AN: Hi! As always I want to start by thanking you for all your wonderful reviews and messages! I say it often but it's true, they make me smile so much. So please keep them coming! I managed to update this within 1 week, so I hope to continue with more regular updates. I took the angst down a notch in this chapter. But don't worry more to come...hope you enjoy this in place of a new episode tonight.

Chapter 8

Stephanie McCord let sighed; her Irish Poetry class was not the welcome distraction she'd been looking for. Then she heard her front door close and familiar voice, and she dropped her pencil and smiled. "McCords!"

"Uncle Will!" she shrieked like a little girl as she bounded down the stairs.

Allison and Jason had joined in the group hug at the bottom of the stairs when they heard the excitement.

"What are you doing here? Is Dad okay?" Ally asked nervously

"I missed you guys." Will told his favorite nieces and nephews and they didn't buy that was the only reason for their Uncle's visit. They were bright children with parents who used to work in the CIA. Jason's investigative skills had become especially strong lately.

"You mom and dad are fine. But it will be a few more days before they can come home, so Mom asked me to come look after you guys."

"We don't need looking after." Stevie insisted, she was an adult.

"Okay, then I came to hang out with you guys until they get back…." Will smiled walking to the fridge. "What have you got to eat around here?"

******Quiet Pain******

Elizabeth held the spoon to Henry's mouth, gently poking and making cute faces. Henry was not amused with her antics and pushed his tray away.

"Henry. You have to try and eat." She pleaded.

Henry scribbled on his white board; he was getting stronger now that his blood transfusions were complete. Don't baby me.

"I'm not….I'm trying to help you….Henry please let…"

Henry sighed and swiped the spoon from her hand. He hated having to be cared for. He hated that she had to help him shower the first day, that she had to help him stand and walk. Granted she was a wonderful caregiver; he'd watched her in awe with their children. But he never wanted to be the one she physically had to care for.

She could tell he was tense as he swiped the spoon. She knew he didn't like to be taken care of and babied, but it was necessary in her opinion. If she were in the hospital bed he would have been giving her the same attention.

He dug his spoon into his applesauce and slipped it between his lips, wincing as he swallowed. It burned like hell. But the doctor was insistent that he needed to be on lower doses of pain medication and able to eat before they would release him and there was nothing he wanted more than the comfort of his own bed. He was still on soft foods and was getting quite tired of applesauce and jello.

You had better eat something too. Henry wrote on his bored. Elizabeth was terrible at eating regularly, and it was the one thing he could do to care for her.

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Fine. I'll make you a deal."

Henry stared at her, waiting patiently for the terms of the deal.

"At dinner, for every bite I eat – you eat."

Henry blinked indicating his approval of the deal and smiled devilishly as he took another bite of his applesauce.

Elizabeth's eyes widened at his expression and she playfully punched his shoulder. "You're a pain in the ass you know." She teased with a smile.

He tiredly winked at her as he wrote on the board. So are you.

Laughing she sat beside him in bed, and pressed a kiss to his temple. "You're lucky I love you so much."

*****Quiet Pain*****

Elizabeth returned to the hospital around dinner time freshly showered and changed; a change of real clothes in tow for Henry.

"On your feet soldier." She bellowed from the door, tossing his jeans and a t-shirt his way.

Henry looked at her. Excuse me.

"I got permission to take you out for the night."

Elizabeth.

"Come on. Get dressed. I'm taking you out to dinner – I think some fresh air and vitamin D might do you some good."

He wanted to protest. But she was a sight for sore eyes. Fresh jeans and a button down sleeveless top and a pair of wedge sandals. She'd even put on makeup for the first time since she'd been in Miami.

After a moment he couldn't help but smile at her sweet expression and pulled back the covers from his hospital bed and padded to the bathroom to wash up.

It was an effort, but he'd managed to shave and wash his face and he dressed in the clothing she brought. She had clearly made an effort to get him out of the hospital for the night, and he knew it probably wasn't easy. He emerged with a smile on his face as he walked toward her.

She smiled genuinely at him, happy that he was feeling better. "Hey, there's my handsome date."

He laughed at her she rose from the bed and met his lips for a quick kiss. They linked arms and she draped her sweater on her free arm as they slowly walked to the front entrance of the hospital.

They soon found themselves seated on an outdoor table at a quaint beachside bistro. They sat in silence reading over the menu, letting the sound of the ocean waves wash over and calm them. Henry reached for Elizabeth's hand across the table, thanking her.

How on earth did you manage to pull this off? He texted her.

Elizabeth's phone beeped and she pulled it from her pocket, curious who the text was from and smiled when she saw it was from him. She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm very convincing."

That I know. He texted.

"When I first got to Miami, I was…well I was a mess. You had made it through the surgery and Will arrived. He made me leave for a while and he took me to breakfast and we went for a walk on the beach. It did me a world of good just getting outside for a while. Plus I know hospital food sucks…..it took some persuasion, but the doctor felt better that DS is here in case anything happened."

He leaned in to kiss her gently and followed up with a text. You're amazing. Thank you.

"I love you, Henry." She said simply and they settled back into a silence as they reviewed the menu. "Babe, let me know what you want to eat okay?" she said after a few minutes. There were quite a few pasta options on the menu she thought Henry would be able to swallow easily.

Henry wasn't thrilled with her speaking for him to the waitress, but unfortunately he didn't have a choice. He pointed on his menu to a seafood linguine he wanted to try.

"That sounds good, Henry. Did you want soup or to try the salad?" she asked, her eyes peeking over the menu. Reading his expression she nodded. "I'll ask what the soup is."

When the waitress came she placed a basket of freshly baked bread on the table. "What can I get for you?" she asked

"I'll have the blackened salmon with vegetables."

"Soup or Salad?"

"What's the soup?"

"We have minestrone, clam chowder and seafood gumbo."

She read Henry's eyes as the waitress spoke.

"I'll have a salad with whatever vinagerette you have…." She trailed, getting ready to order for Henry when the waitress turned to him.

"And for you sir."

She knew her husband's heart sank and she placed her hand on his knee under the table as she spoke. "He'll have the seafood linguine and the minestrone soup."

She smiled gently, noticing the neck brace on Henry. "I'll put that right in."

Elizabeth was a sucker for carbs and quickly spread some butter on a piece of bread and ate it. "Henry are you counting the bites?" she winked at him, a teasing gleam in her eye.

He smiled, forgetting the humiliation he felt when his wife had to order his meal and took a sip of his iced tea.

Babe, you should order a glass of wine if you want.

He couldn't drink because of his pain meds and he noticed she had forgone a glass when he wasn't drinking. It wasn't necessary in his opinion.

Knowing it would make him happy, she ordered a glass of white wine when the waitress came to check on them and they shared the rest of their meal happily. Henry took pleasure in feeding her a bite of his food and she gave him a bite of hers. Their little game of eating equal bites of food was forgotten as they both cleaned their plates, enjoying their first real meal in days. Henry had even talked her into sharing a slice of key lime pie, since they were in Florida.

You up for a walk on the beach? He texted her as they rose from the table.

"Of course." She smiled at him as he offered his arm and they made their way to the water.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his husband's waist as they walked along the beach, resting her head on his chest.

Henry's hand circled and rested on her hip as they walked, each lost in their own thoughts. Henry tried to push the scary thoughts of life without a voice in the back of mind and focused on his wife. He was so thankful he was alive and holding her in his arms. She looked stunning as the ocean breeze tousled her hair and the warm rays of the sun kissed her skin, bringing out her freckles. He was so lucky to have her. He bent and placed a kiss to her hair causing her to look up and smile. He bent again, their noses nuzzling before their lips met and they continued to walk.

Their feet left footprints in the sand as the ocean water brushed over their bare feet and Elizabeth shivered as the evening set in. "What do you say we stay and watch the sunset?"

Henry didn't protest and pointed to a couple of beach loungers in the distance. Henry sat down on one of the loungers and scooted to make room for his wife. She curled against his side as they gazed at the pink and purple sky in front of them.

He was lost in his thoughts once again. What if I can never speak? I don't want to be an invalid with my wife ordering my meals at restaurants. How will I teach? I don't want to text my wife. I want to talk to her, and tell her things.

But he chose not to share his thoughts with Elizabeth just yet. He didn't want to ruin tonight. It was a wonderful night, one he wasn't expecting and it was all because of her. Not talking in this moment was normal for them, they simply relished in being together and enjoying something romantic. That is one thing he was glad this didn't change. His ability to enjoy the sunset with his wife.

He smiled as she snuggled closer and leaned up for a kiss. They kissed tenderly for a few moments and smiled when they pulled away, watching together as the heavy orange ball of the sun began to dip behind the horizon.

Elizabeth reached in her pocket for her phone and snapped a quick photo capturing gorgeous scenery before them, including their sand covered toes. She texted her children the photo. "Dad is feeling much better. We enjoyed a meal at the beach and are soaking in the sunset. Xoxo."

Henry looked down at her, seeing that she texted the kids and kissed her again. Love you. He mouthed to her when their lips broke, their noses touching.

Love you too. She mouthed back, brushing his lips once more before, breaking apart just in time to see the sun dip fully below the ocean.

******Quiet Pain*********

"Uncle Will! Look at this picture mom sent!" Ally said as she showed the phone to her uncle.

Will looked at the photo and smiled, now that is true love. He thought. "That's great, Ally. Hopefully your dad will be home soon."

Ally texted back. "Miss and love you. Get home soon!"