"No," he lied.
She scowled at him with what he now recognized as her 'that's BS' expression, and because she looked kind of scary, he backtracked.
"Okay, fine. A little, but I'm sure he'll be okay."
He turned away, not wanting to see her looking smug. After a few quiet seconds, Natalie said, "Tris told me you saved his life. Twice."
Cade had figured Tristan would tell his sister the story, so he didn't know why her comment caught him off guard.
"Yeah, guess I did."
She didn't answer right away, so he gazed back at her and found her expression serious. "He told me he loves you, that he's happy he found you. Thank you for saving his life."
Natalie reached over and took Cade's hand. He squeezed it in response, feeling a fondness for her that he was getting used to, not just as Tristan's sister, but a friend in her own right.
"Thanks for saying that," he murmured, his voice rough from the sensation that his heart was overfull, like finding Tristan and Natalie was too good to be true, too priceless a gift for someone like him.
It was terrifying to know someone cared about him, relied on him, and that he could ultimately let them down. Hamm had said that he was brave to take risks with his heart, and the idea of being hurt still made his skin crawl and his head spin. But he was no coward. He'd keep going, keep doing whatever it took for these two people who had somehow, in a few short days, completely won his heart.
When the door opened again, and the technician wheeled the patient back in, Cade realized that Tristan's color was off, that he looked too pale against the white hospital sheets. He tried to convince himself that Tristan was just tired, had just been through an ordeal, and that was why he looked sickly, but the fatalistic thoughts persisted, nagging at him for another hour or so while they waited for results.
Both siblings dozed a bit, and though Cade's body also begged for rest, he was too tense to even close his eyes. He'd relax when they got the test results back.
Provided they were good.
When the doctor finally returned, she told them that the CT scan was clear and that her diagnosis was a mild concussion. She explained concussion protocols and gave follow-up instructions, then told Tristan he was free to go home.
When she left the room, Cade sat frozen for a moment, letting the news sink in. Tris was going to be okay, Natalie was safe, and this whole horrible situation was over. As he repeated those truths in his head, the pressure in his chest eased, and he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
It was over.
Cade let out his breath in a whoosh and rubbed at his temples a few times. When he looked up, Tristan was standing and smiling at him.
"Let's go home, yeah?"
The words finally drove home the reality, and as the stress of worry dissipated, Cade felt drained, like he'd just run a marathon or battled an army. But the thought of taking Tristan and Natalie home, together and safe, puffed his chest back up, almost convincing him he could do battle again if needed.
It was past midnight when they entered the siblings' modest apartment, and Cade's gaze took in the small kitchen to the right, with old white appliances and a wooden table with two chairs. The living area to the left was simple as well, containing a worn, blue plaid sofa, a matching side chair, a coffee table and a TV.
As soon as they were inside, Natalie kicked off her shoes, said she was taking a shower, and made her way down a short hallway and into one of the back rooms, closing the door behind her.
Tristan got them both a glass of water, then ate the last of the fast food they'd picked up on their way home. Cade declined when Tristan offered him French fries, content to drink his water and watch the other man, pleased he had finally gotten some food in him.
After Tristan tossed the empty bag into the trash, he leaned against the counter with a thoughtful expression that made Cade's brain short-circuit. He couldn't read the meaning but hoped it meant Tristan wanted to talk, and if he was very lucky, tell him he still wanted him.
He prayed that was the case until Natalie returned, freshly showered, and hugged her brother briefly but tightly. "I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted, so please let me sleep in the morning."
"Sleep all you want," Tristan answered, kissing the top of her head.
"Goodnight, Cade," she said before disappearing behind another door at the end of the hallway.
Cade watched her go, then turned back to Tristan, whose eyes sparkled now with an intensity that made Cade's heart skip a beat.
Tristan stepped closer, then pleaded in a hushed voice, "Cade, please stay. I never want to spend another night without you."
The quiet confession, the raw vulnerability, was a punch to Cade's gut, and he moved without thinking, closing the distance between them, drawing Tristan into his arms and nuzzling into his auburn curls.
As the now familiar scent of coconut shampoo filled his nostrils, Cade realized he was home.
