"your blood pressure dropped to a dangerous level and at your age, we want to keep you for a bit." the nurse says. Doc blinks at her then looks at Lightning.

"hmm." he huffs.

"thats okay, I'll be allowed to stay up here right?" Lightning ask.

"oh of course." the nurse assures. "we'll set you up a little cot and let you stay until he's released if thats what you'd both like." the nurse says, unhooking Lightning from his machines.

"yeah." Lightning mumbles.

"he can't really leave until I leave anyway." Doc snorts, smiling. the nurse nods at them and hands Lightning his stuff.

"give me a call if you guys need anything." she smiles, leaving the room.

"first time I can recall you've ever been released before me." Doc chuckles.

"yeah its weird. they usually like to keep me a while after seizures." Lightning mutters.

"its alright. you're still here if you have another." Doc assures gently.

"still makes me nervous." Lightning frowns. Smokey pokes into the room.

"hey, oh... I thought you got released." Smokey frowns, looking at Doc.

"nah kid got released." Doc says. Smokey perks up and looks over.

"I was going for dinner, want to go kid?" Smokey ask. Lightning frowns looking over at Doc. he'd love to go get food, but he's worried about Doc.

"go kid. I'm okay. make sure he eats Smokey." Doc frowns.

"are you sure?" Lightning ask hesitantly.

"yeah, go baby. eat, feed Bolt and take him for a walk." Doc assures.

"okay. come on Bolt." Lightning says. Bolt jumps off the bed, tail wagging happily. Smokey leads them out and Doc settles into the bed and sighs a little. he's tired still, wonders if he can get away with going back to sleep, or if he'd regret it once he gets out of this hell hole. he decides a little more sleep can't hurt him too bad and lets himself fall back to sleep.

he's not sure what time it is when he wakes up, but Lightnings back and holding his good hand while he watches tv.

"baby?" Doc mumbles tiredly, looking over at him. Lightning looks over.

"hey Doc." Lightning grins, squeezing his hand. "starting to worry me with all that sleeping you're doing." Lightning teases. Doc hums quietly in amusement.

"being old makes you tired." he mumbles. Lightning giggles a little and smiles at him. "Smokey make you eat?" Doc ask.

"he didn't have to... he uh... he showed me something and I kinda feel a little better." Lightning says. Doc looks confused and Lightning shows him his phone. there's a picture of his dad tired to a chair out back of Cotter Pin. "but they're waiting for Smokey to do anything, cause he wants to help." Lightning says.

"did you ask them about Emily?" Doc mumbles, voice still heavy with sleep, like he might go back to sleep. Lightning flushes a little and pets Bolts head.

"they said I had to ask him mysetl." Lightning mumbles. "I even ask Smokey and he said I had to do it myself." Lightning adds, holding Bolt tighter.

"shhh. s'okay kiddo. when I get better, we'll go out there an I'll ask for you baby." Doc assures. Lightning nods and takes his hand again.

"thanks Doc." he mumbles. Doc nods at him and smiles a little.

"whatever you need." Doc murmurs.

"I'm going to pay for the remodels to the house, do you know what exactly it is you want?" Lightning ask.

"not really kid. tell you what, you design it for the both of us an I'll tell you if I like it okay?" Doc ask. Lightning nods, he understands Docs tired and can't really think straight.

"okay. I'll work up some plans with a couple companies and show you the plans when you feel better." Lightning murmurs, nuzzling Docs hand happily. he intertwines their fingers and kisses Docs hand happily, smiling. "I love you." Lightning says softly, leaning forward to nuzzle his side. Doc pulls his hand free and ruffles Lightnings hair, before cupping Lightnings cheek and smiling at him.

"love you too kid. if you come here, I'll even kiss you." Doc murmurs. Lightning grins and gets up, leaning over to kiss him. Doc pulls him down and holds him there for a moment, before letting go and sighing happily and cupping the youngers cheek again gently. "god I love you baby. so much. you just don't understand." Doc murmurs, rubbing his cheek gently. Lightning flushes a little and smiles, leaning into his hand, sighing happily. Doc watches him, unsure how the younger can look at him like he's hung the moon and knows every answer to every question in the universe, when Doc knows for a face the younger is the answer to every question there ever has been or ever will be. Doc knows the boy hung the moon, he knows he did because he can see the stars in the boys eyes and the golden rays of the sun in the youngers bleach blond hair. Lightning stares at him, smiling and flushing a little.

"you're staring." Lightning mumbles softly. Doc huffs and smiles a little.

"m'always staring at you." Doc mutters. "too beautiful, can't look away." Doc shrugs a little, cupping the back of his neck and pulling him back down for a sweet kiss. Docs not sure he's ever had a kiss like that, in all his years and he's not sure how he ever went without it. he sighs happily out his nose and releases the younger, dropping his hand back onto the bed. Lightning flashes a smile and sits back down beside him, taking his hand. "I love you and I don't say it alot kid, I really don't. admittedly, I try not to say it so others don't hear me, I don't want to ruin your career, and I'm sorry for that." Doc murmurs softly. Lightning stares at him a minute before giving him a soft smile.

"I don't mind. ever heard actions speak louder than words? well, they really do." Lightning murmurs. he squeezes Docs hand gently. "and I know you love me. the first time I've ever been able to see it." Lightning murmurs, and kisses his hand. Doc smiles at him, watching him happily.

"dunno how I ever got so lucky, but I don't want it to go away. you're beautiful. I love you so much kid an I'm sorry I don't say it often." Doc mutters. its at this point Lightning realizes there's something off in Docs voice. he looks a little confused, before shaking his head. he smiles, watching him, before he starts laughing.

"Doc are you high? how much of that pain crap do they have you on?" Lightning ask, leaning forward. oh he's definitely high on pain meds. he didn't even know that was possible for Doc. "baby you're high." Lightning chuckles, cupping his cheek.

"no m'not. I'm laying right here kid." Doc mutters. Lightning chuckles and smiles.

"tell you what, you lay here and I'll be right back." Lightning murmurs, getting up.

"okay, I'll be here." Doc mumbles.

"don't try to get up. just stay there." Lightning chuckles. he heads out into the hall.

"whats got you all giggly?" Smokey ask, curiously.

"Docs high. he gets really lovey when he's high apparently. gotta take a break from all that." Lightning chuckles softly.

"oh yeah, the went in there and started messing with his shoulder after we left for food, according to one of the nurses. he got stubborn and wouldn't let them touch because it hurt, not surprisingly he's got a fractured shoulder I bet it fucking hurts, and they upped his pain meds until he cooperated." Smokey chuckles. Lightning laughs a little.

"I'm going to go check on Red and Mack." Lightning murmurs. he heads down the hall and knocks on a door, poking his head inside. "hey, can I come in?" Lightning asks.

"yeah. sure boss." Mack smiles a little.

"whers Doc?" Red ask.

"laying high in his hospital bed." Lightning chuckles.

"oh that must be fun." Mack snorts.

"sort of. he kinda turns into a love sick teenager." Lightning mutters. "how are you Mack? your face looks less swollen." Lightning said.

"yeah thank god. they got all the swelling down in his head and there's a little in his brain from the beating he took, but he's going to be okay." Red mutters, hugging Macks side. Mack smiles at him and hugs him gently.

"I'm glad you guys are doing good." Lightning smiles.

"how about you?" Mack ask.

"I'm good. they released me. just waiting for them to release Doc." Lightning chuckles softly. "I'll head back to him, just wanted to check on you guys." Lightning murmurs.

"well, have fun." Red smiles at him. Lightning heads back to Docs room where he finds Smokey and Louise standing beside he man.

"remember that time you decided you were the smartest person in the room and managed to shock yourself hard enough your hair stood on end for two days?" Louise laughs. Docs groaning lowly.

"hey, you guys leave him alone. he's high." Lightning mutters, walking over. Bolts taking up position on the bed, curled up beside Doc. the injured mans good arm is rest on the dog.

"leave me alone." Doc groans, turning his head away from them.

"oh c'mon Hud.you were a smartass kid back in the day." Louise chuckles.

"he's still a smartass, only he actually knows what he's talking about these days." Lightning said, walking over to run his hand through Docs hair. Doc mutters dropping his head back into the pillow. "leave him alone. he's in no position to defend himself." Lightning adds.

"we had to come tease him a bit." Smokey chuckles. "its not the first time we got to see him like this, although the first time he was actually high." Smokey chuckles. Lightning looks at him curiously.

"don't." Doc mutters.

"no please do." Lightning said curiously.

"well Junior thought it would be funny, back then that stuff wasn't illegal, and he slipped it into the kids drink. well. big britches here decided to take on some guy in a race and it hits him mid race. he almost never forgave us for that." Smokey chuckles.

"one minute he's driving on the road and then next minute he hit a tree. he fell out of the car mumbling thing about flying and shit. he was absolutely fucked up for two days after that." Smokey chuckles softly.

"you guys could've killed him." Lightning mutters.

"nah we was fine. had a hell of a time keeping an eye on him." Smokey chuckles softly.

"go away." Doc mutters.

"okay. okay you guys leave him alone." Lightning snorts a little. the two chuckle and leave talking to each other. Lightning goes over to his other side and takes his hand. "hey baby, they were being mean weren't they?" Lightning smiles. Doc mutters at him.

"shhh." Doc says, pulling his hand away from Lightning. "g'way." he mumbles.

"no Hud, I'm not going anywhere." Lightning assures. Doc smiles a little, looking over at the younger.

"love it when you call me by my name." Doc murmurs. Lightning raises an eye brow with a small smile, pulling his chair a little closer. "though y'usually only call me that when somethings happening. like you're having an anxiety attack or something." Doc adds.

"I ask you if you wanted me to call you that." Lightning says watching him.

"an I don't mind if you call me Doc, Monty. everyone calls me Doc." Doc mutters.

"okay well what do you want me to call you then?" Lightning ask, petting Bolt gently.