"What was he thinking?" I bent down and brushed my lips by his ear. His beautiful face was covered in black and blue bruises. There were tubes and wires everywhere. I held in the scream that pressed against my lugs as I wept as quietly as I could.

"They think he can hear us," Clark whispered through his own tears.

I nodded and kissed the side of Finn's face several times before whispering in his ear. "You better come back to me. You're not a boy anymore, Finn Warner. You're a grown-ass man. My grown-ass man. Please don't leave me here without you."

Clark turned and walked to the window as a deep sound of grief left him.

I kissed Finn's face once more and pressed my cheek to his forehead. "Please wake up. Please."

Chapter 26

Three Days Later

Finn

A strong hand held mine as I came too from the long sleep I'd been in. It took me a minute to get my eyes to open, but I wasn't in a hurry. The last thing I remembered was not being able to see anything, so the blurry colors that danced before my eyes were a blessed relief.

"Finn?" My father's voice caught my attention, and I languidly turned to find him as my vision cleared a little more. I was almost too scared to try and speak, but I knew it was foolish. Fear had never been something to bind me before. It wasn't happening now either.

"Dad?" I groaned, my head hurting far worse than it had in the past.

"Thank God." He leaned over me and pressed his cheek to my forehead, which was beyond awkward, and yet not. He was my Dad, and I'd most likely given him the scare of his life.

"What happened?" I licked at my lips and tried to move around, finding out what worked and what didn't.

"You were in an accident over at the new hill that opened up. You took a pretty bad fall."

"Anything broken or missing?" I couldn't help but look around the room slowly, half hoping to find Chloe. Maybe no one had told her that I was hurt, or worst yet, maybe they did and she wasn't interested in coming to see me. I deserved that shit completely. Ignoring her because of her father's actions? Stupid.

"Broken foot, but it will set thanks to your cast." He moved back and rubbed my chest rhythmically like he did when I was a kid and had a bad dream. "You had a concussion that they figured would fix itself if they put you in a medically induced coma."

"Damn," I mumbled and closed my eyes, arching my back just to make sure nothing hurt.

"Seems to have worked. You're talking. You can see me, right?" He leaned over, and I reached up pushing at his chest.

"Yes, and I can smell the ten cups of coffee you had this morning." A smile lifted my lips, and I looked around again. "I need some water."

He moved from the bed and poured me a glass before pressing the button that lifted me to a reclined seating position. "Let me go tell the nurse you're awake. They'll want to bring the doctor in."

"Yeah. Where's my phone?"

"It's in my truck. You want me to go get it?" He stopped by the door.

"No. Just wanted to check in with Brian. I'm sure he was worried."

"He's been by every day." My Dad winked, and walked out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

"What about Chloe? Has she even called? Does she know? Does she care?" I mumbled and reached up to rub my hand down my stomach as it growled loudly.

The door opened, and my father came back in. "Alright. He's on his way."

"Dad. What happened with you and Mr. Burke?"

My Dad gave me a sad smile, but moved up next to me, and sat down on the bed. "We were best friends as kids. We grew up together, spent every holiday together, hell shared the horror story of losing our virginity the next morning with each other when it happened."

My heart ached in my chest just hearing how this nightmare started.

"In college we fell in love with the same girl. You're mom."

I lifted my hand to my face and closed my eye. "I knew it was something fucked up like that."

"Yeah. We started dating and Jon was so pissed because he'd told me that he had feelings for her. It was my fault. I wanted her over him, and it ruined everything."

"I knew he was bitter the other day when he got in my face, but I honestly thought it was him that was the bastard in the story."

"Oh, he got me back. He got her drunk one night and I came to her dorm room to find them making love." My father closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "I deserved it, but I beat his ass that night until he couldn't walk. We haven't spoken since. It's been thirty-two years, and not a word."

"Damn," I mumbled and dropped my hands back on the bed. "Do you miss him?"

"Every day." He stood up and stretched. "Jon and I should have fixed this thing between us a long time ago. He's lost his wife, and I've lost mine. Whatever hate that built up between us is so past over that we're just spiteful to have someone to hate, I guess. I'll go talk to him."

"I think that would be smart." I turned and let out a slow breath. "I'm in love with Chloe. I don't know if she feels anything I do, but I need you to know that I have to work this stuff out with her Dad. I can't not try to fix it."

"I know you do, son. She's been here every minute of every day and night since you got hurt." He smiled, and reached for my hand, squeezing it hard.

I closed my eyes and took a shaky breath, trying to hold back tears that I wasn't supposed to have. "I was scared she didn't come."

"Are you kidding? I forced her to go home and take a shower about an hour ago."

"You forced her?" I opened my eyes, and smirked at him.

"Yeah...you need to learn how to make a woman do what you want them to do."

"Teach me, oh wise one." I chuckled, and groaned as pain shot down the back of my head.

"Take it easy, okay?" My Dad moved to sit in the chair beside the bed. "I told her she stunk. Like really bad."

"Dad. Shit."

"Right?" He laughed, and slapped his knee. "She didn't, of course, but she high-tailed it out of here fast."

A knock at the door had my attention shifting. I expected the doctor, but it was my beautiful California girl instead.

"Do I hear two voices in here?" She stuck her head in the door, and let out a soft cry before moving up beside me quickly.

I reached for her, and pulled her down with my free arm, kissing her hard and holding her as close to me as I could manage.

"Don't you ever do that shit again! Do you hear me?" She pressed her forehead to mine as tears filled her beautiful eyes.

"Never, baby. I promise."

My father huffed, and Chloe moved back, sitting down beside me and taking my hand into hers.

"All you gotta do is bring a beautiful woman around, and this boy will do anything." He stood, and picked up his jacket. "I'll be back after a while. I know you guys need some time together."

"Thanks, Dad." I scooted over in the bed, and patted the empty space beside me. "Get up here."

"You sure?" She glanced around, but started to work on getting her boots off. "Fuck, you scared me to death, Finn."

"Did I?" I wrapped my arms around her as she snuggled against my chest.

"Yes. I thought I was going to die if something happened to you." She glanced up at me before lifting up and kissing me softly a few more times.