Summary: Riley visits Bastien in the hospital.
Author’s note: This was written for Round 65 of #ChoicesCreates: Non-Canon Couples and takes place after Forbidden Encounter and the attack on the palace, and before the trip to Lythikos.
As Riley entered the hospital room, she looked to Bastien. “Up for a visitor?”
Bastien smiled at her as she approached. “When it’s you, definitely.”
She took a seat beside his bed. “How are you feeling? I’ve been worried about you.”
“No need to worry about me. I’m fine.”
“Bastien, you are not fine! Come on, you don’t have to pretend with me. If you were fine, you wouldn’t be in the hospital. I want to know the truth.” She reached out and grasped his hand. “Please.”
Bastien frowned. “Pretty bad, actually.”
“I can imagine. Maybe you need more pain medication.”
“No, it’s not that. Well, not just that, anyway.” Bastien’s expression darkened. “I failed Cordonia again.”
Riley’s eyes widened. “What? No, you didn’t! You helped so many people get out of the palace. You probably saved some lives. You’re a hero.”
“But that shouldn’t even have been necessary. The traitor got into the palace undetected. I should have been more careful.” A look of pain flashed across Bastien’s face. “What if I missed something when we went upstairs together?”
“You don’t blame me for that, do you?” Riley had talked him into going upstairs, on false pretenses. She had told him she needed to get something, but she had really just wanted to talk to him alone, and then things had heated up between them. She knew she shouldn’t have done that. She and Drake were engaged. She and Bastien had hooked up a few times before Drake proposed, but they had never talked about a real relationship. But her feelings for Bastien had never gone away. She found herself looking at him, thinking about him, and fantasizing about him. They both felt guilty about giving in to temptation, but what if he felt more than just guilt?
“No, of course not,” he reassured her. “It was my choice to go with you. I could have said no.”
“Good. But you shouldn’t blame yourself, either. I know how hard you’ve worked to try to find the traitor. It’s not your fault.” She squeezed his hand. “Please believe me.”
“Easier said than done. And now I’m stuck in here. I can’t help catch whoever did this. I couldn’t even go to Constantine’s funeral.” Bastien looked into Riley’s eyes. “I know he hurt you. He made mistakes, but he was still my king. I dedicated my life to him. And I couldn’t even pay my last respects.”
“I’m so sorry, Bastien. But he would understand. He’d want you to focus on getting well. I know it’s not the same, but when you get out of here, once the Unity Tour is over, you can go visit his grave.” She smiled slightly. “And maybe by then, you can tell him that we caught the bastards and brought them to justice.”
“Let’s hope.” He looked at her tenderly. “How do you always know how to make me feel better?”
Riley grinned. “It’s a gift.” She turned towards the door as a nurse walked into the room. “I guess I’d better go. But I’m here if you need me. We’re heading to Lythikos soon, but call or text me any time.” She leaned in closer to him, then hesitated. Oh hell, he’s been through a lot. Just go for it, she thought. She closed the distance between them, then kissed him gently on the lips. As she pulled away, their eyes met. “Take care of yourself.”
“I will,” he promised.
Riley stood up and began walking out. As she reached the door, she turned back for one last look at Bastien, then headed out.