The constant soft beeping pulled Don back in reality. He foud himself staring this white wall, wide window on his right letting the natural light in. He took his time to get a hold of reality. Wasn't this a hospital? Why he was in here?
Apparently only his left eye could see a thing. Since he couldn't really move his head, when it felt incredible heavy, he moves his eye to look around. His right arm was cast all the way from the shoulder to fingers. No wonder he couldn't move it. Or feel it. Next he moves his left hand slowly up. At least that arm work. Touching his face he realized the right side was swallen, eye shut close. He could feel the stitchs on his forehead. But couldn't feel the touch. He couldn't feel a damn thing.
"How are you doing?" Milos voice carefully asks. Younger man was sitting on Dons right side. After realizing their Boss has finally woke up, he couldn't but feel so relieved.
Don moves his head a little, eyeing him with a glassy stare. "Fucking great. Whatta hell I'm having..," man speaks, having weak and dry voice. He felt thirsty. His chin doesn't move a bit. But damn, did his mind feel weirdly good.
Hearing Don speaking way out of his usual character, Milo couldn't help himself and actually snorts a little. "I think they gave you sedatives. We warn them you needed to get tide because of your anger issues, but without your papers they couldn't do that. So they gave you that. In case you panic or something.."
Don was slowly taking his time to remember what happened. He definitely remembers that fall. "I'm not supposed to use narcotics.. I get addicted easily," he then mumbles. He was still like half asleep. Struggling to stay awake.
Just thinking Dons worries were something they should the least worry in this kind of situation, Milo speaks his heart out. He himself was just damn glad to see Don speak, after witnessing how badly injured man was, so much blood everywhere.. After waiting hours Don to wake up, taking care of the paper works, he could finally let himself relax. "Man, you look shit. Wait till Free finds out. He will be so furious," he smiles and after sighing hardly he continues. "You broke your arm and chin. Two ribs. But that's basically it, you lucky bastard."
"Did we get them..?" was all Don asks back. When he think about what happened, the most important to him was to know how their case was going.
"That's not what you should worry now," Milo tsihs, not that surprised from this workaholics priorities, but surely feeling angry because of it. Who cares about the case when man was close to die today. "But we did."
Don closes his eye. Breathing slowly in and out. "Was that my car I fell on?"
"Don't worry about that either.."
"I liked my car.."
Milo hums, smiling. "You were on the surgery, 'ey put you full of metal. Kiho waited with me a few hours but I send him home. Really, we would be in big troubles if you were gone all of sudden, so think before you hurt yourself again, okay," he says, acting easy. But his voice sound a little trembling. "We got a little scared you might not wake up anymore. Or hit your head and went vege. What we'd have told your kid then.."
"I hope you haven't told him anything.."
"We haven't, yet. Knew you would kill us if we did without a word from you first."
"Milo..," Dons eye was still shut and he was clearly close to fall asleep again. "Thank you. Without you I might really be gone.."
It wasn't that Milo was usually that emotional. But Dons words made his already trembling mind tilt, enough to make him almost cry now. He had successfully kept his tears in so far and would never show this face to his Boss, so Milo gets fastly up, snorting. "Yeah, you might," he agrees, wiping his tear away, smiling, keeping his voice strong. "Instead it's gonna be a nice christmas for you in the hospital. With beautiful nurses. I definitely deserve a big bonus.." He walks on the other side of the bed, heading toward the door. "I'll send someone from the staff in.."
- - - -
The third day in, on the state Don couldn't actually move around or do anything, but lie on the hospital bed, stare the wall or out the window the grey sky. He has never been a fan of TV so he hasn't opened it even once here. He has his smart phone, but didn't care of reading news or surf around the internet to waste time. Has he ever done so anyway. Simple news with no concern of himself didn't interest him a bit. But it was getting very difficult to do nothing, just sleep every now and then. People from work refuse to call him about their current cases. They were ordered not to pick up if he trys to call, so his phone at the moment was useless. That was fair enough. The only one he really want to talk with anyway was currently on his Training. And Don couldn't dare to tell him what happened. Or disturb him in anyway other.
Since Don was on so strong painkillers they didn't let him leave. His chin was operated the same day he arrived so he couldn't actually even eat solid food yet. His eye was already open, the swallen around the right side of his face were set down, so at least something was better than before. But he has two broken rib and several smaller fractures. Trying to get up alone was torture, even with painkillers. Not so he couldn't tolerate the pain. But the physical pain made him instantly angry. And helping him to hold all that in they were giving him drugs. He was in the middle of this unwelcome circle.
This time remind Don the time he broke his leg and had to stay still in Kyles clinic. Being patient was one of his many strengths, he could wait till the end of time if it was necessary. But being forced to stay alone with his own thoughts.. with pain.. That was never pleasant. He would rather shut his inner voices by shooting himself to the head than keep listening. In the past there were multiple times he was close to do so. Silent those voices for good.
Now Don knew they were just impulses in his head, making him react strongly without a real reason, without a real threat. He was usually so focused working he didn't need to pay any attention to this constant anger. Dealing it with ignoring. Along with working he has found one greater obsession to shut these annoying voices. But since Aki wasn't here now..
"Oh dear, you look horrible," lively voice speaks from the doorway. Don doesn't need to turn, he could easily recognize that voice. It was about time this lovely woman would show up. Lilian walks on his left side, leans closer smiling. "How are you feeling? I heard you fall back from the heaven when Saint Peter didn't let you in," she smirks and pulls a chair closer, sits down. "My luck. I have plan to study you from head to toe when you are still alive. After that you can die and I can operate your brains. So don't die before that."
Don sighs and closes his eyes, avoiding to look at her. "You are heartless, you know that.." This woman hasn't change a bit this last eight or what ever years they have known each other.
"Seriously, I wouldn't be joking like this if you were in the risk of dying still," Lilian points out then, still smiling. "I will ask you again. How are you feeling?"
Now Don actually turns his eyes on Lilian. Even when woman looked serious, he didn't let that blind him. His head doctor here was the most two-faced of all. You could never tell what she was really thinking, when most of the time she was just playing mental games with you, for the sake of her own goals. "I'm fine. Tell that to my doctor here and write me out," he answers slowly, speaking without moving his chin. He wasn't in the mood of playing Lilians guinea pig.
"Do I look like that kind of a scissor doctor who has the power to get you out of here just like that," she tsihs back and takes her notebook and pen. "This isn't my clinic."
"I broke my arm, not my head. Why you are really here?" Don still hasn't drop his boored look.
"Why you are so suspicious..," woman states, acting hurt. But since Don kept just staring at her, Lilian gives this dissatisfied sigh out. "They wanted to hear an opinion of your state of mind, since your files are all hidden. They got curious. So when your doctor called I told them you are fine, but I could make time to come and see you anyway," she explains then. "Since you won't come to me, I was nice and came to you."
"How convenient for you," man comments. Waiting where Lilian was going with her innocent words. After this woman found out Dons abnormality, Lilian has never ever been interested anything else about Don but his abnormal brainwaves. To her he was the most valuable test subject.
"It is. Since you can't run now," Lilian admits, showing even wider smile after Dons allusive words. They knew each other so well. "They are your body doctors, so they let you go when your body lets you. But I as your head doctor can give a reason to let you go when that time comes. So please get along with me and I might help you leave sooner."
"So you came here to blackmail me?"
"Precisely!" woman nods. "Let's just catch up what is going on with your life and after you are totally healed you let me do some tests and I promise I will leave you alone for the next year or so."
"You have done all those tests already.. What there is you to do anymore.."
"But now you have been living with someone else for a while, right?" she was so eager to hear how this new period have affected Don.
But Dons answer wasn't what she was expecting to hear. "Not really."
"Not?"
Don doesn't answer her question. But trys to ignore it. He really wasn't in the mood talk with this woman. Especially not about Aki.. "Do we have to do this now..?"
"Well we could have done this sooner, but someone hasn't been so cooperative..," Lilian clears out, making sure man knew he couldn't escape here. She will be gone only after she was satisfied. "I decide do you have mind or not. There is just you and me here. Come on."
Don sighs. He was very sure non other doctor would behave like she did. She act more like a ringleader than a head doctor. "I will not play your test subject later," he makes a statement.
"Fair enough," woman crosses her legs and makes herself comfy. Finally they could get to the point. "So, what is with the handcuffs?" There was two hanging from the bedframes, on both sides. "You like it rough?"
"These morons gave me drugs..," Don clarifys. Medically there was still no actual name for Dons mental disorder. The parts in his brain which were usually actived during feeling anger were constanly pulsing, from time to time he also felt strong hate toward random people and things. That much they could tell. Drugs like sedatives could dull or totally block his negative feelings, but the fall back was as severe. So any kind of drugs which effect his state of mind will bring severe new problems later after they were no longer needed and it was time to wean out from them. Thanks to one of the tests made by Lilian, Don has experienced this once, in controlled environment. Those impulses he couldn't hold down himself. So he knew what was already coming.
"Wow, so you are preparing for withdrawal symptoms," Lilian awes. "Aren't you a smart boy. Already ahead of yourself."
"You here doesn't help," man tsihs then. He wasn't hiding his irritation. "Piss me off and I might get up and make a mess."
"Then I will just yell. Did you know you have a guard standing in front of your door?"
"Good. They didn't take me seriously until I threaten them earlier. I recommend them to find one."
"How horrible personality you have. So, where is your lovely kid? Seen how attacked to you he was, he should be sitting here with you. Already fighting?"
"We never fight. He is in training.."
"Training? Does Free know what happened to you?"
"He doesn't. All he needs to do is concentrate there."
Lilian sighs, feeling very unsatisfied. For the kid. This guy was as distant as ever. "Don dear, he is your family now. You don't care what he might think? About you not telling him?"
"I know exactly what he thinks," Don clears. "That is why I'm not planning to tell him anything yet."
Of course. How rational. And boring. "Okay.. Then tell me, how it's been like, living together? It's been five months since.. No, how long has he been gone again?"
"Almost two months.."
"He is quite interesting person. Free."
"We get along well."
".. That's all?" Lilian snorts. Sometimes she forgets how tiresome it was try to get anything out from this introverted bastard. "Boring answer. Come on. Free was pretty smart but act willful when I met him. I would say, knowing your personality and his, two hotheads in the same room would definitely be challenging. You say you haven't lost your calm around him?"
Don hums. But actually corrects then. "More like I've almost lost it so many times I get used to endure it by now..," he finally turns his eyes away, looking up, smiling a little. "He is so annoying. But I like living with him.." He shouldn't think of it, but right after Aki start his Training, Don simple fyllata his time with work. Empty apartment was a constant reminder he was alone again, so he avoid that place as much as possible.
It was not that he couldn't deal with this. Logical reasoning was how he control his varying mind anyway. But without Aki near him it felt like his arm was missing and he could get it back just by going where it was and taking it back. Simple as that. Only his missing arm was not an arm, but thinking, independent living human being. Something Don couldn't totally control. He has no right to interrupt. And this thought was breaking him apart.
These two days awake here have slowed the time around him, forcing him face the fact how much he miss that cocky kid. Really, being alone here has made Don very sentimental. He just wanted to get out. Back to work. Silent his feelings. Fill his time with everything else.
Lilian stares Don unbelieving. Did she just see Don smiling? That was not the cold smile man usually showed to her, but gently, almost like caring one. Something that sweet she has never thought to witness from this guy.
Since Lilian has also stop talking, Don turns his eyes back just to see Lilian intently staring at him while showing this sly smile. Mans own smile was a long gone. "What?"
"Can I measure your brainwaves while you talk about Free?" Lilian smirks teasingly. "You look so cute when you talk about him, are you aware of that, you dog."
"I have always wondered how you got your license, when all you do is torture and tease your patients..," Don sighs while closing his eyes. He should really pay attention how he act around this woman.
"Do not worry, you are the only one I tease, since I can't get anything out of you without," woman notes. "He means a lot to you. How come? That behavor is very unsual from you. What made you feel so interested of him? So much you pick him up from streets and even adopt him. I remember you saying once humen were all trash. Worth only for playing. What have changed? Or are you playing with him too?"
"Humen are trash," Don admits, without denying his true thoughts. "I adopt him merely because it was the only way to give him a name, an ID. I'm not his guardian, really. But someone we need in papers to exist."
Wasn't that just too cold. Basically Don admit keeping that kid with him as a tool. Thinking him as an item he could just use. The reality behind mans sweet acts was just as dark as his heart. Cruel and twisted. But still Lilian felt that coudn't be all. Don wasn't a person who would do something this radical lightly. "I know Frees side of the story. Wonder what you really get from this?"
She was very persistent. Showing she wasn't buying Dons evasive words. Still there was no way Don would speak honestly here. How he really feel was only for him and the one who made him feel. "He is interesting. Don't you think," he shortly points out. That was probably the right answer to call. Since the truth was a taboo and this vague answer should fulfill everything. Well, it wasn't a lie, either. Since it was true.
Lilian tsish, like not satisfied at all. Don was clearly avoiding to answer straight, like usually. She has no way but give up, try something else. "Your answers are as booring as always. Then, why you are here? What happened?" If man wasn't willing to speak about the kid, they should concentrate on what was happening right now.
"I have this one case I've been running almost a year now. We were chasing two suspects," Don says, speaking slowly, but answering fastly. Finally man was willingly speaking without caution. But this topic wasn't so interesting than the last one, so Lilian felt still disappointed. "Then this happened." Now he turns his look toward Lilian. Wearing his normal sly smile. "There was one who got hit by a car. That was amusing sight. Let's talk about that."
Lilian laughs. "Aww, you weirdo, you haven't change a bit.."