In Death 19 - Visions in Death

more easily, and when fatigue won, he rested his head beside her breast with his hand under the sheet and linked with hers.
    He didn't know what woke him the pings of the monitors, the shuffle of feet outside the room, the light that spilled through the window. But he lifted his head, winced with the crick in his neck, rubbing it out as he studied her face.
    They hadn't yet treated the bruising, and it broke his heart to see her face so damaged. It twisted his belly to see her so still.
    "It's morning." He cleared the worst of the hoarseness from his voice. "Morning, baby. Ah, sun's out, but it looks like we might get some rain. You, ah, had a lot of people in and out, checking on you. If you don't wake up, you're going to miss all the attention. I was going to get you flowers, but I didn't want to leave you that long. You wake up, and I'll take care of that. Want some flowers? Come on, She-body, rise and shine." He slipped her hand out, pressed it to his cheek. There were nasty abrasions down the arm where it had skidded over the sidewalk.
    "Come on, come on back. We got a lot to do, you know.
    Moving day." He kept her hand there as he turned his head and watched Mavis come in.
    She said nothing, only walked to him, laid a hand on the back of his head.
    "How'd you get by the dragons?" "Said I was her sister." It made him close his eyes. "Close enough. She's still out." "Bet she knows you're here." Mavis leaned over, touched her lips to his cheek. "Leonardo's down getting her some flowers. She'll like having them when she wakes up." "We were just talking about that. Oh, Christ." He turned his head, pressed his face into Mavis's side as he fought to hold on.
    She waited, stroking his hair until the tremors passed, and he was able to draw a steady breath. "I'll sit with her if you want to take a walk, get some air." "I can't." "Okay." He shifted, but stayed close so they watched the steady rise and fall of Peabody's chest together. "Louise checked on her a few times. I think she and Charles stayed most of the night."
    "I saw him in the waiting area. Dallas?" "She's going after the bastard. She's hunting the animal who did this to her." "Then she'll get him." After giving him a pat, Mavis turned away to pull over a chair.
    "Wait, sorry, let me get that. You shouldn't be hauling stuff." At best, the folding chair weighed four pounds, but she let him move it over for her. "McNab, there isn't a lot we - me and Leonardo can do. But we can move your stuff, set up your new place." "It's a lot of stuff. I don't want--" "We can do that, if you let us. Then when she's better, you can just, you know, carry her in. It'll be done. You need to be here, with her. We can do this for you. For both of you." "I... that'd be mag. Thanks, Mavis." "Hey, we're going to be neighbors." "You, ah, don't go lifting anything heavy. With that bun in the oven." "Don't worry." She rubbed a hand over her belly. "I won't." "I feel like I'm going to fall apart any second. Then the second passes, and it's the next, and I. . ." He jerked straight in the chair. "I think she moved. Did you see that?" "No, but I--" "She moved. Her fingers." He turned over the hand he held in his. "I felt them move. Come on, Peabody. Wake up." "I saw it that time." With her fingers gripping his shoulders, she leaned forward. "Look, she's trying to open her eyes. Do you want me to get somebody?" "Wait. Wait." He pushed up, leaned over. "Open your eyes, Peabody. You can hear me. No sliding back under again.
    Come on, you're going to be late for your tour." She made some sound part gurgle, part moan, part sigh and he'd never heard sweeter music. Her lids fluttered, and her swollen, blackened eyes opened.
    "There you are." The tears flooded his throat; he swallowed most of them and grinned at her.
    "What happened?" "You're in the hospital. You're okay." "Hospital. Can't remember." "Doesn't matter now. You hurt anywhere?" "I... everywhere. God, what happened to me?" "It's okay. Mavis." "I'll get somebody." When she dashed out, McNab pressed his lips to Peabody's hand, "It's going to be okay now. I promise. Dee. Baby." "I was . . . coming home." "You'll get there. Soon." "Can I have drugs first?" He laughed, as tears rolled out of his eyes.
    Eve caught herself leaning over Yancy's shoulder, and eased back.
    "It's okay. Used to it. Let me tell you first, if everybody brought me witnesses like yours, my job would be a hell of a lot easier. Maybe a little boring." Then he glanced back