AN: Now that we're near the end, I want to do something I should have
done a long time ago-- MANY thanks to my beta readers (and motivation
experts ;oP ), Shannon & Vivienne!! You guys rock! They're they reason
I was able to get this finished at all!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!
***********************************************************************
***********
Hospital
Room 252
0320 local
Mercedes was lost in a dark, hazy fog. The sensation was
familiar, but she didn't know why. Bits and pieces of her memory
seemed to dart around her, flitting in and out of her grasp.
Then suddenly, the fog began to lighten. Slowly she became aware
of her body again, and pain returned as well; her head and ribs ached,
and her left leg seemed to almost throb.
Clayton Webb had been dozing lightly, but a soft groan brought him
wide awake. He stood, moving from the chair he'd been sleeping in to
sit gingerly on the edge of the bed. Without thinking, and without
realizing it, he took Mercedes's hand in his own as her eyelids
flickered open.
"Hi." Mercedes's voice was soft and raspy. "Who are you?"
"Clayton Webb. I'm a friend of Harm's--your cousin." 'Well, that
was brilliant,' Clay thought to himself. What was he doing here
anyway? He didn't know this woman at all, and it wasn't like he had
the free time to sit around in a hospital room for the hell of it.
The truth was, Clay knew all too well what it was like to wake up
alone in a hospital room, groggy and in pain. He'd learned to get used
to it, but somehow he didn't think Mercedes Rabb had. And he didn't
want her to.
At the mention of Harm's name, her eyes had scanned the room. Clay
knew she was looking for her cousin, and saw something change in her
eyes when she didn't find him. Rather than make a possibly unwanted
comment, he busied himself with pouring her a glass of water, holding
it to her lips while she drank.
Mercedes closed her eyes as she swallowed the soothing liquid, then
returned her attention to Webb. She didn't bother asking about her
cousin; she knew that he wasn't here of his own choice. "Is Mac all
right?"
Clay nodded. "A bit banged up, but fine."
Silence fell, and Clay glanced away, uncomfortable. But he turned
back when she spoke again. "I'm so tired," CD sighed.
"You should probably go back to sleep."
She nodded slightly, even as her eyes began drifting shut. "Mr.
Webb?"
"Call me Clay," he said softly.
"Thank you, Clay," she whispered, falling back into slumber.
It was another hour before he left.
TBC...
done a long time ago-- MANY thanks to my beta readers (and motivation
experts ;oP ), Shannon & Vivienne!! You guys rock! They're they reason
I was able to get this finished at all!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!
***********************************************************************
***********
Hospital
Room 252
0320 local
Mercedes was lost in a dark, hazy fog. The sensation was
familiar, but she didn't know why. Bits and pieces of her memory
seemed to dart around her, flitting in and out of her grasp.
Then suddenly, the fog began to lighten. Slowly she became aware
of her body again, and pain returned as well; her head and ribs ached,
and her left leg seemed to almost throb.
Clayton Webb had been dozing lightly, but a soft groan brought him
wide awake. He stood, moving from the chair he'd been sleeping in to
sit gingerly on the edge of the bed. Without thinking, and without
realizing it, he took Mercedes's hand in his own as her eyelids
flickered open.
"Hi." Mercedes's voice was soft and raspy. "Who are you?"
"Clayton Webb. I'm a friend of Harm's--your cousin." 'Well, that
was brilliant,' Clay thought to himself. What was he doing here
anyway? He didn't know this woman at all, and it wasn't like he had
the free time to sit around in a hospital room for the hell of it.
The truth was, Clay knew all too well what it was like to wake up
alone in a hospital room, groggy and in pain. He'd learned to get used
to it, but somehow he didn't think Mercedes Rabb had. And he didn't
want her to.
At the mention of Harm's name, her eyes had scanned the room. Clay
knew she was looking for her cousin, and saw something change in her
eyes when she didn't find him. Rather than make a possibly unwanted
comment, he busied himself with pouring her a glass of water, holding
it to her lips while she drank.
Mercedes closed her eyes as she swallowed the soothing liquid, then
returned her attention to Webb. She didn't bother asking about her
cousin; she knew that he wasn't here of his own choice. "Is Mac all
right?"
Clay nodded. "A bit banged up, but fine."
Silence fell, and Clay glanced away, uncomfortable. But he turned
back when she spoke again. "I'm so tired," CD sighed.
"You should probably go back to sleep."
She nodded slightly, even as her eyes began drifting shut. "Mr.
Webb?"
"Call me Clay," he said softly.
"Thank you, Clay," she whispered, falling back into slumber.
It was another hour before he left.
TBC...