"Is everything okay with you and Ash?" William asked hesitantly."I thought after tonight-" Noah began but he really didn't want to discuss that infront of his father, thank you very much."We're fine... we just-" Cailen went to explain but then Asher was coming into the kitchen, a confused expression on his face as he regarded Cailen.Cailen looked to the ground, suddenly very aware that he sort of did throw a fit when he stormed out of the living room."Cai, I can't-" Asher started to say, his eyes taking in the audience they had."Don't," Cailen said, his blood beginning to boil again because he knew what Asher was trying to do.He was actually going to try and justify his reasons behind staying a firefighter and Cailen really didn't want to hear it."How could you do that? How could you sit there and lie to Zeke? Please tell me because I'm going to need a lesson if we're g

  "Okay Mrs. Cruz, get some rest. I'll be back to check on you later," Cailen smiled at the elderly lady lying in the bed, her eyes already falling shut as he closed the door behind him. He made his way down the hall to drop off Mrs. Cruz's information, then he was to head to check on Mr. Bremont but something told him he wouldn't be going to do that since he saw Madeline with the Bat Phone pressed to her ear. Cailen doesn't know how he knows, but he does know that something is wrong as he's headed down the hall, just remembering to smile politely at familiar passing faces before meeting Madeline's eyes. He could tell it was something worse than a mild asthma attack or even a broken arm. She was standing behind the desk, the Bat Phone pressed to her ear as she nodded along to whatever she was being told, her eyes never leaving Cailen's. His initial thought was of course that a particularly bad patient was on th

 Cailen decided to lay back on the bed, the sheets cold and scratchy under his skin.He could feel the tears coming again as he thought about all the other possible ways Asher could have been harmed.There was smoke inhalation to consider, the blow to his head could have caused some serious damage, any injuries from falling debris when he was knocked unconscious...Cailen could come up with a long list if he let himself but he had to stop thinking about it unless he wanted to become a blubbering mess.Tears were already burning his eyes, one escaping and sliding down from the corner of his eye to be soaked up by his hair.Asher had to be okay, he had to make it out of this.He had to come home with Cailen. He was going to. He was going to be fine. He was going to come home.Cailen kept telling himself this as he laid there but even as he kept repeating those words in his head, he found it har

 Madeline led them from the cafeteria and up towards the ICU in complete silence.The only sound between the three of them was the scuffing and squeaking of their shoes on the floor of the hospital.Cailen didn't know how to feel about this. It could simply mean that Madeline hadn't spoken to the doctor yet and therefore did not know any more than he did and had nothing to say.That's what Cailen was hoping was making her so quiet. He hoped it wasn't that she had spoken to the doctor about Asher and now she just didn't know how to tell him the bad news and was leaving it up to the doctor.Cailen's stomach twisted unpleasantly at the thought as he followed behind her quietly, Noah by his side looking just as distressed.If Cailen had eaten anything today, he was positive it would be on the floor of the hospital by now.Cailen actually started to feel a bit faint the farther they walked

 "What's happened?" William answered on the first ring as if he had been sitting there staring at his phone, waiting for Cailen to call.Cailen felt a little bad for finishing his sandwich first but he was pretty sure Noah wouldn't have let him go anyway."The doctor said he'll be fine with time. He's a lot banged up, but... He's going to be okay," Cailen told him, smiling to himself with the reminder that Asher was going to be okay."Oh, thank God," William sighed.Cailen let him have a moment for this to sink in, taking a moment to look up into sky. It wasn't dark yet but he knew it would be in a couple hours."Yeah..." Cailen said after a moment. "I was wondering if you'd make Zeke dinner for me and then bring him down here?" Cailen asked, smiling politely as a couple passed him on the sidewalk."Uh, well... He's already eaten. Arabella made us dinner," William