Chapter 17

Walking and Waking

"Today you have to get out of bed, Aaron, if you want to go home on Friday!"

Aaron looked with fear at the walking frame that she had put by the bed for him. His legs felt like they were made of wood, and he couldn't imagine being able to walk again. He looked at the nurse with scared eyes.

"Come on now, Aaron. Let's show Spencer how much you've progressed!"

Aaron didn't like being patronised. He pushed the covers back, and eased his legs over the side of the bed, using his hands to move them. He looked with horror at his legs. They were stick thin, and white.

Oh god! I've got legs like Spencer!

He saw a picture in his mind's eye of Spence in a garden, lying in the sun, wearing shorts and huge shades, and legs white and skinny, and it occurred to him that this was a memory.

"I've just had a new memory!" he said excitedly.

"Hey! That's wonderful!" she enthused. "What made you remember?"

"I was thinking how white and skinny my legs are, and I thought they are like Spencer's!" He grinned. "Don't tell him I told you though, will you?"

She laughed. "Ok, now let's get you walking, Aaron, and you will have two things to tell him!"

He wriggled forwards until he was almost off the bed, leaned forwards and grabbed at the walker. The nurse helped him to stand up, and he gritted his teeth and leaned on the walker. As his weight was taken by his legs, the pain shot through his hips, making his eyes water. He rested his forehead on the bar he was holding, and groaned.

"Oh that really hurts." he said, more to himself than anyone.

"It will, at first. Remember these muscles haven't been used for weeks. You have to build up your strength. Now straighten up, and take a step."

He slid one foot forward, then pushed the frame along. Then he slid the other foot up to the first.

"There! That wasn't so hard, was it?"

He scowled at her.

Aaron had managed to walk the length of the bed when Spencer arrived.

"Hey Babe! That's great!" he enthused. Aaron looked at him and tried to smile.

"I've got ...s-something to ...tell you, Spence." he panted "When I'm ...back in bed!"

Aaron turned to the nurse, sweat running down his face. "Can't go...any more." He clung to the bar as his knees gave way. "H-help!"

-0-0-0-

"So what's this you have to tell me then?" Spencer said, as soon as Aaron back in bed.

"Kiss first, news after!" smiled Aaron.

Spencer grinned that lips-together grin. He leaned forward and pecked Aaron on the cheek.

"Call that a kiss?" Aaron yelled, and grabbed him round the neck and pulled him close. "I want a real kiss!"

Aaron moved his hands from Spencer's neck to hold Spencer's face and kissed his lips. Spencer returned the kiss, holding tightly onto him. Then they held each other, resting heads on each other's shoulders.

"I'm starting to remember." Aaron whispered. "I had an image of you sitting in the sun with shorts and shades." He pulled away, and looked at Spencer. "Are your legs really that skinny?"

Spencer laughed. "'fraid so, Babe!"

Aaron hugged him again. "So are mine!"

-0-0-0-

Spencer stopped the car outside the 'Castle'.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

Aaron had opened the car door and was staring in amazement. "Spence, it's beautiful! And familiar!"

Spencer beamed. "Let's get you indoors." He came round to the other side of the car, and handed Aaron the crutches from the back seat. Aaron stood unsteadily, staring at the house. Spencer went and unlocked the door, and came back for Aaron, who was still staring.

"I know this place." he said softly. He pointed to a window. "That's our bedroom...isn't it?"

Spencer wanted to embrace him there on the drive, but knew Aaron would likely fall over if Spence unbalanced him.

"Yes. It is. Shall we look at it from the inside?"

Aaron walked carefully to the door, and into the hall. "Spence, I remember! I remember!" He had tears running down his face. "I remember this place!" He turned to Spence. "I remember you."

Spencer couldn't wait now. He led Aaron to the couch and embraced him. He couldn't think of the words to say, so he kissed Aaron's lips and face. Aaron moaned and trembled.

"Ahh ...Spence...I love you! I remember loving you...I love remembering you!...ahh!"

Sighing, he tilted his head back and Spencer brushed his lips softly across his neck, delighting in Aaron's helplessness at his touch. Aaron shivered as Spencer kissed his hair and ran a finger from his lips down to his top button. Slowly, without stopping the kisses, he unbuttoned Aaron's shirt and held his chest and he caressed his muscular body. He pulled Aaron's face down to meet his, and kissed salty tears away from his cheeks and eyes.

"Don't cry, Babe. Everything's good." Spencer whispered to Aaron, as Aaron melted in his arms, helpless against him.

Aaron laid back on the couch, eyes closed, lips apart, arms thrown outwards. His breaths came as sighs, his heartbeats shaking his whole body. Spencer knelt on the floor next to him, running his long fingers through his hair, tracing the familiar contours of his face and lips with his fingers. Aaron reached up and took his hand in both of his, and kissed his finger tips, pressed the back of Spencer's hand against his face.

"Oh Spence, Sweetheart ..." Aaron had no words to describe what he was feeling. "Spence! ... I love you so much."

Spence kissed Aaron on the nose. "I need a drink, Love. What would you like?"

"Scotch with or without rocks." he breathed.

"Me too. Won't be a minute." Spencer was so happy. He had thought Aaron was going to love him anyway, but having him back home with all those memories intact was wonderful. He poured the drinks, shaking so much, the bottle clanked on the glass. He turned back to Aaron, who was still lying on the couch with a dreamy look in his eyes.

"I am going to take these upstairs, Babe, then I'm going to come back down and get you."

Aaron tilted his head to Spencer. "Stairs?"

"You can do it!" Spencer said happily, running up the stairs with the drinks.

Aaron painfully twisted round and sat on the couch and waited.

Stairs? He'd not done stairs yet.

Spencer came bounding down the stairs and across to Aaron, like an excited puppy. He handed Aaron the crutches.

Spencer helped him to his feet, and with his arm around Aaron's waist, helped him to the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm not sure I..."

"Yes you can! You are an FBI Supervisory Special Agent. Of course you can manage stairs!"

Aaron smiled and shook his head. "I'll go up backwards!" he said, turning around and dropping his crutches.

So one step at a time, and climbed the stairs sitting down, while Spencer followed him up. Soon, with a bit of help, he was sitting on the bed.

"I love this room." he said with a sigh. Spencer opened the doors onto the balcony, and the warm breeze gently billowed the white curtains. Then he turned to Aaron. He finished undoing Aaron's shirt, and slipped it off his arms. Then he undid his belt, and zip. Aaron kicked off his shoes and lay down. Spencer got hold of Aaron's trousers by the ankles and whipped them off with a flourish, giggling, tilting his head to the side in that coy seductive way of his.Then he turned the cover back, and Aaron rolled over into the bed. Spencer removed his clothes, and slipped into bed next to him.

For a few moments, they lay there together, side by side, hands held in a tight grasp, just enjoying the peace and closeness. Then Aaron turned on his side, and gently nuzzled into Spencer's neck.

"Spence, thank you for being there." Aaron kissed him.

Spencer didn't say a word. He wasn't capable of speech as he breathed in pheromones and trembled in Aaron's arms.

-0-0-0-

All the pictures that hung in my memory before I knew you have faded and given place to our radiant moments together. Now I cannot live apart from you...Your words are my food, your breath my wine. You are everything to me. -Sarah Bernhardt

END