Self Sacrifice

When Andy woke, Austin was asleep on their entwined hands. He watched him, somehow looking troubled in his sleep.
He moved slightly and pain shot through him, making him jolt upwards slightly, and Austin woke with a start.
"Are you alright?!"

"Yeah...sorry...just...everything hurts." Austin kissed his forehead and buzzed for the nurse to come in and administer more pain relief.

"Wait - we need to talk before that. I can't concentrate with the morphine, it makes me fuzzy-"

"Nothing is so important that you should be in pain."

"I need to know some things first- can you come back in like ten minutes, please?" The nurse sighed but nodded and left, much to Austin's annoyance.

"How long...was I there for?"

"Eight days, nine if you include the time that they kidnapped you." Andy nodded.

"And where are we, exactly?"

"We're in Moscow."

"Russia?! Why?"

"That I don't know, yet."

"....where are they?" Austin's eyes filled with sadness as Andy asked the question quietly, in a small voice.

"We had to rush you to hospital, I shot them in their feet beforehand though, so they won't have gotten far. And I've got two IT geniuses tracking their movements, I'll be keeping a close eye on them for now, don't worry Andy. I'm going to keep you safe-"

"I'm not worried about that." Austin raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Well, maybe a little. I just want to go home."

"And you will, we'll go home as soon as you're safe to travel. One of my acquaintances has a plane, and he's promised us flights to wherever we want. The doctor recommended you go to your flat as soon as possible, to be in a familiar environment." Andy nodded.

"What's the damage? Last question I promise." Austin sat down and squeezed his hand.

"You have severe bruising, dehydration and mild starvation, a broken ankle, wrist and dislocated shoulder. You're so badly bandaged up because apparently...he cut you, quite a lot. You caught an infection at some point, and you have damage to your lungs-" Andy closed his eyes at that memory and Austin sat on the edge of the bed, holding his shoulders gently.

"I wish I could take it all away from you, but I can't. But I can promise that I'll keep you safe, and that you can talk to me about anything, anything at all." Andy nodded and swallowed dryly.

"Oh, sorry, are you thirsty or hungry? One of the nurses told me that you could start eating once your fluid intake had increased, which it will have by now. Start off small, I'll make sure it's something nicer-"

"Just some water would be good, thank you." Austin smiled and nodded before leaving hesitantly. The moment he was gone, Andy shut his eyes and tears began to overflow. The nurse walked in and upped his pain meds before handing him a tissue.

"It's...not always easy...to talk to people, I know. But that man has made sure that you haven't been alone for a minute, he loves you very much, I think." Andy blinked and shrugged slowly.

"I don't know, but thank you." She smiled encouragingly and patted his shoulder.

"You get some sleep." Andy half smiled at her heavy accent and nodded, clouding over once he was alone again.

The following few days followed the same pattern, Austin buzzing around like a bee, trying to make sure Andy was in the best possible way. Andy would cry when he left the room, and the meds were continuously fed into him until the time for the flights arrived.
Andy, almost completely wrapped in bandages and casts, was carried to the car by Austin. Sean and Daniel accompanied them the whole way back to America. Andy, still partially drugged, slept most of the journey back. Austin stayed awake and ignored calls and messages from work, keeping a close eye on Andy, ensuring that his condition didn't worsen. Sean stood up silently and laid a hand on Austin's shoulder.

"Rest your eyes for a minute, we'll keep watch over him for you."

"Thank you, but I'll just feel better if I'm watching him." Daniel gave Sean a look when he opened his mouth to argue and he relented, returning to his seat begrudgingly.

Austin had organised for a car to pick them up directly outside the plane - he wasn't going to tolerate peoples prying eyes on Andy, in his state, through the airport.
"Thank you." Austin said as the men driving the two cars left them to it.

"Ok, Larry, the boys and myself will take one car, I'll ensure it's returned to the company." Austin nodded, setting Andy into the back of it - still half asleep.
Charles held out his hand and Austin shook it gratefully.

"Thank you, and Larry, you too, thank you so much. I owe you a great favour." The two IT geniuses smiled and bid the others goodbye before leaving.

Austin sighed as they set off, Andy's head on his thigh, feeling weary and old.

"Andy- Andy, wake up, it's ok." Andy whimpered and Austin pulled him upwards into a hug.

"Just a nightmare." He whispered and kissed his skinny shoulder. Andy nodded and climbed off his lap reluctantly, sitting up properly, pulling his jumper sleeves down further.

"Are you alright?" It wasn't like Andy to resist a hug, not that they normally did that sort of thing, usually they had sex and conversations about potential stories for Andy. They never did the soft, caring side of things, but since they'd saved him, Austin didn't feel it was a strange thing to do. That's why he was so puzzled now.

"Yeah...sorry, I'm not trying to be such a mess-"

"Don't apologise. You've been through so much, Andy, it's ok to be scared." Austin patted his hand gently and Andy attempted a weak smile.

"Are we in New York, by the way?"

"Yes, the doctor thought it best that you recover in familiar surroundings." Andy nodded and was silent the rest of the drive back to his house.
The bodyguards waited in the car while Austin accompanied Andy up the stairs and into his apartment.

"Oh...the door."

"Ah, yes, I got your keys and everything for you. Here.." Andy was touched as Austin fished around in the backpack he'd packed to bring to Andy and unlocked the door for him.
Once they were inside, Andy felt a wave of fear and nausea overtake his senses and he didn't hear Austin talking to him in the background.

"Andy?"

"Hmm?" Austin looked concerned.

"I was just saying that there's food in the fridge, I called ahead for someone to go shopping for you, and umm..the..the bandages and things are in this other bag, along with pain meds and things...are you alright?"

"Yeah." Andy said huskily, not wanting to admit he was afraid in his own home.

"Is it alright I stay for a while? Y'know, have a coffee and things before I leave, I'm a little tired." Andy knew he was using that as an excuse because he knew that he didn't want Austin to leave, and he nodded.

"Of course, I'll go make-"

"Nope, allow me." Andy looked around the oddly quiet flat, and sighed in dismay at the discomfort that was nagging at his mind, painful memories coming flooding back. He turned on the TV, less because he wanted to watch anything, and more for the noise. As he sat, staring blankly at the screen, he felt like someone was in one of the other rooms. He could hear Austin bustling around in the kitchen, but he felt like- Andy jumped and spun round, seeing no one. He slowly crept up to the bathroom, and flung the door open, it was empty and cleaner than when he'd left it - Austin had probably asked someone to clean too - he then did the same with his bedroom, again, no one.

Austin walked out and Andy wasn't there. He frowned and set down the drinks, slowly walking into his bedroom. Andy was sat, crying, on the bed. Austin sat next to him and made no move to touch him. Andy shook his head.
"I-I'm...I...I thought someone was...here...s-s-sorry..." Austin pulled him in for a hug, mentally cursing Miguel for what he'd done to him. He rubbed circles on his back and shoulders gently.

"Do you want to come and stay at my house, instead? Maybe being here won't be so good for you, after all?" Andy sat back and wiped his eyes.

"No, no...I'll be fine. I should get used to it. B-but thank you."

"Andy." The smaller man sighed.

"Where is your house?"

"There's one in L.A...one in Tokyo, one in London, one in Italy, and one in Switzerland...you choose." Andy laughed tearily.

"I should've known." Austin smiled and pushed a stray piece of hair away from his face.

"Thank you, but it's ok.."

"Cmon, take a break from everything, relax for a while."

"I don't think I can manage a long flight.."

"L.A it is. It's ok, it's not the busy part of L.A, it's a nice house."

"I hardly expected you to slum it, Mr Four Seasons." Austin chuckled.

"So?" Andy sighed but nodded.

"Yes!" Andy laughed gently at him.

"Thank you."