Chapter 38

Lexi

April 21st, 2017 | 6:00 pm

They were discharging Austin today. It had been almost two weeks and Austin was doing much better. The wound had almost completely healed and he was expected to make a full recovery. Lexi was laying in bed with him. He was stroking her hair as she snuggled next to him.

When Victor and Monica came in, Lexi immediately got up from the bed and stood up, she wasn't sure why she was so embarrassed, but she and Austin were both blushing as Monica and Victor exchanged a knowing look between them.

"Well Austin, I am going to do one final look over and then we'll discharge you," Monica said.

Austin nodded. "Okay," he said.

He let Dr. Summers inspect the area of his gunshot wound once more. She finally decided he was clear to go and Austin began to get up, Lexi helped him to the bathroom and let him change by himself. She came back out and stood with Victor and Monica. They were being surprisingly calm and understanding about the whole situation.

"Where is he staying?" Monica asked, looking up from the paperwork. "They have no home address for him."

Lexi knew even before everything had happened, that he and Rick shared a small two bedroom that had once been Rick's. Lexi knew Austin would never want to go back there. She had already planned for this.

"You can put down my old house," she said.

Monica looked up. "He's living there?" she asked.

"Did you know that?" Victor asked.

Lexi shrugged. "He's eighteen, and the house is in my name, I say it's okay, besides what's the alternative? I don't think you two would be very keen on letting him move in with us now would you?"

Victor chuckled. "Yeah, we'd have to let Rachel move in too then," he said.

They finished the paperwork and helped bring Austin to the car. Monica and Victor agreed to drop them off at Lexi's old house, but that she was to come home before ten.

"Don't do anything stupid," Victor called from the car.

"Victor, don't embarrass them," Monica chided.

Austin only smiled. "Thank you, for everything," he said to both of them.

They both smiled. "Take care, honey," Monica said kindly.

They drove off and Lexi watched as their car turned at the end of the street. She looked back over at Austin once they were gone. He was staring at the car in the driveway.

"How did you get my car here? You don't drive."

"Maeve brought it over," Lexi explained. "Rick's place is technically still a crime scene. Detective Walters was pretty helpful though, he even let Maeve pack up your stuff for you and got this place all cleared up."

Austin sighed at the mention of her name. "She felt really bad about what I made her do."

"I know," Lexi said quietly. "I forgave her already."

He looked up at her. "It wasn't okay, what we did, what I did, I used her and it only hurt you."

Lexi smiled faintly. "Austin," she said, coming over to him. "You spent this whole year doing whatever you thought would keep me safe, the fact that you feel bad about its repercussions is enough to tell me your intentions were pure. You don't have to keep bringing it up and apologizing, just you being alive is enough for me."

He wrapped his arms around her. "I love you," he whispered as held her tightly.

"I love you too," she said back.

They walked into Lexi's old house together. It didn't feel as sad as it used to. Rachel and Maeve had helped her clean the place up, especially since the bedroom had been covered in blood stains. They had redecorated and gave the whole place a new vibe.

"Come on, I have a surprise," Lexi said, taking Austin's hand. She led him to her old bedroom.

"Woah," he said when he walked in.

It had been Lexi's idea, but Rachel and Maeve had helped her execute it. Lexi's old room was messy, the walls were covered in magazine pages and posters, the room overall was very dark and sad.

Now, the walls were a soft white. The bed set was a deep blue and the bed was in the middle of the wall so two people could get to each side easily. There was a desk in the corner and a dresser for Austin's clothes as well. Lexi had even made a painting for him across from the bed. A fresh start, for him, for her, for them.

"You can stay in here, it's yours," she said.

"You're sure you don't mind?" he asked nervously.

"Austin," she said, rolling her eyes. "I already told you it's okay, besides, I'm technically not allowed to live here until I turn eighteen anyway and I like the idea of you staying here, the house felt weird when it was empty."

Austin reached for her hand and pulled her closer to him. Lexi smiled up at him, she had missed him so much. She breathed in his scent, it had been so long since they had a moment to themselves. The hospital staff was always checking in, Lexi had a feeling Victor had made the nurses constantly come in to make sure nothing happened between the two of them.

She looked up at him. His blue eyes met her brown ones. She leaned up and kissed him softly. He kissed her back and all of Lexi's worries and doubts melted away. Instead, she only thought about this one happy moment with the love of her life.

Close to ten at night, Austin offered to drive her home. Lexi pouted, she didn't want to leave.

"Come on, Lex," he said, smiling as she pouted. "Monica and Victor won't be very happy with me if I don't bring you back by ten."

Lexi sighed, she was so comfortable in bed with him. She was snuggled up with her head buried into his shoulder. She didn't want to move.

"I promise to come over first thing tomorrow," he offered.

Lexi gave in. "Okay, deal," she said, smiling up at him.

As Austin drove, he had one hand on the wheel and the other was holding her hand.

"Do you like them?" he asked. "Victor and Monica?"

Lexi nodded. "They can't replace my parents or anything, but they are the closest thing I've got to it."

"That's good, you deserve a family," he said.

Lexi glanced over at him. "You do too," she said softly.

"The last person I considered family didn't work out so well," he said quietly.

Lexi knew he was talking about Rick.

She squeezed his hand comfortingly. "I know he hurt you, in more ways than one, but he wasn't family," she said. "I learned that the people you consider family, blood or not, are the people who love and support you, they don't actively try to hurt you."

Austin pulled into the driveway and parked the car. He glanced over at her.

"Platonic relationships," he said, nodding.

She glanced up at him, he had referenced her philosophy idea. "You knew about my project?" she asked.

He nodded. "Liam read out what you wrote, he didn't need to tell us it was your idea, I could tell."

Lexi blushed. "I wrote it with you in mind," she said softly. "I always knew we were soulmates, even then."

He leaned over and kissed her. "I knew too," he said when they broke apart. He remained close to her, only an inch or two away. "I knew since the day we met."