Chapter Seven: Weakness of Craving

* "The fever finally broke last night. I have to say, I was worried she wouldn't make it, but she pulled through after all!" Quatre grinned steadily at Hiiro. Though they had not gotten on well originally, the two men had learned to tolerate each other due to their mutual concern- Serena's health.

It had been three days since Hiiro had brought Serena to Quatre, and on the last night they could have any hope for her survival the fever had broken. Dawn had just broken on the horizon, and Hiiro was already in town pestering Quatre about the good news. But Quatre yawned.

"She should pull back now, but it may take her a while before she's up to doing her old chores."

"Hnn." Quatre had to smile through his tiredness. He knew Hiiro was dying to see her inside, but he would never admit it aloud. Though Quatre didn't quite understand why he should grin at the thought. He should want to kill Hiiro for caring so much. But the less Hiiro showed his affections, the more willing Quatre was to play along. Quatre knew it would ultimately break his own heart to see what was beginning to happen come to pass, and he knew that not only would it break Hiiro's heart as well, but it would get him killed in the process. The wild west was a dangerous place.

"You can go in and see her. She's resting peacefully. I'm going to see if the bar will serve me a cup of coffee." Quatre told him.

"Hnn." And Quatre rolled his eyes and walked off.

Hiiro watched the boy leave and inwardly sighed a sigh of relief. He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and then took another deep one. He opened the door and stepped into the clinic. The room was dark, and it was stuffy hot. Serena was no longer on the examining table; instead she lay on a bed in the back room. As Hiiro approached her, he had a hard time believing this was the same woman he had lived with for three weeks.

Her golden hair was down and strewn all about the pillow, and for the first time ever he saw her face completely relaxed. Her long bangs were plastered to her forehead from sweat, and her skin was pale. Hiiro reached over and gently felt her forehead, searching for traces of the fever. He skin was cold and clammy to the touch, which was better then the burning it had been before. Hiiro, satisfied that the fever had indeed broken, pulled up the chair beside the wall and sat beside the bed. Closing his eyes, he too fell asleep, for the first time in three days.

Serena was dimly aware that her head was swimming in pain. Any slight movement sent her mind reeling with dizziness and fatigue. Still, she fought the feeling and blinked her heavy eyelids open. Where was she? This was not her room, not her house even… She tried to turn her head to the side to get a better feel for where she was, but all she managed was to moan in pain.

"Shh." A familiar voice soothed her. She opened her tired eyes again and was met with a warm smile.

"Quatre." She croaked.

"Shh. Don't worry Serena. You're in my clinic, and you're fine."

"Quatre… I…" She tried to speak more, but couldn't. She found she simply didn't have the strength.

"Don't try to talk Serena. You've had a rough four days, and you need to rest."

"Four?" She managed. She wondered what had happened without her. How was her house? Did Hiiro take care of everything while she had been sick? What would she do now that she was awake again? She didn't think she would be able to move for quite a while yet…

"Hiiro brought you in the morning after you were bitten. He nearly ran over a few others in the process though. He was very adamant about you getting better." Quatre smirked. "We all were. You've been asleep for three days now with a fever."

"Hiiro?" She was almost asleep again.

"He's actually right next to you, on the other side of the bed. He came in this morning just after your fever broke. I went for some coffee, and I come back to find him dead asleep next to you. I don't think he's done slept a night while you were here Serena."

"You're accent's back Quatre." Serena smiled slightly. Quatre looked at her as she lay smiling at him with her eyes closed. She was so pretty, even when she was sick and dirty. He wanted so much to hold her, kiss her soft lips… but he also knew he could never act on his emotions. He would need to hide them- for both their sakes.

"Why don't you sleep now Serena?"

"Hmm." She sighed, and he knew she was already gone.

The next time Serena awoke she could tell the sun was setting from the brilliant colors that were lighting the room. She turned towards the small window, which had previously been covered by a heavy drape. As she turned, there she found Hiiro, silhouetted by the setting sun as he looked out the window. After a few moments, he moved to close the blinds again.

"Don't." She choked out. Hiiro's head snapped in her direction.

"You're awake." He stated, as if not fully comprehending the situation. Serena smiled slightly, unable to do much else.

"Pretty." She smiled again. His hand left the drape, but he made no other move.

"You mean the sunset?" He asked. Serena smiled. Hiiro couldn't help it; her smile was infectious. He too turned the corners of his mouth up slightly. "Tried?" He asked.

"Little."

"Sleep." He commanded her. But Serena was not to be deterred; she had slept long enough.

"Home?"

"Burned down." She sat straight up in shock, then gasped in immense pain. Hiiro quickly crossed the room to her and gently eased her back down into the bed. When she was settled, her worries really set in.

"What?"

"It's fine."

"A joke?" She questioned, murder written in her eyes. Hiiro saw her glare and had to smirk. The smirk grew to a smile, and finally he began to chuckle. He had only wanted to check the clarity of her mind, and it seemed she was as sharp as ever, even though she was still weak from the fever and poison.

"A joke." He repeated.

"Not funny gun boy." She coughed slightly.

"Sorry mame." She sighed tiredly.

"Serena."

"Huh?"

"Serena." She implored him again.

"Yes mame." He smirked, and she growled slightly. Then she smiled. He was trying to cheer her up, she realized. So he wasn't very good at it, but he was obviously making an effort. It meant a lot to her, she realized, that the cold hearted man beside her cared about her happiness. And her health…

After all, he had brought her to Quatre. And from what Quatre had said earlier, he hadn't slept without her, just worked and checked in on her. Stupid man. Wasn't it just like a man to be overly worried about everything? She grinned at her own thoughts.

"Quatre?" She asked Hiiro.

"Sleeping, eating, whoring, one of them." Serena narrowed her eyes.

"Not Quatre."

"He doesn't sleep or eat?"

"Hiiro." She said in a warning tone. He grunted, but it was clear he had gotten her message.

"You?"

"I have to get moving."

"Moving?" Serena asked, suddenly scared. He was leaving her? There was no way she could do anything on her own, and he was leaving? He didn't care after all. She felt used.

"If I'm gonna get back to the house before the coyotes get your chickens I'll have to be moving soon." He saw her eyes widen in fear, but didn't understand why? He had only said… well then. If he had been in her position and heard his hired hand was leaving, he'd be scared too. "I'm not one to leave in the middle of a job Serena." He added.

"Thank you." She spoke with sincere tenderness. Her heart felt relieved for a moment. Of course he wasn't going to leave her yet! She had been a goose to think of it.

"Hnn." He grunted. He couldn't go letting those eyes of hers, with all of their innocence and sincerity trap him.

"Take me?" She asked.

"No."

"Please? Home?" She asked again. But the simple strain of trying to hold a conversation was making her tired.

"No. Quatre needs to check you again." He could tell this saddened her when her eyes glazed over and her face fell.

"You're right." She said.

"Sleep." Hiiro suggested. He moved in closer and pulled her blankets over her again. Then he pulled back, and though he was hesitant, he very lightly pecked her forehead. He thought it might soothe her. A faint memory of someone once doing the same for him when he was sick flashed through his mind, but he pushed it away.

"Sleep." Serena repeated in a daze. What had he just done? A physical show of affection for her? She never thought he would do anything of the sort. She supposed she ought to be angry, embarrassed, something, but all she could manage was a blush. Then she regained some of her dignity. "Sinful man." She muttered as she closed her eyes.

Hiiro heard the remark and laughed. He couldn't help it. It was very true, he was indeed what she pegged him as: a sinful man. But coming from her innocent lips it sounded more like a compliment. He shook the thoughts from his mind and left the room, sneaking one last look at her as he did.

It was another day before Quatre allowed Serena to go home. He had joked that when she could make a whole sentence she could go, and when she finally accomplished her task, she held him to his word. Hiiro helped her up on the horse and then swung up behind her. As he did so, she gasped.

It was a strange and foreign feeling to be so close to another person. She had never felt so self-conscious, or so alive as when Hiiro wrapped a strong arm around her waist to steady her as he settled himself down behind her. She was sure her face must have been completely red, but if it was, Quatre said nothing about it.

"Please be careful out there Serena." He said as he handed Hiiro the reins.

"I will, I do promise Quatre."

"I don't want to see you again… I take that back." Quatre smiled. "I would like to see you more often. Just not as a patient." Serena gave him a sad smile.

"You are welcome to visit any time." She offered, knowing full well he could never take her up on it.

"I know Serena. But at what price would I risk it? I am truly sorry."

"I know." She gave him one last smile. Then Hiiro signaled, and the horse began to move.

"What price would he risk visiting?" Hiiro asked as they rode slowly through the town.

"There are some things, Hiiro, that a town of people must always keep private between themselves. I ask you not to ask again." She said quietly. Hiiro looked into the distance.

"Very well." He finally submitted. Once again the town was drawing interest from him. What dark secret did the inhabitants hide from outsiders? *