time. "How long have you been here? We came as fast as we could after cleaning up loose ends due to the abnormally large outbreak."
Caleb resists the urge to roll his eyes. "Ever since she was brought in. I only go home when visiting hours are over."
"Well, thank you for looking out for her so diligently. We were hoping for better news, but compared to the report I initially got, I was expecting her to be in worse condition. It's a small improvement, but it's improvement nonetheless." Captain Jenna tries to be positive but it irks Caleb.
"Absolutely. I just wish she wasn't in a situation where being a knock away from death's door opening is considered an improvement." He stresses, forcing a smile. "I'm sure there's room for improvement in other areas as well."
Captain Jenna presses her lips together into a thin line. She understands what he's implying considering the Fleet's influence. Tara notices the tension and she anxiously looks back and forth between them.
"Well, we came to see how she is doing and I'm happy to hear she's stable. We'll get going now. I'm sure I'll be seeing you at the Association in the very near future." Captain Jenna nods at Caleb before leaving.
Tara quickly says in one breath before running after Captain Jenna, "It was nice seeing you again! Hopefully it'll be under better conditions next time!"
He shakes his head in annoyance. He really should've held a funeral for you while you were in Sky Haven. That way you would never get hurt again, especially due to the incompetency of others. Maybe he still could... he could lie and say the damage to your body was too much for you to handle. He could have the Fleet forge a death certificate to submit to the Association. Caleb's expression turns dark and his eyes deadpan as he entertains the thought.
"Mr. Caleb." A familiar voice calls out to him and he snaps out of his dark thoughts. Dr. Vanderwood walks in with a chart full of test results.
"Good news. The test results came back a lot better than I was expecting. I believe she can make a full recovery based on these numbers."
Caleb can feel the weight on his shoulders ease up and even more so as the doctor goes over the results in depth, as well as the adjustments to the treatment plan.
Repetitive tests are performed on you every day to track your progress. It really is just a waiting game.
~*~*~
Four days have passed since the incident, and Caleb visits you every single day- staying from sunrise to sunset. Every single nurse recognizes him by now, and he's become quite popular among them. He helps the nurses take care of you, and even took over simple tasks like cleaning you up. He has his routine down to a T. And since those few days, recovery has gone remarkably well for you with each test coming back better than the previous. Caleb could finally breath with his newfound hope.
"Good morning, Caleb." Luke calls out to him, setting down the supplies Caleb needs.
"Mornin'! How'd your kid's recital go?" Caleb makes small talk, cheerful from the news that the damage from evol overuse has healed.
"Eh..." Luke shrugs. "He did his best and I'm proud of him for it. Buuut, he'll need some more lessons."
Caleb laughs, "He's got this."
He grabs the no rinse shampoo from the bucket of supplies and massages it into your hair. He leans down and kisses your forehead.
"They're talking about taking you off the vent in a few days, Pips!" He cheerfully reports, running his fingers through your hair. He grabs a towel and ruffles it over your head.
"I bet you'll be starving when you wake up! What do you think about braised chicken wings?" He takes a towelette and washes your face.
"Or maybe ginger milk pudding? That'll probably be gentler on your stomach." He brushes your teeth, promptly using the suction so you don't aspirate.
"I'll make you whatever you want." He promises, carefully wiping down your body.
"There, you're nice and clean." He changes your gown and tucks you in with your freshly washed blanket. He used his scent beads to wash it thinking his scent would sooth you just as your scent soothes him.
He kisses your forehead again and whispers in your ear, "You're doing amazing, Pips. Keep going. I'm proud of you."
He notices your finger twitch and his heart leaps in excitement. He grabs your hand and gently squeezes it. "That's my girl." He says with the biggest grin on his face.
*~*~*~* Two Days Later... *~*~*~*
The day has finally come to wake you up and Caleb feels both anxious and excited. A team gathers around you, slowly reducing the medication. You're taken off the ventilator and Caleb holds his breath as your oxygen drops. Only when your stats increase again does he take in a breath.
"She won't regain consciousness immediately, but she will respond to outside stimuli more often." Dr. Vanderwood explains to Caleb. "She might not recognize you or could even get agitated. We'll keep a close eye on her."
"Thank you so much, Doctor." Caleb feels like he is on cloud 9. "And thank you all." He turns to acknowledge everyone who is involved in your care.
They leave him and he sits next to you, just chattering away.
"You're breathing on your own, Pips! You'll be back to yourself in no time!" He notices your eyelids twitch and his heart wells with happiness. He continues with his normal cleaning routine and the signs are promising as you react more to his touch. A small facial twitch as he wipes your face or a groan of pain when he accidentally touches one of your bruises.
As he reads you a book, he notices your eyes flutter open. His heart jumps in shock and he swiftly stands up with a force that knocks over the chair.
"Pips?!" He excitedly calls out to you, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Are you awake?" He smoothes back your hair.
Your eyes are glazed over and he realizes that while you see him, you're not processing that he's real. He feels a bit of disappointment, but regardless, it's progress. Shortly after, your eyes close again.
Caleb takes a brief nap at the edge of your hospital bed. He hasn't been getting much sleep, so he squeezes a nap in whenever he can. The sudden blaring of alarms jolts him awake. In a daze, he tries to process what is happening. Nurses have already run into the room, calling for backup and telling them to bring restraints. He realizes that you've woken up and are trying to escape. Because of your training, the nurses are struggling to hold you down.
Caleb acts without hesitation- he uses his evol to pin you to the bed. The nurses look at each other in confusion as the struggling stops.
"I have a gravity evol." Caleb quickly explains.
"Let me go!" You scream at the top of your lungs. You try your hardest to break free of the unknown force holding you down.
Caleb cups your cheek and talks to you softly. "You're in the hospital. You're safe."
Your brows furrow in confusion, this man's face brings a sense of familiarity but you can't quite pinpoint who he is.
"It's me... Caleb."
"Get your hand off me." You snap at him with venom in your voice.
He immediately raises his hands up. "Yes, ma'am."
The nurses take the chance to bind your arms and legs to the bed with soft restraints. You twist and pull against them, but they're impossible to break free from. Your skin around the area becomes irritated from your constant struggling.
Caleb sighs and you feel that same heavy weight from before despite nothing being there.
"What is this?!" You yell through gritted teeth as you try to pull yourself free even harder. "Are you doing this to me?!" You shoot daggers at Caleb.
"You're in the hospital because you were on a mission and got hurt." Caleb explains, his expression calm and neutral as to not rile you up more. "Calm down. You're hurting yourself."
You just glare at him in response but stop struggling. What he says is true. The last thing you remember is the sound of a wanderer suddenly appearing behind you and it slamming you against a building. After that, darkness.
"There..." Caleb loosens his evol so you can at least wiggle your fingers.
"You look familiar. Are you with the Association?"
Caleb's lip twitches into a frown for a split second before returning to his neutral expression. "No, I'm with the Farspace Fleet. I'm a colonel."
You raise an eyebrow at him. "And why is a colonel visiting me?"
"Do you really not remember me?"
You shake your head no.
Caleb sighs. "It's okay. Give it some time." He reflexively reaches out to pat your head but he quickly pulls his hand back.
The awkwardness between you two is so thick that it could be cut with a knife. You can't stand it anymore.
"Are you just going to sit there? Or are you going to help me remember you?"
Caleb laughs. "Ordering me around like usual."
"You said your name is Caleb? And you're from the Farspace Fleet? I know the Association sometimes deals with the Fleet but we're not exactly on friendly terms."
Caleb awkwardly scratches the back of his head. "Well, yeah. But jobs aside, we've known each other for a very very long time. I'd like to say we're pretty close." Caleb knows he shouldn't be so forward, but he can't help himself. You forgetting who he is... it's triggering old memories and his anxiety is getting the best of him.
You cock your head to the side in confusion and narrow your eyes at him. "Hold on, where's my phone. If we've known each other for so long, then my boyfriend should know you." You stress the boyfriend part. He's cute, but you're no cheater.
Caleb's eye twitches and he resists the urge to slap his forehead. So he's competing with himself now. Great.
"Yup." His mouth is pressed into a thin line- a forced smile plastered on his face. "Your boyfriend and I are practically one and the same with how close we are."
You look at him skeptically. "Can you unrestrain me so I can call him?
"Will you behave?"
"Depends on you."
Caleb warily stares at you. "Fine. But any funny business and I'll restrain you again."
He hands you your phone. "Call him and ask. I'll step away to give you some privacy."
He sits by the nurses station and their reactions turn from shock at him removing your restraints to amusement and laughter at his explanation.
A few moments later, his phone rings and he clears his throat before putting on a performance. "Honey?! You're awake!? Geez, I step away for one moment! I'm heading over right now! How are you feeling?!"
"I'm eh, right now. Memory is still super foggy but hopefully everything will come back to me." You sigh, upset at yourself for not being able to remember a damn thing. "And don't rush. I want you to be safe. But listen, I have a question. There's this guy named Caleb that says he's a colonel in the Farspace Fleet and that we've known him for a long time."
Caleb stifles a laugh. "Caleb? Yeah, he's a great guy! We've all known each other for over a decade! He's really funny, smart, and the only person I trust in the Fleet."
"Is that so..." You don't quite know what to make of it. Saying that he's the only person he trusts in the Fleet... gaining his trust like that is no easy feat.
"I'm almost to your room, by the way."
"What?!" You're shocked, it's only been a few minutes. "How?!"
Caleb returns, casually waving his phone in the air. "Because I was only ten feet away."
Your jaw drops and you repeatedly look between him and your phone. "Wha-" You're at a loss for words as your brain struggles to process what's going on.
"Surprised I'm your boyfriend?" He teases you, unable to hold back a laugh. "Aaand you've lost your receipt so you're unable to return me." He snaps his fingers and does a finger gun motion.
You're still in shock. "Boyfriend...?" You hesitantly say, as if testing out the word. "You're my boyfriend?" Your eyes are wide in shock and you poke him, making sure he's not a hallucination.
Caleb laughs, poking himself a few more times to show you that he's real. "Yup, I'm really here."
You smile but downcast your eyes once realization hits you. "I'm sorry. You're probably worried sick about me and I didn't even recognize you." Your voice is soft and twinged with guilt.
"No no, it's okay." He places his hand over yours and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "It's not your fault, Pips. If anything, I'm the one to blame for being such a worrywart."
You half-heartedly smile at his joke but the interaction leaves you drained.
"What's wrong? Are you tired?" Caleb's eyes are full of concern. "You're still recovering, so don't push yourself.
You meekly nod your head. "I... want to sleep." You pull the blanket over your shoulders and a familiar scent wafts over you. It makes you feel safe and at home.
"Alright Pips, sweet dreams." You hear him plop into a chair and he begins to hum a familiar tune. You recognize the tune because it would often be hummed to you like a lullaby when you were sick and trying to sleep. And like every other time, you were out within seconds.
Caleb grimaces as he sees your facial expressions rapidly change in your dreams. Your hair becomes plastered to your face and neck from being drenched in sweat. He wets a towel with cold water and wipes away the sweat.
Hours pass and you stir continuously in your sleep as Caleb dutifully stays with you. He's set up a mini work station to complete his daily reports from the Fleet as he couldn't completely ignore his duties. He notices you stirring quite a bit and he looks up over his laptop to see you tossing and turning with the most pained expression on your face. You start mumbling his name and your breathing becomes strained.
He almost drops his laptop with how quickly he rushes to your side. He glances at the monitor and your heart rate is increasing more than normal but not to the point that the alarms go off. He holds your hand, usure if he should wake you or let the dream take its course.
Your eyes rapidly move behind your eyelids and tears start to slide down your face. Just as Caleb decides to wake you, the alarms go off.
"Caleb!" You yell as you transition from dream to reality. You spring up, chest heaving and gasping for air. Despite your oxygen level being within normal range, you can't help but feel as if you're suffocating.
You hear a voice calling out to you but it's muffled in your disoriented state. You're bawling and can barely see through your tears; but you make out three blurry figures gathering around you and someone motioning for them to back away.
A soothing, cool hand touches your burning hot face and you can't help but lean into it. A thumb wipes away tears only for them to be immediately replaced by more.
A voice calls out to you again, your face craddled by two large hands.
"Pipsqueak... Pips... my love." You finally distinguish what the voice has been saying; your eyes focus on a familiar face.
"Caleb?" You ask in disbelief, your voice shaky.
"I'm here." He whispers, his arms openly inviting you in for a hug.
You hug him as if he's your only lifeline to this world, burying your face into his chest. He instinctively wraps his arms tightly around you, his cheek resting on top of your head.
"I had a nightmare where you disappeared." You sob, your words muffled against his chest.
He soothingly rubs your back. "Ssshhh, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere."
Your shoulders shake from the sobs. "Promise?" You manage to choke out.
"Promise." He kisses the top of your head.
~•~•~•~•
Another day passes of you fading in and out of sleep, but every time you wake up, more of your memories return. And soon enough, you're discharged. You're left with a knee brace, some crutches, and a set of exercises to regain the mobility you lost while both being in a medically induced coma and from the severity of your injuries.
~•~•~•~•
Your Apartment
Caleb holds the door to your apartment open and you slowly make your way in.
"Let me help you." He kneels down in front of you and takes off your shoes, putting on the new slippers with extra grip he bought you for added safety.
"If you need anything, just call. Or better yet, I can carry you." He tries to lift you up princess style but you smack him away with your crutch and he feigns being hurt.
"I'm fiiine. No need to baby me." You hop along to the couch and land on it with a plop. Caleb is right beside you in case you slip.
"Do you want anything in particular to eat? I can make you whatever you want." Caleb offers, rummaging through the fridge to see what kind of ingredients you have. "Let's see what you have in here..."
You frown. "Didn't you stay at my place while I was in the hospital? Shouldn't you know what I have in my fridge?"
Caleb awkwardly laughs. "It's been a long week, so my memory is a bit frazzled."
You narrow your eyes at him - his face is sunken in and his skin is dull. "Pull up your shirt."
He avoids your gaze. "Pips... you don't have to wo- careful!" He uses his evol to catch you before you hit the floor. "Are you alright?" He rushes over to make sure you're not hurt.
In your attempt to get up and exam him yourself, you lost your footing and your arms instinctively flailed about to regain your balance, but it was a losing battle.
Caleb's eyes darken and you can tell he's angry. "That's it." His tone is sharp. "You're not allowed to get up without me. If I'm not around, use this to notify me." He secures what looks like a smartwatch around your wrist. "I've pre-programmed it so all you have to do is press this button and it'll notify that you need me. And this one is to call me. It shows your coordinates so I can find you quickly." He looks at you intently. "I mean it, call me every time or I will put you on bed arrest."
His sudden shift in demeanor puts you on edge and you know he's not bluffing. You nod your head and he gives you a charming smiling as he ruffles your hair. "Good. Now let's get you some real food."
~°•~°~•°~•°
Just as promised, you call Caleb whenever you need to get up. He is stuck to you like bubblegum in hair and he refuses to go far. The majority of the time you didn't even have to use the watch he gave you because he was always within shouting distance. Nothing eventful happens and before you know it, it's almost midnight.
"Alright Pips, it's time for bed. The doctor said you needed eight hours of sleep and a proper sleep schedule to boost recovery time."
"Is that actually the doctor's orders? Or is that a Caleb order disguised as a doctor's order?"
"Does it matter? You can barely keep your eyes open." He chuckles, giving you a playful grin. "Even someone as stubborn as you can't fight off the Sandman."
He has a point there; with each blink your eyelids feel heavier and heavier.
Caleb helps you into bed and you notice the plushie you bought for his birthday. You try to hide it but Caleb grabs it with his evol and hovers it above you.
"Hey!" You protest, reaching for it but he holds it farther away from you. You stare daggers at him and pinch his side.
He winces in pain and drops the plushie. "Rude." He rubs his sore side.
You clutch onto the plushie. "You weren't supposed to see this, yet."
"I'm sorry. I was a bit of a klutz and tripped over your desk. It got knocked over and curiosity got the best of me. Are you mad?" He looks at you with worried, puppydog eyes.
You sigh and hold up the plushie. "Well... there's no point in hiding it now. Happy early birthday, Caleb." You squeeze the plushie and say, "I love you," at the same time as the plushie.
Caleb happily takes the plushie. "Thanks, Pips." He cups your cheek and his thumb caresses your lips. His eyes flicker between your lips and your eyes as he slowly leans in, and then softly kisses you. His soft kisses turn more passionate - more hungry- and you find yourself pulling back, gasping for air. You're both left panting and he rests his forehead against yours.
"Please never scare me like that again." His voice cracks and you can see the anguish in his eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you." His voice is barely audible.
You grimace. When you pinched his side, it was mainly to see how much weight he had lost and considering how you barely had anything to pinch, it meant he was severely malnourished. His sunken cheeks, dark circles under his eyes, disheveled appearance- it hurt you to see him in this state. But you don't blame him either. If the roles were reversed, you would act the exact same way.
"I'm sorry, Caleb." You place your hand over his. "The wanderer appeared out of nowhere and the next thing I knew, I was flung into a building. I was dazed and confused. My body hurt and my ears were ringing, I don't know what happened after that because I blacked out. And now look at you..." Your voice trails off and his face becomes blurry from the tears welling up in your eyes.
He wipes away the overflowing tears with his thumb. "Don't blame yourself. And don't worry about me, your safety and wellbeing is all that matters."
You shake your head. "No. Your safety and wellbeing matters, too. It hurts to see you hurting and suffering, especially if it's because of me."
"Hey, hey..." His tone is gentle. "You're my top priority and my actions are my own. But if it hurts you to see me like this, how about we make a promise. I promise to take better care of myself if you promise to be more careful when fighting wanderers. Deal?" He holds out his pinky.
"I promise." You hook your pinky with his.
"Now let's go to sleep. You've got a long recovery ahead of you." He snuggles up close to you and bundles you up tightly in his arms.
You sigh contently and soon enough you're passed out, dreaming of only sweet dreams.