Chapter 38: Option B

Danielle had spent an emotional evening with her boys. They were very sweet asking if she needed anything and promising to be really good so she wouldn't have to yell and hurt her head. Coop had insisted on cooking and cleaning. Everything Allie had said was on her mind , unable to think of much else being stuck off her feet.

During dinner Nathan had asked if she was going to be better before their trip, making sure she knew they would wait until she was better. She and Coop had been making plans to take the boys to Disney towards winter when it was a bit cooler and less crowded. She fought the urge to cry as Coop stepped in assuring them she would be better in no time. Lying his behind off, but what else could he say to them that wouldn't scare them. Though he didn't stop there he'd started joking with them that him and his brother would be taking care of them when there were old and gray. She knew he was just playing it up to help the boys stay happy but it ate at her heart that she would not be there.

After that the boys kept their lively chatter and she was able to focus on their happy faces. Coop had been nervous about making love to her, scared to hurt her, but she needed to feel him. To feel normal. He didn't resist too much after that. He was after all very virile.

Now she sat at home in her favorite chair trying to get into a book she'd been meaning to read for months. She'd convinced Coop she was well enough to be left alone. He'd agreed after making her promise to take it easy and call him for anything. He also promised he would text or call every hour to make sure she was okay and he had been true to his word.

Try as she might she couldn't read the book. An immortal and human fall in love, the human is willing to give up everything to stay together. It was the same thoughts she was trying to avoid. Saved from boredom and her book she got up to answer the door ready for something else even a salesperson or someone trying to save her soul.

Opening the door she was engulfed by her closed friend. "I know you're probably tired of this question but how are you?"

Danielle returned Jean's hug with gusto, "I'm happy to see you. I have all this time to myself unable to do anything and I'm going crazy."

Jean was smiling ear to ear. "Can I come in? I found something. I don't know as much about this stuff but from what I've studied it looks promising." Jean rambled it out very quickly.

"Of course you can come in. Make yourself at home. Now slow down and tell me what you're talking about."

Jean was beaming, "I'm talking about a way to save your life." Jean walked over to the coffee table and slipped off her shoulder bag.

Danielle shut the door and moved to sit beside her friend. "If you're talking about turning…"

Jeans look of excitement faded, "Of course not. Oh dear. I was so excited…maybe I should have run this over more thoroughly first."

"Whatever it is I'd be happy to listen." Danielle assured.

Jean gave her a smile. "I've been reading up on this since I left you the other night. I've talked to specialist and none of them give very high odds for surgery. But this morning when Josef was explaining the collar and how the explosive would help deliver he silver directly into the blood stream I thought-"

"Explosive? Silver collar? What am I missing?"

"Oh," Jean realized she'd run off in her excitement. "Last night…Lance attacked me and Josef staked him. He's now being held in the basement in one of the feral containment units."

"He attacked you? Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine. Josef got there right in time." Jean took her friends hand touched by her concern. "Also given that Lance is so dangerous Josef had a more purposeful version of David's monitor on him. It's a neck collar with a built in small explosive that would not necessarily kill a vampire of his age but would cause grave injury and put him down for some time."

"That's…wow." Danielle sat back against the pillows taking it all in. "So what's going to happen now?"

Jean shook her head, "Josef is working on that and I have faith in him. I'm here because that gave me an idea. The would gives the silver a direct path in to cause the maximum damage. So I thought about vampire blood. It heals. What f we could do the procedure with vampire blood in the coil. If there was a rupture the blood could heal it."

Jean looked at Danielle full of hope. "I talked to one of the specialists, I couldn't tell him the details of course he isn't a community member but I asked if it were possible to heal a rupture to improve your odds. He seemed more positive about it but he assured me hadn't heard of any such miracle."

Danielle looked at the papers Jean had pulled out with notes neatly written in. She was touched by the amount of research she had put in to this. Into finding a way to save her. Tears welled up behind her eyes.

"Would the blood…would it turn me if the procedure went…wrong?"

Jean opened and shut her mouth unsure what to say. After a moment she looked down to her lap, "I don't know. I should have worked this through before bringing it over. I just got caught up in the possibility."

"I'm touched that you've worked so hard. Truly, I'm happy if this could work. I'd be happy to have another option."

Jean bit her cheek trying to stop her own tears from falling. "I'm being selfish. I'm not ready to lose you."

Her through grew tight as she realized she had really given into the inevitable. Given up fighting.

"Look my area is on testing and research. Allie has offered to help. Maybe she could brainstorm this. I think she said she did a surgical stint before."

"Allie know?"

Danielle nodded, "Seth was worried about me so she checked my file to reassure him but found out the truth. Seth knows as well. I guess I'll need to tell the others as well."

"I'm sure everyone will be supportive. I'll call Allie right away. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I wouldn't mind some company." She gave her friend a smile. "Coop refuses to let me do anything and I feel like an invalid. Tell me about you and what's going on. I've been worrying about Lance."

"There's no need for you to worry about that entitled pig. Josef is working on that. I'd be happy to stay and keep you company though. How are the boys, it seems like forever since I've seen them."

To Be Continued…

Evilous