Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 Bolt woke up with a start. He tried to sit up on instinct but someone put a hand on his chest to stop him from moving abruptly. 

 “Relax. Take it easy. You might open your wounds again”. He opened his eyes to see the doctor looking at him with kind eyes. 

 “How are you feeling now?” The doctor asked pulling a torch pen from his pocket. 

 “So much pain”. Bolt croaked. He squinted hi eyes, letting the doctor check. 

 “Well, it's natural, considering the nature of your injuries. You have managed to survive two hit that could have ended your life, or at least paralyzed you for your whole life”. The doctor finished the examination and picked up the chart. 

 “For now we have reduced your pain killers to monitor your condition. We can give you one after every eight hours and continue reducing it until you don't need them. But until then, it's going to hurt really bad”. The doctor explained, making him nod. 

 “Can I see my friends and family?” Bolt asked. His throat felt raw. 

 “Sure you can. They are allowed to visit you after an hour. But don't tire yourself and call the nurse as soon as you feel pain”. Bolt nodded again in full understanding. 

 He was anxious to see who was there for him. He was sure about Richard and Martin and his office colleagues but what about Josh? Did anyone even inform him? 

 He was sure he has heard him while he was unconscious but was he really there or it was his brain making up stories. 

 And what about his subordinates who were hit in the operation? Did they make it? Did he lose someone? Even though everyone knew what they were putting them self into, still losing a soldier everytime would hit him hard in the chest. 

 He was getting restless in his thoughts and just at the end of his wits to call the nurse and inquire about his team when the door opened to Richard. 

 “Look who is back from the dead”. Richard chuckled looking at him, making him smile too, but Bolt could see the concern in his friend’s eyes. 

 “Yeah, I am not going anywhere without dragging you with me”. He replied in the same playful tone but they both knew the intensity of the words. 

 “How are you feeling, man? You scared the shit out of us”. Richard grasped his hand, patting gently. 

 “It hurts Rich. I can't breathe in deeply. I feel like my lungs are burning”. Bolt replied honestly. 

 “Yeah. It was really critical when they brought you in. Took 8 hours to bring you back”. Richard said with a smile. 

 “What about you? Are you okay? Martin? The soldiers?” Bolt asked. He frowned to see his friend hesitating.

 “Well, I and Martin, we are fine. I mean partially injured and patched up. We lost three men. They were defending you. We tried to help them but they lost their lives on the field. 

 The rest of the team, well bruised, injured, no one got caught. So we call it a win win. Also, the target was hit. You took one of the three. Rest were taken out by others”. Richard told him in detail. 

 Bolt sighed closing his eyes tightly. It was a success but his heart was crying. But he had to compose himself. He was their leader and he couldn't let himself and them down. 

 “I am leaving now, I will send Martin in. I have informed your folks. They will be here by the morning”. Richard patted his shoulder and went outside.

 Martin was equally emotional as he told Bolt how happy he was to get him back but his heart was waiting for one single person who had no arrived yet. May be he was imagining all. 

 He wanted to ask about him but something stopped him. He didn't want to confess it in front of his friends, even if they knew, how much Josh meant to him. 

 He sighed in defeat and closed his eyes in tired when Martin left too without saying a word about Josh when he heard a slight knock. 

 “Yes”. He didn't opened his eyes, thinking it would be the nurse to give him painkillers. 

 “I think I am ready for a painkiller and something sedative to put me to sleep”. He murmured. 

 “Ohh. I… I should leave then”. He bolted upright and cursed under his breath with his body jolted with pain. 

 “Fuck…”. He winced. 

 “Who asked you to jump like that? You know you have been operated and stitched. It can rip them apart. Seriously Bolt”. Josh huffed in annoyance and worry and pushed the button to call the nurse. 

 He helped Bolt lie down properly, before the nurse arrived and took his seat on the chair near the bed. 

 “You are real”. Bolt said in an unbelievable tone. Josh looked at him with SERIOUSLY DUDE expressions. 

 “No. I am a fragment of your imagination. And I will vanish into the thin air if you blew hard”. He deadpaned. 

 “Huh?” Bolt was seriously stupefied. He didnt know if Josh was making fun of him or serious. 

 “I think the doctors forgot to check if you hit your head too?” Josh exclaimed and Bolt was about to say something when the nurse entered. 

 “He is tired and in pain. He needs a painkiller and a sedative to sleep”. Josh repeated the exact same words Bolt had said few minutes ago. 

 “No. No… not sedatives. Pain killer is good for now. I want to stay awake for a while please”. He almost pleaded to the nurse. 

 Well she wasn't happy to say, but she did comply. “You will inform me as soon as you are ready to sleep. Understood?” She said in a stern tone and left once Bolt nodded. 

 “I thought I imagined you while I was off. I didn't know someone informed you”. Bolt said in a soft voice. He saw Josh fiddling with his fingers and biting his lower lip. A clear sign of his distress. 

 “Richard called me as soon as you were brought to the hospital. I was so scared. It took them so long to operate you. And then explained the severity of your wounds. 

 You have been granted a new life Bolt. And I thought… I…”. Josh stopped himself to say anything as his eyes welled with tears, falling down. 

 “Hey… Josh. Come here handsome. Don't cry”. Bolt held his hand to pull him on the bed. He didn't know why his heart was twisting in pain to see Josh crying for him. 

 He had never seen him sad or scared, not even when he was mugged. So why now. He gently pulled Josh down to rest on his shoulder and let him cry all his fear. 

 “I am sorry. I am just….”. Josh pulled off after a while, wiping his eyes with a tissue. 

 How Bolt wanted to be able to sit up properly and hold him in his arms. 

 “It's okay. I hope you are feeling better now”. Bolt held his hand, rubbing his knuckles. He wanted to cherish every moment he could have with Josh. 

 “I was scared, Bolt. I was so scared when I got to know about it. I realized how mistaken I was to take everything for granted. No one knows whats hidden for them, but you being hit has awaken me from the deep slumber. 

 It has successfully burst the bubble I was living in. It told me nothing is promised. No future is granted, so what was I waiting for? Why was I holding back myself for?” Josh let out what he wanted to say. 

 “I… I don't understand anything Josh”. Botl licked his dry lips. What was Josh talking about? Was he regretting? Was he leaving him, considering his line of work. 

 “Are you leaving me?” Bolt asked with batted breaths..

 “Leaving you? What? No … no it's the opposite stupid”. Josh facepalmed himself. How could the police appoint such a dumb person for such a sensitive post. 

 “Can you please speak in plain English so that I might understand you”. Bolt said in a frustrated tone. 

  “I have been thinking for so long and I came to the conclusion that I cannot live without you. I have let the fear of my past overshadow my future so much that I closed my heart for every feeling associated with relationships or commitments.

 I thought I had all the time in the world to say what my heart eels for you and suddenly I realized how stupid I was to think about time. These two days have opened my eyes and made me see things pretty clearly.” Josh took a staggering breath. 

 It wasnt as easy to say as he had thought about it and not to mention the person subject to his confession was as clueless as it was written all over his face.

 “You still don't get it?” Josh gaped at him. How can someone be so dumb?

 “I… uh…. Are you saying exactly what I am thinking?” Bolt said hesitantly. He didn’t want to irritate Josh more than he already had.

 “And what are you thinking? Will you care to explain?” Josh said in an exasperated tone. 

 “I think… I think you are saying… saying that you….” 

 “Yes stupid, I am saying that I am starting to fall in love with you.” Josh all but shouted. Come on. Here he had opened his heart for him and he was still second guessing.

 “Josh…. Babe… I am sorry, please don't cry again.” Bolt leaned up carefully this time before he tugged Josh to sit on the bed and framed his face with his hands. 

 “It's surreal you know. For months I have been trying to sneak into your heart that I thought I will never get a place in your life more than a friend. So forgive me if it took me time to grasp on what you are telling me. 

 I have been in love with you since I saw you laughing for the first time when you came and greeted us at the farewell. I have seen you guarding your heart so tightly that I had totally lost all hopes at this point.

 I know there is something that has been haunting you all along and no matter how much I want to know what scared you to open your heart, I will wait for you. I just want you to promise me one thing Josh.” Bolt paused, lifting his chin to look into his eyes. 

 “What?” Josh whispered.

 “Never back away from me. Don't hide from me Josh. I love you with everything I have and do you want to know a secret?” Bolt bit his lower lip. 

 “What?” 

 “I was scared of losing you too. When I was hit, the last thought in my mind was about you. And when I woke up, I thought about whether you were informed or not.

 I promise I will never take you or my life for granted ever, only if you stay by my side.” Bolt was serious and so was Josh. 

 “You and me together, Bolt.” Josh looked dead into his eyes.

 “You and me together, forever.” It was all they both needed to be assured that they both had each other. 

 Josh stayed until Bolt was tired and he insisted he should take rest. He called the nurse who gave him a sedative to sleep for the night.

 Bolt kept holding his hand and no matter how much Bolt had insisted him to go home, he put his head on the bed near their joined hands and closed his eyes.

 He felt peaceful staying near Bolt, as if those machines were the lullaby to his soul.  

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 Tabby