Chapter 14

Rhonda didn’t know what time it was, only that she watched him sleep for most of the night. When her body got too sore for sitting, she’d stand up and watch the snow falling outside the window.

“Why aren’t you resting?”

Patrick’s quiet voice came from the bed in the dark room.

“I wasn’t sure when you’d wake again.”

“Come lie down beside me.” She turned and moved toward him. “On my good side.”

She looked at the IV and tubes. “I’d be too afraid of disconnecting something, Pat.”

He reached carefully and took her hand. “Then we’ll get it reconnected… if you do.” He pulled her gently towards him. “Come and rest a bit with me.”

Rhonda knew she shouldn’t, but she was so tired and had missed him so much. “Just for a short nap.”

“That’s fine.” He pulled back the blanket and patted the sheet.

As carefully as she could she sat on the edge of the bed and lowered herself onto his shoulder. “I don’t know where to put my hand so I don’t hurt you.”

“Most of it is on my other side.”

She placed her hand on his chest by her own face. “You get some more rest.”

“I will now.”

With careful movements, he wrapped his good arm around her and rested his hand on her ribcage. She wanted to sigh, it felt so good to finally be near him. “This isn’t hurting you, is it?”

He took a shallow breath. “Not at all, Lass.”

Better than any medication she thought as he closed his eyes and let the sleep take him again.

Rhonda woke covered in sweat. How long had she slept? The room was much brighter. She lifted her head and looked at Patrick. He looked flushed. Careful not to jar him she pushed herself up as much as her back would allow and touched his cheek. He was hot. Panicking she climbed down off the bed and pushed the button for the nurse. “Pat?” She stood touching his face and waiting for a response. He didn’t respond.

“Oh good, you’re awake.” A different nurse than the day before walked in. “I didn’t want to wake either of you.”

“He’s very hot.”

The older woman walked around and touched his neck. Without a word, she reached over and picked up the thermometer and placed it in his ear. “Humph.” Taking his wrist, she looked at the clock. “I’m going to page the doctor.”

Rhonda stood staring after her as she left. Now what was wrong? She looked at Pat again. Patrick? She touched his hand and waited. Patrick, wake up. She didn’t want to wait for a doctor and explanations, she wanted to see with her own eyes and hear with her own ears how he was. He didn’t respond.

Steven and another doctor rushed in. He didn’t take the time to glance at her or say anything, just reached for his stethoscope, and put it in his ears.

She watched the look of concentration on his face as he moved it around and listened. The other doctor was lifting the blankets and looking at the wound. The nurse was attaching yet one more bag to the IV pole and forcing the liquid into the line running to Patrick’s arm. She wanted to scream and demand to be included, but stood there holding his hand and watching. Steven took the stethoscope out of his ears and picked up the thermometer off the table placing it in Patrick’s ear as the nurse had. When it beeped, he looked at it and frowned.

“I want to use the ice packs, but not too many. I don’t want to bring it down too fast and chance any reaction similar to a cold.”

The other doctor nodded but continued to take the tape off the gauze. The nurse quickly left the room, returning within a few moments with a basin filled with packets. She began bending them and handing them to Steven. He placed one on either side of his neck and one under his good arm.

When he finished, he finally glanced at her. “An infection has set in, but it’s not out of control. We started the antibiotics and within a few hours he should be more alert again.”

Rhonda just nodded and continued to hold his hand.

“We’re going to check and clean the wound.” He put his hands in his pockets and watched her, his face bleeding compassion at the horrified look she wore. “Rachel is just outside, why don’t you go fill her in and I’ll come get you when we’re finished.”

She looked down at Pat and nodded. “All right.” With numb legs she walked out the door. Rachel walked over to her immediately. Trying not to sound like she wanted to cry she grasped her hands. “An infection has set in.”

Rachel frowned and hugged her gently. “I got Cora to pick you up some clothes, why don’t you come to Steven’s office and grab a quick shower?” She smirked. “You look worse than Patrick right now.”

Rhonda reached up and patted her hair down. She hadn’t thought of how she looked. “Maybe just a quick one while they do what they need to.” She turned to the two officers sitting beside the door. “Please tell the doctor I’ll be back in a few minutes.” One of them nodded.

It couldn’t have been more than fifteen minutes when she returned to find the ice packs removed and Patrick not looking so red. The nurse turned when she entered the room.

“It’s dropped quite a bit.” She pushed a button on the IV pump then turned and walked out.

Needing to feel for herself she walked over and placed her hand on his cheek. He wasn’t as hot as when she left, but he was still quite warm. You’re going to give me gray hair.

And you’d still be lovely.

She smirked at the fact he responded.

How do you feel?

There was a long pause before he responded. Like I’ve been put in a blender She watched his eyes open slightly and look at her for a moment before closing again. Rest. She heard the nurse come in and place the tray on the table. She flattened the sheet over him before she turned to see what odd-looking food she would call breakfast this morning.

Breakfast had come and gone, lunch as well. Rhonda spent most of her time sitting and watching or standing and watching. At least once an hour the nurse would come check everything, smile at her, then leave.

She sat there wishing Cora thought to toss her ointment for her back in with her things. Apparently not moving around too much was just as bothersome as moving around. Well, she wasn’t leaving until she knew he was completely on the mend. Sighing, she got up and wandered out of the room. Maybe a short walk through the bleak halls would loosen up the stiffness.

Her shoes were soundless in the corridors. As she passed the different nurses stations all she could hear was quiet conversations. The wheels of carts echoed down long halls, their contents clattering from the movement. She just decided she’d wandered far enough when she saw Kevin walking towards her. She smirked, he still had that irresistible boyish look, even though she knew he was no longer a boy.

“How is the lovely Rhonda today?”

“Tired of sitting, tired of standing, thought I’d try walking.”

He grinned down at her. “How’s he doing? I heard it was a rough start this morning.”

She nodded. “His temperature is still a bit high, but not as alarming as it was.” She’d never asked how high it had been, but knew from Steven’s reaction it must have been bad.

“Good to hear.”

Rhonda stopped and looked up at him for a moment. The man trapped in a boy’s handsome face. She placed a light hand on his arm. “I never thanked you for everything you did, getting Patrick here when he was shot.”

He gave her a lopsided grin. “That’s my job. Besides I couldn’t let anything happen to him, who would I irritate then?”

“You do that well, drives him crazy.”

Kevin shrugged.

“I wonder if he realizes underneath the playful pranks is actually a very serious man.” She mused in a hushed tone.

He put his hands in his pockets and studied her for a moment. “Let’s not tell him. I just prefer most think I don’t have a care in the world.”

She studied his dark brown eyes for a moment and saw the truth in the stress behind them. He did hide it well, but she was sure that he’d suffered more trials than most knew. She imagined it was the baby face that stopped people from looking much farther. “Your secret is safe with me.”

He grinned again erasing the glimpse of hardness. “Excellent,” he glanced around to be sure they were alone in the dim hall and winked at her. A small floating sparkle passed in front of her eyes and danced over her face.

She smiled and looked around quickly. “You’re going to get us busted and sent to the psych ward.”

Kevin chuckled. “Imagine the fun we’d have there.” He put his arm loosely around her shoulders and turned. “Let’s go see Grumpy and see if I can’t annoy him enough to get him out of the bed.”

She nodded. Kevin had a way of making anyone he came near feel better, and it worked. Sometime when things weren’t so stressful, she would have liked to dig deeper into the man he kept hidden, but for now it was enough that she wasn’t alone.

As they went through the door, she thought to give Pat a bit of warning. Kevin’s here to see you, Pat.

Yeah, that’s what I want to see when I open my eyes.

She hid a smirk behind her hand. Don’t be rude. He’s been as worried as the rest of us. It was him that got you to the hospital alive.

Great, he’ll hold that over my head for the rest of my life.

She turned to see Kevin studying the bags hanging from the IV. “Right, you know what all this stuff is.”

Kevin turned. “Not always, I just know how to get the patient to the people who know what all this stuff is.”

“Brat.”

They both turned toward the rough voice that came from the bed. Patrick was awake.

Kevin grinned and stepped over to the bed. “Hey, Grumpy, decide naptime was over?”

Patrick opened his heavy eyes further and looked at him. “I won’t need to sleep… for a week when I get out of here.” He lifted his hand and rubbed it over his face. “I feel worse than yesterday.”

Rhonda rested her hand on his. “You woke up with a high temperature this morning.”

He raised his eyebrows and looked at her. “What happened?”

Kevin cleared his throat. “Doc said an infection was trying to work its way in. Guess bullets aren’t the most sanitary things to insert in one’s body.”

Patrick sighed and turned back to him. “I’ll be sure to wash them first… next time.”

Rhonda gasped. “There will be no next time, Mr. Blaine. I plan on getting gray hair naturally with old age, not because someone thinks they’re invincible.”

Patrick smirked.

Kevin laughed loudly. “Guess you’ve been put in your place, old man.”

Patrick didn’t look at him as he answered, just continued to look at her. His eyes held a heat that made her heart skip a few times. “So, I have,” he added softly before turning back to Kevin. “How about helping me sit… a bit more upright here. My entire back… is numb.”

Kevin nodded and hit the call button. “Help is on its way.” He grinned at Rhonda. “Wouldn’t want you to have to lug his heavy ass.”

She smiled back at him, they all knew she didn’t have the strength in her hands to do the simplest of tasks, never mind be helpful, and didn’t mention that fact.

After his head stopped spinning Patrick turned to Rhonda. “Can you see about finding me… a bit of water, lass?” He swallowed, then took a few breaths. “I don’t know what they’re giving me… but the taste in my mouth… is beyond anything awful I’ve ever tasted.”

She smiled at him and walked out to find the nurse.

They both watched her leave. “I’m worried about her.”

Kevin quirked an eyebrow at Patrick. “Well, I think her worrying about you outweighs your own.”

Patrick glared at him. “I was meaning with… the bad guys you twit.”

“Oh.” Kevin leaned against the end of the bed. “You think they’ll come after her?”

“Good chance.”

Kevin pursed his lips together for a moment. “She’s only actually left the hospital once since this happened, so I don’t think at this point there’s too much to worry about. No one can get to her here, and if she doesn’t leave, they can’t find her.”

Patrick thought about that. “Good then, let’s keep it that way.” He took a rasping breath and hoped it wasn’t a sign he was going to cough. “I can’t even explain how… dangerous a man this Jack Williams is…”

Kevin’s face became serious. “We’ll get through it, Patrick.”

He rested his head back on the pillow, assessing how he physically felt. Quickly holding the pillow into his side, he fought through the coughing.

When it finally subsided, he had tears in his eyes and felt like he’d just been beat on. “If you see Leena… can you ask if she has any thoughts on helping that along?”

A frown crossed Kevin’s expression. “Will do, although from what I hear everyone will be here shortly.”

Patrick took a few slower controlled breaths. “That’s good then, we can come up with a plan to keep… Rhonda safe.”

“I think Rhonda is more capable of looking after herself then you are right now.”

Both men turned to look at Rhonda standing in the door holding a pitcher against her chest.

Kevin gave her a lopsided grin. “Busted.”

She smiled at him. “And why are we worried about my safety? I wasn’t shot.”

Patrick took a shallow breath. “Jack Williams is a dangerous man, lass….”

“Oh, and poor innocent me has never had to worry about a dangerous man in her perfect little life. I just hid for months from a maniac who wanted to slice me up as an offering to the god inside his head for the fun of it.” Rhonda growled at him.

Patrick lowered his head feeling as small as a worm. “Point made.” He rasped.

She carefully poured water into the cup and picked up the straw. “Let’s get you on both feet and tube free first, then you can pick up your he-man card, Patrick.”

He took the cup from her with a weak hand. “Aye, lass.” He didn’t look at the other man, but instead into the cup. He’d missed her and especially that temper, it set a shine to her eyes. As soon as he felt like he wasn’t half dead, he had definite plans to show her his he-man traits. He smirked and took another sip.