Author's Note: Just a bit of clarification, in case it's not clear and you get all confused... (though I was going for a bit of make-the-reader-as-confused-as-Mick I may have gone a bit too far) Mick's been unconscious, with Coraline, for three WEEKS, BUT she's telling him he's been there for three MONTHS. You know, just to make everything more confusing :S

Chapter 5

Cynthia Davis stood in the doorway to the room where Mick had lain for three weeks. Coraline was dutifully watching over him as she had each day. Some nights, Cynthia had even had to force her to go to bed. They had brought Mick home after the attack; Coraline insisted they come here even though Cynthia hadn't thought it a good idea. Coraline had been adamant, thought, arguing Mick would be more comfortable here, that being around a place he knew well would aide in his… recovery. While that may have been true, to Cynthia the risks seem to outweigh the benefits. Of course, it didn't matter; even if Coraline WASN'T the type to always get what she wanted, Cynthia would do anything for her HAD DONE anything for her. And she always would. Even she wasn't sure if she truly felt that way or if it was her jealousy of Mick – for taking Coraline, her best, her only friend, her sister – from her.

She watched as Mick began to stir. They'd been keeping him under this whole time, but today they'd finally taken him off the sedative. They'd all argued, from their various areas of expertise, that it was time. Coraline seemed to come alive – more than she already was of course – as he woke. Her eyes widened and her smile grew. Cynthia watched her lean forward and touch him. Despite her own thoughts on the matter, Cynthia could plainly see, feel, the love Coraline felt for him. AS he looked around the room in confusion, and then at the woman at this side, she knew he had felt the same way.

Cynthia only hoped it would work out; that Coraline could make this whole thing work. After everything she'd been thought, she deserved to be happy. Cynthia would do everything she could to make that happen; to help Coraline get everything she wanted. Coraline leaned down to kiss him and Mick raised a hand to her hair, weakly holding her to him as they shared a slow kiss. Cynthia turned from the sight before her and walked away, quietly closing the door behind her.

V—V

Mick broke that kiss when he heard the door close and he looked toward it, though not fast enough to see who had been there. Coraline's voice brought his attention back to her.

"It was just Cynthia. We've all been so worried about you."

He furrowed his brow and licked his lip again. "We?"

Coraline nodded, but before she answered, she stood to quickly fetch him a glass of water and then helped him sit up in the bed, fluffing the pillows up for him. "Cynthia's been staying with us to help me, since… well… and we have the doctor too who comes by each day."

Mick sipped the water slowly as he took a closer look around him. The room LOOKED like a hospital room – there were machines and few instruments that he recognized as being medical equipment, though they were more sophisticated than the ones he'd seen used in the field hospitals during the war. Despite the equipment and the otherwise bare room, it felt 'warmer' than a hospital room, more familiar. He turned back to her.

"Where are we?"

"We're at home. I couldn't leave you in a stuffy hospital, with all those strangers. I wanted you here, all to myself. And, I thought it would be more comfortable for you as well."

Now he took inventory of himself. He felt fine, if a little tired. His should was sore and when he reached up to check it out, he could feel a bandage on the back of his shoulder, under the t-shirt he wore. It seemed, whatever had happened, he had pulled through. Most importantly, though, looking back at the woman beside him, she seemed safe and happy. It felt like a lifetime had passed since he'd last seen her, though of course that wasn't possible. She looked just as beautiful as the last time he'd seen her. But when WAS that?

"Coraline, what happened?"

He watched her eyes glisten with tears at the memory. They made him more curious – and worried – about what had happened. What could have brought his Coraline, normally so strong, to tears? He traced his fingers down her arm and took her hand. That brought a smile to her face as she tightened her fingers around his. He didn't even know what happened but wanted, needed, to reassure her that everything would be alright. How could it not be? They were together, after all, and, as far as he could tell, safe. That was all that really mattered, right?

"Shh, we're gonna be okay. C'mere." He tugged gently on her hand and she looked up at him through the frame of her hair that had fallen in her face.

She climbed onto the bed next to him and they instantly wrapped their arms around each other. He'd always loved the feel of her in his arms, the scent of her. Their relationship was so passionate, so intense, but sometimes even they liked to simply lay enveloped by each other and just enjoy the presence of the person next to them. It was, secretly, Mick's favourite way to spend their time together… not that the intense passion wasn't good, too.

"Mick… it was horrible! Can… we talk about it later? God I don't even want to think about it…"

He kissed her hair and ran his fingers through it as he tucked her head under his chin. "Don't worry, baby." He was silent for a moment, just enjoying the feeling being awake, alive, and in her arms. "I love you."

"Oh Mick, I love you too. More than you could ever know." She almost wept for joy when his strong arms wrapped around her for the first time in… too long. She thought she'd never feel them hold her like that again or look at her with that smoldering gaze, to hear those words or that voice. He tried to sooth away the tears that DID shine in her eyes; tears for their lost time, tears for the pain they'd both been through – though she would never tell him of it. No, it would be hers alone to carry. He could never know. After everything she'd been through, everything she'd done to bring him back to her, she wouldn't risk anything happening now.

God, he smelled so good, felt so good as she curled up against him and he held her close. He asked her what happened, but at the moment, having him back with her, she spoke the truth – she didn't want to think about it right now. She just wanted to enjoy this moment; even she didn't know how long it would last.

Looking back up at him, she took his lips once more, this time it was just a little more forceful, a little longer. It wasn't just relief that he was awake and okay, but also of desire and a promise of what was to come. He shifted on the bed, cradling her face in his large, perfect hands as he returned that kiss. They broke it only because their need for air forced them to and then settled back into the hospital bed Mick had been sleeping in all this time.

They lay there, lazily letting their hands roam as she rested her head on his chest and soon they fell asleep. It was the first good sleep Coraline had since they'd been separated.