And here we are - another chapter!

Thank you so much for the reviews on the last one. I really appreciate them and love hearing the feedback. :) I hereby apologize for any and all mistakes; I haven't beta'd this as I wanted to get it out while I still could (I'm at work).

Hope you like it!

M

Hank watched Boris leave, his mind going a million miles a minute. He honestly couldn't pick a subject to focus on. The fact that Boris essentially murders anyone that tries to leave his employ certainly weighed heavily on him and he wasn't entirely sure what to think there, but other topics quickly brushed that one aside. What Ivan had gone through before Boris had signed him on had broken Hank's heart; he couldn't imagine how he would react if something like that ever happened to him. Then there was Boris' apology. The apology in and of itself wasn't a huge deal; Boris had apologized many times before this, and with true sincerity. But he had never been as open with his emotions and as free in expressing those emotions as he had just been and it made Hank's brain run like a hamster on a wheel trying to decipher it all.

Before long, his knee brought itself into the forefront of his mind with a deep, painful throb. Hank knew that he should have had the leg elevated while he'd been sitting but he couldn't bring himself to do it on the rather fancy looking coffee table. When Boris had suggested that he take the couch, Hank had been tempted but, again, it looked a bit too fancy – and a little bit too uncomfortable – for Hank to take him up on the offer and so he'd declined. Now, however, he knew that he'd either have to move over to the couch or go back to the bed as his knee really needed the elevation; he also didn't want the lecture that he was sure Divya would give if she found him in his current position.

"Doctor Lawson?" Dieter's quiet voice called through the door, announcing the butler's presence. The man himself came in about two seconds later and he quietly stepped further into the room so that Hank could talk to him easier. "Would you like me to have Ada change the sheets while you're out of bed?"

"No, that's alright," Hank denied, feeling bad at having it suggested. He knew that Boris like to keep a clean house but Hank didn't quite see the point in having someone change the sheets when he'd only been using them for a day or two.

"It's no trouble," Dieter assured, pushing the subject more than a little.

With a sigh, Hank acquiesced. "Sure, yeah, thanks, Dieter." He figured that if the idea was so warranted to the butler than he might as well give in; otherwise the man might just have it done while Hank's in the bed.

Dieter made a slight bow, showing that he'd heard, and then left, quietly closing the door behind him.

Taking advantage of the peace, Hank gingerly pushed himself out of the armchair and limp-hopped the foot or two over to the sofa and then lowered himself onto it. It was more comfortable than he would have thought but he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay here all day. He scooted down to the other side of the sofa and then carefully raised his right leg onto the open space beside him, using one of the fancily decorated pillows to support his knee as he did so.

The moment he'd gotten comfortable, Hank then began to wish that he'd thought to grab his laptop while he'd been up. But in fact, the only things there were to do were look out the window at the weather and stare at the room. Since he'd seen the room plenty of times up to this point, Hank chose to look out the window and let his mind drift.

He loved fall. The way the leaves turned colors and the smells of fresh baked breads, pumpkin pies and roasted turkeys that floated through the air. The cooler days were also a plus but, to a point, Hank preferred the sunshine of summer. He didn't like the heat so much, however and so he enjoyed the early days of fall before the truly colder days of winter came. Outside this particular window, not much could be seen. The lawn being as expansive as it was, was his main form of scenery and it soon became dull. There were no trees outside this particular window and try though he might, he couldn't see the guest house either.

The guest house. Hank wondered what his brother was up to this morning. Was Eddie R staying there or was Evan there on his own?

The thought of Eddie R being in the house when Hank wasn't bothered Hank. Not that he was worried that Eddie would steal something. No. Hank was more worried about what he and Evan were planning or talking about. Between the two of them, they could come up with some pretty amazing schemes and Hank was sure that the only voice of reason – meaning his – wouldn't be consulted at all.

A gentle knock on the door brought Hank back into the house. He absently bid whoever it was to come in and then watched as the maid – or was it simply one of the maids? – came in, carrying a set of fresh sheets and pillow cases in her hands.

"And you must be Ada," Hank said, trying to start some sort of conversation with the young woman.

She looked nervous. Her honey brown eyes darted here and there, but rarely at him and they never lingered on his face for too long. Her sturdy build did little to shed the look of frightened deer and her toned shoulders were hunched as though she were trying to curl into herself in a protective sort of way. Her smile was hesitant but no less warm and her voice was pleasing, though quiet as she answered, "Yes, I am."

"I'm sorry about this," Hank apologized, feeling guilty that she had to be doing this. "Dieter seemed rather insistent and so I caved."

Ada placed the sheets on a nearby dresser and began to systematically strip the linens off the bed.

"It's alright," she easily forgave as she put the newly-stripped pillows onto one of the armchairs near the bed. Her voice had grown stronger since her last reply, leaving Hank to assume that not having to make eye contact with him – as well as having something to focus on doing – made it easier for her to make conversation. "He came to me early this morning, requesting that I do this before I do the rest of my chores."

Hank nodded, knowing that nothing he would say would make a difference. So, he changed the subject. "I don't think I've ever seen you before."

At this she turned and smiled, more broadly this time, at him. "Well, you wouldn't, would you?" she answered, the smile on her face warming her voice. "Servants aren't supposed to be seen or heard."

"I didn't think anyone still kept servants," Hank said, confused.

"Well, the term can have a bad connotation connected to it," she answered as she tossed the dirty sheets into a pile on the floor. "When most people hear the word 'servant' they imagine a slave. But I'm paid well for my services and I'm given a place to stay that is close to my husband, which is more than I could ask for from someone like Boris."

"Oh you're married. To whom? Anyone I know?"

"I believe you know him, yes," she answered. "His name is Josef."

"Oh, Boris' head security agent, yeah, I know him. Nice guy."

"Yes, he is a nice guy. And a good husband." She slowly began to put the new sheets back on the bed and then added the blankets. As she was putting the pillowcases on the many pillows, she asked, "How are you feeling?"

The fact that she asked threw him for a loop, given how shy she seemed to have been when she first entered. Her question, however, wasn't merely conversational. Hank could tell that she sincerely wanted to know, though he couldn't imagine why.

"I'm doing better," he answered honestly, nodding a little as he talked. "Still a bit sore, but, you know, that's to be expected."

She politely smiled at his answer as she put the pillows back on the bed but in her eyes Hank could see something that resembled sympathy. He did his best not to let the expression get to him. Granted, he didn't need or want her sympathy but he could appreciate where it was coming from – her heart.

"Well," she said once she'd finished. "Do you want to get back in bed or are you planning on staying there for the rest of the morning?"

"Uh, you know, I don't know," Hank answered, puzzled at why she was asking. "Why?"

"Sorry," she apologized, apparently assuming that she'd offended him. "I was just wanting to make sure that you didn't need any help or anything before I left." She paused and then added, "Boris was very specific that anything you needed, we should get you."

"Well, I appreciate the offer, but unless you can instantly heal me, I'm good," Hank said with a small laugh. He could truly appreciate Boris trying to take care of him, but telling everyone that worked for him to go out of their way to make Hank comfortable was going a bit far in Hank's opinion.

"Would that I could," Ada joked as she gathered up the linens. "Alas, you're on your own there." She sighed as she surveyed the room and then smiled at him. "Well, I hope you feel better soon, Doctor. I know that it will go a long way towards easing both Boris' and Josef's minds."

Before Hank could decide what to say, she left. He took a minute to let her passing remark sink in and then he began to make the laborious trek over to where his laptop lay and then back onto the bed. Getting the laptop from the dresser to the other side of the room where the bed was whilst on crutches was a sight to be seen. It had taken Hank a couple of tries, each with a different position for the laptop before he could finally figure it out and even then it had been more a matter of luck that he'd gotten the thing to the bed without it falling and breaking.

The bed absorbed him just like it had the first time he'd gotten into it. He hated to admit it but the fresh sheets felt good and the scent of clean laundry surrounded him, lulling him to serene complacency. He refused to give in, of course, but that didn't mean that he didn't want to. Knowing it was pointless to fall asleep now – no doubt Divya would be coming to check on him before too long – Hank fired up his laptop and checked today's calendar. It was going to be a relatively light day for them, so far, and Hank hoped it would stay that way. After having to handle not only Hank as her patient but all of their other patients as well, Hank worried that Divya would burn herself out before he was able to lighten the load for her.

Hank set his laptop aside, thoroughly frustrated with how little he'd be able to do for the next few weeks. If he had any other job, it wouldn't be such a problem. But the truth of the matter was that mobility was a main part of his job. He had to be able to go from place to place, giving consults, or treating various medical problems. He had to be able to stand for periods of time, running tests and such. And he needed to be particularly mobile so that he could rush to emergencies when they happened. Not being able to do any of that was a problem for Hank and for HankMed and he knew it. Sure, he could probably do some things at the guest house, where he could remain sitting but most of it would be left up to Divya.

That was where Evan came in, Hank realized. He'd been bugging Hank about possibly hiring another doctor for a while now and each time, Hank had turned the idea down. Now, however, he realized how much of a necessity that was. He knew that Evan already had some names that he wanted to check out, so all it was down to was Hank interviewing them to make sure they are qualified enough to fill in on an case-by-case, emergency basis. Providing, that was, that Evan actually ran those names by him.

Letting his eyes close and his head fall back against the pillows, Hank allowed his mind to wander. His head pounded a little from the lingering concussion, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle and there were things that he needed to figure out. Namely how he felt about Boris.

Admittedly, he'd been tip-toeing around the truth of it all. He'd pushed the thoughts, feelings, and decisions to the back of his mind, convincing himself that he had other things – namely his father suddenly reappearing in his life – to worry about. Now that he was a lone and that he knew he couldn't do anything about Eddie R, Hank put some serious consideration into Boris and how to respond to how Boris was feeling.

The German nobleman hadn't said anything in so many words but Hank had gotten the gist of what he'd meant to say and though he wasn't altogether surprised by the feelings, he had been shocked that Boris was expressing them now. Boris had never really seemed like much of a gambler and so laying it all out there for Hank to construe and do what he pleased seemed like a bet that Hank had never thought Boris would have taken. Meaning, either the German was tired of waiting or he was certain that Hank returned his affection.

Thing is, Hank wasn't sure that he didn't return Boris' feelings. As he'd admitted to himself the last time he'd thought about it, Boris was an attractive man and there was something about him that drew Hank to him. But there were also things that put Hank off of him. Granted, Hank hadn't known about the biggest one until this morning, but they had to be considered as well as what his heart had to say.

Did he like Boris? Yes. Did he think they could be more than friends? Maybe. Could he move past the secrets, lies, and other unsavory parts of Boris' life so that they could possibly develop what was going on between them? Hank wasn't sure. And that was what he needed to find out. He just wasn't sure how.

oOo

Divya's heels clicked on the floor of the mansion as she walked up to Hank's room. She hadn't even bothered visiting Evan first since she really didn't want to see him yet. He'd tried to apologize for how he'd acted when his father had been there but she wasn't in the mood to hear him out just now; even after her talk with Hank. It wasn't that she wasn't ready to forgive him per se, she just didn't want to yet. Besides, she had other things to worry about than a little spat with Little Lawson.

The house seemed deserted as she entered through the foyer and walked up the stairs. The sound of her shoes hitting the floor echoed rather loudly through the stone halls, reaching her ears with a sort of ring that bordered on painful. She hoped that she wasn't disturbing Boris with her early morning visit. Dieter had informed her that Boris was shut away in his office on the top floor, fielding calls from another part of the world when she'd entered but she doubted that even those calls would muffle her arrival in his home.

She came to Hank's door in no time and gave a gentle knock before entering. She'd heard Hank's voice coming through the door, letting her know that he was already awake and so she didn't worry about waking him.

"No, Ev, what I said was we'll talk about it. Not 'go ahead and hire the first guy that applies without even consulting me'."

Ah, so Evan had called his brother and informed him that about the newest member of HankMed. When Divya had gotten up this morning she'd already had three texts from Evan about the other doctor that he'd hired. Well, one was telling her about the doctor, another was giving her an updated schedule so she knew which patients to visit, and the last was asking if she could bring some coffee to the morning's staff meeting. She'd ignored all of them and hoped that Evan wasn't counting on her attending any such meeting since she didn't plan on being there.

"No, telling me that we need to hire another doctor is not consulting me," Hank argued, his voice rising a little as his temper did the same. He jerked around a little in agitation with that declaration and soon showed his regret with a wince.

Divya sat down in an armchair, making herself comfortable in case this turned out to be a long call. From the sounds of it, the two brothers had been arguing for a bit – at least long enough to get Hank worked up – but that didn't guarantee that the two stubborn men would cease any time soon.

Suddenly Hank's demeanor changed from frustrated to cold anger. His voice was enough to put a bit of chill in Divya as he said, "Dad, this does not concern you, stay out of it."

Yes, only Hank's father entering the conversation could make it worse. Not only would his input not be appreciated, but the fact that he was, more than likely, defending Evan's choice would only serve to make Hank dig his heels in deeper.

Though nothing had been said between the brothers – that she knew of at least – Divya knew that there was still some unresolved issues between them, stemming from Evan bringing their father to the Hamptons without Hank's knowledge. Divya wasn't entirely sure what they were, but she could guess and she also guessed that Hank would never bring it up. A part of her felt that she should, but that would require her to actually talk to Evan which, as pointed out by her ignoring his texts, she wasn't willing to do.

She watched as Hank's jaw clenched and his body seemed to tense and before she knew it, Divya was up and grabbing the phone out of his hand.

"Sorry, but Hank is going to have to call you back," she said, barely registering the guilt-inducing tone of Edward Lawson as she spoke. Without waiting for a response from either Lawson, she hung up and tossed the phone into the chair she'd just vacated.

"I take it you know about the doctor that Evan hired?" Hank asked after she'd chucked the phone.

Divya moved the chairs back slightly so that she didn't feel quite so claustrophobic and began to gently check his injuries, talking all the while.

"I got a text from Evan this morning, telling me about it. He even sent me a text with an updated schedule."

Hank's concussion seemed to have mostly cleared, though it appeared he had a headache at the moment. His wrist was still in the brace and his fingers were still taped, so she didn't bother to check those, knowing they'd be fine if left alone. She then moved on to his stomach, softly pressing down on the area in and around the bruise. He winced but otherwise showed no signs of pain and so she left him be. Checking his knee wasn't necessary and so she moved the chairs back to their original positions and then sat in one of them.

A part of her was tempted to sit on the bed, for all she truly wanted to do today was just stay and talk with Hank about how he's been feeling, emotionally, lately. But she knew that she couldn't. She had a few other patients to see today. Thanks to Evan's new schedule, his other doctor was taking most of them with him tagging along, which would leave her free later on this afternoon. Her plans would just have to wait until then.

"So you haven't met this doctor either?" Hank ventured, sounding cautiously skeptical.

"No, I haven't," Divya assured. "But I did see her resume and she had a glowing recommendation from Jill."

She hoped that by mentioning the hospital administrator, Hank's worry would ease a little. She knew that the two of them had tried to have something going on but one problem or another had always gotten in the way. Now they seemed to be going the friends route, though how well that would go over was anyone's guess.

"Yeah," Hank distantly said. "I suppose that means something."

His gaze was focused anywhere but the here and now and Divya let him be.

"Well, everything looks good. If you take it easy for another day or two, I'd say you can probably go home," she pronounced, though she was sure that he already knew that. It served its purpose in grabbing his attention, however and he looked at her as though trying to come awake through a fog. "I only have a few patients today, so I can come back around late afternoon."

"You don't have to, Divya," Hank said. No doubt he was beginning to feel like a burden to her, but that was far from the case.

"I know," she countered, slinging her bag over her should. "I'll be back later." She leaned forward and placed a hand on his forearm. "Try to rest. Let me worry about Evan and the new doctor."

The phrase 'easier said than done' rang in her ears as he looked back at her. It was almost as though he was thinking it and projecting the words right into her brain. Of course, she chose to ignore them and not comment on them and instead left, knowing precisely what Hank would do once she'd gone. She dialed the number to Hampton's Heritage to warn the hospital administrator.

TBC