Chapter Four
"Well?"
Amara leaned to rinse her hands in the sink. "So far it seems to be healing up nicely. As long as we keep it clean and the stitches don't pop you should be back to your normal self in no time."
The large man in the bed chuckled. It was a mirthless sound. "What's normal?"
"Whatever you want it to be, I suppose." The sink was too low for her to wash her hands comfortably. Remembering that it was a school and had been designed for children, she sighed and turned off the water. "Let me know if it shows sign of infection. Swelling around the stitches, intense burning, that sort of thing."
When he remained silent, she turned, managing a hopeful smile. "You don't have to stay in bed all the time. If you want to you can get up and move around. Just don't go reaching above your head or lifting anything heavy."
"I'll keep that in mind." Roman eased his arm through the sleeve of his t-shirt. He made no sound of pain but she saw the way his jaw clenched. Without a word she moved to help him.
"Do you need anything?" she asked, smoothing the shirt down. Following her training, she adjusted the sheet and blanket over his lap and made sure his pillow wasn't applying strain on his neck.
"Nikki's bringing my breakfast soon."
"Anything else? Are there any books around here? Or puzzles? Something to pass the time."
"I left my book in the living room." Seeing her confusion, he waved one hand. "The old teacher's lounge. That's what they call it."
They. Not we. Didn't he consider himself part of the group? "Oh. What is it? I'll get it for you."
"Harry Potter. The first one." He cleared his throat, gaze on his hands. "It was either that or Green Eggs and Ham."
"I'll check on your breakfast while I'm in there."
"Miss Turner," he called after her when she was almost to the door. She turned, saw his lips pull into a hesitant smile. "Thank you."
Giving him a nod, she left the room. The hall was empty and the shoes Nikki had loaned her squeaked on the floor. It was the kind of tile that made shoes squeak no matter what. Her own elementary school's floors had been the same. On rainy days the noise had been louder, drowning out any conversation in the halls when more than three students were walking at once.
She found the book on the cluttered coffee table. Judging from the scrap of paper between the pages, he was nearly finished. She wondered if she would be able to find the next in the series. From the kitchen came the rattle of dishes. She ventured to the doorway, peering in to see Nikki pushing scrambled eggs onto a plate. A tray on the table was already filled with food; toast, bacon, fried potatoes, and a large glass of juice. There was coffee as well, and a small dish of butter.
"You're up," Nikki blurted when she turned around.
"Yeah, long enough to check on Roman. Good morning."
"Morning. How is he?" Nikki pushed the plate onto the tray and plucked toast out of the toaster to add to the pile.
"He'll be okay. He doesn't seem the type to enjoy sitting around while he heals, though."
"He's not. I don't think I've seen him sit still for longer than an hour since I met him." Nikki pulled the tray closer to the edge of the table. "I'm going to take this to him then fix breakfast for everybody else."
Amara tucked the books under one arm and lifted the tray before Nikki could. "I'll take it. You sit down and have a cup of juice.
"I knew I liked you." Nikki rubbed the small of her back as she got a cup from the stack on the counter.
When she returned, Nikki was seated at the table, feet propped in an empty chair. Amara noted the food set out on the counter and pushed up her sleeves.
"How far along are you?"
"Just over eight months. I think."
"How long has it been since you saw a doctor?"
"A while. My fourth month." Nikki was moving one hand in small circles over her abdomen. "She said on my next visit they would chip him so I didn't go back."
"You know it's a boy?" Amara asked, hoping the other woman wouldn't see the way she rubbed the side of her neck. She thought of the procedure she'd witnessed in training. She doubted she would ever forget the long, thick needle piercing the pregnant woman's abdomen, or the woman's painful sobs. Chipping in-utero was an arduous process that many weren't aware of until their obstetrician brought it up.
"No. Dean's hoping, though." She sighed. "I just want it to be healthy."
"How are you feeling?"
"Exhausted. I haven't had a good night's sleep in ages. I never have to pee unless I just sat down. I get leg cramps. The morning sickness is gone but now I get heartburn. The guys will say something that's not mean at all and I still take it the wrong way and go batshit crazy. Then I feel bad and start to cry." Nikki sighed. "I'm a complete fucking mess."
"No, you're just pregnant."
"I'm so glad I have a woman around to talk to about this stuff though. The guys… They try to be understanding but as soon as I mention something remotely gross they tune me out."
"Well, I've never been pregnant, but it takes a lot to gross me out." Amara watched the bacon start to curl in the pan. "What kind of eggs would you like?"
Dean came in as she was fixing Nikki's plate. "Morning," he drawled, giving her a nod while pouring coffee into his thermos. "Hot damn, looks like I'm just in time."
"You are." She held out the plate and smiled. "Serve Nikki while I get her some milk."
He grunted in surprise, but didn't comment as he put the plate in front of his girlfriend. From the corner of her eye Amara watched as he kissed Nikki's cheek. With one hand on her belly, he was the picture of a happy expectant father. He nudged her feet out of the way and sat down, pulling her feet into his lap. "I usually get served first."
Nikki already had a mouthful of bacon and merely smiled. She gestured to Amara, giving a little shrug before indicating her belly. Dean drummed his fingers on her leg, waiting, and she rolled her eyes. "I'm pregnant, you idiot."
"No shit? Were you planning on telling me anytime soon?"
"I figured I'd drop the news when the first shitty diaper came along."
Amara fought a smile as she handed over the glass of milk. These two were going to be comical parents. She listened to their playful bickering, wondering how the woman had the patience to keep from snapping at the man. She doubted she would have been able to do so. "How many eggs do you want, Dean?"
"Four, over easy." The bickering had stopped. He was massaging her ankles. "Eight pieces of bacon, two slices of toast."
"Ahem, can you say please?" Nikki prodded.
"She asked."
"So you don't think manners are important? Your child can hear you, you know."
Dean bent over, head close to Nikki's belly. "Son, your mom's fucking nuts. Amara, may I please have what I already told you I'd like to have?"
She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "Sure."
"Thank you. Happy now?"
"I guess."
"So you need to rest a lot?" he asked after a few moments had passed. "Why didn't you say something before?"
"Who would have fried your four eggs and eight pieces of bacon?" Nikki's voice was gentle, giving the impression that if it meant his happiness and comfort she would do anything.
"I could have lived on cereal."
"Dean. You hate cereal."
"But I love you."
There it was, Amara thought, keeping her gaze on the next batch of bacon. It had been obvious the two loved one another. Otherwise they'd have killed each other long before she'd met them. It was nice to witness him saying the words though. She had a feeling such moments were rare. She heard Nikki murmur the words back. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw them share a sweet kiss and quickly looked away.
"After breakfast I'll get to work on that crib thing."
"The bassinet? You got one?"
"Seth picked one up when he went to get groceries. You were asleep when he left."
"Yeah. He should have woke me up. Where is it?"
They continued to chat, a typical expectant couple enjoying breakfast. Amara felt like an eavesdropper as she cooked, hearing personal snippets they probably didn't realize they were sharing. Nikki liked to read before sleeping. Dean was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Both were cover hogs. Someone named Stephen was going to come by that night to check in. Dean hoped he'd know of an offline job he could get. Nikki hoped he would have news of someone named Phil.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Nikki asked. Her plate was empty, her feet still in Dean's lap as he began wolfing down his bacon.
"There aren't many eggs left. I'll wait for Seth to eat first. I'll be alright on bacon and toast." To prove her point Amara picked up a slice of bacon and began to chew.
Seth. Where was he? She hadn't seen him at all since the night before. It had taken a long time to go back to sleep, which she blamed on the storm. The temptation to go into his room for company had been strong but she'd resisted. Crazy though it sounded to her, she wanted more.
She busied herself with cleaning up the dishes, waving off Nikki's offer to help. The couple had ceased talking so Dean could eat, and when she looked over she saw them kissing again. With them distracted, she slipped out to collect Roman's tray. He was reading, barely glancing up when she gathered the dishes. Spying the pack of medical supplies she grabbed that as well.
Entering the kitchen, she stopped abruptly when she saw Seth. He was leaning against the counter, cup of coffee in one hand, slice of toast in the other.
"Morning," he greeted.
"Morning," she echoed, placing the tray on the table. She slipped the pack into an empty chair.
"Sleep good?"
She knew what he was really asking. "I did. No more nightmares."
"Good."
His hair was loose, the locks swinging with each small movement he made. She took in the sweatpants, tank top, and sneakers as she placed Roman's dishes in the sink. The glove was still on his left hand. Running water into the sink, she watched the steam curl. "How can there be hot water and electricity here? Everything's supposed to be online isn't it?"
"We have a few friends that help us out." Eyes still on the steam, she gasped when he lightly cupped her upper arms. "Sorry."
"It's okay," she whispered. She turned off the water. "How about you? Did you sleep?"
"Off and on."
"Where did Nikki and Dean go?"
"They're putting together the bassinet."
She nodded, commenting that they were a cute couple. Leaving the dishes to soak, she turned to face him. "Does this feel awkward to you?"
"A little." His smile was brief, his hands still on her arms. "Almost like the morning after."
"Well there's only one cure for that," she murmured. When his hands slid to her waist she didn't object, stepping into him as though she'd done it a thousand times. She didn't bother questioning her motives, or even his. She craved the comfort his kiss could provide, the safety she knew she would feel in his arms.
"Oh, much better," he agreed. Eyes already closing in anticipation, she wrinkled her nose at the tickling of his hair on her cheeks. Then his lips were on hers and all she could do was hold onto him.
Gleeful to forget everything else, she parted her lips, tongue meeting his so forcefully his fingers dug into her waist. Then he was lifting her up, resting her on the counter. Heat curled within her, starting in her chest and spreading outwards. His lips and tongue encouraged it. When she tilted her head he made a sound of approval, pulling her bottom lip between his teeth. Amara gasped, a wanton need beginning to take over as he pressed a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth.
"How far?" he asked, one hand moving to rest on her knee. "Tell me how far I can go without scaring you away."
Touched, she reached to push the hair from his face, lightly tracing his neat beard. The heat and need were still there but she realized she could wait for them to be sated. "You're asking for boundaries?"
"Unless you want to have sex right here… Yeah." He kissed the corner of her mouth again then raised his head, causing her hands to fall to his shoulders again. "I didn't help you last night so I could hurt you, Amara."
How very noble, she thought with a small smile. "Okay. Boundaries."
"The ball's in your court right now." He squeezed her knee.
"I guess knocking it into yours is out of the question?" she ventured, laughing when he rolled his eyes. "I don't know, Seth. Really. What do you say we just take things as they come? I can't know my limits until they're tested."
"Fair enough. Just tell me, okay? I'll stop whatever it is if it's making you uncomfortable."
"Thank you." She leaned to give him a kiss. Not minding when his arms slid around her, she broke the kiss and allowed her head to rest on his shoulder.
Spying the strap of the medical supply pack, she felt her stomach plummet with dread.
"I need you to do something."
Seth nodded, helping her off the counter. He had a feeling their session of kisses was over for the time being. Reaching for his cup, he frowned when he realized it was cold. "Okay."
He expected a request for clothes, or perhaps something from her apartment. He knew better than to make promises and was prepared to say he would try his best. Turning to look at her, he saw her rooting through a familiar backpack. When she placed a scalpel, gauze, and other implements on the table he raised an eyebrow.
"I need you to remove my chip."
"Chip?" he repeated, thoughts of refilling his coffee gone. "You're chipped? Why didn't you say something?"
"It's not activated yet. I didn't even think of it until Nikki mentioned—"
"How do you know?" He dropped his empty cup into the sink with a clatter. "Christ, they could have turned it on—"
"They vibrate twice when they're activated." She stepped to the side, keeping the table between them. "I know it hasn't been turned on because it hasn't vibrated."
Seth ran his hands through his hair, looking at her in horror. "They could have come up with one that doesn't."
"They have already. Those are the ones implanted on fetuses. I had to sit through six months of the history of chipping, going back to the microchips they used to put on pets. But these are different. When it was first proposed as a way of keeping track of everyone, a soft-hearted commissioner insisted the subjects know when it was activated and deactivated." She took a deep breath, rubbing the side of her neck. "Two short vibrations mean the chip is now online and every movement is tracked. One long vibration means it's either malfunctioned or has been taken offline. I've had this thing in my body for almost a year. Please trust me when I say I would know if they'd turned it on."
"Why didn't they turn it on when you first had it put in?"
"You make it sound like I volunteered to have it done." Still rubbing her neck, Amara shook her head. "The functionality of some hospital equipment interferes with the chips. Because we were in and out of all areas of the hospital in training, we were told our chips would be activated upon certification."
"When is that?"
"Today at noon."
"What happens if you're not there?"
"I don't know. If they haven't connected me with the dead guy in that shack, they'll probably have my chip turned on so they can track me down. If you miss certification, you're jailed for thirty days and have to retake all your classes."
"When did they ink you?" he asked, looking at the small red cross he'd seen the night before. The symbol of medical personnel. Nurses had the tattoos on their necks, doctors had them on the backs of their hands.
"Last week, when they put in the chips."
"Where is the chip?"
"Here," she said, moving her hand and pointing to the left side of her neck. He moved closer, noting the faint scar just below her jawbone. Beneath the scar he could see the pulse thrumming in her throat.
"I have to cut into your fucking neck?"
"You don't have to. If you don't want to, I can leave. I don't want them finding you. I'd do it myself but…"
He knew the guilt of letting her walk out would plague him for the rest of his life. And beyond, knowing his luck. Gingerly touching the scar, he could just feel the outline of a small rectangle. He glanced at the gleaming scalpel on the table and wondered what he would do if he ended up killing her. What if he cut too deep? What if his hand slipped? How could he be expected to slice into her neck?
But what if he didn't. She would be tracked down. Or she'd remove it herself and be unsuccessful. Or worse, hurt herself. Still, they would find her and she'd be punished for what had happened in that grimy shack.
He didn't like either scenario.
A heavy weight in the pit of his stomach, he gave a jerky nod. "Okay," he whispered.
She looked up at him with the same look of wary trust she'd given him the night before. When he'd offered her water.
"I'll do it."
A/N: I seem to be making a habit of cliffhangers. Oops. Apologies for the delay between updates!
Jojo, lovencrazy86, Nikki, ConchaaRex, ThatGirl54, CelticPrincessx3, and Cookie D – thank you all for the wonderful reviews. Hope you're still enjoying the fic. Love to you all! :)