When Beka and Dylan entered Harper's room they were surprised to see him
laying in bed like he was supposed to be. They began tip toeing towards
the bed when Harper's voice stopped them.
"You don't have to try to be quiet. I'm awake."
"Hey squirt," Beka said softly as she climbed into bed with Harper, being careful not to jostle him. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him towards her. Once they were settled she asked in good humor, "Do my eyes deceive me or are you actually resting like you're supposed to be?"
Harper chuckled as Beka ran her free hand through his hair. Any other time he'd complain or push her away but he just didn't have the energy and the added presence was comforting. Seeing how utterly exhausted Harper was, Beka wondered if she was going to have to continue a one-sided conversation. She grinned when Dylan sat down on the edge of the bed. Beka knew how worried he was and she was genuinely glad for his support.
"Can you open your eyes?" she coaxed in a whisper.
Harper did, blinking several times before turning his head to look at Beka. She smiled for him and ruffled his hair again, earning a groan in protest. The engineer lifted his head and nestled it in the crook of her arm like he used to do when she'd stay with him after a terrible nightmare.
"How are you feeling?" Dylan asked with concern.
Harper glanced at Dylan before he closed his eyes again and replied, "I dunno. My head kinda hurts but it feels really light. My neck is.weird. I can't really feel it. It's like it's numb."
"I'm okay, right?" he asked quickly and straight up.
The engineer's head swayed slightly and Beka pulled him back down before he could pass out. Harper, however, was suddenly very awake.
"You're fine," Dylan assured him.
"Then why do I feel so funny?" Harper asked softly. The sudden burst of energy had drained him.
"You had surgery on your port earlier today," Beka answered. "You can blame the numbness on the local they used. I'm sure it'll wear off in a few hours."
"Surgery?" he mumbled in question as he slipped from the conscious world.
"Ya, but you're fine," she reassured him. "You're just fine."
Beka brushed her hand against Harper's cheek. It was a sign of affection but it was also a way for her to determine whether or not he had a fever. His skin was clammy but cool and Beka rested her chin lightly on his head while listening for his breathing even.
After a few minutes went by, Dylan asked in a whisper, "Is he asleep?"
"Out like a light," Was the tired answer. "I think I'm just going to sleep here."
Dylan nodded and demanded his stiff body get up. He wasn't going to deny the immense exhaustion he felt. He wanted nothing more than to sleep. The stress and worry had done a number on his mental and physical well being.
"That sounds like a good idea," he told Beka, then added when he saw her questioning look, "Sleep. I mean sleep. Not here, in my room. In my own room."
Beka smiled at Dylan's sudden boyish embarrassment.
"Of course," she said. "I'll wake you if there's any change."
"Thanks," Dylan said while he retreated towards the door. "I'd appreciate you, uh, it. I'd appreciate it."
Once Dylan had disappeared from view Beka broke into laughter. She quickly quieted herself when she felt Harper stir but the picture of Dylan and his red cheeks kept appearing in her mind. She closed her and relaxed against the pillow behind her head, still smiling to herself. Harper's content sigh was the last thing Beka heard before she floated into dreamland.
"You don't have to try to be quiet. I'm awake."
"Hey squirt," Beka said softly as she climbed into bed with Harper, being careful not to jostle him. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him towards her. Once they were settled she asked in good humor, "Do my eyes deceive me or are you actually resting like you're supposed to be?"
Harper chuckled as Beka ran her free hand through his hair. Any other time he'd complain or push her away but he just didn't have the energy and the added presence was comforting. Seeing how utterly exhausted Harper was, Beka wondered if she was going to have to continue a one-sided conversation. She grinned when Dylan sat down on the edge of the bed. Beka knew how worried he was and she was genuinely glad for his support.
"Can you open your eyes?" she coaxed in a whisper.
Harper did, blinking several times before turning his head to look at Beka. She smiled for him and ruffled his hair again, earning a groan in protest. The engineer lifted his head and nestled it in the crook of her arm like he used to do when she'd stay with him after a terrible nightmare.
"How are you feeling?" Dylan asked with concern.
Harper glanced at Dylan before he closed his eyes again and replied, "I dunno. My head kinda hurts but it feels really light. My neck is.weird. I can't really feel it. It's like it's numb."
"I'm okay, right?" he asked quickly and straight up.
The engineer's head swayed slightly and Beka pulled him back down before he could pass out. Harper, however, was suddenly very awake.
"You're fine," Dylan assured him.
"Then why do I feel so funny?" Harper asked softly. The sudden burst of energy had drained him.
"You had surgery on your port earlier today," Beka answered. "You can blame the numbness on the local they used. I'm sure it'll wear off in a few hours."
"Surgery?" he mumbled in question as he slipped from the conscious world.
"Ya, but you're fine," she reassured him. "You're just fine."
Beka brushed her hand against Harper's cheek. It was a sign of affection but it was also a way for her to determine whether or not he had a fever. His skin was clammy but cool and Beka rested her chin lightly on his head while listening for his breathing even.
After a few minutes went by, Dylan asked in a whisper, "Is he asleep?"
"Out like a light," Was the tired answer. "I think I'm just going to sleep here."
Dylan nodded and demanded his stiff body get up. He wasn't going to deny the immense exhaustion he felt. He wanted nothing more than to sleep. The stress and worry had done a number on his mental and physical well being.
"That sounds like a good idea," he told Beka, then added when he saw her questioning look, "Sleep. I mean sleep. Not here, in my room. In my own room."
Beka smiled at Dylan's sudden boyish embarrassment.
"Of course," she said. "I'll wake you if there's any change."
"Thanks," Dylan said while he retreated towards the door. "I'd appreciate you, uh, it. I'd appreciate it."
Once Dylan had disappeared from view Beka broke into laughter. She quickly quieted herself when she felt Harper stir but the picture of Dylan and his red cheeks kept appearing in her mind. She closed her and relaxed against the pillow behind her head, still smiling to herself. Harper's content sigh was the last thing Beka heard before she floated into dreamland.