Always You || Patrick Cripps

51.

Every few minutes he doubled over in pain and gasped for air. It sheeted through him with a terrible intensity. Then it would settle down and he would be back in my lap.

Josh and Marcus crouched beside him. Marcus attempting to help him off the hollow turf, Josh on his knees at Pat's head. Violently flipping his attention back and forth between myself and Pat, he begged for answers.

I wasn't unaware of my surroundings but my mind was still coming to terms with what had just unfolded before me.

Even though Pat was fine, with no risk of severe injuries, I still worried. The words out of his mouth weren't enough to convince me, but the ability for him to continually squeeze my hand and remain conscious gave me some confidence.

"Georgia what happened" Josh begged for the final time before I finally choked out a response.

"I-I don't know. Darcy was here. Him and Pat were fighting. I-I just came to pick you up" I barely got my words out, the disbelief evident by the way I looked around frantically.

Himself and Marcus shared an equally rattled glance at one another before redirecting their attention back to Pat.

"I'm fine, he just got me right in the gut" Pat butt in midway, once again proving his own strength when it wasn't needed.

He grabbed onto my hand and used it to help himself up. Inch by inch he crept up to a seated position, but clutched at his stomach as soon as he reached an upright stance.

Determined to complete his task he ignored the pain and carried on. Marcus and Josh wrapped an arm each around him, bringing him back to his feet.

"Let's go inside" I suggested and followed closely behind the 3 boys as they slowly cruised their way through the front door.

Carefully placing Pat on his back amongst the comfort of our couch, they both looked terrified to put a foot wrong. As if simply touching him could send that pain right back.

I sat right beside him on the longest of couches. Handing him anything I could find which might have an effect on the pain, but I wasn't confident it would.

Unpacking our first aid kit, all I could muster up was a few bandaids, strapping tape and a lousy pack of extra gum. Not much considering it was Marcus's stolen from his very own football club.

Both boys sat opposite, still puzzled at all of the things which just didn't add up. I even had some questions of my own, but I didn't plan on asking them until he felt better.

My brother had other plans. No filter most of the time, this was no different. He ripped the bandaid off with one tug.

"Pat what the hell happened?" He interrogated him, but more so in a concerned way. He didn't tower over him, or raise his voice.

Pat turned to me without hesitation. Staring at me as if I had any more answers than he did. I waited for him to speak up, I was just as confused as the others.

"George can you go grab my phone" He asked.

"What? No way. I want to know what happened too. This involves me just as much as it involves those 2" I responded. There was no way he was trying to kick me out.

My ex boyfriend had just pounded into someone I cared about, leaving him fragile and appearing lifeless in the driveway, and he didn't want me to hear how he even got in that position.

"George please. I just need to talk to the boys quickly" He muttered, hoping I would go along with it with ease.

"Are you kidding? I come home to find you fighting my ex-boyfriend, and you won't even tell me what happened?" I bellowed in pure frustration.