William sat on Paul’s bed, examining his patient’s wound. He was glad to find that it hadn’t gotten infected, but it wasn’t healing as fast as he had hoped either.
"It still hurt?" William began applying a new bandage to Paul’s side.
"Not to bad." Paul looked out the bedroom door and into the living room where Roy was talking to Carla and Stephen.
"You need to keep physical activity to a minimum." William pulled Paul’s shirt back over the wound. "That includes sex."
Paul glanced at him, and gave a weak smile.
"We couldn’t help ourselves." Slowly he sat up, leaning his back against the large wooden headboard on the bed. "What are they talking about?"
"We’re all getting moved into Julie’s house, at least for the time being." William picked his black leather bag off the floor and started loading his equipment into it. "I’m going to get an ambulance to take you over there."
"Roy is coming?" Paul couldn’t take his eyes off his boyfriend, and the way Stephen kept touching his shoulder, or the looks he would give him. It made Paul’s skin crawl.
"Of course. He wouldn’t let you out of his sight for two seconds." William glanced over at the three people talking in the living room. "You’re going to hate this part though. Stephen’s coming to."
"Why?" Paul tried to lean over quickly, but was greeted instead by a stabbing pain.
"Take it easy! He’s just there for protection." William gently helped Paul get into a normal seated position.
Paul hated that he was in such bad shape. They were all stuck in a life or death situation, and at the moment he was of no use to anyone. God forbid they had to run from anything.
He knew Roy would be there for him, but after what he had put Roy through over the years he refused to be the one who got him killed.
"Great, we’ve got Johnny Wad protecting us." Paul crossed his arms over his chest, sighing. "I feel safer already."
"Jealous?" William smiled, his right eyebrow arching.
"Of Stephen? Of course not!" Paul tried to laugh, but he knew how forced it sounded. "It’s just... I led him around for so long, and I mean, yeah, now I want to make this a serious relationship, but..."
"Roy doesn’t love Stephen. He loves you." William patted Paul on the leg and stood up. "He has for years. Why do you think he put up with you for so long?"
"William," Paul looked the doctor right in the eyes. "Take care of Carla. Watch out for her. She’s strong, but not as strong as she thinks, and she’s stubborn, but she’s a good woman. Protect her."
"I will." William looked at Carla. "They’ll have to kill me first before they get to her."
"Don’t say that. They just might."
Paul and William’s eyes met, and they both knew they had to be ready to either die for the ones they loved, or watch them die. Paul was not ready to die, but he wasn’t going to let Roy go. Not now.
-*-
Julie opened the main gate and led the small procession of cars up the long drive towards the front door. She parked, and got out of her car.
She could see the sky changing from blue to a light orange and pink. It would be night soon, and she had a feeling that this night in particular was not going to be an easy one.
She opened the front door and let everyone in. She watched as Roy helped Paul up the stairs, his hand around his waist, taking each step slowly. Carla brushed past them, William right behind her.
Roxanne stood at her side. Her one small, bright red duffel bag slung over her shoulder.
"Never thought I’d get to sleep in a mansion." She looked around the foyer. "This place is huge."
"Tonight that may not be a good thing." Julie closed the front door.
Stephen would stop by in an hour after he set some stuff up at the station. Until then, the whole group was on their own.
She motioned towards the stairs.
"Go find a room."
Roxanne slowly started towards the stairs.
"Just not the last room on the left. It’s... it was my brother’s room."
Roxanne looked back at her and nodded, then made her way up the staircase.
Julie crossed her arms, her eyes closed. She sighed, rolling her neck.
She was sure this was going to be another long, sleepless night.
They were going to need coffee.
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