Title: Alight
Author: BioGal
Rating: G
Characters: Carl Hickman & Anne Marie San
Disclaimer: No ownership, but I'm a huge fan of the show and want to love on all the characters!
Description: What was going through Anne Marie's mind when Hickman visited her in the hospital.
Feedback: yes, please!
The general opinion was that hospitals were too noisy for proper rest. For Anne Marie San though, the lack of constant activity caused her mind to ping from place to place never alighting for very long on any one thought. The beeping from the machine in her own room was similar to Sebastian Berger's large computer system. The constant bustling of nurses in and out of her room was no different from the omnipresent interruptions from this team member or that. The couple down the hall began to sound like Tommy McConnell and Eva Vittoria.
Most of the team had come the night before bearing gifts. Tommy and Sebastian had each brought a bouquet of mixed flowers. Eva had given her white roses and Inspector Daniel had sent over a rather lavish group of yellow roses. Her nostrils tickled with the different scents permeating her room. One of the bouquets included some jasmine. She could sense it just under the roses which overpowered almost everything else. If she was blind, Anne Marie might believe she was in some exotic locale, instead of a hospital room. Unfortunately she could clearly see the white walls, white sheets, white everything.
Boredom seeped into Anne Marie's brain quickly. She wished someone had thought to bring her something to do. Flowers were nice, but a good sudoku puzzle would be ideal right about now. She paced the room, restlessly, and finally began to unmake and remake the bed. She hadn't sat on it, or touched it at all, since she'd made it earlier, but you could never make a bed too many times. It could always be a little neater.
The door opened and suddenly Anne Marie felt completely out of sorts. She ran her fingers through her hair, in an attempt to smooth it down. Twisting it through her hands, she let it hang over her right shoulder. "Hi Hickman," she smiled shyly at the man who had just entered. He shuffled from one foot to another momentarily before entering fully into the room.
Carl Hickman held a special place in Anne Marie's heart. The way he read people surprised and delighted her. She had learned so much from him and he'd even saved her life once since she'd met him such a short time ago. He hadn't taken a bullet for her or pushed her out of the way of a speeding car. It had been a simple comment. He probably hadn't realized how much she'd been absorbing everything he'd said. But, she had. Hanging on Hickman's every word had kept Anne Marie from showing fear when it meant the most. So, in her mind, he had saved her life.
Anne Marie would never admit to the small burning ember that had sparked when he'd climbed into the ambulance with her. It was there, ever present, causing a slight sting whenever she was in his presence. It wasn't anything that couldn't be controlled. So, she would hide it away.
"I brought you some ... logic puzzles." Hickman began softly as they both sat across from one another. And as if he'd breathed right into her chest, the spark bloomed and began to flame.