Author's Note: Well, all I can say is that it is late and I wanted to see if I could do something that might have actually made it into the show. Which means, I tried to make it as realistic as possible. Savvy? Oh, dear, I'm in my Pirate's mood...

Disclaimer: Nothing but the words...

Overrated

The touch of fingers wrapped lightly around his wrist had his head reeling in shock. Personal contact; sirens blared, alert bells trilled. A second of internal commotion later and he relaxed; it was warm contact, familiar contact. Stephen looked at her with his entire force behind his eyes, conveying the simple message: Go away. Theory told him that it'd work, that somehow his eyes had a way with making her react and she'd leave, experience told him that he'd better make room for her at the balcony railing.

Natalie didn't argue but her expression gave the ever ready, I'm not leaving, you can't make me, to which he sighed--the huff of breath exclaiming his defeat as he moved. There were so many things he could say without speaking and she'd managed to construct a response to each, equally as silent as he was and equally as stubborn.

When had that happened?

Her fingers were still there, pressed against the skin of his wrist and Stephen wondered if she was trying to pour thoughts and feelings through that simple contact, further the realm of their silent conversation. When she spoke it wasn't the traditional 'You're tired' or the 'Calm down' or even 'You need to eat' It was simple question that left her lips and flitted through the air, "You want to talk about it?" Words so soft accompanied a phrase so overused, warping it into something with more patience and meaning.

"No," he admitted, expecting her to argue, it was what she did, pushed him until he broke and argued with her or until he gave in. It was the way of Natalie, like it was his way to wind himself so tight that at her whim he just exploded.

When not so much as a peep came from her after his monosyllable response he allowed himself to look at her. Natalie appeared to be as tired as he felt and the wind that hit them picked up the wisps of hair that had escaped her pony-tail and whipped them back and forth. It wasn't a surprise that she'd found him out there, standing on the balcony and looking down at the court yard bellow. Someone always found him, Natalie and Frank mostly, and still, she was the only one who ever pushed him to talk when he didn't want to.

Which was often if he came to think about it.

"The cafeteria food is disgusting," Natalie said conversationally, "if we're not careful it'll kill our patients," really she was telling him she'd let him get by without eating this time, he let it slip without responding.

Natalie removed her hand from his wrist and gazed at him for a long second before speaking, "I'll tell you when the results are done."

Stephen gave her a brief nod and felt her fingers brush lightly across his back as she walked away. He breathed when the door closed behind her and bowed his head. Maybe, he thought as he watched the people below, one day he'd surprise her by telling her something without a fight.

"Stephen," he heard her voice from the balcony door and stiffened.

Turning he regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

"Get some sleep," she said with a wink and a smirk before slipping through the door and pulling it closed behind her.

Her words echoed slightly in the silence she left. Stephen turned once more, the small laugh that rumbled through his chest was unstoppable and he shook his head as he looked back down to the courtyard, making up his mind… he'd take her advice one day, just to wipe the smirk from her face.

Besides...

Being so stubborn was overrated anyway.