Chance slowly opens his eyes. He doesn't remember much of what had happened. He thinks he remembers talking to Tina but his memory wasn't too clear. It's all so foggy. He definitely didn't remember getting rescued from the bus.

His eyes scan the hospital room as they begin to become more focused and his mind becomes clearer. His hearing picks up on a quiet sobbing to his right. Someone was gripping tightly to his right hand.

Slowly turning his head to the sound, he sees Tim sitting in a chair next to the bed. His head was resting on his arm that he had laying on the bed next to Chance.

"Baby?" Chance calls quietly causing his lover to quickly raise his head. His cheeks wet with tears.

"Chance," Tim sobs as he rubs the bearded man's cheek. "Are you going to die?"

"No, Angel." Chance chuckles softly as he wipes the tears from the brunette's face. "I'm going to be fine. I just have a bump on my head. Are you okay?"

"I cut my hand." Tim says showing him his now bandaged hand. "But I'm okay, just scared. They said that you would have to stay overnight for observation. I wanted to stay with you but they said that I couldn't and that I would have to go back to the sanitorium."

"Sweetie, you'll be fine." Chance says softly, brushing back his lover's hair. "I'll be home in the morning."

"But I have bad dreams when I'm not with you." Tim says in a whisper as more tears stream down his face. "He comes in my dreams."

"Who does?" Chance asks.

"My dad." Tim whispers, wiping his eyes with the palms of his hands.

The door opens and a smug-looking nurse walks in. "Visiting hours are over. You need to leave."

"Can I stay with him? Please?" Tim pleads as more tears escape from his eyes.

"No. You have to go back to the mental institution." The nurse replies rudely as she checks Chance's IVs.

"No need being so rude, mam." Chance says. "He just feels more comfortable here with me."

"I don't make the rules, Mr. Ray." The nurse replies. "He has to leave."

"Baby," Chance says, taking his lover by the hand. "Maybe you'll feel safer in my room. He can't harm you there. Let Nate know you're there so he can check in on you, okay?"

Tim sniffs as he nods his head again wiping his cheeks.

Tina had to receive several stitches to her face but was released from the hospital. Jenika was fitted with a cast on her broken arm. Austin's injury required stitches but was released afterward.

Nate and Olena had come to the hospital after receiving a call from Sami about the crash. He was told that no mental patients were allowed to stay. After having a few unpleasant words with the Chief of Staff, he heads out to find their patients.

As he walks into Chance's room, he sees Tim crying, holding on desperately to his lover. The nurse stood by the bed with her arms crossed over her chest, a look of disgust on her face as she glared down at the crying brunette.

"Really? Are all the employees here assholes?" Nate says as he gently lays his hands on Tim's shoulders.

"Excuse me?" The nurse asks with raised brows.

"Come on, Buddy. We have to go." Nate says, totally ignoring the nurse.

"Nate, let him stay in my room, alright?" Chance says as Nate carefully pulls the distraught patient from the bearded man's arms. "Take care of him."

"No problem. He'll be fine, Chance. I'll check in on him." Nate replies.

"I love you, Timmy." Chance says as he gives his lover a sweet kiss causing the nurse to roll her eyes. "I'll see you in the morning."

"I love you too." Tim replies quietly with a slight nod before Nate leads him out of the room.

"I'd complain about your treatment of my visitor if I knew it would do any good. But in this hospital, I doubt it would." Chance says as he glares angrily at the nurse.

"You're right. It wouldn't." She sneers as she walks out of the room.

~~

"Timmy, if you need anything at all, I'm right down the hall." Nate says as Tim opens Chance's apartment door. "I'll check in on you later to make sure you're alright."

"Thank you, Nate." Tim says, offering him a sad smile.

"He'll be home before you know it." Nate smiles as he rubs the brunette on the arm.

Nate heads back to his own apartment, leaving Tim with the promise, once again, to check in on him. Nate had an extra key to Chance's apartment just as Chance had one for his, in case of an emergency.

Tim walks slowly around the apartment, taking in Chance's scent. He smiles as he looks at some of the pictures that Chance had in his place.

His smile suddenly fades.

"Oh, no..." Tim whispers. "My camera."

He remembers looking through the photos he had taken at the zoo right before the crash. He covers his mouth with his hand as tears fill his eyes. He had lost his camera.

The brunette walks over to the bed and lies down, clutching his lover's pillow to his chest. Breathing in Chance's scent once more.

"I'm so sorry, Chance." Tim sobs softly. "I lost your camera."

Nate quietly unlocks the door and peeks in. Tim had turned every light inside the apartment on. He was sleeping peacefully on top of the covers, fully dressed, hugging Chance's pillow tightly in his arms.

Nate goes to the closet and gets an extra blanket. He carefully lays it on the sleeping man. "He'll be home soon." The blonde whispers as he gently brushes Tim's hair out of his face. "A team of horses can't keep him away. Goodnight, Timmy."

~~

"Ain't we a pitiful sight." Tina laughs but then groans from the slight pain in her face as Chance walks in with Olena who had picked him up at the hospital.

Chance was wearing a bandage around his head covering the stitches from the injury to the side of his head. "Aren't we though." He chuckles.

Chance didn't hang around to talk. He had to check on his lover. He meets Nate in the hallway.

"How is he?" Chance asks.

"I checked on him a few times last night and before I came down for breakfast. Each time he was sleeping like a baby, hugging your pillow." Nate says with a smile. "Gotta go. It's going to be a busy day without you and Jenika. You better enjoy your time off recuperating." He chuckles before continuing down the hall.

Chance practically runs up the stairwell to the apartments. Trying to ignore his building headache. Nothing that a couple of ibuprofen and a nap with his gorgeous boyfriend wouldn't take care of.

Chance tiptoes around the apartment turning out all the lights. Popping a couple of ibuprofen, he takes off his shoes and carefully lays down behind his lover, wrapping his arm around the brunette's waist.

Tim stirs and glance's over his shoulder.

"Hey, baby." Chance whispers as he kisses Tim's cheek.

"Chance!" Tim smiles as he turns around in his lover's arms and kisses him. "God, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Angel." Chance says as he rolls over on his back with his arm still around his boyfriend.

"Are you in any pain?" Tim asks as he lays his head down on Chance's chest. "Do you need anything?"

"Just a nap with my gorgeous boyfriend in my arms." Chance smiles as he closes his eyes.

"But I'm not allowed up here with Tina here." Tim reminds him.

"Oh, I don't think she'll mind at all." Chance smiles before slipping off to sleep.

*******

Until next time .... ✌️