High on...
Summary: Under the effects of anesthesia, Isobel is not what Jubal expected.
Author's note: A silly fluffy little thing to ease the drama after those chapters of "Reflection or mirages".
Chapter 1. ...anesthesia
Isobel's eyes blinked slowly; they focused and slowly roamed the hospital room until they found Jubal, sitting by her bedside, and he finally sighed in relief.
Isobel spent the entire week complaining of abdominal pain. He had been chasing her around the office, urging her to go to the doctor. It hadn't been until he found her in her office doubled over in pain, and not without argument, that she agreed to let Jubal take her to the hospital.
Fortunately, it had only been one –although left for too long–, appendicitis. When Isobel came out of the operating room, the surgeon said everything went well, but Jubal could not breathe at ease until she opened her eyes.
"Where am I...?" she asked, slurring her words slightly.
Placing the cup of coffee he had been drinking from on the nightstand next to the bed, Jubal leaned over to her.
"You're in the hospital, Isobel. They had to take out your appendix. But everything's fine. You'll be on your feet in no time. How are you feeling?"
She looked at him blankly.
"Aaam... My body feels really heavy..."
"No pain?"
"No... Hmm... Who are you...?"
For an instant Jubal fretted, but immediately remembered the doctors told him Isobel might be disoriented upon awakening from the anesthesia. She might even show some temporary amnesia. They explained it was nothing to worry about, and not to force her to remember because her memory would gradually return.
Jubal gave Isobel a reassuring smile; he didn't want her to be scared.
"I'm Jubal. Do you remember me?"
Isobel's huge eyes focused on his face and studied it, blinking slowly. Her expression became increasingly fascinated. Until the intensity of her gaze became hard to handle. In all those years working together, of course, never before had Isobel looked at him like that. His pulse racing, Jubal turned his attention back to his coffee cup, and took a small sip.
"No. I don't remember..." she said, speaking slowly, as if half asleep. Her voice sounded soft and a little higher-pitched than usual, tenderly innocent. "Wow... You're so handsome..."
Jubal choked and nearly spit out his coffee.
"What?"
"You are really handsome," she repeated with sparkling eyes, still staring at him.
Jubal noticed some heat rising to his cheeks. He had to stifle a silly giggle.
"Oh, you think so?" he said, half laughing.
"Oh, yeah..."
Jubal cleared his throat in immense amusement.
"Well, thank you very much."
"My name is Isobel. What's yours?" she said shyly, although not taking her eyes off him.
"I am Jubal."
"Yes... Jubal..."
The way Isobel's mouth tasted his name took the breath away from him. He could only smile at her and nod. Her eyes were becoming more and more bewitching.
"Are you thirsty?" He offered to distract himself. "Would you like some water?"
"Yes, please."
Jubal operated the bed control to get her sufficiently upright. He held out the glass of water he had there prepared for her. Seeing Isobel's hands were still a little unsteady, he helped her hold it while she drank. Before he could realize it, he gently brushed her hair back from her face.
"Ahhh," sighed Isobel contentedly as she finished drinking, making him smile. Then she leaned back, "Thank you," she said as he set the glass down on the bedside table. "You're very kind."
"It's no big deal."
That look came back.
"Jubal..."
"Tell me."
"Would you kiss me...?"
"Come again!?"
"Give me a kiss, please?" she asked with almost irresistible pouting.
A silly giggle nearly assaulted Jubal.
"No, Isobel," he replied in a gentle fatherly tone.
"No?" she replied with huge disappointment on her face, "Is it because I'm not pretty myself?"
Jubal sighed the air clutched in his chest. He took her hand and stroked it gently, as he kicked the temptation away.
"No, Isobel. You are really beautiful." The most beautiful woman I've ever met, he thought. "But it wouldn't be right."
"No? Why?" Her expression of incomprehension was just lovely.
"Because right now you don't know it, but you're a little high and I would be taking advantage of you."
"Hmm..." Isobel seemed to be pondering.
Jubal could not restrain himself and smiled at her with enormous tenderness.
"Jubal..." she said after a while. "If I kiss you, would I be taking advantage of you? You are so handsome..."
He couldn't hold back his laughter this time. "No, you wouldn't."
Isobel smiled with pleasure. "OK... Then... Then I'll kiss you," she decided with drowsy resolution.
She reached up to Jubal's face and he caught his breath. Her fingers brushed awkwardly over his cheek. I should not let her do this... Jubal thought, but he did not move, in grave conflict with himself.
"But later. Now…" Isobel murmured. "Now I'm so tired... Soooo handsome..."
She stroked his nose lightly as her eyelids fluttered closed. By the time her hand fell slowly to the bed, Isobel had fallen asleep again.
"You know what?" Jubal whispered. "I may take you at your word one day…"
~.~.~.~