The next few hours were a blur between being awoken in a car to eating something and drinking apple juice to finding himself in a private jet. There was a small gift basket left on a chair with a note from Dante that simply said, "Safe travels."
Vaguely threatening for a nice message.
Just a little something to remind everyone Dante was still lurking around.
All the time.
On the plane, Ben took Nino's hand and held on tight. Even when they landed back in the city, Ben didn't let him go. He couldn't let himself think too much or he'd spiral. If he just held onto Nino's hand, all he'd have to think about was holding it. He focused on his grip, Nino's skin, his temperature, and if Nino needed it back. Nino never did. Together, they went straight to the hospital. Ben hated the drive, the waiting, and even asking to visit Lincoln Jones. A living nightmare, it was an out of body experience going through one worst scenario to the next. At least he didn't have to worry about Evie getting snatched in the city because she was glued to him the way Ben was stuck on Nino.
Going up to the room, Ben stopped himself from running through the halls and causing another accident. He readied himself for the wires and machines, preparing to be someone strong for Freddie to lean onto. Freddie was going to need him too.
Ben softly knocked on the door.
"Come in," Lincoln said.
Lincoln.
Ben snapped his wide-eyed shock at Nino, wondering if he also heard Lincoln's voice too, alive, well, and even in a good mood. Nino just blinked blankly back at him. Shaking it off, Ben opened the doors, pouring inside with the rest and stared at Lincoln sitting up in bed, looking just as surprised to see them standing there.
"Lincoln?" Ben blinked.
"Ben?" Lincoln echoed. "What are you doing here?"
There weren't any wires attached to Lincoln. His wrist was in a cast, but other than that, he looked better than Ben and Nino combined. Ben had to ask and make sure, "You're okay?"
"Uh, yeah?" Lincoln said, obviously wondering the same thing about him.
Ben couldn't take it anymore.
He burst into tears, tears streaming down his face, and he couldn't say anything. All this pressure pushed against the front of his face, threatening to make his brains burst out his eye sockets next. He wrapped around Lincoln like a little kid that found a toy they wanted at the store. Lincoln held his arms up for a beat, unsure what to do.
"What in the world is going on?" Lincoln asked, thinking they were nuts. "Nino, you're freaking me out. Blink, breathe, move, or something. Ben, you too. Breathe."
Doing as he told, Ben took a deep shuddering breath and then cried more. Closing the door behind him, Nino finally entered the room, standing just behind Ben. Evie tiptoed to Nino's side, almost hiding behind him.
Lincoln finally held Ben back as Nino said, so steady and firm, "Lincoln, do me a favor and never get injured again."
Ben turned up to look at him and his serious brow. Nino motioned to the gist of the room and said, "All of this, it's on me. I'll take care of your medical expenses."
"What..." Lincoln blinked again. "What is going on? What did you think happened to me?" Lincoln grabbed Ben's shoulders and forced him to sit up.
"Your husband made it sound like you were dying," Nino explained for them. "Like we needed to hurry back or else."
"He did what?"
Ben used his shirt collar to wipe down his face. It still felt sticky and hot and it was an immediate headache like a sledgehammer to his forehead. Lincoln explained, "It's just a broken wrist and some bruising. They were worried about a mild concussion, but I'm leaving today. Now, actually. Freddie's just grabbing the paperwork."
"So, you did fall down the stairs?" Ben asked.
That made Lincoln tense. He glanced from Ben to Nino, touching his wrist. "Well, that's the thing..."
The door swinging open cut him off. Freddie entered, his eyebrows flying off his forehead. "Whoa. The whole gang is here."
"Of course we are," Ben huffed. "You texted us."
"No, I didn't."
"You didn't text us," Nino said, his ears perking up.
"I couldn't have." Freddie raised his hands. "I've lost my phone."
"When?" Nino's brow narrowed as a shadow fell across his eyes.
Freddie awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, shy underneath all this attention "I had it before Lincoln fell and somewhere between coming here and going home and back, I lost it. I've looked all over the apartment."
"Can I see your phone?" Lincoln asked Ben, who gave it up. Lincoln's jaw tightened, mimicking the same severe look on Nino's face. He glanced up. "Babe, I'm sorry, but could you step out for a moment."
"What?" Freddie raised his brow.
"It'll be quick. Will you grab me some candy from the vending machine? Thank you."
Sighing, Freddie decided not to argue and left the room.
"What is it?"
"I don't want Freddie to worry," Lincoln explained. "But..." He leaned in, whispering, "But I think I was pushed."
Ben's stomach dropped. "Are you serious?"
Lincoln nodded. "It might just be my imagination, but... I wasn't even walking down the stairs when I slipped. I stopped at the top to look for my keys when... I swear I felt someone push me."
Ben looked at Nino as he was sure they were all piecing it together at the same time. Nino crossed his arms and Evie raised her arms to Ben, who hoisted her up on his lap. Nino said, "I don't think it's a stretch to assume someone wanted us back in the city and whoever pushed Lincoln, probably stole Freddie's phone."
Ben held onto Evie tight, his chest threatening to cave in on itself. It had to be Gabriel's goons. They had all the power to kill Lincoln, but they let him live just to give Ben and Nino this message. It was just as horrible, thinking they could do whatever they wanted with Lincoln and Freddie. It was more than a small threat to Ben.
"And you were right, by the way," Lincoln added, his eyes grazing down the length of Ben's arm to the bandage around his arm, covering Evie's bite. "Someone was asking about you. They asked about you, Nino, and Evie."
"What did you tell them?" Nino asked, a little more accusatory than Lincoln enjoyed.
"I obviously lied. I said you went to some ranch and I didn't know when you were coming back."
"What did they look like?" Ben asked.
"It's funny. They were really plain. Like I could say they're good looking? But I don't know. They were white with brown hair."
"It's them," Ben told Nino.
"Ben, what have you gotten yourself into?"
"It's me," Nino spoke up. "It's not him. I won't let anything happen to you again. I have people I can send to watch your house and you and Freddie."
"Another favor from Dante?" Ben whispered. He touched Nino's arm. "Is that a good idea?" Ben shook his head. "Do you have any vacation time left? Could you go to stay with your mom?"
"For how long?"
Ben thought about it. "Two weeks?"
"I'll take the bodyguards," Lincoln looked at Nino. "I'm not wasting my vacation time."
Ben sighed, but it was good enough for Nino. "I'll make the call. We're getting bodyguards too," Nino said to Ben. "As long as we're in the city."
"You're leaving again?"
"Oh, yeah," Nino answered for them. "I'm thinking of going abroad next time. Is your passport updated?" He asked Ben.
Already overwhelmed, Ben said, "I think so?"
"We'll make it work. I'll be right back," Nino said and he bent down like it was second nature, holding Ben by his neck before kissing the top of his head. He kissed him like it was the most normal thing to do right before he left the room, like this was the way they said goodbye and the moment was not lost on Lincoln, whose eyes had shot back up his forehead. Ben blushed, avoiding Lincoln's eyes.
"Evie, come here," Lincoln motioned her to come closer and she obediently hooded down and joined Lincoln by his side. He whispered loud enough for Ben to hear, "Be honest with me, are your Uncle Nino and Ben dating?"
"Lincoln, don't ask her that," Ben huffed, but Evie's big eyes sparkled.
She leaned up, cupping her hands over her mouth, but Ben could still hear her, "They kiss all the time and sleep in the same room."
"Do they?" Lincoln smiled.
"We went on an aquarium date the other day and they held hands the whole time."
"Evie! What did I say about gossiping?"
Evie just smiled, thrilled with herself and Lincoln laughed. "Nino at an aquarium! I can't even imagine it. Listen, if someone kissed my cute little head like that, I would be questioning what we are."
"I can't do that. He can barely admit he loves his family. I highly doubt he's going to admit he has any feelings for me. He can't and I don't want to make him. We've been doing this for so long, it's become a comfort for him. I just want to make him happy."
"At what cost? Are you okay with never changing?" Sighing, Lincoln covered Evie's ears, even though Ben knew she'd still hear them. "Do you want to spend another five years as fuck buddies? The same weekend over and over, humping and dumping. That doesn't sound very fun to me."
"It's not—" Ben caught himself. "Remember, everything might end when the summer's over."
"That's even more of a reason to be honest! Can you live with yourself never seeing him again and never telling him how you feel? Have you thought that this doesn't end, it can just change."
"I don't know what that looks like. It's complicated."
"That's life. Your life is never going to stop being complicated and you won't always know what's going to happen. Nothing is guaranteed, but I know one thing is clear. You love Nino. You're in love with him and he probably knows it."
"You forget that I've known Nino for five years too and he's never acted like this before. Before, he practically ignored me. He couldn't wait to get you alone and now, he's present in every moment. He's here. He's taking it all in. It's crazy. I might actually tolerate him now."
Ben smiled to himself when the misery came back in full force. "It's scary to want more and even scarier to ask for it because he might say no and the rejection is going to crush me... but I think I'm ready to get on with my life. I'm tired of being stuck in one place. I don't want to be the Ben Robinson waiting around. I feel like I've just watched time go by."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I think I'll wait until all of this drama is over. Then, I'm going to tell him. I'll ask Nino to be my boyfriend."
"He doesn't know," Evie piped up.
They both looked down in surprise. Lincoln rubbed her back. "What was that?"
"Nino doesn't know you love him. My dad tells me he loves my mom, but he forgot to tell her and now they're getting a divorce."
"Evie, I'm sorry," Ben whispered. "Is that why they're fighting?"
Evie shrugged and hopped off the bed, seemingly finished with the conversation.