Pen and Ink week day 1: Steady
Penny watches over Gordon whilst he is in hospital (Post 3x13).
From the moment she had pulled him out of that tiny, crushed sub at the bottom of the ocean, she never wanted him to leave her eyesight again.
She kept a hand on him as his broken body lay across her lap, and then laced her fingers through his hair as he was transported in his brother's ship, though barely touching his skin in case he broke.
It took everything in her to not follow him as he was rushed off to surgery. She almost wanted to force the doctors to not take him away at all. She knew she had it in her, could use just a few words to twist them into doing as she said, but she knew his brothers would not appreciate it. As much as she didn't want to leave him, she knew she had to. Even though it killed her.
She used the time away to change clothes and pull herself together. She could not be falling apart in front of him when he finally woke up.
She was back at his bedside the moment he was awake and was allowed visitors. She stood as close to his bed as she could, whilst still being respectful of his family, which meant she wasn't all that close at all.
He probably wanted to see them more than her, anyway.
But she made sure to hang back when they all left. There were some things she wanted to say to him, and just to him.
However, all she managed to get out was a wish for him to get better soon, even after he did thank her for saving his life.
She gave him the promise of tea, and then she left.
Well, she didn't really.
She was back, not long later. All his family had disappeared, whether to go home to rest or there was another rescue, she didn't know. She had just shown up to give him some fresh flowers she'd picked up and was meant to be on her way straight after.
But once she was there, she found that she couldn't leave.
Gordon was asleep, oblivious to her presence. He looked so peaceful and she was glad that he could have a break from all the pain he must be feeling.
Her eyes tracked over the screens behind him. A steady heartbeat that let her know that he truly was alright, if not just a little more broken than he had started off that morning.
Okay, maybe he was a lot more broken, which was why she let her hand slip into where his sat on the bed, palm turned towards the ceiling like it was just inviting her to lay her one on top.
Her thumb traced over the back of his hand and barely a second after she felt she had held onto him long enough, she pulled away.
She swore she felt his fingers try to latch onto hers and she looked over to his face, but he was still fast asleep. It was perhaps just a false hope.
She repositioned the flowers in the vase, to make sure the brightest ones were at the front and would catch his eye first. She knew he would appreciate that.
Then, she left. His brothers would be back at any moment and Parker was waiting for her outside. She made sure to give him one final glance, just in case, but his vitals were just a steady as ever.
A tear slipped from her eye as she stepped out the door and she was quick to wipe it away. She couldn't have anyone else knowing how well and truly this boy had ruined her, even if it was for the better.
Once the door was closed behind her, she made her way back down the corridor. She didn't glance back once, couldn't, for she knew that if she did, she would go running back to him. She would always go back to him.