Chapter 1: A surprise awakening
Claire woke with a warm tingling on the left side of her face. Realizing that it was the sun shining in through the window, she slowly opened her eyes to find a sleeping Darien with his head resting in her lap. She smiled and ran her hand through his hair.
He looks so peaceful, she thought. I'll wait for him to wake up, he hasn't been getting much sleep.
Claire closed her eyes and leaned her head back and was fast asleep with in a few minutes. She was too sleepy to realize that she had left her hand on Darien's head, fingers entangled in his brown locks.
***
Claire woke-up once again, this time to the smell of fresh coffee and breakfast. She looked down where Darien should have been, and he was still there, sleeping quietly, breathing deeply, in and out. Claire knew that it couldn't be a robber, murderer, or one of their enemies because last time she checked they didn't stop to make themselves breakfast.
Just then Bobby and Alex walked into the room carrying two trays of food each, the individuals trays containing toast, sausage, bacon, orange juice, and a cup of coffee.
"Morning." Claire said.
"Morning Keepie. How ya doing?" Bobby said, indicating Darien. She laughed softy.
"Good. Darien hasn't been getting much sleep. I'm amazed that he's not awake yet with the delicious smell from downstairs. I figured his stomach would have woken him up already. Don't wake him up to eat just yet, he needs the rest. I'll eat when he wakes up, I don't want to move him," she said." What are you guys doing here?" she asked as they took their seats across from her and Darien and began to eat.
"The fat man." Bobby said." When you two didn't come in this morning he got worried, sent us out to check up on you. We found you two like this. Thought we'd just stay and see how Fawkes is doing." When he finished he took a bite of his toast.
Alex smiled pointing to Darien. "Do you let all of your patients drool on you?"
Claire laughed again. "No not usually." She said blushing. Just then Darien jolted awake. Claire bit her tongue to stop from laughing at his appearance. The design on her jeans had left an imprint on Darien's cheek and one side of his usually 'perfect' hair was pressed flat down against his head.
"Hey guys-"he said sheepishly.
"Hey Fawkes. Looks like you had a good night."
He nodded." Well most of it." he replied to his partner.
"Whadda ya mean partner?" Hobbes pushed.
"Pain." was all that Darien would say. Then he pulled himself up to sit next to Claire and eat breakfast, holding his side the entire time.
Sleeping like that must have irritated his wound, Claire thought.
"Darien are you okay?" Claire asked.
"Just a little cramp. Nothing to worry about." he said taking away his hand from his side. But Claire could still see the pain on his face.
"Darien, don't lie to me." Claire said frustrated, standing up. "You should never have slept like that you might have injured yourself even more."
"Oh, come on Claire. It's nothing Just a cramp." He said, showing her his puppy dog eyes.
"No Darien that won't work this time. Come on, show me." She said.
"No not with them here"
"Darien they've seen you worse when we
first rescued you not let me check you"
"Fine." he growled pulling up his top, exposing a bruise, a cut, and burnt stomach. As he pulled it up Alex and Bobby got their first glance at a partial glimpse of what Darien had gone through. "See, fine," he declared. Claire bent down and began to check his wounds.
"Damn partner." Bobby said.
"Hey man, it's nothing. Looks ten times worse then it really is. Right Keep."
"Yeah, nothing." She said distracted.
"See told you." Darien said to her as Claire straightened up.
She frowned." Darien you pulled some stitches out, now we have to take the rest out and re-stitch it."
Hobbes saw some of the color leave his partners face.
"Really Claire? Come on it's close it being healed." He whined.
"No Darien. You stay here. I'll go get my kit."
"Fine." He said defeatedly. He lay down on the chair, occupying the space where Claire had been sitting. He winced and his body stretched out.
"Told you." She said over her shoulder. Making sure she wasn't looking he mocked her, mouthing the words 'told you ' as she said them.
"Darien act your age." Claire called back not even looking.
Alex laughed. "She'd make a really good mom."
