A/N: Thank you for the reviews!

"Hello, Vera." Hu smiled when she opened her eyes. "It's been a while since we've talked."

She wrinkled her nose. "She hasn't haunted me in a few days."

"That's good. Maybe she's shown you all that she wanted you to see."

"Maybe." Vera looked away from Hu. "Did I kill him?" she whispered.

"Yes, you did, but he gave you no choice." Hu answered, wondering why she hadn't asked Billy.

"I tried to ask Billy, but he told me I shouldn't try to talk. Later, I suppose I just didn't want to upset him," she said as if she'd heard Hu's thoughts.

"I don't think it would have. I think he would have answered you just as I did."

"How did you get him to take a break? Is he home resting?"

"I promised him I would stay here and yes, he's home resting. I told him he was beginning to scare the nurses."

Vera grinned at that. "He was a bit scruffy looking."

"More than a bit." Hu winked at her. "He hasn't left this hospital since you were brought in, no matter how hard I tried to convince him to."

"Daft man," she whispered.

"No. A worried man…his friend was hurt."

"They say I may not walk properly…if I walk that is."

"You'll walk. You're too stubborn not to." Hu assured her.

"You're starting to sound like Billy."

"You know you are. I'm not saying it will be easy, because it won't, but I do believe you'll walk and walk properly. Though, you never know…a cane would give you something to shake at your crew."

Wrinkling her nose at Hu, Vera felt like sticking her tongue out at him. She settled for, "Smart arse," instead.

Hu chuckled. He liked seeing her teasing and her usual self. He knew it was a cover, suspected her sharp wit and often sharper tongue, had always been covers, but for now, he'd take it. It was far better than her screams. "Are you hungry? They've said you can have a bit of something to eat if you woke up and asked."

"I'd love a good stiff drink, but that I know wasn't what they meant."

Hu shook his head. "No, not at all. It wouldn't mix well with your medications."

"And I suppose they want me to have something liquid like broth or soup…" she sighed.

"Well, that would be best."

She snarled her nose. "I'll keep it in mind. I'm not really hungry at the moment."

"Fine then." Hu watched her staring out the window and wondered what she was thinking.

"Why am I in a private room?" Vera asked after a few moments.

"You weren't at first but your screams warranted it."

"I was disrupting the others on the ward," she guessed.

"Yes, but no one blamed you. You couldn't help it."

"Will they move me now?"

"No. You're still having trouble with dreams…"

"Nightmares," she mumbled interrupting him.

"Nightmares," he agreed. "You'll stay here until you're well enough to be moved. Then they'll decide on where to send you."

"Home. I want to go home."

"I know you do, but that won't happen for a while."

"Couldn't I go if I promised to hire someone to come in and make sure I wasn't alone?"

"You'll have to ask." Hu moved to where she had to look at him. "Don't push to be released too soon. You were half dead when we found you and your ribs and back are going to take a long time to heal. Let them. If you push yourself too soon, you could hurt yourself even more. And you don't want to lessen your chances of walking again."

Wrinkling her nose at him, Vera sighed. "I just hate being fussed over."

Hu couldn't help but chuckle, remembering Shep's words to him a few days before Vera woke up.

"What?"

"Something Shep said to me. She told me you didn't like to be fussed over."

"I don't. I've never seen the need for it."

Hu cocked his head and studied her. "Is it that you've never seen the need, or is it that you were never afforded the care of someone to fuss over you?"

Vera closed her eyes. "Me mam did."

"And Peter."

"Yes," she whispered.

"And the only two people who ever cared enough to fuss were taken away from you. You determined that you didn't like being fussed over after that because there was no one to do it. I'd say you didn't like being fussed over before Peter came along and changed your mind."

"You're making a lot of assumptions."

"No." Hu shook his head. "I'm making observations, there's a difference."

Vera rolled her eyes. "Are they investigating me?"

Hu started to wonder what made her ask that and then stopped himself. Why wouldn't she? She'd been doing this job a long time, of course she'd know they would investigate. "Yes."

"And have they brought in my replacement, yet?"

"Not the last I'd talked to any of your crew."

"You've talked to someone other than Shep?"

"Yes. I've chatted with them all. Kenny thinks just what we want him to, I'm a friend of yours and Billy's. Aiden, I'm not sure if he believes the story or not. He might well think I'm a secret lover since he knows I've been to your home."

"Secret lover!" Vera spluttered.

Hu laughed at her reaction then continued. "Shep, well…she guessed who I am. She's too smart to fall for the friend story."

"A younger me."

"Is that why you've opened up to her? Because she reminds you of yourself?"

"Probably. That and the cheeky lass won't let me be."

"Because she cares. They all do."

"They're just worried about who their next boss will be."

"Whoever it is will only be temporary. You'll be back bossing them about."

Vera just hummed and went back to staring out the window. Her eyes slowly slid shut and she drifted off, wondering if she was going to be haunted or have nightmares.

Hu watched Vera, his thoughts nearly mirroring hers though he didn't know it. He felt sorry for her, for the childhood she'd had after her mother died, and for the loss of the life she would have had with Peter had he not been murdered.

That thought brought him back to the day Billy had told him just what had happened to Peter. Would those same people try to keep Vera from returning to work? Billy had told him that they had never interfered with her here, that the corruption had never been here, but what if it was here now? What if this was a chance for those people that had been half directing Vera's life ever since she'd stumbled unknowingly onto their path, to finally get her out of their way?

Hu hoped his thoughts were just the tired wonderings of his mind because if they tried, Vera would start digging and wind up learning the whole truth about Peter's death…and put herself right back in danger.

Yawning, he let himself drift off, sure that if Vera cried out he would hear her and wake up. He was exhausted but he'd promised Billy not to leave Vera's side so here he'd stay until Billy returned.

VS

Hellen sighed as she settled into the bath, her body leaning back against Martin's. "I like this," she whispered as she skimmed a foot over his calf.

Sliding his hand down her thigh, Martin smiled when her breath caught on a moan at the feel of his fingers moving over her sensitive flesh. "Like that, Love?"

"Ooh, you know that I do," she whispered then moaned. "Marty," she whimpered his name when his fingers slid inside her. Hellen marveled at the change in herself. Where before she'd hated Martin touching her or being near her, now she loved the feel of him touching her and wanted to keep him as near to her as she could. "Kiss me," she whispered then moaned when his mouth replaced his fingers, kissing her but not exactly how she'd meant or expected. "Marty!" she cried out as her hand clutched at the sides of the tub. His name became a chant as her body began to move against his mouth trying to get closer or pull away, she wasn't sure.

Martin pressed his hand against her lower abdomen, smiling against her when she cried out as her orgasm finally rolled over her. "Beautiful," he whispered as he slid up her body, the water sloshing about them.

Hellen opened her eyes and smiled up at her husband. "That's a new experience for the bath," she panted making Martin laugh and kiss her. "That's the kind of kiss I meant," she muttered against his lips.

Martin laughed again and nuzzled her nose with his. "I enjoyed the other kiss."

She grinned and blushed as she nodded. "I did, too," she admitted. Cupping his face, Hellen stared into his love filled eyes. "I love you so very much, Marty. I find that I enjoy anything as long as you're with me, touching me in some way." She bit her lip and looked down where his body was pressed against hers. "I crave your touch and want it all the time. I miss you when you're at the club."

"I don't have to go into the club anymore, Love, not if you don't want me to." Martin nuzzled her nose again, smiling when she looked at him. "I've got a good manager now. I'd much rather be with you, touching you, spending time with you."

"Do you mean it, Marty?"

"Yes. I was going to tell you that as part of my surprise for you while we're here."

"Wasn't the trip enough?"

"No, Love. Never enough."

"Oh Marty," she sighed, her eyes slipping closed when his lips covered hers.

Vera moaned then slowly opened her eyes. "Damn it all, Hellen," she mumbled. "You have to quit that."

"Quit what?"

Vera started then looked toward where the voice had come from. "Hu. I didn't realize you were still here."

"Obviously." He grinned. "I didn't realize you'd taken to talking to Mrs. Kingsley." Hu could see the flush to Vera's skin and couldn't help but snicker which earned him a glare. "I'm not afraid of that."

Vera huffed. "You're impossible."

"You're just saying that because you don't want me to mention the fact that I know why you were mumbling at Mrs. Kingsley. You're flushed."

"She really needs to stop showing me that sort of thing."

"Didn't you tell me that her mother-in-law was who gave her the therapist's number?"

"Yes."

"Well then maybe Mrs. Kingsley wants you to see these things so you can tell the therapist and her mother-in-law that she and Mr. Kingsley were happy."

"Well damn it all, she could do that without showing me…" Vera scowled. "Without showing me that."

"Them making love, you mean?"

"Yes, and you knew that." Vera didn't ignore the urge to stick her tongue out this time earning her a laugh from her companion. "Oh go away."

"No. I promised Billy, remember? He'd have my head. And since he knows how to remove a head, I think I'll stay right where I am."

Vera shook her head and tried desperately not to laugh at the wild mental image that had just popped into her head with Hu's words, but she failed and a chuckle slipped out.

"Oh, so you think that's funny, huh? You're hard on a man, woman."

Vera shrugged. "At least you're not one of my team."

Hu shook his head. "No thank you. I've heard stories."

Vera narrowed her eyes. "And just what stories have they been telling?"

"Oh no you don't. I'm not snitching."

"Then why bring it up!" Vera scowled at him then found herself laughing when Hu grinned at her. "You're ridiculous."

"But you're laughing." Hu smiled at her when she looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"You did it to make me laugh."

"I did. I've never heard you laugh. I like it."

"It felt good," she admitted quietly.

"Laughter will help you and so will I if you'll let me."