Chapter 7

When visiting hours was over, Mary's family, Mia and Leon had left. Mary's family were skeptical at first, but Mary reassured them that she was in good hands with the night staff. Her parents had gotten a chance to talk with Vince, Mia and Leon so they knew they were good people. When alone, Mary looked over to Vince and he was just watching her. "I think my mother likes you," Mary said as she knew she got her mother's vote on him.

Vince chuckled and then saw her breathing deeply, so he got a little worried. "And your old man?" he asked trying to keep her mind off any pain she might be feeling.

She grinned sweetly. "He will." She was the only girl and her father was very protective of her, especially her brothers.

A grunt escaped him, "doubt it." Vince knew her dad wouldn't like him, no father did when it came to their daughters.

"Just give him time." Mary said as she was positive that her dad would come around and love Vince. Seeing him nod, made her look over his injuries. Frowning, she looked at his eyes. "Vince? What happened?"

Vince looked at her and knew what she was referring too. He sighed as he glanced down at his hospital gown. Sighing again, he began to tell her. He refrained himself from looking at her, worried that she would tell him to get out. He also worried that she'd make her nurse friend move him to another room. As he neared the end of his story where it got him into the hospital, he finally looked at her with sad eyes. "I wouldn't blame you if you want to request a room change or even not even speak to me ever again." His heart broke even though he knew he must have broken hers first. He was a criminal and knew she deserved better.

Mary listened to everything he said. There were parts he babbled on but he finished his story nonetheless. When he finally stopped talking, her thoughts all went back to him doing those dangerous things. "Will you go back to it once you've recovered?" she asked softly. She had closed her eyes, hoping her eyes wouldn't water but not from hearing his news, more from the pain she was starting to feel. The numbness has gone and she was feeling the itch around her stitches.

"I'm done, baby." He shook his head. He settled his eyes on her face and could see something was wrong. "Mary?"

Mary sighed. "It's okay, just feeling a bit of pain." she reached for the remote buzzer next to her bed.

Vince didn't like seeing her like that. He kicked off the blankets. "Nurse!" He shouted as he began to take off the wires that connected him to the monitors.

Mary heard him shout. She looked over to see him taking them off. "Vince, what are you doing?" she saw him getting out of bed.

By then Nurse Rachel, an average height blonde came in. Her eyes went to Vince as he was walking over to Mary's bed. "Sir, get back into bed." She went to him and checked him out as she pulled him to his bed.

Vince tried to get her off him. "Don't check me, check her!" He pointed to Mary as he was more worried about her being in pain, than himself.

Mary took deep breaths as she put her attention away from her pain in the middle of her chest. "Rachel, just give us a bit of morphine. He'll be needing it soon." She sighed and looked to Mary and saw the morphine bag being empty.

"I'll bring it right now." She said as she got Vince attached to the monitors again. Afterward, she left the room to retrieve more morphine bags.

Alone again, Mary looked over to Vince as he scratched around the area that Rachel had just injected the needs of his IV bags. "Vince?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you get out of bed until your stitches are healed." She said a bit sternly.

"I'm more worried about you." He looked at her and had stopped scratching.

Grinning softly, she reassured him. "I'm fine, really. The medication is just wearing off, so I'm feeling a little pain. Otherwise, I'm fine."

Vince looked at her and wondered how she could be so calm after her surgery. He just wanted to hold her and hear her sleep in his arms, like the night they first made love. "Why didn't you tell me about your heart condition?" He asked.

She knew he would ask, it was just a matter of time. "Because the doctor told me to keep living my life as normal as I could. I figured if you didn't know, you wouldn't worry." She looked over to him and saw the hurt in his eyes. "I was planning on telling you once you came back from race wars." She added before Rachel came back in. She replaced the bags and checking on Mary's status. "I'm sorry," Mary said to Vince.

Vince looked at her and then he replied, "Once we're out of this place, we're going home and I'll take care of you."

Rachel and Mary looked at him and knew he was serious. Rachel thought he was adorable because of the way he was with Mary. She left grinning softly and heard Mary reply, "You're so sweet to me."

"Anything for you." He smiled softly at Mary. Keeping an eye on Mary, he watched her fall asleep with the medication. It didn't take long before he fell asleep too but most of all they were both recovering together.

A couple of days later, they were both released from the hospital. While they were waiting for Mia to arrive, Dr. Brown was signing the release papers in their room. He glanced over to Vince and said, "Remember, Mr. Barlow. You start therapy next week. You skip one day and it will take you another week to get fully recovered."

"Whatever." Vince said as he was sitting next to Mary as she was lacing up her shoes.

Mary glanced over to him and knew he wasn't paying attention. She looked at Dr. Brown and grinned. "He'll come every week. I'll make sure of it."

Dr. Brown smirked and knew those two were the talk of the floor. They were dubbed the lovebirds around the nurses' desk. "As long as you both take it easy...I'm sure you, Mary, can help him recover faster at home too." He laid the papers on Mary's bed. He then grinned and added, "And I'll see you in a couple of weeks, Mary."

Mary giggled and nodded. "Bye Dr. Brown." She was glad that she had three weeks off. One was paid and the other two were just part of her vacation time. She would be at home healing with family and friends.

When the doctor was gone, Mary was done getting ready. She got off the bed and looked at Vince. "Let's go home." She said. Vince smiled and quickly got up. He groaned when he felt a little sting on his side. Mary went to his side and let him lean against her. "Take it easy, Vince."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Sorry." He took a few breaths and then smiled. "Ready to go? Mia said she can take us to the cemetery and then home." He said as during the time they were in the hospital, Mia and Leon had buried Jesse. It was filled with a bunch of their friends from the racing world. Vince felt bad for missing it but Leon and Mia had promised to take him the moment he was out of the hospital.

"Yeah I'm ready. Bet she has your room ready for easy access." Mary smiled as she grew to like Mia. They had talked about medicine and other things while Leon and Vince discussed what to do with the things Dom left behind.

Vince shook his head as they walked out of the hospital room. "Nope. Told her I'll be with you." he kissed her lips.

Mary smiled. "Leon's still here?" She asked because she didn't want Mia living alone. Mia seemed to be the type to have at least one person living with her.

Vince nodded. "Yeah, he's spending more time at the fort anyway." He said knowing Leon wasn't going anywhere unless Dom personally sent for him. When they went to the nurses' desk, they signed their release forms and then were shortly met by Mia.