I think I'm lost without you [Paul Lahote]

Chapter 13: Sometimes I can't help blaming you for leaving me here

"Calm down, nerd," Jacob laughed. Noah didn't find it all that funny and continued to stare at him with concern. "Sue Clearwater came over to help out. She's a nurse. Her and Leah also brought you some clothes."

"Oh thank god," Noah let out a relieved sigh, much more at ease with that arrangement.

"It's not like my dad didn't change your diapers when you were a baby," Jacob pointed out, moving closer to Noah in case she needed help standing up.

"This is a little different, don't you think, Jacob?" Noah spat his name like an insult, though it didn't hold her usual bite. Noah was more focused on figuring out if she would be able to walk or even stand up by herself. Noah leaned forward slightly, testing to see how much pressure she could put on her left leg but backed off quickly. Okay, that did not feel good. It probably didn't help that she hadn't taken any pain medication yet.

"Alright," Noah relented, looking up at Jacob, who had thus far been patiently watching her. "Can you give me a hand?"

Jacob jerked forward looking like he was ready to throw her into his arms and start deadlifting her.

"Woah woah!" Noah warned. "I said a hand. I think I can walk if you just help me stand up."

"Sorry, got a little excited." Jacob smiled sheepishly. Noah gave him a wry look. He walked the few steps toward her much more slowly and held out a hand. Noah gripped his hand tightly in her non injured one and steadied her feet as Jake pulled her up.

"Fucking hell," Noah groaned, swaying towards her cousin. Everything hurt. Her left leg screamed at her, her ribs throbbed, and the rest of her body ached with a collective pulse.

"You good, Noah?" Jake asked, concern laced heavily in his voice.

"Yeah, just give me a second." Noah sucked in a few breaths, leaning heavily on Jacob's shoulder. When everything quieted to a more manageable level, Noah straightened.

"Are you sure you can walk?" Jacob asked tentatively.

"Mostly," she grunted.

"Mostly?" Jake asked.

"Yeah I'm mostly sure, lead on," Noah grumbled, rolling her eyes. It wasn't like she hadn't dealt with this kind of thing before - by herself for years. Sure, she couldn't remember a time it had been this bad but she could certainly handle a little pain. Okay, a lot of pain, but that was besides the point.

"If you say so," Jacob drawled, making his way out of the room. He turned once he was in the hallway to make sure Noah could actually make it the seven or so steps to the doorway. She limped slowly towards him with an arched brow. Jacob just shrugged in concession, but his expression was not as impressed as Noah would have liked. "Sue also brought over some plastic wrap that she said to use for your cast and stitches while showering."

Noah nodded, grunting through a puffed breath, "That was nice of her."

"Yeah, it's the nurse-mother combination. Bathrooms right here," Jacob said pointing to the adjacent door. Noah probably could have found it herself come to think of it. Though it may have felt like it, it hadn't been that long since she'd been at the Black household. "I put some fresh clothes on the counter but give a shout if you need anything."

"Thanks Jake," Noah murmured, stepping past him into the bathroom. She closed the door behind her with a soft click and her shoulders immediately sagged. She felt like she'd been hit by a semi truck and then thrown off a building. She had been downplaying it as best she could to Jacob - which, to be fair, she was pretty sure he didn't buy for a second - but now, here alone in the bathroom, Noah felt the weight of everything that had been done to her. The thought of stripping out of her clothes and getting into the shower was incredibly daunting, but two days asleep made Noah feel like there was an invisible grime on her skin.