"Come on, lift up your shirt," Saffron told Tony after she'd put away the items from the store.
He hesitated, but pulled up the area covering his appendectomy scar. He watched as Saff fixed up a gauze covering with unguent. She carefully removed the bandage he'd had on since before she'd arrived that morning, her fingers ever so gently touching him, replacing it with the new one. Then she gently taped it down.
The feel of her fingers against his skin, in such a sensitive area, left him mildly aroused. He frowned and quickly sat up, ashamed at what was happening.
Saff seemed a bit surprised at Tony's reaction. She'd helped him with his bandages before. What had changed?
"I said I'm all right!" Tony snapped. "I don't need you treatin' me like I'm some 'elpless babe in a pram!"
Saffron moved away from him on the sofa. Standing, she quietly gathered her purse and coat.
"Change that in another four hours," she said curtly, slipping on her jacket. "You don't want it getting infected."
Then she headed for the door.
Tony leapt to his feet and quickly grasped her arm, stopping her from leaving.
"Saff, please… Don't go. I didn't mean all that. Not really. I'm just... "
He sighed.
"I'm not used to havin' anyone look after me, 'at's all."
Saffron searched his face and, seeing how downcast he seemed at the idea of her going home, she sighed deeply and began taking off her coat. Tossing her purse onto the nearby small kitchen table, she fixed Tony with a critical glare.
"Not a baby, hm?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "But cranky as one."
Tony looked up, dolefully. He looked absolutely worn out.
"I'm sorry," he told Saff.
She studied him with that steady gaze of hers for what felt like an eternity.
"All right, then. I forgive you," she said, offering him a little smile. "This time," she added in jest.
Tony grinned sheepishly.
"You 'ave been a great nurse, y'know," Tony said.
"Well, thank you, kind sir," Saff answered somewhat daintily. "I have one patient who's a bit difficult and dodgy," she teased, "but he'd fall apart without me around. I can tell."
Tony smiled brightly, folding his arms over his chest as he and Saffron eyeballed one another. This was a little game of theirs that the pair engaged in whenever they were making up after some minor disagreement.
"He would," Tony said, his voice suddenly low and husky.
Now Saffron was the one caught off guard. The tension between them at that moment was electric.
"I think there's a simple diagnosis for his condition," she said, desperate to break the sudden heat between them.
"And what's that?" Tony asked, his voice nearly a whisper, as he looked into her eyes.
"He needs…"
"What?"
"Needs someone who can…"
"Yes?"
"... go pick up a pizza for him."
Tony couldn't keep from snickering at that set-up, nor could Saffy. Inwardly, she was grateful to have turned the conversation back around to something light and fun. Everything had gotten a touch too heady between them, she felt.
"Actually," Tony told her, "your patient thinks the lad from Lombardo's likes delivering pizzas to me building. Got a chippie he fancies one floor down. Besides, Nurse Monsoon, you've been runnin' round all day. Put your feet up and take the rest of the day off, girl!"
Then he caught himself. She'd told him to stop calling her "girl."
"I, eh… I mean…" he stammered, hoping Saffron wasn't going to get upset again.
She just smiled at him, though.
"You mean 'girl,'" Saff replied, pretending she was riled. "I've been called worse, though. So I don't mind."
Tony frowned.
"Well, you tell me who 'ad nerve enough to run you down an' I'll 'andle 'em meself!"
Saffy laughed. He seemed truly a bit hacked off at the thought of anyone insulting her.
"Easy, Tiger," she said. And then, pointing to the sofa, she indicated for Tony to lie down. "Off your paws. Now."
"Tiger, 'ey? I like that."
Tony saluted her before settling back down on the couch. Saffron shook her head at his antics and, looking over at her difficult patient, asked him one important question.
"What do we want on our pizza?"
Tony smiled.
"Whatever you think is good for me."
Saffy just smirked back at him.
"Liar. I know you too well."
So she ended up ordering half-and-half: Veggies for her, pepperoni and sausage for Tony.
When dinner arrived, Saff cracked open a bottle of ale for Jack and took out a bottle of sparkling water for herself.
"Come on, now, Saff! Don't make a guy drink all by 'is lonesome."
She wasn't a fan of ale, and almost never drank alcohol anyway, but seeing that Tony was pouting in her general direction, she groaned audibly and opened a bottle of ale for herself.
Sitting together at Tony's little kitchen table, Saffron proposed an impromptu toast.
"To the miracle of modern medicine," she said. "And to you healing up fast so I can get you back to work on those baseboards."
Tony smiled, clinking his ale bottle against hers. They each took a swig of ale. Saff couldn't help noting that it was tastier than she'd imagined. But it still wasn't something she would enjoy on a regular basis.
"'Ey, thanks for going to the supermarket," Tony said, studying his pizza. It was still piping hot, so he opted to let it cool before digging in. "You get your tea, then?"
"Yes," Saffron told him. "Tony, why don't you like tea?"
"Ehhh…" Tony answered, shrugging. "Tastes weak to me. Like flavored water."
"Are you sure you're full-on British?" she teased, taking another sip of ale. "I mean, Americans absolutely adore their coffee. Maybe you've got more than a bit of Yank in you."
"Awright now," Tony replied, frowning. But he knew she was only trying to get under his skin. "Don't you start in on me. I'm a sick man, y'know!"
"Oh, if anyone knows that little fact, I do," she shot back, laughing. "Sick, indeed."
"Cruel, evil woman!" Tony said, unable to keep from grinning. "'Ave you no pity?"
"No," Saffron said, narrowing her hazel eyes at him. "Not a trace, Mister Draper."
He raised a black eyebrow in reply.
Then they tucked in to their pizza.
Much later, when she helped Tony change his bandage for the last time that day, Saffron had a question for him before she headed back to her own flat.
"Tony?"
"Yes, Nurse Monsoon?"
"Tony, I'm serious."
"All right, then."
"Do you have a best friend?"
Tony thought about that for a minute.
"Well, I guess Squeak's my best mate. But 'e is my brother, so…"
"I mean, do you have a best friend who's not family?"
Now he paused before answering, and Saffron felt as if she'd hit some deep nerve within him.
"I did. But not anymore. Why d'you ask?"
Saffron chose her next words carefully.
"My friend Sarah — she was my best friend, actually — she got married and… well… I never really hear from her much anymore. Don't get me wrong. I'm happy for her. I'm so glad she found a nice man. She deserved that, you know?"
Tony smiled.
"Sounds great. Good for 'er."
Saffy looked down at her hands. She nervously rubbed them together.
"It's just that... "
"What?"
"... sometimes it's nice to have someone to talk to. About … whatever."
Tony took her hands in his.
"If there's an openin' for the job of your best friend, I 'ope you'll consider me for the position."
Saffron looked up at Tony. She flashed a bright smile his way.
"I'd like that."
Then, carefully so as not to cause him any pain in his tender side, Saff leaned over and gave Tony as tight a hug as she could under the circumstances. She nestled her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes.
Tony, taken completely by surprise, slowly wrapped his arms around Saffron, rubbing her back tenderly. He had the feeling she'd been incredibly lonely, and for a long time. And he could absolutely understand that. The past couple of years had been disastrous for him on a personal level; he didn't wish to ever re-live them again.
At last, when they parted, Tony pushed Saffron's thick, curly hair away from her face, a little grin playing at his lips. Saff blushed at the intimacy of the gesture, got up from the sofa and, picking up her purse, gave him a smile of her own before heading out the door.
"I'll call you when I get home," she said. "To check on you. If that's okay."
Tony took a deep breath.
"Wouldn't have it any other way, Nurse," he joked. Then a serious look came to his face.
"Oy! Saffron?"
She turned back as she opened the door to leave.
"Hmmm?"
"Be careful, 'ey?" Then he added, "I don't like you out and about at night, y'know."
Saffy smiled at him.
"I can take care of myself. I'm quite good at it, actually."
Tony's smile faded. He really didn't want her to leave. And he worried about her heading home so late all alone.
"I know," he said softly. "But I'd rather you didn't 'ave to."
"I'll call you," she told him, closing the door quietly behind her.
Tony sighed. He wanted her there. With him. Always.
But Tony's concern for her hadn't been lost on Saffron. Instead of taking the Tube, she hailed a taxi. Safer, even if it cost more, she thought. She hated the idea of worrying Tony.
He did care about her.
And she felt the same way about him. The days of denying that, telling herself he was just some guy she knew? They were over.
Definitely over.