Something Stronger

As the doctor stitched up his arm, his mind wandered to Laura. More precisely, his reaction to her having a date. He'd been jealous, a seething anger which seemed out of proportion to the current state of their relationship.

At one time they'd seemed close to taking a step towards being more than friends. But over the past year, their moment appeared to have passed. They were still friends but there was none of the flirting, no dinners, it was a decidedly cooler relationship than it had been.

In those rare moments when he was honest with himself, he missed it. Missed it desperately, the flirty smile, touches which seem to light him on fire. He didn't know what had dampened their burgeoning relationship and he certainly didn't know how to reignite it. But based upon his reaction to her on a date, he clearly wanted it, wanted her.

He'd never been good at being the aggressor in a relationship. Val had asked him out, once upon a time. But he'd known he wanted her, just didn't really know what to do to win her. Laura was much the same. He knew he wanted her, had for some time, but he didn't quite know how to take that last step.

And now, his chance might have passed. An old boyfriend was moving back. Clearly she still had feelings for him if she was meeting him for dinner. A stab of pain, unrelated to his arm, pulsed through him. Would he be able to handle seeing her with someone else? The very idea of it struck fear in him.

"I'm done, Inspector."

He blinked, once, then again, "What?"

The doctor was stripping off the latex gloves, "I'm done. See the nurse for your care instructions. Then you are good to go."

He looked down at his arm, "Oh, thanks."

The doctor was gone before he could get anything else out. A young nurse entered the exam room, talking through the instructions before the door even closed. Five minutes later he was dismissed and at loose ends. Innocent had told him to take a few days to recover.

He wanted to check on Ganza, felt he owed the man an apology. It would be a difficult conversation but he would feel better if he spoke to the man.

With the sense of aimlessness that only comes when you are headed to do something you dread, he wandered the corridors of the hospital. He knew exactly where her room was but took a circuitous route, hoping something would distract him.

At the door to her room, he watched, listened, as Ganza read to his wife. It was a children's story, one he remembered reading to his own children. Ganza looked up, a sad look on his face, one Robbie was all too familiar with.

He held up the book, "The Jumblies. She said she loved them as a child."

Robbie inhaled sharply, "The Jumblies. Went to sea in a sieve."

"That's them."

Holding up his injure arm, "Did you hear?"

"What, that my diagnosis of Bethan was correct?" Robbie nodded. "Small comfort. I was blind for so long. I'm getting my punishment now." Robbie had to look away from the pain on Ganza's face. "There was a man in Belgium, woke up last year after being in a coma for 23 years. He said he'd been conscious all the time. All the time. For 23 years, he'd been screaming and shouting at people, but nobody heard him. So I'm going to be here. For as long as it takes. So that she doesn't have to scream."

Robbie understood, felt the man's pain. He turned to leave then stopped, "What will you do?"

"Keep on reading." Ganza returned to his place in the book prepared to read again.

"Dr. Ganza?" The younger man looked up at Robbie, "Why?"

"Hope, Inspector. We always have hope."

Robbie turned from the man, his words ringing in his ears. He thought about his own unbendable grief after Val died. He'd been inconsolable but had at least taken some comfort in the fact Val hadn't suffered. And here was a man facing years of grief and he was filled with hope.

A tender touch on his shoulder pulled him from his musings, "Robbie."

Even without her voice, he would have known her touch. He hadn't felt it in a long while, had missed it more than he realized. Turning he smiled down at her, "Hello."

"You OK?"

"Yeah." Holding up his arm, "A little worse for the wear but I'll live."

Motioning with her head, "Blow away the cobwebs?"

He nodded and they fell into step. It only took a few moments to exit the hospital. A companionable silence fell between them as they walked. Robbie desperately tried to think of something clever to say Something that would tell her everything he needed to say, needed her to know. The only words he could decipher were those from the children's story, "Went to sea in a sieve."

She looked up at him, "What's that?"

"I went to visit Dr. Ganza and he was reading to his wife."

She nodded, "What's he going to do?"

He shrugged, "Go on reading. He's going to stay with her."

"I spoke to her surgeon. There's no chance of recovery. Absolutely none."

"Yeah, I know. He knows. But he's staying."

She paused then asked, "Out of guilt?"

He looked at her, "Maybe, more out of love I think."

They stopped walking and looked at one another, "Sorry Robbie."

He snuffed, "You don't have to be. It's not as if we…"

She smiled at him, "Yeah."

"Think Ganza really proves it doesn't it."

"Proves what?"

"That you don't get many chances. You don't want to waste them." They gazed at one another. She was his chance, possibly his last chance. He smiled down at her, "Can I buy you a coffee, Laura?"

She smirked, "Coffee?"

"Something stronger?"

She smiled and nodded, "Sounds a bit more like it."

As they walked to the pub, she slipped her hand through his arm. He sighed with relief when she squeezed his arm. A deep fatigue settled over him and he stumbled just a bit.

"Robbie, when's the last time you slept?"

He shook his head, "Solidly? Start of this case."

"Why don't you come back to my place? You can kip in my spare room, have a nice nap. I'll throw in dinner a good bottle of wine. I'll even change your bandages later."

"You don't have to do that, Laura."

She nodded, "I know, Robbie. I'm offering because I want to."

"No, I can go home and nap."

Reaching up, she cupped his cheek, "But you won't. If you come home with me, I can make sure you rest, get a good meal. Let someone take care of you for a change."

"I can't sleep in my suit."

"My brother keeps a few spare clothes at my place. You can borrow those."

"Are you sure, Laura?"

"I insist, Robbie."

When he woke, it was dark outside. A comfortable silence filled the house, for only a second, he didn't know where he was. Then he smelled Laura and his entire body relaxed into the comfort of her guest room.

Sheets softer than any he'd ever felt slid across his skin. As he listened, he could hear her voice from down the stairs. It sounded like she was on the phone. Her laughter drifted up the stairs. All he could think was how nice this was.

Throwing back the covers, he sat up in the bed. On the dresser across the room was a pile of clothes with a note on top of them.

Robbie,

The shirt is a total loss; I've already thrown it out. You are the same size as Michael, figured you would prefer clean clothes after your nap. Don't worry you can return them later. Come on down whenever you want. There are spare toothbrushes in the guest bath, feel free to shower if you like.

Laura

He followed her instructions. Between the nap and the shower, he felt like a new man. He folded the pajamas she'd loaned him and placed them on the dresser in the guest room. Then he straightened the bed. Finally, when he could avoid it no longer, he made his way downstairs.

He found her curled on the sofa, book in her lap, glass of wine on the table. "Can I get one of those?"

Carefully marking her place in the book she smiled up at him, "Of course. Are you hungry?"

He nodded, smelling something, "Famished."

She stood easily, her hand coming to rest on his chest. "Take a seat, I'll pop the bread in the oven and be back with your wine."

Without thinking he covered her hand with his, "You don't have to wait on me, Laura. I can get my own wine."

"I want to, Robbie. Just sit down, relax."

He smiled down at her, squeezed her hand. "OK." She started to walk away and he held her hand, "Thank you."

"For?"

"Taking care of me, it's been a long time since someone has."

She reached up with her free hand, pushing his hair back. "There's no need. I seem to remember you taking care of me once upon a time."

"I don't remember a home cooked meal. As I recall, it was a curry takeaway."

"And you slept in the very uncomfortable chair in my bedroom and watched over me, comforted me when I woke screaming."

He smiled, "I guess we are even then."

"I wasn't aware we were keeping score." As his smile faded, she stepped away, "I'll get your wine."

He watched her walk away, kicking himself for ruining the moment. For a moment, there had a been a flash of something. Then he'd ruined it with careless words. Dropping onto the sofa, he picked up the book she'd been reading, a biography. He flipped it over, read the description on the back.

"It's quite good. She was a fascinating woman, independent, beautiful, made her way in a world typically ruled by men."

She handed him the glass of wine then sat next to him on the sofa. "The same could be said for you."

She laughed as she took a sip of her wine, "That's sweet but I'm not sure I fit any of those adjectives."

"I think you fit them all. To a T."

"No one has ever described me as fascinating."

He laughed, "That's the adjective you take exception with? Fascinating?"

"Well all of them really? Except perhaps independent? That one I will confess to. It's ruined many a relationship."

"Is that what happened with Franco?"

Taking another sip, she shrugged. "Yes and no. He moved away, I wouldn't give up my career to follow him."

Nervously he took a sip before he asked the question he knew would color the rest of the evening. "But now that he's moving back, your independence isn't really an issue, is it?"

Meeting his eye, "No." He tried to hide his emotion, "Of course, his wife might have a say in the matter."

Relief flooded through him, "He's married."

"Two small children, too. We're just good friends now. I'm friends with Alexandra as well. We were just having dinner, two old friends catching up."

Silence filled the room, somehow they both knew they'd turned a corner. Robbie was the first to break the silence, "How did we end up here?"

"In my sitting room?" Seeing his look, she dropped the joke, "I think we both got scared. What if we lost what we had?"

"But we did, didn't we?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, we're here, having this conversation. Perhaps there is still hope."

Her choice of word, more than anything, forced him into action. For once in their relationship, he didn't think, didn't let his own fear rule his actions. Leaning forward, he kissed her. There was nothing tentative about the kiss. He knew what he wanted.

She pulled back, for just a second fear stabbed at him. Then he realized she was taking his glass, placing it on the table next to hers. The smile she gave him was one he'd never seen before. There was something slightly predatory about it and it had an instant reaction on his body.

Before she could move, he pulled her to him, pressing their lips together. The kiss was all need and want, teeth and tongue. Two people finally getting out of their own way and letting desire take over. She met him on his terms, wrapping her arms around him, pushing him to a prone position on the sofa. Her body came to rest on top of him, he could feel every contour of her body and it spurred him on.

His hands came to rest under her blouse, the feel of her skin a balm to his nerves. She was here, real, and she seemed to want him as much as he wanted her. Her nails carded through his hair, raking along his scalp sending electric pulses through his body, connecting lower. His arousal twitched against her soft stomach.

Feeling it, she moaned into his mouth. She undulated her body against him, pressing into him. Her hands moved down, pulling at the soft shirt he was wearing, desperate to touch skin. Continuing to kiss him, she shifted pulling on the shirt.

Laura broke the kiss, breathing hard, she moved so he could sit up and she could remove the shirt. He sat up, letting her pull it over his head. The second it was clear, he wrapped his arms around her. This time the kiss was softer, a tender exploration of her mouth.

She melted into him, wrapping her legs around his waist. Breathing in the kiss, she was overwhelmed by the contrast from the first kiss. Tears, she was unaware of, streamed down her face. She'd wanted this for so long, had dreamt of it. And now it was happening.

He felt the hot tears, concern ripped through him. He pulled away, "Laura."

Confusion clouded her eyes, "What?"

Wiping at her tears, "You're crying. Have I…"

This time she kissed him, softly, tenderly. "Tears of joy, Robbie. I thought this would never happen. I've wanted you for so long."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Making you wait so long. But I promise, if you still want me, I'm all yours."

Her clear, sparkling laughter filled the room. "I'm sitting in your lap, legs wrapped around your waist. I think the question of me wanting you has been answered."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Her predatory smile returned, leaning in she was just about to kiss him when an insistent buzzing sounded throughout the house. "Damn it. I forgot about the bread."

"You burnt the bread?"

Laughing she unwrapped herself from him, "It's your fault."

"How is it my fault?"

Smiling down at him, "You kissed me and made me forget everything else."

"Get used to it, Laura. When you come back I'm going to kiss you like that again."

"I hope kissing isn't all you have planned."