Hey people, I love you so much! Thank you for the comments. Is LifesuxthenUdie still about?

Oh and the reason I rated this 'T' is because I get shot down for rating it 'M' when there's only one or two sex scenes…now I get shot down for rating it 'T' lol. There will be 'M' rated scenes, I will put a warning up.

CHAPTER 2

"How does your eye feel now?" Troy gently inspected the swelling and bruising of her worst facial injury, brushing a thumb over her eyebrow where her stitches lay and then his fingertips checked her other abrasions with equal tenderness.

"Ugly," she responded, which was good news to Troy. It didn't matter to him how it looked, as long as it didn't hurt.

"You've been near a mirror," he gathered from her comment.

"You know when I asked you how bad I looked?" She asked, without stopping for him to answer. "You lied."

"I answered your question from a medical point of view, that's hardly lying," he defended.

"Well, I looked like a punch bag and you could have told me that," she argued.

"Because every girl's dream is to be told she looks awful when she's lying in hospital recovering from an attack…" He derided.

Gabi shuddered at the word that brought back the feeling of helplessness she felt the night she got beaten.

"Shit, I'm sorry," Troy quickly apologized and cupped her shoulder. "That was insensitive of me…"

"No, you only said what happened," she opened her eyes to him. "It's just…it's raw, still."

"It will be," he squinted, checking her wrist and re-doing her bandage for the sprain, then asking her if her cast itched yet and if he could sign it.

"If…If Jake hadn't come along, at that precise moment," she considered bravely as she stared at the ceiling and swallowed painfully. "I could have been raped."

Troy frowned at her soft, hurt words and took in a breath.

"Have you talked to Jake about this?" He suggested gently.

She shook her head as tears fell down her cheeks and he realized she wasn't going to be able to answer because she was crying.

"Hey, it's okay," he tried to comfort her with soft words and a gentle hand stroking down her hair. Even that was cutting it fine as far as his doctorly duties went, but this vulnerable patient was more to him than a hospital inmate. He cared about her, too.

"Jake…wouldn't understand," she managed through raw sobs. "I mean, okay he's protective of me, but he can't honestly understand how it feels to have…" she paused, closing her eyes.

"Have your dignity stolen?" He offered from his limited knowledge of rape victims.

Gabi turned her head and looked right at him with her dark brown, mesmerizing eyes.

"To have your innocence stolen." She stated and Troy found his lips parting in distinct surprise at that statement. She was still a virgin? And Jake was marrying her? Was that what all the hurry was about, he wondered? Maybe she was religious and refused to have sex before marriage, either way, her fragility was explained in that moment and he soothed her with comforting words until she was tired enough to rest.

Gabriella Montez was a virgin, as well as exquisitely beautiful, he surmised. A warning voice added another statement in his head.

And she was also his brother's fiancée.

/

Troy didn't get a chance to visit Gabi again until the following night when the ER had a lull and he dashed into the lift to make the most of the break the senior doctor afforded him.

It was surprising how quickly he had gotten used to coming up to visit his favourite patient and how quickly he was becoming attached to the beautiful Gabriella, too.

He'd have to watch himself on that.

But meanwhile, she offered welcome reprieve to his usually stressful night.

She was asleep, of course, when he came in but she roused at his presence and looked out of the window forlornly, like she just wanted to fly away into the night and he cleared his throat gently to mark his presence.

She looked over, alerted but not alarmed.

"How's the bunker?" She enquired knowingly, her look shuttered and covered with humour.

Troy smiled and sat in the chair. "Quiet. They let me out for a bit."

She chuckled. "You should be getting some food or relaxing in your staff room," she told him.

"I like to check they're looking after you," he teased. "Jake would kill me if I didn't…"

She paused to look at him in the dark.

"You really look up to him don't you?"

Troy blushed but she didn't see it. "I just missed him, I guess." He said in return.

"I don't have any brothers or sisters," she shared. "It must be nice."

Troy shrugged. "Sometimes it's great," he admitted. "He always looked out for me in school; I always had a cool brother to protect me. But when he's gone…it's hard."

And then there's the matter of his choice of girlfriends, he added silently. Although he'd never found himself attracted to one of Jake's girls before. Thankfully. That would just be a whole can of mess that didn't need to be opened. As was this, of course. Not that there was a 'this' or anything. Nope.

"I can see why you miss him, he's a great guy," she offered, then sighed. "My head hurts…"

"Hm," Troy rose and paused. "Do you want me to check your eye?"

"No, it's okay I think it's just the stress of the last few days," she admitted and Troy swallowed and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Temple massage?" He offered instead and she smiled at him in the dark.

"You can do that?"

"Yep. Official doctor's duty," he teased and she nodded, waiting for his fingers to touch her skin.

He was actually really good at it, she noted as she closed her eyes. Soft pressure, gentle circles…her pain was receding already.

"Just relax," his husked voice soothed her. "Deep breaths, nice and gentle…"

Wow, this was really quite awesome; she smiled faintly as she drifted back into sleep with a more languid form. Who knew baby brother was a genius with his hands?

"Lucky girl," she murmured as she fell deeper into unconsciousness.

"Who, you?" Troy puzzled at her sleepy statement but she didn't answer so he shifted away, assuming her asleep. "Goodnight," he added before he left and rose before he did anything else he might regret, but his presumption was wrong.

Gabi was still a little bit awake.

"Stay," he heard her murmur but she didn't move.

Hm, it was most likely she wouldn't notice if he backed out; but something inside him made him want to follow her soft request. He mused that the chair would only offer him more pain and discomfort but he took it anyway, choosing to guard over Gabi somewhat while he slept.

Or tried to sleep.

Troy found himself awake two hours later, unable to settle in his seat and wanting to get home and get some proper rest.

He leaned over the bed and brushed a curl back from Gabi's face to check her injuries with scrutinizing eyes.

"Jake?"

The sound of her voice jolted him and he stepped back, silently chagrined at hearing his brother's name cast from Gabi's lips.

"Oh, Troy," she smiled softly as she woke a little.

"I…ah…I'm heading out, now," he explained shyly of his presence at her bed.

"Oh," she frowned, wishing there was a way she could convince him to stay but she knew it wasn't really fair on him. The guy looked beat. She should really stop thinking about her own selfish needs and let him leave. "See you later?" She checked.

His eyes crinkled with his smile. "You know it. How's your head now?"

Gabi looked into his concerned blue eyes for a long moment, touched by his concern. But then, he was a doctor, it was kind of his job. She really shouldn't read into those words, she mused.

"Better," she assured and closed her eyes to indicate tiredness. "See you later."

"That you will," he murmured as he wandered out of her room.

He could hardly wait.

/

"We're brothers, right?"

Troy looked at Jake as if he had grown two heads and sipped his coffee later that morning having returned from the hospital to get a few hours sleep.

Was he about to tell him something of their family tree, Troy wondered? Or simply too hung-over to quite remember how they were acquainted?

"Right," Troy drew out the word and frowned while he flicked his eyes over to his pacing sibling.

His brother, thirty two years old, covered in tattoos and stubbled like a devil-man, was pacing up and down nervously. That could only mean one thing.

He wanted a favour. A big one, if his fingers rubbing over his lips counted for anything.

"And we'd do anything for each other, right? Like, I would take a bullet for you, man," Jake fixed his blue eyes on Troy's equally blue gaze.

"Do I have to take a bullet for you?" Troy asked unsurely before he answered the question at hand.

"No, man," Jake gripped his shoulder and Troy admired the way his brother's untidy-spiked hair fell just-so. Just-so that a girl might like to run her fingers through the short-long spiked mess. His hair on the other hand, just looked like he tried too hard or had fallen out of bed wrong. Not the touching kind.

"Can you tell me where this is going?" Troy begged. "I know you were in trouble but I thought that was over…"

"It is," Jake assured and slapped his back- a little hard, Troy thought considering he was just up and not awake yet and unprepared for brotherly affection.

"Jake…" he prompted tiredly.

"Alright, littl'un," he gruffed and Troy made a face at that particular nickname. Since when was he little?

"This is not getting me on your good side," Troy admitted.

"Look I have money, okay? A bit stashed away. I have to go away for two weeks, like I said. Now, my fiancée got hurt and I don't want that to happen again, so she can't go back to her old place …" Jake explained.

"You need a place for her to stay in town?" Troy asked.

"I need you to look out for her," Jake stated with sheepish eyes.

"And by look out for her you mean…" Troy began the sentence for his brother to finish.

"Letting her stay here." Jake admitted.

"Here?" Troy repeated as though he were deaf. "What about just dropping by her place?"

"Because it's not her house that's the problem. It's walking the streets alone. She's gonna be scared, Troy-boy," Jake warned and Troy gritted his teeth at another condescending nick-name from his brother. "Would you want to go back to your place alone after something like this?"

"No…" Troy answered honestly.

"See!" Jake jumped on it. "So you see why she can't be alone."

"I do," Troy nodded. "But I can't see why either you can't cancel your trip and stay with her or she can't go to a girlfriend's house instead…"

"Troy," Jake gripped his shoulder and looked him straight in the eyes. "You're my brother and I just told you I trust you with my life. I don't think some girly is going to look after my princess the way she needs taking care of," Jake stated. "And I can't cancel my trip, okay? Otherwise I wouldn't be going."

"And you don't mind your fiancée living with another guy?" Troy arched, trying desperately to fight this plea because he wasn't sure he could cope with living with an attractive woman for two weeks, whether it be his brother's betrothed or not.

But then, he wouldn't be home much, he never was.

"Well, you're my brother. I trust you." Jake said.

Troy met his older, greyer eyes and knew he couldn't refuse.

"Okay, she can stay here," he sighed. "But only until you're back and I still have to work…"

"It's fine. I just know she won't get hurt with you here to protect her," Jake assured.

Troy frowned. "I'm not the man she wants protecting her," he commented. "Does she know about this, yet?"

Jake smirked. "I'll tell her when I visit later…"

"Jake…" Troy warned as his brother loped off and he rolled his eyes to the heavens.

"Be prepared for resistance," he murmured to himself.

/

"Jesus holy'n'hell," Jake looked around the living room as Troy got ready to leave for work and Jake got ready to collect Gabi.

"What?" Troy asked distractedly looking for his keys.

"This place…looks like something out of House and Home," Jake whistled, then paused. "Hey, you're not gay are you?"

Troy gave his brother a look. "Yeah, I'm gay."

"Well, that's okay," Jake nodded as though Troy were serious. "Just make sure you keep buffing up so you can fight off anyone who tries it on with Gabi…"

Troy frowned in his brother's face. "I'm not gay you moron, I cleaned. That's all."

Jake shrugged. "Oh. I had a nice guy in mind for you then, too…"

Troy let out a frustrated groan and ran a hand through his hair.

"Hey, boy," Jake asked like a father might. "Are you getting some?"

Troy breathed in and out, three times, measuredly before he swallowed and formed and answer.

"I'm not getting anything because I work all day and all night," Troy answered. "And when I'm not working, I'm sleeping. And when I'm not sleeping, I'm eating. And if by any miracle, in between all of that I may have some spare time, I write essays for my exams." He added pointedly.

Jake frowned and folded his arms.

"You should have said, man. It sounds like having Gabi here might be too much for you…"

Troy sighed and relaxed his tense shoulders and ungritted his teeth. "No, I promise you, it's fine. I told you I would look after her and I will."

"You also told me a million reasons why she shouldn't be here…" Jake squinted suspiciously.

"And you're my brother. So I'm doing it for you."

"Do me a favour, bro?" Jake asked and Troy looked up from finding his keys. "Get some, huh? You're way too tense."

/

Get some.

The words echoed around Troy's head all night even though he was concentrating on his job with his usual focus.

If only it were that simple, he mused. Except for all the dating, work parties and- frankly promiscuous –student parties he'd been invited to, he'd never connected with anyone enough to want to sleep with them.

Some girls thought he was a little odd if they stripped off and he didn't take advantage of what they were offering, but he'd always been a bit awkward and a bit shy, even though he'd been told on several occasions how good-looking he was.

So his brother was saying lose the sensitivity chip and go mate.

He sighed. The perfunctory act of sex was not enough for him. His job entailed a deeply emotional response every night and an equally deep recovery and he often found himself too wrapped up in hospital events to think about romance.

He'd never met a girl who just took him right out of himself and made him forget about being a doctor, forget about the ups and downs of his work and just…enjoy life. Well, enjoy more than life. Enjoy something much more real. Touch. Love, even. And of course, sex.

"I do think, doctor, that your frown is attracting more attention than your usual smile," a voice accused softly in a place he didn't expect to hear it. Not his ear that is, but in the ER.

"You shouldn't be down here," Troy frowned and twisted to stand from his stool; greeted by the petite Filipino who had escaped from her room unaccompanied it would seem.

She shrugged. "Prison-break."

"This is hardly a prison." He arched a brow.

"It's quiet down here…I was curious to see what you do…"

"And?" He wondered of her summary.

"Seems to me you're eye candy for the night-nurses," she twinkled.

"Well, at least I make their night worthwhile," he derided in return.

"Why the frown?" She tilted her head worriedly.

"Aren't you meant to be going home? Jake came for you at eight…"

Gabi smirked. "Doctor Jennings decided I have to wait until morning. Apparently the pregnancy rumor got further and he ordered a blood test to prove it before he'll dismiss me…"

"I can give you a ride when I get off…"

"Jake told me that you've offered me a place to stay…" Gabi broached.

Troy flicked his eyes up and he didn't know it, but his intense blue gaze confused Gabi for a moment.

"Yes…" He offered, not realizing his brother was going to turn the tables this way.

"Really? He didn't just bully you into it?" Gabi asked knowingly.

"He told me he was going out of town and I said there was no way I could let you go home alone…" Troy offered.

"That's what he said you said," she bit into her lower lip.

"Look, I'm more than prepared to talk about this, but I could get in serious trouble if you're down here and an emergency breaks in…can we go back to your bed?" He asked.

Gabi noted his distinctly uncomfortable awkwardness and nodded.

"Sure."

Back to her bed. Now why did that sound so tempting?

"There, all tucked in," Troy deliberately molly-coddled her as he stood by the bed, ready to go.

"Are you sure you don't mind me moving in?" Gabi asked directly.

Of course I mind, I have to look at your godamn beautiful face every day and remind myself you're marrying my brother, And oh, not just marrying him, but losing your virginity to him, too. Not that I would want to indulge in that particular activity or anything…

Troy cleared his throat to halt his inner ramblings.

"I insist upon it," he answered.

Jesus, who said that? Sixty-year old doctors, that's who!

"Well, if you're certain," she broached, "…I'd like to cook and clean and help out in return."

"That would be…" He searched for a word. He settled on: "Perfect."

Gabi nodded and smiled for the first time. "Good. See you tomorrow…oh, it is tomorrow…I mean, wake me when you want to go…"

/

"You know, I don't have to stay with you," Gabi began as doubt kicked in about the arrangements Jake had made for her to stay with Troy. The guy might be a doctor but there was something between them and she didn't know what it was, but she didn't want to find out. She was marrying Jake so she couldn't afford to have complications in her life right now.

"I know," Troy agreed lightly, amused at this sudden burst of uncertainty from his patient.

"I'm just saying, I could go and stay in a Motel or something…"

"You could," he nodded. "But you don't need to."

"And you're happy for me to cook and clean until I find a job to pay my way?" She checked.

"Gabi, you're my brother's fiancée," Worse luck. "I'm not going to charge you for staying."

She seemed to give up on that particular topic he noted as she quieted for a moment.

"Are you glad to be out?" He asked of her freedom from hospital.

Gabi chewed her lower lip. "Yes…but I did feel safe in there even though I was bored stiff, too."

"Hey, you're safe with me too." He assured.

She looked over. "I don't doubt it." She remarked with a teasing curl to her lips.

"Oh, I see it's like that huh," he twinkled back, allowing a depreciative smile to cover his mouth.

"I don't know what you mean," she feigned innocence.

"Look, I may not be the guy my brother is, but I can take care of myself…" Troy defended with humour.

"That's great but what about me?" She arched back and giggled as he gasped indignantly.

"Wow," he remarked. "I can't believe you actually said that…"

"Considering I'm a dwarf, I'll take anything," she back-pedaled.

"I feel so much better…"

Gabi pushed against his arm gently. "You know what I mean…"

"Hm," he grumbled. "Not sure I do."

She swallowed and looked over at him with bright eyes from their teasing.

"You'll do," she said and although her words were harsh, her tone was low and sultry and he felt his skin prickle alive.

"I'm glad," was all he said derisively in return, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves and keep driving.

These two weeks were going to be the longest of his life.