Love and Drama Pt. 04

Beep...Beep...Beep... The steady rhythm of the heart monitor echoed in the otherwise quiet hospital room. The glow from the late day sun seeps around the closed blinds barely illuminates the surrounds, while a lone figure sits next to Daphne, who lays unconscious in the sterile white bed. For days, the only people in and out of this room are the attending nurses and Alex, who spends all of his recent days holding his love's hand, praying she will emerge from her shallow coma. Alex himself wears a wrap around his head from where he had been struck by his "friend" William, the same person who nearly killed Daphne.

Silently praying, Alex holds Daphne's hand, gently stroking it with his thumb, hoping to see some sign of conscious life come from her. Feeling her pain, he surveys the damage done to her by his so-called friend, Alex's concussion was but a scratch compared to all of her broken bones, contusions and abrasions. Cursing himself for letting his guard down and allowing William back into his apartment after all he's done.

The door to the room swings slowly open and in walks the shift nurse. An older woman wearing a smile whispers to Alex,

"Still sleeping?"

Alex nods and stands to let the nurse by to check Daphne's IV and readouts. Walking to the door he glances over his shoulder at Daphne, and sighs deeply. He pulls the doors open and is smashed by the chaotic din of typical hospital sounds. Leaving the nurse to tend to his love, he hurried down to the cafeteria to grab a quick dinner.

Returning, Alex returns to Daphne's side, and takes up her hand once again. Now the room has grown darker, as the sun has disappeared for the night. Only the eerie florescent light above the bed illuminates the bed area. A deep sigh and a tear is all Alex can muster at this point. How could I let this happen? Daphne knew it would be a bad idea, the girl is smart, I should have picked up on that. DAMMIT! Alex unconsciously squeezing Daphne's hand when he heard something;

"H-Hey there..." A faint whisper emanates from Daphne's dry, chapped lips.

"Daph?!" Shock races across Alex's face.

"Hi...sweetie..." Her voice is shallow and weak.

"Daph!" Shock is quickly replaced with joy. Alex leans in close to her, and smiles, "How do you feel baby?"

Barely able to muster a whisper, "rested..." she smiles, but falls into a coughing fit.

"Easy girl! Slow down." Smiling, Alex brushes her bright red hair from her face.

"I-I missed that smile so much." Daphne states trying to sit up, the feeling of dizziness overwhelms her and she slumps back in the bed.

"I said, slow down." Alex scolds her as he gets her some water.

"Are..." swallowing hard, "are you ok?" Daphne asked reaching for the wound on the side of Alex's head.

Grabbing her hand gently and kissing it, "Yes baby, I'm fine" Assuring her, "Don't worry about me."

She smiles sweetly at him." I do worry." Her voice gains some strength. Taking another sip of water she recalls what happened, "Have they caught William yet?"

"Oh! Baby... yes. He's been in jail for six days." He assures her.

"Six days?!" wheezing, she inquires, "How long have I been out?"

Alex bows his head and takes her hand again, "A week.. you've been in a 'shallow coma'."

Now Daphne's face turns to shock.

"But now you're awake, William is in jail, and we are together."

Daphne weakly sitting up reaches up and strokes Alex's face. Sitting quietly, Alex and Daphne stare into each others eyes.

"I love you so much Alex." Daphne's voice was clear and strong.

Smiling, Alex kisses her cheek "I never thought I could love anyone like I love you. You have made my life complete, and after all of this, I know it more than I have ever known anything in my life. If I were to ever lose you, I would have nothing, no reason..." His voice trails off.

"You will never be rid of me, you're my adorable lover." Wrapping her arms around his neck she kisses him deeply. Alex returns her kiss with deep passion, and lust.

"Damn girl, you have the best lips!"

"Ok you two!" The attending nurse had crept in, "She needs her rest young man." She sarcastically scolded Alex.

"Alright, alright." He rolled his eyes at Daphne who giggled weakly with him.

"Go home baby, I'll be here tomorrow." She kisses his nose, "go!"

"OK baby, I will be back tomorrow morning." He wanted to make sure she knew definitely knew he would be back as soon as the hospital would let him back in.

Blowing her a kiss from the door, Alex departs, and Daphne lays back and smiles from ear to ear.

Sitting propped up in her sterile hospital bed, Daphne picks at the days lunch. Outside, how she longs to be outside again, breathe the cool autumn air. Her mind begins to wander; realizing her surgery has been delayed, and her hand has been fractured and twisted by the attack, she wonders what she will even do. Doubt fills her mind, she's always been insecure, and unsure of herself. This trip, her surgery, Alex... her priorities are changing as she sits and watches the bird flock soar across a gray sky. Her art has taken a step back from her internal spotlight, and Alex has pushed his way to the fore. She wasn't always like this, she didn't always let anything distract her from her goals.

Now, her mind fills with all sorts of thoughts of all sorts of subjects. She wonders if Alex is for real, he seems to good to be true. Cynical? As usual. Always on the move, Daphne needs some sanity, and stability in her life. Is Alex the one to give it to her? Granted she only met him two weeks prior, but everything they've gone through and he's been right there every second she needs him.

Except now. He's mysteriously missing on this, now rainy early afternoon. Has he given up on her? Is she now all alone in a foreign country? Is she- Suddenly the door swings open, it's Alex with a big smile on his face, and a bouquet of flowers on his hands.

"Good morning beautiful!" He said in a cheery, loud voice.

"Hey you, where you been?" Unsure she wants to know.

"Out." he replied vaguely.

"Out huh?" She echoed, "Well? Are those for me?" motioning to the flowers.

"These? No, there for my other girlfriend in the next room, I meant to stop there first."

"Funny." Rolling her her eyes she sipped her ice water.

Alex set the flowers on the table in front of the window, "How are you feeling today?" he inquired sitting on the bed.

"I don't know, why don't you check?" She winked at him.

"Ha!" Throwing his head back he laughed, "Oh girl, you are definitely doing better."

"Ya, I was worried about you. You didn't say you had work this morning." She pried about his morning.

"Sorry about that, I called this morning but the nurse said you were in x ray."

"They wanted to see how things were going, apparently not everything they thought was broken is actually broken." She declared with a grin.

"That's great babe." He replied grabbing her leg, "Any news on when I can break you out of this joint?"

"Not sure, my doctor said he'd be by this afternoon." She explained, "Since things aren't as bad as they initially thought I might be able to go h-... be released pretty soon." She held her breath.

"Home? Yes baby," Her stroked her leg and bowed his head for a few seconds, "You may, I mean I would be honored if you called my place home."

She smiled and a single tear welled up in her eye. Doing her best to hold it back she mouthed the words 'thank you'.

Alex smiled and leaned in, "You're very welcome" he whispered and kissed her nose. She crinkled her nose letting out a soft giggle.

"You STILL haven't told me where you were this morning." She stuck out her lower lip in a pouting fashion.

"OH! So, I got a call this morning from my attorney," He began seriously "We are going forward with assault charges, and he said we could even push for attempted murder."

"Whoa," Swallowing hard, "Murder?"

"Ya, or at the very least a hate crime." He added.

There were those words. "Hate crime" Daphne cringed, at them being spoken out loud. It was like a painful reminder of what she is. Alex had made her all but forget, but now it came screeching back to the front of her mind. She began to shake, and all the doubt and insecurities she's had all her life came roaring back, and seemed to hit her like a truck. Tears welling up in her eyes she turns away from Alex and wipes them away.

"Babe?" Alex leaned in concerned, "You ok?"

"Ya-ya, I am ... fine." She unconsciously replied glancing anywhere but into Alex's eyes.

"Daph? What's wrong?" Sliding up the bed closer to her.

"Nothing..."

"Daphne, talk to me." He began to plead.

"It's nothing," She sniffled and tried to smile. "I don't know about all that, just let him rot."

Alex gave her a fleeting confused look, and then smiled with her. He let it go for now, they continue to chat, and talk about her being released. As if on cue, Daphne's doctor enters the room.

"Oh, hey!" Daphne trying to sound more upbeat than she is.

"Hello," nodding to Alex, the doctor approaches the bed side.

"I have very good news, all of the x rays and blood work are back, and it looks like you can go home."

"That's so great! No offense, but I hate it here." She replied.

Chuckling, the doctor turned to the nurse who had followed him in. "Can you get her release paperwork together, and I will be back to sign them?"

"Sure doctor." The nurse replied and hurried out of the room.

Turning back to the bed, "Now, you can go home, but I want you to take it easy. Nothing to strenuous," He glanced at Alex, "just relax for a few days."

Daphne and Alex looked at each other and began to giggle.

"OK, as long as you understand." The doctor said rolling his eyes. As he walked out of the room, Alex leaned in and kissed Daphne again, "I can't wait to get you all to myself again."

"I know baby, I have missed sleeping next to you."

"sleeping, ya, that's what's gonna happen!" He replied nodding sarcastically.

Daphne crinkled her nose and giggled at him.

"No, no. I am trying to reschedule my-" Daphne sits on the patio of Alex's flat, on the phone with her surgeon's office.

"Right, I understand that. I was attacked and in the hospital for the last week. That's right, in a coma!"

Alex appears in the doorway and shakes his head. Walking up behind her, her hair up in pigtails, her neck bared to him. Taking advantage of this, he kisses her neck, and whispers, "Morning babe."

Smiling shivers, and nods.

"Right! Yes, I need to reschedule, and no, I don't have another five thousand dollar deposit." Alex walks around in front of her with a shocked look on his face. Mouthing the words five thousand dollars? Daphne replies with a an annoyed nod, which Alex replies with a disbelieving head shake.

"Yes, I'll be at this number for the foreseeable future." She glances up at Alex to see his reaction, a grin tells her all she needs to know. "OK, yes, thank you." Hanging up the phone she shakes her head and crumbles up a piece of paper she was doodling on.

"They really want another five thousand?!" Alex asked sitting next to her.

"I don't know, they said they'd contact the doctor and the billing/finance manager to see if an exception can be made. Normally, if you miss your surgery date without a month notice, they can keep your deposit and ask for another if you do actually want to have the surgery at a later date."

"Wow, that's nuts!" He declared putting his arm around her. Instinctively she snuggles up to him, and smiles contently.

"That makes it all better." She said softly.

"I wish we could sit here all day," His voice trailed off.

Daphne pulled away, "But..."

"But. I want to get dressed up and come with me to your studio space, Katia and I have been working on it some more while you were in the hospital." He explained.

"Really? Dressed up to go to the studio? That's weird. And you have it set up perfectly already, what more could you have done?" She questioned excitedly.

"I love when you get like this." he said, in return helping her up. "You're so cute!"

"Tell me! What else did you do?" she continued jumping up and down, but suddenly stopped, pain shot through her leg, as she reached down to grab it. "OWW!" It had been another week, and she was on the mend, but some damage was taking longer to heal.

"Baby, please be careful, maybe we should go tomorrow." He teased.

"No, let's go now!" she said grabbing his arm and dragging him off the patio.

"ok, ok! We can go now." He laughed as they headed for the bedroom to change.

As they approached the studio a girl emerged from the tattoo parlor next door. Black hair to her waist, covered in tattoos, black jeans, a black tank top with the words Fallen Angel Ink on it. She turns and sees Alex and Daphne approaching.

"Alex! Hey!" She calls to him.

"Sofia, hey there."

Daphne leans into Alex, "Another girlfriend?" She asked sarcastically.

"No, she works next door to your space, and she's just a friend."

"Better be." She replied poking his side.

"Alex, is this her?" Sofia asked extending her hand toward Daphne.

"Yes this is Daphne, Daph, this is Sofia."

"Hey, it's awesome to finally meet you. We've heard a lot about you from Alex."

"Nice to meet you too, and now I am scared." She replied with a nervous laugh.

"No, no. He had nothing but very sweet, kind things to say about you. It was actually kind of sickening. I figured you'd have a halo or something." Sofia explains as she walks next door in-front of them.

As they arrive at the studio all of the windows and door are covered from the inside with paper.

"What the heck? Why did you cover the windows?" Daphne asked concerned.

"Just wait." Alex responded, turning to Sofia, he nodded. Sofia smiled and opened the door, and yelled "NOW!"

Suddenly the paper was ripped from the windows, inside was a bunch of people Daphne did not know. Shocked she turned to Alex, "What's going on, I don't know these people."

"These are my friends, they all know about you. I have been talking about you for two years. They are wonderfully accepting people with open arms and open hearts. Oh, and you DO know a couple of people in there. Come on Let's go."

"I-I do?" She replied following him inside.

She was immediately surrounded by people with friendly welcoming smiles, and hugs. On the walls were some of Daphne's older works, fully framed and on display. She couldn't believe Alex had gone through so much trouble to have her art shipped over seas. She waded through the crowd, being sure to great each person, who seemed to have known her for years they way they reacted to her. She began to feel at ease until-

"Uh oh!" Someone from the back of the room said loudly.

Daphne spun her head around, and her eyes widened, "James!" She ran to him and gave him a hug. "What are you doing here?" She said wiping a joyous tear from her eye.

"Well, Alex called me after they released him from the hospital, and told me what had happened. I canceled all my appointments, and flew here on the company jet as soon as I could. I got in last night."

"Last night?!"

"We got together to plan this little shin-dig just for you." Alex stated. "You were passed out, and I wanted you to rest."

"I took Alex to dinner. He's a great guy Daphne, I am really happy for you." He said putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "You guys are so lucky to have found each other."

Daphne stood slightly shocked, she'd never seen this side of James before, he was so...

"Daph, James told me something pretty exciting, but I'll let him tell you." Alex said kissing her on the temple, and shaking James' hand. "See you later James."

James smiled, and motioned for Daphne to follow him to the back, work area. He took a sip of his wine, and sat down on a stool, motioning for Daphne to do the same.

"Let me first start off by saying I am so happy that you are OK, I know what happened...all of it. I spoke with your doctors, and your medical bills have been dealt with."

"What? Why would you do that? You didn't have to-" Daphne began.

"Now, just stop. They have all been taken care of, and I don't want to hear another word about it." James said in a sarcastically scolding fashion.

"Alright, well thank you."

"Sure." James dipped his head, and cleared his throat. Daphne was positive the next thing he was going to say was bad news. Was he cutting off her benefits after paying her bill? Was she being let go altogether? "Now, I don't want to have to tell you this, but after Alex called me I got a hold of your folks."

"My-my folks?" Daphne worried.

"Yes. I told them what had happened,, and that I would let them fly with me on our jet over here to see you, and they flatly refused." He shook his head, "there's more."

"I guess I am ready."

"They told me in no uncertain terms that they do not wish for you to ever come visit them, or to call them. It would seem they have effectively disowned you."

Her stomach dropped, she felt sick, and her heart hurt. She began to weep, as she became overwhelmed with grief. Her muscles tighten, and her leg began to hurt again. Her head began to pound as she broke into tears. Sobbing uncontrollably, she began to feel dizzy and wavered in her chair. She felt as though she might faint, James jumped up and hugged her. He began to cry as well.

James and Daphne emerged from the back dry faced and in slightly better spirits. James had tried to cheer her up with stories of their workplace. Alex met them as the exited the work space, and hugged her. "I know, James told me, but I wasn't sure if he'd tell you right now."

"Ya, he thought it best he tell me right away, and with all these wonderful people around that I might be OK. Anyway, I'll be fine, I have you, and that's all I-" She stopped mid sentence. Across the room, just entering the studio was a woman that grabbed her attention immediately. Black knee-length skirt, black mid-calf length boots, black blouse with a under-bust corset over it. She wore her purple, dread-locked hair in two large pigtails, her makeup was counter to her dress. Light with a fusia lipstick. Daphne could not take her eyes off of her, she just nodded unconsciously as Alex spoke to her.

"Daph? Daphne?" Alex snapped her back to "reality".

"Sorry, spaced out there I guess." She replied pulling her gaze from the woman.

"No problem." He scanned the room and saw the same woman, and smiled. He grabbed Daphne's wrist and tugged her across the room, "Come on, there's someone I want you to meet."

As they crossed the room, weaving in and out of revelers. Daphne noticed they were headed straight for the woman she had been staring at, she grew nervous, but she wasn't sure why. Something about this girl stirred her desire, which confused her even more. She always thought of herself as a "straight woman", but this girl was getting the same reaction Alex gets from her.

Finally they stop in front of the woman, Alex hugs her. "Daphne, this is Nikki, Nikki this is Daphne."

"Daphne? Oh my god! It's so great to finally meet you!" Nikki wrapped her arms around Daphne who returned the hug. Her nostrils filled with Nikki's perfume, and a chill ran down her spin, suddenly she wanted this girl, bad.

"Nice to meet you too." Daphne replied letting her go and wrapping her arms around Alex.

"Alex has told me SO much about you, I feel like I have known you forever. Like we could have been friends since we were kids."

"Kids?" Daphne was suddenly filled with dread. Did Alex tell her she was trans-gendered? If so, why would he do such a thing?

"Yes, kids." Nikki winked and looked to Alex.

He smiled and whispered in Daphne's ear, "She's trans too."

Daphne looked at Alex who nodded, and then to Nikki, who smiled and nodded.

"No way!" Daphne blurted out. She composed her self and lowered her voice, "No way... you are trans? I-I am just shocked."