♪ Paris in the Rain - Lauv

Logan had the bunch of flowers in his hand. Part of him felt stupid, like this wasn't the right thing to do. She was in bed 10B. He was coming down the hallway towards the room when he heard laughter erupt from room 9. He peered through the open door and his heart fell.

Daisy was sitting next to Parker in his bed and they were laughing while Parker squeezed her cheek. She pouted and elbowed him to which he responded with a loud groan. She started fussing and frantically apologising. Logan laughed to himself, looking back at the flowers.

Maybe he could leave them as a gift for the nurses at the ward desk. He ended up leaving them at Daisy's bedside table. As he left the room, her voice broke his stream of thought.

"Logan!" She exclaimed. "You didn't think you were getting away that easily did you?" She grinned.

They'd really done a number on her. One of her eyes was all puffy and the side of her cheek was purple and blue, but she was still grinning from ear to ear.

"You caught me," he replied with a smile. "I'm surprised your skills weren't enough to stop them."

"I know, how shameful...there were two of them though."

"That explains it. After all, I've seen a first-hand demonstration," he chuckled.

After their rocky start and everything he'd done, he knew he'd screwed any chance he'd had with her, no matter how friendly they were now. And he definitely hoped that guys and girls could stay just friends. Because otherwise this was going to hurt a lot more.

"Daisy!" Elaine burst in through the door. She looked at my battered face and came towards me, hugging me so tightly I almost couldn't breathe. "I cannot believe I came back to find you like this," she breathed.

She pulled away. There were little wells of tears in her eyes but with a quick sniffle and look in a different direction they were gone. "I'm okay now," I smiled. She hugged me again. She interrogated me thoroughly and repeatedly wanted to make sure the doctors had done absolutely everything to make sure I was one hundred percent fine.

She took the huge canvas tote off from her shoulder and put it on my bed, laying out the various items inside. "I brought you a toothbrush, some toothpaste, mouthwash, a towel, neck pillow, travel-sized perfume, deodorant, leggings, oversized t-shirt," she began. The list seemed to be endless. "Not sure if I've missed anything," she pondered.

"I think you've managed to relocate a small home Elaine," Logan guffawed. She glared at him before packing it all away.

"Oh and Holden and Stephanie are in Parker's room, they told me to bring you guys over there for food," Elaine said.

My mum got back just as we were leaving.

"We'll meet you over there," Logan said before he and Elaine went over to Parker's room first.

"Oh, I was just going to go eat dinner, come eat with us," I said to her.

"No, it's okay. You can go have fun with your friends," she smiled. "I'm just glad you're feeling and looking better." She leaned in and hugged me. I'd probably been hugged more in that day than in my entire life. She wanted to wait around, but I convinced her to go home for the night because I was being discharged the following morning.

"Your friend has...bodyguards?" She asked before she left.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Two of them have been watching your room and followed me when I went to get snacks," she laughed.

"Yeah, it's a bit weird," I grinned.

"But I do feel safer with them around you now, after everything that's happened."

"I'll be fine mum," I reassured her. She hugged me goodbye again and I headed to Parker's room.

I could smell the fried chicken as soon as I was standing outside the door. They'd dragged some chairs in from the waiting area outside into the room (with permission of course, they'd assured me), forming a semi-circle around one side of Parker's bed. Holden pushed Parker's food table into the centre of the circle. It had a single standing leg and a rectangular tabletop coming out from the side so the leg could be pushed straight up to the side of the bed with the tabletop coming across Parker's lap while he sat in bed.

Stephanie took out the boxes of fried chicken, fries and some napkins. "We forgot the soft drinks," Holden groaned. He sprinted off to the vending machine and returned shortly with 6 bottles cradled in his arm.

"Those things are like seven dollars from the vending machine!" I exclaimed. All five of them turned to face me. Apparently, my shock at their spending habits was not relatable.

"Re-lax Daisy," Holden said, handing them out. "Let's eat!" He exclaimed. "I'm sure the two of you are famished."

My stomach grumbled loudly at the mere suggestion and none of us held back. Thankfully, they'd bought plenty.

"Should've seen this guy when he called me about his best friend potentially being dead!" Logan laughed.

"Oh yeah? I'm not the one still in sweatpants and flip flops to rush to the hospital," he said.

Holden wasn't wrong. I'd only seen Logan a handful of times out of uniform, but never like that. He was in grey sweatpants and mismatched flip flops.

"Pyjamas are worse," Logan retorted. Holden's pyjamas were indeed quite gaudy. Gradient blue vertical striped pyjamas that were reminiscent of someone from a different generation.

"We get it, you're both big strong, emotionless, heartless jerks," Stephanie said, rolling her eyes. "I for one, was worried," she admitted. She leaned towards me, "they were both very frazzled," she whispered, just loud enough for both of them to hear and glare at her. Maybe I was biased because I knew, but next to each other, there was something similar about the two of them.

It was weird seeing the six of us, especially those of us who hadn't started out on such good terms with each other, digging into fried chicken and laughing as if we'd been friends forever. Even Logan looked like he was at ease.

They cleared out at eight and took all the chairs back out to the waiting area. Holden hung back and pulled two last things from his bag. "I'm going to need you to sit on opposite sides of the bed first," he said.

"What are you planning?" Parker asked, suspicious.

"So paranoid."

"We did just get kidnapped," I stated.

"The hospital said real candles weren't allowed, so..." He placed two battery operated plastic candles on the patient table and dragged it over to the bed such that the tabletop was over the middle of the bed, with me on one side and Parker on the other. "And we've had dinner, so this was the best I could do," he winked, setting down two vending machine cheesecakes and two plastic spoons on the table as well. "And, this is my cue to leave."

"Bye Hol-den," we both said simultaneously. Holden shut the door as he left.

"Redo of our first date?" Parker laughed.

"After getting kidnapped for our first date, my new standards are very low," I joked.

We peeled open the cheesecakes and started eating. Holden has also done us the favour of dimming the lights that were directly above Parker's bed. The shadows cast by the fake candles danced across Parker's face as I lifted and lowered my spoon to eat.

"Surely I get a second chance at a first date properly later?"

"Nope – that ship has sailed. Although, if we could get an airconditioned warehouse next time, I might reconsider," I joked.

"Don't think I could do aircon, but maybe a better kidnap car?"

"Hmm...throw in an ice cream and you've got a deal." He laughed and flicked his spoon at me. "Rude," I remarked. "Also, ew. I hope you know this isn't improving your chances."

"Fine," he pouted. As he leaned forwards to retrieve his spoon, I moved forward to move the fake candle.

His dark brown eyes met mine and we were a lot closer than before. I blinked a couple times, and so did he. I nearly held my breath while my heart started racing. All of a sudden, it seemed like we were right back where we were months ago on the rooftop. The last time he'd been this close to me.

He came closer, then he closed the distance and kissed me. Instinctively, I raised a hand and cupped his cheek, kissing him back.

I never realised how much taller he was compared to me until I found myself propping myself up with my other hand against the table. All of a sudden, the table slid out to the side and I fell forwards, landing right on top of Parker. The nurse hadn't recorded a fever earlier, but I sure as hell was feverish now.

I'd forgotten the table had wheels. The damn table had wheels. I immediately rolled off of him. "Sorry!" I exclaimed. Parker brought a finger to his upper lip where blood was seeping out. My teeth had smashed his lips as I came crashing forward. He groaned as he pushed himself back up.

"A little too much physical activity I think," he grinned.

"So...I'm gonna go."

"You're not going to 'okay bye' me and run away again are you?" He grinned. "Stay for a bit longer. I just want you by my side for a little longer." He lay back down and put his right arm out. Against every fibre of logic in my body, I dawdled back to his side and lay down beside him, using his arm as a pillow. Maybe it was the pain meds they'd given me earlier, messing with my head.

"Only until the nurses come to kick me out," I replied.

He was warm and being in his arms felt right.

"I must admit, I'm feeling a little exposed now," Parker smirked.

"Uh huh," I replied.

"That was my first kiss," he grinned stupidly.

"Really now?" I propped myself up on one elbow, looking over at him. He attempted to roll onto his side before inhaling sharply and rolling back.

"Rib fractures do hurt," he hissed.

"You are so full of crap," I replied.

"What!? My ribs do hurt!" He replied. "Oh. You meant the other thing. I wasn't kidding you know."

"Sure," I said sarcastically.

"Why do you think I'm kidding? Is it cause you think I'm cute?"

Cute was severely understating it, but I wasn't going to tell him that.

"I have not dated anyone before and watching the fallout from Holden's little escapades is more than enough to ward me away," he added. "But you kiss like a pro, so this clearly isn't your first time," he jabbed.

"Shut up!" I hissed. "Holden was actually my first kiss." Verbalising it just made it seem worse that I kissed him out of spite at the start of the year. Also an incredibly embarrassing admission. "And then -"

"There's more!? You player, Sorenson!" He exclaimed.

"That's it. Bye Parker," I pouted.

"I don't care that I wasn't your first, but I sure as hell hope I'm your last," he smirked. "Date me," he said.

"You sure you don't want to wait until the painkillers have stopped messing with your head?"

"Trust me Sorenson, I've felt this way long before any painkillers were involved."

--

so this chapter is definitely getting edited when i recover inspiration :'D HOPEFULLY the ending didn't let u guys down!! xoxo

i tried to make it as parker and daisy-esque as i could imagine

let me know what you thought!!!

I really struggled with the middle of this chapter (and subsequently was the last part i was writing before uploading this) so I hope it didn't bore you too much

love always,

daria xo