Charlie couldn't sleep, he tossed and turned but it was just no good. He had gotten so used to having Alex by his side, that his bed felt cold and empty without him. Sleep seemed pointless without him. He had no one to snuggle into, no one to press kisses into his hair or hold his hand when he couldn't sleep. Alex was his rock, his constant and the kindest person he'd ever met. He was lost without him and it had only been 12 hours.
Zach and Jessica had dragged Alex out for the evening. He was back for the summer from college, and as unenthusiastic as he was about socialising, even Alex had missed hanging out with his friends. Charlie was of course invited, but he had decided to stay home this time, wanting Alex to enjoy some alone time with the people he had been through so much with, before he was due to go back next week.
It had been a beautiful summer filled with picnics, an abundance of gaming sessions and cuddles and kisses, rendering it the most perfect school holiday Charlie could wish for. He had grown to know Alex inside out, from his highs to his deep lows, loving him endlessly despite his struggles. He was happy because Alex was happy, and after everything his boy had been through Charlie called it a miracle.
He tossed once again, eyeing the clock as it hit 3am. Alex had promised to text him when he was home safe, but as the hours passed Charlie had a gut feeling that something wasn't quite right. Maybe they had pulled an all nighter, gone to a club somewhere in the city. Maybe they had drunkenly headed back to Jessica's for a sleepover and his mind had been off his phone. He shook his bad feeling away, placing his mobile back on the nightstand once more.
He was sure he'd be okay.
.
.
3:45am
Charlie woke with a jolt, his short slumber fading quickly as he heard his phone ring out. His eyes widened, his heart fluttering as he went to pull it from the charging chord. Maybe Alex needed a lift.
His brow furrowed as he saw Jessica's number shining through the screen. He shook away confusion and quickly answered.
"Hey Jess, what's up?" He spoke groggily, rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes. He could hear heavy breathing on the line, and his heart began to speed up. "Jess? Talk to me, what's happened? Are you okay? Is Alex okay?"
"C-Charlie." Jess whimpered. Her voice cracked, the signal was touch and go. "W-We had an accident." She cried, her voice breaking as she went distant from the phone.
Charlie shot upwards, his words mute for a second as he tried to process. Alex was in an accident. Alex was in a crash. Alex.
"A-Are you okay?" He mumbled quickly, shakily pressing speaker phone as he rushed to pull out some clothes. "Where's Alex? Is he okay?Jess tell me Alex is okay." He fretted, his voice raised in fright as he hovered over the phone. "JESSICA."
"S-Someone crashed into the side of Z-Zach's car, it o-overturned. Both me and Zach managed to climb out but A-Alex, h-he-"
"Oh god no, Jess, please, what about Alex, did he get out of the car too?" Charlie felt like screaming. He'd clumsily pulled a jumper over his head, his sweats sufficing as bottoms, and he was rushing down the corridor, car keys in hand. "IS ALEX OKAY?"
"H-He hit his head badly, h-he's not waking up Charlie, h-he's not waking up." Jessica was balling, and through the bad reception and her loud tears he could just about hear sirens in the background. "W-We are on the way t-to the h-hospital, c-come quickly." She whimpered, breathing heavily into the phone. "I-I've called his d-dad too." Charlie gulped back the lump in his throat, letting out a heavy breath as he reached his car.
"I'm coming Jess, hang in there, tell him to hang in there." Charlie choked on his tears as he ended the call, starting his engine up with shaky hands. Alex had to be okay. He had to be, for Charlie couldn't live without him.
.
.
Charlie didn't know how long he had been waiting. The hours had blurred together, his body too nervous to settle and sleep. He had watched the sun rise from the hospital waiting room, anxiously looking from the window to the admissions door, desperately waiting for a doctor to come out with some news.
Jessica was slumped next to him, her head resting against his arm as she had shakily cried herself to sleep. She had a bruise forming just above her eyebrow, her lip split and a few grazes on her arms, but she was safe, and for that Charlie was grateful.
Zach was sat across from them, his expression similar to Charlie's as he nervously bit his fingers. He had been driving the car, and had only just been discharged. His eye was swollen, his arm laying in a sling, but his focus was on Alex, his best friend.
"Alex Standall?" The two boys quickly whipped their heads to the left, Charlie standing instinctively at the sound of his boyfriends name. They moved to stand behind Bill and Carolyn, Zach tentatively grabbing Charlie's arm in reassurance.
"He's my son, is he okay?" Bill panicked, anxiously clenching his wife's hand. "Please Doc, it's been hours and we've heard nothing here."
The doctor smiled sadly, nodding as she led them to some chairs. "He's out of surgery and he's stable." Her eyes were soft as she watched the boy's mum let out a cry of relief. Charlie put his hand to his mouth, a tear threatening to fall as Zach pulled him into a hug.
"We had to remove a blood clot surrounding his brain, but luckily the damage to his previous head injury was minor. He'll be weaker for a while, and it may have had some impact on his TBI recovery, but we'll know more when he wakes up." The doctor smiled, placing her hand comfortingly on Carolyn's shoulder. "He's going to be alright Mrs Standall." She reassured.
Charlie watched as Alex's parents were escorted towards the ward, his eyes still red and puffy from hearing the news. He needed to see him desperately, but for now he'd have to wait.
.
.
It was two hours later when Bill Standall entered the waiting room once again, smiling down at Charlie's sleeping form as he laid curled up amongst the chair. Jessica and Zach had been collected by their parents for well earned rest, but the younger jock had refused to leave until he saw Alex awake and well.
"Hey, Charlie, buddy wake up." Charlie woke to see Alex's dad hovering over him, a warm smile on his face as he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Alex is awake buddy, he's asking for you."
Charlie's eyes lit up, his heart fluttered, and he accepted Bill's welcoming hand to be pulled up out of the most uncomfortable chair he'd ever sat in.
He was going to see Alex, and that is all that mattered.
He took a deep breath before entering the room before him, the whole corridor smelling of Detol cleaning fluid, the clinical lights hurting his eyes. Alex was behind that door, all he had to do was open it, but his shaky hand stopped him as he wavered by the handle, his eyes welling.
"Come on buddy, he's okay, just be gentle, he's very weak and groggy from the surgery." Bill assured.
Charlie could have gasped at the sight before him, his boyfriend laid propped up against some pillows, a canula covering his soft skin, his eyes heavy and his hair covered in a bandage. He saw the scratches on his cheek, his arms limp at his side as he looked up and smiled weakly.
"A-Alex." Charlie whispered. "Baby oh my god."
He rushed to his side, taking the seat next to the bed as he took in the sight of him. "Lex, talk to me, how are you feeling?"
Alex felt almost too weak to talk, he felt overwhelmed. He was so happy that Charlie was there that his eyes started to water, his fingers shuffling to rest on Charlie's as a sign of gratitude. Charlie immediately took them into his hand, caressing his palm with his thumb.
"S-Scared." He mumbled, a tear falling as he began to stress. "H-Hurts." He finally let his brave demeanour fall, and he felt himself crumbling into the arms of the person he'd wanted to see since he'd woken up.
"Hey, it's okay, I'm here now." Charlie cooed, rubbing the tears from his cheeks. "Try and slow your breathing, you're okay baby, you're okay."
Alex sniffed back his sobs, a small smile forming as Charlie pulled away, adjusting his blanket, and placing a kiss to his head.
"I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you." The younger boy locked eyes with Alex as he let his weight fall into the pillow. He was silent from exhaustion but used the strength he had left to keep his eyes on Charlie. He relaxed as Charlie caressed his cheek, pulling his limp fingers into his hands and pressing them to his lips. "You're the best thing that ever happen to me, you know that right."
Alex let out an inaudible giggle, his lips curling, inviting Charlie for a peck.
"L-Love you." Alex whispered, fighting the urge to fall back into his dreamless sleep.
"I love you more Alex Standall." Charlie declared, not letting go of his boyfriend's hand as he allowed his head to rest on the side of the bed.
"Y-You should go home and s-sleep." Alex mumbled tiredly as he nestled down to slumber.
"I can only sleep when I'm with you." Charlie whispered, finally closing his eyes.