Whatever It Takes

by Elizabeth Perry

  It may only have been momentary, but it happened.

  Everything flashed before my eyes.

  I saw my childhood, with my father. Even a glimpse of my mother flashed through my mind. Eric’s face filled my head, along with that long-lost feeling of what being loved by him used to feel like. And then, I saw Jackson.

  Good lord, my mind focused on Jackson. What was going to become of him? Where would he go if I died? Who would care for him?

  I was terrified for myself, and for his future. Because in that moment?

  I was certain that I would never see him again.

  Everything went black after that. The very next thing that I remember, is waking up here, in the emergency room, with a lot of shouting and bright lights, being poked and prodded in every damn area of my body while my clothes were cut off me.

  I could hear all the voices of the doctors and nurses, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.

  Finally, I was able to focus on one face, one kind nurse, who reached up and gently rubbed my face, while explaining to me where I was, and that I was safe.

  Everything is fuzzy again after that, until I finally arrived here, to this room, where the lights were dimmed for my headache, and instructed to rest while we waited for the rest of the CT scan results.

  I allow my eyes to close again, falling back into a fitful sleep.

  “YOU CAN’T FUCKING KEEP me from her!” I hear shouted, causing my eyes to snap open, and, although momentarily confused as to my surroundings, I would know that voice anywhere.

  Eric.

  The curtain to the room flies open, and he stands there, his whole body shaking, anger radiating off him until our eyes connect.

  “Sir!” The nurse shouts, trying to jump in front of him.

  “Sir you can’t just come back here!”

  “The hell I can’t.” He mutters, before taking two large strides towards me, and standing right next to me, staring hard at me while his whole body shakes.

  “Ave’s.” His voice is a hoarse plea as he shakes his head.

  “Baby. Please tell me you’re ok.”

  “I’m fine.” I manage, trying to sit up towards him, but crying out as the pain shoots down my back.

  “Sir. Unless she says it’s ok, you cannot stay back here. You know what? I’m just going to call security. This is absolutely ridiculous....”

  “No, it’s fine. He’s fine. Sorry about all of that. He can stay...”

  “Are you certain?” She folds her arms across her chest, leveling her gaze with Eric.

  The two of them begin a staring contest, causing the tension in the room to skyrocket. Finally, an exasperated sigh leaves my lips and they both turn to me.

  “It’s fine. Eric, apologize to her for the way you acted. And then sit down.”

  “I’m sorry.” He mutters halfheartedly before sinking down next to me.

  “I’m sorry, baby.”

  He reaches out to touch me, stopping short before pulling his hand back.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t. Just hold my hand. My hand is fine.”

  He grabs onto my hand with his. I feel his hand shaking as he lightly grips mine, and when my eyes move up to his?

  I see pure fear there.

  My heart, of course, cracks a little bit at the look in his eyes. And even though I know that I need to remain strong as to keep my own heart intact?

  Right now, I just can’t.

  “Baby. What happened?” His voice is barely above a whisper as he leans his face in towards mine, resting it on the rail of the bed.

  “I’m not really sure. I had gone to the school today to pick up my books, and I was on my way home. Some guy ran a red light, and bam. That was it.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault.”

  He wraps his other hand around our already conjoined ones, before leaning across the bed and pulling it up to his face.

  His breath is hot against my skin as it leaves his lips in gasps, and he holds it tightly, not letting me go at all.

  We sit there like this, for a really long time. Long enough, that I almost drift back off to sleep. But then his gravelly voice stirs me.

  “You should have called me. I should have been your first call.”

  “I wasn’t going to call you. You were out of town...by the way, how did you even know?”

  “Laci.”

  “Oh.” I briefly remember giving the nurse her name as she scanned through my phone. “Is she still here?”

  He shakes his head, still gripping my hand tightly. “No. She was in the waiting room when I got here, but I sent her back to the house to relieve the babysitter. Oh, my fucking god, baby. What if Jackson had been with you?”

  I swallow hard, clearly remembering the conversation that I had heard in the first few moments in the ER.

  “The paramedics said that the impact completely crushed the car seat that was in the back of the car. If he had been with me...”

  “The car?” he growls, pulling back and locking eyes with me.

  “Tell me that you were in the Land Rover, and not that piece of fucking shit...”

  I don’t respond. There’s no need, and frankly, I don’t feel like fighting with him about this right now. Of course, I was in my car. The Land Rover is still parked in the same damn spot that he left it, right in front of the steps still wearing that ridiculous red bow.

  But, I’m not foolish enough to realize that had I been in that instead of the car that I had desperately tracked down after Eric had towed it away?

  I wouldn’t be as inured as I am right now.

  And I guarantee that the car seat wouldn’t have been crushed.

  But admitting that would mean admitting that I was wrong.

  And hell...I hit my head, but I didn’t hit it that hard....

  So instead, I just shrug, as best I can with the thick neck brace still clamped around my neck.

  “I’m not going to lose my shit.” Eric mutters, more to himself than to me. “I am not going to lose my shit...”

  “Good.” I finally manage, before resting my head back and sighing. “My head hurts too much to argue with you right now.”

  I drift back off to sleep after that, feeling safe and content having him right next to me.

  Which honestly?

  Is going to end badly for me.

  Chapter 19

  Eric

  I’m trying hard to pay attention to the nurse right now, as she lists of Avery’s discharge instructions, but I’m having the hardest time focusing.

  My mind is a complete cluster fuck of emotions right now, so many, that I can’t even focus on a single one.

  “No broken bones, stitches need to come out in 5-7 days...”

  I swallow hard, before glancing over at Avery, who looks way too damn pale for me to keep my sanity.

  “I mean, are you sure she’s ok to go home? You’re certain.” I totally interrupt her, making her narrow her eyes at me.

  Again.

  “Sir. We’ve gone over this, three times now. She does not have any injuries that warrant a hospital admission, nor does she want to be admitted to the hospital.”

  “Eric, please.” Avery begs, shaking her head slightly. “I told you, I’m fine.”

  “You are not fine. Fine was the way that I left you two days ago. Fine is not all cut up and bruised, with stitches, a concussion, and a headache!”

  “I am so sorry.” Avery totally ignores me, turning her attention back to the nurse. “Please continue.”

  I try to slow my breathing, trying to focus on something that won’t make me totally lose my mind right now. Because seeing Avery like this is way too damn much for me to handle.

  Knowing that I could have totally lost her today?

  Well, fuck.

  That does not sit well with me at all. She seems completely oblivious to how fucking badly this could have ended, and don’t even
get me started on that damn car...

  That will definitely make me blow a damn gasket.

  The nurse hands Avery the paperwork, before motioning to someone to grab a wheelchair.

  “No wheelchair needed.” I growl, before reaching down and scooping her up.

  “I’ll just carry her.”

  “Oh, sweet baby Jesus.” Avery mutters before shaking her head. “You’re really killing me here, Eric. You know that, right?”

  “Totally not a good time to talk about dying, Ave’s. Not after today, ok?”

  “Sir...”

  “I’ve got her.” I cut the nurse off yet again, totally ensuring my place on her list of most hated visitors, probably in the history of ever, before charging towards the door.

  “You know what? Fine.” Avery sinks against me, resting her head on my shoulder. “This is more comfortable than a wheelchair anyway.

  “Damn right it is.” I mutter, making her at least grin.

  I carry her through the waiting room and out to the parking lot, ignoring the stares and the fingers that point our way as recognition sets in for them. I carry her to the car, settling her in before jogging around to the driver’s side.

  I reach over and buckle her up, before turning on the car and heading towards home.

  “I hope that you’re not in any trouble for leaving Tucson.” She blinks up and me, her eyes full of concern.

  I reach over, taking her hand in mine and squeezing tightly.

  “That’s the last thing that you need to worry about, babes. Coach knew what happened. It’s all good. And even if it wasn’t?”

  I pull up to the stoplight before turning to face her.

  “Baby, nothing could have kept me away. Nothing in this whole damn world.”

  She doesn’t respond, she simply just nods her head before leaning back against the seat.

  We drive the rest of the way in silence, each of us lost inside of our own minds. Well, I can’t really speak for her, since she is pretty much out of her right mind on painkillers, but me?

  I’m totally lost inside of my head.

  I pull into the driveway, pushing down the pang of anger that tries to surface as I take a look at the car that Avery should have been driving, before parking and hopping out, reaching down and lifting her back into my arms.

  “I’m so sleepy.” She murmurs, before resting her head back into the crook of my neck.

  “Well, then baby, I will get you right into bed.”

  “Ok.” She sighs, as her breath slows.

  We stop for a second in the hallway, and I briefly talk to Laci, who lets me know that Jackson has been bathed and is already fast asleep.

  I thank her, before watching her walk out to her car and head off into the night.

  After that, I carry Avery upstairs, and while she still softly snores, I undress her and place her into my bed, exactly where the fuck she belongs.

  The second that I place her in my bed though?

  She stirs for just a second. Her eyes flutter open, and she reaches for me.

  I take her hand in mine, as she pulls it towards her face, pressing her lips against it.

  “I love you, Eric.” She murmurs, before her eyes close again and she drifts off to sleep.

  But me?

  Fuck.

  I sit there for a long time, just watching her sleep, letting her words give me new drive.

  She loves me?

  Fuck yes.

  That means that I may actually have a chance here.

  Chapter 20

  Avery

  Sunlight streams in through the windows, by the time that my eyes open the next day. Again, I wake disoriented, until I realize that I am in bed.

  Not just any bed, mind you, but Eric’s bed.

  I try not to let myself breath in deep, letting his scent do wonders on my very achy body, but of course, I do, which causes a completely different kind of ache in a very different spot.

  “Hey.” His voice causes my head to turn towards it, as he emerges from the bathroom wearing nothing more than a plush white towel wrapped around his waist.

  “How are you feeling, baby?”

  I sit up gingerly, before stretching out my limbs.

  “Ah, a little sore. Otherwise, pretty good.”

  His eyes roam over my body, as his mouth sets in a grim line.

  “Those bruises look pretty painful.”

  I pull back the covers before extending my arms and glancing at the bruising.

  “I think they look worse than they are.”

  He crosses the room to me, slowly, his eyes never leaving mine before reaching down and grabbing the covers, pulling them back over me.

  “I think it’s best if you just stay in bed today.”

  “I am not staying in bed today.” I can’t even fight my eyeroll. “Jackson can’t take care of himself.”

  “Don’t you worry a bit about Jacks. He’s fine. I asked the sitter to come back over today to give me a hand with him so that I could focus on you. He’s in the pool with her as we speak.”

  “Oh.” My face falls, “Well, you didn’t need to do all of that.”

  “Yes, I did. Because I know you, and you, Avery Cooper? Are a very stubborn woman. You would have been up doing way more than you should be today had I not done that.”

  “That’s not true.” I lie, even though I know he is absolutely right.

  “Mmhmm.” He presses his lips to my forehead. “You sit tight. I’m going to go and grab you some coffee.”

  I lean back against the pillows until he is out of sight. It’s only then that I push the covers back, before standing, and quietly making my way out of his bed, and down the hallway to my own bedroom. I’m rummaging around in my bathroom, looking for my toothbrush, when two strong arms reach underneath me and swing me into the air.

  “See?” He growls, before turning back around and heading back down the hallway. “Stubborn.”

  “I need to brush my teeth!” I swat at him, as he carries me back into his bedroom and kicks the door shut.

  “I moved all of your stuff in here. If you wanted to brush your teeth, you should have just said so.”

  “Eric, seriously. I do not need to ask your permission to brush my damn teeth!”

  “Never said you did. But I want to be here to help you.” He carries me into the bathroom before setting me on the sink.

  “There. Now you can brush your teeth.”

  “You are such a pain in the ass.” I grumble, before grabbing my toothbrush. “Seriously.” I mutter, as I watch the corners of his lips turn up, only increasing my anger.

  “You’re even cuter when you’re mad.”

  “Fuck off.”

  His smirk widens.

  “You want to take a bath now? Or wait until after you’ve had your coffee. I would suggest coffee first, just because you’re being extra grumpy this morning. But, you do you, babe. Let me know what you need.”

  “I need to not be treated like a child.” I mutter, before I’m whisked back off the counter top and carried back to the bed.

  “I’m not treating you like a child.” He counters, before handing me a steaming mug. “But I’m taking care of you, because you are my girl, and you’re hurt. I will wait on you hand and foot, until you are feeling better. And there is nothing that you can do about it, baby. I love you, and you love me. And that’s just how this works.”

  I freeze in place, mug halfway to my lips, before my eyes snap to his.

  “Come again?” I whisper, as he sinks down onto the bed next to me.

  “I said, that I love you, you love me, and that you are my girl, so this is how it works.”

  “Eric...don’t say that. I’m not your...”

  “You are.” His eyes lock with mine, daring me to disagree. “You’ve always been my girl, and you always will be.”

  “But you also said...”

  “That I love you? Yeah. I think you already know that. Are your eyes wide over the part where I said that you
love me?”

  He flashes me another smug smile before bending over and brushing his lips across mine.

  “You said that yourself last night.”

  My heart drops to my feet, as I stare at him, trying hard to remember last night.

  Except, I don’t remember much after leaving the hospital.

  Damn painkillers!

  Could I really have said that? I mean, yes. Most definitely I could have said that.

  Because no matter how hard I try to fight it?

  The fact remains.

  I am always going to be in love with this man.

  “I was high.”

  “Solid excuse, but, you know just as well as I do. It’s just easier to say what we really mean when we aren’t in our right mind.”

  “There is no way that I said that. You’re just trying to put words into my mouth.”

  “No, you said it.”

  I’m completely sure that I did. Except, I’m not freaking admitting that. Because the second that I do?

  All of my fight is going to be lost, and I know, that in an instant?

  He will suck me right back in.

  “You did.” He nods. “And it was the best damn thing I’ve ever heard you say. Short of the part where you promised to give me another chance.”

  “Now I know that you’re making things up.”

  His eyes lock with mine, and his smirk is gone. Instead, his eyes are soft on mine as he hold my gaze, tilting his head to the side before reaching out and gently pushing a piece of hair off of my face.

  “Avery, hearing you say those things last night? Maybe you don’t remember, and that’s ok. But it at least lets me know that you still have feelings for me. And even though you’re trying to fight it? At least I know that somewhere inside of you, you want to give me another chance.”

  “Eric...”

  “It’s fine. I’m not giving up on this. After the thought of nearly losing you last night? Fuck. I’m not taking no for an answer. Whether or not you agree to give me another chance? I’m trying. As hard as I fucking can, I’m going to try. Because I realized last night that I could have lost you, and that I’d never have another shot to let you know how fucking much I love you. So deal with it, Ave’s. Because I’m coming for you, baby. Nothing is going to stop me.”