"I Thought You Would be There for Me" by Tris
Chapter Two
Here is the final chapter. There is some Luc-bashing from the Prof., but that's how he feels--not neccesarily me. If all goes well , I'll be able to get the spotlight back on Luc in B&B II relatively soon...anyway, hope you like this, especially my loyal reviewer Juicy Fruit! Ah yes...I couldn't resist a silly bonus. Did you know Luc is quite the poet? ;D
Edit: Burned and Broken is marked as complete, the rest of Luc's story will be covered in my new WIP, "Oh Lord, What Fools These Mortals Be." Don't worry about whether that beginning is just a stupid hook, 'cause it's not. I've got it all planned out. Lastly...I heart this story so much. Thanks for reading it. It's one of my favorites I've written.
"Professor? Can you hear me?"
"Yes, I'm fully conscious." I'm also shocked at how weak my voice is.
"The operation was a success, Professor. Stigma is completely gone and your heart is functioning normally." The satisfaction in Markus' voice is reassuring.
Val gives a tired but proud smile of her own. "It was…a complicated procedure, but we were able to complete it."
The happy moment is spoiled right on schedule. My eyes flick upward at the sound of the door opening, and Rousseau struts in without knocking. Flawless manners as always.
"Professor, I wanted to congratulate you on the success of your operation," he purrs.
"Thank you." Why do I feel like a gutter dog? I'm his superior…I tune him out briefly, but then catch the words "Stigma" "Recording" and "Operation" --too close together. "Recording?" I bark. "Rousseau, I thought I made myself clear! I only gave you permission to study the existing data!"
Instantly he's sweating through his coat. "Well, that's true, b-but I thought—"
"My orders are absolute…or are you scheming to steal my research?" As the shocking thought jolts me, I glare at him from behind my monocle; I know he hates my monocle.
"D-don't be silly, Professor," Rousseau tries and fails to be reassuring. "I'm completely loyal t—"
"I want everything in this room RIGHT NOW! That includes any extracted organisms and recordings of the surgery! I won't have my research where—rgh!" I grab my chest as a sharp throb of pain explodes in my thoracic cavity.
"Professor, please! You have to stay calm!" Elena cries out.
"Dr. Rousseau, can't whatever you have to say to Professor Wilkens wait until later?" Val's voice and posture are ice.
"Yes, well then—please excuse me Professor." And Luc is out the door like a bullet.
For a few tense moments I struggle to get my breathing under control. "Please…I'd like to be alone for a little while." I need some space, and some privacy; it's just sinking into my awareness that I'm wearing a hospital gown. Mercifully someone put a bed coat over it, but nothing can hide the fact that I'm physically and emotionally unstable. I don't want to be alone so much as I want to fall into a chasm and never come out.
"Then we'll return later to update you on your status." Markus studies my face.
"Yes," I murmur. "Thank you."
He follows Elena and Val, who are heading out the door. Something stops him, though--he hesitates and looks back. As he starts walking toward me, I look away from his crisp white coat, and gently flatten out a crease in my sleeve. He's looming over the bed now, rubbing the back of his head…What does he want?
"Dr. Wilkens, your blankets…Please allow me."
Such a soul. I guess I thrashed around more than I thought in my angry outburst. At my nod, he carefully tugs the blanket straight and flat, then tucks it around me like a parent would as they say goodnight to their child. "That's better," he murmurs with a kind smile, giving one last smooth over the counterpane. His hand reaches out to me, then stops and pulls back. I can see his thought process: I know how to relate to my boss. I know how to relate to my patient. But…when it's the same person?
"Thank you for saving my life, Markus," I say quietly.
He reaches out with more confidence and gives my shoulder a brief rub. "You're welcome. That is my job, you know."
I relax; the gentle pressure and care behind it feels good. When is the last time someone touched me like this, not just a token slap on the back or mechanical handshake?
A smile starts across Markus' face, unsure at first but quickly growing. He remains standing by my bed.
"Do you have another operation scheduled for this afternoon?"
Markus' brown eyes look straight inside me. "I have a sky-high stack of paperwork as always, but if you wanted some company, I'd be willing of course. I thought you said you wanted to be alone though…?"
"Just…stay a minute please," I murmur. I can no longer fight the growing heaviness of my eyes, and they drift closed.
"Of course, Professor."
I hear him settling down in a chair.
He must have been preoccupied last night…what other reason could there be? That's it—the pieces snap into pace. He was keying up for the grueling surgery, that's why he was distracted and tense. My mind fogs as sleep comes to claim me, the last thing I think is, maybe someday I will tell him…
…If I could have had a son, I would want it to be him.
A/N: Read the whole thing? Okay, go to Detective Anonymous' Deviant Art account, and read the mini-comic that covers the same time span as the first part of this chapter. ROFL!!
