Everything but time [Tom Hiddleston] {EBT book 1/4}

Broken

A couple of days later, with a cast and sling and pain almost under control, Kate was allowed to go back to LA. The hospital had been amazing, and had organised a flight to take her and Tom with a medical team back to LAX. Dr Andrews gave her one last lecture. He hadn't been keen on letting her go home so soon, and would have preferred a transfer to hospital. "You will rest, at home. If you are in any pain you will stop what you're doing and rest. If you get any stabbing pain, throbbing, numbness or pins and needles, or compromised circulation, you go immediately to hospital. Got it?" Kate nodded and he handed her a card to go with the bag full of meds, spare sling and strapping tape she was taking with her. "You have an appointment with the ortho surgeon at Cedars-Sinai on Monday morning. He has your notes and is expecting you. He will organise a physio and anything else you need. Take care, Kate."
"I will, Doctor. Thank you so much for all you've done for me, I really appreciate it."
"You're very welcome. Come and play for me when it's healed."
Tom shook his hand. "I'll look after her, I promise."
He insisted on Kate using a wheelchair until she was back at home. Tom pushed her to the foyer and saw that there was a crowd waiting outside.
"This way, Tom," the nurse said quietly. "We're going straight to the ambulance bay."
An ambulance took them to the airport where their plane was waiting. Kate was given an extra dose of painkillers and a sedative, knowing that the flight would be rough on her. Tom never took his eyes off her. She looked so fragile with her face, neck and chest bruised and swollen. She had started to lose weight because she wasn't eating, was having regular nightmares even though she barely slept. She wouldn't allow him to help her get dressed or shower, not wanting him to see her body bruised and broken she had asked the nurses. He wished he could make her understand that it didn't matter to him, it didn't affect the way he felt about her, except that it was showing him how strong she was. He prayed she would let him look after her when they were home, she had a lot of taping around her ribs that she couldn't do by herself, but that wouldn't stop her from trying.
They had another ambulance ride from LAX back to Tom's house where she would be staying. He had already organised Mae to bring around some things this afternoon. He got her inside and gently in to bed, she was still fairly groggy and they both fell asleep. He wanted so badly to hold her in his arms but couldn't without causing her pain, instead putting pillows between them so he couldn't hurt her.
When Tom woke he realised Mae would be arriving soon and crept downstairs. She decided not to wake Kate to say hi, she could come back another time. Tom reassured her that she was going to be OK, and Mae made Tom promise to call if she could do anything.
Kate had barely touched her breakfast and refused lunch so he made her favourite pasta and smoked salmon for dinner in the hope he could convince her to eat. When he heard her moving around upstairs he went to check on her and found her sitting on the edge of the bed trying to summon the strength to get up. He sat gently beside her and out his arm behind her back. "Want some help?"
"Yes please. Maybe if you just hold my right arm I can stand."
Tom helped her up, she squeaked in pain, trying not to let it show.
"Kate, you don't have to be brave for me. You are incredibly strong, but when you want to fall down that's OK, I'm here to catch you."
"I know," she said tearfully. "You deserve much more credit than I've given you. Do you still want to see?"
He nodded, and she stood in front of him so he could lift her shirt. He stifled a moan. She was still taped up so the worst was covered but he could see all sorts of blue and purple bruising spreading out from her side past the middle of her abdomen and past her spine on her back. Her chest, breast and neck were almost black in places, especially over her collarbone, and it spread down and faded to blue over her shoulder. Her wrist was covered in a hot pink fiberglass cast but he could see her elbow was swollen and blue, and her fingers were almost black and badly swollen. He stood up, taking his first close up look at her face. Her cheek bone had a black splotch, almost like paint, fading to the blue and purple that spread across her eye and jaw. She still had the cut taped up and blood had oozed out slightly, he wondered if she would allow him to change the dressing.
Tom sniffed and cleared his throat, touching her face lightly with his fingertips. She tried to reach up to his lips, and he sat her back down on the bed, kneeling in front of her. He leaned toward her and kissed her ever so gently on the mouth. When he pulled away his eyes were stinging. "I'm so sorry Kate. I meant to spoil and protect you, not this..." he trailed off, laying his head in her lap and she stroked his hair softly.
"I know baby. You've been amazing and been so strong for me. I meant what I said, when I hid things from you I didn't give you enough credit."
After a little while he helped her downstairs. He had set the table inside with candles and put on the lights on the deck. To his surprise Kate sat down gingerly and began to eat slowly without any argument. He had thought he'd have to talk her in to it.
"I must have taught you well, you make this better than I do!"
"Nah, that's just because you're comparing it with hospital food." Kate smiled and it was a welcome sight, one he hadn't seen in too long.
When Tom had cleared their plates she sat on the couch, although she didn't look or feel comfortable. She took Tom's hands and faced him. "I owe you an explanation. It's not pretty, but I trust you enough to tell you. No one knows this. No one. And it does not, ever, leave this room. Understand?"
Tom nodded and listened intently.