Chapter 70
Noah stood and watched as the Harders wheeled Grace down the hallway. Arriving with a new book to read to her he had been surprised to find Dr. Garcia signing off her discharge papers and Nathalie's parents packing her things. Unsure if they were aware of Nathalie's kidnapping, he pulled her father aside and told him about his daughter being taken hostage but that everything was being done that could be. For a brief moment he saw concern flash across John Harder's face but it was quickly replaced by a coldness that shocked Noah. Declaring his daugther was the creator of her own misfortune, he told Noah that their only concern was taking care of his grandchildren.
Reminded of the terror on Grace's face on New Year's Eve as she struggled to process the news that her father had killed himself, Noah was determined to protect her and he informed him that all Grace knew was that her mother had the flu and was too sick to come to the hospital and that Patrick was away on a business trip. He asked him, begged him, to keep up the pretense so as not to further traumatize the young girl. John Harder sniffed, thanking Noah for his help but letting him know that he and his wife would be making all further decisions regarding what Grace and Oliver would and would not be told.
The Harders allowed him a few short minutes to say goodbye and he held back his tears as the young girl extracted a promise from him to visit her. She asked for her mother and Noah was sure that she didn't quite believe him when he told her she was getting better every day but he was at a loss as to what else to tell her. Shaking his head in disbelief as her grandparents piled her in to a wheelchair and set off. The young girl, with colour returning to her face and the dark circles under her eyes fading, turned around in her chair and blew kisses at Noah until she turned the corner and was gone from sight.
He slammed his hands against the Nurses Station equal parts angry and defeated. Visiting and reading to Grace had been as much about making himself feel better as it was about her. During the years when he and his son had little more than a passing acquaintance with each other, Patrick had built another life for himself, another support system. His best friend and his wife had offered him a home and a refuge because Noah couldn't. He was as much a part of the Walker family as he was the Drakes. The inclusion of Grace in his life and then Oliver gave him the unconditional love he needed - an opportunity to be larger than life and be loved. Spending time with Grace allowed Noah to feel close to his son, to momentarily quell the ever present panic at the thought of what was happening to Patrick. And now she was out of reach, just like Patrick.
Grabbing the chart he had in his hands when he arrived on the scene, he stormed back to his office rage percolating inside of him. Everything was out of his control - he had no idea where his son or his friend were or what was happening to them and now two people who cared very little for anything other than control had just taken away a vital link. The serenity prayer rolled around in his head but he found little ability to accept the things he could not change. He refused to accept the status quo.
He kicked open the door to his office, letting it smash against the wall. Once through, he kicked it shut with a mighty thud; he hurled the chart across the room, temporarily satisfied at the dent it made in the wall. Slumping into his chair, he exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I think I may have come at a bad time."
His eyes snapped open at the familiar voice and he looked to the door but saw nothing. The light by his couch turned on and he smiled involuntarily as he saw Brenda sitting on the couch dressed in his lab coat. "Hi."
She bit her lip feeling decidedly silly at her ploy to surprise him at work. "Surprise?" Getting up from the couch, she uncurled her long legs and pulling his lab coat around her walked to him. Pushing herself up on his desk, she sat in front of him, her palms holding on to the arms of his chair. "Want to talk about it?"
He closed his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face. "You know, just when I think I get to a place of tolerance, where I can just barely comprehend everything that's going on and still function something goes and knocks the world off its axis."
"What happened?" she asked softly.
"The Harders came and took Grace home with them to Virginia. It just feels like..."
"Like Patrick and Nathalie are suddenly further away?" she offered.
Noah's eyes brimmed with tears as he looked into the face of the woman he loved. "I've missed you" he said hoarsely.
Swallowing thickly, Brenda nodded. "Me too." Cupping his cheek, she stroked her thumb under his eye. "We'll do this together."
He let out a long, slow breath as he realized she was wearing his lab coat, a pair of red stilettos and very little else. "Dare I ask what brings you by?"
Brenda smiled sheepishly. "Afternoon delight? I thought I would surprise you but it seems like not a good idea right now."
His hand drifted to her thigh and moved slowly underneath the coat. "I could use a change of pace" he said as he gazed in to her eyes.
"Are you sure? Because we can just talk if you want - or go for a walk."
He heard her breath hitch as his hand, burrowing under the lab coat, skimmed across her taught abdomen. "Do you want to talk? Or walk?" he asked, his eyes becoming glassy with lust. Brenda simply shook her head. "I can't help but notice you're wearing a lab coat - are you a doctor?" A sultry smile formed on her face and she shook her head as her dark silky hair tumbled around her shoulders. "Hmmm" he mused. Rising from his chair, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the couch. Laying her gently on the couch, he lowered himself beside her, taking care not to put his full weight on top of her. Noah pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly, deeply. Brenda pressed her hands into his chest, moaning slightly. She sucked ardently on his lips, searching for his tongue with her own, her body undulating against his. She slid her hands under his scrub top, tracing the outline of his chest and grazing his nipples with her fingers. Noah sighed against her mouth as his anger was slowly replaced by the love he felt for her. With a steady hand, he flicked open the buttons on the lab coat and let out a small gasp as the white material fell away from her body.
"You're - you're naked" he said as his eyes swept over her body.
"I told you" she smiled seductively "by agreeing to be my roommate, I would be naked alot."
A small growl escaped his lips as he lowered his head to her breasts. He teasingly ran his hand over one breast, feeling her nipple pebble and harden, while he outlined the curve of the other with his tongue. Brenda felt herself wet at Noah's touch. None of the lovers before made her feel the way he did but then none of them had loved her as honestly and truly as he did. She ran her hands through his soft hair, urging him to take more of her in his mouth. Relenting, Noah flicked her nipple with his tongue before taking her completely in his mouth, suckling greedily.
Impatient to feel his smooth skin against hers, Brenda pulled his top from his head tossing it across the room. She pressed her lips against his chest, delighting in his taste. His muscles twitched as her hands swept across his torso and Noah let go of her breast allowing the feelings she created in him to wash over. Pushing him to a sitting position, she slid from his lap and on to the floor. Shrugging off his coat, she looked up at him, holding his gaze as she removed his shoes and then pulled his scrub pants down his lean, muscular legs. Noah hissed as his erection was released from the confines of his pants. Reaching up with her hand she dragged her fingers along the outline through his boxer-briefs. Pushing his legs apart, she positioned herself between him, kissing his arousal through the soft cotton material. "Jesus" Noah hissed.
Brenda slipped her hand inside his waistband and pushed them over his hips while he threaded his fingers through her hair. Making love to Brenda made him feel like a young man again, made him feel desirable in a way that he thought was lost forever. His eyes closed as she closed her warm mouth around him, her tongue working his sensitive head in small circles. His cock twitching and pulsing in response, he leaned forward and pulled her on to his lap. Cupping her face, he crashed his mouth over hers, sweeping his tongue inside her mouth. Breathlessly breaking the kiss, he pushed her bangs from her face. "You are so beautiful to me" he whispered. Brenda assaulted his neck while stroking his length before lining him up against her slick channel and lowering herself slowly until he filled her completely.
She rocked her hips back and forth as he thrust into her, his hands roaming her body as if discovering it for the first time. Wrapping his arms around her he let his fingers trail down her back as they continued to build to their release. Intoxciated by the feeling of him inside of her, Brenda attached her lips to his neck and then his shoulders, stopping to suck on the hollow of his neck. She smiled against his skin as he shivered in response. Her fingers lightly traced the outline of his celtic cross tattoo on his arm. Dipping her head, she retraced it with her tongue while he continued to thrust hard against her. Linking her hands behind his neck, they locked eyes with each other both dizzy with desire and love. Pressing her breasts against his hot skin, she clenched and tightened around him until she felt the beginnings of his orgasm. Lowering his head to her shoulder, he bit softly to keep from crying out as his body shuddered and trembled from his climax. Brenda followed him over the edge letting wave after wave of release and pleasure wash over her.
Spent, Noah leaned back against the couch, holding her tightly to him as he placed one soft kiss after another on her cheek. She nestled in against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I've never taken care of another person before but I am going to take such good care of you."
*****
Nathalie continued to moan, gripping her sides as
Patrick called for help. The look on his face told her that he was
still unsure about her plan but it was too late to turn back now. Two
guards came racing down the stairs stopping at her bed.
"What's going on?" the first one asked. Turning her head, Nathalie surrepetitiously stuck her finger down her throat just long enough to activate her gag reflex and promptly vomited all over the guard.
"She's sick, dumbass" Patrick seethed.
"Aren't you a doctor?" the second one asked, unhappy that the boss' prize prisoner was writhing in pain and vomiting.
Patrick held up his hands defiantly. "Not much good like this am I? Are you going to do something or let her miscarry right there?" he asekd jumping up from his bed.
"Miscarry?" the first guard asked. "Shit - Madame won't like this - quick! grab her, we have to get her to the doc." Nathalie continued to groan and grip her stomach as the guard unlocked her, picked her up and slung her over his shoulder to carry her upstairs. Her head over his shoulder, she caught Patrick's eye and gave him a reassuring wink before disappearing from view. He sank back to his bed hoping they hadn't grossly underestimated the situation.
The guard deposited Nathalie on the bed of the exam room as she curled in to a ball squeezing tears from her eyes. "Don't move" the guard threatened, "I'm going to get the doc."
She sprung up as soon he closed the door behind him. Sliding from the bed she started to pull the drawers open in a desperate search for something, anything that could be used to jimmy the locks on their cuffs. Her eyes flashed with satisfaction as she found half a dozen large paper clips. Grabbing hold of them, she quickly slipped them on to her bra to avoid detection. She pressed her ear against the door and hearing no movement, carried on with her inspection of the tiny room. Taking one of the four pens, she shoved it in to her pocket along with the needle portion of two syringes. As she heard the footsteps approaching, she jumped bak on the bed and grabbed hold of her stomach. Gagging on her finger one more time before the door opened, she managed to vomit just as the doctor came in.
Surprised at the sudden turn in her health, he moved quickly, turning her on to her side and feeling for a temperature. "Are you okay Nathalie?"
"Stomach hurts" she croaked out.
"Okay, I'm going to need to do another ultrasound, can you lie on your back for me?"
She shook her head. "It hurts" she whined.
Gently, with more tenderness than she expected, he straightened her out and undid her jeans and pushed up her shirt. She continued to moan as he squirted the gel on her belly and ran the wand over her. He watched the screen carefully and was relieved to see no change in the baby. "The baby is fine Nathalie." He wiped the gel from her belly and pulled down her shirt, leaving her to do up her pants on her own. "You don't have a fever, I suspect it's a combination of stress and morning sickness. Have you slept at all?"
She glared at him as best she could. "You're kidding right?" she said hoarsely. "I was kidnapped and being held prisoner - not to mention what...." her voice trailed off, her courage failing her for just a moment. "This is not a situation conducive to resting." Getting up from his stool, the doctor filled a syringe and walked back to her, pushing her sleeve up. Nathalie struggled against him but he had a firm grip on her. "What is that?"
"Compazine." He plunged the syringe in to her arm. "It will help with the nausea and will help you rest. I'm here to take care of you Nathalie."
Lifting her head but taking care not to blow her cover she seethed at him. "Take care of me? You are a souless, hideous excuse for a person."
"Now, now" he said condescendingly, "stress isn't good for the baby." He opened the door and motioned for the guard to take her back downstairs. "She's going to be groggy so make sure you support her." He turned to Nathalie and smiled sweetly. "I'll make sure there is some soothing food waiting for you when you wake up. Rest well Nathalie."
She struggled to her feet, shaking off the doctor's assistance. Doing up her jeans, she pulled away slightly as the guard clamped his hand around her arm. They walked down the hall and though the medication was taking effect, she did her best to take in as many details as she could. As they made their way to the stairs, voices could be heard coming from a room off to the side. She recognized Helena's voice immediately.
"Listen you little toad - the pregnant slut is my ONLY concern. I have no use for the young doctor - he fits your plan not mine."
"You agreed" the male voice protested.
"Yes well, he is a liability. You have 10 days to get done what you need done and then I am disposing of your captive - permanently."