This chapter is inspired by a few of the latest reviews for this story. Thank you, guys, for being so inspiring!
This is the last chapter involving Nick for a while. The next few ones contains Wong and Elice and a Cloak covered in... you'll see. ;)
I do not own Marvel. Duh.
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Smirking, Christine drove away from the hospital parking lot, finally cracking up and giggling out loud as she noticed the cloak had stolen either hers or Stephen's cellphone and was taking multiple photos of the soaking wet Nick through the rear window of the car. Trust the Cloak to know what was a priority.
Chuckling, as he finally reclaimed his cellphone after Nick was out of view, Stephen scrolled through the photos while shaking his head. "Do you still have a digital message board at the hospital? You should post a few of these. Might take him down a few notches..."
Noticing how Stephen's voice had grown a little tense, Christine glanced at him. He looked grim. "Wow. He really bothers you, doesn't he?" When she only got a sigh in reply, Christine continued.
"Speaking of that, care to tell me what all this is about?" She gestured in a wide way meant to include the car, certain that Stephen would understand. "If you're trying to be impressive... well, I'm not sure who you're trying to impress, to be honest. You never cared much for what Nick thought previously, and I agreed to marry you already, if you remember." Stephen's laugh was short and rough, but it was a laugh.
"It is not that. He annoys me - he always did. And the man needs to back off, for one."
Christine smirked again. "Are you being possessive? Is that what this is?" She glanced at him again, getting a smile for her trouble.
"Well, would that be so bad? You did, as you just pointed out, agree to marry me after all. Surely, some possessiveness would be alright?" It was not really a question: teasing was more like it, but Christine still felt the need to make one thing crystal clear, while she had the opportunity.
"To be perfectly honest, Stephen, yes it would. I cannot speak for the entire female population of the world, here, but quite a few of us - me, certainly - do not mind a reasonable dose of possessiveness, when it has been invited. As for us - you and me, I mean - I certainly gave you that invitation when I told you I was pregnant with your baby and would like to raise her together, as a couple. And then accepted your proposal."
Whatever reply Christine might have expected - and she frankly believed he'd be smug - it wasn't what he finally said, after almost a full minute of silence.
"Thank you... and that is sort of what I mean, too, after a fashion. Much as I find Nick annoying because I am, well..." a sideways glance revealed a self-aware, wry smile, "well, me, I also find doctor West's behaviour simply outrageous.
It is one thing to be sure of oneself, as an isolated thing, or a possessive bastard, as I am sure to be sooner or later - you will too, if I know you at all - but he was not invited to take any liberties, and yet he is. It is rude, and I felt the need to put him in his place. And I know that is old-fashioned, and I know that you can take care of yourself. And if Elice ever hear of this, she'll tell me off, too, for that very reason. But it vexes me, nevertheless. And better he learns his lesson now, than when he actually causes some harm."
Christine listened in silence, increasingly puzzled and amazed by Stephen's insight. Both his self-insight, and his knowledge of her. She knew he was right, as far as that was concerned. She so would, given any provocation. But it also struck her, not for the first time (or the last, for certain) just how thoroughly he had grown up, lately. And she had never considered that Nick's behaviour might be anything else than harmless idiocy, but she suddenly realised that if his next victim of his obsessive tendencies was a nurse or an intern, it would not be as harmless as she had assumed any longer.
She decided to post the Cloak's pictures everywhere she could get away with it, and in the end only said two words to Stephen, as she parked the car outside the Sanctum. "Thank you." She had been quiet for a good long while, and that point, but he still nodded his head in understanding. She might not need to be defended, but sometimes it felt good that somebody did, just because it was nice to have somebody in your corner.
She was suddenly very grateful that she did have someone; and even more so that her person was Stephen.