She ran to the kitchenette and came back with both, which she held while she stared at the scene before her.

Aidan was gritting his teeth and staring up at the ceiling, his face damp with sweat. Her heart squeezed, and she moved to his other side and put her hand over his.

He flicked her a quick gaze of surprise and managed a smile for her.

She rolled her eyes at him and sat at his side. “And we didn’t get him to the hospital why?” she asked Hudson.

“Hello, have you met him?” Hudson asked. “He’s got more rocks in his head than actual brains.”

“Fuck. You,” Aidan said between his gritted teeth. “Last time I stitched you up, you cried for your mama.”

Lily divided a horrified look between the two of them. “You two play doctor a lot?”

Hudson shrugged. “Shit happens.” He glanced up from his hands to Aidan’s face, smirked, and then went back to work. “Hate to crack his image for ya, but he’s really just a big baby, emphasis on big.”

Apparently, Aidan only had enough energy to spare for a growl. Then he went on with his steady stream of swearing, directing it at Hudson.

Hudson just kept calmly stitching. “You know safety means everything to him, right? That he rarely gets hurt and if he does it’s only because he’s put someone else’s safety first?”

Lily realized he was talking to her, and she stared at him.

“And he’s never out there alone, doing something he shouldn’t be doing,” he said. “He’s got Mitch or me at his back. We won’t let anything happen to him.”

She swallowed hard at the realization of what he was trying to tell her, that Aidan wasn’t going to do anything like climb Dead Man’s Cliff on his own without ropes and fall to his death.

She nodded, and Hud gave her a reassuring smile and went back to stitching, and then finally, after what seemed like hours but was really only twenty minutes, tied off the last stitch. Leaning over Aidan, he very gently added some ointment, and then carefully covered the entire injury with gauze and wrapping. His hands moved efficiently and professionally, and yet there was an affection and care very clear in every single touch.

When he was done, he kept a steadying hand on Aidan and said his name quietly.

Aidan opened his eyes and looked at him.

“Where to?” Hudson asked. “Because I’m about to drug you, and you’re going to stay horizontal for twelve hours.”

“I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Maybe tomorrow.” Hudson twisted to Lily, took the ice water and cool washcloth, and turned back to Aidan. He ran the cool cloth over Aidan’s face before tossing it aside and handing his brother the glass.

Aidan downed it in what seemed like two gulps.

“More?” Hudson asked quietly.