Elliot gave his friend a look of incredulity when the man said this happened because he took a break. “I don’t think this happened because you took a break, man,” he reasoned. “I think it happened because you hadn’t taken a break in so long and all your exhaustion caught up to you.” He pursed his lips at Evan’s muttered words. Elliot could believe it had happened.
Obviously all his (and “everyone else’s”) warnings had gone unheeded. “Isn’t that why you’ve got a team of leaders behind you? So that you’re not in over your head with all these different projects? And if you couldn’t sleep, why didn’t you come to me sooner? I could’ve done something about that.” Insomnia was common and, true, the drugs that normally dealt with such things were less than common, but there were more natural ways to get someone to rest.
The anger was a little surprising, but understandable. Sleep deprivation did a number on one’s mood. Elliot didn’t balk in his insistence that Evan stay in bed, although he did feel a twinge of his own irritation spark up when it seemed like his friend was tossing blame his way. “Not everything’s your fault,” he countered, keeping a leash on his own temper in case he was wrong in his assumption that part of this was about him. “Those of us who care most about your life are the ones insisting that you take it easy.” He was almost tempted to laugh when his friend gave up his struggle and started sulking, but he didn’t because clearly Evan was under a lot of stress right now. Making him angrier would only be counterproductive.
“A fire drill plan?” Elliot asked in disbelief. “Come on, man. That’s not something for you to worry about. That’s more O’Brien’s gig, since he’s security.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Elliot loomed over Evan’s bed, daring the man to try to get up again. “You can either stay in bed willingly or I can strap you down. Your choice.”