William was fast asleep, in his dream, he was in a garden bursting with sunshine.

The sky was colored red slowly. He was sitting on a blanket, his back against a tree, in peace. He had rarely been so at peace than this moment. Everything seemed perfect, without he even knows why or how. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He could not help smiling as he felt her hands rest gently on his chest.

-Still daydreaming Detective Murdoch? Whispered in his ear the voice he knew so well.

William felt soft lips in his neck to leave a kiss, then a lock of hair brushed his cheek, hands slipped on his chest to approach his pants while the lips of the young woman sealed with his . He felt softness, sweet taste, this wet tongue asking permission to deepen the kiss. He accepted. A second later, the long sensual dance began. He placed his hands around the waist of the woman that overhanged him and he pulled her against him, snatching a sigh of pleasure. It was only when the air ran out they just parted. Their nose always brushed and William could feel the lips of the young woman stretching in a long smile. He opened his eyes. His eyes plunged into hers, in those blue eyes he loved so much, those eyes that had looked with love so many times, this tender look, sweet, playful, where he saw that little spark shine. He stroked the cheek of the young woman, foiling his hand behind her ear, taking with him one of her rebellious hair.

-I dreamed of you, he murmured softly, only you, Doctor Ogden.

She smiled again and she walked away, sitting on his lap, stroking his chest again, without leaving his eyes.

-You're beautiful, said William, so beautiful that I am never tire of watching you, again and again.

He approached her and gently he swung to find themselves lying above, to kiss, to feel the caresses of his wife towards his privacy while she had again moans of pleasure. Then he left her mouth to plunge his eyes into hers, as he so often did. But he saw nothing, his vision was blurred. He could barely see the contours of her face. His breath quickened, his heart was pounding in his chest.

-Julia, he whispered in a panic, Julia ...

-I'm here, said the voice of his wife.

Black invades, he heard only the sound of the voice of the woman he loved, he could smell her perfume, yet the sweet taste of her lips against his, but it was impossible to him to see. He reached in her direction, but he did not feel her, his fingers were closing in a vacuum.

-Julia, he said louder, I can not see you. Where are you? Julia? JULIA!

William awoke with a jump. Without noticing a faint sigh escaped his lips.

-Julia.

He slowly became aware again. He remembered where he was, his head was spinning, his eyes were burning. He felt a pain on his right cheek, a weight on his stomach, a warmth around his left hand, a steady breath on his chest through the shirt he was wearing. Instinctively, he tried to open his eyes, but he could not. He felt something heavy and cold above. The harsh reality fell upon his face. The intervention in the bank, the explosion, the hospital, the prognosis of doctors, Julia's tears. He had lost his sight.

He tried to move his hands, but one of them remained captive. He focused. He smelt that scent he knew so well. There was this weight on his left flank, this regular breath. His wife would be sitting next to the bed, her head on his stomach, holding his hand, asleep. Slowly, William moved his free hand to approach her. His fingers gently touched her hair. He slid his fingers between her blond curls. Her hair was a little defeated, he could feel it through the ease with which he could dance her hair between his fingers. He smiled tenderly. He had always loved moved his fingers in the hair of the woman he loved, he had often look her close her eyes to the delicate caress and many were the times he had plunged his face into her neck, savoring the scent that emanated from her disheveled hair, often in a mess as she murmured his name lip, feeling her hot body pressed against his, just before they reach the point of no return, exploding in a cry of pleasure and fulfillment.

She awoke slowly. She felt pain in her back, echoing feet in reality. She was not in bed, otherwise she would smell the parfum of sheets around her and the tension in her back would not exist. She had the cheek resting on something hard, hot, which barely moved as animated by a slow and serene breathing. Yet Julia felt that gentle caress in her hair that were dancing between the fingers of her husband. This could only be her husband, it was just him to caress her this way. She savored the moment few seconds before remembering why she was in this position, sitting on the chair next to the bed, her body bent over the man she loved. The intervention, the phone call at the morgue, William in a hospital bed, his eyes, his such beautiful eyes hidden by thick white bandages. Agains heart, for fear that this nightmare was real, Julia opened her eyes. Her heart immediately hugged her chest. There he was, lying motionless, just letting his fingers slide into her hair, always defeating her bun a little more. She remained motionless, looking him simply. He could not have noticed she was awake and it was at leisure she could observe in detail. His muscles, his arms, his hand holding hers, the contours of his face, his beard, the line of his nose, his dark hair, this wound on his cheek. Julia would give everything she had at that time in order to remove his bandages over his eyes, to look deeply into his eyes, to see all the love he had for her, to get lost in those chocolate eyes, to see that spark shine there, saying by this simple gesture how much he loved her, how he was essential to her survival, how she was relieved to know him. But instead, she remained motionless, looking at him simply, remembering all the times she had read in the look of William all his emotions, doubts, fears, joys.

She did not notice the door open behind her, but she saw William tighten more forcefully his fingers over hers and stop stroking her hair in one second.

-Ah Doctor you're awake, was George's voice behind her.

William froze. How long Julia was awake? What had she done in the meantime? Had she looked him? Was she crying? No, he would have felt her tears and spasms, even the most imperceptible shake her body. Her breathing had not changed, she had not moved, she had to be quiet just to stay with him, as she had promised.

After a last look, Julia stood up, sending a shy smile to George she barely saw in the darkness of the room.

-Inspector asked you to come with me to the station, the young man continued, for autopsy.

-George, I can not, Julia replied by sending a simple look at William, I have ...

-Go, simply said the voice of William, they need your report.

-William, we know what happened, the man detonated a bomb and died, and because of him you ...

-An autopsy is needed in every police investigation, Detective Murdoch cut with his safest voice, you are responsible of the City Morgue and it is your duty to do so.

She did not answer, just looking at him and sighed deeply. This detail did not escape her husband who brought their hands still tied to his lips to kiss hers.

-Do not worry for me, I shall be alone, I will not move from here. Anyway I stumble to my feet out of bed immediately, he said, laughing softly.

Julia could not help shaking her head from left to right in laughing softly before leaning on his face and come to kiss his lips.

-Well, in that case I leave you, I come back as soon as possible, but William promise me one thing.

-What?

-Don't leave this bed, she said before laying a kiss on his lips, and do not make jokes, she said, laughing softly, you're a poor comic.

She saw him pouting and she laughed again before kissing a little longer to take the floor on his lips.

-I love you William, she whispered, stroking his forehead.

She kissed him again and she immediately left. Only a second passed before William felt the cold surround. He had not noticed how close the body of Julia gave him strength and energy. Now that she was away from him, it was as if he had lost a part of himself. He listened to hear her pass her coat, then her steps went to the door, George was still there, he could hear his footsteps heavier on the floor also.

-George? He asked softly.

-Yes sir?

-Are there other men injuried?

-Jackson and myself, we have some bruising and a few burns, but we're fine, Sir, a few days there appear anything.

-Well, sighed William, here I am reassured.

Without a word, Julia and George exchanged looks before the young woman turned one last time to the bed of her husband.

-See you later.

-See you later, William replied simply.

Then Condtable Crabtree and Dr. Ogden left the room without a word. Yet once in the hallway, Julia sighed, leaning back a moment to the wall.

-He will heal Doctor, murmured George, Detective Murdoch is strong, he will come out.

-The burns are serious George, Julia replied shyly, I fear he will never regain his sight.

-I trust him, I know he will. He had seen worse.

-May you be right, Julia nodded, may you be right, she repeated before walking away with slow down the hall to leave the hospital, Constable Crabtree on her heels following in silence to the police station.


to be continued...