Page 90 of Purrfectly Haunted

We knew he'd probably need to go to the hospital after this, so we planned accordingly. At this point, we don't care if it brings the police down on us, as long as he's alive.

"Ja…mes…" Ewan rasps.

"Yes, baby. I'm here. I've got you. I finally have you, and I'm never letting you go."

His eyes are glassy as he looks up at me. He looks so thin, cheeks hollow and long hair falling around his shoulders in a mess. It looks like he aged ten years in the span of one. His shaggy beard doesn't help.

"We're taking you to the hospital baby," I say. "We'll fix you right up. And when you're all healed, we'll have a long talk. I'll tell you how much I missed you while you were gone, and how I stared at your picture every night before bed like a fool in love." His eyes widen at that. "I'll tell you how the two weeks we spent together here were the best of my life, and that I'd kill to have you by my side again."

He reaches for my face with his good hand, his thumb caressing the tear tattooed on my cheek. I got it done at the same time as the piece on my back. He whispers my name again, and his hand falls down. He's losing consciousness.

Lana and Shirley help me place him on the gurney, then the three of us carry him up the stairs and to the back alley where we left the car. The cats yowl worriedly and follow us outside.

"Protect the house while we're gone," Lana tells them.

Only Pearl joins us in the car and curls up by his side. I sit in the back with Ewan's head on my lap. Lana puts her foot down on the pedal.

We park the car in front of the hospital in broad daylight, and Shirley screams to get the attention of the nurses by the door. In the matter of minutes, she has them in an uproar. Vomiting blood, apparently, is taken seriously. Ewan is wheeled away hurriedly, and we can't follow.

Lana takes the car to the parking with Pearl while Shirley and I pace the hallways.

It takes an hour for someone to come find us and ask for the patient's name, and another hour before Ewan's family rushes in. The Hamiltons are all giants, all except his mother, who even though she'd be called tall by normal standards, appears small in the midst of them. They fly past us, tears running down their faces. Ewan has been gone for a year now, and I wonder if they were starting to think him dead.

Eventually, a nurse insists on cleaning my face and put my nose in a cast. Apparently it's a clean break, and it'll heal on its own.

It's five hours after bringing him in that one of the doctors comes to find me. "James? He wants to see you."

My legs are shaking as I stand up. Shirley and Lana have their hands on my lower back. Pearl is hidden under Lana's coat, and she knows not to be seen.

"How is he?" I ask.

"We just set his arm, and he's under medication for the pain. He's weak, and it appears he has internal burns, but nothing life threatening as of yet. We're waiting for his blood work."

I follow her to his room. Inside, the entire Hamilton family is standing by the bed. As soon as Ewan sees me, a tentative smile lights up his ashen face. He opens his good arm, and suddenly the world disappears as I rush to his side. He pulls me to him and buries his face in my neck.

"I wanted to be sure I hadn't imagined you," he rasps. "You're really the one who brought me here."

"Of course, I'm here. And the girls are here, too."

He lets out a sob. "James…" His hand is holding on to me tightly.

"I'm here… I'm here…"

The Hamiltons are probably staring at us, but he doesn't seem to care. I wonder if they even knew he was gay. I guess it's the least of their worries now that he's back from the dead.

"Boys, let's give them a moment," says a female voice behind me. Probably his mother.

A minute later, we're the only ones in the room.

"Baby, I'm so fucking sorry," I say to him, my forehead on his.

"For what?" he whispers.

"For everything. For failing to protect you. For taking so long to find you. For—"

He shakes his head. "You saved me. James. You found me."

I bite my lip to stop it from quivering, and he kisses me. This kiss feels like an earth-shattering event, even though it's only a peck.