Title: Forgive and Forget (Chapter two)
Author: Marcela86
Rating: PG-13 to be safe
Feedback: YES!!! I love reviews!
Disclaimer: The Invisible Man doesn't belong to me(I wish!). No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Alternate plot take-off from Germ Theory
Spoilers: Big ones for Germ Theory, and Brother's Keeper
Author notes: This is a work in progress, and I'm sorry to say that I have a good relationship with my friend, Mr. Procrastination. I'm surprised that I've written this so soon, but the idea for this chapter has been hanging in the back of my head. After this, I've got no idea as to where the plot's going to go. The plot bunny that's graced me with its presence hasn't told me yet.
"Oh, God! Darien!" Hobbes yelled, rushing to his partner's collapsed form. "Claire! He's not breathing!"
Claire reached Darien a couple of seconds after Hobbes did, and assessed the situation. "Bobby, you need to back up, give me some room!" Claire frantically gave out orders, while laying Darien flat on his back. "I need to give him mouth-to-mouth," she stated, more to herself than for her colleagues' benefit. She felt an enormous guilt welling up, but she pushed it aside- for the moment. She needed to focus on getting Darien well; she could feel bad about this later.
As Claire performed the kiss of life, she felt another surge of emotions wash over her. Guilt. (Why didn't I listen to his cry for help?) Anger. (How could I have done this to Darien?) Anxiety. (Will I be able to save him?)
And there, the strongest feeling of all- Regret. Regret? No, not the guilty feeling that I had before. What is this?
As she felt her thoughts racing, she discovered she was getting something…more, out of the kiss. She was actually enjoying it. In those heart-stopping moments, she realized her love for her kept, something she had desperately tried to prevent from happening since day one.
Trying to keep her head with her new-found knowledge, she remained calm and managed to get Darien breathing and out of the red. Instructing Hobbes to move Darien, gently, to The Keep, she mentally made a to-do list on tests she had to do on Darien's blood. She ran down the hall after Hobbes, jumping in front of him to hit the elevator button.
After a somber, silent trip in the elevator, and another mad dash to the keep, Darien was lying in the 'demented dentist's chair'. Claire checked Darien's vitals, and concluded that he was in no immediate danger. She drew some blood, and immediately started testing it to ascertain the problem.
A half-hour later, she kicked Hobbes out of the lab, promising to call his cell the minute anything changed. She needed more time to test, in peace, and she couldn't with him pestering her every few minutes.
Yawning, Claire went through her experiments in progress, none finished yet. She realized how tired she was when she woke up, having fell asleep on the keyboard of her computer. Frowning, she ran a hand through her hair, and checked the clock. She had only been napping for 10 minutes. She looked around the lab, and something caught her eye. Darien was up, and standing by her terrarium for the tarantula. He was staring inside the glass curiously, and turned around when he realized Claire was awake also.
He smiled, and said warmly, "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful."
She smiled back, and surprised him by running up to him and giving him a tight hug. He looked at her inquisitively, much like he had done with the spider. "I'm just so glad to see you up and about," she explained herself. "We were sure we lost you."
His eyes filled with concern, which prompted her to go on. "Okay," she started, "I have something really important to tell you, but I want you to wait until I'm all the way through before you ask any questions."
He nodded, hesitantly, and she went on. "Ok, I don't know if Bobby's told you yet, or anything, but I had a relationship with your brother ten years ago. I thought, that with his passing, I would be able to move on. But when he came back, he just brought up a whole truckload of feelings that I'd long since abandoned. We- well, we kissed, and I realized that I actually wasn't in love with him anymore. I somehow knew that it could never work out again." Claire sighed, remembering the feelings she had buried after the incident. "But I realized I still felt love. I guess I was just thinking of the wrong person." She smiled.
"I really care about you, Darien. I almost had a heart attack today, seeing you come into the office in the state you were in. I felt so guilty." Darien's brow was knitted with concern. "I realized, that I love you, Darien."
Claire blinked out of the serious speech she had just told Darien, and smiled sheepishly. "Boy, I'm just rattling on and on. I'm sure you must have a ton of questions for me, don't you?"
Darien tried to mirror her smile, but ended up with a more empty, sad smile. He moved back over to the terrarium. "Actually," Darien said. "I just have one question, for now."
Claire prompted him, encouraging him with open eyes.
He sighed, and fidgeted, opening the lid, and reaching inside. He picked up the spider, absentmindedly, and stroked it's back. Claire stared at him, eyes wide. He turned and looked to Claire. "Who are you?"