EPILOGUE—LIFE ABOUNDS
Donovan had never spent more than two days off work in his life. It was bred into him to work tirelessly, and he hated being inactive. He also didn't appreciate being babied, either, but Remy hovered over him the first few days he was out of the hospital. It was sweet, and he couldn't help smiling a little, but she backed off when she realized that he was going to be okay. But it was a relief having her with him, because he nearly lost her. Donovan began to relax, which was odd for him, and his mind drifted back to his time in the hospital.
The aggravating hospital didn't take the tube out of his mouth until the next day. The surgery and blood loss had left him weak and exhausted, but he wanted to be able to talk, to hear his voice saying Remy's name. She stayed by his bedside as much as the hospital would allow. He had nearly hurt himself laughing one morning after the nurse called Remy 'Mrs. Donovan.' She had turned a wonderful shade of scarlet red and explained why she had to lie. He didn't care. She was with him, and he couldn't stop looking at her.
Donovan was healthy as a horse and he began to heal fairly quickly. It would take some time for the internal damage to heal, and he was certain to be on sick leave for an equally long amount of time. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. The charges brought up by the FBI [mainly by Ed Lomax] were dropped, and Donovan was reinstated without question. He would still have to answer for his actions with regard to the photograph, but his discipline would be no harsher than a slap on the wrist.
Remy could not shake her guilt. It didn't matter how much he tried to ease her mind; she wouldn't let go. She was still intent on going away. "Some day, you will have to stop running," he told her. "It should stop today, Remy. I know what it's like to run; I've done my fair share. No matter how far away you run, your past will eventually catch you. Why don't you let it take you? Why don't you let it keep you with me? Stay, Remy, and together we can deal with our pasts, defeat the pain, and live."
Of course, she couldn't deny him, not after that.
The door slammed, jarring Donovan awake. He rose up too suddenly, and wound up hurting his stomach in the process. It was still messed up, even after four months.
"Oh, damn, Frank, I didn't mean to scare you," Remy said.
She had two shopping bags under her arms and two more in her hands. Tonight, she wanted to cook for him, and it appeared she had bought out the whole damn store. He contemplated whether or not to ask her to move in him. She had rented another apartment [seedy, much to Donovan's chagrin] and found another job as a secretary, but this time it wasn't in a government office. She refused to work as a state employee ever again. He worried about her, but that wasn't necessarily his motivation for wanting her to live with him. He loved her, but had yet to tell her. Yup, I'm a chicken shit, he thought.
"You didn't scare me, I was sleeping."
She refused his help to carry the bags into the kitchen. When she returned to the living room, he had sat up on the couch and casually crossed his ankles. She approached him and sat beside him, folding her legs underneath her. Her fingers went to the back of his head and she played carelessly with his hair.
"You look really good today," she said with a smile.
He turned toward her slightly, mindful of his injuries. "It's all the cooking you're doing for me. I'm getting fat."
"I think it's more likely that you're getting healthy."
He took her free hand in his and entwined his fingers with hers. "There's something I want to tell you, and then there's something I want to ask."
Intrigued, she lifted an eyebrow and grinned at him. His demeanor was one of a nervous little boy. She had never seen him like this. "Wow, I'm impressed. Frank Donovan is flustered." She watched as his ears turned red, then the color spread to his cheeks.
"Don't tease me," he said through a low moan.
She lifted his hand up to her lips and kissed it. "I'm sorry. What's on your mind?"
He shifted his position again so he could bring his lips up near her ear. He kissed her earlobe very softly. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.
The sound of his voice and the gentle words he whispered sent shivers down her spine. He didn't move. He stayed where he was, gently kissing her earlobe and the side of her neck. "Frank," she whispered.
"Yes," he asked against her neck.
"I love you, too." She could feel him smiling against her neck. Goose bumps broke out all over her.
"Can you get out of your lease," he asked softly.
She wanted to pull away and look at him on that one, but she couldn't move. His lips felt delicious and urgent. "My lease?"
He slid the tip of his tongue up her neck and flicked her earlobe. "Yes, your lease. Can you get out of it?"
His lips and tongue could do such delightfully sinful things to her. "Maybe," she said with a sigh.
"I hope so," he said as his teeth nipped her throat.
"Do you?"
"Yes."
Each 's' in 'yes' had a hissing quality about it that drove her nuts. "And why is that?"
"It will make it easier for you when you move in with me."
This time, she did pull away. "Frank?"
He smiled at the startled expression on her face. "Remy," he mocked. "So, what do you think?"
"I think I'm going to need help packing," she said.
* * *
Three months later, Remy came into the apartment in search of Donovan. She found him in the bedroom. She had to stifle a laugh as she watched him checking out his abdomen in the full-length mirror by the bed.
"I've always known you were stubborn, sexy, persistent, and a goon bastard, but I never thought you were vain," she said, unable to hold back a chuckle.
He turned toward her and smiled a little. "I was checking out the scars. Do you think anybody will notice?"
She approached him and ran her hand over his flat stomach. "It depends on how many people will see you naked," she said, amused. "Should I be worried?"
"Nope," he said as he kissed her forehead.
"Good," she said before planting a gentle kiss on his lips. "I wasn't looking forward to being a single mother."
He pulled away and looked at her incredulously. Incoherently, he spat, "Single? Mother?"
His widened eyes and gaped open mouth were hysterical. She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "Yep," she said nonchalantly. Her eyes twinkled. "Who says birth control pills are ninety-eight percent effective? Who says condoms can't break? I think we have a lawsuit in the making."
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Okay, this do be the end of the epilogue. Long one, wasn't it? [grin] Soooooo, should I do a sequel or just leave it be? THANKS for all your feedback.
