Chapter 16

The secret transfer went well. Patrick was quite entertained by how much thought had been put into the planning. They put him and Rhonda into the ambulance when it was parked inside the garage at the hospital. Kevin took them to the station, where Dade and his van were waiting for them and they dropped Kevin off at his apartment before going on to Rhonda’s.

The light snowfall added a distracting element to the whole event. He had been involved with moving people in secret many times, but he’d never been the one being moved. If it hadn’t been for the light-headedness and the pain, he may have found it all quite amusing as his friends played cloak and dagger.

Rhonda’s living room had been turned into a makeshift bedroom. A bed, a real bed was in the one corner and everything had been rearranged. The couch and chairs were now lined up against the wall, under the windows. He was relieved to see the change, he hadn’t been looking forward to trying the stairs.

The knock on the door startled him completely alert. Owen straightened and placed himself between Patrick and the door as Dade went to open it. Chris stood near the door and watched as Dade looked through the peephole.

“It’s Doc and Rach.”

Patrick watched everyone in the room relax. “Maybe the group should stick to using the side door for the time being?” There were several nods.

All movement stopped when a woman walked in with Steven and Rachel. Her hair was long and straight, hanging down her back. It was almost a deep burgundy, rather than red, setting off her pale complexion and green eyes. Although he wasn’t standing, he’d have to say she was close to six feet tall.

Rachel grinned at everyone’s silence. “We told her not to come looking like a nurse.”

Kasey laughed. “Well, she definitely listened.” She walked over and put out her hand. “Kasey Larkin, it’s great that you’re here.”

“Tara Veering. I’m happy I could help.” She smiled and looked around at everyone, then stopped at Patrick. “Trip home a little exhausting?”

He nodded. “A bit.”

Steven shrugged out of his coat and took Rachel’s, tossing them over the banister on his way past the stairs. “I brought your prescriptions, thought you may want them by now.”

Patrick used his good arm to push himself up straighter. “Just the one that dulls the ache in this damn shoulder would do.”

Tara followed Steven’s lead and tossed her jacket on top of theirs. “Oh, I think we’ll add the antibiotics to the top of the list.”

Rhonda stood slowly as Tara walked over. She stopped right in front of her. “I’m Rhonda.”

Tara smiled back. “I’m here to help you as well, by the way.” She jerked her head in Patrick’s direction. “Can’t have him getting all the attention.”

Patrick smiled. “I have no problems giving up center stage.”

Chris laughed and hugged Kasey against his chest. “You’re supposed to milk it for all it’s worth, Detective.”

Kasey smiled up at him. “Not all men want constant attention, Christopher.”

Owen cleared his throat and winked at Leena. “We don’t?”

Cora came from the kitchen carrying a large tray of sandwiches. “No, you don’t.” She set the tray on the coffee table. “It isn’t much, but it should fill a few empty spots.”

“Always does Cora, thanks.” Leena walked over to the tray and put a few halves in a napkin and handed that to Rhonda.

Rhonda took the sandwiches over to Patrick. “Thanks, lass.” He glanced up as Steven came back from the kitchen with a pill bottle in one hand and water in the other. “Don’t you think you should introduce everyone, Doc?”

Steven stopped and looked at Tara. “He’s right, I’m sorry.”

Rachel grabbed a sandwich. “You’ll have to forgive him, Tara. Cold and flu season has arrived and everyone gets sick just before the holiday season.”

Tara laughed. “It’s not a problem. I understand.” She glanced around at the others. “Just tell me names as we go, and I warn you I probably won’t remember them right away.” She picked up the folder they had brought from the hospital and started to glance through it. “So, which one of you is the bodyguard?” She looked to Owen. Who grinned and shook his head.

Dade grabbed another sandwich and grinned. “Dex isn’t here, but as far as I know he will arrive shortly with Justin and Gwen.”

She nodded and went back to reading Patrick’s charts. She smiled at Patrick over the folder. “Been having fun I see.” He grimaced. “The antibiotics are definitely on the menu.” She closed the folder and sat beside him. “Any bleeding from movement during the car ride?” He shook his head as she lifted the shirt and checked the bandages for herself. “Good.” She stood up again. “All you get to do for the rest of today is nothing.”

“That won’t be a problem.”

All movement froze as someone knocked on the door. “Probably Justin.” Dade jumped up and headed to the door. Looking out the hole he laughed. “Nope, just our happy boy scout.” He swung the door open to let Kevin in.

Kevin came through the door grinning, as always. “Everything go well?” Dade nodded. “Excellent.” He took off his coat and stopped and smiled when he spotted Tara. “I was hoping Doc got you, Tara.” He smiled at Patrick. “He gets grumpy and I know you won’t let him get to you.”

Patrick rolled his eyes at him.

When Chris’s cell phone rang, it startled everyone eating quietly in the room. He pulled it out of his pocket.

“Larkin,” he listened for a moment then nodded. “Sounds good” He hung up and looked around. “Gwen and Justin will be here with Dexter in a few minutes.” He looked at Patrick. “Apparently, he’s having them drive around the neighborhood to get the layout of the area in his head.”

Patrick nodded. “Sounds like he knows what he’s doing.” He set down his sandwich. “I’m going to feel a whole lot better dozing when I know someone is keeping an eye out.”

Steven leaned back in the chair and patted his stomach, winking at Cora as he did. He turned to look at Patrick. “It’s going to be a few more weeks of dozing before you start to feel more like yourself, Pat.”

Patrick took the glass of water that Kasey held out to him. “How long until I can use my arm properly?”

Steven pursed his lips for a moment. “Well, I would have liked to get another x-ray before you left the hospital, but either way it’s going to be quite a while.” He leaned forward onto his knees. “The fact is, your scapula was fractured, and that bone is used in all arm movement, not to mention the muscles and tissue healing, on top of your ribs…”

Patrick held up his good hand. “I get the picture. Don’t like it, but I get it.”

Leena leaned back against Owen, her hand resting gently against the child inside her. “I made an ointment for you Patrick. To be rubbed on your shoulder area, it should help with the healing.”

Tara looked excitedly at Leena. “You’re an herbalist?”

“Of sorts,” Leena stated softly.

Patrick smirked into his hand. If she only knew, he amused himself thinking. He smiled at Leena. “Appreciate it, Leena. I’ll take all the help I can get.”

Owen wrapped his arm around her in a light hug. “Did you bring it, baby? I could put some on for him after he eats.” He grinned at Tara. “I’ve been told I have the healing touch.”

Rhonda grinned at him. “He definitely does…” She glanced at Patrick who had his head hanging down smiling. Behave. “He took away a lot of my aches and pains during my recovery, didn’t he, Pat?”

Patrick nodded. “He did at that.”

Tara looked at Owen for a second. “I thought you were a writer?”

Owen shrugged. “I am, guess I was born with more than one gift.”

“Not a bad thing at all.”

Dade straightened from the arm of the chair. “I hear car doors.” He moved to the door once again and looked out. “They’re here.”

Patrick looked over at Kevin. “Give me a hand up will ya?”

Kevin looked puzzled, but moved over to help him. He clasped Patrick’s wrist and leaned back to brace himself. When Patrick gripped his wrist, Kevin nodded. “You do the work and I’ll give you the balance.”

Patrick nodded and let out a slow breath. Holding his bad arm tight into his side, he pulled against Kevin’s arm. If it hadn’t hurt so bloody much, he would have smirked when he realized Kevin was pulling his weight up instead of letting him do the work alone. He stood for a moment getting his balance and then looked at him. “Been working out have ya?”

Kevin gave him one of his grins. “Trying to catch up to the hulks I’m surrounded by all the time now.”

Dade chuckled as he opened the door. “You’ll have a way to go to catch up to the one you’re about to meet.” He turned. “Gwen, Justin. How was the drive?” Justin shrugged in response. He moved aside to let the snow dusted couple through the door, then turned back and grinned. “Dex, great to have you back.”

A large man moved through the door and closed it before turning. “Great to be back, Jones. How are you doin’?”

Patrick watched Dade size the man up. Dade was a big man, but this Dex had a few inches on him and more muscle than one body should have. He didn’t even have a jacket on, just stood there holding a duffle bag in t-shirt, boots, and jeans. A few more seconds of observation and Patrick decided after seeing the arms and shoulders on the man he resembled a flesh-covered giant redwood.

Dade shrugged. “Good, but I appear to be shrinking with age.”

Dexter shrugged. “No, just had some spare time these last few months and thought I’d use the iron a bit more.”

Chris smirked as he walked over to him. “A bit?” He shook his hand. “Great to see you.” He turned to look around at the others staring at the new comer. “Let me introduce or re-introduce everyone here.”

Dexter stepped into the room and looked around for a moment. Patrick watched and wondered what talents this man held, as his eyes moved over each individual in the room, appearing to be sensing something.

“That would be good.”

Chris motioned towards Kasey. “You should remember Kasey, now my beautiful wife.”

Dexter looked at him. “Wondered if you’d get around to it.”

Kasey blushed and waved. “Hey, Dex.”

Chris put his hands in his pockets and grinned. “And you know Doc and Mrs. O’Reily as well.”

Dexter’s jaw dropped. “I leave you all alone for a year and you all marry up?”

Dade hugged Cora to him when she walked over. “We’re working on it.”

Dexter shook his head and looked at Leena as she leaned back, holding her belly again. “You as well, Lee?”

Leena nodded and motioned over to Owen. “Yes, I’d be Mrs. Grey now and that…” She motioned to Owen. “…is my husband Owen.”

Owen checked to make sure Patrick was steady before he walked over to Dexter. “Nice to meet you.”

Dexter shook his hand and grinned. “Knew a good man would find her one day.”

Owen grinned. “And he did.”

Chris chuckled then turned to Rhonda and Tara. “This is Rhonda. I’m sure Gwen filled you in on how she came to be in our little group.”

Rhonda smiled up at the large man, not even attempting to hide her scaring. “Thanks for coming to help.”

Dexter bowed his head. “I make a great knight.”

Chris chuckled again and motioned to Kevin who stood beside Patrick still. “This is Kevin, not sure if you remember him.”

Dexter studied him with intent brown eyes. “You have a lot less hair then you did, Kevin.”

Everyone laughed quietly as Kevin shrugged.

Patrick took a few small steps towards him and put out his good hand. “Patrick Blaine. Thanks for coming.” He knew the large man was purposely not squeezing his hand in that proper male ‘struggle for dominance’ shake.

Dexter gave a quick nod and clasped the other man’s hand in his. “Justin and Gwen have told me quite a bit about you, it’s a pleasure to help out.”

The tall, auburn-haired nurse moved to Patrick’s side and held out her hand. “I’m Tara, I’ll be here looking after everything health related.”

Dexter took her hand lightly in his own for a moment. “A pleasure to meet you, Tara.”

Gwen sat down and looked around. “Jean didn’t make it?” She sighed. “Well she wasn’t sure if she could get away or not.”

Kevin helped Patrick to sit back down before turning to Gwen. “I can go pick her up.”

Justin raised an eyebrow at him. “Nice try ace, but if she wants you to know where she lives, she can tell you.”

Kevin flopped down in the chair with a wry grin, then shrugged. “Can’t blame me for trying.”

After Dexter wandered through the whole house, canvassed the yard, front and back, and part of the street, he came back in to lean against the wall.

Patrick had moved to the bed, propped in a half sitting position. He nodded over at Dexter. “Grab a seat.” He took a few breaths. “You came back in time for the planning of Yule this year.”

Dexter looked around at the women crowded around Gwen, holding a notebook. Rhonda and Tara weren’t sitting with the others, but still had that excited female look as they watched carefully.

“Don’t suppose I missed a floor I could check?”

Patrick laughed, then quickly grabbed his side and shook his head.

Rhonda smiled at him. You like him.

Patrick took a few breaths and waited to make sure he didn’t start coughing. Aye. He reached and took her hand in his from where she was perched on the edge of the bed. I can trust him to look out for you until I’m able again.

She squeezed his hand. Considering I’m confined here with you, I don’t think I’ll need too much looking out for.

He studied her pretty eyes and wished he could take the worry from them. Let’s hope.