All it took was one moment. A momentarily lapse in judgment. A beam of sun coming through ancient windows illuminating the hair of the woman he loved. Stone hadn't meant to let his guard down, to kiss her, to forget that they were in danger but he'd let beauty and emotion sweep him away. For a moment too long . . . .
And then the Serpent Brotherhood had attacked.
Now his arm was in a sling and he sat by Cassandra's hospital bed waiting for her to wake up. He had one ear toward the door for Jones to come report on Baird's condition. Jones was a bit bruised but he'd come out the best. They'd won, if this could be considered winning. But Baird had been stabbed and Cassandra had been thrown against a wall very hard. Both women were expected to be alright but still, Stone blamed himself.
"Jake?" Cassandra's voice was weak, a little confused.
"Right here sweetheart," he took her hand in his good one.
"Are you okay? Baird? Ezekiel?"
"Sprained my shoulder, I'll be fine, a little sore. Jones just got banged up." He sighed, "Baird got stabbed but they said it was a shallow wound, she'll just need stitches."
"And me?"
"You scared me half to death, you hit that wall so hard and didn't wake up. But the doctors are saying just a lot of bruises, maybe a mild concussion. You'll be just fine."
There was some edge of bitterness and desperation in Jake's voice that made Cassandra tilt her head and look at him. But before she could ask a question, Jones came in.
"Baird's done and she's in full mama bear mode. Just thought I'd warn ya."
Baird burst in the room, "Cassandra! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine I think," she looked at Jake.
"I'm gonna get a doctor," he mumbled backing out of the room.
"Is he okay?" Cassandra asked Baird.
Baird thought back to the aftermath of the battle, Jones pressing a cloth against her side. Stone, hissing through his own pain, muttering about how it was all his fault and begging Cassandra to wake up.
"I think he will be." Baird sighed. "I think I know what's troubling him and it's a little bit my fault. I'll talk to him."
Cassandra didn't have a concussion and it wasn't too long until they were all back at the Annex and headed home. Jones and Baird helped Cassandra back to her apartment as Stone couldn't. But it wasn't too long after Jones and Baird left for their own ice packs and pain killers that Jake made excuses to leave.
"Jake? What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, Cassie," though his voice sounded irritated. "I just hurt like hell and I want to take one of those pain killers and go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning, okay? With this shoulder, we'll only bother each other if I stay here tonight."
Cassandra looked a little distressed and his face softened. His anger wasn't toward her, but himself. He kissed her tenderly on the forehead. "Go to sleep, sweetheart."
He tucked the blanket around her with his good hand. "I love you." Cassandra murmured.
"I love you too." His voice caught and he swallowed hard. "Good night, honey."
He shut off her light and locked the door behind him with his key. When he got upstairs to his own apartment, he found Baird leaning against the wall beside his door.
"Baird."
"I figured you wouldn't stay with her. And so that's why we need to talk."
"What I do with my own girlfriend on my own time is none of your business." Stone growled.
Baird glared at him, the kind of glare that made men quake. Stone couldn't quite keep up with it. "Come in, damn it."
"I understand why you're upset," Baird said from his sofa. Stone was pacing the room trying to figure out a way to get her to leave. His shoulder did hurt like hell and his heart hurt even more.
"Really? Really? Do you Baird?" He all but yelled. "She got hurt because of me!"
"Stone . . . ." Baird got up and walked over to him. "I'm your Guardian. My job is to protect all of you. The Serpents getting the jump on us was my fault. Why do you think it's your fault? I don't understand."
"I . . ." Stone looked at the floor. "She looked so damn beautiful in that light. I wasn't paying attention, I just kissed her. . .They took us by surprise. You were right, we can't let our feelings get in the way of work. And I thought I could. But I can't let her go either, Baird. What do I do?"
Baird let out a gentle sigh. "You know I love Flynn right?"
Stone swallowed. "I assumed so. No one wanted to ask. You do your job without . . . ."
"Stone, I'm a trained soldier. And you are not. None of you are. Like Cassandra once reminded me. My job is to protect. Your job is to seek. And yes, I did tell you to be careful about being distracted. But would you be so angry if your distraction was a piece of artwork instead of kissing Cassandra?"
"I'd be a little annoyed at myself, but I suppose you have a point."
"Or if Cassandra had had a spell or Jones decided to grab something? Or I shot when I shouldn't have? We're human, Stone. I know you were terrified today. But you can't blame yourself for a moment of being human. You love her. It's a beautiful thing."
"But you said . . ."
"I should have been clearer. I was more referring to you not wanting to work with anyone else. I know you two make a great team, you always have. But sometimes I do need you elsewhere. That's all." Baird put her hand on his good shoulder. Gently she said, "This was not your fault. I know you're in pain right now, so take those pills and get some sleep. Then talk to Cassandra, she's worried about you."
He nodded. "Thank you."
"Any time. " She winced. "Now I have a date with my own bed and a pain killer. Good night . . . Jake."
"Night, Eve." He opened the door and that gentleman in him watching in the hallway until she was safely in her own apartment.
He sighed, looking back at his bedroom. He should just go to bed. But . . .
Ten minutes later, he found himself back in Cassandra's apartment. Cassandra seemed to be asleep curled up into a ball on one side of her bed. He'd taken one layer of shirt off, rather painfully and changed to pajama pants upstairs. He took one of the pain killers and gingerly slipped into bed.
"Jake?"
"Yes darlin'?"
"Just checking," she rolled over to face him. "I thought . . ."
"I didn't want to sleep without you." He was laying on his back, his good shoulder toward her. "I'm sorry."
"Shh," she laid her head on his good side. "Just go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."
