By The Grace Of God

Chapter Seven

Eliot didn't sleep worth a crap and he wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone before he got his coffee. He made his own pot and watched the sunrise on the roof. Kenna needed something from him that he wasn't sure he could give. He would go to the doctor's this morning and then they would figure out what they were going to do.

"I thought I would find you up here." Nate came and sat next to him.

"She kicked me out last night."

"You deserved it, I'm sure." Eliot looked at Nate.

"She came back for you and for that I guess I should be grateful." Eliot answered.

"But she risked everything."

"She risked getting hurt." Eliot ground out.

"How much does she and this baby mean to you Eliot?" Nate asked.

"Everything." Eliot looked out over the city. "We've gone through this chapter a million times. I get mad because she puts her ass on the line and she gets mad because I tell her she needs to back off."

"She doesn't mean to. I think it just happens." Nate chuckled. "Maggie was an emotional nightmare for months. She was yelling at me one minute and crying the next. You know Maggie…she's the least emotional person you know. Kenna is just the opposite. She's hot headed and passionate. She would rather fight it out than talk it out. You knew that going into this thing Eliot so cut the woman a little slack."

"I take it you're not on my side on this one."

"Eliot, I'm not on anyone's side. Just take care of her and make her feel safe." Nate stood up. "Go now before she bolts."

"You think she will run?"

"I think she was scared to death last night when you walked into that room." Nate looked at his hitter. "She needs to know that you respect her passion to jump in and help when needed but for now we need her safe."

"How come you know my girlfriend better than I do sometimes?"

"I just listen a little better than most." Eliot went to leave.

"Thanks for setting me straight Nate. I know I'm not the easiest person to live with most days."

"You were getting almost bearable with Kenna around. I don't want you to have a setback." Nate laughed. Eliot left and headed to save whatever was left of his life with Kenna.

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o

Kenna lay curled under the blanket. She was more than ready to get on whatever plane, train, or bus out of the city a few hours ago but no she felt sick and it wasn't the kind she had felt last night. She knew it was something more. Something she couldn't put her finger on. Looking at the clock she groaned. Eliot would be here soon and she looked at felt like crap. Not that he hadn't seen her in worse shape. Sitting up she hoped the room would quit spinning. Hearing the lock turn and the door opened she knew she would just have to let Eliot help her whether she liked it or not. He wasn't as far as the living room before Kenna had to bolt and head to the bathroom to empty her stomach. She felt warm hands pull her hair back as she began retching.

"I'm here darlin'." He whispered. Kenna felt like her insides were being ripped out. She wanted to tell him to go away but she didn't have the strength. Feeling him tie her hair back, he reached for a glass of water. "Here you go." Kenna took a sip.

"Thanks." She said hoarsely.

"When was the last time you ate anything?"

"Last night I ate a sandwich but you know where that ended up." She leaned against the tub and closed her eyes.

"Good thing you have a doctor's appointment today."

"Yeah." Was all she said.

"I understand if you don't want me to come with you. I know I was pretty hard on you yesterday and I'm sorry."

"I should have listened to you and stayed put."

"No, you did what you had to do and I get that baby, but you have to think a little more with your head and a little less with your heart when it comes to a job."

"I know, and every time I say this is going to be the last time I help you I end up getting sucked in." Kenna heard him moving around and then felt a cool cloth on her face.

"You want something to eat before we go?" Kenna shook her head.

"Not really." She opened her eyes. "I do need a shower."

"Something I'm really good at." Eliot smiled.

"You know how beautiful your smile is Eliot Spencer. You should do it more often."

"Now I know something's wrong when you start throwing out compliments." Eliot offered Kenna his hand and helped her up.

"Thanks." She turned and started the shower. Stripping, she threw her clothes into the hamper. Kenna stepped into the shower and turned and looked at Eliot. "I was ready to pack my bags and leave last night."

"Why didn't you?" He asked, trying not to let the naked state of the woman standing in front of him affect him too much.

"Because I would miss fighting with you." She let the water cascade down her body. "And I would miss making up with you." She shut the shower curtain and hoped she had said enough to make him realize this is where she wanted…no needed to be. Now and forever.

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o

Eliot's knee moved up and down nervously as Kenna sat reading a decade old magazine. He was trying really hard not to stand out but the women around her were staring. Really staring. Kenna tried to figure out if it was because he looked like a really hot dock worker today or they were wondering what the really hot dock worker was doing with the pale, frumpy woman next to him. He must have felt her tense because he knee stopped moving and his hand moved to the arm rest next to hers.

"What's wrong?" He leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Nothing." She lied as she turned the page.

"I should have dressed better." He said softly. Kenna turned and looked at him. He had on jeans and a flannel over a blue t-shirt. The work boots he always wore were newer than what he normally wore. His hair was tucked under a blue wool cap.

"You look fine Eliot. More than fine." She shook her head and went back to her magazine.

"Then why are there ten woman staring at me over there ten year old magazines?"

"You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" Kenna laughed.

"I will tell you later." She wondered when Eliot Spencer became as naive as Parker.

"Tell me now Kenna." Kenna turned and looked at him.

"They're wondering what a great looking guy like you could of knocked up a plane Jane like me." Kenna turned back to the magazine she hadn't really been reading for the last fifteen minutes.

"Kenna…" He reached for her hand but the nurse came out and called her name. She stood up and he followed, laying his hand on her lower back. They followed the nurse down the hall and into a small room.

"How are you today Kenna?" The nurse smiled.

"I haven't been feeling to hot?"

"Well we'll see what we can do for you today." The young woman checked Kenna's blood pressure and pulse. Both were a little high. The nurse smiled.

"Never thought seeing the doctor would make you nervous."

"I guess I'm not the hard ass as you thought I was Angie." Kenna said. Her stomach started to churn again.

"I always knew you had a weakness, now I know." Angie finished up. "There's a gown on the table. Dr. Barns will be in shortly." The nurse smiled at Eliot. "She's shaking like a leaf…you might want to convince her that the end is worth the means." The nurse left. Kenna didn't make a move to get undressed.

"You weren't shy about stripping in front of me this morning." He walked in front her. Taking her hand he helped her stand. She looked at him. "Do you know how incredibly sexy you're going to be in that gown?"

"You're insane, you know that?" He slid off her jacket.

"I've been told that more than once." He pulled up her t-shirt and slid it up and over her head. He turned it right side out and folded it and put it on the chair. He unhooked her bra and slid it down her arms.

"You're quite good at that." She smiled.

"Been told that a time or two, also." Kenna looked at Eliot when he turned to hand her the gown.

"You don't need to be here, I mean if you don't want to." He unfolded the gown and slid it on her.

"Why wouldn't I want to be here darlin'?" Eliot turned her around and tied the strings in back.

"I don't know…I just want you to know that I don't expect you to come to everyone of these things." He didn't turn her back around. He reached down and undid her jeans.

"If I'm in town and even if I'm not I will be with you, whether you like it or not. " He slid her jeans just over the curve of her rear end and turned her around and sat her down. "You know you're wrong. Those women out there were wondering why a woman like you would be caught dead with a red neck like me." He pulled off her boots and slid down her jeans. "Kenna Shane I have loved you since I was nine years old and my little sister dragged you home and made you never want to leave. Sure there have been other women since darlin' but none of them held a candle to you." The tears welled up in Kenna's eyes. The butterflies in her stomach started to fly away as Eliot brushed the hair out of her face. "I will always be here for you Kenna…always. Even when you piss me off and I piss you off. We are in this together." He folded her jeans and set them on top of her bra just at the doctor came in. She looked at Eliot and Kenna.

"Everything okay in here?" She asked.

"Yeah." Kenna smiled. "Dr. Barns, this is my boyfriend Eliot." The older woman held out her hand. Eliot shook it.

"Nice to meet you. I got your test back from Hawaii and from the ER. Everything looks good." She looked at her charts. "I don't like your blood pressure but I heard about your ordeal at the hospital yesterday I don't know how it couldn't be a little high. I'll have Angie check it again on your way out."

"Okay." The doctor smiled and patted the table.

"Up you go kiddo." Kenna went and got on the table. Eliot moved to stand next to her.

"Sure you want to be here now?" Kenna asked him.

"There isn't any place I would rather be."

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o

Kenna stood at the nurses' station, waiting to schedule her next appointment. Eliot stood behind her.

"You okay?" Kenna turned and asked. He leaned over and kissed her.

"Yeah." Kenna smiled and took the card from the nurse. They walked to the elevator and Eliot was still quiet and it was scaring Kenna.

"Eliot, what's wrong?" The door opened and they got in. He looked at her and kissed her again. His hand ran under her hair and pulled her close.

"I love you Kenna Shane." He whispered. Pressing her back against the wall he deepened the kiss. "No matter how much we fight I want you to know I will always love you." Kenna smiled.

"I love you too." Kenna knew that something had brought the two of them together for a reason. Maybe it was God or Buddha or something bigger but they were brought together after years apart and that meant something to both of them. It was going to be a long hard ride but they both knew that they would try and get through it together.