Status: re-post :)

Beside You

Chapter 10

Gretchen’s POV

Dan was coming home today and I was trying to tidy the house a bit before I went to pick him up. I was dancing around the living room while I dusted the shelves. I was thinking of something to do for Dan to welcome him home. I knew that I didn’t have to do anything to the apartment to help him get around, but I felt the need to do something. Finally as an idea popped into my head, I quickly put the broom down. I looked up at the clock on the wall. I had 3 hours until I had to go get Dan. That was plenty of time.

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Later that day … at the hospital

I walked into the hospital with a smile on my face. I was happy to see the look on Dan’s face once I brought him back to the apartment. Walking through the halls leading to Dan’s room, I bumped into someone. Looking up, I saw the face of Claude. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped slightly. Looking closely at the features on his face, I could sense some anger. I wanted to comment on it, but I shrugged it off for the sheer shock that he was standing in front of me.

“Claude?!? What are you doing here? I thought you had to go back to Philly.”

Claude shook his head. “Well, I decided to stick around and make sure the Dan was alright. You didn’t text me when yesterday to tell me how he was. I was worried.”

I slightly shrugged my shoulders. “Sorry, I was carried away trying to tidy up the house and make sure everything was set for when I brought him home today.”

Claude smiled. “That’s okay, I just wanted to check on him. He wants to get out of that hospital bed.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I can’t wait to take him home. I hate hospitals.”

Claude gave me a small smirk. “Well, do you need help with anything?”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t. Thank you, though. I think I got everything under control.”

He smiled, but I could sense a bit of sadness in his face. “Okay. Well, I got a plane to catch. Text me sometime, yea?”

I nodded. “Okay, will do.”

Claude walked away and I couldn’t help but wonder what caused that slightly angry look on his face. Nevertheless, I walked into Dan’s room.

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Dan’s POV

I was seething after Claude left. I couldn’t wrap my head around him dating Gretchen. I mean, I loved the guy. He was one of my best friends, but I just didn’t want him with Gretchen. I knew that I was going home today and I was happier than a pig in shit, but I couldn’t get the thought of Claude and Gretchen out of my head.

I heard footsteps coming up towards the door of my room and not knowing if it was Gretch or not, I tried my best to conceal my anger. When I saw her walk in, I tried to put on my best smile. She walked up to me with a weird look on her face.

“Hey, what was Claude doing here?”

I sighed.

“Oh, he was just checking up on me, that’s all.”

She squinted her eyes, trying to read my face and I hoped she wouldn’t see through my lie. Unfortunately for me, she knew me too well.

“Okay, spill it.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. Gretch stepped closer to my bed. “Does this have anything to do with how you ended up here? Or with Claude?”

“Both…?” I wasn’t sure how she would react, so I left it as a question, kinda.

She raised an eyebrow at me. “Dan….what are you saying?”

I sighed. “I don’t know. I….I didn’t like you going out with Claude.”

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Gretchen’s POV

My eyes widened slightly at Dan’s words. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. He seemed okay with me going out with Claude. Sure, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it, but he never told me that it would cause a problem.

“What do you mean? Are you … are you jealous?”

I heard him sigh and he turned his head away from me. “I don’t want to be.”

I took his hand in mine. “Dan…talk to me.”

He pulled his hand away from me. I would be lying if I said it didn’t sting. “Okay, well, if you’re going to act like that, I’m going to talk to the doctor and see if your release papers are ready.”

I could feel the tears sting my eyes as I got up from the chair beside his bed and left the room. I walked up to the nurses’ desk. The lady behind the desk and gave me a look of sympathy.

“It’s hard to see them like that, isn’t it?”

I raised my eyebrow slightly, but then remembered what she was talking about. Nodding, I shrugged my shoulders.

“Yeah, but right now, I just want to get him home. Are his papers ready?”

She nodded with a smile spread across her features. “Yes, they are. Let me grab them for you.” She stood up from her chair. “Do you want me to bring them to his room? So as soon as he’s don’t changing you two can leave?”

“Yes, please. I’ll go tell him he can change.”

I walked back into Dan’s room. He was in the same position I left him in.

“You can change now, the nurse is bringing your papers in then we can leave.” I turned again to leave.

“Gretch?”

On my heel, I turned my body back to face him. I didn’t say anything, not knowing if it will make him shut me out again.

“Don’t leave me.”

I felt the tears spring up again. “You’re my best friend, Danny. I wouldn’t do that. For the next little while, you need me.”

A soft smile came on his face as I left his room to let him change. I figured if he wanted help, he would ask. Since he didn’t, I stood in the hallway on the lookout for the nurse to give him the nod to be decent.

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Dan’s POV

What the hell did she mean, for the next little while? I thought to myself as I got changed. I didn’t just want her around for a little while. I wanted her around forever. I needed to talk to her and set the record straight.

When I heard Gretch yell into the room that the nurse was here with the papers, I was stumbling to the door. I met both of them in the doorway. The nurse called the doctor over to where we were. He looked between Gretch and I.

“Okay, fortunately, your injuries aren’t all that bad, Mr. Carcillo. However, we would like to have confirmation that someone will be able to look after you for the next couple of days.”

I nodded. “Okay, that’s not a problem.”

“Yes, I live with him, so I will be able to help him with whatever he needs.”

The doctor nodded as I gave him a toothless grin. He let me sign my papers and Gretch and I were on our way. As we walked out of the hospital, I could tell that she was a little apprehensive. When we got to the car, I couldn’t handle the silence anymore.

“Can we talk?”

“Sure. But first, you need to know that there is a surprise when we got home.”

“A surprise?”

She nodded curtly. “Yes, a surprise, Daniel. Y’know, those things that people keep a secret from other people to get a reaction out of them?”

“Okay, what is your problem, Gretch? Is it because I didn’t tell you I was jealous?”

“Forget it, Dan, okay? I just want to get home.”

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. That wasn’t how I wanted this to go. I was enticed but whatever this surprise was, though. I mean, I knew it wasn’t the thing I wanted, but at least she wasn’t completely shutting me out. I kept to myself, looking out the window the rest of the ride home.

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Gretchen’s POV

I didn’t what to say to Dan. I had this surprise sitting in the house, waiting for him, but after talking to him about Claude and not getting a straight answer out of him, I didn’t know what to say.

We walked up to door of the condo and I closed my eyes as I turned to Dan before unlocking the door.

“Okay, I’m sorry for the mess, I tried to clean up as much as I could.”

“It’s fine. Can we go in now? I’m kinda excited about this surprise.”

I couldn’t help but smile. I knew he would be happy about this. Opening the door, my jaw dropped at the sight of the apartment. I turned my head to look at Dan. He had a sheepish smile on his face.

“You sure you cleaned?”

“Yes, I did,” I huffed. “I did not make this mess.”

“Well, if you didn’t, who did?”

I walked into my bedroom and crouched down, picking up the culprit. Walking back into the living room, I saw that Dan had plopped his ass on the couch.

“Welcome home,” I put a small smile on my face. Dan looked up and a grin broke out on his face.

“A puppy? You got me a puppy?”

“Well, I figured that you would need some time to heal before you got back on the ice and I would be at work some of the time, so you should have a companion.”

He took the puppy from my arms and he cuddled right into Dan’s neck.

“What’s his name?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I didn’t name him. It’s your dog.”

He looked at him and put his “concentration face” on, clearly thinking of a name. I didn’t want to interrupt his time with his new friend, so I went back down the hallway.

“Hey, Gretch?”

I turned around. Dan was walking toward me. It felt as if my feet were glued to the floor and I wasn’t moving. When Dan was within an arms-length of me, he placed a hand on my cheek. Pulling me into him, he softly placed his lips on mine. Wrapping an arm around my waist, there was no space left between us as our lips moved together. After what felt like an eternity, he pulled away. He took a couple of steps backwards.

“I…uh…I just wanted to..uh…say thank you…for the puppy, erm, Chief…goodnight.”

He swiftly turned on his heel and left me in the hallway; confused, fingers lightly touching my lips where his were mere seconds ago, and shocked.
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Okay, okay. I know this took forever and a day to get updated, but I had to re-write this chapter almost from scratch. I hope everything up until chapter 17 flows smoothly. I had those chappys already typed up, but am looking thme over to see if I want to change anything.

Again, I know that Carbomb is now with the LA Kings, but I'll always love him as a Hawk, so for now, this story is going to keep him as a Hawk.

Thanks to all those who read this, and I'm sorry if the writing is a bit sloppy. Haven't written in a while. School and life have gotten in the way.

steph <3