Page 95 of Second Chance

The air leaves his lungs in an instant. Tony lunges across the hall, breathless and elated and desperate. Grabbing Daniel by the front of his shirt, he pulls him in close and twists his head in time so he can kiss him without their noses bumping.

Daniel follows him easily. He cups the back of Tony’s neck in his hand, the other arm wrapping around Tony’s middle, easy and warm. Stubble covers his cheeks, unfamiliar and rough, scratching against Tony’s skin. Tony welcomes it as proof Daniel is here, real and warm in his arms.

“Hey,” Daniel whispers when they pull apart. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m okay.”

Tony shudders a little and buries his head in Daniel’s shoulder. He smells awful, of sweat and this horrible building, but somewhere underneath it, there’s his three-in-one body wash.

Behind them, Gianna clears her throat.

She’s studying the wall beside them carefully.

Tony wrenches himself away from Daniel’s grasp. “Um,” he manages. “Where’s—”

From inside the bathroom, retching answers the question before he can finish asking.

Daniel grimaces. “She’s thrown up a few times already. I’m trying to help, but she keeps panicking, and it isn’t getting better. Whatever Sean gave her, it’s not agreeing with her. She’s hyperventilating, and I think she needs real medical help. Had to take these off.” He pulls the handcuffs out of his pocket. They’re terrible quality, so cheap they might as well be plastic.

Gianna squints at them in the half-light of the hallway. “You know how to get out of handcuffs?”

Daniel demonstrates the quick-release, and Tony makes a concerted effort not to think about the pair they got the last time they went to the city.

In the bathroom, Lily vomits again, ending with a sob. At this rate, they shouldn’t only be calling the police, they should be calling an ambulance.

Tony opens his mouth to say as much, but before he can, Gianna pushes past Daniel into the restroom.

“Lily?” she calls.

The sobbing intensifies.

Tony sets his phone face down on the counter by the mirrors, the flashlight illuminating the room somewhat.

“Lily, hey.” Gianna crouches beside Lily, hunched over the toilet. “It’s me, Gianna.” Tentatively, she puts a hand on Lily’s back.

Tony can see how Lily shivers from across the room.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Gianna croons. “It’s gonna be fine, okay? Take a few deep breaths.”

Lily tries. They come out shuddery and uneven.

“Follow my lead.” Gianna demonstrates a deep breath in and a long breath out, one at a time. Lily follows her, hesitantly and offbeat at first, but gaining confidence as she goes.

Beside Tony, Daniel sags against the bathroom counter.

“You think you’re gonna be sick again?” Gianna asks, managing to keep her voice soft, a simple question instead of a medical checkup.

Lily shrugs.

“Okay, how about some water. Think you can get to the sink?”

Together, Gianna and Daniel manage to get Lily standing and over to the sink.

Lily rinses out her mouth twice before she tries to drink. The water seems to help, which is the first time anyone has ever said that about Hudson Valley tap water. She’s steadier on her feet afterward. She must also be thinking more clearly because she finally grasps that Gianna and Tony are here.

“Oh no,” Lily groans. “How did you find us?”

It’s a good thing she doesn’t wait on an answer. Tony’s not up to explaining Daniel’s text message scheme a third time tonight.

“He’s going to be so pissed, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, I’m getting him in so much trouble…”

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