Wayne Rigsby hesitated outside the automatic sliding glass doors that lead into the Sacramento General Hospital. Cho had phoned him a little over an hour ago, telling him that he needed a break. Apparently Van Pelt and Lisbon were making up all kinds of excuses to keep a blonde nurse in the room and were overly praiseful of him when she was.

"I can't take much more of this," Cho had said over the phone, sounding almost emotional. "You need to come take my shift."

So Rigsby, being the goofy, lovable pushover he was, agreed. Now he wished he hadn't. The sight of Grace in pain filled his heart with sorrow! He longed to be able to go back in time and take the evil bullet that had pierced her perfect skin and spread her life-blood so carelessly about a cruel and cold world...

"Rigs? What are you muttering about?"

Risgby jumped. He hadn't noticed Van Pelt walking up the sidewalk (fully clothed; no bare bottoms this time!). He flushed horribly and fidgeted. "Cho wanted me to come take watch."

"Right. Because of my paranoid freak out," Van Pelt blushed. "I honestly don't know what has been going through my head lately."

"You're lucid!" Rigsby exclaimed. "That means you're getting better!"

Van Pelt shrugged, which made her wince. "I had to get better. I know how much you worry."

The two of them entered the hospital together, and headed back upstairs. Rigsby gazed at Grace with adoration, admiring the graceful curve of her neck and the flow of her crimson locks. Suddenly he couldn't take it anymore. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the diamond he had been carrying since the first day he laid eyes on her. Dropping to one knee, he opened the velvet box.

"Will you wake up?"

Grace stared at him. "What?"

"Grace, wake up."

Grace grabbed the box, but it melted out of her hand.

"Van Pelt! Wake up!"

Van Pelt slowly came to, becoming aware of a warmth and weight on her legs. She wondered what it was, and then remembered that she had been browsing on a computer when she had fallen asleep. The distinctive outline of Wayne Rigsby leaned over her. She blinked once and then twice, trying to clear the fog from her mind. She couldn't understand how she got back to the hospital bed so quickly, and where was her engagement ring?

"Oh," she muttered. "It was a dream."

Rigsby sat on the edge of her bed. "You were crying. Were you having a nightmare?"

Van Pelt sighed heavily and wiped her eyes. "No. I was having a wonderful dream."

"Why were you crying then?"

"Because you proposed to me," Grace replied dreamily. "I love you!"

Rigsby glanced quickly over to the empty bed that should have held Lisbon. Van Pelt followed her gaze and frowned.

"Where's the boss?"

"She had some test of something."

"Where's Cho? It's his turn to watch over us."

Rigs snorted. "I think that he's having a hard time handling your frog jokes."

"Oh." Van Pelt giggled. "Frog in a blender! Do you still love me?"

Rigs went red. "You're only asking that because of the morphine."

"Yeah. So? Do you?"

It took a long time for Rigsby to answer. He looked away, almost as if scanning the room for other life forms or electronic spying devices. Eventually he turned back to her, grasping her hands tightly in his. He smiled, his dark brown eyes gentle on her face. He nodded once, but didn't say a word. Grace smiled back at him.

"Will you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Read me a story."

Rigsby was taken aback. His brows knitted together and his smile melted into a frown. He studied Grace's face carefully, as if wondering if she was being serious. She looked at him, sincerity shining from her grey eyes. Wayne blinked, trying to see if she was drugged. Evidently he decided that she was, and shook his head in amazement, and spoke overly gently to her.

"All right. What do you want me to read?"

Van Pelt pointed to the computer. "I was reading fanfictions. I've found an author that I absolutely love!"

"All right." Risgby picked up the laptop and put in on the nightstand between desks, so that Grace could maneuver herself into a more comfortable position, which she did. She turned on her side, curling her knees up and tucking both her hands under her head as she gazed and smiled at Rigsby. He turned on the computer and opened the internet.

"Who is this author?"

"Captain Ryder*, on ."

Risgby navigated the search function for the site. He found the author's webpage and scrolled through the stories. "All right, what do you want me to read?

"Well, I've read most of them. There's one that has something to do with a ruby that doesn't work, properly, though. Even the title gets all garbled. But anyway, there is one story that I haven't read quite yet. Have you heard part 2. I loved part one. The way the rumours exploded and everybody thought that Gwen and Arthur were secretly in love – which of course they are, but the rumours blew it all out of proportion."

Rigsby found the story that Grace was referring to. He cleared his throat, opened the page and gave Grace a small, sexy smile that melted her heart. "Have you heard?" he read.

"Wait!" Grace reached out and grabbed his arm. "Can you read it with a Welsh accent?"

*Author's note: I couldn't help but put this in. This is a thank you to the Captain for putting up with my crazy ways and reading this fic, even though she is not a Lisbon/Jane and Van Pelt/Rigsby shipper! Also "Have You Heard" is a great fic and it makes me laugh. Plus she's my sister.