When the paramedics arrive they strap me to a stretcher and shoot so much painkillers in me that I already fall asleep in the ambulance.

Next thing I know, I awake and see nothing because my face is nuzzled in a pillow. I try to turn around but find that I can't move. I freak out.

I feel someone stroking the back of my head. "Easy, calm down" says the familiar voice of Alan. "You are strapped face down to some sort of bench because you are not allowed to move. Wait" he says and I hear him shuffle beside me and I turn my head to the sound.

"That's better" he says and I can see him now because he is lying on the floor beside my bed or whatever it is I'm lying on.
I feel groggy and I have problems to speak but he already makes me smile, this little weirdo.

"What happened? Alan"

"Okay, when Ben called to tell me that you fell down the stairs and what hospital they would bring you to, I called the guys and we raced to the hospital to meet you there, but they had already started surgery on you after they found out in the x-ray that you broke one vertebrae.
By that time Danny was totally off the rails because he says it's his fault that you fell, the bastard. Tony punched him.
And when Vic told us that you had your back broken before and that it stayed weak, he got all upset because he slammed you into the door at the surf incident. He just ran out of the hospital and Ben and James went looking for him, but none of them returned.

The important thing is that the operation went well, you will have to lie on your tummy until tomorrow because there is a swelling that you mustn't put pressure on. But then you get to lie in a normal bed. The doctors are positive that the feeling will come back to your legs, but you will have to go to rehab to learn to walk again."

My still confused mind tries to comprehend the information so I say nothing.

"Easy,can you hear me?" I nod. "You know what?" He laughs "they obviously didn't bother to wash your face and your makeup is all smudged, you look like Heath Ledger as the Joker."

"Oh God Alan, can you please wipe it off? I don't want to lie here looking like a freak."

"How do I do this?" Arrrrgh, men!!

"You take a tissue and put some water on it and then you just rub it off. It's not that difficult."

"Okay" he gets up and I hear him rummaging around the room.
"Close your eyes" he orders when he returns and I can feel him wiping my face with some sort of wet cloth.
"By the way we saw you on TV at the Awards. You looked stunning, Austin didn't believe it was you until he heard you speak." He laughed to himself.
There is a slight pause, then he asks. "Easy, can I see your scar?"

" Why?"

" I just want to know what it looks like" he shrugs. That is so typical Alan, he never feels awkward saying things like that.

"You are one creepy little bastard, admit it, you are fascinated by this kind of shit. But isn't it bandaged?"

"I am not talking about the operation wound, the doctor said it is only a small horizontal cut. I mean the surf scar"

I am not really comfortable with the idea, but I have to get over things like that.
"Okay, you can have a look." I sigh.

I can feel him carefully pulling up my shirt and then I feel his fingers as they gently and slowly trace the faint line down my back, which makes all the hair on my body stand.

"Was it a deep cut?" He whispers

I clear my throat and swallow hard "yes, there were even bones exposed in places."

I feel his lips on my back softly kissing down the scar. "I can't believe it, you always seem so strong, you have the heart of a lion, to find out you have been so broken once makes you even more precious" he mumbles in between kisses.

"Aren't we all made a little bit broken?" I ask

He doesn't reply but I can feel hot drops falling onto my skin and trickling down my back.

And of course I can't shut my mouth again. "Alan I can't see what you are doing there but I pray to god that the liquid that just hit my back is only tears."

I hear him sniff and snort "Fuck, Easy, you know how to ruin a moment."

Notes

Whew, she'll be okay, guys!