part two lol:

• H a y d n •

"Why do you think she lied about her family?" I asked Cristina softly as she gently massaged my scalp, something I'd always do to her when I thought she needed to be comforted and I couldn't find the words.

We were both sitting in the hospital bed, Cristina laying against raised half as I leaned against her, mindlessly playing with her other hand as the curtain blocked us off from the rest of the world.

"What do you mean?" She asked gently and I shrugged.

"She told me told me she came from this big family with all these people, and it turns out that was just part of her twisted reality," I muttered, intertwining our hands together- I really loved the way her pretty hand fit in mine, but I thought she had a pretty everything.

"That's easy." She answered and I twisted slightly to look at her because it sounded like an undiagnosed mental illness to me. "For someone who didn't come from a big, loving family it's easy to make one up and she probably wanted you to think that there were people out in the world who would love you because she couldn't show it." Her words stirred something in me, and I grew quiet for a few minutes.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked softly, already hesitant of her answer.

"You don't have to ask."

"When did you know you loved me?" If it were anyone else, I'd probably have felt like an idiot asking a question like that, but it was Cristina and she'd be the only person on the planet who'd ever seen me like this.

"This question has two answers." She replied I could hear the smile in her voice. "I realized I love you when you told me in my sleep." She said and I blushed, thankfully she couldn't see me.

"You heard me?" I groaned and she laughed, it was such a beautiful sound.

"Of course I did, you weren't as smooth as you thought." She smiled and I rolled my eyes. "But it's definitely top ten moments of my life so far so don't beat yourself up about it." She whispered as she kissed my head, and I got those stupid butterflies. "But I know I've been in love with you since our date at the greenhouse."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She said, sounding a little far away- but in a good way. "I even wished for you, when we saw that shooting star. I don't know what took me so long to realize." She murmured and I smiled to myself.

Being loved was still a fairly new feeling for me but there is no one else I'd want to experience it with.

"What about you?" She asked, pulling me out of my thoughts as I thought to myself.

"The first time I got to wake up to you," I said honestly as I turned to look at her and even with messy hair and no makeup, I thought she was the most beautiful person I'd ever seen in my life. "The night I helped you with biology and you slept over. When you came and got me from downstairs and I slept next to you- you were there when I went to sleep and then you were still there when I woke up. I've been falling for you since then." I admitted, watching surprise fill her eyes.

"We weren't even together then." She smiled and for the 100th time that day I wanted to lean forward and just kiss her- but I decided against it, we were still recovering.

"I know," I smirked. "It drove me insane, I thought I was gonna fight every guy, and girl, that looked at you."

"I would've probably thanked you, I only wanted you anyways." She smiled lovingly, a pink tint gracing her cheeks.

"Good, cause now you have me." I flirted and she rolled her eyes playfully.

"You're so corny."

"Only for you," I replied, not missing a beat but before she could reply we were interrupted by someone walking in.

"Haydn?" Luis called and my stomach dropped, we hadn't gotten a chance to talk so my punishment was still up in the air.

"I think I'm gonna go find Jamal," Cristina whispered, quickly kissing my lips before she opened the curtain as Luis came closer while I pleaded with her with my eyes not to leave.

"Oh Cris, Jamal and Bones are looking for you." He said gently and my beautiful girlfriend smiled.

"Thanks, we should probably go get some stuff before we leave, do you need anything?" She asked and I looked down at the ugly hospital gown.

"My stuff from Bones' place, please?" I asked gently and she nodded.

"Sure, see you guys in a bit." She said, winking at me before disappearing out the door and I was left alone with Luis, my father.

We didn't really spend much time alone, or much time together really so it was a little awkward.

"She's not just your friend, is she?" He asked as he went to sit at the end of my bed, and I shook my head.

"Nope, she's my girlfriend," I admitted, holding my breath for his response. Luis had known I was gay for a few years so it wouldn't be too surprising to him- especially since I had to come out after he came home early to find me making out with girl on our couch.

"I like her, she's good for you." He smiled and I nodded my head slowly in agreement. "You've got good friends too, they managed to talk me out of a psychiatric hold." He joked, well at least I hoped he was joking.

We were silent for a few seconds before I decided to speak.

"I'm sorry," I said, glancing at him for a few seconds. "For all the shit I pulled and for being a shitty daughter."

"No, Haydn, I'm sorry. I haven't been there enough for you and when you left, I was terrified I'd never see you again." He apologized and I smiled, I think I'd been waiting to hear that from him. "Also, Laura and I are separating." He sighed and my jaw dropped.

"I didn't mean to-" I started but he shook his head.

"No, it wasn't you. Laura and I have been having problems of our own and I'm tired of the way she treats you, and me to be honest." He explained. "Hopefully, she's moving out as we speak."

"What about Daniel?" I asked, I wasn't close with him but having your parents split up wasn't something I'd wish on anyone at any age.

"We'll deal with that later but for now he's going to stay with her." He said sadly and my heart hurt a little for him. "And as soon as we get back, I think we should go to therapy together- I want our relationship to improve, I want you to be comfortable enough to come to me when you're struggling Haydn." He suggested and even though I was surprised I didn't hate the idea- he was trying, and I knew I should too.

"Yeah, I'd like that." I smiled and something inside pushed me to take another step forward and extend an olive branch. "Is it okay if I call you dad?" I asked softly and he beamed at me- it was worth it.

"I'd love that actually." He smiled, the tense atmosphere already melting around us. "By the way, I like the hair."

"Thanks," I blushed as I ran my hands through it self-consciously. "It was a very impulsive decision, I just wanted a fresh start." And frankly not a sober one either, but he didn't need to know that.

"Hate the piercing though, you look like a bull." He tutted and I rolled my eyes- that was the fatherliest thing he'd said to me in weeks. "And are those new tattoos?" He asked, leaning closer and I lifted the sleeves of the gown to show him the new additions Bones gave me- yet some more non-sober decisions he didn't need to know about.

"Yeah, they seem to be a coping mechanism of mine." I shrugged; Lu-my dad never had a problem with my tattoos.

"I wonder where you get that from." He smirked sarcastically, referring to his sleeves and almost half a leg. "But is that what I think it is?" He asked, peering at my new favorite one. It wasn't one of my more detailed ones, just a simple line tattoo of a heart- with the letter C in the middle that sat above my elbow.

Don't judge me, I was extremely drunk, and I missed her so much I just wanted something to remember her by- I thought I was never going to see her again, but I'm relieved the universe had other plans for us.

"Yeah, I haven't told her yet, I'd rather let her find it on her own," I smirked and, in a judgement, -free voice, he gave his fatherly comment.

"That serious, huh?" He asked and I nodded. "Well then, I'm happy for you- you deserve some happiness."

I knew he probably thought I was too young to know the extent of my feelings, but I had been through enough shit to last lifetimes, and I knew, in my bones, that Cristina was it for me- I didn't want anyone else.

"Thanks, dad."

* * *

"Are you sure you have everything?" Bones asked for the fifth time, and I nodded, everything I had taken to his place was accounted for and packed at the back of my dad's car.

We were all standing in the hospital parking lot, getting ready to take the three-hour trip back home where my life, school and car were waiting.

"Thanks for letting me crash with you." I thanked him and he shrugged.

"Anytime Haydn, you're family." He smiled before he pulled me into a hug. "Just don't almost die next time, please." He stressed.

"I promise," I smirked as I walked him to his car that he had followed Jamal and Cristina back in. "I'll see you soon."

"Make sure you bring your girlfriend too; I don't think I'd be able to survive another run-in with her when she's looking for you." He said seriously as he climbed in and I laughed, I couldn't imagine my calm and collected Cristina intimidating Bones- I wish I could've seen it.

"I will. Bye, dude." I waved as he drove out the parking lot and I made my way over to Jamal, Cristina and Luis.

"You guys ready to go?" Jamal asked and when I nodded, he and my dad went to start their respective cars, leaving me and Cristina alone.

"I missed you," I murmured as I grabbed her hand and she smiled.

"Well, that's what happens when you leave." She joked as she wrapped her arms around me and looked up at me. "But I missed you too, I really did feel like I was dying."

"That makes two of us," I whispered, kissing her forehead. "Can I see you tonight?" I asked and she bit her lip, the action putting inappropriate thoughts in my mind.

"I don't know, my parents aren't happy with my impromptu, overnight road trip." She shrugged and my heart fell. "But I'll ask."

"Okay," I murmured before looking back at Luis's car.

"Are you sure you're, okay?" Cristina asked quietly, eyeing me carefully and I nodded, if I was being honest, I felt fine, I was actually more concerned about Cristina and everything she had to witness and do, it actually made me feel really guilty thinking about it.

"I'm okay," I promised. "I'm just worried about you."

"I'll be fine, just promise you're not gonna pull any more stunts like that or else I'll put you in the hospital myself." She winked but the look in her eye told me she was serious.

"I promise, I'm not leaving you anytime soon," I whispered as I grazed her lip with my thumb, her eyes darkening.

"You better not." She whispered back before Jamal hooted.

"I guess we should get going." I sighed and she smiled.

"You're going with Luis?" She asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, I think we need the time to talk. He's my dad and I should start making more of an effort." I shrugged and she leaned up and kissed me, only for a second or two before she stepped back.

"I love you." She whispered and I felt like I was on top of the world.

"I love you too," I whispered back, smiling, beyond happy with how things turned out and I kissed her one last time before we went our separate ways.

As soon as we drove out of the parking lot, I began my countdown until the next time I'd see her, even if it was over FaceTime.