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Merrick wasn’t the only one planning something for Valentines. Sebastian had gotten approval to have a coed party with his friends. So the Haven was being taken over by teenagers for an evening while the adults went out to enjoy the day as couples. The downside was that Kim expected Sebastian to watch Faelan however he managed to get around that by talking to Zoe who was willing to watch him over at her place. He’d wanted to invite people from the Academy and the Institute but the Academy kids wouldn’t show if the institute kids were there. So it ended up just being Taylor, his human girlfriend Riley, Carter, Nikki, Jimmy, Lauren, Owen, Reine, Marco, Aaliyah, Nash, Aurora, and of course his girlfriend Gina. He’d invited Nathan and Stephan, but they said no. Nathan and Stephan didn’t want to go because neither had girlfriends to attend with and Nathan had the excuse of working at the Draven that night. Which knowing that he now had no plans Ororo approached Stephan in one of his favorite places to traditionally be alone, the roof of the institute. It’d been a rather nice winter with little snow though still a bit cold.She’d made sure to get her jacket and a scarf before heading up to the roof to find him.
As she lifted up the hatch to the roof she saw him crouched on the ledge his claws holding the ledge tight and his wings slightly extended just enjoying the winter’s breeze moving through the feathers. He’d gone to the roof to have some quiet. Many of the others were all thinking about what they’d wear and getting ready for this party at the Haven. Valentine’s wasn’t a holiday that Stephan particularly cared for. It was one of those commercial holidays but beyond that it was about being with someone you love and that loves you. And for him that didn’t really seem like it’d be in the cards. He’d been told by a lot of people to not really think like that and always had it pointed out that his dad found his mom so he wasn’t a lost cause. Didn’t seem to sink into others that he wasn’t his dad. He looked even less human that his dad being albino with the wings, the lion like legs and tail not to mention the more barn owl face. Without his HAG he was the definition of a freak in his mind and therefore no one would look at him like that. Even with the HAG he was doubtful he’d ever be looked at that way as the HAG couldn’t disguise that he was albino. So no matter how he looked at it he was viewed as a freak amongst the others. He hung his head a little frowning.
Ororo tilted her head watching the wind ruffle his feathers just a little and his white tail moving very slightly. She knew he liked to get down on himself about being different. She didn't see the big deal his wings were incredible, the tail was adorable, and his large owl eyes were so expressive. “Stephan?”, she asked carefully climbing up onto the roof. It may have been a nice winter but it was still a bit icy up on the roof. With the wind blow he hadn’t heard her call his name. Ororo frowned and looked down as she cautiously moved down the slight incline of the icy roof. “Stephan?!”, she called again getting closer but still he didn’t hear her. She inched her way closer but as she did the wind kicked up more and she lost her footing and started to slide down the roof to the edge. She let out a yell trying to gain balance but she had nothing to hold and slid past Stephan and over the edge. “STEPHAN!”, she yelled managing to grab the gutter to avoid the three story drop. It wasn’t easy to grip the copper gutter with her woolen mittens.
Stephan blinked his large owl eyes as Ororo slid past him.”ORORO!?”, he ready to go over the edge after her but as he looked he saw she had hold of the gutter. He reached down and grasped both of her forearms firmly with his claws and pulled her up onto the roof falling a little to a more seated position but his clawed feet still holding the ledge. “Ororo? Are you okay? What happened? What are you doing up here? It’s not safe up here unless you have claws or something to grip with.”, he said feeling his heart about to beat out of his chest with fear as he was looking at her trying to make sure she was okay. Ororo was trying to catch her breath she’d been put in life threatening situations in the danger room but this wasn’t a simulation this was real. As soon as she was back onto the roof she hugged him tightly. “Thank you Stephan.”, she said glancing over her shoulder at the edge and then up at him. “Yeah... yes I’m okay I think. I was up here looking for you. I tried to call to you but with the wind you didn’t hear me. So I tried to get over here so you would hear me.”, she explained. “Looking for me? Why? Hold on before you answer let’s go inside so you don’t fall again.”, he suggested. “Agreed.”, Ororo nodded moving to stand up and starting to slip again. Stephan grabbed her to stabilize her. “Here let me help I can grip better.”, he said glancing down to his clawed feet. “Okay.”, Ororo agreed. Stephan kept one arm around her as the turned away from the ledge and he assisted her walking up the slight incline of the icy roof to the access hatch.
Ororo climbed back down first and waited in the hallway for him. Stephan climbed down second closing the hatch behind him and dusted the snow off himself having been up there a while though white snow on hi white feathers and fur wasn’t easy to select but it was against his custom jeans and long sleeve ocean blue shirt.”So why were you looking for me?”, he asked. Ororo unwrapped her scarf from around her neck and tucked her mittens into her coat pockets before answering him. “Wanted to see if you you’d come with me tomorrow and hang out.”, she explained. “Tomorrow? Go where?”, he asked his head tilting to the side to be completely parallel with his shoulders and his wide owl eyes blinked at her. Oror covered her mouth but a small giggle escaped her lips. “What?”, he asked. “Just.. the head tilt… it’s adorable.”, she explained. Stephan laughed a little and tilted his head further like an owl and was nearly looking upside down at her. “Okay… stop I’m losing focus.”, she giggled nudging his arm.Stephan shrugged and tilted his head back to it’s correct position. “Alright so what about tomorrow?”, he asked. “I have a photoshoot in the city and usually mom or dad would go with me but they have plans. And I’m allowed to bring one person with me. And well I want you to be the one, the person that comes with me that is.”, she explained.
“Go with you to the city for a photoshoot? I…”, he said shaking his head a little. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to take like Reine or Aurora?”, he suggested. Ororo frowned unbuttoning her jacket taking it off and testing it over her arms. “I don’t want to take Reine or Aurora. I was told I could ask anyone I wanted. And I wanted to invite you.”, she argued. “But… a photoshoot? I mean what would I even do? Stand there and hold your purse?”, she asked shaking his head. Ororo rolled her eyes. “No Shawn holds my purse, it’s what I pay him for. I like having someone there I can talk to and that can make me smile. Cause seriously having some grouchy man in his forties yelling at me to look this direction or that and have this expression or that just makes me irritable. So I’ve found I do better when I have someone with me. When mom comes she always makes it fun. Dad it’s just funny to watch him stand there all straight face grumpy highlander like. But if I get to bring a friend this time I want to bring you. You always make me smile fluffy.”, she said smiling up at him. Stephan sighed still shaking his head.
The idea of going into a public place like that amongst people in the fashion industry… to be around the ‘beautiful’ people just didn’t sound good. “If you are looking for someone who can make you smile and laugh what about the Kearny twins Hiro and Evan?”, he suggested. “They are a match set I don’t split them up if possible. And as stated I want you not either of them. Come on it’ll be fun. You can see what I do, we can order Shawn around and have him get us coco and whatever we want to eat. Please…”, she asked putting on her pouty face looking up at him with her hazel eyes. The idea of bossing her agent Shawn Bokyin around did have it’s appeal. “Don’t with the pout...ugh... alright alright I’ll go. I don’t think I’ll have fun.”, he sighed giving in. Ororo smiled brightly and leaned up kissing his feathery cheek. “You’ll have fun. So just be ready tomorrow around eight am. Now I need to meet my dad for training.”, she said before heading down the hall for her training. Stephan blinked at the kiss on his cheek but didn’t think anything much of it and watched her leave before heading to his training session in the danger room.
The following morning Stephan had his HAG on he looked like any other guy, except albino with his fine hair and skin off set by his blue eyes which seemed slightly darker for his complexion. He’d managed to tuck his large wings in so they wouldn’t get in the way, the HAG making them basically invisible to the eye. All his clothes were custom made and had been since birth by Violet Asher though recently he’d started playing around with making his own stuff too. But to the average person he looked to just be wearing a pair of loose fit dark wash jeans, and knit two tone sweater where the upper part from the neck to about halfway down his biceps was black and the rest was cream. The HAG also gave the illusion of him wearing black boots, there weren’t shoes out there that really would fit his clawed feet. He didn’t bother with a jacket as for him it wouldn’t be cold out with all his fur and feathers under the clothes he did however pull on a black knit cap as he waited for Ororo before looking to the watch of his hag, she’d said eight and it was almost eight. He heard footsteps and looked to the stairs Ororo was racing down the stairs pulling her winter jack on over her white cable knit sweater that she’d paired with a basic pair of jeans and her winter boots. “Right on time.”, he chuckled. “Thank you.”, she said adjusting her purse on her shoulder grabbing the handle of the door and opening it just to run into her agent who was about to knock.
Shawn smiled seeing Ororo and then looked past her with a raised eyebrow at Stephan. “Oh we are bringing a guest today?”, Shawn questioned his Jamaican accent apparent with each word. Stephan rolled his eyes, he’d never cared for Shawn Boykin the man was too much a flirt for his taste. He’d on various occasions witness Shawn trying to flirt with some of the older girls of the school like Nikki and Lauren both who laughed at him. They didn’t even just laugh because they have boyfriends. Stephan smiled a little thinking back to the exchange. Nikki told him she’s a Howlett and unless she wanted his insides on his outside he might want to back off. And how Lauren in her soft voice said if he tried to touch her again he’d see the damage her powers could inflict. “Yes I told you I was going to be bringing a friend. You remember Stephan Wagner.”, Ororo smiled. “Right… Stephan… kid with the wings.”, he nodded having never seen Stephan’s full form. “Yeah wings…”, Stephan said. “Alright well beautiful let’s get going. The car is waiting to take us to the shoot in the city, we’ll stop and grab some breakfast on the drive in. It’s a blustery day so I’ll make sure you have coco.”, Shawn smiled putting an arm around Ororo’s shoulders to lead her to the car. Stephan sighed and started to follow them. Ororo reached back grabbing Stephan’s hand to make sure he was still there. And there was something she liked about touching his fur which the HAG couldn’t hide the feel of.
The drive into the city was mostly silent. Shawn was going over her itinerary and some of her upcoming jobs and Stephan just sat silently next to her in the back of the town car eating the breakfast burrito he’d gotten. Ororo ate and nodded listening to Shawn politely. Once they got to the building where the shoot was being held Stephan just tried to avoid running into people. “Alright I’ll be right back I need to go change into the first outfit and have hair and makeup done.”, she said stopping by her dressing room. She handed Shawn her purse. “Here you can hold that. Be nice to my friend and make sure he’s all good.”, she instructed to Shawn before ducking into her dressing room. She quickly came out in the first outfit of a pair of skinny black jeans, a white top with a black lace shoulders and back wearing rather high black glitter heels. Stephan watched a bit curious though hanging back as she went to be in front of the cameras.
“Alright sweetie we all know that in a couple days it’s your birthday so we’ll start out with this.”, the photographer said as she was handed a vanilla cupcake with pink frosting and a candle. Ororo laughed. “Aw thank you. Is this a prop or will I get to eat it?”, she asked. “Both. First it’s a prop. Hold it in the palm of your right hand bending forward at your waist with your left hand on your waist and blow out the candle?”, he instructed. Ororo laughed and did as she was instructed her lips slightly puckering as she blew the candle out with a flood of flash as they took multiple pictures. “Alright take the candle out and we’ll take the cupcake away.”, the photographer instructed. Ororo nodded and took out the candle but got frosting on her fingers so while holding the cupcake in her right hand she brought her left to her lips to lick off the frosting. “Hold that pose!”, the photographer shouted stopped the PA from taking the cupcake and snapped a couple more pictures. “Alright take the cupcake now.”, he instructed. Ororo giggled. “That was at least tasty frosting.”, she smiled. Stephan laughed a little from where he stood. They did a dozen more shots in various poses in that outfit before she was told to go change.
Stephan wasn’t sure what he was doing here, but people were looking at him and he was more than uncomfortable. He followed back to the dressing room. “Ororo…”, he started as she reached the door. She paused and look at him and smiled. “Yea fluffy?”, she asked. “How long are we going to be here? Cause I’m just not feeling like I should be here.”, he asked. Ororo frowned and little but hugged him. “Hopefully not long. There’s just another outfit and a dress then we can leave. “, she said before ducking back into the changing room to change clothes. She came back out in the second outfit which was a pair of medium washed jeans with slightly rolled cuffs, orange heels, a white tee with black kitties all over and a pink blazer. This time she was given more props and just kind of went with it being playful with the stuff. She put on a pair of over-sized yellow sunglasses that even got Stephan to laugh as she made a duckface. They did a few dozen shots in various poses and lights for that outfit before she was told to change to her next outfit.
Stephan was looking at his watch it was already past noon when she walked out in the dress. He looked up from the watch and blinked at the sight. He always knew Ororo was pretty, but he didn’t really consider much in regards to her having a figure. But in that dress it showed she wasn’t exactly a little kid anymore as she was coming into her teens. The dress was a bright shade of pink that came to halfway down her tight, a similar color but more shinny belt to accent her waist, the neckline was a scoop neck, and the back had a heart cutout positioned just between the shoulder blades and down to just half way on her back and whoever decided on her outfits added silver metallic heels. To go with the theme of the dress she was giving a string of hearts in two shades of pink to work with for the photos. Shawn walked up next to Stephan watching Ororo’s shoot but handed Stephan a hot chocolate. “Here kid.”, Shawn offered glancing at Stephan who even at fourteen almost fifteen he was about Shawn’s height. He noticed Stephan looking at Ororo and chuckled. “She’s not going to be a kid for long that one. She’s like her mom developing early, just as stunning as her mom at that age and well her mom is still stunning.”, Shawn smiled.
Stephan coughed and took the hot chocolate glancing at Shawn for a moment trying to not glare. “Ororo was always pretty that’s genetics.”, Stephan stated sipping the hot chocolate. “Yeah that is is. And she’s just going to get better looking as she gets older. And a beautiful girl like that will end up with a handsome guy.”, Shawn commented. “Yeah probably…”, Stephan said quietly. In his mind he was thinking handsome didn’t really describe him. “There’s been calls made of guys in the business around her age wanting to try and set up dates with her. I don’t tell her of course, because that stuff I go to her parents about per the contract. And her dad had made it very clear she’s not allowed to date. I’m guess that’s a temporary thing but who knows with Duncan that man could mean forever or at least till she’s old enough that she’s an adult and he can’t tell her what to do anymore.”, Shawn laughed a little. Stephan nodded. “Professor Fearbirgh can be an intimidating man. Only a great fool would approach him about dating his daughter, an even bigger fool to think they’d ever get told yes.”, Stephan commented. “Alright we are all wrapped up Ororo.”, the photographer said. “Oh thank god these heels are beautiful but my feet are killing me.”, she smiled relieved as she stepped out of the heels and carried them in her hands in the direction of her dressing room.
“I’ll be back out in a couple minutes. Just need to change into my clothes.”, Ororo said stopping to talk to Stephan and Shawn. “We’ll be right here beautiful.”, Shawn said. Ororo looked at him weird but said nothing taking the hot chocolate cup from Stephan and taking a sip. “Sorry I needed something sugary. I’ll be right back.”, she said handing the cup back to Stephan before heading to her dressing room. “She apparently didn’t realize the cup I’m holding is for her.”, Shawn shrugged. “Yeah apparently.”, Stephan commented sipping his drink some more. He looked to his watch. “Geeze it’s already four.”, he sighed shaking his head. Ororo walked back out and took her purse from Shawn. “Here this one is yours.”, Shawn commented handing her the hot chocolate. “Oh..thanks Shawn. Ready to go Stephan?”, she asked linking arms with Stephan. “Yeah I was ready to go hours ago.”, Stephan nodded. “I’m sorry if you didn’t have any fun. I at least liked having you here. Gave me someone to look at and smile at.”, she apologized as they walked out to the car with Shawn behind them.
At the Haven all the couples had shown up and at first they were just hanging out listening to music. Eventually as the party progressed it became a bit more of just a ‘make out’ party as the couples found places in the living room or up in the media room for kissing. Sebastian had made it clear that yes they had run of the house but they were not allowed to go into any of the bedrooms, especially his brother’s. Which all the kids agreed there they knew that Merrick had flown to England to visit Rose and would probably murder them all if they entered his room and with his animal senses he’d know if they had been in his room. Some couples were a bit more hot and heavy compared to others. One of the older couples of Taylor and his girlfriend Riley had taken up a space on one of the sofas in the media room for kissing and they weren’t just kissing as hands were roaming but at least on the outside of clothes. Then there were couples like Owen and Reine. Reine was the youngest person at the party and she’d only just started seeing Owen, though her father wasn’t yet aware of the relationship. She hadn’t really wanted to say anything just yet to her parents, she’d seen how her father reacted when Nikki said she was dating Carter two years ago and they were closer in age than her and Owen. So they were sitting in the living room Reine leaning into Owen with his arm around her and occasionally kissing but nothing even open mouthed.
Then there was the more middle ground couples like Sebastian and Gina along with Jimmy and Lauren who were kissing but not quite as intensely as Taylor and Riley or as innocently as Owen and Reine. Sebastian was busy kissing Gina, their tongues mingling when the house phone started to ring. Sebastian initially just ignored it but when the machine picked up he heard a booming voice. “SEBASTIAN WINSTON BRYANT-FROST! PICK UP THE PHONE NOW!”, Merrick’s voice echoed through the downstairs of the Haven. Sebastian quickly pulled back from Gina and ran for the phone sliding to a stop at the table it was sitting on and picking up. “Ummm.. hey Merrick. How was the flight? How’s England? How’s Rose?”, Sebastian said a bit out of breath from have been kissing and then running for the fun. Gina followed trying to not giggle at how startled Sebastian was hearing his brother’s voice. But he wasn’t the only one. When Merrick’s voice boomed through the first floor it also startled Jimmy, Owen, and Carter into pulling back from kissing their girlfriends. The other couples peeked out into the foyer to Sebastian. Upstairs Taylor, Riley, Marco, Aaliyah, Nash and Aurora had no idea what was happening downstairs.
“Sebastian why did I go to the machine?”, Merrick growled. “Um I was busy so didn’t get to the phone in time…”, Sebastian shrugged. “Where’s Faelan?”, Merrick asked. “He’s not here.”, he answered. “What do you mean our son isn’t there.”, Rose questioned the phone having been on speaker. “Mom said that you’d be watching him since they were going out. Where’s Faelan?”, Merrick demanded. Sebastian gulped hearing Rose’s voice demanding to know the location of Faelan. “He’s over at Zoe’s. Mom said if I could find someone you’d trust to watch him I could have some friends over to hang out instead. And Zoe had the evening off from work so she agreed to watch Faelan. And well she’s your best friend so I figured you’d trust her with Faelan.”, Sebastian quickly explained. “Friends over? So let me understand this it’s Valentine’s Day and you pushed your Uncle responsibility onto my best friend who for all you know could have had plans so that you could make out with Gina? Who else is there?”, Merrick questioned. “I didn’t… I didn’t push my responsibilities onto Zoe. I asked if she had plans for the day and she said no. So I asked if she would babysit Faelan and she instantly agreed to watch him. I didn’t force her into it, you know she likes spending time with him. And just a couple friends…”, Sebastian said looking to the three couples trying to not laugh at him and knowing three more were upstairs.
Merrick rolled his eyes. “You are lying to me little brother. I can tell because your voice is trembling a little. Who is there, other than Gina?”, Merrick questioned. Rose tried to not laugh finding it funny that even an ocean away he could read his little brother and scare the crap out of the kid. Sebastian sighed. “Um well Gina of course. Jimmy, Lauren, Carter, Nikki, Owen, Reine, Taylor, Riley, Nash, Aurora, Marco, and Aaliyah.”, he admitted. “Wait pause. So there are six other couples worth of teenagers at the house? Mom signed off on a make out party? I don’t think so.”, Merrick shook his head. “Invite enough Howletts over. Hope that Carter and Owen are behaving themselves or they might have to deal with my dad since Cero is in Alaska.”, Rose laughed a little shaking her head. “It’s not a make out party….”, Sebastian defended. “Bullshit. You may not be me but you are still a guy and a Bryant-Frost. Or at least I hope you aren’t doing what I was doing at your age, Damon will kill you. Which I swear if any of you go into my room or Faelan’s nursery I’ll kick your ass then the offender’s.”, Merrick warned. “I’m not you Merrick. Bedrooms in general are off limits, that was made rule one for the party. It’s Valentines Day shouldn’t you I don’t know be doing something with Rose?”, Sebastian said trying to change the subject. “We are five hours ahead of you Bastian. We just got back from dinner and wanted to call Faelan you know the other love of our lives before we went on to other activities. Which guess now I need to call Zoe to speak to our son. Alright, behave all of you. Bye Bastian.”, Merrick said. “Always. Bye Merrick.”, Sebastian sighed hanging up and leaning on the table still a bit scared. The others laughed at him and went back to what they were doing.
Over in Corpus Christi Texas Tristan was on the phone with Blaire. “So what you wearing?”, he teased. “Tristan we are having a conversation.”, Blaire said rolling her eyes from the little cubicle she worked out of at Worthington Enterprises in Boston. She’s stayed long past when she should have left wanting to get work done for an upcoming case the legal team was going to be taking on. Tristan smiled. “I know. Now I’m about to get called up to ride soon. So what are you wearing?”, he repeated with a smirk. Blaire giggled a little. “A satin black and top dress with a black and harvest gold rose print with a wide black belt and black pencil skirt bottom that goes to about half way down my thighs paired with metallic leather four inch heels. And course my necklace.”, she described smirking. Tristan grinned. “Mmmm nice. Very professional and hot. What’s under that?”, he asked looking at the board for his name. He still had time before he got called. Sure they weren’t going to have phone sex right now but having something to picture to focus on when riding did help.
“A white with black lace demi bra and a set of matching thongs.”, Blaire smiled biting her bottom lip a little. Sure it wasn’t weird at this point for her to be telling him what she was wearing. It happened often but generally she was in her bedroom at the house and they were going to go further than just talking about what they were wearing. Tonight however she was at the office and he was due to ride soon. “Very hot. You should take a picture and send that to me when you get home. Something to get me through these next few weeks before the rodeo comes to the north east and I get to see you in person.”, he teased. “Hmm I’ll think about.”, she chuckled. “Tristan Whitland”, a voice called over a speaker. “Alright baby they are calling my name. I’ll talk to you after. Love you.”, he said. “Love you too.”, Blaire sighed as they hung up. She put the phone down on the desk and turned her attention back to the deposition. Her left hand fiddling with her north star pendant, she did that a lot when she knew he was going to be riding. Just kind of her way of hoping nothing bad happened.
There was something about bull riding that Tristan just loved. Maybe it was the thrill the danger offered. It certainly wasn’t something for the faint of heart. But there was more to it than that. There was great skill in riding. Every bull rider knows that the key to riding an animal whose sole purpose is to toss you straight to cowboy heaven is this: balance. And the key to balance is keeping your knees as close together as possible. But if you wobble, if you lose your balance the emergency plan is to spur to take the star on the heel of your boot dig it into the thick hide and hang on for your riding life with your legs. Tristan was so freakishly good with his legs, he not only spurred when he was in danger, he went on the offensive with them. Riding in perfect balance, he’d kick one side or the other, not to hurt the bull, but to talk to it. Each kick was a whisper. ‘I’m over here, boy … Go this way … Go that way.’ Few people have ever shared such a kinship with a 2,000-pound mass of bucking beef. Today Tristan found himself on a bull called Knock ’Em Out. The chute opened, Tristan and his legs went to work. Tristan spurred harder than usual, the whisper becoming a yelling match between man and beast. Five seconds into the ride, Knock ’Em Out kicked his back heels up and dropped his front hooves down. Tristan felt his arm extend.
To an amateur observer, bull riding looks like a sport in which control is either seized or lost with that one hand tied to the bull. It looks like a sport where all you do is hang on. That’s not the case. Good legs will keep you on a bull; balance will keep you on a bull. The main rule for your arm is that you keep it bent and flexed for mobility. With his arm locked straight, Tristan was at the bull’s mercy. Knock ’Em Out’s nosedive yanked Tristan’s arm, which yanked his head. The bull was already jumping back up. Their two heads met – bull’s and rider’s – and Tristan was knocked unconscious. Alex was already moving with a group jumping the fence when he saw his son losing control and going unconscious. This was Alex’s worst nightmare happening before his eyes. Six seconds into the ride, Tristan flew over the front of the bull, a human arrow arcing toward the dirt, legs-last. Alec and paramedics were racing to Tristan while the wranglers were working on distracting Knock ’Em Out and getting him back into the pen. The medics were trying to stabilize Tristan getting him on a stretcher and heading for the ambulance. Alex was right alongside the stretcher holding Tristan’s hand. Tristan had been hurt before but this...this was different and Alex knew that. He’d never lost consciousness like this or gotten thrown this bad.
Tristan’s eyes fluttered a little in the back of the ambulance as they were rushing to the hospital. “Take off my riding glove..”, Tristan managed to say not even realizing it was off. “I already did..”, Alex responded holding Tristan’s hand tight. Tristan didn’t hear him as he was out again and the paramedics were giving him something for the pain. They got into the hospital and Tristan was rushed to the emergency room. “You will have to wait here Mister Whitland. We have paperwork you’ll need to fill out.”, a nurse said offering him a pen and a clipboard of documentation to fill in. Alex kept looking pale faced at the doors they’d just rushed his son through and he stood there praying Tristan pulled through this. He was too young to have everything taken away like this. Alex finally took a seat and tried to focus on filling in all the paperwork, gnawing on his bottom lip in worry. He brought the clipboard up to the desk. “When will I get to see my boy?”, he asked. “I can’t say yet Mister Whitland. They are doing x rays and just trying to keep him stable to asses the damage. I’ll let you know as soon as they have him in a room where you can see him.”, the nurse said taking the clipboard and starting to enter the data into the system. Alex paced around the waiting room and took out his phone checking the time. He took a deep breath and called Blaire, she needed to know no matter what time it was about Tristan.
“Hi Mister Whitland.”, Blaire greeted cheerfully as she was packing up her brief case ready to finally head home. “Hi Blaire..”, Alex said his voice pained. “What...what’s wrong Mister Whitland?”, Blaire asked sitting back down gulping a little waiting for something bad. “It’s Tristan. He got thrown tonight...bad. We’re at the hospital right now. They’ve got him in the emergency room. I don’t have much more to tell you yet. I’ll let you know when he’s stable and what room they put him in. I just..I thought I should call you.”, Alex said trying to control the quiver in his voice as he was worried about his only child. Blaire closed her eyes tears having welled up as Alex spoke started to slip down her face, which had paled when he said Tristan had been thrown. She took a breath trying to keep control. “Okay...please let me know I don’t care what time it is when he’s in a room.”, she sniffled trying to wipe away the tears with the back of her left hand. “I will. He’ll be okay. That boy doesn’t know how to stay down…”, Alex tried to sound reassuring though he wasn’t sure if he spoke for Blaire’s sake or his own. “Right… just call me. Thank you Mister Whitland.”, Blaire said ending the call and bringing her head down to her desk resting it in her arms and started to sob terrified of just how bad was bad. He had scars from being thrown but the tone of his dad’s voice. Blaire grew up with Colby and Alison as parents she learned to read signs to know someone’s emotions. And that quiver in Alex’s voice told her he was scared. And that scared her too.
Alex sat back in a chair his hands over his face age lines very visible as he sat worried staring at the emergency room doors. He tapped his boots impatiently as he fretted about his son. He took out his phone and called the first person that came to mind. Holly had already settled in for the night sitting in her bed reading the next in the Outlander series she’d gotten addicted to. She fully blamed Alison for this addiction who’d lent her the first book and now she was on book four. She was turning the page getting to where Roger had finally found Brianna in the tavern in Wilmington when her phone started to ring. Holly raised an eyebrow not sure who’d be calling this late, but a late call was not often good. She grabbed the phone seeing Alex’s name on the caller id and set her book aside, maybe this wouldn’t be one of those bad late night calls. “Hey Alex. What’s going on?”, she asked. She could hear him pause before he spoke. “Hi...Holly.”, he sighed. “What’s wrong?”, she questioned sitting up fully in the bed. “I’m at the hospital with Tristan. He got thrown and knocked unconscious. They’ve had him in the emergency room for going on half an hour and I’ve been sitting here with no news. And I just…”, Alex’s voice broke off. “Oh Alex…”, she gasped searching for words of comfort. Moments like this she wished they weren’t so far apart. it was easier to comfort in person, where she could hug him tight and hold his hand while he waited for news.
“I’m so sorry babe. God I wish I was there with you so you weren’t alone. But I’ll stay on the phone with you if you want. So you have someone to talk to while you wait.”, she offered. “Thanks Holly. I just…”, he broke off again taking a few deep breaths. “I called Blaire so she knows. I didn’t think it would be right to wait. Though I probably just ruined her night.”, he sighed. “She needed you to call honey. She’d have been mad and upset if you waited till after he was in his room to tell her. Trust me she’d rather know when it happened then be told later.”, Holly assured. She knew about that call. Colby called here while in the ambulance with Nigel when he’d been shot. And she was grateful that he didn’t wait, that he didn’t call after Nigel was emitted to the hospital. She just hoped that this went differently for Blaire and Tristan than it had her and Nigel. Nigel had died during surgery. She had gotten there just in time to see him going to surgery and got to tell him she loved him that final time. She wouldn't have had that if Colby had waited to call her. In a way Holly felt bad that right now she was silently grateful that Alex wasn’t a rider, that this call wasn’t to tell her he’d been hurt. Yes she was scared and worried for Tristan he’d become like a son to her, one that actually cared about the ranching business. “Mister Whitland?”, a nurse called. “Um I gotta call you back sweetheart. They are calling me.”, Alex said getting up. “Alright let me know how he’s doing. Tell him I love him. And remember I love you.”, Holly said. Alex smiled a little hearing her say those words did lighten his heart a little. He’d gone a long time not being told that so every time he heard it from her he smiled. “I will. I love you too Holly.”, he said hanging up going to the desk.
“Yes? How’s my boy?”, he asked. A doctor walked up. “Well we’ve got him stable Mister Whitland. We had to operate as he’d landed in a way that had caused a small puncture in his lungs. He’s got a breathing tube and we’ve got him resting comfortably right now. He’s still not regained full consciousness. He did keep saying a name as we were getting him to the operating table.”, the doctor explained. Alex nodded listening. “A name?”, Alex asked. “Blaire.”, the doctor said. “His girl back in Massachusetts. So other than the punctured lung?”, Alex questioned. “Well the x rays show damage to the T11 and 12 along with the L1 and 2 vertebrae. We are going to have to do surgery again soon we just wanted to give him a few hours to recover from the first surgery. But we will need to operate soon if we want to try and save him from a life in a wheelchair.”, the doctor explained. Alex covered his mouth with his hand and nodded. “Alright. Can I see him now?”, he asked. “Yes he’s in room 261. We’ll probably be in for him again in a couple hours to perform the surgery on his back.”, the doctor said pointing in the direction. “Nurse let Mister Whitland through.”, he instructed. The nurse buzzed the door and Alex rushed through looking for the room number and stopping in the doorway feeling his heart sink as he looked at his son in the beat with the breathing tube and all sorts of things hooked up to him. “Oh Tristan..”, he said softly walking into the room putting his hat on a chair seeing Tristan’s clothes folded into a bag in the corner with his boots next to it. His hat was still back at the rodeo and right now Alex didn’t give a damn. He pulled a chair up to the bedside and lightly took his son’s hand. “You’re going to be fine Tristan. They are going to do the surgery and you will get through this. You’re strong enough to get through this.”, he said assuring Tristan but mostly assuring himself.
Blaire hadn’t left the office as she’d planned she just sat there and started filing again crying. She’d hoped doing work would distract her from being worried. Finally she gave up and called her parents. Colby quickly answered seeing it was Blaire. “What's wrong baby?”, Colby asked sitting up in bed. A late night call to Colby was never good. Alison groaned and sat up turning the light on. “Daddy…”, she sobbed. “What’s wrong princess?”, Alison took the phone putting it on speaker. “Tristan’s been hurt, and apparently it’s bad. His dad called they have him in the emergency room but he didn’t know how bad it was. And I’m just...I don’t know what to do. I’ve never not known what to do. “, Blaire cried to her parents. “Aww sweetie. It’s alright. There will always be times in your life that you don’t have control over the situation. No one likes it. But you can just think good thoughts, pray even, and just wait for news really.”, Alison said wanting to hold her daughter and hug her. “Do you want us to come up? I can be there in four hours.”, Colby said. “Daddy it takes six to get here.”, Blaire said shaking her head. “Not with sirens or how I drive.”, Colby said. Blaire laughed a little though tears still streamed down her face. “No it’s alright daddy. I’m just... I’m so worried about him. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose him. I love him so much.”, she held one hand over her face to try and stop from crying but sobs still broke free. “Oh baby...you won’t lose him. It’ll be alright. Just have faith in the doctors he’s in the care of and in his own stubbornness.”, Colby said. “But I don’t have much trust in doctors. I grew up with Mister Hamilton and Misses Kearney’s clinic. Heck I worked there. I saw people come to them after doctors botched something.”, Blaire said starting to panic a little. “Breath baby. It will be okay. Not all doctors are bad. He will be alright healers or not. Humans survive every day without healers so will he.”, Colby assured. “Oh...I gotta go. Mister Whitland is calling back. Thanks. I love you guys.”, Blaire said quickly hanging up and switching to her other line.
“How is he?”, she immediately asked. “They have him stabilized. They did surgery as his lung had been punctured. He’s on a breathing tube right now. They are going to take him soon for back surgery he damaged his T11 and 12 along with the L1 and 2 vertebrae. So we are at Corpus Christi Medical Center room 261. I’ll let you know more after his surgery. But he’ll pull through this. He’s too stubborn not to.”, Alex assured. Blaire nodded sniffling a little. “Thanks for calling. Keep me in the loop. And when he wakes up please tell him I love him.”, Blaire requested. “Of course dear. Will be the second thing out of my mouth after I tell him I love him. Try to get some rest alright.”, he suggested. Blaire nodded. “Yeah I’ll try. Bye Mister Whitland.”, she sighed hanging up. She booted up her computer and started researching back surgery related to the T11 and 12 and the L1 and 2 vertebrae. She wanted to know what he was in for with the surgery and then recovering from it. the more she read the more worried she was and found herself crying reaching some of the stories of people who’d had surgery for similar things and their recovery. Many didn’t end up leaving a wheelchair. “God please...just please let him be okay. Riding is his life...it’s everything he has. Please god don’t take that from him and most of all please just please don’t take him from me.”, Blaire pleaded into the air crying.
As if an answer to the prayer Warren, of all people walked over and leaned his chin on the top of her cubicle his wings flexing slightly in the walkway. “Blaire? What are you still doing here? And why are you crying?”, Warren asked with genuine concern. Blaire sniffled and wiped her tears away turning in her chair to look at her boss, who was also her best friend Gabriel’s father, a kind man she’d known her whole life. “I’m sorry Mister Worthington I should have left hours ago. But I was working on that deposition and then...then I got a call saying my boyfriend is in the hospital about to have surgery on his back.”, she said trying to gain some composure. Warren nodded listening. “The bull rider, correct? And please Blaire call me Warren, I’ve known you your whole life and you are best friends with my son you don’t need to be formal.”, he sighed. “So you are worried. And I see reading online information about the surgery and recovery. That can be good and bad. And let me guess you feel useless.”, Warren said stepping into the cubical tucking his wings in and giving her a hug. Blaire’s bottom lip quivered a little and she hugged him back crying on his suit jacket. “Yeah to all of it…”, she said. “Well snap out of this my dear.”, he said pulling back. “What?”, Blaire questioned looking up at him. “You are Blaire London Delaney. You are the daughter of Colby Delaney a man who never gives up, a man who stopped at nothing to get to your mother and bring her home safely after the attack on the institute. You are the daughter of Alison Blaire who has never in her life accepted that there was nothing she couldn’t do. You were raised to take charge not to twiddle your thumbs my dear girl.”, Warren explained.
“That’s all well and good Mi..Warren… but I’m here and he’s way over in Corpus Christi Texas. I can’t really do much. I can’t fly on wings like you and Gabriel or teleport like Mister Wagner. I’m just plain me.”, Blaire defended. “What hospital is he at?”, he asked taking out his cell phone. “Corpus Christi Medical Center. Why?”, she asked. Warren had already started to dial his personal assistant answering immediately. “I need to have the jet at Logan International prepped and ready to go immediately.”, Warren instructed. “Of course Mister Worthington. Where will you flying at this late hour?”, his assistant asked. “I will not be flying but there will be one passenger Miss Blaire Delaney and she will be flying to Corpus Christi Texas. Arrange for a hotel room at the closest hotel to the Corpus Christi Medical Center. Also please arrange for a driver to be waiting for her at the Corpus Christi airport.”, Warren instructed. “Um of course sir. But why?”, his assistant asked. “That’s not for you to worry about. Just make it happen and text the itinerary to 6318592475 so that Blaire will know what hotel she is staying in during her trip.”, Warren said hanging up. Blaire blinked at him confused. “Mi...Warren. What?”, she questioned. “Go to the house get some clothes then get to the airport my jet will be waiting for you. I believe you have a boyfriend to go see.”, Warren said stepping out of the way and pointing to the exit. Blaire was stunned and just stared at him in disbelief. “But..the deposition...and school…”, she stammered. “The deposition will get handled as will your work while you are gone. I’ll speak with your professors letting them know of the emergency. Now move it young lady.”, he answered. Blaire smiled and hugging him tightly. “Thank you….thank you so much.”, she said grabbing her purse and briefcase before rushing out.
While Blaire rushed to get clothes packed and to the airport Alex paced in Tristan’s room while his son was under the knife. He didn’t know that Blaire was on her way, Blaire having taken only a brief second to explain to her roommates where she was going before she ran out the door. She hadn’t even bothered with changing her clothes. She got to the airport and was directed to the private jet that then took her to Texas. There she found a black sedan with a driver holding a sign with her name. “I’m Blaire Delaney.”, she said rushing to the car getting into the back. “Where to miss?”, the driver asked. “Corpus Christi Medical Center.”, she said checking her phone and not even thinking about her hotel and checking in to the Homewood Suites by Hilton. Her one and only thought was getting to Tristan. Who as she landed had finally been brought out of surgery and was resting in his room again. Alex sat by his bed holding his hand resting his head on the edge of the bed having fallen asleep there. Blaire rushed out of the car telling the driver to just wait she’d be back out when she was ready to go to the hotel. She went in through the main doors and found the nurses’ station. This she at least knew because she worked reception at the clinic. “I’m looking for Tristan Whitland room 261. He was supposed to go in for surgery.”, Blaire said. The nurse looked up at her and it was easy to see Blaire had been crying. “Um yes...I show that Mister Whitland is back in his room recovering from the surgery.”, she said. Blaire sighed a little relief and walked away looking for the room.
She found it easily enough and stopped in the doorway looking at Tristan, his father hunched over asleep. She’d never seen someone like this. With all the tubes and wires connected to them. She covered her mouth to contain a sob as she walked into the room. But the sob and the click of her heels woke Alex who sat up quickly looking around and blinked seeing her. “Blaire? How?”, he questioned. “An angel Mister Whitland.”, she said moving closer and reaching over lightly touching Tristan’s leg that was under the blanket. “A what?”, Alex asked standing up. “Mister Worthington, I was at the office when you called me. Apparently he was working late too. He arranged for me to use his jet to get her and even a hotel room for me to stay.”, Blaire said. “I just..I couldn’t sit there and know he’s here..”,she said looking away from Tristan to Alex. Alex nodded and without a word hugged her. “He’ll be happy you’re where when he wakes up. But maybe now that you’re here you should go to your hotel and get some rest. He’s not going to wake up for a bit they said. I’ll stay with him for right now. You get some rest then come back and I’ll see about going to my hotel while you are with him.”, Alex offered. Blaire nodded. “Alright. If he wakes up while I’m gone..”, she said. “I’ll call you. Go rest.”, Alex instructed. Blaire nodded and walked away looking back at Tristan with each step not wanting to leave him. But reluctantly she went to her hotel and checked in getting a not so restful sleep as she worried about Tristan.

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Merrick wasn’t the only one planning something for Valentines. Sebastian had gotten approval to have a coed party with his friends. So the Haven was being taken over by teenagers for an evening while the adults went out to enjoy the day as couples. The downside was that Kim expected Sebastian to watch Faelan however he managed to get around that by talking to Zoe who was willing to watch him over at her place. He’d wanted to invite people from the Academy and the Institute but the Academy kids wouldn’t show if the institute kids were there. So it ended up just being Taylor, his human girlfriend Riley, Carter, Nikki, Jimmy, Lauren, Owen, Reine, Marco, Aaliyah, Nash, Aurora, and of course his girlfriend Gina. He’d invited Nathan and Stephan, but they said no. Nathan and Stephan didn’t want to go because neither had girlfriends to attend with and Nathan had the excuse of working at the Draven that night. Which knowing that he now had no plans Ororo approached Stephan in one of his favorite places to traditionally be alone, the roof of the institute. It’d been a rather nice winter with little snow though still a bit cold.She’d made sure to get her jacket and a scarf before heading up to the roof to find him.
As she lifted up the hatch to the roof she saw him crouched on the ledge his claws holding the ledge tight and his wings slightly extended just enjoying the winter’s breeze moving through the feathers. He’d gone to the roof to have some quiet. Many of the others were all thinking about what they’d wear and getting ready for this party at the Haven. Valentine’s wasn’t a holiday that Stephan particularly cared for. It was one of those commercial holidays but beyond that it was about being with someone you love and that loves you. And for him that didn’t really seem like it’d be in the cards. He’d been told by a lot of people to not really think like that and always had it pointed out that his dad found his mom so he wasn’t a lost cause. Didn’t seem to sink into others that he wasn’t his dad. He looked even less human that his dad being albino with the wings, the lion like legs and tail not to mention the more barn owl face. Without his HAG he was the definition of a freak in his mind and therefore no one would look at him like that. Even with the HAG he was doubtful he’d ever be looked at that way as the HAG couldn’t disguise that he was albino. So no matter how he looked at it he was viewed as a freak amongst the others. He hung his head a little frowning.
Ororo tilted her head watching the wind ruffle his feathers just a little and his white tail moving very slightly. She knew he liked to get down on himself about being different. She didn't see the big deal his wings were incredible, the tail was adorable, and his large owl eyes were so expressive. “Stephan?”, she asked carefully climbing up onto the roof. It may have been a nice winter but it was still a bit icy up on the roof. With the wind blow he hadn’t heard her call his name. Ororo frowned and looked down as she cautiously moved down the slight incline of the icy roof. “Stephan?!”, she called again getting closer but still he didn’t hear her. She inched her way closer but as she did the wind kicked up more and she lost her footing and started to slide down the roof to the edge. She let out a yell trying to gain balance but she had nothing to hold and slid past Stephan and over the edge. “STEPHAN!”, she yelled managing to grab the gutter to avoid the three story drop. It wasn’t easy to grip the copper gutter with her woolen mittens.
Stephan blinked his large owl eyes as Ororo slid past him.”ORORO!?”, he ready to go over the edge after her but as he looked he saw she had hold of the gutter. He reached down and grasped both of her forearms firmly with his claws and pulled her up onto the roof falling a little to a more seated position but his clawed feet still holding the ledge. “Ororo? Are you okay? What happened? What are you doing up here? It’s not safe up here unless you have claws or something to grip with.”, he said feeling his heart about to beat out of his chest with fear as he was looking at her trying to make sure she was okay. Ororo was trying to catch her breath she’d been put in life threatening situations in the danger room but this wasn’t a simulation this was real. As soon as she was back onto the roof she hugged him tightly. “Thank you Stephan.”, she said glancing over her shoulder at the edge and then up at him. “Yeah... yes I’m okay I think. I was up here looking for you. I tried to call to you but with the wind you didn’t hear me. So I tried to get over here so you would hear me.”, she explained. “Looking for me? Why? Hold on before you answer let’s go inside so you don’t fall again.”, he suggested. “Agreed.”, Ororo nodded moving to stand up and starting to slip again. Stephan grabbed her to stabilize her. “Here let me help I can grip better.”, he said glancing down to his clawed feet. “Okay.”, Ororo agreed. Stephan kept one arm around her as the turned away from the ledge and he assisted her walking up the slight incline of the icy roof to the access hatch.
Ororo climbed back down first and waited in the hallway for him. Stephan climbed down second closing the hatch behind him and dusted the snow off himself having been up there a while though white snow on hi white feathers and fur wasn’t easy to select but it was against his custom jeans and long sleeve ocean blue shirt.”So why were you looking for me?”, he asked. Ororo unwrapped her scarf from around her neck and tucked her mittens into her coat pockets before answering him. “Wanted to see if you you’d come with me tomorrow and hang out.”, she explained. “Tomorrow? Go where?”, he asked his head tilting to the side to be completely parallel with his shoulders and his wide owl eyes blinked at her. Oror covered her mouth but a small giggle escaped her lips. “What?”, he asked. “Just.. the head tilt… it’s adorable.”, she explained. Stephan laughed a little and tilted his head further like an owl and was nearly looking upside down at her. “Okay… stop I’m losing focus.”, she giggled nudging his arm.Stephan shrugged and tilted his head back to it’s correct position. “Alright so what about tomorrow?”, he asked. “I have a photoshoot in the city and usually mom or dad would go with me but they have plans. And I’m allowed to bring one person with me. And well I want you to be the one, the person that comes with me that is.”, she explained.
“Go with you to the city for a photoshoot? I…”, he said shaking his head a little. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to take like Reine or Aurora?”, he suggested. Ororo frowned unbuttoning her jacket taking it off and testing it over her arms. “I don’t want to take Reine or Aurora. I was told I could ask anyone I wanted. And I wanted to invite you.”, she argued. “But… a photoshoot? I mean what would I even do? Stand there and hold your purse?”, she asked shaking his head. Ororo rolled her eyes. “No Shawn holds my purse, it’s what I pay him for. I like having someone there I can talk to and that can make me smile. Cause seriously having some grouchy man in his forties yelling at me to look this direction or that and have this expression or that just makes me irritable. So I’ve found I do better when I have someone with me. When mom comes she always makes it fun. Dad it’s just funny to watch him stand there all straight face grumpy highlander like. But if I get to bring a friend this time I want to bring you. You always make me smile fluffy.”, she said smiling up at him. Stephan sighed still shaking his head.
The idea of going into a public place like that amongst people in the fashion industry… to be around the ‘beautiful’ people just didn’t sound good. “If you are looking for someone who can make you smile and laugh what about the Kearny twins Hiro and Evan?”, he suggested. “They are a match set I don’t split them up if possible. And as stated I want you not either of them. Come on it’ll be fun. You can see what I do, we can order Shawn around and have him get us coco and whatever we want to eat. Please…”, she asked putting on her pouty face looking up at him with her hazel eyes. The idea of bossing her agent Shawn Bokyin around did have it’s appeal. “Don’t with the pout...ugh... alright alright I’ll go. I don’t think I’ll have fun.”, he sighed giving in. Ororo smiled brightly and leaned up kissing his feathery cheek. “You’ll have fun. So just be ready tomorrow around eight am. Now I need to meet my dad for training.”, she said before heading down the hall for her training. Stephan blinked at the kiss on his cheek but didn’t think anything much of it and watched her leave before heading to his training session in the danger room.
The following morning Stephan had his HAG on he looked like any other guy, except albino with his fine hair and skin off set by his blue eyes which seemed slightly darker for his complexion. He’d managed to tuck his large wings in so they wouldn’t get in the way, the HAG making them basically invisible to the eye. All his clothes were custom made and had been since birth by Violet Asher though recently he’d started playing around with making his own stuff too. But to the average person he looked to just be wearing a pair of loose fit dark wash jeans, and knit two tone sweater where the upper part from the neck to about halfway down his biceps was black and the rest was cream. The HAG also gave the illusion of him wearing black boots, there weren’t shoes out there that really would fit his clawed feet. He didn’t bother with a jacket as for him it wouldn’t be cold out with all his fur and feathers under the clothes he did however pull on a black knit cap as he waited for Ororo before looking to the watch of his hag, she’d said eight and it was almost eight. He heard footsteps and looked to the stairs Ororo was racing down the stairs pulling her winter jack on over her white cable knit sweater that she’d paired with a basic pair of jeans and her winter boots. “Right on time.”, he chuckled. “Thank you.”, she said adjusting her purse on her shoulder grabbing the handle of the door and opening it just to run into her agent who was about to knock.
Shawn smiled seeing Ororo and then looked past her with a raised eyebrow at Stephan. “Oh we are bringing a guest today?”, Shawn questioned his Jamaican accent apparent with each word. Stephan rolled his eyes, he’d never cared for Shawn Boykin the man was too much a flirt for his taste. He’d on various occasions witness Shawn trying to flirt with some of the older girls of the school like Nikki and Lauren both who laughed at him. They didn’t even just laugh because they have boyfriends. Stephan smiled a little thinking back to the exchange. Nikki told him she’s a Howlett and unless she wanted his insides on his outside he might want to back off. And how Lauren in her soft voice said if he tried to touch her again he’d see the damage her powers could inflict. “Yes I told you I was going to be bringing a friend. You remember Stephan Wagner.”, Ororo smiled. “Right… Stephan… kid with the wings.”, he nodded having never seen Stephan’s full form. “Yeah wings…”, Stephan said. “Alright well beautiful let’s get going. The car is waiting to take us to the shoot in the city, we’ll stop and grab some breakfast on the drive in. It’s a blustery day so I’ll make sure you have coco.”, Shawn smiled putting an arm around Ororo’s shoulders to lead her to the car. Stephan sighed and started to follow them. Ororo reached back grabbing Stephan’s hand to make sure he was still there. And there was something she liked about touching his fur which the HAG couldn’t hide the feel of.
The drive into the city was mostly silent. Shawn was going over her itinerary and some of her upcoming jobs and Stephan just sat silently next to her in the back of the town car eating the breakfast burrito he’d gotten. Ororo ate and nodded listening to Shawn politely. Once they got to the building where the shoot was being held Stephan just tried to avoid running into people. “Alright I’ll be right back I need to go change into the first outfit and have hair and makeup done.”, she said stopping by her dressing room. She handed Shawn her purse. “Here you can hold that. Be nice to my friend and make sure he’s all good.”, she instructed to Shawn before ducking into her dressing room. She quickly came out in the first outfit of a pair of skinny black jeans, a white top with a black lace shoulders and back wearing rather high black glitter heels. Stephan watched a bit curious though hanging back as she went to be in front of the cameras.
“Alright sweetie we all know that in a couple days it’s your birthday so we’ll start out with this.”, the photographer said as she was handed a vanilla cupcake with pink frosting and a candle. Ororo laughed. “Aw thank you. Is this a prop or will I get to eat it?”, she asked. “Both. First it’s a prop. Hold it in the palm of your right hand bending forward at your waist with your left hand on your waist and blow out the candle?”, he instructed. Ororo laughed and did as she was instructed her lips slightly puckering as she blew the candle out with a flood of flash as they took multiple pictures. “Alright take the candle out and we’ll take the cupcake away.”, the photographer instructed. Ororo nodded and took out the candle but got frosting on her fingers so while holding the cupcake in her right hand she brought her left to her lips to lick off the frosting. “Hold that pose!”, the photographer shouted stopped the PA from taking the cupcake and snapped a couple more pictures. “Alright take the cupcake now.”, he instructed. Ororo giggled. “That was at least tasty frosting.”, she smiled. Stephan laughed a little from where he stood. They did a dozen more shots in various poses in that outfit before she was told to go change.
Stephan wasn’t sure what he was doing here, but people were looking at him and he was more than uncomfortable. He followed back to the dressing room. “Ororo…”, he started as she reached the door. She paused and look at him and smiled. “Yea fluffy?”, she asked. “How long are we going to be here? Cause I’m just not feeling like I should be here.”, he asked. Ororo frowned and little but hugged him. “Hopefully not long. There’s just another outfit and a dress then we can leave. “, she said before ducking back into the changing room to change clothes. She came back out in the second outfit which was a pair of medium washed jeans with slightly rolled cuffs, orange heels, a white tee with black kitties all over and a pink blazer. This time she was given more props and just kind of went with it being playful with the stuff. She put on a pair of over-sized yellow sunglasses that even got Stephan to laugh as she made a duckface. They did a few dozen shots in various poses and lights for that outfit before she was told to change to her next outfit.
Stephan was looking at his watch it was already past noon when she walked out in the dress. He looked up from the watch and blinked at the sight. He always knew Ororo was pretty, but he didn’t really consider much in regards to her having a figure. But in that dress it showed she wasn’t exactly a little kid anymore as she was coming into her teens. The dress was a bright shade of pink that came to halfway down her tight, a similar color but more shinny belt to accent her waist, the neckline was a scoop neck, and the back had a heart cutout positioned just between the shoulder blades and down to just half way on her back and whoever decided on her outfits added silver metallic heels. To go with the theme of the dress she was giving a string of hearts in two shades of pink to work with for the photos. Shawn walked up next to Stephan watching Ororo’s shoot but handed Stephan a hot chocolate. “Here kid.”, Shawn offered glancing at Stephan who even at fourteen almost fifteen he was about Shawn’s height. He noticed Stephan looking at Ororo and chuckled. “She’s not going to be a kid for long that one. She’s like her mom developing early, just as stunning as her mom at that age and well her mom is still stunning.”, Shawn smiled.
Stephan coughed and took the hot chocolate glancing at Shawn for a moment trying to not glare. “Ororo was always pretty that’s genetics.”, Stephan stated sipping the hot chocolate. “Yeah that is is. And she’s just going to get better looking as she gets older. And a beautiful girl like that will end up with a handsome guy.”, Shawn commented. “Yeah probably…”, Stephan said quietly. In his mind he was thinking handsome didn’t really describe him. “There’s been calls made of guys in the business around her age wanting to try and set up dates with her. I don’t tell her of course, because that stuff I go to her parents about per the contract. And her dad had made it very clear she’s not allowed to date. I’m guess that’s a temporary thing but who knows with Duncan that man could mean forever or at least till she’s old enough that she’s an adult and he can’t tell her what to do anymore.”, Shawn laughed a little. Stephan nodded. “Professor Fearbirgh can be an intimidating man. Only a great fool would approach him about dating his daughter, an even bigger fool to think they’d ever get told yes.”, Stephan commented. “Alright we are all wrapped up Ororo.”, the photographer said. “Oh thank god these heels are beautiful but my feet are killing me.”, she smiled relieved as she stepped out of the heels and carried them in her hands in the direction of her dressing room.
“I’ll be back out in a couple minutes. Just need to change into my clothes.”, Ororo said stopping to talk to Stephan and Shawn. “We’ll be right here beautiful.”, Shawn said. Ororo looked at him weird but said nothing taking the hot chocolate cup from Stephan and taking a sip. “Sorry I needed something sugary. I’ll be right back.”, she said handing the cup back to Stephan before heading to her dressing room. “She apparently didn’t realize the cup I’m holding is for her.”, Shawn shrugged. “Yeah apparently.”, Stephan commented sipping his drink some more. He looked to his watch. “Geeze it’s already four.”, he sighed shaking his head. Ororo walked back out and took her purse from Shawn. “Here this one is yours.”, Shawn commented handing her the hot chocolate. “Oh..thanks Shawn. Ready to go Stephan?”, she asked linking arms with Stephan. “Yeah I was ready to go hours ago.”, Stephan nodded. “I’m sorry if you didn’t have any fun. I at least liked having you here. Gave me someone to look at and smile at.”, she apologized as they walked out to the car with Shawn behind them.
At the Haven all the couples had shown up and at first they were just hanging out listening to music. Eventually as the party progressed it became a bit more of just a ‘make out’ party as the couples found places in the living room or up in the media room for kissing. Sebastian had made it clear that yes they had run of the house but they were not allowed to go into any of the bedrooms, especially his brother’s. Which all the kids agreed there they knew that Merrick had flown to England to visit Rose and would probably murder them all if they entered his room and with his animal senses he’d know if they had been in his room. Some couples were a bit more hot and heavy compared to others. One of the older couples of Taylor and his girlfriend Riley had taken up a space on one of the sofas in the media room for kissing and they weren’t just kissing as hands were roaming but at least on the outside of clothes. Then there were couples like Owen and Reine. Reine was the youngest person at the party and she’d only just started seeing Owen, though her father wasn’t yet aware of the relationship. She hadn’t really wanted to say anything just yet to her parents, she’d seen how her father reacted when Nikki said she was dating Carter two years ago and they were closer in age than her and Owen. So they were sitting in the living room Reine leaning into Owen with his arm around her and occasionally kissing but nothing even open mouthed.
Then there was the more middle ground couples like Sebastian and Gina along with Jimmy and Lauren who were kissing but not quite as intensely as Taylor and Riley or as innocently as Owen and Reine. Sebastian was busy kissing Gina, their tongues mingling when the house phone started to ring. Sebastian initially just ignored it but when the machine picked up he heard a booming voice. “SEBASTIAN WINSTON BRYANT-FROST! PICK UP THE PHONE NOW!”, Merrick’s voice echoed through the downstairs of the Haven. Sebastian quickly pulled back from Gina and ran for the phone sliding to a stop at the table it was sitting on and picking up. “Ummm.. hey Merrick. How was the flight? How’s England? How’s Rose?”, Sebastian said a bit out of breath from have been kissing and then running for the fun. Gina followed trying to not giggle at how startled Sebastian was hearing his brother’s voice. But he wasn’t the only one. When Merrick’s voice boomed through the first floor it also startled Jimmy, Owen, and Carter into pulling back from kissing their girlfriends. The other couples peeked out into the foyer to Sebastian. Upstairs Taylor, Riley, Marco, Aaliyah, Nash and Aurora had no idea what was happening downstairs.
“Sebastian why did I go to the machine?”, Merrick growled. “Um I was busy so didn’t get to the phone in time…”, Sebastian shrugged. “Where’s Faelan?”, Merrick asked. “He’s not here.”, he answered. “What do you mean our son isn’t there.”, Rose questioned the phone having been on speaker. “Mom said that you’d be watching him since they were going out. Where’s Faelan?”, Merrick demanded. Sebastian gulped hearing Rose’s voice demanding to know the location of Faelan. “He’s over at Zoe’s. Mom said if I could find someone you’d trust to watch him I could have some friends over to hang out instead. And Zoe had the evening off from work so she agreed to watch Faelan. And well she’s your best friend so I figured you’d trust her with Faelan.”, Sebastian quickly explained. “Friends over? So let me understand this it’s Valentine’s Day and you pushed your Uncle responsibility onto my best friend who for all you know could have had plans so that you could make out with Gina? Who else is there?”, Merrick questioned. “I didn’t… I didn’t push my responsibilities onto Zoe. I asked if she had plans for the day and she said no. So I asked if she would babysit Faelan and she instantly agreed to watch him. I didn’t force her into it, you know she likes spending time with him. And just a couple friends…”, Sebastian said looking to the three couples trying to not laugh at him and knowing three more were upstairs.
Merrick rolled his eyes. “You are lying to me little brother. I can tell because your voice is trembling a little. Who is there, other than Gina?”, Merrick questioned. Rose tried to not laugh finding it funny that even an ocean away he could read his little brother and scare the crap out of the kid. Sebastian sighed. “Um well Gina of course. Jimmy, Lauren, Carter, Nikki, Owen, Reine, Taylor, Riley, Nash, Aurora, Marco, and Aaliyah.”, he admitted. “Wait pause. So there are six other couples worth of teenagers at the house? Mom signed off on a make out party? I don’t think so.”, Merrick shook his head. “Invite enough Howletts over. Hope that Carter and Owen are behaving themselves or they might have to deal with my dad since Cero is in Alaska.”, Rose laughed a little shaking her head. “It’s not a make out party….”, Sebastian defended. “Bullshit. You may not be me but you are still a guy and a Bryant-Frost. Or at least I hope you aren’t doing what I was doing at your age, Damon will kill you. Which I swear if any of you go into my room or Faelan’s nursery I’ll kick your ass then the offender’s.”, Merrick warned. “I’m not you Merrick. Bedrooms in general are off limits, that was made rule one for the party. It’s Valentines Day shouldn’t you I don’t know be doing something with Rose?”, Sebastian said trying to change the subject. “We are five hours ahead of you Bastian. We just got back from dinner and wanted to call Faelan you know the other love of our lives before we went on to other activities. Which guess now I need to call Zoe to speak to our son. Alright, behave all of you. Bye Bastian.”, Merrick said. “Always. Bye Merrick.”, Sebastian sighed hanging up and leaning on the table still a bit scared. The others laughed at him and went back to what they were doing.
Over in Corpus Christi Texas Tristan was on the phone with Blaire. “So what you wearing?”, he teased. “Tristan we are having a conversation.”, Blaire said rolling her eyes from the little cubicle she worked out of at Worthington Enterprises in Boston. She’s stayed long past when she should have left wanting to get work done for an upcoming case the legal team was going to be taking on. Tristan smiled. “I know. Now I’m about to get called up to ride soon. So what are you wearing?”, he repeated with a smirk. Blaire giggled a little. “A satin black and top dress with a black and harvest gold rose print with a wide black belt and black pencil skirt bottom that goes to about half way down my thighs paired with metallic leather four inch heels. And course my necklace.”, she described smirking. Tristan grinned. “Mmmm nice. Very professional and hot. What’s under that?”, he asked looking at the board for his name. He still had time before he got called. Sure they weren’t going to have phone sex right now but having something to picture to focus on when riding did help.
“A white with black lace demi bra and a set of matching thongs.”, Blaire smiled biting her bottom lip a little. Sure it wasn’t weird at this point for her to be telling him what she was wearing. It happened often but generally she was in her bedroom at the house and they were going to go further than just talking about what they were wearing. Tonight however she was at the office and he was due to ride soon. “Very hot. You should take a picture and send that to me when you get home. Something to get me through these next few weeks before the rodeo comes to the north east and I get to see you in person.”, he teased. “Hmm I’ll think about.”, she chuckled. “Tristan Whitland”, a voice called over a speaker. “Alright baby they are calling my name. I’ll talk to you after. Love you.”, he said. “Love you too.”, Blaire sighed as they hung up. She put the phone down on the desk and turned her attention back to the deposition. Her left hand fiddling with her north star pendant, she did that a lot when she knew he was going to be riding. Just kind of her way of hoping nothing bad happened.
There was something about bull riding that Tristan just loved. Maybe it was the thrill the danger offered. It certainly wasn’t something for the faint of heart. But there was more to it than that. There was great skill in riding. Every bull rider knows that the key to riding an animal whose sole purpose is to toss you straight to cowboy heaven is this: balance. And the key to balance is keeping your knees as close together as possible. But if you wobble, if you lose your balance the emergency plan is to spur to take the star on the heel of your boot dig it into the thick hide and hang on for your riding life with your legs. Tristan was so freakishly good with his legs, he not only spurred when he was in danger, he went on the offensive with them. Riding in perfect balance, he’d kick one side or the other, not to hurt the bull, but to talk to it. Each kick was a whisper. ‘I’m over here, boy … Go this way … Go that way.’ Few people have ever shared such a kinship with a 2,000-pound mass of bucking beef. Today Tristan found himself on a bull called Knock ’Em Out. The chute opened, Tristan and his legs went to work. Tristan spurred harder than usual, the whisper becoming a yelling match between man and beast. Five seconds into the ride, Knock ’Em Out kicked his back heels up and dropped his front hooves down. Tristan felt his arm extend.
To an amateur observer, bull riding looks like a sport in which control is either seized or lost with that one hand tied to the bull. It looks like a sport where all you do is hang on. That’s not the case. Good legs will keep you on a bull; balance will keep you on a bull. The main rule for your arm is that you keep it bent and flexed for mobility. With his arm locked straight, Tristan was at the bull’s mercy. Knock ’Em Out’s nosedive yanked Tristan’s arm, which yanked his head. The bull was already jumping back up. Their two heads met – bull’s and rider’s – and Tristan was knocked unconscious. Alex was already moving with a group jumping the fence when he saw his son losing control and going unconscious. This was Alex’s worst nightmare happening before his eyes. Six seconds into the ride, Tristan flew over the front of the bull, a human arrow arcing toward the dirt, legs-last. Alec and paramedics were racing to Tristan while the wranglers were working on distracting Knock ’Em Out and getting him back into the pen. The medics were trying to stabilize Tristan getting him on a stretcher and heading for the ambulance. Alex was right alongside the stretcher holding Tristan’s hand. Tristan had been hurt before but this...this was different and Alex knew that. He’d never lost consciousness like this or gotten thrown this bad.
Tristan’s eyes fluttered a little in the back of the ambulance as they were rushing to the hospital. “Take off my riding glove..”, Tristan managed to say not even realizing it was off. “I already did..”, Alex responded holding Tristan’s hand tight. Tristan didn’t hear him as he was out again and the paramedics were giving him something for the pain. They got into the hospital and Tristan was rushed to the emergency room. “You will have to wait here Mister Whitland. We have paperwork you’ll need to fill out.”, a nurse said offering him a pen and a clipboard of documentation to fill in. Alex kept looking pale faced at the doors they’d just rushed his son through and he stood there praying Tristan pulled through this. He was too young to have everything taken away like this. Alex finally took a seat and tried to focus on filling in all the paperwork, gnawing on his bottom lip in worry. He brought the clipboard up to the desk. “When will I get to see my boy?”, he asked. “I can’t say yet Mister Whitland. They are doing x rays and just trying to keep him stable to asses the damage. I’ll let you know as soon as they have him in a room where you can see him.”, the nurse said taking the clipboard and starting to enter the data into the system. Alex paced around the waiting room and took out his phone checking the time. He took a deep breath and called Blaire, she needed to know no matter what time it was about Tristan.
“Hi Mister Whitland.”, Blaire greeted cheerfully as she was packing up her brief case ready to finally head home. “Hi Blaire..”, Alex said his voice pained. “What...what’s wrong Mister Whitland?”, Blaire asked sitting back down gulping a little waiting for something bad. “It’s Tristan. He got thrown tonight...bad. We’re at the hospital right now. They’ve got him in the emergency room. I don’t have much more to tell you yet. I’ll let you know when he’s stable and what room they put him in. I just..I thought I should call you.”, Alex said trying to control the quiver in his voice as he was worried about his only child. Blaire closed her eyes tears having welled up as Alex spoke started to slip down her face, which had paled when he said Tristan had been thrown. She took a breath trying to keep control. “Okay...please let me know I don’t care what time it is when he’s in a room.”, she sniffled trying to wipe away the tears with the back of her left hand. “I will. He’ll be okay. That boy doesn’t know how to stay down…”, Alex tried to sound reassuring though he wasn’t sure if he spoke for Blaire’s sake or his own. “Right… just call me. Thank you Mister Whitland.”, Blaire said ending the call and bringing her head down to her desk resting it in her arms and started to sob terrified of just how bad was bad. He had scars from being thrown but the tone of his dad’s voice. Blaire grew up with Colby and Alison as parents she learned to read signs to know someone’s emotions. And that quiver in Alex’s voice told her he was scared. And that scared her too.
Alex sat back in a chair his hands over his face age lines very visible as he sat worried staring at the emergency room doors. He tapped his boots impatiently as he fretted about his son. He took out his phone and called the first person that came to mind. Holly had already settled in for the night sitting in her bed reading the next in the Outlander series she’d gotten addicted to. She fully blamed Alison for this addiction who’d lent her the first book and now she was on book four. She was turning the page getting to where Roger had finally found Brianna in the tavern in Wilmington when her phone started to ring. Holly raised an eyebrow not sure who’d be calling this late, but a late call was not often good. She grabbed the phone seeing Alex’s name on the caller id and set her book aside, maybe this wouldn’t be one of those bad late night calls. “Hey Alex. What’s going on?”, she asked. She could hear him pause before he spoke. “Hi...Holly.”, he sighed. “What’s wrong?”, she questioned sitting up fully in the bed. “I’m at the hospital with Tristan. He got thrown and knocked unconscious. They’ve had him in the emergency room for going on half an hour and I’ve been sitting here with no news. And I just…”, Alex’s voice broke off. “Oh Alex…”, she gasped searching for words of comfort. Moments like this she wished they weren’t so far apart. it was easier to comfort in person, where she could hug him tight and hold his hand while he waited for news.
“I’m so sorry babe. God I wish I was there with you so you weren’t alone. But I’ll stay on the phone with you if you want. So you have someone to talk to while you wait.”, she offered. “Thanks Holly. I just…”, he broke off again taking a few deep breaths. “I called Blaire so she knows. I didn’t think it would be right to wait. Though I probably just ruined her night.”, he sighed. “She needed you to call honey. She’d have been mad and upset if you waited till after he was in his room to tell her. Trust me she’d rather know when it happened then be told later.”, Holly assured. She knew about that call. Colby called here while in the ambulance with Nigel when he’d been shot. And she was grateful that he didn’t wait, that he didn’t call after Nigel was emitted to the hospital. She just hoped that this went differently for Blaire and Tristan than it had her and Nigel. Nigel had died during surgery. She had gotten there just in time to see him going to surgery and got to tell him she loved him that final time. She wouldn't have had that if Colby had waited to call her. In a way Holly felt bad that right now she was silently grateful that Alex wasn’t a rider, that this call wasn’t to tell her he’d been hurt. Yes she was scared and worried for Tristan he’d become like a son to her, one that actually cared about the ranching business. “Mister Whitland?”, a nurse called. “Um I gotta call you back sweetheart. They are calling me.”, Alex said getting up. “Alright let me know how he’s doing. Tell him I love him. And remember I love you.”, Holly said. Alex smiled a little hearing her say those words did lighten his heart a little. He’d gone a long time not being told that so every time he heard it from her he smiled. “I will. I love you too Holly.”, he said hanging up going to the desk.
“Yes? How’s my boy?”, he asked. A doctor walked up. “Well we’ve got him stable Mister Whitland. We had to operate as he’d landed in a way that had caused a small puncture in his lungs. He’s got a breathing tube and we’ve got him resting comfortably right now. He’s still not regained full consciousness. He did keep saying a name as we were getting him to the operating table.”, the doctor explained. Alex nodded listening. “A name?”, Alex asked. “Blaire.”, the doctor said. “His girl back in Massachusetts. So other than the punctured lung?”, Alex questioned. “Well the x rays show damage to the T11 and 12 along with the L1 and 2 vertebrae. We are going to have to do surgery again soon we just wanted to give him a few hours to recover from the first surgery. But we will need to operate soon if we want to try and save him from a life in a wheelchair.”, the doctor explained. Alex covered his mouth with his hand and nodded. “Alright. Can I see him now?”, he asked. “Yes he’s in room 261. We’ll probably be in for him again in a couple hours to perform the surgery on his back.”, the doctor said pointing in the direction. “Nurse let Mister Whitland through.”, he instructed. The nurse buzzed the door and Alex rushed through looking for the room number and stopping in the doorway feeling his heart sink as he looked at his son in the beat with the breathing tube and all sorts of things hooked up to him. “Oh Tristan..”, he said softly walking into the room putting his hat on a chair seeing Tristan’s clothes folded into a bag in the corner with his boots next to it. His hat was still back at the rodeo and right now Alex didn’t give a damn. He pulled a chair up to the bedside and lightly took his son’s hand. “You’re going to be fine Tristan. They are going to do the surgery and you will get through this. You’re strong enough to get through this.”, he said assuring Tristan but mostly assuring himself.
Blaire hadn’t left the office as she’d planned she just sat there and started filing again crying. She’d hoped doing work would distract her from being worried. Finally she gave up and called her parents. Colby quickly answered seeing it was Blaire. “What's wrong baby?”, Colby asked sitting up in bed. A late night call to Colby was never good. Alison groaned and sat up turning the light on. “Daddy…”, she sobbed. “What’s wrong princess?”, Alison took the phone putting it on speaker. “Tristan’s been hurt, and apparently it’s bad. His dad called they have him in the emergency room but he didn’t know how bad it was. And I’m just...I don’t know what to do. I’ve never not known what to do. “, Blaire cried to her parents. “Aww sweetie. It’s alright. There will always be times in your life that you don’t have control over the situation. No one likes it. But you can just think good thoughts, pray even, and just wait for news really.”, Alison said wanting to hold her daughter and hug her. “Do you want us to come up? I can be there in four hours.”, Colby said. “Daddy it takes six to get here.”, Blaire said shaking her head. “Not with sirens or how I drive.”, Colby said. Blaire laughed a little though tears still streamed down her face. “No it’s alright daddy. I’m just... I’m so worried about him. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose him. I love him so much.”, she held one hand over her face to try and stop from crying but sobs still broke free. “Oh baby...you won’t lose him. It’ll be alright. Just have faith in the doctors he’s in the care of and in his own stubbornness.”, Colby said. “But I don’t have much trust in doctors. I grew up with Mister Hamilton and Misses Kearney’s clinic. Heck I worked there. I saw people come to them after doctors botched something.”, Blaire said starting to panic a little. “Breath baby. It will be okay. Not all doctors are bad. He will be alright healers or not. Humans survive every day without healers so will he.”, Colby assured. “Oh...I gotta go. Mister Whitland is calling back. Thanks. I love you guys.”, Blaire said quickly hanging up and switching to her other line.
“How is he?”, she immediately asked. “They have him stabilized. They did surgery as his lung had been punctured. He’s on a breathing tube right now. They are going to take him soon for back surgery he damaged his T11 and 12 along with the L1 and 2 vertebrae. So we are at Corpus Christi Medical Center room 261. I’ll let you know more after his surgery. But he’ll pull through this. He’s too stubborn not to.”, Alex assured. Blaire nodded sniffling a little. “Thanks for calling. Keep me in the loop. And when he wakes up please tell him I love him.”, Blaire requested. “Of course dear. Will be the second thing out of my mouth after I tell him I love him. Try to get some rest alright.”, he suggested. Blaire nodded. “Yeah I’ll try. Bye Mister Whitland.”, she sighed hanging up. She booted up her computer and started researching back surgery related to the T11 and 12 and the L1 and 2 vertebrae. She wanted to know what he was in for with the surgery and then recovering from it. the more she read the more worried she was and found herself crying reaching some of the stories of people who’d had surgery for similar things and their recovery. Many didn’t end up leaving a wheelchair. “God please...just please let him be okay. Riding is his life...it’s everything he has. Please god don’t take that from him and most of all please just please don’t take him from me.”, Blaire pleaded into the air crying.
As if an answer to the prayer Warren, of all people walked over and leaned his chin on the top of her cubicle his wings flexing slightly in the walkway. “Blaire? What are you still doing here? And why are you crying?”, Warren asked with genuine concern. Blaire sniffled and wiped her tears away turning in her chair to look at her boss, who was also her best friend Gabriel’s father, a kind man she’d known her whole life. “I’m sorry Mister Worthington I should have left hours ago. But I was working on that deposition and then...then I got a call saying my boyfriend is in the hospital about to have surgery on his back.”, she said trying to gain some composure. Warren nodded listening. “The bull rider, correct? And please Blaire call me Warren, I’ve known you your whole life and you are best friends with my son you don’t need to be formal.”, he sighed. “So you are worried. And I see reading online information about the surgery and recovery. That can be good and bad. And let me guess you feel useless.”, Warren said stepping into the cubical tucking his wings in and giving her a hug. Blaire’s bottom lip quivered a little and she hugged him back crying on his suit jacket. “Yeah to all of it…”, she said. “Well snap out of this my dear.”, he said pulling back. “What?”, Blaire questioned looking up at him. “You are Blaire London Delaney. You are the daughter of Colby Delaney a man who never gives up, a man who stopped at nothing to get to your mother and bring her home safely after the attack on the institute. You are the daughter of Alison Blaire who has never in her life accepted that there was nothing she couldn’t do. You were raised to take charge not to twiddle your thumbs my dear girl.”, Warren explained.
“That’s all well and good Mi..Warren… but I’m here and he’s way over in Corpus Christi Texas. I can’t really do much. I can’t fly on wings like you and Gabriel or teleport like Mister Wagner. I’m just plain me.”, Blaire defended. “What hospital is he at?”, he asked taking out his cell phone. “Corpus Christi Medical Center. Why?”, she asked. Warren had already started to dial his personal assistant answering immediately. “I need to have the jet at Logan International prepped and ready to go immediately.”, Warren instructed. “Of course Mister Worthington. Where will you flying at this late hour?”, his assistant asked. “I will not be flying but there will be one passenger Miss Blaire Delaney and she will be flying to Corpus Christi Texas. Arrange for a hotel room at the closest hotel to the Corpus Christi Medical Center. Also please arrange for a driver to be waiting for her at the Corpus Christi airport.”, Warren instructed. “Um of course sir. But why?”, his assistant asked. “That’s not for you to worry about. Just make it happen and text the itinerary to 6318592475 so that Blaire will know what hotel she is staying in during her trip.”, Warren said hanging up. Blaire blinked at him confused. “Mi...Warren. What?”, she questioned. “Go to the house get some clothes then get to the airport my jet will be waiting for you. I believe you have a boyfriend to go see.”, Warren said stepping out of the way and pointing to the exit. Blaire was stunned and just stared at him in disbelief. “But..the deposition...and school…”, she stammered. “The deposition will get handled as will your work while you are gone. I’ll speak with your professors letting them know of the emergency. Now move it young lady.”, he answered. Blaire smiled and hugging him tightly. “Thank you….thank you so much.”, she said grabbing her purse and briefcase before rushing out.
While Blaire rushed to get clothes packed and to the airport Alex paced in Tristan’s room while his son was under the knife. He didn’t know that Blaire was on her way, Blaire having taken only a brief second to explain to her roommates where she was going before she ran out the door. She hadn’t even bothered with changing her clothes. She got to the airport and was directed to the private jet that then took her to Texas. There she found a black sedan with a driver holding a sign with her name. “I’m Blaire Delaney.”, she said rushing to the car getting into the back. “Where to miss?”, the driver asked. “Corpus Christi Medical Center.”, she said checking her phone and not even thinking about her hotel and checking in to the Homewood Suites by Hilton. Her one and only thought was getting to Tristan. Who as she landed had finally been brought out of surgery and was resting in his room again. Alex sat by his bed holding his hand resting his head on the edge of the bed having fallen asleep there. Blaire rushed out of the car telling the driver to just wait she’d be back out when she was ready to go to the hotel. She went in through the main doors and found the nurses’ station. This she at least knew because she worked reception at the clinic. “I’m looking for Tristan Whitland room 261. He was supposed to go in for surgery.”, Blaire said. The nurse looked up at her and it was easy to see Blaire had been crying. “Um yes...I show that Mister Whitland is back in his room recovering from the surgery.”, she said. Blaire sighed a little relief and walked away looking for the room.
She found it easily enough and stopped in the doorway looking at Tristan, his father hunched over asleep. She’d never seen someone like this. With all the tubes and wires connected to them. She covered her mouth to contain a sob as she walked into the room. But the sob and the click of her heels woke Alex who sat up quickly looking around and blinked seeing her. “Blaire? How?”, he questioned. “An angel Mister Whitland.”, she said moving closer and reaching over lightly touching Tristan’s leg that was under the blanket. “A what?”, Alex asked standing up. “Mister Worthington, I was at the office when you called me. Apparently he was working late too. He arranged for me to use his jet to get her and even a hotel room for me to stay.”, Blaire said. “I just..I couldn’t sit there and know he’s here..”,she said looking away from Tristan to Alex. Alex nodded and without a word hugged her. “He’ll be happy you’re where when he wakes up. But maybe now that you’re here you should go to your hotel and get some rest. He’s not going to wake up for a bit they said. I’ll stay with him for right now. You get some rest then come back and I’ll see about going to my hotel while you are with him.”, Alex offered. Blaire nodded. “Alright. If he wakes up while I’m gone..”, she said. “I’ll call you. Go rest.”, Alex instructed. Blaire nodded and walked away looking back at Tristan with each step not wanting to leave him. But reluctantly she went to her hotel and checked in getting a not so restful sleep as she worried about Tristan.