11. Won't ever leave you

            I wake up to a lot of shouting coming from what sounds like outside. Also, Caine is not in bed with me. Curious, I sit up looking around. My door is closed. I carefully stand, testing myself. My legs are asleep but other than that I can move well enough. The pain in my lungs and my casted limbs are almost completely gone.

“Caine,” I call out tentatively.

“I’m coming, J,” he calls from somewhere. I follow the sound into the main room area and we almost collide. He grabs my shoulders to steady the both of us. “Hey you’re up, how do you feel,” he asks, taking a small step back.

“I feel a lot better; just ready to get these casts off. Where is all the shouting from?”

“Ah, I’m sorry if they woke you. There are people outside; here for you. News reporters mostly...and they won’t leave,” he explains wearily.

“Oh...what do we do?”

“You do nothing. You make yourself at home now that you’re up and moving around. I’ll get rid of them somehow, I promise,” he says and kisses the top of my head. “Also, I’ve got some old crutches you can use. I’ll go get them, k?”

            “Thank you,” I smile, leaning my head on his shoulder. He nods and I let him leave, then slowly hobble to the window. There are at least twenty people out there some of which are holding a camera or microphone. One of the onlookers spots me and shouts, and the news casts are immediately alert to my presence. Some of them shout my name, motioning me to come out. A few shout questions through the windows, asking to talk to me. One guy even shoves his camera against the window causing me to throw the curtain back in place and retreat quickly back to my seat.

            Soon, Caine returns with some tall, tan crutches. With one hand he grasps my hand to help me up and guides me to prop against one of them with the other. When I’m settled against it he backs off. “Okay, you have a cast on your wrist too so you can only use one. Do you think that will work,” he asks.

“Yeah, Caine, thank you,” I smile and lean up, silently asking for a kiss. He smirks and leans down, teasingly close where I can feel his breath on my lips. I lean up just a bit more, but he keeps his distance. I try to give my saddest pout and he chuckles, giving in. His firm but soft lips press against mine before he pulls away ordering I walk around and see how well I can walk. It is uncomfortable but it does help me get around a bit better.

“Okay, at least they work. Wanna follow me to the kitchen,” Caine asks after a while.

“Yea, I’m coming,” I carefully follow behind him.

            In the kitchen, I sit down at the table for a moment while Caine pulls out some ingredients. “What do you plan on making,” I ask. “Is there any way I can help?” He shakes his head no, still pulling out random stuff.

“It’s a surprise,” he smirks, throwing me a wink. He hums to himself as he puts the items together.

            All of a sudden there is a loud thud on the door causing the both of us to jump a bit. Caine rolls his eyes in annoyance. “They want in to look at you. Twice I’ve seen people checking out the windows trying to break in or catch a glimpse of you. It’s aggravating,” Caine sighs. He walks out to check out the noise and I follow behind him, again, like some lost puppy. The noise came from the front door. Someone is knocking. Caine looks out before sighing and turning back to me.

“There’s still a ton of people out there,” he informs me irritably. “I can call cops to get them away, but it won’t do all that much good.”

“I’m sorry Caine. This is my fault,” I sigh, leaning against him. He wraps a protective arm around me and kisses my forehead.

“It’s not your fault sweetheart. None of this is your fault; never was. You got that?”

“But Caine-” I try to say

“No, Jared, not your fault,” he interrupts.

“Okay,” I sigh, but still blame myself. As if he could read my mind, he forces my chin up so that I will look at him.

“J, I’m serious, okay? It is not your fault.” He kisses and nips my bottom lip. Blushing, I nod and follow him back to the kitchen to finish food. I still have self-doubt but do my best to hide it. Feelings of guilt and hurt toss in my head but I do my best to take Caine’s words to heart. By the time I make it to the kitchen I’m short of breath and almost sweating buckets.

“Hmm, days in bed isn’t good for your health, huh,” Caine jokes, heating up the stove. I stick my tongue out at him when he turns, handing me a glass of water, and he licks it playfully. I fake gag.

“Oh come on, you know you love it,” he winks. Blushing, I ignore the comment and take a long sip of the cold liquid.

            “Thanks,” I rasp as I finish it. Sitting the glass on the table I turn to see what Caine is up to but he blocks the stove so it I cannot see his ‘surprise’. As he works, I take in all of his details. He is relaxed, his bare shoulders slumped, his muscles move deliciously under his gloriously tanned skin, and he hums a soft tune. I recognize it as Metallica. His hips move slightly when he shifts to pick something up, flip a switch, whatever. When I turn to look around, trying not to obviously stare, I take out my phone to text Becca.

{Switching to Cain’s P.O.V}

            I can feel Jared’s eyes on me and can’t stop the stupid grin plastered across my face. I still wonder how I was blessed enough to cross paths with such an amazing, beautiful, and caring guy. I don’t see how, after everything he’s gone through, he can still put so much trust in another man. There is no doubt that I am absolutely inevitably in love with him. I hum Enter Sandman softly to myself as I cook one of my favorite foods as a kid, homemade mozzarella sticks. My mom made them for a while before my father decided that we should be a healthy family, which meant only fruits and vegetables and the two of us had to exercise every day brutally. All because I was a couple of pounds overweight. Jared mentioned once loving them but never having the extra money to get any, so I believe this will be a nice surprise.

            As I wait for them to cook, I turn to watch him. He has went from watching me to messing around on his phone, most likely texting his mother or Rebecca. His black hair has started growing out and is already beginning to cover his face again; his blue eyes hidden. He moves stiffly, uncomfortably, his thumbs running quickly over the screen of his phone. He catches me staring and blushes, hiding himself more. I feel a frown grace my face as I realize that even after all I’ve done for him, said to him, he still has so much self-doubt. Or maybe he doesn’t actually trust me enough just yet.

            I sigh and turn away to check the food, which is close to complete. I take all of the finished ones out of the pan and add new ones to be cooked and I plan out different ways to treat Jared specially. He enjoys movies. Maybe I can take him to a movie he wants to see. Oh! And he enjoys concerts. I can take him to one close by sometime.

            As these thought flit through my mind, I almost completely forget the food and hurry to save it. They’re thankfully not burned. I turn to Jared with a plate full of the sticks hidden behind my back. “So, are you ready for awesomeness?” He turns to look at me, doubt in his eyes that he quickly covers up with a smile.

“I already have you though, I thought,” he replies with a small smirk.

“Hmm, that you do, but I meant even more awesomeness,” I smile, placing the plate on the table in front of him. Hid beautiful blues widen in surprise and glance at me before flitting back to the large plate.

“Are these what I think they are,” he asks.

“Homemade mozzarella sticks, yeah. You said they were your favorite but haven’t had them in a while. I remembered my mother’s recipe and thought ‘why not’. Uhm, I hope you like them.”

“Oh my god I love you,” he smiles, carefully picking one up.

“I love you too, J,” I smirk, stealing one of my own. I watch as doubt flashes quickly across his face again. “J,” I sigh.

“Hmm, what,” he asks, shoving the stick in his mouth.

“Nothing, babe, just, are they good?”

“Yeah, man, they’re friggin’ awesome,” he smiles, eating another, slower this time.

“Good, so, I was thinking, tomorrow, I can take you out somewhere. Do you think you’re up for that yet?”

“Sure, it sounds fun. Where to,” he asks, eying me warily. Remembering his past, I refrain from saying the park. No parks.

“I was thinking of taking you to the movies and then maybe if you’d like, somewhere to eat; your choice of food and movie of course.”

“That sounds, nice; yeah, thanks, Caine,” he replies, leaning softly against my side. I throw an arm protectively around his shoulders and place small kisses across the top of his head.

“Love you, J. I mean that, okay? I love you so much sweetheart. You are so perfect,” I whisper. I refuse to acknowledge the small tear that slips softly down his cheek. I just continue kissing him and whispering assurances until he finally, finally relaxes completely in my hold. He doesn’t say anything.But I want him to know. I want him to be happy, I need him to see that he still has a chance at a happy life. “Love you forever,” I mutter softly.

“You don’t know that Caine,” he whispers, nearly inaudible.

“Shh, I do, Jared. I promise I will never leave you. I will never hurt you.” 

Reviews

[Bear]

Critique: (and the news casts) newscast
(When I’m settled against it he) it, he - the pronouns "it he" is used incorrectly, thus the comma.
(the kitchen to finish food) the food - missing a determiner.
(Sitting the glass on the table) setting
(He has went from) gone from - the verb "went" should be in the past participle form.
(different ways to treat Jared specially) especially
(As these thought flit) thoughts
(Hid beautiful blues widen) His?
(and glance at me) glanced

Review: Interesting turn of events like you have here with the news getting involved adds a dimension and is a great way to flesh out the story more, well done. Still not a romance fan but till now it has held my interest, just warning you that your story has reached the point where the mushy part is necessary and I have little experience to offer advice. Good luck but I don't think you will need it :~) Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

[WriterGirl101]

Thanks again as always! ^-^
I am slowly working on the mushy part, but I myself am not much of a romance fan ironically but I believe it may turn out well haha.