10

The moon came up high and I kept my eyes closed. I heard the door open and close very softly and I assumed it was a nurse checking my stomach and such. But I felt no hands on me and it was dead silent. Why would the nurse be so silent? She knew I was asleep but I didn't mind her waking me to take care of me. Most of the staff had gone home except two nurses and two doctors. I was the only patient they had at the moment so one of the nurses and doctors had gone home. Seems a black patient wasn't a big deal to them. Something didn't feel right and so I slowly opened my eyes and saw a blur at first at the foot of my bed and my body felt a bit tense and I sighed as I knew who it was. It was Forrest. He was in a white blouse and a black vest. His hat was in his hand and he just looked at me. I breathed evenly now as I stared at his calm form. I wondered how he could be so calm.

"How'd you get in here?" I asked. He looked towards the door.

"Hospital's never locked." he replied. I nodded and looked down at my legs which were warmly covered by the blankets. "Why didn't you just let the bullet shoot me? I would've survived it."

I scoffed lightly.

"Because if he had shot you in the head you wouldn't be immortal." I replied. He looked up at me with a wince and then began to dig in his pocket and as he did he moved around towards the head of the bed and pulled out a few dollars.

"Here take this. It'll cover the days you've worked." he explained. I could tell that was his way of saying I wouldn't be working at the bar anymore. I shook my head.

"I don't want your money." I replied with annoyance. He frowned.

"Can you just take something from me just once." he replied raising his voice just a little then leaning back and looked to his left away from me. "Please. I owe you that much." He then began to put his money away. I shook my head now thinking of a little idea. I was not expecting him to follow through but who knows.

"No you owe me only two things to make this better." I replied seriously and I was trying not to make my body tense because it hurt my stomach. Forrest's head whipped back to me now.

"What do you want?" he asked with utter curiosity in his voice. I shuffled a bit.

"First I want to be sat up because I do not to get bed sores." I replied. He blinked now and looked around shifting his body in the process and I couldn't help but admire his amusing hair cut like Jack's but only more mature.

"There ain't no nurses around." he said looking down at me. I blinked for a second up at him and he just watched me.

"Forrest help me sit up please." I replied. He froze himself now and just cleared his throat.

"Uh…" he said. I sighed.

"Forrest if you ever want me to forgive you for getting me shot you will help me at least sit up." I replied and he looked down for a second before placing his hat down on the bed and he slowly began to come over to me and he leaned over a bit. His scent washed over me and he smelled so much like a man. His right hand moved slowly and I mean slowly behind my back yet his hand remained on the pillow and I looked up at him slowly wrapping my left arm around him.

"Forrest…you're going to have to touch me to help me sit up." I whispered to him. His lips pierced into a thin line and he nodded and I felt his cool hand press against the small of my back and his left hand slowly came under my thighs. I had never had much body contact with Forrest and my heart was raising now. He began to lift me up a bit and I winced at the pain I felt in my stomach so he stopped but I told him to keep going. He lifted me slowly and sat me against the head board. It hurt a bit but my body began to get use to is. Forrest stood straight up again grabbing his hat and holding it tight to his chest.

"What else did you want?" he asked. I inhaled now thinking the easy part was over. I looked at the bed and then at him.

"I want you to take me on a date Mr. Bondurant." I replied. His eyes widened and he just stared at me like a deer caught between the lights of a car.

"You're kidding right?" he asked. I shook my head calmly.

"Nope." I replied. He frowned now.

"Trying to make a fool out of me?" he asked. I shook my head.

"No." I replied and I saw his shoulders ease up on their tenseness and I was surprised by his next reply.

"Like dancing?" he asked and I was surprised that he believed me when I told him I wasn't making a fool of him. I shrugged.

"I'll think of something." I replied and he blinked and looked away as if trying to think hard on my words. He looked back at me now.

"And this makes everything even?" he asked. I nodded slowly and silently. He cleared his throat again and nodded.

"Fine." he said and I smiled a bit before slowly trying to lay myself down since my stomach was hurting again. Without asking, Forrest helped me lie down. Once I was fully on my back I looked at him with a small smile. He blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Thank you." I replied. "For bringing me here I remember you looking down on me and talking to me, I might not remember the exact conversation, but still."

He placed his had back on and nodded.

"It was nothing. So when are we doing this thing, the date thing?" he asked. I shrugged.

"When I'm better I guess." I replied. He nodded once and then placed his hand on my lap and sighed.

"I'll try and see you again soon." he replied. I blinked at the contacted and nodded.

"Okay." I replied and like that he left out my room.