You And I: Family Time

Connor VII

I was glad Troye was finally awake. But I was still worried about him. The doctors didn't know why he'd slipped into a coma for a week and I was terrified it would happen again.

It's been two days since he woke up and we were filling out discharge papers. Aiden was running around the room by our feet, excited at the fact that Troye was coming home.

"Daddy's coming home! Daddy's coming home!" He chanted, much to Troye's amusement.

"Aiden, be quiet for a second, please." I begged.

"He's just excited." Zoe said from her spot on the sofa behind me where she was holding Tori.

"I know, but I just need to think for a moment." I sighed as Aiden continued his chant. "Aiden, please."

"Aiden, come here." Zoe called him over and patted the seat beside her.When he'd sat down, she leaned over to whisper something to him that I could just hear. "Remember, your daddy's still not very well and your papa is worried about him. Do you think you can be a really good boy for them?"

"Yes Auntie Zoe." He flopped back into the sofa and waited. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief and turned back to what I was doing.

"You okay, Connie Frannie?" Troye used the nickname I hadn't heard in years and I had to smile as I took hold of his hand.

"I'm just worried about you, babe."

"I'm fine. See? Awake and healthy."

"I know, but I just have this feeling that there's something else. Something we don't know. I..." I trailed off and turned to Zoe. "Zo, can you...?"

"Sure. We'll go get some ice-cream." She didn't even have to hear my question to know what I wanted. Standing up, she carried Tori out of the room, Aiden trailing behind. When they were gone, Troye pulled me to sit beside him o the bed, one arm holding me close.

"What's wrong, Connor?" He asked.

"I'm scared, Troye. I'm scared that there's something wrong with you that we don't know about and..." I broke off into sobs, letting him pull me close to comfort me.

"Hey, it's okay. There's nothing wrong with me, I promise. I feel normal."

"But that's the thing. You were fine until the night before and then all of a sudden, you just...you weren't." I turned to face him and threw my arms around his neck. "Troye, I was terrified I was going to lose you."

"Never. Con, I love you too much to leave you behind."

"You know you can't promise that." I muttered. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"Connor, look at me." He paused, waiting for me to look up. "Don't think like that. We're still both here, we're alive, healthy and well. We have two beautiful kids to love. And we have each other."

"But..."

"No, I don't want to have thoughts like that in my head. Not now. Right now, I just want to go home and be with my family." I bit my lip and rested my forehead against his.

"I love you, Troye. You have no idea how scared I've been the last two weeks."

"I think I can get a good idea." He sighed. "Connor, I know you've been worried about me, and honestly, I'm a little scared too. But we can't let what we don't know hurt us."

"I know, I just..."

"I get it. But right now, we have nothing to worry about, okay? Promise."

"Okay." He pressed a soft kiss to my lips as he reached over to get the final discharge papers we had to sign.

"Now, I'm ready to go home. This bed is uncomfortable and I've missed sleeping next to you." He whispered.

"You've only had two nights. I've had two weeks without you."

"Well, we've got a lot to make up for then, don't we?" He winked at me and trailed his hand across my waist. I grinned but pulled his hand away.

"Yes, but right now, you have two children who are very eager to have you home."

"Oh please, Tori didn't even know I was gone." I raised an eyebrow.

"Then why has she cried twice as much as normal every day for the past two weeks?" His eyes widened.

"She has?"

"Well, it might be a bit of an exaggeration but she has definitely been more emotional. I think she does know that you've been here."

"Well, I'm coming home now, and I have no plans to leave anytime soon."

"Good."

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Getting back to the apartment building, I held onto Aiden's hand but Troye insisted on carrying Tori, cradling her close. 

"You didn't tell us Troye was coming home today." I turned to see Gina and Mrs Hargreaves coming up behind us in the parking garage. "We would have cleaned up your apartment a little for you."

"That's okay. It was only two weeks." I replied with a smile at them. Troye looked at me with a frown.

"Have you not been home since you took me to the hospital?" I shook my head.

"No. I didn't want to leave you. That's why the kids stayed with Alfie and Zoe."

"Aww." He kissed my cheek and Mrs Hargreaves laughed.

"You've got a good one there, Troye. Make sure you hold on to him."

"I plan to." Troye said firmly. The elevator doors slid open and we piled inside. "I'm not letting any of them go."

"Do you guys need any help tonight?" Gina asked but I shook my head.

"I think we'll be good. But if we do need your help, I know where to find you."

"Papa, I want to play with Gina." Aiden whined, tugging at my hand. "We played spies."

"Not today, sweetie. Don't you want to play with daddy?"

"Oh. Oh yeah." We all laughed as the elevator stopped on their floor.

"Enjoy being back at home, Troye. It's good to see you back."

"Thanks Gina. Bye guys." He waved until the door slid shut again."So you really didn't go home the whole time?"

"Pretty much. I went home once to pick up some clothes but I've otherwise just crashed at Zoe and Alfie's for an hour or so to sleep and then stayed at the hospital with you."

"So that's why you look like you haven't slept in weeks. Because you actually haven't." He sighed. "Con, you need to sleep."

"I will. Now that I know you're okay."

"When we get upstairs, you're going to bed. No, don't protest. I'll watch the kids, you need sleep."

"Fine, but if you feel even the tiniest bit not well, you wake me, okay?"

"Sure. But I'll be fine."