TOMMY
I wake up slowly, warm and comfortable, and well rested. I snuggle up to the warm body beside me - enjoying the heartbeat in my ear, and the smooth skin and soft cloth under my hands - before I realize what I'm doing and that there is a who that I am doing it with.
Holding off on the urge to panic, I tense as the arm around my shoulders gives me a light squeeze and then relaxes, the hand attached to it petting my back and neck soothingly as it does.
It takes me a moment but I suddenly remember where I am and open my eyes quickly. Zedd had let me sleep in his bed last night when I was scared. He hadn't asked why really, just said that I could and let me climb in. Even after all the mean things I said to him. Looking at him carefully I realize that I have my head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around me as my leg is over his. Knowing just how embarrassing this could have been if he had woken up first I breathe a sigh of relief as fortunately he is still asleep and I manage to - with some wiggling - slip out of bed without disturbing him.
Knowing it's probably not a good idea to wake him up since he probably didn't get much sleep last night I leave his room and head for Pina's, glad I remember the way she showed me on the way to mine.
Knocking on the still closed door I open it quietly when there is no answer and see that her bed either hasn't been slept in or she's already up and made it. Frowning, I retrace my steps to my room and, from there, to the infirmary. I peek in to find her sleeping at her desk. Unsure whether or not to wake her, I stand there for a moment before my stomach rumbles and I decide to leave her sleeping for now.
Hoping that Dar is still asleep as well, I head for the kitchen - only getting a little lost twice - before I push through the swinging door and freeze in my tracks. Dar isn't sleeping - he's here in the kitchen. I start to take a step backward when he speaks.
"Coffee?" His voice is gruff and he obviously still doesn't like me. Still, the others promised he wouldn't hurt me and they haven't lied yet, right, so maybe it will be okay. Plus I did tell him how good his food was, that has to count for something.
I can't help it when my voice comes out barely over a whisper. "Please?"
He waves his arm at a stool near the counter and turns to get a cup without so much as another word.
Cautiously, I slide onto the stool and wait. As he slides the full cup to me, my stomach growls again, more insistently this time and I feel my face redden as he raises an eyebrow. Without a word, he turns to the stove and only a few minutes later, he sets a plate in front of me, placing a fork and napkin beside it.
Seeing as how I'm set for breakfast he returns to his coffee and some papers he was reading when I came in, still not talking, but at least not being out right mean.
I pick up the fork and begin eating my mind still on him and if this means we're okay or not, before Dar speaks again. "Hold it the other way."
"What?"
"Your fork, hold it the other way."
Looking up and noticing that he's not even looking at me, I frown before looking back down at my hand, realizing that I'm holding the fork with my hand on top again. I change my grip and glance at him to see if I have it right this time only to see he's still reading his papers and not paying any attention to me.
Deciding to give it a try before my food gets cold I start to eat once more, glad when I realize that I do have it right as it's much easier to eat. Again, the food is better than I've had in weeks and I soon have cleared my plate.
"More?" I look up to realize that Dar is looking at me again. I consider his question before I answer.
"Coffee, please." Well, we might not be friends, but since he's being civil, I can at least do the same. He refills my cup and takes my plate. I'm hesitant to say much more, but I finally do, not one to like silence for too long. "Pina's asleep in the infirmary."
"I know." His voice is hard and I cringe slightly from it. Clearly he's not happy about her spending the night there, but it's not really my fault is it? I mean she said she wanted to work on something for Zedd. Or is that why? Is he mad I slept in Zedd's bed when she didn't sleep in his? But than we didn't do anything like they would do, just slept.
Deciding to try again and hoping I do better this time I go with the next thing I can think of. "She's really nice."
Raising a brow but giving a slow nod, he retrieves another cup from the cabinet. "Too nice for her own good."
"She said she'd maybe take me for a walk in the woods when I felt better and show me the animals she's friends with." I'm not really sure how she can be friends with the animals out there, but maybe she's just special like that. "I just wish she'd wake up, I'm kinda bored and thought maybe she'd play a game with me or go for a walk or something."
Suddenly turning back to me, he grins, but it's definitely not in a nice way if you ask me. "Why don't you go wake her up then? I'll give you a cup of coffee to take to her."
Something's not right here and I'm not sure what it is, but the idea of getting her up so she can spend some time with me isn't a bad one. Not to mention, if she's anything like Hayley, she'd be glad to have a cup of coffee as soon as she wakes up. I nod and drain the last of my coffee from the cup as he sets a full one down and turns away from me. I pick it up and head out of the room. As I reach the hallway, I can hear his laughter follow me.
Moving carefully down the hall, making sure not to spill the thankfully not too full cup, I reach the infirmary after only a few minutes and step inside.
Seeing Pina still sleeping with her head on her desk, arms used for her pillow I feel a little bad for her knowing she spent the night in here. Well I'll make it up to her today. I won't fuss with her when she gives me medicine or fixes up my ribs. That should make her happy.
I cross the room and am about to touch her arm when someone grabs my wrist. Jerking away from the unexpected contact, I see that it's only Zedd, though he does not look happy at all. His voice is barely above a whisper. "What in the seven hells are you doing?"
A little uneasy by his tone and words, I nevertheless whisper back, showing him the cup still held in my hands. "Waking her up."
He shakes his head sternly, though his tone thankfully becomes much nicer. "Not like that. She'll hurt you before she knows it's you."
"She won't hurt me, she promised." Glaring at him and not liking this new story at all, I go to protest as he begins ushering me away from her.
"She won't mean to, but she will. She's a warrior Thomas, she's trained herself to be on alert at a moment's notice. Waking her abruptly causes instinct to kick in and…" Trailing off as he can see I'm getting confused, he pushes me further away still before holding up a hand. "Stand over there and watch while I do it and you'll see why you can not wake her like that."
Moving across the room to where he pointed, I'm puzzled. How is he going to do it any differently? I think he just wants to wake her up. Not fair. He waits until I'm safely across the room and watching before he touches her arm and suddenly, she's a blur of motion. She throws three punches and two kicks that he blocks, before a pen is in her hand held much like a knife.
"Pina stop." Voice calm but hard, Zedd holds his hands up showing he's got no weapon, which seems to bring her around quickly. Her ten seconds of panic and fighting gone as quickly as it'd come.
Dropping the pen and shaking herself awake fully she turns on her friend once more, though this time only using her words. "What in the all the hells were you thinking, Zedd, waking me up like that?"
"Thomas was going to wake you up that way and I thought it would be a good idea for him to see why he shouldn't."
She blinks at this statement and turns to see me shaking against the wall, stunned at her speed and power and the realization that she could have hurt me very badly. "Damn it." Running a hand through her hair she gives me a weak smile before moving a bit closer to me. "I'm sorry, Tommy. I forgot to tell you that I have to be woken up a specific way. We all do, for that matter."
"It's okay." I hold out the cup to her, trying hard not to let my hand shake. "I brought you coffee."
Her smile turns genuine and she holds out her hand for the cup, letting me come the rest of the way to her. I do cautiously and back up a little as soon as she takes it. "Thank you. That was very sweet."
Frowning suddenly Zedd looks at me his expression one of slight uncertainty. "You made coffee?"
Before I can answer Pina takes a swallow and suddenly her eyes narrow.
Seeing it too, Zedd is fast to turn his attention to her. "What's wrong, Pina?"
"It's sweet." She speaks slowly before turning to me in the same way Zedd had just a minute ago. "You made and sweetened my coffee for me?"
I shake my head quickly unsure why that's such a bad thing, unless maybe she doesn't like it that way. "No. Dar gave it to me that way."
Zedd speaks before she does. "Dar sent you to wake her up?"
Slowly, it dawns on me - he's still an enemy, for whatever reason, and while I can maybe trust Zedd and Pina not to hurt me, Dar is apparently another story. "I mentioned that she was asleep in the infirmary and he suggested that I wake her up and he'd give me coffee to bring to her."
I'm startled when twin growls rise from the throats of both of them and they exchange looks. There must be a whole lot of communicating going on that I'm not getting because after a minute, Pina nods and leaves the room. Zedd follows her and I, out of curiosity, follow him.
By the time Zedd and I reach the dining room, I can hear raised voices. I can't make out the words, but I think that Zedd can if his wicked grin is any indication. Just about to ask why we don't go in, he suddenly pulls me away from the door and against the wall. Before I can react or protest, the door flies open - that would have hurt when it hit me - and I watch in amusement as Dar races down the hall Pina right behind him a large wooden spoon held tightly in her hand.
I feel my mouth curving into a grin, well she said she'd take care of him if he ever bothered me and it looks like she meant it. "Do you think she'll catch him?"
"Most definitely. Last time she got angry enough to go after him with a kitchen utensil he wasn't walking right for a week afterwards." When Zedd starts laughing, I can't help myself and laugh with him. It makes my ribs ache, but it's worth it as I can't even remember the last time I felt happy enough to laugh.
It takes a few minutes but when I finally settle down, I realize that Zedd is smiling at me. "What?"
"You have no idea how good it is to hear you laugh, Thomas. I was beginning to think I'd never hear it again." Reaching out and brushing the back of his hand over my cheek softly, he pulls it away calmly when I make a small noise of surprise.
Face heating up in what I would guess is a bit of embarrassment, though I'm not exactly sure why, I clear my throat before responding. "Apparently, I still can." I can't help but grin at the man who, once again, saved me. "Um, thanks."
I grin wider at the startled look on his face. "For what, this time?"
"Saving me from Pina."
He grins at me once more. "My pleasure, Thomas." He holds out his hand, and after a moment's hesitation, I shake it. It takes all that's in me not to pull away too quickly, but as he grins even wider, I'm glad I managed it. He's very nice to me, a little scary or not, and it's nice to know I can at least make him happy in return. Especially after last night.
As I follow him into the dining room, noting the overturned pan and thrown about forks and spoons I debate on if I should say anything about last night. True he hasn't brought it up yet, but what if he's waiting for me to? Or what if he meant to but just got distracted with all the chaos that's been going on this morning? Making up my mind to take the first step since I was the one that went to him, I quietly get out at least some of what I want to say. "And thanks for letting me stay with you last night."
He shrugs as if it's no big deal. "You slept well, yes?" At my nod, he continues. "Then the purpose was served." Served? He means like done with? But what if I want to sleep with him again? Maybe he doesn't want that though. He doesn't seem to mind that I did it the one time, but what if that's all he wants?
Biting my lip and thinking it over I decide to brave asking, so at the very least I'll know what to do tonight. "Would you be mad if maybe…" Say it just say it.
Looking as if he knows what I'm trying to get across he leans on the counter giving me a reassuring smile. "Maybe you want to sleep beside me again?"
"Is, is that okay?"
Hesitating only a moment, he answers calmly before moving to pour himself a cup of coffee. "I believe that can be arranged."
"Really? You don't mind?"
"I'm more concerned with you getting a peaceful rest than I am with privacy Thomas. Just be careful how you wake me in the mornings, this morning you seem to have slipped out without me noticing, however in the future if you do feel the need to get me up call to me or rub up ag…" Trailing off and clearing his throat as if he's changed his mind on that last part, he continues once he gets his thoughts together. "Just call my name, all right?"
Face heating up once more as I remember all too well how we were positioned this morning, and that honestly rubbing up against him might not have been that far off if I hadn't woken up, I give a nod trying to be cool about it. "Okay."
"Honestly I'm glad that you aren't so afraid of me anymore. Especially if it helps you sleep better."
My thoughts wander as I sit on the stool once more. Suddenly, several thoughts link together. When I speak, I'm not really talking to him - more like thinking out loud. "I'm not really afraid of you. Actually, I do trust you to keep me safe, I think. But there is something about you that reminds me of those others and that's what I react to. You seem like-" Again, I'm struggling for a word and it's really starting to tick me off. Why can't I think right? I know what I want to say but it just won't come.
"A predator." Startled for a moment that he spoke, I consider the word as he leans on the counter once more, watching me as I do. Finally, I nod. If the shoe fits, wear it. "Your perception is correct, Thomas. In many ways, I am. However, you are not my prey and therefore are safe from me."
I turn this over in my head, understanding the gist of what he said even if some words don't make sense. "I don't like that I can't control how I react to you."
Mouth quirking into a rather amused smile, one I don't really understand the meaning behind, he turns back to the stove after minute, shaking his head at something I've said. "It will come, in time. Have you eaten?"
"Yes." He glances at me over his shoulder, eyebrow raised. "Dar fed me before he sent me to wake her."
He smirks slightly. "Of course." At my puzzled look, he explains. "It would have offended his honor as a cook to send someone out of his kitchen hungry. It's something he does well and he loves to show it off."
"He should," I answer sincerely. "I still have some of my memories and I can honestly say his cooking is some of the best I've ever eaten."
I jump badly when I hear a voice behind me. "After what he almost did to you and you can still say something nice about him? You amaze me, Tommy." Breathe, Tommy. It's just Pina. It's okay, she's just very quiet. Moving to my side and realizing that she's shaken me for the second time today her expression instantly changes to one full of apology. "Oh Tommy I'm sorry. I forgot to let you know I was here."
"It's okay. I'm fine."
Zedd frowns. "Pina, I was thinking that maybe we should do our own assessment of Thomas."
Moving to get herself more coffee, she cocks her head. "What do you mean?"
"Forgive me, Thomas, but I might be speaking over your head for a bit." All right then. He turns his attention to her and within a minute I've lost track of what it is he's saying. "The humans seem to think that he's completely damaged, but from little things I've seen, he's not as bad off as they were led to believe. His reasoning skills seem to be intact, even if he can't vocalize what he wants to say. Supposedly, his motor skills don't function well, but his reflexes are perfect especially when he doesn't think about it. Watch."
He snatches something off the counter and throws it at me. Before I can think, I've caught it - a dish towel - and thrown it back at him. Snickering as I scowl, he snatches it out of the air and tosses it on the counter. "See?"
Pina looks between us for a minute before responding slowly and thoughtfully. "I think you're right, Zedd. We do need to reevaluate him." As I watch, twin smiles break out on their faces. Okay, whatever they were talking about is good, right?
"Um, guys?" They turn to me. "What?"
Pina smiles brightly at me and I do believe it must have been good for her to look that happy. "We think that you can get a lot better. Maybe not all the way better, but much better than you are now."
Oh, okay then. "How do we do it?"
Finishing off his coffee and sitting down across from me, Zedd is apparently taking over. "One thing at a time, Thomas. First, we need to run some tests to see if we're right. Then, if we are, we need to make a plan to get you there."
I look at them warily. This seems familiar, and not in a good way. "Are you going to give me books without real words in it and dolls with evil shoelaces, too?"
Zedd looks stunned and Pina frowns before asking slowly, "Those were parts of the tests on Earth, weren't they?"
I nod and she shakes her head. "And no one explained to you what the tests were for. Idiots. Tommy, the book had real words in it. They were testing you to see if you could recognize written language. The doll I'll assume was to test if you could handle small objects - like buttons and shoelaces."
"I didn't do good on them." Laying my arms on the counter and my head on them, I give an unhappy sigh. "I tried but I think I failed badly cuz they said I couldn't go home then."
Exchanging looks with Pina Zedd picks up where she left off, clearly not happy with how things were handled at the hospital. "Well Pina will test you differently and explain what each test is for. As for passing or failing that doesn't matter, all that counts is that you do your best. We just need to know where you need help."
"You won't be punished or sent away if you can't do something, Tommy. This is just so we know how to help you get better."
As I process this, Zedd chimes in once more, "And Pina will take you out in the woods every day for a while with her." Every day? I know she was going to take me for a walk once I felt better, but every day? Seeming confused by this too, she gives Zedd a questioning look, which he quickly responds to. "There are a lot of wild birds out there and I have a feeling that it might help with other parts of your recovery." Birds? What do birds have to do with helping me?
Looking like she might know, Pina clears her throat. "We'll discuss that later, Zedd." Discuss what? What do they mean? "Medicine and testing first, planning second. Come on, Tommy. We'll start now."
I slide off the stool and follow her to the dining room, where she stops suddenly, returns to the kitchen door and pokes her head in. Her voice is dripping sweetness as she says, "Oh, by the way, Zedd. It'll probably be cold supper tonight."
She lets the door swing shut and leads the way once more. Somehow, I'm not surprised to hear Zedd laughing behind us.
