Who's a Weak Onna?
Chapter 9
Two Weeks
(AN: Ah Hael, Sanosuke, and all others who gave me such great reviews, thanks again. If I can't have quantity, I'll gladly take quality. Ah Hael, I love your stories too, I just read "She's Sandrock" and it is so great just like "A Woman Called Deathscythe". I love the ESP angle of your story premise. And the lovely citrus! *Fanning myself! * Sanosuke, I think you've found your sphere of expertise, your new RK story has a great voice. After I read it, I had a nightmare I was back in high school! You understand the ins and outs of relationship dynamics really well.)
"I had the staff make up a room for you on the first floor," Quatre explained to Wufei on the ride over in the limo. "It was a spare room I had my exercise equipment in, and we moved all that out and got it ready a few weeks ago."
"So much trouble," said Wufei, stretched out sideways on the limo's leather seat. Sally sat next to him, providing a comfortable rest for his back.
"No trouble at all," said Quatre soothingly, "I have people standing around just waiting to do things like this. They'd be bored silly otherwise. They're always complaining I don't give them enough to do. Just Trowa and I there most of the time."
"I'll find some way to repay you," Wufei began, only to have Quatre emphatically shake his head.
"I don't need repayment, not financially, anyway. The pleasure of doing something for my friends is it's own reward. You can repay me by being good company and getting well."
They arrived at Quatre's large estate, a few miles outside of the city.
"Here we are," said Quatre, unnecessarily. Several people were standing in the driveway, Rashid among them.
"Rashid, can you assist Wufei?" asked Quatre, climbing out.
"Certainly, Master Quatre," rumbled Rashid.
He bent and lifted Wufei easily out of the seat and deposited him in a waiting wheelchair. Wufei felt like a child in the huge man's arms and he scowled faintly at the feeling of helplessness.
Sally and Trowa came out next, and Sally took the handles of the wheelchair.
Various people were unloading the limousine and carrying luggage and boxes into the mansion.
A temporary wooden ramp had been placed over one side of the stairs leading up to the large veranda and the double doors.
"I had this made to get you in and out easier," said Quatre to Wufei.
Wufei sighed. More inconvenience because of his infirmity. He HAD to get out of this wheelchair and on his feet again!
"Are you all right?" Sally asked him, hearing the sharp exhalation.
"I'm fine," he said petulantly, thrusting out his chin.
She said nothing, but recognized the tension in his shoulders and neck as a sign that all was not well.
"Ah, my Dragon, so proud," she thought, as she followed Rashid and Quatre inside the huge marble-floored foyer.
"It's this way," said Quatre, ushering them through a large common room with a fireplace and into a hallway.
There was a double door and Quatre opened it. Inside, there was a large bed with a red silk duvet and lacquered black Asian style furniture.
In fact, the whole décor scheme of the room looked as though it had been done with Wufei in mind.
Quatre blushed. "Well, what do you think?"
Wufei looked around him in frank astonishment. "Unbelievable!" he whispered.
"I wanted you to feel at home," Quatre explained, shifting in embarrassment.
"You've outdone yourself," said Wufei gravely. "It's magnificent."
"I'm so glad you like it," said Quatre, blushing again.
"Like is an understatement," said Wufei, shaking his head.
"I'm having the staff put your things away," said Quatre, "What's not already here, anyway. I hope you don't mind," he added graciously.
"You should have seen Duo's face when I told him he wouldn't have to pick the lock to your apartment, I already had the key," said Quatre, smiling.
"I think Wufei has had enough excitement today," said Sally, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Trowa, can you help me get him into bed?"
Wufei closed his eyes. He was exhausted. And he was already thoroughly sick of everyone coddling him, referring to him in the third person and changing rooms and stairways to accommodate his weakness.
Sally pushed the chair up next to the bed and Trowa told Wufei, "Put your arms around my neck."
Wufei did so, unconsciously stiffening at the brief contact.
The bed was like a cloud, Wufei thought. He lay back on piled high pillows and closed his eyes. He was so glad it wasn't a hospital bed.
"Comfy?" said Trowa, smiling faintly down at him. Wufei nodded, half asleep already.
"Let's all leave and let him get some rest," said Sally. Quatre and Trowa nodded. The staff had finished and left quietly moments earlier.
"Sally," said Wufei, holding out his hand. "Stay?" he mumbled.
She nodded. "I'll sit with you a while."
The others left.
"Do you need something for pain?" she asked him, reaching for her bag.
"You," he said quietly. He patted the duvet next to him. "Please?"
She knew he was barely awake, because he'd reverted to Mandarin.
"Of course," she replied in the same language.
She sat down on the other side of the large bed and reached down and took off her shoes.
She put her feet up on the duvet.
He reached over and tugged on her hand. "Closer."
She complied, scooting until she was next to him. "How's this?" she asked.
He put his arm around her waist and leaned his head onto her lap. "Perfect."
She stroked his sleek hair, pushing back a few stray strands from his face and tucking them behind his ear. He sighed and shifted slightly, but his breathing was even.
"Two weeks, Dragon," she whispered. She closed her own eyes. The stress of the last month began to wash out of her and she was asleep before she knew it.
A polite tap on her shoulder awakened her several hours later.
"Dr. Po?"
She looked up into the face of an attractive young woman with a tray laden with food and a steaming pot of tea.
"I have your luncheon here," the young woman said, smiling. She was obviously a relative of one of the Magunuacs, dark-eyed, with long dark hair braided back on the sides.
"Thank you, uh." said Sally, not knowing the girl's name.
"Isabel," supplied the girl, graciously, setting the tray on a nearby table.
"Mr. Winner thought you might like to eat in here."
"Yes, it's wonderful," said Sally, looking at the tray.
"Thank you, Isabel" said Sally, beginning to realize how hungry she was.
She also realized that Wufei's body was completely pressed up against hers, and he was still asleep. She'd fallen asleep spooned up against his side, one arm flung over him.
Isabel smiled, and left, but not before she demonstrated the intercom in case she or Wufei wanted something else.
Sally rubbed Wufei's shoulder lightly to wake him. He needed to eat.
"Wake up," she whispered in Mandarin in his ear. He groaned faintly and batted at her hand.
"Go 'way" he mumbled. "Don't need another shot," he said, "Vampires."
Sally grinned, "It's Sally," she said, in English. "No vampires."
He opened sleepy, sloe eyes. "Sally?" he said. "What're you doing in bed with me?" He looked disoriented.
"You've been asleep. You asked me to sit next to you and I guess I fell asleep too." She smiled down at him.
"I thought I was dreaming," he said, covering a yawn.
"Me too," she said gently. She pointed at the tray. "They brought lunch, it looks good," she said to him, "I was hoping you'd eat something."
"I'm hungry," he said, trying to sit up. She reached around his shoulders and gave him a support to pull himself up without using his leg.
"I don't remember falling asleep," he said, looking at her. Her arm was still around him.
"You were exhausted," she said. She liked the way his face looked upon waking, softer and the gentle way his eyes looked half closed.
He grunted faintly. "I guess I must have been, and you too. You've been working too hard. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" She asked, reaching over to the tray and lifting off the covers and sniffing.
"Mm, sesame chicken," she said, "I wonder how they knew that was my favorite?"
"I'm sorry for making you worry," Wufei said quietly.
"You can't help me worrying about you, because I care about you," said Sally, taking a plate and piling it with chicken and fruit.
"Here," she said, "quit needlessly apologizing to me and eat."
She handed him the plate and a pair of chopsticks. "Does Quatre always think of everything?" she asked, shaking her head.
"Yes, he always did. Don't let his mildness fool you, he has a mind like a steel trap," said Wufei.
"I'm impressed," said Sally. "This is really good."
"Yes, it is."
They ate in comfortable silence, broken only by Wufei's requests for condiments and more of this or that.
Finally, he lay back against the pillows with a large sigh.
"Feeling better?" she asked him, taking the plate and putting in on the tray.
"Sally, when can I get my crutches?" he asked, ignoring her question.
"I brought them with me," she said, "but I want you to start slowly. Remember what I told you. You'll have to get used to being upright again. You might feel dizzy at first. Don't try to use them without someone being there at first."
He frowned at her. "I won't," he said, "but I'm so tired of lying around!" His voice rose in complaint.
"I know it's hard," she said, reaching over to pat his arm. He shrugged off her hand.
"No, you don't" he snapped. "It hasn't been you lying around like a weakling for two months. It hasn't been you that was filleted a fish, poked with needles, subjected to hundreds of indignities upon your person. And it's not you that might not ever walk normally again. I don't want to hear how you KNOW all about it!"
Sally sat back in surprise at the rant. Not that she hadn't seen it building up for weeks now. But it still hurt to have him lash out at her like that.
She swallowed, trying to control her reactions, but she was sure the hurt showed plainly on her face.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, averting her eyes. "It was wrong of me to assume I know what you're going through because I don't."
She rose. "I'll have these things cleared and leave you alone, if that's what you want."
"Sally!" he said through his clenched teeth. "You don't have to leave, unless you want to."
"I think I want to." She bent over and slipped on her shoes.
"I'll have someone come and take this tray, and see to your needs. I need to take a walk. I'll be back later."
He looked stricken.
She walked out of the door without looking back.
He pulled his hand over his face and mumbled, "I'm sorry," several times in Mandarin.
"I'm such an asshole," he muttered to the empty room.
Chapter 9
Two Weeks
(AN: Ah Hael, Sanosuke, and all others who gave me such great reviews, thanks again. If I can't have quantity, I'll gladly take quality. Ah Hael, I love your stories too, I just read "She's Sandrock" and it is so great just like "A Woman Called Deathscythe". I love the ESP angle of your story premise. And the lovely citrus! *Fanning myself! * Sanosuke, I think you've found your sphere of expertise, your new RK story has a great voice. After I read it, I had a nightmare I was back in high school! You understand the ins and outs of relationship dynamics really well.)
"I had the staff make up a room for you on the first floor," Quatre explained to Wufei on the ride over in the limo. "It was a spare room I had my exercise equipment in, and we moved all that out and got it ready a few weeks ago."
"So much trouble," said Wufei, stretched out sideways on the limo's leather seat. Sally sat next to him, providing a comfortable rest for his back.
"No trouble at all," said Quatre soothingly, "I have people standing around just waiting to do things like this. They'd be bored silly otherwise. They're always complaining I don't give them enough to do. Just Trowa and I there most of the time."
"I'll find some way to repay you," Wufei began, only to have Quatre emphatically shake his head.
"I don't need repayment, not financially, anyway. The pleasure of doing something for my friends is it's own reward. You can repay me by being good company and getting well."
They arrived at Quatre's large estate, a few miles outside of the city.
"Here we are," said Quatre, unnecessarily. Several people were standing in the driveway, Rashid among them.
"Rashid, can you assist Wufei?" asked Quatre, climbing out.
"Certainly, Master Quatre," rumbled Rashid.
He bent and lifted Wufei easily out of the seat and deposited him in a waiting wheelchair. Wufei felt like a child in the huge man's arms and he scowled faintly at the feeling of helplessness.
Sally and Trowa came out next, and Sally took the handles of the wheelchair.
Various people were unloading the limousine and carrying luggage and boxes into the mansion.
A temporary wooden ramp had been placed over one side of the stairs leading up to the large veranda and the double doors.
"I had this made to get you in and out easier," said Quatre to Wufei.
Wufei sighed. More inconvenience because of his infirmity. He HAD to get out of this wheelchair and on his feet again!
"Are you all right?" Sally asked him, hearing the sharp exhalation.
"I'm fine," he said petulantly, thrusting out his chin.
She said nothing, but recognized the tension in his shoulders and neck as a sign that all was not well.
"Ah, my Dragon, so proud," she thought, as she followed Rashid and Quatre inside the huge marble-floored foyer.
"It's this way," said Quatre, ushering them through a large common room with a fireplace and into a hallway.
There was a double door and Quatre opened it. Inside, there was a large bed with a red silk duvet and lacquered black Asian style furniture.
In fact, the whole décor scheme of the room looked as though it had been done with Wufei in mind.
Quatre blushed. "Well, what do you think?"
Wufei looked around him in frank astonishment. "Unbelievable!" he whispered.
"I wanted you to feel at home," Quatre explained, shifting in embarrassment.
"You've outdone yourself," said Wufei gravely. "It's magnificent."
"I'm so glad you like it," said Quatre, blushing again.
"Like is an understatement," said Wufei, shaking his head.
"I'm having the staff put your things away," said Quatre, "What's not already here, anyway. I hope you don't mind," he added graciously.
"You should have seen Duo's face when I told him he wouldn't have to pick the lock to your apartment, I already had the key," said Quatre, smiling.
"I think Wufei has had enough excitement today," said Sally, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Trowa, can you help me get him into bed?"
Wufei closed his eyes. He was exhausted. And he was already thoroughly sick of everyone coddling him, referring to him in the third person and changing rooms and stairways to accommodate his weakness.
Sally pushed the chair up next to the bed and Trowa told Wufei, "Put your arms around my neck."
Wufei did so, unconsciously stiffening at the brief contact.
The bed was like a cloud, Wufei thought. He lay back on piled high pillows and closed his eyes. He was so glad it wasn't a hospital bed.
"Comfy?" said Trowa, smiling faintly down at him. Wufei nodded, half asleep already.
"Let's all leave and let him get some rest," said Sally. Quatre and Trowa nodded. The staff had finished and left quietly moments earlier.
"Sally," said Wufei, holding out his hand. "Stay?" he mumbled.
She nodded. "I'll sit with you a while."
The others left.
"Do you need something for pain?" she asked him, reaching for her bag.
"You," he said quietly. He patted the duvet next to him. "Please?"
She knew he was barely awake, because he'd reverted to Mandarin.
"Of course," she replied in the same language.
She sat down on the other side of the large bed and reached down and took off her shoes.
She put her feet up on the duvet.
He reached over and tugged on her hand. "Closer."
She complied, scooting until she was next to him. "How's this?" she asked.
He put his arm around her waist and leaned his head onto her lap. "Perfect."
She stroked his sleek hair, pushing back a few stray strands from his face and tucking them behind his ear. He sighed and shifted slightly, but his breathing was even.
"Two weeks, Dragon," she whispered. She closed her own eyes. The stress of the last month began to wash out of her and she was asleep before she knew it.
A polite tap on her shoulder awakened her several hours later.
"Dr. Po?"
She looked up into the face of an attractive young woman with a tray laden with food and a steaming pot of tea.
"I have your luncheon here," the young woman said, smiling. She was obviously a relative of one of the Magunuacs, dark-eyed, with long dark hair braided back on the sides.
"Thank you, uh." said Sally, not knowing the girl's name.
"Isabel," supplied the girl, graciously, setting the tray on a nearby table.
"Mr. Winner thought you might like to eat in here."
"Yes, it's wonderful," said Sally, looking at the tray.
"Thank you, Isabel" said Sally, beginning to realize how hungry she was.
She also realized that Wufei's body was completely pressed up against hers, and he was still asleep. She'd fallen asleep spooned up against his side, one arm flung over him.
Isabel smiled, and left, but not before she demonstrated the intercom in case she or Wufei wanted something else.
Sally rubbed Wufei's shoulder lightly to wake him. He needed to eat.
"Wake up," she whispered in Mandarin in his ear. He groaned faintly and batted at her hand.
"Go 'way" he mumbled. "Don't need another shot," he said, "Vampires."
Sally grinned, "It's Sally," she said, in English. "No vampires."
He opened sleepy, sloe eyes. "Sally?" he said. "What're you doing in bed with me?" He looked disoriented.
"You've been asleep. You asked me to sit next to you and I guess I fell asleep too." She smiled down at him.
"I thought I was dreaming," he said, covering a yawn.
"Me too," she said gently. She pointed at the tray. "They brought lunch, it looks good," she said to him, "I was hoping you'd eat something."
"I'm hungry," he said, trying to sit up. She reached around his shoulders and gave him a support to pull himself up without using his leg.
"I don't remember falling asleep," he said, looking at her. Her arm was still around him.
"You were exhausted," she said. She liked the way his face looked upon waking, softer and the gentle way his eyes looked half closed.
He grunted faintly. "I guess I must have been, and you too. You've been working too hard. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" She asked, reaching over to the tray and lifting off the covers and sniffing.
"Mm, sesame chicken," she said, "I wonder how they knew that was my favorite?"
"I'm sorry for making you worry," Wufei said quietly.
"You can't help me worrying about you, because I care about you," said Sally, taking a plate and piling it with chicken and fruit.
"Here," she said, "quit needlessly apologizing to me and eat."
She handed him the plate and a pair of chopsticks. "Does Quatre always think of everything?" she asked, shaking her head.
"Yes, he always did. Don't let his mildness fool you, he has a mind like a steel trap," said Wufei.
"I'm impressed," said Sally. "This is really good."
"Yes, it is."
They ate in comfortable silence, broken only by Wufei's requests for condiments and more of this or that.
Finally, he lay back against the pillows with a large sigh.
"Feeling better?" she asked him, taking the plate and putting in on the tray.
"Sally, when can I get my crutches?" he asked, ignoring her question.
"I brought them with me," she said, "but I want you to start slowly. Remember what I told you. You'll have to get used to being upright again. You might feel dizzy at first. Don't try to use them without someone being there at first."
He frowned at her. "I won't," he said, "but I'm so tired of lying around!" His voice rose in complaint.
"I know it's hard," she said, reaching over to pat his arm. He shrugged off her hand.
"No, you don't" he snapped. "It hasn't been you lying around like a weakling for two months. It hasn't been you that was filleted a fish, poked with needles, subjected to hundreds of indignities upon your person. And it's not you that might not ever walk normally again. I don't want to hear how you KNOW all about it!"
Sally sat back in surprise at the rant. Not that she hadn't seen it building up for weeks now. But it still hurt to have him lash out at her like that.
She swallowed, trying to control her reactions, but she was sure the hurt showed plainly on her face.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, averting her eyes. "It was wrong of me to assume I know what you're going through because I don't."
She rose. "I'll have these things cleared and leave you alone, if that's what you want."
"Sally!" he said through his clenched teeth. "You don't have to leave, unless you want to."
"I think I want to." She bent over and slipped on her shoes.
"I'll have someone come and take this tray, and see to your needs. I need to take a walk. I'll be back later."
He looked stricken.
She walked out of the door without looking back.
He pulled his hand over his face and mumbled, "I'm sorry," several times in Mandarin.
"I'm such an asshole," he muttered to the empty room.