"That step's kind of loose," Noah called quietly down the stairs as he fumbled in his pockets for his keys. When he had first issued the invitation for his friends to stay with him, he had just been thinking of how wonderful it would be to be with them once more but now that they were actually here.... Well, it was a little too late to do anything about it. Besides, with the tornado and all, there might not be a room in a hotel if he couldn't put them up.
"WooOOOPS!" Cosmo exclaimed, tripping over the step in question. "Too late, kid."
"Cos?! You okay?" Noah spun around and peered through the darkness.
"He's fine, kid," Bobby answered, shaking his head as he glanced over at his co-worker. "He's just bein' Cosmo."
Noah finally found his keys and quickly opened the door, flipping on the lights as he came in. "Ummmm...." What could he say to them? He should have never listened to Sam, should have stayed right there at the hospital. Then he wouldn't have to explain this.
"Cosmo's got a jacket that matches this couch," 'Vannah said with a chuckle as she ran her eyes around the room. Two battered, threadbare couches, a old chair with stuffing poking out, a small bookcase, a tiny tv on an old wooden spool. She hid the pain that she felt, knowing that it would only embarrass Noah, that the boy'd done the best he could, all alone, and with little to work with.
"Cos, you and Bobby will have to take the couch, I guess," Noah said as 'Vannah looked over at him, obviously wanting to ask him a question or two about how he had been living. "One of them folds out. 'Vannah, my room's through there. You can have that."
"Baby, I'm not taking your bed," 'Vannah said quietly as she came over to Noah's side, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'll take a blanket and the floor before I'll do that." The boy looked even more exhausted now than he had when they were at the hospital, worry filling his eyes and.... Looked like he could collapse any minute. "Come on, sweetie. You need to get some rest."
"Don't think I could sleep," Noah murmured. He didn't even want to be there, wanted to stay with Sam and Catherine. He promised her that he would take care of her. He promised.... He needed to be there with them. He knew that rationally there wasn't anything he could do but if there was even a chance that his presence could help in some small way. He finally had his family back and he just wanted to make everything like it was again.
Just then, there was a crashing noise, causing the marshals to turn and jump just as Bobby came out of the other door carrying a plate.
"How do you manage in that kitchen, kid?" he muttered around a bite of the cake that he had found. "Way too small in there and why do you have part of a cake saying, 'Go Lu Fr'? And where's the rest of your food?"
"'Good Luck Fred.' It was for a retirement party. Found out Fred embezzled 1.2 million two days before his retirement. Needless to say, the party was cancelled." Noah said with a shake of his head. Leave it to Bobby to head right for the kitchen. Noah deliberately ignored the rest of Biggs' queries. He didn't really want them to know the truth.
"Bobby, behave," 'Vannah shook her head at the other marshal before taking Noah's arm and starting to firmly lead him towards the bedroom. "Let's get you in bed for a little while, Baby."
"I don't think..." Noah was silent for a moment as they entered the bedroom. How could he sleep when Catherine was in a hospital bed fighting for her life?
"Baby, Catherine would want you to get some rest." 'Vannah said quietly. "She's going to need all of the help that she can get to get better and you can't help her if you let yourself get this exhausted. Just try to rest for awhile, okay? We'll head back to the hospital in a few hours before Frank gets there."