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Quinn sighed and stretched before palming his phone. It's only been a few days since the accident but it already felt like an eternity. His mom was in a medical coma, his dad was awake but not quite there yet and had pretty much broken every bone in his body but they were both alive. They were alive. Now he needed to make a few calls and the first one was to Rae. If she hadn't heard about it by now she would soon. Few things moved the press as tragedy, scandal, or money and this had all the markings of all three. Standing there in the chilly afternoon sun of the small grassy courtyard the towheaded young man pressed a button then put the phone to his ear. After a moment as the phone faintly ran, "Hey-"

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" Rae had been trying in vain to find the man since she had found out about the accident earlier that morning. Seeing as she was not family or next of kin, she had found out the same way most of the city had: headline news. That shock had cost her a coffee when she had dropped it reading the title of the article before her heart had started again and she read on seeing that nothing was listed as 'fatal'. That was one small blessing. But the panic in her voice was proof that another blessing was what she was praying for. That the man on the other line was somewhere safe and not standing on top of a building.

"In colorado." He paused to take a breath, a much needed one. "I'm fine. Mom and dad... are alive." His voice wobbled slightly at that last part. He didn't know what to say or how to say it. Rae was his best friend. He didn't want to lie to her but he also didn't want to face the truth that was constantly shoved in his face when ever he even just breathed. Even the light here reminded him of WHY he was here. "It hit the news?" Did he even have to ask? Did he even want to know the s**t storm he would be walking into when he got back? A small part of him pointed out that the swarm of vultures that was the media was still preferable then what was facing him back in the hospital room.

"Hit the news might be an understatement." Rae sighed, visabily relaxing as she remembered some vague mention of colorado awhile back. He was safe and he wasn't in the middle of the hellfire. She was glad about that. "Depending on which station you tune into depends on how much it is covered. Many just mention it. Others are spinning it like some attempted murder. And that isn't even counting the social circles." With a long breath, Rae walked out onto the balcony attached to her apartment and leaned on the iron rail. "You don't need to be here for all this....The cops aren't letting anyone in the same ward as your family really. But my phone has been blowing up from those we both know...."

She paused a moment and finally her voice fell. "How are you?"

Quinn couldn't help the half smirk that flashed over his face at the comment about the cops and the hospital ward... man if the media only knew. The company PR team really needed a pay raise if they cooked up the whole 'their in DC so camp out here rather them hunting them down' idea then they were geniuses. He was wondering why they weren't being badgered by media out here in some little colorado town that he had already forgotten the name off. "It was a car accident plain and simple." He gritted his teeth and started to pace as the idea of the whole incident being splashed across the news dug under his skin. "They were out here in the mountains for their 'second honeymoon world tour' or whatever dad called it. The sheriff said they probably swerved to avoid a deer or something. The company flew me out here as soon as we heard." Unable, or unwilling, to span the small area like a caged animal the young man collapsed on a ancient bench, his shoulders slumped like a slowly melting snowman. "Scared Rae... God I'm scared."

That had not been the reaction Rae had expected. She could hear the truth in his voice as she looked out over the city and felt herself bite the inside of her cheek in thought. Art...Quinn...was holding himself together by the skin of his teeth. "I know." Was the first thing she could manage out. "God I am so sorry. I hope that deer becomes dinner or something for this." Poor attempt at humor. Very poor. Leave the funny to the funny man. "But it's going to be alright. They are alive. They are going to be alright. By Christmas this will all be a memory."

The laugh was strained, "Nah. Bambi got to go home this time." His joke was just as poor as hers but honestly it was probably the thought that counted. He knew she was trying to help. If only she could turn back the clock by a week so he could tell his folks to come home or stay in Denver or something besides having them go off alone on some god forsaken road. Any laughter he felt, the little jovalty the bad jokes built up, disappeared at the Christmas comment. "But it won't be Rae." Those few words were probably the emptiest he had ever said before. His sadness, his fear, his anger was just gone under the stark reality that was that simple comment. "If mom wakes up, and the doctors aren't sure right now, she will be paralyzed and wheelchair bound. Dad is looking at extensive rehab to even hold a spoon let alone walk again..." He trailed off as he remembered the emptiness on his father's face as he stared out the window of their hospital room. Quinn hoped it was the drugs that were affecting him because if his father was mentally gone as well. "And by Christmas," He fumbled over even the idea of it, "by Christmas I'll be CEO." His voice cracked on that and rather then cry he let out a strangled laugh, "hell by Thanksgiving I'll likely be CEO. Yippie... what I always wanted." The sarcasm was thick and dark.

She hadn't realized it was that bad. She could hear it in his voice, the pain, this anger. It broke her heart. "Quinn..." She wasn't even going to fight him on which name he used. "Tell me what really is the situation. Please. I don't want to believe what I hear because no one knows what is truth and what is a lie. What can I do?"

"Run away with me," He made the joke half heartedly. "Let's find a deserted island somewhere away from everything." If only it was possible right? Quinn sighed and absently wiped away the moisture that had formed around his eyes, it was just the bright light of course. "I dont remember what the doctors said really. It was kind of a blur, but dad pretty much shattered his legs, broke his right arm in two places, and splintered his left hand. There are a few other hairline fractures but he has enough metal in him right now to put Iron Man to shame." The jokes were probably all that was keeping him together right then. "Mom," he paused to clear his throat, "they say mom broke her back. Even don't really know the damage since she must have smashed her head because their is too much swelling so they have her in a medical coma for now." It was tempting to just let it sit there but since the flood gates were open he knew he had to say it, "They are giving her a fifty fifty chance of not being a vegetable right now and Dad is out of it. He's awake but not aware. Does he even know I'm there?"

The words made her breath catch in her throat. Worst timing ever but to him, at that moment she nearly said okay before he continued and she shook her head clear. Mentally she called herself an idiot and moved from the railing to one of her chairs. "If i know anything about your father, he knows you are there. He knows and he blames himself for all of it. The man is a stubborn one and being forced to do nothing while your mother is sleeping..." she was dancing around the words. No way she would even consider the other "it won't still well with him for long. But you being there has to help."

Quinn just shook his head, "What help? I just sit there. There isn't anything I can do." That wasn't quite true, technically he could start picking up the reigns of the company but it hadn't even been a week yet. Hell, it hadn't been four days yet. Even the thought of work made him feel sick but maybe it was still ultimately better than the thoughts that haunted him. It had to be better then the nightmares. Sadly his reality was just as bad as his horror filled dreams.

Quinn couldn't help it. He knew Rae was trying to be helpful, pointing out the stuff 'he was doing' but really it was stuff that had been done for him or to him. None of it was really by his order or his design... well other than being here and even that was expedited by the company. But it was the 'good son' comment that really sealed the deal as it was. The laugh started out full of derision, not at her but himself, but rather rapidly devolved to a more broken chuckle that did nothing to mask the tears that did his best to shield from anyone who might see by hunching further into himself. His rather 'unmanly' crying jag was interrupted by a distant voice calling his name. The secretary who came with him to help was back at the hospital entry, waiting for him to return.

At first Rae didn't know what was going on. She just sat there, listening as the man broke into what she could assume was hysterics from the sound of it. Well, at least he was laughing even if that had not been her goal. Something though was still boiling inside her as she listened to him. "Yea yea. Laugh it up you a-hole." Rae muttered, but wished she hadn't the more she listened. "Do you want me to come out there?"
"Or to call anyone."

It took him a moment but Quinn was able to pull himself together. With a sigh and a wobbly chuckle he shook his head before actually saying, "No. I'll be fine." He took a few deep breaths and wiped at his eyes with his sleeve before absently waving away the secretary who had started to come over. He really shouldn't refer to the other man as a secretary, more like a right hand man or something. As the CFO's personal assistant the guy probably knew more about how to run the company then Quinn did... hell a monkey would know more than he did. "I'll be okay." This time he really did sound like it, at least he sounded better than he did. "I've got to go back in now but Rae, can you do me a favor? Isis is at my parent's house, she is likely driving them nuts. Can you see if they need anything ?" It was a bit of a hollow request since they both knew that everyone at the manor knew how to handle the large cat but it would help ease the desire to do something to help. "Oh and can you ask what they were reading? Something for both of them? I can't just sit there anymore," He took a bracing breath and glanced back at the hospital behind him. "Maybe reading will help... it's better than the silence at least." That last omission was said absently, almost as if he forgot he was still on the phone.

She could hear it in his voice. There was an edge of just holding on. An edge she could only pray lasted as she took a long, slow breath and closed her eyes. "I'll swing by their place tonight and see how Isis is doing. I'll text you the name of the books as well." It was all she could do and it stung. "Hey, promise me something."

"Thanks Rae, your the best." Quinn sat back and relaxed slightly. She would handle everything. She normally did. "Sure. Anything."

"You will call me if anything changes or you need anything. I don't care how stupid you think it is. " She ended it knowing that he would talk himself out of calling her at moments. He was stubborn like that. If only she could kick him.

"Okay," It was a pretty simple request. One he would keep to the letter, if not the spirit. Rae didn't need to know every time he woke from a nightmare and squished the need to talk about it or get a call when the idea of being 'the boss' got to the point where he wanted to walk out of the entire state. If he did that then she would never get any sleep. "I'll let you know. I promise." Green eyes flicked over where the secretary was standing and Quinn sighed. "I really have to go now. Give Isis a hug for me."

“Of course.” The words hung there unsaid. Come home soon. But what was he coming home to? His cat? At least Isis would keep him going but that still wasn’t much to contend with. “Try to get some rest. I’ll text you photos later.” And with that, she pulled the phone from her ear, gazed down at it and hit the end button.
“Don’t run away Quinn…”