A week later..

"Get in." Zak pointed to the wheelchair leading me to give him a sour look. "Don't give me that, you heard the doc. Rest and nothing that will make you tired."

"I also heard the doctor say that I need to be doing little activities, walking is included in that."

He sighed "Then amuse me. Come on. I want to get you home. Gracie has missed you."

I smiled at the mention of her name and slowly gave in, slipping off the bed, I settled into the chair and held out my arms waiting for my bag but Zak swung it onto his shoulder.

"Oh come on, I can handle a bag.." I sigh.

"Maybe you can. But you're going to have to get used to this kind of treatment. We have postponed lockdowns until you're better."

"What? Zak you can't. What did the channel say to that?"

"It was there idea." He replied walking himself back against the door. "I need to be at home with you, the last thing I need on my mind is a location when I'm worried to death about you. We are strictly home life."

"And museum." I added.

"Nope. I have a reliable team—"

"Stop."

He pauses the chair and I slowly get out of the wheelchair, heading back to the room. "Did you forget something?"

"Nope. You can go home, I'm staying."

"Delilah.."

"I don't need mothering. My mother couldn't do it and I don't need one now. Either agree that we can still go to the museum, or I stay?"

He looked conflicted before sighing harshly "Well I presumed you'd want to stay away from that place. That's all."

"Because of what happened?"

He nodded.

"Well I don't. I'm okay with going back there, admittedly going back straightaway is a push, like the doc said and you said, little activities. So little activities I shall do." I responded coming back to sit down in the seat.

Because truthfully, I wanted out of this place, there's no place like home, at least that's what Dorothy said.

"Well we will go to the museum, but only when we need to. Need being a strong word too."

"Yeah yeah. Now let's go home."

+++

Returning home was a blessing, being able to sit on a couch, lay on my bed and have Gracie at my side.

Blessing.

But what wasn't a blessing was Poppy, barraging through Zak's house.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" She shouted flinging herself at me causing me to flinch. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry."

I saw her face was blotchy and eyes were glassy, the tale-tale signs of tears. "I'm okay."

"You are now! A whole week inside a hospital and you didn't think to ring me? Jesus Delilah."

I gave her a soft smile and was about to speak when a walking mouthpiece spoke.

"Well you should ring her more often. Instead of ditching her when you have a guy."

"Zak!" I gasp.

"What? Where was she when you broke up with Jack? When you didn't have anywhere to go? When I gave you a room here? I didn't mind, in fact I insisted because I needed to know where you were. But shit Delilah, how many times have you text her?"

I looked away from him, because he was right. Poppy had this unhealthy habit of forgetting everyone when she had a new guy, she forgot her job sometimes too, it was a wonder she still had one.

"It's not like that." Poppy insisted making me look at her and shrug. "Is it?"

"We haven't really been hanging out much Popz."

"Because I'm growing up. I'm living for the future. Not hanging onto the past."

"And I am?"

She sat back "Babe, you'd be happy to share every Monday in the garden with a glass of wine. Until we are both old and wrinkly."

"Right... And you want to get out and do things? Because you're growing up? You're more mature?"

"I am."

"And you're living for the future to be bigger and better?"

She nodded.

"And I'm holding you back, I'm living in the past and you've outgrown me."

"Rig— no. No that's not what I'm saying." She pushed her hair aside and placed her sunshades on her head to keep her hair pinned back. "I'm just saying that I have to spread my time out now because of work, Trent—"

"And Delilah isn't going to be part of that now?"

"Zak.."

He growled and stalked out the room.

"I want you to be a part of that, of course I do."

I gave her a smile, but it wasn't a truthful one, I could see the crack in this friendship and it was only set to get bigger. We were different people now, we had changed, we had changed in the past too but we always had each other. In some sort of way...

So whilst she sat there and rabbited on about herself, about what she's been doing, about Trent and how they are madly in love, I looked at Zak.

Slowly simmering away when he had returned with my painkillers and a bottle of water.

I watched how his eyes kept coming over to me, how he his hand kept touching mine, or how he would move closer.

As Poppy told me of fancy dinners her and Trent went on, I smiled at the meals me and Zak cooked together.

As she informed me of her plans for the future, I was happy living in the now with Zak.

Trent bought her expensive gifts. Zak would bring me something everyday, home made food that he made himself.

Trent would take her out clubbing and to parties. Zak would lay beside me on the hospital bed and read me Dracula which he had downloaded onto his phone, he would read until I fell asleep.

Poppy continued but I didn't hear anything else she had to say as I fell harder for the man sat beside me.

The man that punched Randy in the face defending my honour, the man who would have taken that blade if he knew what was coming.

The man that would come to the hospital before I had woke in the mornings, just so he could be the first person I saw. Who held me until I fell asleep every night.

Who had a timer on his phone for my painkillers, because he knew I would forget and only take them when I had pain.

"Delilah? Are you even listening to me?" Poppy asked.

Zak looked directly at me causing a smile to pull on my lips. "Babe? You feeling tired?"

I nodded.

"Right. Yeah of course. Surgery. I've got to go anyway Trent is coming home soon and we are going to this new club on the other side of Vegas."

"I don't know it."

"What are you both up to tonight?"

I cocked my brow at her "Oh yeah stitches, well I'll see you later."

Zak gave me look and followed her out. No doubt to make sure she had gone.

Getting to my feet, I made my way to the front door slowly in time for Zak to close it and sigh.

He turned slowly "Sorry I can't take you out."

"I don't want to go out, tonight, tomorrow or any other night. I'm happy here.." I replied wrapping my arms around his waist "With you and Gracie."

He smiled and leant forward to giving me a kiss. "Let's go lay down so you can nap."

"I'm completely tired."

"But you said—"

"I know, but let's be honest.. You were almost at breaking point with listening to her. Not only that but it made me realise how lucky I am to have you and I didn't want to waste anymore time. I want to spend every second with you, until you are sick of the sight of me."

He chuckled "That's not likely."

"We will see, when you start to think you have a growth on your side, only to realise it's me."

He grinned "Let's go take a nap. We deserve it."

Taking my hand, he led me into the bedroom and helped me out of my clothes and into one of his shirts. Stripping off his own and removing his belt, we got into the bed. Snuggling into his chest, Zak pulled up his phone and found where we had left it last night.

"Comfy?"

"As always." I reply letting him press a kiss on my forehead.

"What are we going to read once this book is finished?" Zak questions.

"Frankenstein, he has scars too."

"Delilah, as much as I hate the position you are in. I'd take another scar than be placing flowers on a headstone. I'd be lost without you. You know that, right?"

I took his hand which was wrapped onto my hip and squeezed it. "Ain't no grave.."

"I know."

The emotions of today and the small amount activity I had done caused a yawn to leave my system. Once Zak began, I found myself mesmerised in his voice. His voice was always dominating, commanding your attention to be on him and whatever he has to say. The same voice that would whisper things into my ear, to either make me laugh or shiver.

I looked down at our hands, entwined together whilst his thumb soothed over mine gently. "Don't fight it. I'll be here when you wake back up."

Sighing softly, I allowed sleep to take me under, with the soft lullaby of Dracula narrated by my own Dracula.

Double update!

Just a quick one to let you know, this story has hit #1 in the GhostAdventures ranking!

Wouldn't have been possible without the love of all ya'll reading. Thanks for sharing my love for this guy!

😘