Xenomorph

Waiting for Gavin - Reunited

Gavin could barely keep his eyes open long enough to sip water for the first two days, but he always seemed to know when Tiny was there. Elijah insisted these visits couldn't continue. It was too risky now that nurses were constantly flitting in and out to administer medication and check his vitals. Despite that, he allowed Tiny to sneak along for the first week. Even while sleeping, Gavin seemed somehow more at ease when he had Tiny curled up at his side, and Tiny seemed to sleep better when he had his tail draped across Gavin's hips.

Gavin's voice was small at first, barely more than a whisper as he called for Tiny and apologised repeatedly. He felt bad for breaking his promise. He'd promised he'd come home, and he hadn't made it. Everything was so clear when he thought back. Saying goodbye to Tiny. Driving to work. Getting that case and heading out with Miller. He hadn't thought twice when he'd seen the guy take aim. All he could think about was how Miller's son was just a few months shy of his second birthday. Shoving Miller out of the way, he'd taken the bullet himself. He'd known it was bad the minute it had pierced his skin. He'd known because, for the first few minutes, it hadn't hurt. His phone had been in his pocket, so he'd just about managed to call Hank before he'd passed out. No words were necessary. So long as the call went through and Hank picked up, he'd know. It seemed he was right. It had taken a little time to track the GPS location, but they'd been found.

During the week, Gavin woke up more often and drank more water. He even started to try small bites of yoghurt. His stomach hadn't handled solid food in months, so there was a lot of vomiting at first, and he couldn't eat too much. Tiny listened from Chloe's bag as the doctors informed them it could take months for Gavin to leave the hospital as he regained his strength and the use of his bowels. Tiny didn't worry too much about that. Elijah was paying well for Gavin's care, so he knew he was in good hands.

"I'll be back before you know it, alright? Go help Chloe get the house ready," Gavin had grumbled tiredly on his last visit. Tiny had trilled happily from his place beside him on the bed. He would miss Gavin. The frail hand on his back teasing his plating told him that Gavin would miss him, too. It seemed far too soon when Chloe roused them both to tell them that visiting hours were over and they were about to be chased off. Tiny's expression dropped as he crawled up to Gavin's chest and cuddled into his shoulder. Gavin winced as he moved to wrap an arm around him. His injury was still tender, even after all this time. "See you soon, yeah?" Tiny trilled his agreement as he nuzzled Gavin's fuzzy cheek and hopped into Chloe's bag.

When they got home, Tiny took Gavin's words to heart. He followed Chloe all over the house as she cleaned, starting with Gavin's room. They'd need to dust it down again before he came home, of course, but they could do a deep clean. Chloe fully sprayed and disinfected the surfaces, making things as sterile as possible to prevent infections. Tiny helped with the lower parts. The skirting boards, drawers, bedside tables, sofa, and coffee table. Chloe got all the higher places that Tiny couldn't reach. They even went over the bathroom, bleaching every surface.

It took a few hours, but unfortunately it was nowhere near enough to keep Tiny busy until Gavin's return. By the end of the week, he and Chloe had cleaned the entire house from top to bottom. Tiny was getting restless and impatient, but Elijah wouldn't let him visit the hospital again. They'd had too many close calls already, and Gavin needed to focus on his recovery. Tiny chittered miserably each time he left, but he felt better as Chloe joined him in his misery. She'd decided it would be fairer for her to remain at home as a distraction for Tiny.

She did her best to fulfil Gavin's usual role, as she had for the past few months. They spent time together at the piano; she read with him, ran around the house with him, swam with him, and talked to him. Sometimes she even went outside with him. They didn't venture as far from the mansion as he did with Gavin, but she took him around the edge of the estate and showed him all the plants she had growing in her gardens. He often helped as she cooked in the evening. It would only be small things. Single meals for Elijah, but she also cooked extra portions occasionally to store in the freezer. She was slowly building a stockpile of food for when Gavin returned so they'd have various options ready.