@insanityprinciple ❤’d for a starter
A sense of normalcy is something Gareth thought he’d never experience again after the bug incident. The most recent account of a head exploding dates back to a little over a month now. Not to mention he and Laurel did witness the queen bug – or whatever the hell it was – killed right in front of them in Red’s office. In other words, he likes to believe they’re finally free of the epidemic.
Except not everything is fine and dandy these days. There’s their relationship for one. A mostly mutual decision made between the couple. It’s an uncertainty as to whether it’s only temporary or permanent. As they had gone on a break in the past that had not even spanned a week’s time. So the chief of staff is surprised when he received a call to tell him Laurel had been sent to the hospital after a car accident. Apparently he was still listed as an emergency contact. Of course he notified Luke of the news, but he wouldn’t be able to swing by until a couple hours from now. The game plan now was for Gareth to show up and wait by her bedside in case she woke up prior to her family arriving. That way she wouldn’t have to wake up in a hospital room alone.
Not ten minutes after Gareth makes it to Laurel’s room he notices her start to wake up. He never really bothered to wonder if she’d actually want him there until now. ❝Hey. How are you feeling?❞
it hadn’t been a bad accident. at least, that’s what laurel had been told. from what the police officer she spoke to said, it appeared that she’d been rear-ended at a relatively high speed, and her head had smashed forward into her steering wheel. her car was in the shop, but she would be just fine. no broken bones, no long lasting injuries, save for a nasty concussion.
at least, that’s what she’d been told. she can’t remember any of it. and if she has to be honest, she can’t remember even leaving her office, can’t remember much other than the fact that there are bugs in the ears of half of capitol hill, and that no one is safe. great.
she lifts a hand to rub at her temple -- it hurts, and she’s sure she’ll have a nasty bruise there once this is all over. she’ll have to ice it when she gets home, because they’re going to release her today. she has work tomorrow, after all. she has things to do.
at some point she falls asleep, even though they tell her not to sleep with a concussion (but she’s so tired, she’s been working crazy hours to deal with red’s new budget, after all) and when she wakes, gareth is stepping into the room.
her lips curl in an involuntary smile, and she reaches out a hand to him. okay, so if she’s playing up that she’s a bit more injured than she should be, then fine. she deserves this, okay, she deserves to have the first guy she’s loved in like... ever, and who actually loves her back, to take care of her.
“mmm... hey, you. m’okay.”
