This story is based upon a writing challenge from my friend, reader, and fellow Silk writer-Eagle32nd. The challenge: write about Rita's experience during the three days Chris Lorenzo was unconscious after being shot in Black Heart ep. 3.22 and waking up in Natural Selection ep 4.1. This story also references and uses my non-canon meeting of Chris and Rita as children see "First Impressions" and "The Hurricane" to read more about this.

Three Days By Chris Corso

Day 1: Nightmares

The doctor's question still echoed in Rita's exhausted mind. 'Are you his wife?' She closed her swollen and bloodshot eyes as she recalled her reply. 'No…' she'd replied softly, 'his partner…'

'Just his partner?' That's always the open question, Rita mused.

She'd been asked about her relationship with Chris so many times. Her ex-boyfriends asked and Chris' numerous ex-girlfriends asked, and even Rita's girlfriends at work wondered. The latter's questions always contained a mixture of envy and disbelief that she wasn't with Chris Lorenzo.

'They just don't understand the way it is between us', Rita cried to herself. 'We love each other, but we're not in love.'

It was her standard reply. A truthful reply. She never allowed herself to feel envy for Chris' various girlfriends or the warm, sexy feelings he often produced in her. That just wasn't allowed. But why, she wondered, did the doctor's legitimate question, and Rita's response, bother her so?

'God I'm so tired…' she glanced down at her badly hurt partner, as he laid unconscious in a hospital bed. 'I almost lost him. I still could lose him,' she reminded herself.

That was how she'd found him. Unconscious-in a bed-with that woman. The insane and homicidally jealous Debra Bouchard. She'd tried her best to kill Rita, but failing that, she went after the one thing that mattered most to Rita—Chris.

The beeping of the EKG, or some other device, startled Rita. 'He's not breathing!' her befuddled mind screamed erroneously. That's what she'd cried out when she first discovered Chris' condition.

Rita placed a trembling hand on his chest-she felt his heart beating strongly-the door opened and a young nurse came in. She smiled reassuringly and moved to the machine controlling the IV drip.

"He's fine, Ms. Lance," she smiled again to reassure Rita. "I just have to change this IV." Rita nodded, but remained mute, as she recalled that this same nurse had, initially, greeted her as Mrs. Lorenzo. Rita hastily drew back to allow the nurse more room to work. The nurse, in spite of her youth, worked quickly and with assurance as Rita watched.

"All done here," she made ready to leave, but paused and looked at Rita with compassion and concern. "It's late. Past visiting hours… but you're staying with him?"

Rita swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes. He's my partner, my best friend." She glanced at Chris and tried to curb her tears.

The nurse nodded in return and observed casually, "The room chairs suck. You'd think they'd invest in something better for," she paused, "family members who stay the night." She studied Rita with interest and smiled again. "Let me get you a blanket and pillow. The main cafeteria is closed 'til morning, but the staff one stays open all night. Let me know if you get hungry, okay?"

"Thank you," Rita smiled at the young nurse. "That's very kind of you, but I don't think I can eat or drink or do anything else but worry." Rita paused but went on with uncharacteristic candor. "I can't stop thinking he won't..." She wouldn't say it out loud.

"We always hope for the best, but it would be wrong of me to say he's out of danger." The nurse seemed to be wrestling with her thoughts but finally exclaimed, "He'll need you when he wakes up. You seem so close…" She sighed and withdrew, leaving Rita with her tangled thoughts and fears.