It turned out Sam could remember a lot now.He remembered going into the alley with Miller, and the conversation they had—Ian finally cracked a smile when Sam told him about Nik being like a snarly little lapdog—and even the guys getting out of the pickup with the baseball bat.
“He has a bruise on his chest,” Ian interrupted when Sam said he was knocked down.
“I do?”Sam tried to look.Oh, he had one of those hospital gowns on.Ian helped him work it open enough to see the huge purple splotch to the right of his sternum, just above his diaphragm.“Whoa,” he breathed.“Can we take a picture?”
Ian growled, but Detective Johnson said, “We’re going to have to for evidence.”
“Evidence?”Sam scrunched his brows, then flinched from the sharp pain that caused.
“Kiddo, you were assaulted.They caught those guys, partly because of Jurgen.I imagine they’re all getting charged,” Ian said, looking over at Johnson.
“If we can find enough evidence to substantiate it, they’ll get charged with a hate crime on top of assault.”
“You mean like coming after me with a baseball bat saying ‘here, faggot-faggot-faggot’?Oh, and threatening to rape me with it?”
Ian growled again.Sam gripped his hand tightly as Detective Johnson answered.“That’ll pretty much do it, yeah.”
“The guy with the bat, I think he was about to smash Miller’s head in when they had him on the ground.I mean ...I thought they were going tokillhim.That’s when I got up and jumped on the guy’s back.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Ian moaned.Sam squeezed his hand again.
Detective Johnson smiled ferally.“And maybe we can get attempted murder, too,” he said, jotting down notes.He was recording this, so Sam wasn’t sure what he needed notes for.
It took forever, and by the time his interview with the detective ended, Sam was exhausted.Ian slipped off for a minute, but came back before Sam was completely out.He had something in his hands.“What’s that?”Sam mumbled.
“Clothes.I sent Nik and Jurgen to my place to get some for you.They’re releasing you from the hospital tonight, as long as you stay with me.Remember the doctor told us that?”
Huh.“Not really.”Sam took the clothes though.He wasn’t into hospital gowns.
Ian accompanied him into the little bathroom off the cubicle to help him dress.But as soon as the door was shut, Ian grabbed Sam so tightly he could barely breathe.He could feel Ian’s arms shaking around him.Sam withstood it as long as he could, but soon he had to say, “Ian, my chest ...”
Ian let him go so fast Sam swayed.“I’m sorry,” he gasped, holding Sam just tightly enough to keep him upright.
“Can we sit down for a minute?”
Ian sat him on the floor, Sam’s back to his chest, leaning against a wall.Sam sighed and rested on him, relaxing into Ian’s heat.
After a minute, Ian started talking.
“I’m so sorry for yesterday,” Ian whispered in Sam’s ear.
“I know, Ian.You told me.”Sam stroked his hand, trying to comfort him.“I believe you.”
“I do love you, Sam.So much.”
Sam lifted Ian’s hand and kissed it.Now was the moment to say he loved Ian, right?He opened his mouth.
Ian kept talking, though.“I’m not really good enough for you, Sam, I know—Ow!”
Sam had sat up straight, clipping Ian’s chin with his shoulder.He struggled out of Ian’s hold and turned around, straddling Ian’s lap.
“Did I hurt you?I’m sorry.”Sam checked Ian’s chin, looking for blood and ignoring the throbbing in his own shoulder.He pried Ian’s hand off his face to inspect it for damage.
“Sam, I’m all right.You just surprised me.”
Sam looked into his eyes.“You surprised me.”
“I did?”
