Malone held vigil at Veronica's bedside for the next four days. He
spoon fed her water and broth to get nourishment into her body. He talked
to her often-reading to her from his journals, spinning stories on the
spot, reminding her of the adventures they had been on together, and
sometimes just whispered reassurances. When she started to shiver, he
covered her. When she was warm, he kept compresses on her forehead.
Except for washing up and changing clothes, he never left her side, and no
one could convince him otherwise. Though, truth be told, no one tried very
hard to talk him into leaving her. They all knew how Malone felt about
Veronica. Even Finn, who had known him for less than a week, could sense
it. They knew that if anything could bring Veronica back, it was Malone.
And Veronica was showing signs of improvement. Her fever seemed to be going down more each day. Sometimes, she seemed to be on the verge of waking. She would move a little, and sometimes even talk in her sleep. Though most of what she said was unintelligible, there was one word that always came out clearly-Ned. Malone knew the others had heard it too when they were in the room "visiting" her. However, no one mentioned anything about it, and he was thankful for that. They knew Malone would be embarrassed, and now was not the time for teasing. They would have plenty of time for that when Veronica was back with them.
On the fifth day, Malone awoke early in the morning. He was sprawled out on a chair beside Veronica, which had served as his bed for the past few days. The sun was streaming into the tree house.
"Good morning, Veronica," he said. "It's a beautiful day." He reached over, brushed a strand of hair out of her face, and felt her forehead. "You're still a little warm this morning. Better put a compress on your forehead. Challenger's salve seems to be working." He found a fresh cloth, dipped it in the basin, wrung it out, and placed it gently on her forehead. "You know, this reminds me of another time when I was taking care of you. Remember? It was right after we got to the Plateau. The night the ape men attacked. You were knocked off of the balcony, and we brought you up here. I put a compress on your forehead, just like this. I was afraid I was going to lose you before I even got the chance to know you." Malone sat on the stool beside the bed, and stared off into space, lost in his memories.
"Thanks for not leaving me with Marguerite this time," a weak voice said.
"What?" Malone said. He looked over at Veronica. Her eyes were still closed. He could have sworn she said something.
"You remember. You all went after Assai, and left me with Marguerite. She tried to marry me off to the Zanga chief."
Malone looked again, just in time to see Veronica's eyes slowly peel open, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Veronica! You're awake!" He jumped out of the stool and sat on the edge of the bed. He leaned down and scooped Veronica into his arms. "You had me worried," he whispered in her ear. She never ceased to amaze him. She was unconscious for days, and when she finally woke up, she immediately fell into joking around with him, like they always used to. However, Malone also realized that since she just woke up, maybe he shouldn't be crowding her space. He reluctantly lowered her back down to the bed, and smiled down at her. "I'm so glad you're okay," he said.
"I'm so glad you're back," Veronica answered. Malone noticed that her voice sounded a little husky.
"Are you thirsty?" he asked.
"Very," she answered.
"I'll go get you some water. I'll be right back."
"I'll be here," Veronica whispered.
Malone went out to the kitchen, and found Challenger, who was starting the tea and Marguerite's coffee. "Good morning, Malone. How's Veronica?"
"She's awake, Challenger! She's going to be okay!" Malone answered as he poured a glass of water.
Challenger watched Malone as he dashed back to Veronica's room. "Ah, young love," he mused.
Malone helped Veronica sit up, and handed her the water. She drank it down quickly. "Ned, I have so much to tell you."
"I have a lot to tell you, too, Veronica. But, let's save the heavy conversations for later when the others are awake. Right now, I just want you to relax. Go to sleep if you need to. Just, do me a favor and don't take so long to wake up this time."
Veronica smiled. "I won't."
And Veronica was showing signs of improvement. Her fever seemed to be going down more each day. Sometimes, she seemed to be on the verge of waking. She would move a little, and sometimes even talk in her sleep. Though most of what she said was unintelligible, there was one word that always came out clearly-Ned. Malone knew the others had heard it too when they were in the room "visiting" her. However, no one mentioned anything about it, and he was thankful for that. They knew Malone would be embarrassed, and now was not the time for teasing. They would have plenty of time for that when Veronica was back with them.
On the fifth day, Malone awoke early in the morning. He was sprawled out on a chair beside Veronica, which had served as his bed for the past few days. The sun was streaming into the tree house.
"Good morning, Veronica," he said. "It's a beautiful day." He reached over, brushed a strand of hair out of her face, and felt her forehead. "You're still a little warm this morning. Better put a compress on your forehead. Challenger's salve seems to be working." He found a fresh cloth, dipped it in the basin, wrung it out, and placed it gently on her forehead. "You know, this reminds me of another time when I was taking care of you. Remember? It was right after we got to the Plateau. The night the ape men attacked. You were knocked off of the balcony, and we brought you up here. I put a compress on your forehead, just like this. I was afraid I was going to lose you before I even got the chance to know you." Malone sat on the stool beside the bed, and stared off into space, lost in his memories.
"Thanks for not leaving me with Marguerite this time," a weak voice said.
"What?" Malone said. He looked over at Veronica. Her eyes were still closed. He could have sworn she said something.
"You remember. You all went after Assai, and left me with Marguerite. She tried to marry me off to the Zanga chief."
Malone looked again, just in time to see Veronica's eyes slowly peel open, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Veronica! You're awake!" He jumped out of the stool and sat on the edge of the bed. He leaned down and scooped Veronica into his arms. "You had me worried," he whispered in her ear. She never ceased to amaze him. She was unconscious for days, and when she finally woke up, she immediately fell into joking around with him, like they always used to. However, Malone also realized that since she just woke up, maybe he shouldn't be crowding her space. He reluctantly lowered her back down to the bed, and smiled down at her. "I'm so glad you're okay," he said.
"I'm so glad you're back," Veronica answered. Malone noticed that her voice sounded a little husky.
"Are you thirsty?" he asked.
"Very," she answered.
"I'll go get you some water. I'll be right back."
"I'll be here," Veronica whispered.
Malone went out to the kitchen, and found Challenger, who was starting the tea and Marguerite's coffee. "Good morning, Malone. How's Veronica?"
"She's awake, Challenger! She's going to be okay!" Malone answered as he poured a glass of water.
Challenger watched Malone as he dashed back to Veronica's room. "Ah, young love," he mused.
Malone helped Veronica sit up, and handed her the water. She drank it down quickly. "Ned, I have so much to tell you."
"I have a lot to tell you, too, Veronica. But, let's save the heavy conversations for later when the others are awake. Right now, I just want you to relax. Go to sleep if you need to. Just, do me a favor and don't take so long to wake up this time."
Veronica smiled. "I won't."