Ch. 35
Laurie woke up in the hospital room to find her head and side injuries still present, but she was happy. She had been forced awake when her pain killers wore off and was pleasantly surprised to find Walter still there. At first, she didn't want to stare, but she just couldn't resist when he was so still, and so close to her. She had been watching him for nearly half an hour with a smile on her face. Asleep with his eyes closed and his long lashes showing, he looked less cocky and more angelic. Laurie studied his features to her heart's content. She liked the way his mouth worked with his cheekbones to make it look like he was always hiding a smile. His usually expressive eyebrows where at their resting state and gave his face a gentle appearance. She also liked his red hair, but she had already known that. Looking at him now, she just couldn't stay angry at him. But he wasn't truly off the hook yet. She still wanted to hear him explain himself, especially about this Agent Orange business. What was this killer doing that so enraptured everyone, including Rorschach?
"Why are you looking at me?" Walter murmured, though his eyes were still closed.
Laurie answered him with a kiss. She had missed him dearly in the past few days. Raising her hand to place it against the side of his face, she wished they could have more time to spend together. When Laurie pulled away, his eyes were open again. They looked tired, but still bright, somehow. He smiled at her for a moment, and seemed to study her. She was disappointed when he sat up. The sun was already rising and casting a red glow into the room. Walter stretched as he slid off the bed and stood.
"Walter, are you leaving already?" Laurie asked.
"I need to go to work," he told her. "And avoid your mother."
"She won't come in at this hour."
Walter gave her a 'yeah right' look and turned. He stooped down to pick his mask up off the floor. He paused for a moment and seemed to regard it with some amount of disgust.
"What's the matter?" Laurie asked. Seeing him here in her hospital room made her feel elated. She wished she could jump out of bed so she could kiss him again. Given her present physical state, however, that would be an unwise decision.
Walter shook his head and gave her a level look. Then he started to put his mask back on.
"Wait--" said Laurie, sitting up suddenly. She winced as a burning pain shot up her side.
Walter came back to her, looking concerned.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
"I don't know, I didn't tear up the stitches, did I?" Laurie asked. "I'm so paranoid about that."
Laurie lifted up her gown to look. Walter took a step back and swallowed a little.
"I think it's okay," said Laurie, smiling at him as she put the garment back in place. Then she frowned. "Walter? You look spooked."
Walter shook his head. Laurie held out her arms and he obediently approached her to hug her. Walter tried to pull away after a long moment. Laurie didn't let him off that easily, however. She pulled him closer by his scarf and kissed him again. He struggled a little as if to resist, then gave in and began kissing her in return. It was a little bit awkward, seeing as she was still injured and he was twisting away to avoid grazing against her wound, but Laurie didn't mind. She pressed against Walter, wishing he wasn't wearing so many layers so she could feel his body's definitions more properly.
Laurie gave Walter a small kiss on the corner of his mouth as he let up. He was practically smirking at her as he straightened himself. Laurie thought he might try to leave again, but instead he started to look about the room while strutting as if he owned the place. Walter regarded most of the things in the room with disinterest, until he spotted the corner shelf where Sally had placed all of Laurie's flowers. Walter looked annoyed. He glanced at Laurie, then at the flowers, then walked up as if intending to throw them all out. Instead he poked each of them in turn.
"Who are these from?" he asked her, pointing to a bouquet of white roses.
"From my mother," said Laurie.
"And these?" he pointed at the daisies.
"Hollis."
"These?" now he was regarding the tulips.
"Nelly." Laurie was raising her eyebrow at him now, but he waved his hand at her as if to silence her.
"These." He pointed at the pansies.
"Walter--"
"Who are they from?"
"They're from Dan."
Walter nodded at her quite coolly at that.
"Mm-hmm," he told her.
"What?" asked Laurie. She laughed anyway.
"I see."
"You see what?"
"Who are these from?" He pointed at the remaining roses.
"From Ozymandias. Walter--"
"I see," said Walter again. "I see I see."
"You see what?" Laurie sat up again.
"You have quite a few male admirers."
"What?" Laurie laughed again. "Seriously?"
"Yes. Yes, yes."
"Nelly isn't like that -- and you yourself said Ozymandias wasn't either."
"Yes, but Dan and Hollis?"
"Oh, Walter, come on -- Hollis? And Dan is Dan."
"Dan has a thing for you."
Laurie giggled at that.
"Dan?" Laurie laughed harder at the idea. "Oh, no!"
"Oh, yes."
Walter was looking down his nose at her, and Laurie burst into peals of laughter. After recovering finally, she glanced up to find that he was smiling. He came towards her and kissed her. Gently at first, but then a little more forcefully, possessively even. Laurie didn't mind that one bit.
"I need to go," Walter said to her as he kissed her ear, then her neck.
"No you don't," she said, grabbing onto him. "You're staying right here."
"No."
"Yes."
They kissed some more, and Laurie was pretty certain he had grazed his hand on her bare thigh at some point. When they broke away again, Walter's face was flushed, and his hair was standing on end. Out of breath, Laurie had to gather herself to laugh as she ran her hand through his hair to smooth it down. He kissed her wrist.
"You're so sweet like this Walter," Laurie pouted. "It's a shame to see you running off to be Rorschach and leaving me here."
Walter gave her an odd look. He seemed to be at the point of realizing something, when he shook his head.
"I'll be back later tonight," he assured her.
"Yes, I'm sure," she sighed.
"I will," he said, looking strangely hurt.
"Well, all right then," said Laurie. She decided that she would pitch a fit if he bailed on her again, but as for now he was quite forgiven in her book.
Walter smiled and started to put his mask back on, but instead he leaned in to kiss her again. Laurie pulled him down to her and he obliged. She was just deepening the kiss when Walter made a sound and ended it. His breath was ragged and his eyes were very much alive when he looked at her. Walter kissed her again, just a peck as if in apology, and stood up to put on his mask. Sally entered. Laurie and Walter froze.
"Well," said Sally, after hesitating for only a fraction of a second, "Look who finally came to visit."
"Uh, hi Mom," said Laurie.
"Are you going to introduce me to your boyfriend?" Sally asked her. "Seeing as he has finally found some sense to reveal himself and all."
Laurie blushed but found herself unable to speak. She wondered if what she and Walter had been doing was obvious to her mother.
"Walter," he said.
"Ah, he speaks," said Sally. "Nice to meet you, Walter. You really should visit more often. My Laurie gets quite upset when you're not around."
Walter nodded. He put the mask into his pocket, turned and took his hat from the table and started to climb out the window.
"Now look here young man," said Sally, grabbing his shoulder. Walter looked surprised. "If you're going to come breezing in and out of here, the least you can do is go through the door like a normal human being."
Walter looked at the door, then at the window. Then he straightened and gave Sally a defiant look before he turned and climbed out the window.
"Well, I never," said Sally, with her hands on her hips as she watched Walter disappear. She turned to smile at Laurie. "He's cute, isn't he?"
Laurie couldn't help but laugh at that. Her mother did, too. Blake walked in.
"Hey, share the cheer," he said, smiling.
"Oh, Laurie's foxy little man was in here before he scampered off into the rising sun," said Sally, tapping Blake playfully on the shoulder.
Blake looked at his shoulder, then at Sally with interest.
"Yeah? Is he coming back this time?" he asked.
"I hope so," said Sally, looking at Laurie and smiling at her.
Laurie just smiled back, feeling relieved that her mother was actually starting to loosen up. She wondered how Sally had gotten into such a good mood -- was it because of her accident? Had her father spoken to her? Or was it because she had stopped drinking?
"How did you guys get together?" Laurie asked, suddenly. "You know, to have me."
Blake almost seemed to fall over at that.
"Woah, woah, what the hey," he said, but he laughed.
"Laurie," said Sally, softly. Laurie was surprised to find her mother blushing. "What a question to ask."
"Fine, don't tell me," said Laurie, folding her arms. But she smiled. Maybe she would ask her mother later, when they were alone.
Blake crossed the room and Laurie watched him with mild interest. Her father reached out towards the bedside table and picked up a red rose.
"Oh," said Laurie, surprised.
Blake raised his eyebrow and smiled at her. He carefully handed her the rose, which Laurie took gingerly between her fingers to avoid the thorns. Even relatively close to her face, she could smell the fresh scent of the flower and it made her face flush at the sight of it. It was beautiful. Not just because it was a magnificent specimen, but because it was from Walter.
"Here, why don't I find you a vase for that," said Sally, humming to herself as she left the room.
Laurie watched her mother leave with a smile. Walter would like that, she thought. Sally hadn't bothered to do this for any of the other flowers. Her mother came back five minutes later with a vase full of water and set it on the table close to Laurie. Laurie put the rose inside and looked at it.
It wasn't Walter himself, but it would have to do until she saw him again that evening. She was looking forward to it.
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To be continued...