Jensen stayed with her until the doctor performed a more thorough form of a similar exam that he'd given her the day before. He held her hand the entire time, releasing it only when he absolutely needed to. He gave comforting squeezes when she flinched, or bit her lip (which also hurt like fucking hell), or gasped in pain.
When the doctor was through, Jensen had to leave. He wouldn't tell her why or where he had to go, just as Clay hadn't, but he was relieved by Pooch and Cougar. Apparently Morgan was being guarded. Fun.
"How's Jolene?" She asked, as soon as Pooch took the seat that Jensen vacated. "When are you surprising her with a visit?"
Pooch chuckled. "Trying to make believe we aren't visiting your bedside in a fucking hospital, Mo?" She smirked. "She's fine. Jensen has ways to keep me informed."
"Oh, I know the ways that Jensen keeps everyone informed. His sister knows he's alive because of his data footprint." She tried to laugh, but her chest screamed. "Stop fucking fussing." She gritted out when he tried shushing her. Cougar was smirking from his perch by the window. "Don't get me started on how fucking simple it was to find you, Romeo." His smirk sobered. "Just follow all the panting women. You know what they were calling you?" She saw a reddish tint flood his face. "I translated it. And, let me tell you, I NEVER wanted to know that about you."
Pooch grinned. "I want to know."
"No, you really don't." She answered, smirking because that still didn't hurt. "I'm not pretending that I'm not laying in a hospital bed, Pooch. I can't pretend. Hell, I can't fucking get up to pee. They have a catheter in me. Among other things." She grimaced and found this expression also didn't hurt. "What I'd like to know, however, is why I'm under constant guard?"
They both looked uncomfortable. Which was strange. If the only threat was Max, that psycho asshole, then they'd mention it. Where was the other issue?
"Damn it," She muttered. "Did Clay tell you not to tell me?" She glared at the two of them, feeling the rage numb any pain in her face. "Because, while I may look fragile, I promise you I'm not."
"We know you're not." Cougar answered, the man of few words nearly surprising her. "If you were, you wouldn't be here now."
Pooch nodded, taking her hand gently. "You have to heal, Mo. That's your full time job right now. That's all you have to do." His thumb stroked the back of her hand. "You want to be up and running when Jolene gives birth right?"
Traitor, she thought. "Of course, you ass." She wanted to argue, but these two would never budge. "How long do She have to prepare?"
"Couple weeks, nearly a month." He answered, a smile lighting up his face. "Get your ass working, Mo." He winked and they settled into the cozy familiarity of family and a team.
Talking about everything except what she wanted to talk about. Why she was being kept closely watched.
Roque took his turn when Pooch and Cougar had to leave. Good, the one man who didn't fear Clay on the team. He sat down in the now favored chair, grinning at her like they shared a secret. Which she hoped they did.
"You look like shit, Mo." He whistled and his grin grew.
She shook her head as much as she could without being brought down with more pain, which wasn't much. "Always such a charmer, Ro." Her smirk, now recurrent since it didn't make her want to die returned. "I'm glad to see you, well, the parts I can see of you. Wade had better be so happy he's fucking dead already."
Ro laughed, and she gave a small chuckle. Her ribs didn't want to complain, so that was welcome. "God, She missed you, Mo." His huge paw took her up. "Scared the shit out of us when Jensen carried your ass out of that fucking container.
"So I've heard." She sighed. "Why are you here, Ro?"
His face lost the amusement, and stared deep into the slits of her swollen eyes. "What do you mean?"
She snorted. "Cut the shit. I haven't been alone since I came to, and from what the nurse said when I came to, you guys didn't leave me even when I was unconscious." She stared straight back. "Now, I know Max got away, but by my estimation, with the five of you alive, that means that most if not all of his men are dead." Ro looked a tad uncomfortable. "Max is a pussy. He doesn't get his gloves dirty. Where's the threat?"
Clay came back, and saw that Roque and Morgan were having a rather intense conversation. That didn't bode well at all. "I'm back." And there it was, even through her swollen, bruised face. Even with her lip split, and her eyes barely slits. The look of disappointment. Shit.
"Clay," Roque answered, standing up. "Mo, I'll see you later." He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. "No stress." He ordered, walking past Clay like he wasn't even there. Fuck.
Clay went to the bed and took the chair he'd placed there that morning. God, was it mere hours ago? It felt like years, and the way she was looking at him, it was like reliving her leaving. "Morgan, honey, is something wrong?" Best to just bandaid this shit. Tear it off, and pray they can move past it.
"Been getting more intel from Aisha?" She asked, looking just over his shoulder. Damn him and his fucking dimples. Not this time, no distractions. "Because I realized when you left and were replaced by Jensen. And he left, and was replaced by Cougar and Pooch." She felt her jaw clench, and while it hurt like fuck it grounded her. "Then, low and behold, when they left, there was Roque." While she hurt so much she was tempted to touch that little pain medicine button that the doctor and nurse had repeatedly shown her, she refused. No more distractions. "I know Max is loose. But I think we both know that Max doesn't usually do the dirty work, does he? Where's the real threat?"
He was looking down at the bed, where her hand was clenched on the blanket again. Her tell. "I can explain."
She snorted. "You're still in bed with the enemy, Clay. Either figurative or both figurative and literally." Her gaze was still on the darkening window sill. "I don't really care, but I hate being lied to. Or treated like a fucking civilan or worse, a child."
Clay was tempted to take her hand. To try to sooth her, but he knew Morgan. Knew her just like he knew his own hand. Touching her hand would set her off. She'd feel it was proof that he didn't believe she could handle it. That she was weak. And Captain Morgan Dean hated feeling weak.
He sighed. "It's not like that." He knew she wasn't looking at him. Knew she wouldn't at this point. "Not anymore."
"Really?" She smirked at him. "The two of you burned down a hotel in Bolivia, Clay. That's pretty extreme foreplay, even for you." A huff of breath, and then she did fix her gaze on him. "I don't care. You and I, we aren't a thing. We're a really bad cocktail of combustible bullshit, that seems to make the other person feel like shit, even when that's not our goal." She fought the tears that wanted to come, but she refused. Not today. "Is she a threat to me?" That was all she needed to know.
"I don't know." He whispered, feeling his chest tighten. Not like this, he thought, not now. "She, we have a mutually beneficial situation, but it's tense."
Morgan laughed, deciding that she could feel this pain now, it was worth it. "Am I a threat because of this beneficial relationship? Did you fall for ANOTHER psycho?" He didn't answer, too stunned by her reaction. "Get out." He stayed seated. "Leave. Watch me from the waiting room. Send back in one of the others. Whatever it is, get out, Clay. Now."
"Don't do this, Morgan." He pleaded. Needing to see her, to know she was not just safe, but here. Alive, touchable, and possibly his. "Don't make me-"
"You're the superior officer, Clay, I can't make you do anything." Morgan glared at him. "I'm REQUESTING a new guard detail. If you find suitable forms, I'll even fill them out to make it official." Her voice was rough, her throat screaming at her to calm down, but this was a bridge too far. "Leave. Send someone else. Hell, send Aisha, let's see if she's really such a fucking threat. After all, it's not like I'm in fighting shape, is it?"
Clay knew she was done. At least for now. He stood up and started for the door. Before he could leave, she gave him one more request.
"Send Jensen, if he's not too busy." And with that, he left, out to the waiting room. Out to call in Jensen. Because right now, he'd give her anything she wanted, just to make her get better faster.
