when you get too close

Reine blinked with surprise, peering up at him, but she smiled slightly. "We have a balcony?" she asked with curiosity, though she closed her eyes with the affection she was receiving from him, admittedly relieved and happy to receive it. As the nurse pulled out the IVs and dealt with the heart monitor, Reine could feel herself cringing, her arm sore from the IVs and needles. "Um, do you mind?" she asked, looking to Luke, "I wouldn't even know where to begin..." Feeling the weight and warmth of his jacket, she cuddled into it, offering a smile as she climbed off the bed. "Thanks, Luke." She blinked, though. "Wait, you sing?"

Michael smiled slightly and kissed the side of her head gently. "I'm really glad you slept well," he told her quietly, watching her before he shifted to climb off the bed once she was standing. "I slept amazing. The concern for you was still there, but having you in my arms definitely eased my heart a bit." He grinned, watching her and tugged off his jacket, holding it up, motioning for her to slip her arms into it, not wanting to risk her getting sick. "You'll love seeing the house, I'm sure. You were so amazed by it the first time and then, even after, you still find new things to love about it all the time. I can't wait to see what catches your eyes the first time." He grinned, admittedly looking forward to seeing her reaction to the house, hoping that she loved it as much this time as she had the first time. "I can go deal with getting your check up set up, then we can get going?"

Luke nodded at Reine, loving curious she already was about the house. "We have a balcony." He confirmed. "It overlooks the beach." He explained, kissing the top of her head. "We sit there when we can't sleep." He told her. "Alright, I'll go and get that appointment booked in." He smiled. "Michael and Leigh are next door, if you wanna say hi." Although he took a moment to just admire her in his jacket. "It looks good on you." He winked, but nodded to her words. "I do! You loved it when I sung to you."

Leigh smiled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I'm glad you slept well, you needed it." Blinking in surprise when he held up his jacket for her to slip into, instead of just handing it to her, Leigh felt her heart squeeze in the best way. Approaching Michael and allowing him to slip the jacket onto her shoulders, Leigh leaned into Michael's touch subconsciously, loving the love that she felt radiate from him. "I uh, I look forward to going home and rediscovering everything." She smiled, feeling optimistic. But to his suggestion, she nodded. "Yes please."

"That sounds really nice, peaceful," Reine admitted quietly, offering a small smile, though she was now curious to see if it really was. She blinked, though, to his suggestion, and nodded slightly, unsure of how awkward that would be, having to explain that she didn't remember either of them, but she did want to meet them both. Her cheeks warmed, then. "Is it the first time I've worn it?" she asked with curiosity, peering down at the jacket for a few moments, though she grinned slightly. "I look forward to hearing you sing, then." Shifting a bit, she moved, taking his hand to give it a gentle squeeze before she pulled back. "I'll go say hi." A little anxious, she stepped out of her room to go to look for Leigh's. While Luke had said it was right next door, there was a room on each side of hers and she felt a little anxious.

"You needed it, too," Michael told her gently, though he was glad she'd managed to get rest in general. He was sure it would help with the recovery in the long run and he wanted to make sure that she got all the rest she needed to help with that. Seeing her lean into his touch when he helped her put the jacket on, he smiled and rubbed her shoulders gently. "I can't wait to see how you react to all of it. I know how amazed you were by all of it before and I'm sure you'll be just as amazed this time, but the thought that you get to experience all that wonder again will be fun for you, I'm sure." He grinned slightly, hoping that, when it came to the house and exploring it, she'd enjoy herself and that she'd find some solace there, that the house would make her feel comfortable. Shifting, he leaned to kiss the top of her head. "I'll be back before you know it."

Luke followed Reine out of the room as she went, feeling anxious to just be away from her, and he wondered if this would be a frequent thing after the accident, feeling separation anxiety. He couldn't stop himself, he almost lost her, and having her out of his eyesight made him feel like a concrete block sat on his chest. Resting his hands on her shoulders, Luke pressed a sweet kiss to her temple. "It is peaceful." He nodded, but laughing at her question about his jacket, Luke shook his head. "It's not. It's about the millionth, but still, it's one of the best things I've ever seen, you in it, I mean." He explained. Luke indicated to the room Michael was directed to the previous night. "They're in there."

Leigh felt Michael rub her shoulders and she exhaled happily, having to remind herself to pull away from his touch in case he felt that she was too clingy, too overbearing. She didn't want to put him off in any way. Although listening to Michael speak, she smiled and nodded along. "What's the best thing about it?" She asked, relishing in the feeling of his jacket on her, the warmth and comfort it provided feeling so amazing. Seeing Michael about to leave, Leigh's chest constricted, and she frowned. "Uh, Michael." She asked quickly. "D - do you have a hair tie, or something?"

Reine blinked with the feeling, peering back at him, though she found herself relaxing into his touch, her anxiety dissipating as she leaned back into his touch, closing her eyes with the kiss he planted against her temple. "You're sweet, but you're making me blush," she said with a quiet laugh, her cheeks warm, and she ducked her head a bit but looked to the room, nodding slightly. "Okay, um... Here goes nothing, I guess." She offered a weak smile to Luke before she moved to the room, knocking lightly on the door.

Michael gave a quiet hum as he thought about. "Well, I can tell you that your favorite thing is this cute little alcove," he told her, offering a smile, "I can't tell you how many times I've found you hidden away in there. You always looked so happy and relieved to be there, though, so I usually let you just enjoy it and just watched you, creeper that I am." He grinned teasingly, kissing the side of her head. "I'll make sure to show you that spot when we get home." He pulled away, feeling anxiety bubble up in him with the thought of leaving her, but he knew that he had to set up the appointment for her. He'd turned to leave but blinked, looking back to her, and smiled. "Of course." Nodding, he tugged off a hair tie from his wrist. "I tend to carry some around just for you." He grinned slightly and motioned for her to turn around so he could put her hair up. "Ponytail or bun?" Before he could get her answer, though, he heard the knock at the door and moved to answer it, blinking. "Reine, hey." Peeking further out the door, he saw Luke and offered his friend a wave. "Just a sec." He moved back to Leigh, grinning as he waited for her decision.

Reine froze at the door, seeing it open, and looked up at the guy who'd answered it, though there was no recognition, and she wasn't sure how to act around him or the girl inside and she could feel her heart sink a bit but she forced a smile. "Hi," she greeted quietly, peeking into the room, to the girl who she assumed was Leigh, "Um, is it okay if I come in?"

Luke smiled. "Good, I like making you blush." He grinned, pressing another gentle kiss to Reine's temple, smiling as her encouragingly as she knocked the door to Reine's room, clearly proud of how and how far she'd come in just a few short hours, considering when he'd saw her, she was unconscious and barely alive. Waving back at Michael when he appeared, Luke decided to wait for his best friend, still within a short distance of Reine, just wanting to comfort her, ensuring she knew she was safe and protected with him around.

Leigh paused as there was a knock on the door, smiling as she saw a girl that she didn't recognise. From what Michael had told her, Leigh assumed that this must have been Reine. "Sure, come in." She greeted warmly, not one to turn anyone down, but according to Michael, this girl had been Leigh's best friend. Turning to Michael as he asked which hairstyle she preferred, Leigh smiled. "You can do hair?" She grinned, clearly impressed. "Um, ponytail, please." She turned around for him, adjusting her blonde hair over her shoulders.

Reine nodding slightly, shifting a bit before she made her way into the room, though she fell silent, unsure of how to interact with these two, worried she'd do something wrong or upset them with her lack of memories when it came to both, especially the girl who was meant to be her best friend.

"Only the basics. I learned for you," Michael teased, grinning as he kissed the top of her head before he nodded. "Ponytail it is, alright." Shifting, he ran his fingers through her hair to smooth it out as much as he could before gathered up her hair as gently as he could, pulling it back into a ponytail carefully before securing it with the ponytail, grinning. "And, tada, a masterpiece!"

Luke joined Reine in the cubicle, murmuring to her gently. "That's Michael, and his girlfriend, Leigh. They've been together for almost four years, you girls met in your final year of school and hit it off straight away, you both studied language." He briefed her quietly, gently nudging her to show her he was there to support her.

Leigh smiled, relaxing completely when Michael ran his fingers through her hair, feeling like his touch was the most comfortable thing in the world. Laughing at Michael's words, Leigh ran her hands through the ponytail Michael had created and smiled. "Boyfriend of the year." She told him with a laugh.

Luke smiled at the two. "Michael, Reine needs an appointment. You coming with me to book it?" He asked.

Reine peered up at Luke, grateful to have him there, and she took him in, feeling rather lucky that he was being so supportive and helpful and patient. "Thank you," she told him quietly, offering a small smile as she nudged him gently back.

"I try. Anything for you," Michael grinned slightly, rubbing her shoulders gently before he leaned down kiss her cheek, though he gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "So, those two, run down," he told her in a whisper so the others could hear, "My best friend, Luke, and your best friend, Reine. They've been together for three years now, and you met Reine your final year of school, while you two were both studying language. I can't tell you how many times Luke and I have had to drag you away from each other to get some love." He grinned jokingly, giving her shoulders another squeeze and looked to Luke, nodding. "Yeah, I have to book Leigh's too." He kissed the top of Leigh's head again, telling her gently, "You've got this. I'll be back before you know it." And, while it tore him up to have to part from her, he wanted to make sure that her recovery went well, check up and all, and moved to Luke, leading the way out of the room.

Luke smiled as Reine nudged him. "You can do this, I have every bit of faith in you." He murmured to her gently.

Leigh reached for Michael without realising when he pulled away, but soon straightened herself out. She'd appreciated the quick run down that Michael had given her, grateful that he was being so patient throughout all of this. Looking to Reine, Leigh took a deep breath and smiled. "Hiya." She greeted. "I - I'm Leigh, but you probably, I mean, Luke probably already told you." She stammered nervously. "How're you feeling?"

Luke followed Michael. "I'm glad they're coming home." He admitted. "I hate hospitals." He looked to his best friend. "How're you holding up, man?" He stood at the nurses station, waiting to get someone's attention, as a nurse came over, Luke told her Reine's name and address for the appointment letter to come through. Waiting for Michael, Luke focused on his shoes. "At least we can look after them better at home."

Reine offered a weak smile, waving slightly. "Hi," she greeted with a small nod before she nodded slightly. "Yeah, um... Luke told me... I'm sorry, I don't really remember anything, but he said we were in the accident together, so I wanted to check on you." She shifted a bit, debating, and shrugged slowly. "As well as I can, I guess... Are you okay?"

"I can't wait to get Leigh home, get her somewhere comfortable," Michael admitted with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head slightly. "I'm just trying to help her through all of this. She's so... Lost on it all, she's forgotten everything, and I just... I hate seeing her like this, she doesn't deserve it, and I'm going to be there every step of the way." He moved over when it was his turn, informing the nurse of Leigh's name and address to get the appointment before he nodded to Luke. "I know what you mean. I'm just... So worried about her, man, and I love her so much, so I'm just hoping things get better for her."

Leigh smiled reassuringly at Reine. "Don't worry, I don't remember anything either." She ducked her head at that. "Yeah, Michael said... I'm - I'm sorry that it happened, I..." she blinked tears away, but nodded, getting frustrated that she couldn't remember any details. "I'm okay, I suppose." She confirmed, wrapping her arms around herself. "How's it, being with Luke?"

Luke nodded in understanding. "My car's still outside, do you and Leigh need a ride?" He asked, accepting his copy of the appointment letter, seeing that the date was for two weeks time. Luke exhaled heavily. "I know what you mean. I love Reine beyond words, and seeing her so wary, so... so scared." He blinked. "I hate it. But I'm not moving from her side. I want her to know she's got all the time in the world to learn." He frowned. "I spoke to Tanya, I better text her to let her know that Reine's coming home." He fished his phone out of his pocket, dropping a quick text to Reine's mother.

Reine shook her head quickly. "It wasn't your fault, it was the drunk driver," she assured her quietly, though she offered a weak smile. "It just sucks that we're in this situation, but... At least it seems like we've got good guys by our sides to help us." She chewed on her lip and smiled, a little stronger now. "It's been... Good... I know when I woke up and didn't recognize him, he was hurt, but he focused entirely on what was going on with me, rather than his own pain." She dropped her gaze, feeling guilty for that. "He's been so worried, but he just keeps trying to assure me that everything will be okay, that we'll get through it, but I just... Want to make it up to him that I'm putting him through this at all, you know? Even though I don't remember him, I... I really feel safe with him, comfortable, natural, even... I get why I loved him." She looked to her, then. "What about you with Michael?"

"Yeah, that'd be a big help. I don't want to have her walking in the cold," Michael admitted, worried about her getting sick. She was already dealing with enough, he wanted to make sure that he did everything he could to make sure that nothing got added to that. He nodded as he took the paper offered to him before focusing on Luke. "Yeah... Seeing Leigh how she is, that frightened... It's so hard to see her like that, because I can't think of anything that ever made her afraid and I want to do whatever I can to make this easier for her in hopes that her fear goes away, you know? But, also, just because she deserves that support and I want to have her by my side, I want to have her in my life, I just need her." He blinked, though, and nodded. "I called Arthur. That didn't go very well. He was gonna try to make her move back in with them." He frowned with the thought, but sighed, knowing he needed to do the same, and he texted Arthur to update him on what was going on.

Tanya, by then, had filled in her husband, who'd been at work when Luke had called to fill her in. He'd wanted to go there, but she'd assured him that, if they needed them, Luke would call, and had practically forced him to go to work that morning. When she got the text, she breathed out with relief. Thank you for letting us know, Luke. Keep us updated, please. We love you both. Have a safe drive home.

Leigh nodded along with Reine's words. "We hit the jackpot with those two, huh?" She smiled weakly. Listening to Reine intently, Leigh nodded along. "Pretty much the same with Michael." She shrugged. "He makes me feel so... protected. Loved." She looked towards the cubicle door. "Like he was made for me." She blinked. "And... and we're meant to be together, but I don't know him and I don't want to be weird about it and...." she stammered again, her cheeks heating up and mentally facepalming. "I can't wait to get home." She shrugged, changing the subject.

Luke pulled a face, knowing that Arthur and Leigh's mother, Lucy, hated Michael with a passion, but still, he nodded to Michael's words. "Maybe when they get home, they'll feel some old feelings." He shrugged. "Isn't that how this works?" He asked, arching an eyebrow and leading Michael back to the cubicle. "I know it's gonna get hard at times, but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat, just to make sure Reine would be mine." He confessed. Seeing Tanya had text back, Luke typed out a quick reply. We will. Love you.

"It really seems like it," Reine said with a small smile, ducking her head as she thought about Luke and how amazing he'd been with all of this. She nodded in understanding to Leigh's words, peering over at her. "I don't think you'd be weird about it. I mean... Even if you can't remember him, to him, you're still his girlfriend, you're still the person he loves. I doubt your memory loss changes that for him." She smiled, though, and nodded. "I can't either. I just... Want to be in an environment that meant something to me and it seems our home did, so... I want to be there already."

"Maybe. I hope it does. More than anything. But I also just... Want Leigh to be comfortable, you know? I want her to be somewhere where she isn't being poked and prodded with needles and IVs, in a comfortable bed, surrounding by everything that made our home home to her," Michael admitted quietly. "I just want her to be happy." He nodded, though, to his friend's words as he followed back to the cubicle, setting his gaze ahead as they walked. "I know what you mean. None of this changes how I feel about Leigh or how much I love her. If anything, it makes me more determined. We lucked out and, if their memory loss is what we all have to go through together as a trade for them having not died in that accident, I'm all in, because, even if she can't remember me, it still means that Leigh is alive and that she's still in my life, that I haven't lost her."

Leigh nodded. "Thanks, Reine." She smiled. "Here come pinky and perky." She joked, seeing the boys approaching the cubicle. Hinting for Reine to exit first, Leigh followed her out, heading to Michael. "Are we free?" She asked with light smile, just wanting to get out of the hospital, hating the dull, grey walls.

Luke squeezed Michael's shoulder in solidarity, smiling as the girls left the cubicle to meet them. Approaching Reine, Luke extended his hand to her, giving her the choice if she wanted to accept the offer or not. "We're gonna drive Michael and Leigh home first. We don't live far from each other." He explained to her gently. "Then we can get you comfortable at home, how does that sound?"

Michael smiled when he saw Leigh and he nodded. "Yeah, you're free," he assured her, holding up the paper. "Got your appointment booked and everything. We can head home now and relax. Luke's gonna drive us, since we came in his car and we don't live far from them, anyway." He smiled, offering his hand out to her, craving the contact but leaving the decision up to her. "We can leave whenever you're ready."

"Which one's pinky and which one's perky?" Reine asked a little jokingly, but she headed out, her expression softening at Luke's offered hand and she didn't even hesitate to place her hand in his, entwining their fingers together as she gave his hand a small squeeze. She nodded to his words, offering a smile. "I think that sounds like a good idea," she assured him quietly.

Leigh too Michael's hand with no hesitation, craving the contact just as much as he was. "Okay." She nodded, looking to Reine and Luke with a smile. "I'm definitely ready." She confirmed. "I hate this place. It's so dull." She shrugged her shoulders lightly.

"Did you just call us Pinky and Perky?" Luke frowned playfully. "I demand that I'm Pinky. I'm clearly superior to Michael." He teased, pressing a sweet kiss to the top of Reine's head. "If you're ready, we can get going." He smiled. "But if you get nervous in the car, tell us, we'll do everything we can to make you comfy."

Michael grinned, feeling her hand in his, and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I know, babe," he assured her, not even fully aware that the word had slipped past his lips, since it'd always been so easy and natural for him to call her that. "We'll get you out of here and home as quickly as possible. But, like Luke said, if you get nervous or upset in the car, let us know. I'll try my best to help."

"Oh? Is superiority the only thing that gives you the right to Pinky?" Reine asked a little jokingly in response, but she smiled with the feeling, leaning into it while she lasted before she peered up at him and nodded. "I'm ready," she assured quietly and chewed on her lip nervously, "Hopefully, that won't happen..."

"Don't worry if it does." Luke reassured Reine. "Told you, I'm in this for the long run, and that means helping you in any way that I can." He ran his thumb gently across Reine's knuckles as he led her out of the hospital and into the fresh air, the sky a little grey. Pressing a sweet kiss to Reine's temple, Luke led her to his car and opened the passenger side door for her with a smile. "Get comfortable."

Leigh looked at Michael as he called her babe, blinking, trying to process it and not wanting to admit that she loved it when he called her that. "Thanks, Mikey." She murmured, squeezing his hand gently, blinking as she stepped out of the hospital, adjusting to the sun. "Ow..."