Ellie sat through the hospital ordeal worrying about Gerard. She had heard the equivalent of an explosion in the house, and that was just not a good sign. She thought back on Jamia pulling her out of the house and closing the door. Ellie had her eyes locked with Gerard's, and he had been mouthing something to her but she was not quite able to tell what it was. What ever it was he ended it with a smile that just about took her breath away.
She was only half listening to Jamia, when she thought she heard her say that she and Frank had set up a blind date for her. It still had not fully registered until she saw Gerard's smile drop, and his eyes widen and flash to Jamia right as the door closed, cutting off the visual contact that Ellie had on him. Then what she had said clicked in Ellie's brain. Within the same moment, horrid crashing sounds came from inside the house, and Ellie knew from the energy flowing from the dwelling, that it was coming from Gerard, and he was in a turmoil of hurt, anger.... and something else, she could not quite place.
Jamia, looked back at the door and started to open it again.. "What on earth was that?!" Ellie quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her the rest of the way down the front steps into the car. "Oh, it was probably that damn shelf in the cupboard again, it has a loose peg, and fell last week too. I thought I fixed it, but... well..."
She knew she sounded like she was full of shit, and Jamia was not quite buying it, so she did the only thing she knew would get her to forget about it. Ellie's hand flew to the bandage on her head, and with a over-dramatic look of angst started to fain pain. "Ohhh... ooooohhh...." then started sucking air through her teeth. She knew she was probably laying it on a little thick, but Jamia instantly forgot about the crashing that was still going on inside the house, and quickly got Ellie into the car.
"Frankie, hurry, we have to get her there!"
And with that, they zoomed off to the hospital, Ellie looking back at the house, praying Gerard would be okay, not fully understanding why he was as upset as he was. She also hoped the house would still be standing when she got back.
~~
'Miss Williams?" Ellie was brought back to the present moment... in the hospital. "Yes Doctor? I am sorry, I was just thinking about a friend of mine."
Jamia and Frank shared a look, because they were pretty sure Ellie did not know anyone, and refused to go out. Which is why they thought setting her up on a date was just the thing she needed.
"Miss Williams, have you had any dizzy spells, or anything like this happen to you before?"
"Well, no. I was just checking the stereo and think I stood up to fast. I was also turning at the same time, which just didn't help." She gave a little chuckle and finished explaining, "I am just not the most graceful person in the world Doctor."
He smiled at her, and she knew he bought it. "Well, Miss Williams, the CAT Scan was fine, and I do not see anything to indicate that you should have any other problems except for some soreness from the wound itself. You did a very good job of bandaging it yourself by the way."
She gave a small laugh, "Well, with being a bonafide Klutz, you have to get good at bandages."
Everyone in the room chuckled. Except for Frank. He just shared a knowing look with Ellie, as she held her fake smile. 'She's good at it,' Frank thought to himself... 'she's a little too good at it. She really needs to win an Oscar for her acting ability.' And with that thought, Frank's lips finally turned into what others had perceived as a small smile, but Ellie knew what he was really thinking.
~~
Gerard knew Ellie did not want to go to the hospital, but her head was still bleeding a little, so he gave her an encouraging smile as Jamia was pulling her out of the door, their gazes still locked.
Before he thought to stop himself he whispered 'It will be okay.... I love you.'
In that same moment, Jamia dropped the 'date bombshell' just before she closed the door cutting off the contact he had with Ellie.
Gerard was in shock for a second as the words sunk in. He just slipped and told Ellie that he loved her, and in the same moment Jamia is throwing another man into the mix. A living man.
......
Gerard stood in the middle of what used to be his living room. His mind was a mess of confusion, anger, hurt and... Jealousy? Yes, that's exactly what it was. He did not even stop to wonder why. He knew how he felt about Ellie. She was his. But did he really have a right to her? He knew how he felt, nothing could change that, but he could not help but wonder, if he should.
Is fair to her?
Is is fair to Linds?
Hell... is it even fair to him?
He didn't know, he just knew what he felt, and to change that... well, he might as well try to change the direction the earth moved.
'But how does Ellie feel?' Gerard knew he has had the advantage of knowing Ellie from months of watching her. Everything she does, how she thinks... every little thing about her. But she has only known of his existence for mere hours. How can she even begin to process her feelings for him... if she even has any, in that short of time.
Gerard felt a surge of urgency. Like time was running out. How could Frank and Jamia do this to him? He knew they had no idea, that they only wanted what was best for Ellie. That thought stopped him. 'maybe it is what is best for Ellie.' Gerard's heart broke at the thought. 'What kind of future can I give her, when I don't have a future?'
Gerard sunk to his knees. He looked around at the mess he created in his fit of rage. He had surprised himself at how his temper took over, and his loss of control. He knew he had never before lost control like that, and wondered if being dead had something to do with it.. or was it just the thought of another man taking Ellie away.
After sitting there for an unknown amount of time Gerard decided that it was time he got up and started setting the house back in order. Ellie had worked so hard on it over these last months, it was unfair to make more work for her just because he went into a jealous rage. He stood and made his way through the debris of pillows, dining room chairs, books, broken glass, and overturned tables and sofas.
~~
Ellie sat in the car, somewhat anxious to get home... somewhere between wanting to know what happened after the door closed, and really not wanting to know at all. As the neighborhoods passed by, she thought of what she should say to Gerard. Her stomach was in knots. She couldn't help how she felt. Since she found him downstairs this morning, she could not get him out of her mind. Every second was filled with his face, his eyes, voice, but mostly his touch.
The memory of earlier in the day when they were both so close, their lips barely brushed against one an other... her stomach tightened at the thought.
"Ellie?" Jamia was turning in seat and talking to her, but she missed it.
"Huh?"
"I said, when do you want to meet Justin?" She was smiling.
Without thinking Ellie was perfectly honest, "I don't." and regretted it the second she said it. Jamia's smile fell off her her face. "But Why?" Ellie instantly felt guilty about hurting Jamia's feelings. But really who goes around just arranging dates for people without asking them first?
"Baby, Ellie's had a hard day, just leave it for now." Frank looked over at his wife who he adored, and anyone who knew them could see it in every expression he had when he looked at her. She instantly dropped it, and relaxed, gazing back at him smiling.
Ellie wished she had that in her life. Suddenly, and without permission her brain pushed an image of Gerard to the forefront of her thoughts, making her abdomen instantly clinch. 'Maybe I do.'
She found herself smiling and looked up into the rear-view mirror and saw Frank looking at her with an eyebrow raised. She blushed knowing Frank knew he caught her at something, but had no idea what. She wished she could tell him, but knew it was impossible without him flipping his lid, and dragging her out of the house.
~~
Ellie quietly opened the front door and peeked inside, not sure what to expect. She certainly did not expect to find a clean house, but that is exactly what she found. It was even a little 'too clean'. She remembered that she had left some things laying around, but now everything was put away, even dusted.
She slowly walked further in, wondering if Gerard was going to jump out of nowhere at her.... she hoped not, she really was jumpy and did not like people scaring her like that. No sign of him anywhere though.
A random thought ran though her mind, and her heart stopped suddenly.. 'What if he's gone?' She could not bare the thought of it. Her breathing came a little harder, and she suddenly felt abandoned.
"Hey pretty lady."
Ellie's breath escaped her, as she turned around and saw Gerard casually leaning up against the archway, hands in his pockets.
Without thinking she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck and tucked her head into the hollow of his neck and shoulder. This action surprised him, but without thinking his arms instantly wrapped around her, and held her close to him. As he pressed his cheek to her forehead, his hand ran down the back of her head and stroked her hair.
"Are you alright Baby?" He instantly knew his mistake, he never meant to call her baby, but it just slipped out before he could stop it. However, she did not seem to notice. He let it go, waiting for her to answer him.
"Yes, I was just afraid that you were gone." she said sniffing into his neck. His calling her 'Baby' did not go unnoticed, but she assumed that it was something he said out of habit, or a mistake. But none the less, she was just going to enjoy it for now.
"Never going to happen, Sugar." He whispered next to her ear.
~~~