Page 41 of Should the Sky Fall

He knows it doesn’t make sense—how can you miss someone who’s a virtual stranger? Except Dawson doesn’t feel like a stranger. On the contrary. He feels like home.

Finishing the last exercise, Cal rests for a bit before getting out of bed. This morning, he managed to walk without help for eight minutes. If he can make it ten this time, he’ll be happy.

He walks around for five minutes before he notices his bladder is trying to get his attention. With a sigh, he heads over to the en-suite bathroom. He pointedly ignores looking in the mirror, keeping his gaze downcast and watching his steps. After relieving himself and washing his hands, he heads back to the room. His heart stutters when he opens the door.

Dawson stands in the center of the room, looking confusedly at the empty bed and rumpled sheets.

“Hello,” Cal croaks out.

Hazel eyes flick towards him, widening as Dawson takes him in.

“Oh. Hi.” His gaze rakes over Cal, making him feel a little self-conscious about his appearance. “Sorry for barging in. There was no answer when I knocked and…” He trails off, licking his lips. “How are you?”

It takes Cal a minute to formulate an answer. He can’t take his eyes off Dawson, fighting the urge to stride over and do…something. Caress his face, take him in his arms, make sure he’s okay. It’s the same urgency he felt when he first saw Dawson sitting there by his bed, looking small and vulnerable and startlingly familiar.

“I’m good.”Now.

“Do you need help?” Dawson offers, probably because Cal keeps standing there and staring at him like a weirdo.

He’s about to politely decline but changes his mind. If he has an opportunity to be close to Dawson, he sure as hell is going to take it. “I was about to take a walk down the hallway.” Eddie said not to walk down the hallway unsupervised, but if Dawson’s with him, it should be fine, right? “Maybe you could come with me?”

Panic fills Dawson’s features. “Is that safe? I mean, shouldn’t you have someone keeping an eye on you?”

A fluttery feeling expands in Cal’s chest, the desire to reach out and touch Dawson intensifying. “You’d be with me. That’s all I need.”

Dawson looks at him with parted lips, still unsure. “I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Unable to stay away any longer, he makes his (very slow) way to Dawson. From this close, it’s impossible to miss the alarmed look passing across Dawson’s face. It doesn’t sit right with Cal. Dawson shouldn’t be looking at him like that. It reminds him of that time he tried to touch him and Dawson pulled away.

“Just stay with me and I’ll be fine.”

Dawson nods after a moment of hesitation. “Okay. Yeah, I can do that.” He opens the door for Cal. “How far are we going?”

“I’ll let you know when I need to turn around.”

Dawson frowns. “But you’ll still need to walk back.”

Cal feels a smile pull at his lips, his skin tingling where his arm brushes against Dawson’s. “It’ll be fine, Dawson.” He turns right, setting up a mental goal to walk all the way to the waiting area before having to turn around.

Dawson huffs, adjusting his step to match Cal’s pace. “Like talking to a brick wall,” he mutters, then snaps his wide eyes to Cal.

“Is that unusual for me?” Now he finally has a chance to learn more about himself. Dawson must know him the best, after all.

“Not really, no. You’re pretty set in your ways.”

Something about the way he says it rubs Cal the wrong way. Not knowing what to do with that, he says, “Thank you for coming. Ellis said you have a lot on your plate.”

Dawson’s cheeks darken, and he turns his gaze to the floor. “Sorry it took me so long to get here.”

Cal feels a pang of guilt for putting that look on Dawson’s face. He never meant to make him feel bad. “I’m sure you have other things to do. I’m not going anywhere for a while.”

“Yeah, but with everything that’s going on…” He glances at Cal. “I feel bad leaving you here.”

“There’s no need,” Cal reassures him. “I’m a little bored—” Understatement. “But everyone is very nice. Except Eddie.”

“Eddie?”

“My physiotherapist.”