"Mike?" He can't express in words how beautiful the sound of her voice is, as he steps inside the hospital room and spots green eyes staring at him. It's almost surreal, as though he's going to wake up any second and find it's a dream, taunting him. But the seconds pass, and he's never been so aware of his senses, of the distant rythmic ticking and beeping, of the ground beneath his feet, of the scent of cleanliness in the air. Every sense is working in overtime, trying desperately to assure him that he is here, that this is real.
A distant movement in his peripheral vision snaps apart the moment, and he turns in time to see Cal, scraping faded pink hair from her face and edging from the seat. "I'll leave you two alone for a moment." She smiles, leaving the room before he can formulate a response.
For the longest time, Mike finds himself taking in Kate, from the tips of her now-messy blonde hair, to her bare toes peeking out from the end of the blanket. The bruises around her face are yellowing, her wrist now snugly plastered at her side. And at her hip sits a small teddy bear, dressed in a fireman hat and clutching a small cushion reading Get Well Soon, Hot Stuff! Almost unconsciously, Mike moves forwards and tugs the blanket over her exposed feet, before turning to look at her once more.
He doesn't know how much time he spends just taking in the sight of her, alert and breathing and smiling, before she breaks the silence. "Are they for me?" Her voice sounds tired, but it's still blissfully hers, as she nods to the bouquet of white lilies in his hands.
He follows her gaze. "These?" He frowns, lifting them up as he moves towards her, pulling a face. "Oh. Awkward. Well, no actually. It's just you've got a cute orderly who's been changing your IV and I'm going to ask her out."
Kate lets out a tired laugh, and it might just be music. "Good." She groans, brushing some hair from her face. "'Cause there's serious vibes between me and one of my doctors. Didn't want to have to turn you down."
He grins, and then drops into the seat Cal had just left, resting the flowers into an empty vase on the table. "You don't like to lose an argument, do you, McGregor?" He lets out a soft tutting noise. "I don't know. You firies. If you can't win, just slip into a coma."
"Well, it was the only way to make you shut up." She points out, mutely holding out a cup of yoghurt for Mike to open. He obliges and places it on the tray in front of her, unwrapping the plastic spoon before she even has to ask. "Cheers." She takes a spoonful of the yoghurt and pulls a face, before dropping the spoon back into the container. "So, Cal said you've been here a lot?"
"I told you." Mike grins. "Hot nurses."
"Well, you're not wrong." Kate agrees. "She also said you've been looking after Bridie."
"Urgh." Mike pulls a disgusted face. "Your sister is painting me out to be a gentleman." He spits the last word like it's a filthy curse. "I'm telling you, I only took her for the free labour. When I'm making my canoes, those kids can crawl into the small spaces that I can't."
Kate nods soberly. "She also said you got my name tattooed on your forearm."
Mike adopts an embarrassed look and mutters, "Well, that one is definitely true. A fleeting madness. It's your name, and then a picture of your face on a naked mermaid's body." He eyes her hand. "I'll draw it on your cast if you want." They both fall into silence once more. Almost unconsciously, he reaches forwards and takes her good hand in his, and all of a sudden he can't bring himself to look at her. "I missed you, Kate." All the fears he's been holding over her whole bout of unconsciousness is suddenly overwhelming, and he knows he'll completely break down if he looks at her. "I... I was so worried."
"I thought... I wouldn't... wouldn't see Bridie again. Or... or Cal. Or you. I thought I was..."
His only response is a soft sob, and it seems to break the damn for both of them. For the longest time yet, they simply stare at their entwined hands, and let themselves cry. He knows he should be counting his blessings now, dancing on the rooftops of buildings or buying a lottery ticket. But he's completely overwhelmed by just how close a call this was. And he knows that a life with her would mean even more risks, more situations where she puts her life on the line every single day. That he can't simply say a thanks that it just wasn't today and move on.
"It's okay." Her words are barely more than a breeze. "I'm okay." He could never ask her to give up her job. Would never ask her. But he also knows this isn't something either of them can just brush under the carpet.
Finally, he hiccups himself into some semblance of recovery and sits up straighter, pulling his hands away from hers so that he can wipe the tears from his face. Looking into each others' blotchy faces, they both say in unison, "You look terrible." She gives a hiccuping laugh, and he fingers the yellowing bruise on her face.
"You look beautiful." He murmurs.
The school holidays arrive, with Bridie and Rose spending most of their time together. Between Mike and Cal, the two of them manage to work out a system so that someone is generally always with Kate while another is with the girls. It's not always ideal - Mike realises that the girls are starting to grow restless spending their time drawing in the hospital room, or else roaming the building, but for the most part, they get by, though not without the help of Maxine and his grandparents, who are always willing to take the girls out for trips to the lagoon, or the aquarium, or the movies.
Mike and Kate don't discuss their... is it a relationship? Certainly something more than a friendship, in any case. But no. The time he does spend with her is usually more of an exchange of quips rather than any serious talk, and as he wanders into her room one afternoon after spending the morning bowling with the girls (who had, of course, beaten him spectacularly), he can't help but laugh at her irritated gaze as she flicks idly through the channels on the ancient TV mounted on the wall.
"Alright for some." He quips, flopping into the chair beside her and dropping a Mars Bar beside her. "I'm out looking after your kid and you're in here catching up on Days of Our Lives and Judge Judy!"
"Pfft. No." Kate points towards the screen. "They show Dawson's Creek reruns on Go!" She eyes the chocolate on her bedside table. "Is that for me or one of your nurses?"
He tugs it back and begins to unwrap it. "Oh, I see the confusion. Oops. No, it's for me. I'm hungry. Just thought I'd eat it in front of you." He grins and passes it to her. "So, find any decent candidates to give you a sponge bath? Or are they all too scared to touch your sizzling red skin and talons?" He gives a mock sniff. "Evidently the latter, hey?"
"It's a shame the kids didn't drop a bowling ball on your head." She chuckles, picking up the iPad Cal had left on the dressing table and flicking through idly.
"Well, you'd know all about dropping things on your head, wouldn't you?" He smiles sweetly up at her, before gesturing at the iPad. "So... taking some selfies? Trawling through Tinder? Ha!" He nudges her lightly with his elbow. "Get it? 'Cause you're a firie? Tinder?"
"Keep talking about Tinder and that's what I'll turn your canoes into." She mutters, though she smiles softly at him. "So, Maxine? She your girlfriend?"
"Of course. But, she's very open minded, so..." He gestures between himself and Kate, raising his eyebrows suggestively, before turning back to seriousness. "Nah, just mates. She... uh..." He clears his throat, before forcing himself to keep talking. "She seems to think I might have feelings for you, as it turns out."
"And... do you agree?" Kate frowns.
"Well..." He tips his head. "Yeah. I do." He gives a mock sigh. "Maybe I've got brain damage too. But maybe, when you're out of here, we could try and go on a proper date. You know..." He waves a hand over her, taking in her still-recovering head and her plaster-clad wrist. "To... like a jar-opening factory, or a demolition site? I mean, I'd buy you a hardhat, obviously."
"Hmm..." Kate hums slightly. "Sounds terrible." A smile splits her face. "But yes."
"What the hell?!" A voice comes from the doorway, and both Kate and Mike jump as they catch sight of Cal, holding two coffees in a tray and staring in bewilderment between the both of them. "That was the weirdest fucking thing I've ever seen. Like, are you together now? Or... or are you insulting each other? Should I be kicking him out or hugging him? I don't know!" She turns and walks out of the room, still muttering, with Kate holding her good hand out after her.
"My coffee?" She moans, like a child whose lollipop had just been stolen.
"Ah, it's all good." Mike grins, patting her comforting on her good hand. "You've got me!"
She turns her face to him, and he can't resist tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "Well, if I've got you... then can you do me a favour?"
"Sure." Mike nods, smothering all the jokes that pop into his head, sensing that now is the time for seriousness. "What do you need me to do?"
"I don't know why I need a bloody wheelchair to get to the car." Kate groans for the millionth time that morning, looking at the chair in question as though it's a public toilet seat or something equally as foul. She's had her possessions packed into the bag Mike had brought her since that morning; he couldn't resist teasing her just a little, so the backpack in question just happened to be bright pink, with Dora the Explorer on the front. When she'd seen it, she'd simply rolled her eyes and sweetly thanked him for letting her borrow his favouritest backpack! "I can walk perfectly fine!"
"Hospital policy, I'm afraid, love." The nurse pats her comfortingly on her shoulder, to which Kate simply rolls her eyes at when the woman isn't looking.
"Come on." Mike pats the seat eagerly, as though beckoning her to a throne. "I've got the hang of pushing wheelchairs down stairs! It'll be just like a rollercoaster!"
Glowering at him, she takes the seat obediently, but can't stifle her laugh at the shocked look the nurse gives Mike. "He's kidding." Kate assures her. The nurse doesn't look completely convinced, but nods all the same and lets them leave.
"Well, uh... good luck, hon." She stammers lamely.
As they make their way down the corridor, Mike leans down to whisper in her ear. "Damn. She was the hot one."
Turning for one last glance at the easily-70-year-old nurse, Kate waves merrily. "Still reckon you're in with a shot." She grins, her smile widening as Mike serenely passes the elevator, waving merrily, and moves on towards the stairwell. Of course, Mike has to let go of the wheelchair for a second and open the stairwell, before speeding off as the door gives a tell-tale creak. "She's gonna call security on you!" Kate hisses, as he breaks into a jog, pushing her past room after room and reaching a second set of lifts, well out of sight of the reception area.
"Eh." Mike shrugs. "Just having some fun. Besides, you'd bail me out." He stares at the empty corridor. "Reckon we could do a wheelchair burnout? Find another one and do some jousting?"
"As lovely as it sounds, I just want to blow this place." Kate groans.
"Ah." Mike leans over to stab at the down button on the second set of lifts. "Dynamite. I like your style. But we'd better make sure your sister has the getaway car ready first."
They wait for the lift in silence, and it isn't until he's pushed her in and the doors have closed behind them that she speaks again. "The... the phone number I wanted you to get from my locker. It was... it was Maddie's."
"I know." Mike nods seriously.
"How?" Kate frowns, wondering whether he'd also called the number.
"Well," Mike adopts a serious, pondering expression. "It had her name underneath it, so I just took a wild guess." He winks at her, before murmuring, "And you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."
"Oh, I think we're way past that, aren't we?" Kate lets out a shaky breath, but she's determined not to cry. After all, she's already wasted enough tears on that situation. "I... I called her, that night you gave me the number. I told her everything. And... she didn't say much, and then she hung up."
"And... and how do you feel now?"
Kate nods slowly. She hasn't really allowed herself much time to analyse her feelings properly, but she tries her best. "Well, I... I told her. And... and if she wants to see me, she can. And if not..." Kate trails off. "I just... it was time that she knew."
They lapse into silence for several more moments, both watching the digital numbers count down to the basement carpark. "Kate?" Mike begins tentatively after a moment, breaking the silence.
"Yeah?" Kate frowns.
He leans down, so that he's at her level, and lowers his voice, and she wonders for a moment whether he's going to kiss her. When he does speak, his voice is the most serious she's ever heard it. "I realise now we left your bag upstairs. And I think the nurse will kill me if I head up there without you."
"So... what exactly took you so long?" Cal eyes them suspiciously as Kate makes her way towards the car, having happily abandoned the wheelchair the first chance she could and now pulls the door open clumsily with her good wrist.
"Nurses had to check the stairs first." Mike deadpans, stowing the Dora bag safely in the boot before taking his spot in the back seat next to Rose.
"What?" Cal frowns, but Bridie, on Rose's other side, simply rolls her eyes at what is apparently a sense of humour she's come to recognise. Cal turns to each member of the car in turn, before throwing her hands up in the air. "I don't get half of what happens between you two!"
The car ride from the hospital isn't that long, although it certainly seems lengthened by Mike starting a singalong of Four-hundred and ninety-seven bottles of beer on the wall. Why he'd started with that number, or even begun singing that song, Kate isn't entirely sure, unless it is specifically to annoy, which, in hindsight, she supposes it is.
She counters, reciting multiples of nine, louder and louder, until cheering in triumph as Mike looses his count. He just flashes her a winning smile and starts again.
It isn't until Kate and Cal fall into sudden silence, that Mike realises something is wrong. Cal has the car stopped, waiting to turn right into a driveway, but although the traffic is clear, Cal keeps the car still. Following their gaze, he spots the figure waiting outside the door to the house.
"Maddie?" Kate whispers softly, and Cal reaches across to grip Kate's hand.
He's not exactly sure what he'd expected the famous Maddie to look like. He supposes he's demonized her in his head, because honestly, how can someone not know they're married to a monster, and despite realism telling him that she probably isn't walking around with a pitchfork and horns, the woman standing at the door is not what he'd expected at all.
"Cal, we need to move." Kate murmurs. "Cal?" A horn beeps behind them, and they all seem to snap back to earth. Cal raises a hand in apology, before edging the car into the drive, eyes still wide. She doesn't even turn off the ignition, instead slipping from her seat and turning back.
"Stay here." Cal orders. "I'll... I'll see."
Kate makes to ignore her anyway, tugging her own seatbelt off, but Mike calls out. "No. Kate, I'll go. You... you stay with the girls." She turns back to face him, and for a moment their eyes meet. "I'll keep her safe." Mike promises, before he too heads out of the car and follows Cal.
By the time he's reached the front door, the woman is half-running towards Cal. "Callista? Oh! Callista!" Maddie lunges forwards, but freezes suddenly as Cal takes a step backwards instead.
"What do you want?" Cal demands, raising a hand, and there's something uncharacteristically stern in Cal's voice. Her pink hair seems to crackle with electricity, her gaze stern, and Mike realises he's always sort of thought of Cal as Kate's baby sister, when in reality, she is so much more than that. Maddie turns her gaze towards the car, and Mike can see that she's about to run to it instead. In one swift movement, Cal blocks her. "Maddie, you're not hurting her. Okay?"
"Hurt her?" Maddie turns her gaze back to Cal, and the woman seems to crumple before his very eyes, shrinking into her cardigans. "I... I'd never hurt you. Either of you. Please, I didn't know, okay? I..." She covers her mouth with a shaking hand. "Please, Callie. I'm... I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I... I need to tell her. I... I didn't know."
Mike turns his gaze to Kate, and gives a single nod. A moment later, she steps out of the car, and although her gate is slow at first, she soon breaks into a run, and she and Cal fall straight into Maddie's arms.