Chapter 22

When Marcus woke up in the morning, he found a fresh change of clothes next to his bed that someone must have brought overnight. And that someone, he suspected, was Abby. He sat up on his bed, his arm was sore, and his wound stung. He tried to rotate his shoulder only for a sharp pain to shoot right through his arm and back. He hissed in pain.

Slowly, he got dressed and fully awake, he sat on his bed in medical waiting for his dressings to be changed. He tapped his foot on the ground, impatient to see Abby. Eager to talk to her. His head snapped up as he heard footsteps outside the room, and he stared at the door in anticipation. When it opened, his face fell as Jackson entered the room with a metal tray full of medical supplies.

"Where's Abby?" asked Kane as soon as he noticed the younger doctor. He didn't mean for it to sound as harsh as it came out.

"I don't know. She asked me to change your dressings."

"When was that?"

"I don't know. A few hours ago?"

Without a word, Marcus slowly took his shirt off that he had so carefully put on mere minutes ago. He should've waited to get dressed, he thought.

Jackson positioned himself behind Kane, put on his gloves, and removed the old bandages and gauze.

"It's looking good. There's no sign of infection so far—"

"How long before it heals?"

"Shouldn't take longer than two weeks… As long as you take it easy." Jackson emphasized.

Marcus nodded and chewed on his lip, conflicted as to whether he should ask the question that was on his mind. Eric Jackson had always been loyal to Abby and Kane was one of his least favorite people. He knew that. But what's the worst thing that could happen? He'd be told to mind his own business. Marcus was willing to risk it.

"How is she?" he braved.

"Who?" Jackson's hand worked fast cleaning Marcus' wound.

"Abby."

"She's…" Eric mulled over his words, unsure of how to respond. "She's been better," he finally settled on.

"She's been overworking herself."

"What's new?" Jackson replied sarcastically.

"You know what I mean."

"I do." He cut the tape. "But she won't listen. I think she's in denial about her own mental state." Jackson dropped the scissors in the metal tray and took his gloves off. "You are free to go. You need to come back twice a day for your dressings to be changed."

"Thanks," Marcus said and hopped off the bed.

And just like that, he was free to leave the medical without as much as seeing Abby. It was very odd, normally she wouldn't have missed an opportunity to check up on him so her not being there confused Marcus.

As required, Marcus came to the medical twice a day to have his dressing changed. He hoped for a chance to see Abby but had no such luck. Jackson was the one handling his care. For the first time ever, Abby delegated work, and the patient she gave away was Marcus. That stung. Before the bunker, she'd never allowed anyone else to handle his care, not even on the Ark when she hated his guts. This… This was personal.

As always, she was nowhere to be found and Marcus had hoped to see her during one of the council meetings, but luck would have it that Abby missed both due to medical emergencies. Appendicitis and something he couldn't pronounce.

It's been three days since he had last seen her. Three long days filled with worry and uncertainty, thinking of what he wanted to say to her. All sorts of scenarios played in his head. One shot was all he had and taking that chance could backfire horribly, he was aware of that. He could lose her, but he needed to try.

He finally spotted Abby in the mess hall four days after he was wounded. She was sitting alone at a table. He took a long look at her. The bruises on her face and neck were no longer angry red and purple, some started to slowly fade into lighter shades although still very visible. It would be days before they disappear completely. He read the report and her statement, he wanted nothing more than to hug her and comfort her, but it wasn't his place. Not anymore or maybe not yet. He hoped it was the latter.

Marcus grabbed his food and made his way over to Abby's table. Without asking, he placed his tray next to hers and sat down in the chair opposite her.

"Abby," he greeted her.

"Marcus," she said without looking up, playing with her food. "Jackson said that your wound's healing up nicely."

"I was surprised that you haven't come by to check on it yourself."

"It's better that way," she slipped up before she could stop herself.

Marcus stared at her with his eyes wide open, surprised at her statement but Abby never looked up from her food, pushing it from one side of the plate to the other but she ate most of it, Marcus noted with relief.

"Is it?"

"It is. Jackson is capable—"

"He was capable in Arkadia, yet you wouldn't let him touch me any time I was wounded!"

"That was different."

"How?"

"Just different!" She dropped her fork in frustration.

Marcus leaned back in his chair, his eyebrows raised, as he looked at her intently, studying her. She didn't run away, at least not yet. He took it as a good sign.

"If it's because of Leanna—"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me."

"But I want to."

"Well, I don't want to hear it." Abby got up and picked up her tray ready to leave. "I'll see you later," she said and turned around.

Marcus reached out with his hand trying to grab her wrist to stop her only to silently wince in pain. His wound didn't like sudden movement and extending his arm certainly aggravated it. He hissed under his breath cursing quietly.

"See you later," he said but she was already too far away to hear him.

Marcus paced in his office frustrated at their recent interaction. He needed Abby to understand, to let him explain… Sure, she pushed him away, and kept pushing but this time he had no intention of staying away. He loved her and only her and it was time for him to make it clear. But as luck would have it, Abby only witnessed his and Leanna's interactions on a few rare occasions that painted a picture of their relationship as something that never was. Marcus was fully aware of that.

But he was done with waiting on her. He gave Abby time and now, it was his move. He's had enough of watching her punish herself.

He took Abby's reaction to Leanna as a good sign. Not a way he'd choose to get a reaction, far from it, but it was a reaction, nonetheless. It was more than the cold indifference she displayed weeks ago. At least now, she showed him that she cared even if she claimed otherwise. Maybe he was fooling himself. Who knew? But he was willing to take that chance.

That afternoon Marcus saw Abby again. Another council meeting; after recent events, they had a lot to discuss.

During the whole meeting, Abby avoided his gaze, fiddling with the sleeves of her sweater every time she had to address him, clearly uncomfortable.

When the meeting finished and she started gathering her things to leave, Marcus gathered his courage and spoke up.

"Abby…" her head snapped up in his direction. "I need a word," he said knowing that she wouldn't argue in front of others.

"Can we do it later? I need to get back to medical." Panicked, she looked around for a way to escape. Iris smiled at her as she walked out.

"It'll only take a minute."

"Fine," she stood by her chair and tapped her finger on the top of it as she waited for other people to leave the room. She looked around nervously.

Once the last person left the room, Marcus walked over to the door and locked it so they wouldn't be interrupted. Abby swallowed hard and squeezed the back of the chair bracing for what he was about to say.

Kane stood in front of the door, blocking her only way of escape. He was about to tell her what was on his mind, and she was going to listen.

He started, "About our earlier conversation—"

"You don't have to explain. I understand."

"You clearly don't."

"It's fine, Marcus. Really."

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Abby's standard reply: it's fine, I'm fine, even when things weren't fine. He gritted his teeth and ignored it.

"Leanna is just a friend."

"Okay." Abby replied flatly. She wanted to be anywhere but in this room. This conversation was not the one she wanted to have.

"Abby, I swear…"

She walked over to him. His closeness and warmth were overwhelming, he still took her breath away. She stopped next to him, indicating that she wanted to pass. He didn't stop her; he wouldn't stop her. He moved aside at her request but as she grabbed the handle ready to open the door, he placed his hand on top of hers. Abby paused at the unexpected sensation. She started at their hands, her smaller completely covered by his large one, before she looked back at him. She didn't take her hand back.

"Abby, there's no one but you," he assured her looking directly in her eyes.

A shiver ran down her spine. She was drowning in the intensity of his gaze.

"I wouldn't blame you if there was." Abby twisted her hand and squeezed his reassuringly, letting him know that she understood. Surprising even herself, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

Marcus froze feeling her warm lips on his skin. The time stood still for a moment until her voice broke the spell.

"You're a good man, Marcus. I don't deserve you. You deserve better." And with that, she unlocked the door and left him standing there alone unable to move.

Strange as it was, that interaction gave him hope. The way she looked at him. The words she spoke. The way her lips lingered just a moment too long on his skin…

After agonizing weeks, it was more than he had hoped for.

Hope.

He remembered the last time she had kissed his cheek. She called it hope then.

Now, he chose to take this kiss as a sign of hope. He chose to believe that there was still hope for the two of them.

End of Chapter 22