Thank you for all the reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. There will be more Forrest and Ida interactions in this chapter. I'll try to answer some of the reviews here without giving much away.

SincerelyAnOpputunist: I'm so glad you're enjoying this. I was a bit worried that no one would read it.

analuizmira: Haha, yes. I wanted a bit of a twist so I threw the marriage in.

RhyeninHelaena: First, I would like to thank you for both of your reviews. I really appreciate it. Ida will be Forrest's romantic pursuit, but he's going to be stubborn about it based off of how his past went with her. It is about Ida and Forrest, but in order for him and Ida to be together again they have to squash everything bad between them and in the mean time Maggie will try to express her feelings towards Forrest. They're relationship is more of a 'we're together, but we're not," It's a bit complicated, but hopefully I'll be able to express it well in coming chapters.

Chapter 3:

The air was crisp and cool as its swept throughout the room. It crept across my bare arms leaving goose flesh as it did. I stifled a chill and concentrated on my task at hand. I could feel him staring at me as I leaned over him to sterilize and apply more medical tape. He's been in the Hospital for a week now and the craziness that surrounded his first days were finally winding down. I was glad it was going back to normal, I mean you had a few kids lingering by the doors hoping to catch a glimpse of the Invincible Bondurant. I would shoo them away and they'd be back the next day.

We didn't talk much, not after I had broken down the first time I was made to clean his wound. It was clean across, deep, but a low cut. That and the cold air and snow that night was what had saved him. I was there that night. I realized that I could have been the one to rush him to the hospital instead of him walking. It wasn't me and he did walk, but he didn't die and I'm okay with that. There's no point of beating myself up abut it. Now when I check on him, clean his wound, bring him his food or try to get him in the wash, which he declines every time, I keep a straight face and try not to look him in the eye. As I stand over him and can feel his hot breathe against my jaw I fight t look at him. I keep a steady hand and finish up.

"Lift your head, please," I say and wrap the tape around his neck securing it by his ear. He lays his head back and I fluff his pillow and walk towards the front of his bed, scribble a few notes on his chart. My eyes glance at my wrist watch.

"I'll be back in a few with your lunch," I tell him and turn on my heel. I didn't look at him once and I hear him shift in bed and a low grunt escapes his lips. I linger in the doorway and sigh turning to look at him.

His face kills me. His eyebrows are furrowed and his eyes are wide with anger and something else. He's biting his lip and I realize he wants to speak to me.

"Forrest, you still can't speak. Please, don't try to," I tell him.

He just grunts, but keeps staring at me. I avert my eyes and look at my shoes. This makes him angry because he pounds his fist on the bed.

"What is your problem?" I spit out, but Forrest just stares at me with the same expression,"I have work to do,"

I ignore his pounding as I walk out the room. Tears had sprung up in my eyes and I wipe them away as I make my way to the cafeteria to get his lunch. I try to get everything he likes. Today they're serving mashed potatoes with brown gravy and green beans. Instead of the beans I opt for Broccoli and ham with garlic sauce. It's not the best, it lacks color and vibrancy as other food has, but it'll do. I grab a milk carton and head back towards his room. I pass my desk and set his food down before I grab my sandwich from my desk, I set it out with my apple juice and proceed towards his room again when Delia stops me.

"Is he allowed to have visitors?" She asks.

"Not right now, it's lunch time," I tell her.

"Tell that to the woman in there,"

My body grows hot and my palms immediately began to warm. I swallow and walk towards his room. I stand by the slightly open door when I hear her voice. She's apologizing for what happened to him. I wait to hear Forrest grunt, but I peer in to see he's asleep. She's standing over him now with her hand on his and I clear my throat and walk in.

"Hello, Maggie, how are you?" I ask setting the tray on the nightstand. I put his milk closer to him and look at her.

"I'm good, I'm sorry, but I've forgotten your name,"

"Ida, I'm a friend of Forrest,"

"And his nurse it seems," She replies.

"Yes, is there anything I can help you with?"

"I just wanted to see how he was doing,"

I smile,"You could come during visiting hours,"

"Oh, I hadn't realized,"

"They're on the door when you walk in. You can come by tomorrow morning if you'd like. Right now is his lunch time and as you can see he's not awake, so if you don't mind," I tried so hard for my voice not to be harsh and cold but I think it came across as just that because she smiled and turned around apologizing. I shut the door she came through and went out the nurse door.

"Doesn't anybody read the visitor sign?" I growled sitting harshly in my seat.

"I take it you didn't like his visitor," Delia said glancing up at me from her own lunch.

"No! I just- he was sleeping and if she cared for him she'd let him sleep and not sit there and try to speak to him. That's all," I said unwrapping my sandwich.

The rest of the week was simple and slow. I stayed to my routine and he stayed starring at me. I didn't speak to him too much. I would tell myself that I should, but I knew I'd either be angry or crying so I would just keep my mouth shut and do my job. In a way I'd turn my feelings off when I was around him. It was rather easy even when his brothers and Cricket would visit. None of his family knew anything about us. We were smart with how we went about our relationship. Times like now is when I regret doing that. He was to be released in the next week or so and he still hadn't spoken. I was worried that his voice may be permanently damaged.

The end of the week was finally dragging to an end and I was more than ready to go back to my apartment.

"Anything new today?" I asked Delia when I walked in this morning.

"The usual," She said glancing at me,"You look nice today,"

"Oh, this?" I said glancing down at my blue dress,"I've had this for years, thank you though,"

"Where's your uniform?"

"I spilt coffee this morning on the way out so I had to throw this on,"

I frowned at her as she put her finger up silencing me. She got up and walked to the nurses door leading towards Forrest's door.

"What is it?"

"Shh!"

She waved me over,"I think that woman is back. Visitor's hours don't start for another hour," She told me as I joined her by the door.

I could hear Maggie's faint voice and then a grumbled voice that was too recognizable,"He's speaking!"

"Has been for the past three days, full sentences and everything. The cut missed his voice box," Delia said. She must have caught on to my troubled look,"You didn't know?"

"No, he hasn't said anything to me,"

"That's odd," she whispered leaning her ear against the door.

Why would he not want to speak around me?

"What do you think they're talking about?"

"I don't know but he needs his rest, excuse me,"

She stepped back and I opened the door. Maggie was in a very beautiful dress and sitting next to Forrest on the bed. They both looked at me and I just looked at Maggie.

"I'm sorry to have to do this again, but visiting hours aren't for another hour," I said keeping my eyes on her.

"It's no problem. I was on my way out," She explained standing up and picking up her suitcase. I wondered if she was leaving. I followed her to the visiting door, shutting it once she left.

"I'll be back in an hour to check your bandages. I'll also bring some breakfast,"

"Ida," His voice was raspy and trained, but it's the first time I had heard him say my name in a long time. I stopped walking but didn't turn around,"That dress was always my favorite on you,"

The sob choked out of me before I even knew what was happening I spun around and glared at him.

"You don't get to say that to me. Not anymore, Forrest,"

"You're the one who left me, remember?" He deadpanned.

I just stared at him in shock,"Not by my choice,"

"You didn't come back. That was by your choice now wasn't it,"

"You didn't either," I sobbed.

He just grunted and turned his head, looking away from me.

And that is how Forrest Bondurant ends any conversation that makes him uncomfortable. He looks away from the person who is speaking to him.

"Oh, you could have a conversation with Maggie," I sneered her name,"but not your own wife," I say opening the door to leave.

"And here I thought we've been married for the past seven years," He said coldly.

I shut the door behind me and squeezed my eyes shut. I let out a sigh and wiped away my tears.

"Miss. Ida, just the woman I was looking for," I opened my eyes to see the same slimy man in the nice suit that had threatened Forrest and beat had Jack, standing by my desk.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please, let me know how you liked it by reviewing. Thank you!