Make Me Moan Mr Therapist.-Chapter 98: Finally! we’re home!

The next day arrived swiftly, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. Fred and Damien were already bustling about, helping Gabe and Alex prepare to leave the hospital, as both had been discharged. The air was filled with a mixture of excitement, lingering tension, and the faint scent of antiseptic.

"Are we still going on this vacation, though?" Fred asked quietly, raising an eyebrow. His tone was barely above a whisper, as he was addressing Gabe. "Do you really mean it? I mean... you usually enjoy vacations with me alone. Why did you suddenly agree to go with Alex and Damien? And remember—they said two other people, ones we don’t even know, are coming too."

Damn! Gabe thought inwardly, a silent scoff escaping him. That’s because I had no choice, Fred. And... honestly, it’s kind of boring going on vacation with just you sometimes. But now, I get to go with other people I’ve actually started building connections with... at least.

Fred noticed Gabe’s distant gaze, his expression thoughtful and quiet, as if lost in his own world. "What are you looking at? Why aren’t you talking?" Fred asked, cutting through Gabe’s train of thought.

Gabe let out a heavy sigh, wheeling his chair closer to Alex. "Just go to the vacation, buddy," he said finally, his voice low but firm. "Use this moment to build your relationship with Damien, too. Just enjoy the moment, okay? Have fun."

Fred watched Gabe for a moment, sensing the unusual softness in his tone. Alright, he thought inwardly, letting out a heavy sigh. It’s settled... for now.

Damien, ever the energetic one, clapped his hands together as he finished parking their belongings. "Alright, guys. We’re set to go!" he said, his excitement spilling into his voice. "We’ve all agreed to stay at Alex’s house, right? Until we leave for the vacation? I’ve already settled the hospital bills, filled all the necessary documents, and bought all the medications prescribed by the doctors. Everything’s ready, so let’s move!"

Alex’s words hung in the air, and Fred’s brow furrowed in irritation. Alex’s house?! When the hell did they decide that?! he thought inwardly, turning to Damien for an explanation. But Gabe didn’t even spare him a glance, already focused elsewhere.

"Sure," Gabe replied casually as Fred assisted him from the hospital bed into his wheelchair. "It’s not like we have anything important to do at home anyway. We might as well just chill at Alex’s place for a bit."

Damien and Alex nodded in agreement, their faces lit with mild excitement, though Fred remained silently skeptical, his arms crossed and his mind racing.

Together, the four of them left the hospital ward, stepping into the bright morning sunlight. The city hummed around them, a mixture of early traffic and the quiet buzz of a new day. They made their way to the car waiting outside, the engine already humming softly. Once inside, the car smoothly pulled away, carrying them toward Alex’s home.

The vehicle finally came to a stop in front of Alex’s house, a modern two-story structure with clean lines and a welcoming façade. They stepped out, stretching slightly, and made their way inside to the spacious living room.

"Finally! We’re home!" Damien yelled excitedly, collapsing onto the sofa with a dramatic sigh. "I’ve missed home for real."

Alex offered a warm smile, though a slight wince crossed his face as he eased into a chair. "You and Fred should feel at home too. Damien will show you to your rooms soon so you can relax whenever you’re ready," he said, his voice calm but tinged with fatigue from the bullet wound in his chest.

Gabe’s expression hardened, his tone serious as he spoke. "We need to talk, Alex." He leaned slightly forward, the urgency in his eyes impossible to ignore. "I couldn’t bring this up at the hospital earlier because... I was still celebrating that you’re alive. But now we’re here, and I need to address it."

"And what is that about?" Alex raised an eyebrow, a warm, teasing smile still lingering on his face. "I hope it’s not something too serious or... hard."

"Why did you even come to the scene?" Gabe’s voice rose slightly, laced with worry and a sharp edge of anger. "You could have really died, you know? Sabe shot you right in your chest—just a few meters from your heart! You would have been gone instantly. Even if you hadn’t shown up, I already had guards ready to take bullets for me—but you... you just rushed forward and took it without thinking about your life!"

Alex swallowed hard, tilting his head slightly. "But... I’m here, aren’t I? Not dead. So why are you suddenly angry?" His voice was calm, but Gabe could see the faint tension in his jaw.

"Because you could have died!" Gabe’s voice cracked, panic and fear etched across his face. "You see what that monster Sabe did to Matthew and even Josh, who had been by his side for years. If he had known you were at the crime scene... you’d have been the first person he’d kill. How do you expect me to take that? How do you expect me to stay calm?" His eyes widened as he tried to contain the surge of terror that bubbled within him.

Damien, standing nearby, leaned slightly toward Fred, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I guess we should leave these two alone... or what do you think? They’re not lovers, but it looks like a lovers’ quarrel. Honestly, I think we might get dragged into it soon if we don’t step back."

Fred’s brow furrowed. "Why did you allow Alex to come, Damien? You knew he and Sabe were practically enemies, didn’t you? I mean, I appreciate that you helped save me and David’s family during the whole kidnapping mess, but Alex shouldn’t have followed you to the crime scene where Sabe was waiting. And you lied to me, Fred—you said Alex wasn’t there."

"Uh... I..." Damien stammered, rubbing the back of his neck, a heavy sigh escaping him. "Well, Alex insisted. But... everything’s over now. Please... we just returned from the hospital. Shouldn’t we at least rest a bit?" He added, trying to soften his tone. Before Gabe could say anything else, Damien grabbed Fred’s hand and led him upstairs, leaving Gabe and Alex alone in the living room.

"I’m fine, Gabe," Alex said softly, placing a hand on his chest where the bullet had struck. "You don’t need to be this worried. And just as Damien said... I insisted on helping. It was my duty, as your therapist, to help you break free from the shackles of your husband. And I’m glad—you’re finally free." His warm smile should have calmed Gabe’s heart, but instead it seemed to intensify the anger, the protective panic that wouldn’t fade.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Damien’s voice dropped low as he turned to Fred, standing so close that his warm breath brushed Fred’s face. "I told you he was going to involve us," Damien murmured. "I’m not interested in that drama. I haven’t slept since yesterday. I need rest—after all, we’re leaving for vacation the day after tomorrow."

Fred swallowed hard, trying to turn his gaze away. "Sure... I should sleep then. I’ll ask Gabe for my room," he muttered quietly, but Damien’s hand shot out, stopping him mid-motion.

"What’s wrong this time?" Damien asked, his eyebrow raised. "You don’t want to sleep here?"

Fred hesitated, glancing at the bed in the room, his mind replaying flashes of what had happened between him and Damien. Never... I’m never letting that happen again, he thought inwardly, his chest tightening.

"I’ll pass," Fred said finally, his voice firm as he forced a calmness over his panic. "I love my privacy too much. I’ll share a room with Gabe instead."

Before Damien could react or grab his hand again, Fred dashed out of the room and down the stairs, leaving Damien standing there, dumbfounded.

Why does he insist on sharing a room with Gabe? Damien thought, facepalming in frustration. I wanted Gabe and Alex to link up, that’s all. There’s nothing wrong with them sharing a room, but that bastard Fred... he’s such an obstacle. He could have stayed here with me, and we could have talked things out. What’s so bad about that?

"And why aren’t you building a connection with Damien?" Gabe asked, breaking the quiet morning silence. They were both lying on their backs in the bedroom, faces turned to the ceiling, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains and casting gentle shadows across the room. "I wanted you both to share a room, but you actually ran off."

"I didn’t run," Fred replied immediately, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "I walked. And yeah, I know you wanted to share a room with Alex—but just forget about that tonight. I’m not going to share a room with Damien. Sure, I should build a connection with him, but not a bedroom connection. If we’re going to connect, we can do it by talking outside, not with our bodies pressed together in a bed."