Nurse Patrick Preston

18.3.2. I have something to tell you

Co-written with cameronpreston

Although the plan had been for the “twin wedding” to be simple, understated and small, it was really impossible to keep it like that in essence. With four people getting married, that meant four separate pockets of guests had to be accounted for and included. Pat had done just about everything he could to suggest ways to keep it simple, but Luke’s family alone was massive. Then there was everyone Riley and Evie knew at the hospital, plus friends of Riley’s from Scotland. By the time everyone was listed, there were going to be close to a hundred guests. That really wasn’t a small wedding.

( Of course, included on the guest list was Pat’s twin brother, Cameron... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 2,269

14. I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches
build you a fire if the furnace breaks
Oh it could be so nice, growin’ old with you.
I'll miss you, kiss you, give you my coat when you are cold.
Need you, feed you, I'll even let you hold the remote control.
[‘Grow Old With You’ – Adam Sandler]

Co-written with mrpublicity | Follows THIS

Aiden never really got hangovers. Not terrible ones, anyway. He usually suffered through a headache and got bitchy until it wore off, but that was the extent of it. And that was only when he drunk a lot. He wasn't a heavy drinker at the best of times. So there really was no explanation why he was bent over the toilet throwing up extensively the morning after Lachlan's birthday party. If anyone should be in this position right then, it was the birthday boy himself. Aiden had all of two glasses of wine because he was driving home. The thing was, he rarely got sick, too. He usually had to be unable to move and half dying before he even admitted to being ill, but right now, he really did not feel good at all.

( With a small, strained moan, he flipped the lid of the toilet closed and flushed it so he could move to the sink and brush his teeth. Despite being sick, he didn't even really feel much better... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,020

1.2. "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."
- Nora Ephron, 'When Harry Met Sally'

Co-written with mrpublicity

It was news that should have come face-to-face, but news that would be better coming sooner rather than later. When Lachlan called Pat late that evening to tell him that Chase had just been diagnosed with stage two cancer, there was no rule book on how to cope with that. Pat and Chase had been friends for some years and even worked together when Chase took the surgical job. It was horrifying shock and all Aiden could do was just hold Pat to try and offer some sort of comfort. He felt inevitably helpless, especially considering they were miles away from Princeton in Canada so Pat could finally meet Aiden’s parents. The trip had been wonderful right up until that moment. Aiden offered to get them flights home that very night, but Pat declined, pointing out that there wasn’t much they could by that point. Lachlan explained that Chase wasn’t taking phone calls but he had left messages of support, even him telling Pat to stay in Canada until they were due to come home because the last thing Chase probably wanted right now was people trying to treat him like an ill person. That was an avenue Pat understood loud and clear.

( It was nothing but a waiting game now... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,459

12.1.3. “Sometimes I wish I were a little kid again, skinned knees are easier to fix than broken hearts.” - Unknown

Co-written with drcampbell

[Follows THIS, THIS & THIS]

“Sorry?” Lachlan said as he paced back and forth with his sobbing son in his arms. “I thought you just said you kissed Riley?” It took a lot to get Lachlan frazzled, but today was one of those rare moments. Tara was at the hospital visiting Chase so the new daddy was left holding the baby and the infant had done nothing but cry for the last two hours.

Pat watched Lachlan pacing, nursing the tiny baby in his arms and doing everything to try and get the crying to stop. “Is something the matter with him?” he asked in concern, his own prior statement mostly forgotten.

( “I dinnae know,” Lachlan fretted, looking down at his son... )

All muses mentioned here are referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,405

9.2. "Nobody in the world makes me laugh the way you do. You're my best friend. I just wanna be with you."
| Made of Honour

Co-written with drcampbell

Lachlan secured the fresh diaper on his son and took the tiny hand with his to lean over and kiss his fingers. “There you go, my wee angel. That feels better, aye? You’ve got your eyes open, but all you want is to look at it Mummy…” He turned his head to the direction the baby’s eyes kept following and sighed. “I cannae blame you, a chuilein. She’s beautiful, huh? Most beautiful lassie Daddy ever saw. You miss her, aye? That’s okay, angel… I do too…” He tucked his hands under Riley’s back and scooped him up into his arms to kiss his head.

“I’m destined to never be in a room with you bunch again and not cry, darling,” Pat declared from where he had arrived in the doorway of Tara’s room just a few moments before to witness the close scene between father and son. He quickly brushed a couple of tears away and maneuvered his wheelchair over to where Lachlan was standing.

( Lachlan smiled, softly rubbing his son’s back. “I’ll give you some shares in the Kleenex Company as a late Christmas present,” he joked and sat down beside his friend, leaning in to kiss Pat’s cheek... )

All muses mentioned are referenced with permission and part of the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,069

11.2. Deteriorate

Co-written with mrpublicity

Aiden paused at the door of his bedroom and let out a slow sigh before hesitantly knocking and opening it. Pat was sitting on the side of the bed staring into space, the wheelchair park messily nearby, so Aiden gently sat down beside him and took his hand to kiss his fingers. “Pat, it’s okay, love. You have nothing to be embarrassed about…” He watched his boyfriend in concern, wishing to hell he had all the right words to say.

( Pat just nodded but didn’t say anything... )


Word Count | 774

10.3. Sacrifice

Co-written with mrpublicity

[Follows THIS]


Aiden took Pat’s hand as he sat down beside his bed once again. He gave him a small smile and kissed his fingers. “We have to talk, sweetheart. I know that sounds scary and ominous, but we have to get a few things sorted out.”

Pat touched Aiden’s cheek and nodded. “I know. Doesn’t mean I’m not nervous,” he said quietly. He rested his head back against the pillow and watched Aiden for a few silent minutes. “I love you. And I’m so sorry for what I said, how I said it, how I made you feel. It was stupid, I know, but I hated you seeing me in such a useless mess. I was so angry that I got sick again and it had to ruin everything right when it was going perfectly. When you went to help me, it just all snapped in me. It was just like, fucking hell, we should be holed up in bed naked together and you’re here trying to help me with something as simple as doing up the buttons on my shirt. I’m just so sorry. I clearly haven’t accepted the illness as much as I thought I had. At least, not when it came to anything I’m rusty on, like relationships. Plus, and I’m not making excuses, but when I get sick like this, it’s not just physical symptoms. I get very angry, frustrated and depressed with a lot of things and I should have warned you. I just want you to know that it wasn’t you or us. That last thing I wanted to do was make you think I didn’t want this… us… you to take care of me.”

( “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Aiden admitted. He pulled his seat just a little closer to he could rest his elbows on the bed beside Pat’s legs... )

All muses referenced with permission


Word Count | 1,138

8.15. "Luck is not a factor."
| The Abyss

Co-written with mrpublicity

[Follows THIS]

Aiden was sprawled out in the visitor’s chair beside Pat’s bed; his head resting against the back of the chair, eyes closed, hand still clutched securely around Pat’s. Pat’s sedation had been stopped a good five hours previously, but still the usually bubbly nurse slept on. Aiden was determined to stay until Pat woke up, even if it was getting late now. He had only left the hospital when someone else was able to stay with his boyfriend. He realised he had too much of an anxiety that Pat was going to take a bad turn again and he just didn’t want him to be alone.

He was only lightly napping, though, probably looking highly unattractive in doing so. The chairs were fucking uncomfortable, so there was going to be no comfortable resting anyway. So when he felt a pressure around his fingers he shot up out of his seat immediately. “Pat?” he said softly, leaning close so he could be in Pat’s line of sight if he was waking. “It’s Aiden, love.” He started to stroke his fingers through Pat’s hair and exhaled heavily in relief when Pat’s blue eyes opened groggily and met his.

( The other bed in the room was now occupied... )

drcampbell and doctortara used with permission. pullmysteth referenced with permission.


Word Count | 1,767