David and Sophia arrived early the next morning ready to meet the doctor. I was grateful when they brought in a bacon and egg roll for each of us for breakfast too.
Untangling myself from Joey's arms, feeling slightly flushed that his parents walked in on us cuddled up in the small single hospital bed, I smiled my thanks and hungrily accepted the food and accompanying coffee.
"How are you feeling this morning sweetie?" Sophia asked Joey, placing a motherly kiss on his head.
"A lot better than I did yesterday morning," he joked as he took a large bite of his roll. Sophia rolled her eyes at his smartass response as I stifled a giggle at their exchange.
"Are you guys going home today?" Joey asked his parents.
"We'll see what the doctor has to say, hopefully get you discharged this morning, probably head home after lunch, I've already taken a day off work and can't really miss another," David responded.
We had just finished our breakfast when the doctor entered the room. He checked the charts and questioned Joey on how he was feeling.
"Ok, well I am satisfied that you can be discharged. If you have any signs of vomiting or nausea, dizzy spells etcetera, please see a doctor immediately. I highly recommend you have a hydralyte drink daily, or at the very least a sports drink to keep your electrolyte levels up. Take it easy for a few days, I understand the demands of basketball, but I think you should have the week off training. Got it?" The doctor explained.
"Sure, you better put the part about training in writing though. Coach might not believe me," Joey replied.
"Will do. I'll have the nurses arrange discharge papers and doctors note. All the best Joey," he said before hurrying out of the room, no doubt moving on to countless other patients for the day.
"I have already bought you some hydralyte drinks and a few other things for you," Sophia said handing over a bag from the pharmacy.
"Thanks Mom," Joey smiled, taking the bag from her and taking a quick look inside. "I want to stop by to see Martin before we leave though, is that ok? I assume you are driving us back to campus?"
"Absolutely."
A short time later the nurse had arrived with the papers, we got everything signed and both freshened up before leaving the hospital room. While hospitals don't bother me too much, I'd rather not be spending this much time inside of one for a very long time.
We had asked the nurse which room Martin was in and told David and Sophia that we would meet them in the cafeteria when we were done. Joey took my hand in his as we head in different directions down the hall.
"Thanks for staying with me all night and skipping classes today," he said lifting our joined hands to his lips.
"As if I would have been anywhere else!" I smiled back at him.
Martin's room was on the same floor, so we didn't have to travel far. In just moments we were knocking on a room identical to the one Joey had spent the night in.
"Come in," I heard a deep voice call. I had never actually met Martin, besides seeing him unconscious in the forest.
Joey opened the door and pulled me in behind him. Martin was sitting up in bed, his ankle in a moon boot and propped up on pillows. He looked to be in good spirits, despite the events of the last few days and his expression lit up when he saw it was us who entered his room.
"Joey, son. How are you feeling?" He said, and I didn't fail to notice how he immediately cared about Joey's well-being over his own.
"I'm good, about to head home. How's the ankle?"
"Can't really feel much at the moment to be honest, but I'm sure when the meds wear off I'll be in a little pain," he said, gesturing to the drip attached to his arm before looking around Joey and his eyes landing on me. "Is this who I have to thank for finding us?"
"Sure is. This is my girlfriend, Morgan," Joey introduced.
"Hey, glad to see you are looking in good spirits," I said holding my hand out to shake his.
"Only thanks to you. I was told about the search. Also thanks to you Joey. You could have left me and gone to get help, but you stuck with me when I was injured. Thanks bud."
"I just did what I thought was right at the time. No options were ideal."
"Well, I'm still grateful to both of you," he said, offering us both a small smile.
We stayed to chat for another ten minutes, but being conscious of Joey's parents waiting for us we said our farewell's and left.
Finally, we were leaving the hospital. Settling into the back seat of the car I felt like I was letting out a deep breath I didn't know I was holding. Anxiousness that I had only be vaguely aware I was feeling. I reached across the middle seat and took Joey's hand in mine.
"I'd like if we don't have to return here anytime soon. As nice as your room was, this whole experience was far too stressful," I said, playing with his fingers.
"I'll do my best," he smiled at me apologetically. Looking him in the eye, I mouthed 'I love you'.
David and Sophia dropped us to the boys house. They offered to come inside but we insisted that we just wanted to shower and rest, so reluctantly they left, insisting that Joey needed to call to check in every day and made sure I knew to take him to a doctor if he had any of symptoms that the doctor mentioned.
The house was unusually quiet when we walked inside. No one watching tv, no one eating or studying at the large dining table.
"Where is everyone?" I questioned.
"Um, I'm not actually sure. But it looks like we have the house to ourselves," he said looking at me suggestively as he walked towards the kitchen.
"I need a shower," I shut him down heading for the stairs.
Joey grabbed a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge and quickly followed me upstairs.
"I think we both need a shower," he rumbled in my ear as he caught up to me, resting his hands on my hips. "And I would really like to thank you properly for finding me," he said between soft kisses on my neck as he pushed his body flush against mine. I shivered, feeling his hard muscles and strong arms.
I turned in his arms to face him, taking his hands and walked backwards towards the bathroom. Joey closed the door behind him, snipping the lock in case anyone came home, as I turned the water on, allowing it to heat up.
As steam began to envelop the bathroom, we took our time undressing each other between slow and sensual kisses. Taking our time to savour each other, remind the other one how much they mean. Once undressed, we stepped under the water, letting it surround us as we stood holding each other.
Deciding if we were ever going to get back out of the shower, one of us had to make a move, I reached behind Joey to take the soap and loafer, lathering it up and running it along his whole body. This moment between us more intimate and filled with more meaning than any we had previously shared as we looked in each other's eyes and traced every line of the others body.
Once we were clean, Joey turned the water off and stepped out, collected two large fluffy towels from the cabinet, he wrapped one around my body for me. Silently, we collected our clothes from the floor and made our way through the still silent house to Joey's room.
"Come here," Joey growled, standing in the middle of his room with his towel wrapped around his waist. Water droplets still on his chest. I giggled and complied, reaching up to kiss him teasingly.
Smiling mischievously I pulled away from him and walked towards the bed, I looked over my shoulder back at him, to see him watching me, his head cocked and a grin on his face. I dropped my towel and climbed onto the bed, sitting up on my knees I turned around to to look at him.
"Well, are you just going to stand there all day watching me?" I teased.
"The view is damn fine," he teased back before dropping his towel too and meeting me on the bed, both of us on our knees.
His lips instantly found mine, pressing our very naked bodies against each other, my hands getting tangled in his hair as our tongues danced. Joey moved his hands up my body, till he cupped my breasts, squeezing and massaging gently until he elicited a moan from me.
He then lay me down on my back, hovering over the top of me, peppering light kissed across my collarbone as his hands lightly roamed my stomach and breasts.
"You are amazing, every part of you and I love you so much," he whispered in my ear.
"Show me how much. Make love to me Joey," I moaned, feeling an ache in my core for him.
His hands moved from my breasts, to between my legs. I instinctively bent my knees, allowing him all the access he needed as his fingers stroked my wet centre as he kissed me slowly. As his fingers worked their magic, and I began to squirm under his body, already feeling myself hit my first climax under his power. He kept going, rubbing small circles around my sensitive clit while pumping, not stopping until I had come back down again.
Before I had a chance to recover, Joey thrust into me, filling me completely. Our moans filled the room as he moved slowly, my hips meeting his thrusts. This was different than normal, slower, more sensual, savouring every moment of each other.
"Harder Joey," I moaned, begging more from him. He instantly responded, picking up his pace and plunging deeper and harder with every thrust. I couldn't help but to cry out in pleasure as my second climax came to a peak, Joey's moans turning me on even more.
After we had both had our release, we lay tangled in each other, both still naked, holding on to the other like we were too afraid to let go.
"That was amazing. Like it's always amazing, but that was..." I tried to explain.
"I know baby, I know," he kissed my head.
The moment we were sharing was quickly interrupted when the sound of the door opening downstairs and dozens of footsteps entering the house echoed up to us.
Joey looked at me with raised eyebrows, "I guess the team are back. We should get dressed before Ryan lets himself in."
I groaned and instead of getting up I climbed under the blankets.
"Or, we just get under the covers and stay quiet, and maybe they won't know we are here," I suggested, giving my best puppy dogs eyes.
It worked and Joey climbed under the blankets too, pulling me back into his arms.
"I wish we could lay like this forever," he mused, running his fingers through my still damp hair.
"Me too," I said kissing him softly at the same time the door burst open and as suspected Ryan came bounding through the door.
"Joey! Buddy, you're home! Hey Morgan," Ryan said, completely ignoring the fact that we are very obviously naked and very obviously having a moment together.
"Home yes. A little busy, yes," Joey laughed.
"Yeah, yeah. You can fuck later. The boys have ordered pizza and bought beers, we are having a small welcome home celebration and you are the guest of honour. So put some clothes on and get downstairs," Ryan demanded.
"Yeah, alright. Where were you all anyway? The house is never empty."
"Coach scheduled a training session that went all afternoon, because we missed what he had planned when your ass went missing. Apparently a search and rescue wasn't enough for him."
"Sucks to be you. Now get out so we can get dressed. See you downstairs in five."
Ryan left the room and we surrendered to getting up.
"We tried babe," Joey laughed as I grumbled about his stupid teammates ruining our perfect evening.
As promised, five minutes later we were downstairs, plates and drinks being offered to us. We each took a plate and helped ourselves to some pizza, but both of us stuck with water. Joey had to retell the story to some of the guys who hadn't heard it yet, while I sat with Ryan and Ethan.
"Oi! All of you shut up for a moment!" Harley, the team captain suddenly shouted over the group and everyone hushed. I guess being team captain had its perks.
"Alright, I'll keep this short because I know we are all pretty hammered after that session today. First of all, to get the business out of the way, don't any of you forget that we are about to head into the finals series. The drama of this weekend ends now because it's time to get serious," he pointed to a few of the team members that I knew liked to party a bit harder than others.
"Now second of all, props to Morgan over there for finding our boy Joey. You had us all a bit worried mate, but we're stoked you are back safe and not injured. So cheers to Morgan and Joey!" He finished and everyone clinked their beers together while yelling 'to Morgan and Joey'.
The night ended early. I helped clean up the pizza boxes in the kitchen while Joey caught up with his friends and teammates that lived in the house. I stood by the sink watching him in his element and didn't notice when Harley sidled up beside me.
"You're good for him," Harley startled me.
I looked at him, "uh, thanks?"
He laughed. "No really. He is happier, even his basketball is better. I know he doesn't want to continue after college, but for now it's his family. But that's not what I came over here for. I just wanted to thank you again."
"Honestly, everyone needs to stop thanking me. It could have been any of the search teams that found him. It just happened to be me that saw the bits of t-shirt. No one is happier that he is safe than I am though."
"Sure. Anyway, I'm out. Don't forget he needs his rest," he says winking at me before he says goodbye to the rest of the team as I try to hide my smile.
"Babe, I'm heading to bed. I have class tomorrow," I say to Joey.
"Ok, I'll be up in a minute," he says as a couple of the boys make whipping noises.
"It's ok, you stay with your mates," I insist. Then looking at the boys making the comments, "Besides, I had you all afternoon," I winked before turning and leaving the room, happy to feel like things are getting back to normal.