Author's note: I don't have much to say this time. Only this: Thousands of thank yous for the reviews!
This chapter might seem plotless (is there a word like this?)but it might be important later. And I wanted to make a try at something lighter!
Read and enjoy! And don't forget: reviews are like oxygen for me!
Chapter 1.
The first real day at home! This was John's first thought when he woke up and looked at the alarm-clock, that of course didn't ring. He didn't have to go anywhere.
He was released yesterday late in the afternoon and though he wouldn't have admitted it, the short way home exhausted him beyond everything. He pretended to be fit – or at least tried to – as long as Sam and Bailey were around. However he guessed, he couldn't fool neither of them. When they left at last, he practically collapsed into his bed and slept in, he didn't even change clothes.
It was absolutely annoying how weak he was. He spent five weeks in the hospital, for goodness sake! He should be more than healthy after all the treatment he got! But, as he was told endless times: he was lucky. He almost died and almost lost his leg – he didn't even want to think about that part! The fact that he still used crutches told a lot: not only bones broke but also muscles and tendons were damaged in his leg. Yes, he knew the facts, but still… he was fed up with being a "patient".
So, he worked incredibly hard during his PT meetings, and the therapist declared that his progress was one of the bests she has ever experienced. John found it slow, all the same. He didn't know what he would have done, if he had to sit in a wheelchair for about two months as the therapist predicted.
He sat up and slowly put his legs on the ground and took the crutches that he hated with a passion, but couldn't live without them at the moment. He walked – or in his opinion rather crawled along – to the bathroom. Undressing was another special procedure, but he managed it quickly by now. All in all, he managed to get a shower in 36 minutes which was a new record – for the first time when he tried it alone it took more than one and a half hours.
He got dressed and started to think about a way to acquire some food – the five past weeks couldn't use much to the ones in the fridge, they might be in quite a special consistency – when he heard the doorbell. The ten-seconds walk to the door took almost four minutes. I hope, that somebody won't make up the mind…
In the door there was Grace with too packed paper-bags.
"I hope I didn't wake you up!" she said cheerfully, and he stepped out of the way to let her in.
"No, I've been up for about an hour."
"Okay! I brought some supply for you. I guessed you could need a shopping…"
"Although I haven't visited the kitchen yet, I suppose you are right."
"Of course, I'm right!" then he stormed to the kitchen and by the time John joined him she was packing out quickly.
"You really shouldn't have bothered… I could have ordered…"
"Don't argue with me, okay?"
"Yes, m'am…" You simply didn't mess up with that look. For this answer he got another cross look, but then Grace smiled and changed the subject.
"How was your first night at home?"
"I slept like a baby."
"I can imagine how tiring it was to come home!"
"No, not really…" he objected with not much conviction.
"Oh, of course… Shall I make breakfast for you?"
"No, thank you. I'll manage it alone…"
"All right, but don't strain yourself!" she warned him strictly.
"I know all the orders!"
"George's coming to pick you up at 3 p.m."
"He really doesn't have to…"
"How do you want to go to the hospital?" she cut him off easily.
"I could take a taxi…"
"Don't be stupid, John!" she talked as if she were speaking to an obnoxious boy. "As long as we are in town there always will be somebody to take you."
"I don't want to be a burden…" he mumbled.
"You are not one! And don't talk nonsense, I don't want to hear this again, okay?"
John just nodded. He felt a little bit awkward. To be honest in the last few weeks he felt so, almost all the time. Firstly, he needed a lot of help, and it wasn't something he liked. Secondly, there was all this attention… In the hospital he had visitors every day, even farther workmates dropped by time to time. And then there were those people. Some relatives of Jack's former victims came to visit him… and they thanked him for capturing Jack.
Honestly, he didn't know what to say to them, so he just smiled warily and told that it was his job, and other "creative" lies. Because he couldn't tell the truth. How would it sound: I didn't want to capture that serial killer, I just wanted to survive! Because I didn't want to die in that fucking cellar!
And above all these, Bailey showed him the articles – and after that he understood why some of the nurses behaved so strange! – and told that he probably would get some kind of badge of honour or what. He was stunned about this and to tell the truth rather embarrassed. He didn't deserve all this attention… what for? And he couldn't handle it at all.
"I have to go now! Job is waiting!" Grace announced after she had packed full his fridge and pantry. John guessed he's never had so much food in his kitchen.
"Thank you for everything."
"You don't have to thank all the time, you know! But you're welcomed anyway!" she smiled.
John saw Grace to the door, where she warned him again about being careful and take it easy and then vanished.
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After this, days followed the same routine: Grace even cooked for him every second day and when he mentioned that he hasn't eaten so much home-made food since he was a child, she just answered that it's quite a problem and that he has to gain his weight back.
Next Saturday – that was one of the few days when he didn't need to visit the hospital – his phone rang. It was Sam.
"We have a case in Chicago and have to leave in an hour…" she trailed of as if she had made up her mind about something.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I just don't want to bother you… but… could Chloe maybe stay with you as long as I'm out of town?"
"Of course she can! And where's the bothering?"
"Isn't this enough? You are not up to …"
"Oh, let it, Sam! I'm definitely up to it, I'm not an invalid…" then he shut up, because he realized actually, how close he was to it.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. She isn't a baby, Sam. I can handle it."
Sam sighed and John could tell that she wasn't convinced totally, though she didn't have many choices at the moment.
"Just bring her over." He added and at last Sam agreed… probably because she had no time to look for a proper babysitter.
John became surprisingly excited about the chance to have a guest. Or … it wasn't surprising at all… though he wasn't left alone – quite the opposite happened, to be honest! – he couldn't tell that he had a lot of company either. The others visited him often but they never stayed long, they all had their own lifes, a job and everything else, and they always told that they didn't want to tire him too much. Now he at least will be able to talk to somebody… or knowing Chloe rather listen to!
Twenty minutes later they arrived and he was already waiting for them at the door.
"I have to run!" told Sam immediately. "Chloe, behave yourself and don't strain John! I'll try to come home as soon as possible, but in case I can't fly home tomorrow" she turned to John "her school staff is in the backpack as well."
"We will manage, don't worry!"
"Bye, Mum!" Chloe intervened quickly, and kissed her mother good-bye.
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They just finished dinner which Chloe helped a lot to prepare. She knew that John was an absolute disaster in the kitchen and with those crutches he was even worse.
This was the first time she could really examine John's condition. She was allowed to visit him in the hospital a few times but she could stay only for minutes. What she saw now, really scared her. Almost two months went by since John was injured but he still looked very ill and not only because of the crutches. He was still rather pale and Chloe could see the fading signs of bruises on his face… and he was thin. Not as if he had been fat before or something but his shirt visibly hang loosely on him.
"I'll do the dishes!" she volunteered which, she knew, would have stunned her mother to no end.
"We don't have to do it right now. Just let it be!" John said casually and this was another thing that would have stunned Samantha Walters who liked order. But her daughter agreed promptly.
"What would you like to do this evening?" John asked next.
"Playing cards!" she answered immediately.
And in the next two hours they played poker. John started to teach her the game before he was injured and now Chloe was keen to finish what they had begun. This was their secret as Chloe was sure that her mother wouldn't be delighted about the idea.
"If you grin like this nobody would eat your bluff!" John warned her for the twentieth time, and she tried to make her face more serious instantly.
They played in matches and Chloe already had a good pile of them, however she suspected that John let her win on many occasions.
"Where did you learn this?" she asked when they had a short pause.
"I learned it when I was a child."
"Your parents let you know about things like this?" she asked surprised.
"They didn't necessary know about it… but I don't think they would have mind."
Chloe knew that John didn't like to speak about his parents, but tonight it seemed he was in a talkative mood.
"I had a good friend that time and we learned the tricks together."
"Tricks?" she became excited immediately. She was fond of tricks.
"Yes… If you don't tell anybody, I'll show you one." He said in a conspiratory tone.
"I promise."
John shuffled the cards so fast that Chloe couldn't follow it with her eyes, dealt and then showed his cards: two fours, a three, a nine and a king.
"Did you see them?" when Chloe nodded he continued. "I change in two." He put down two cards and pulled out new ones form the top of the pack. He showed them again: there were three kings now, with the four-pair.
"Wow! How did you do this? You have to teach me!"
"I don't think your mother would appreciate if I thought you how to cheat in cards" then he smiled. "Maybe another time. It's quite late…"
"But I'm not tired yet!"
"Good for you!" John laughed, but Chloe recognized that he seemed quite worn out, indeed and remembered that John was convalescing at the moment.
"Okay, I understand. I'll go to the bathroom, then!"
"There are clean towels in the cupboard." John shouted after her.
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When she came back into the room, John was trying to open the couch for her.
"I'll do it!" she said as she realized that John couldn't do it or at least not easily.
John blushed a little bit but sat down without a word. A few minutes later she was in bed and dared to ask the question that has been bugging her for a while.
"Mum said that it was… you know… the Bad Man who hurt you…"
John was on his way out, but now he turned.
"Yes, it was him."
"He wanted to… kill you? Like he had killed… my dad?"
John limped back to the couch and sat down.
"What did your mother tell you?" he asked after a short pause.
"Not much. She thinks I'm too little to understand."
"And you are not?"
She shrugged. She felt annoyed by it that she was always left out. She wasn't a baby anymore and she knew the risks her mother took in her job. John seemed to think about her question a bit and then said.
"Yes, he did."
"And what…" she hesitated for a moment, because adults usually silenced children when they asked things like these. "…what did he do to you?"
"He ran me over with his car and took me to his house and wanted to wait until I die."
Chloe paled a little bit but she was glad that John didn't lie, though she was sure that this was a reduced version of the happenings.
"Weren't you scared?"
She saw something flickering in his eyes but it disappeared too quickly and she couldn't make out what it was.
"I was…. I think everybody is afraid of dieing."
"I'm glad you didn't die…"
"You can then imagine how glad I am!" he smiled and with that the sinister mood was almost over. "But now: up to sleep!"
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The next day when Chloe woke up she heard noises from the kitchen and found John there working on something that reminded her of scrambled eggs… very remotely.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Breakfast." Answered John looking at her over his shoulder. He was balancing with the crutches and tried to do the cooking with one hand.
"And you want to eat this?" she asked incredulously when she looked closer at the strange formed eggs.
John grinned at her.
"No, actually I made it for you!"
Chloe made a face that made John laugh even more.
"What do you think about pancakes?" he asked after a few moments.
Chloe looked at him suspiciously.
"You know how to make pancakes?"
"No way! There's a pancake-bar at the corner, we could go down there."
Chloe looked at the eggs and then at John with his crutches.
"Can you walk that long?"
"Hey, I'm the one to look after you and not the other way around! And yes, I can. I've been out of the flat a few times, you know!"
Chloe smiled: "All right then, I love pancakes!"
So, they dressed up and walked to the pancake bar. That really wasn't far away, but it still took them about twenty minutes. Chloe walked as slowly as she could, because she was worried about John.
In the bar a young woman welcomed them, who – in Chloe's opinion – behaved quite strangely. She smiled all the time and when she brought out the pancakes she bent down so deeply that she could have kissed the table. When she left, Chloe had to ask:
"Why did she do this?"
"What do you mean?"
"She almost sat in your lap!"
"Oh, that…" she could have sworn that John blushed to his ears. "She…you know… she wanted to make me...hmm… interested in her…"
"You mean she would like to be your girlfriend?"
"You can say so, yes."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Do you want her as a girlfriend?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I don't know her, and she's a little bit bouncy, don't you think so?"
"Absolutely. And she has too much make-up!"
"I see you're an expert…"
"Do you have a girlfriend, by the way?" she asked casually.
"By the way? Do you often ask questions like this?"
"No, just from you." She grinned.
"Great… No, I don't have a girlfriend."
"Why?"
"Don't know. Maybe I haven't find the right one until now. And, by the way" he imitated the girl's question "what about you? Do you have a boy at school who you like?"
"Boys are stupid!" she declared.
"So? Then I guess I belong to the stupid part of the world…"
"No, you don't. You belong to the normal ones. And so does Bailey… and George."
"Good to hear."
"You know that Mum and Bailey are together, don't you?" she changed the subject.
"Yes, I do."
"I'm glad about it. He is nice and he makes Mum happy."
"You are a clever girl, you know."
She just shrugged.
"You don't need too much brain to see the obvious. I knew they belonged together…"
John laughed out loud, but when Chloe asked him what was so funny he didn't tell it. Adults are always strange! Even the normal ones…
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They spent the time until noon in the park nearby and fed the pigeons, counted the dogs and talked to a nice old lady who congratulated John to his clever and beautiful daughter (this was something they laughed a lot about!). In the afternoon they watched Alice in Wonderland – the Disney-film – and it was even more enjoyable because John made funny comments all the time. Sam called later and told that she can come only on Monday evening but for the first time Chloe didn't mind too much that her mum was away, as she really enjoyed her time with John. And she didn't argue when John suggested her to go to bed at nine and she slept in quickly.
Chloe startled awake. What was it? Some noise woke her, she was sure, but it must have been loud, because she was hard to waken. She sat up and listened. The flat wasn't big and the bedroom where John slept was only a few steps away. And Chloe suddenly was sure that the sound came from that room.
She got out of the bed and stepped to the closed door. She heard nothing special but had a bad feeling in her stomach… so she knocked.
"John?" she called when there was no answer and cautiously opened the door.
The small night-lamp was turned on, so she could see. John was sitting on the floor which was quite odd. On second glance Chloe realized how terrible he looked like. She has never seen anybody so pale, his face was almost grey.
"John…?" she whispered again. He obviously just now realized that Chloe came into the room.
"I'm okay…" he said quickly but through gritted teeth.
"Are you sure? What happened?"
"I fell…" and he winked at the bed.
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It surprised him when he realized that he wasn't alone anymore. Chloe looked at him with a scared look, and just from this, he could imagine how he must have been looked like. Yes, he fell from the bed after he had one of his usual dreams. These dreams were often quite "active". There were some nights when he found himself somewhere else in the flat when he woke up. It wasn't a serious problem, really, but with his healing leg, this time it was more than painful.
He wasn't sure whether he could answer Chloe, but he managed.
"I'm okay…" it was all he could say before the pain exploded in his leg again. This is what happens if you want to go for a walk without your damned crutches.
"What happened?" Chloe asked next and he just winked at the bed.
"I fell…" he couldn't tell a twelve-year old that he had a nightmare about his father breaking his leg…however the dream just suited his momentary situation. Oh, not perfectly… it was the other leg that time. Shit, he should concentrate on getting up and calm the girl instead of grooming over the past. So he forced out a smile – didn't know how honest it seemed, though – and said:
"I didn't want to wake you up, sorry."
Chloe looked at him with an are-you-stupid?-look.
"Did you hurt your leg?" she asked instead of calling him stupid in words.
"Yes." There was no use in denying it, twelve-year-olds could see better than anybody else. "Just a few minutes and it will be better." He wasn't so sure about that one, but better be optimistic. The doctors told him that he should be careful: his knee was practically shattered and at the moment his leg was screwed together – and only the winds held it together – or at least so he felt sometimes.
"All right" Chloe seemed to be a little bit skeptical, and then sat down next to him.
"You should go back to sleep." He made a weak attempt, but he was quite sure that she won't obey. The girl was too much her mother's daughter.
"Shouldn't we call somebody?" she asked instead.
"Who?"
"Actually I thought about an ambulance. You look like hell."
"Thank you very much."
"I'm serious."
"Me too."
And actually, he felt a little bit better and decided that it was time – at least – climb back into the bed. He grabbed the edge of the cupboard and pulled himself up. The next moment he was lying in the bed, wheezing a little bit but it wasn't that bad. However, Chloe still watched him with worried eyes.
"Are you sure that you're okay?" she asked.
"Yes. Would you do me a favor?"
"Of course."
"In the bathroom, in the cupboard above the mirror, there is a small box of painkillers. Could you bring me one pill… and a glass of water."
Chloe was already out of the room and one moment later she was back with the medicine.
"Go back to sleep!" he told again.
"I would rather sleep here." She declared.
"What are you talking about?"
"I won't let you sleep alone." Her face was implacable and John would have laughed about it but he was afraid that Chloe would misunderstand. She went out and came back with her pillow and blanket and jumped on the bed.
"I hope you don't move much in your sleep… Or should I take a second pill?" was the only comment John made. However he was an obstinate man – as Grace liked to point out – he still knew when to quit.
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