"You ready to get that cast off?!"

The shouting of my boyfriend made me open my eyes to see Calum walking around the bedroom, looking for clothes.

"Why are you yelling?" I whined.

"Because you get your cast off today! Get excited, Nessa!" He grinned before dancing goofily over to me making me laugh.

"You're so weird." I laughed at his awful dance moves.

"I know. Now come on. I have coffee ready for you."

I smiled as he kissed me good morning and then let him lift me into my wheelchair and take me to the kitchen.

The past two weeks had gone by quickly yet slowly all at the same time.

Each day was spent by Calum and I watching movies or just talking about life in general.

His parents would bring Eli and Cade around every once in a while to see us and I could tell Calum was missing them.

The insurance company had given me my new car and a date had been set for Calum and I to testify in court.

But today I was getting my cast off and going to work.

After coffee and Calum eating his breakfast we got ready and then he placed me in the car, driving to the doctors office.

Once there I was taken to a room to wait, sitting on the bed.

"I wonder what it's going to feel like." I said.

"Like how it did before you had the cast." Calum shrugged.

"Shut up. You know what I meant."

He laughed at this.

The door opened and Dr. Harrison walked in.

"Well, Nessa. You ready to get this cast off?" He smiled.

"Yes, sir." I grinned.

He got out the saw and began to cut off the cast, the buzzing noise making me squeeze my eyes shut but a few minutes later it was off and I opened my eyes to see my leg.

A long scar went up the inner side of my leg and there were a few across my shin.

"There's some cream we can get you to help with the scarring, but it looks nice. Now we can take some x-rays and then put you in a brace and on some crutches." Dr. Harrison said as he inspected my leg.

Calum was taking my picture with his phone, smiling away. I think he was happier for me than I was.

After x-rays I was taken back to the room where Calum was waiting.

"So how does it feel?" He asked.

"Good. I feel free." I smiled.

"You look happy."

"I am." I kissed him.

Soon Dr. Harrison came back with my x-rays and put them on the board to look.

"Very nice. Your bones are set and healing. Now we need to get this brace on you."

He showed me how to put on the brace and told me to wear it all day but I could take it off at night.

I was on crutches but he wanted me to walk for five minutes today without them and then increase by five every day.

He also gave me the number for the physical therapist so I could start regaining strength in my leg.

Calum and I left the hospital and I giddily smiled as I sat in the front seat normally.

"So I say we go to the station and see about getting back to work." He said.

"Okay." I smiled.

He drove us to the station and helped me out of the car before I crutched my way across the lot and to the door which he held open for me.

It was pretty empty inside.

"Where is everyone?" I asked him.

"Probably out on duty." He said.

We made our way to the lobby and I saw my desk filled with cards and flowers.

"Oh, how sweet." I smiled.

"Come on, let's get some coffee from the break room before we go talk to Captain Sutherland." He led us toward the break room and when we entered I gasped at the people waiting for us.

"SURPRISE!" They shouted and I smiled widely at the officers waiting for us.

A banner was on the wall that said 'Welcome Back Nessa' and there was a cake, snacks, and drinks on the table.

Balloons were everywhere and so were streamers.

"Oh my God!" I said and they all laughed, Calum placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Do you remember last week when you told me you'd never had a surprise party? Well you can't say that anymore." He grinned.

"You did this?" I asked.

"With a little help." He winked.

"This is so sweet. Thank you."

I leaned my crutches against the wall before hugging him. The officers all awed at us, but I didn't care. I was happy.

"Thank you." I hugged his neck.

"I wanted your first day back to be special." He squeezed me before letting me go so I could say hello to everyone else.

I hugged the officers there, Luke and Captain Sutherland included, and thanked them.

"How's the leg healing up?" Captain Sutherland asked me.

"Good. Only four more weeks in this brace and these crutches, and some physical therapy and then i'll be good." I smiled.

"Well, we're glad you're back. We've missed you and Calum around here."

"Thank you. I've missed it here too." I smiled.

"My wife and I were wondering if you and Calum would like to come over for dinner on Friday?"

"Oh." I smiled. "That would be lovely. Thank you for inviting us."

"Of course. Friday at 7:00?"

"Sounds like a plan."

I made the rounds to say thank you to everyone and then we cut into the cake, everyone taking a slice before going back to work.

Calum and I talked to the Captain about coming back to work and I was given the all clear from him and we could both start back tomorrow.

We went back to my place and and when we walked in I made my way to the kitchen to get some lemonade Calum had made.

"So are you excited to go back home?" I asked him.

"What are you talking about?" He chuckled as he grabbed an apple from the fridge.

"Well i'm not in a cast and a wheel chair anymore." I shrugged.

"So." He said as he turned to lean against the counter.

"Well I-" I began to say I didn't need him anymore but that was too harsh and not what I meant.

"I can take care of myself." I said, completing my sentence and Calum looked at me with a sadness in his eyes before looking down at the ground.

"Oh." He mumbled after a moment.

It got awkward after that.

I went to the living room to read some new material that Captain Sutherland had given me and had settled into it, sipping my lemonade when Calum walked out from the back bedroom.

"Hey, i'm going to go see Luke to get an update on what I missed while I was gone. I'll be back soon." He came up to me, kissing my cheek.

"Okay." I smiled, kissing his cheek back.

When he left I bit my lip and sighed.

I had upset him, despite what his face said. He was sad I had mentioned him moving out because I could be in my own again.

The whole thing that had helped hold us and reunite us was being so close with each other. We'd been able to talk and spend time with each other and connect like a boyfriend and girlfriend should.

I reached for my phone and dialled Kate.

"Hey Ness! What's going on?!" Kate chirped.

"I need advice." I said.

"Oh no. Tell me what happened."

"So I went to the doctor today and they took of my cast and put me in the brace and crutches, so i'm good to go back to work again. And so I asked Calum if he was excited to go back home and he asked why and I tried to say that I can take care of myself now, I don't need him here 24/7 anymore and I think it upset him."

"Oh. Well that's not good. Did he say anything?"

"No. But he got all sad and mopey and wouldn't look at me. I could just tell. But I mean what did he expect to happen?"

"I think you two need to talk this out."

"I know we do. But he left to go to Luke's to probably talk about the same thing i'm talking to you about. I mean was I wrong?" I ran a hand threw my hair.

"No. I mean I would've expected him to move out as well, but you know how Calum is. He probably doesn't want to leave you. He's still worried and shaken up from the breakup."

"I am too, but we're in a good place. We're good." I insisted. "We're good."

Kate told me to talk to Calum again and I decided I would.

After an hour I heard him pull up in the drive and his door shut before he walked into the room.

"Hey." He gave me a small smile.

"Hi. How was Luke?" I asked him.

"Good, good." He said. "How does Chinese take out sound for dinner?"

"Sounds great." I smiled and he copied it before walking to the kitchen and using the phone to call the restaurant and order or food.

We had a quiet dinner, the two of us eating our take out in front of the television before going to get ready for bed.

I took off my brace and sat down on the bed, sighing.

Calum walked out of the bathroom, turning out the light and then closing the bedroom door before walking over to sit down on his side.

His side.

Now was as good a time as ever.

But apparently Calum had the same idea as me because we both began to speak at the same time.

"We need to-"

"I want you to-"

We stopped and then let out nervous laughs.

"Go first." He smiled.

"We need to talk." I finished my original statement.

"I agree."  He continued to smile.

"What I said today. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that the reason you were here was because I couldn't do anything for myself, but now I can, and I don't want to keep you away from your boys and your home any longer than I have already."

"I know, I know that, and i'm sorry about how I reacted when you said that."

I nodded.

"I'm sorry I was insensitive." I apologised.

"You weren't." He smiled.

"Now what did you want to tell me?" I asked him.

"Um." He mumbled and then shook his head before taking up my hands in his. "I want to ask you...I want us...I want us to move in together."

I froze.

"You what?"

"These past weeks that we've been together have been amazing and so good for us and I know you're better- well mostly- and I know you don't need me here all day every day, but I want to be with you all day every day. I want us to move in together."

"Calum we- I love being with you and yes it's been great, but it's way too soon for that."

"We've been living together for three weeks and it's been amazing so far." He argued but wasn't angry.

"I know that. Believe me Calum I know. But we haven't even been back together for a month. We need to get farther along in this before we take that drastic of a step. And it's not that I don't want to be with you because I do, but we are not ready for this."

Calum sighed before nodding his head.

"Maybe you're right. I guess I just got caught up the thought of us living together. I know that Eli and Cade would love it, and it would be nice for us to be together too."

"I know, and that's a good thought for the future. But right now, let's just take us one day at a time."

"Alright." He nodded.

I smiled and then leaned in to kiss his cheek before the two of us laid down.

"I can sleep with you normally without that damn cast on thank God." He said and I laughed at him before the two of us snuggled up together, Calum putting his legs between mine.

"Hmm...you know...tonight could be the night we finally consummate this relationship." He whispered into my ear, lightly biting the lobe.

"Oh yeah?" I smirked. "That sounds lovely, it really does, but I took my pain meds about ten minutes ago and I'd hate to fall asleep our first time."

"Baby there's no way you're sleeping through me."

He began to kiss on my neck.

"Let's give it one more week. Then we can go at it like rabbits, alright?" I kissed him.

"Deal." He laughed before kissing me back. "I'm gonna make it perfect."

"Okay." I smiled. "I need to go to the doctor then."

"What for?"

"This lovely little thing called birth control." I laughed.

"Ah yes. That's important."

As we laid there I was almost asleep when Calum spoke.

"Nessa, are you awake?"

"Barely." I mumbled.

"I just want to tell that you're beautiful."

I smiled at this.

"You're such a dork, Cal." I giggled.

"I know, but i'm your dork."

I turned over in his arms, nuzzling my face into his chest, just feeling his warmth and hearing his heart beat.

I tilted my chin up and kissed his jaw before finally settling in, falling asleep in his wonderful and strong arms.

--

New chapter!

So many of you have added this story to your reading lists and that's so sweet and makes me happy to see people actually read my stories.

Vote and comment if you'd like and i'll have the next part up soon!

Much love xx-m