Blue and Yellow

"All right Ms. Krane, that's the last of your bandages. I am happy to say I can let you leave here with a clean bill of health and no bandages to weight you down," my doctor said with a smile as I jumped off the sterile hospital table.

I had just been okayed to not have to wear my bandages around my waist. Devin had broken three of my ribs, bruised a few of my internal organs, snapped one of my collar bones in half, popped my shoulder out of its socket, and re-crushed my wrist to the point where I now had all sorts of metal in it. There was a bunch of other trauma, including a massive head injury that the doctors had thought might leave me with some problems, but hadn't. I was whole. Both inside and outside now.

Devin had been arrested and sentenced to massive prison time with police photos of what I looked like, Bert's testimony, and even some of the neighbors finally spoke up.

Bert and I weren't dating, but Quinn and Krissy were. And it was still the cutest thing ever as it had been all those months ago when he had finally asked her out. She had jumped up on top of the cashier counter and thrown herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck as an answer. Like I said, they were cute together. I've never seen two people blush so much.

I had had my haired redyed just like I had always wanted it. I had fire for hair, just like that one kid at my first ever Used concert. The one who had taken the time to help me out as I blundered around. That was a far cry from me now. I went to shows all the time, in fact I had moved out of the Haven, after many tears from Joyce, and moved in with Bert. He gave me the spare room. And for once I didn't mind cleaning up an apartment, especially since he had helped. And then so had the rest of the guys and Krissy when they came over for beer and movie night. I partied, I was wild and crazy, I slept in till after three on the weekends, I had a job, I had friends, I was alive. Inside and out.

"Thank you Steve. I've never been so happy in my entire life," I said to my doctor as he finished the last of the paperwork.

"I am glad to have been able to contribute to that. You know that if any of your injuries give you problems to give us a call and come back in?" my doctor asked as he looked sternly at me, but like a father would.

"Yes sir. Besides Bert would kill me if I didn't. And I don't feel like dying any time soon," I said as I gathered up my stuff.

"You definitely have a will to live unlike any other I've ever seen. And you have a good man there, that Bert. He treats you well, and it's nice to see you have someone love you as much as he does after everything," he said as he stood up to hold the door open for me.

I looked up at him as I paused in the doorway. Bert loved me? It must of shown on my face how confused I was at his last statement because he simply started to chuckle.

"Ahhh, young love. Always so blind," my doctor said as I walked out the door and to the waiting room where Bert was in fact waiting.

"Bye Eli," a nurse behind the desk said.

I simply waved. I was still in shock from my doctor's words. And I think what shocked me the most was I think he got it backwards. I think I was the one in love, not the other way around.

I knew I looked dazed when I came out of the of the door from the back where the rooms were and entered the waiting room. When Bert came up to me with a worried look on his face I snapped out of it a bit.

"Just the shock of being bandage free finally after so long," I reassured him.

"I would say so," he said as he slipped his hand into mine and walked side by side with me out to the car.

The whole car drive I was nervous. I had to do something. I couldn't believe it. I was actually in love with him. After so many bad relationships I actually felt that I was in love with someone. And I was scared as hell. Not because I was afraid it would be like every other one I had ever had, but because I really and truly loved him. And that emotion, especially this strong scared the bee jesus out of me.

As we neared our apartment I felt my leg start to bounce, something I realized that only Bert was able to calm. And I knew he picked up on it as we pulled into the parking lot because after he stopped the car and took the keys out he placed them in his lap and turned to look at me. I didn't want to turn my head and face him, I couldn't, I was still trying to figure out what I was going to do. And I knew he would be able to read it in my eyes and I didn't want him to know before I did.

"Eli, what's the matter hun? You've been odd since you got out of your appointment," Bert said, kindness and patience sounding in his voice.

That's all it took.

I turned quickly and in one quick movement captured his face in my hands and his lips with my own. I just pressed them there, taking in the softness of them and the taste that was his own. Only when I felt my face go red from embarrassment did I let go of his face and lips and sit back meekly.

"I-I'm sorry, I," I stuttered softly but was cut off.

By his lips on mine. He was kissing me. He was kissing me BACK!

Once my senses started working again I kissed back with everything I had in me and still wanted to give more. I laced one of my hands through his hair, wrapping my fingers in like I didn't ever want to let go. I sat up straighter without breaking the kiss and scooted closer. When I felt his tongue run across my lips for entrance I gladly opened them just so I could deepen the kiss more. I moaned slightly at the feeling of his tongue running along side my own, scooting closer so I could press my body against his as he ran his tongue across the roof of my mouth. That earned its own moan all by itself. Then I felt Bert pull away from the kiss.

"I love you Eli Krane, and have since I bought you that first cup of coffee, possibly before then," Bert said a little out of breath.

I smiled at him as I brought my eyes up from his slightly kiss swollen lips to his hazel eyes. And I knew he was telling the truth, it was all there in his eyes, and it had been the entire time I realized. I had just been to blind to see it. And now that I saw it, it made the sparkle from his laughter dim in comparison. His eyes seemed to be on fire and his whole world was there in it for me to take and do with what I wanted. And I knew my eyes held the same, a mirror reflection in pale gray.

"I love you too Bert McCracken," I said and then went in to kiss him again.