Guardian

Dawn was breaking when Alex checked her temperature, it had gone down some but she was still sick, and she was going to be for a few days. He thought long and hard about taking her to the hospital, but then there would be questions about the injury. Too much risk. Looking down at this woman who meant so much to him and he knew so little about her past he only knew that he looked forward to seeing her every chance he got.
Looking over at the woman he spent the night watching over as she slept, he studied her features the pale skin of a woman who saw more moonlight than sunlight, a nose that is imperfect enough to be perfect, and even the dark circles were endearing to him. He looked at her and saw strength, determination and a survivor but he knew she has never seen true joy and happiness. She didn’t have to tell him that he saw it in her eyes and that far off look she sometimes got on those rare occasions they were together and stopping her bleeding was not his focus. There were those rare times she would appear at his clinic uninjured and keep him company late at night when he was finishing his charts or doing inventory that was the only way he kept it afloat being his own nurse, receptionist and janitor. She would come and sit across from him for hours while he worked, never saying a word just watching him. They shared an unspoken understanding no questions although he was really bad about keeping his mouth shut when she came injured he could not help himself those times concern overtook common sense. He felt drawn to her like a kindred spirit, he always has since those days by her bed in the ICU, a tormented broken soul searching for peace. He muffled a chuckle when he looked around her little bedroom there really wasn’t much to it as he took in the small room, a single dresser with nothing on top of it, bed was simple too piled with pillows and blankets of many different colors. This room didn’t scream girly.
His back was killing him pushing himself up off the floor, he reached over and touched her forehead still warm, felt her pulse it was still strong and her breathing was deep and regular. Her lion stayed close to her with a paw on her shoulder, Alex got the one eyed glared. Raising his arms in surrender he left the room, quietly. Walking into her the rest of her little apartment he actually got to take in how she lived, the only plus what the fireplace that took up one wall. In this day and age that was nice thing to have because the heating was not always dependable in any of the buildings. A chair and ottoman was placed in front of the fireplace, small table and chairs took up the space in front of her row of cabinets that made up her kitchen. The largest pieces were on the wall opposite the fireplace, a huge desk was flanked by shelves overflowing with books. Curiosity got the best of him, he had to know what kind of books she read, something anything to give him a little insight as to this woman in his care. Scrolling the titles he smiled sure there were some classics in there a lot actually, mysteries, and history but they only took up one set of shelves the other one was full of romance novels. Hundreds of them to the point she had the piled on the floor because there was no more room to put them. Alex couldn’t help but smile bigger, she had a soft side. Not that she would admit it but somewhere in that hard exterior craved love. Moving his eyes to her desk he saw her laptop sitting there closed, and there was no way he was going to look in it one thing to look at her books but there were lines that he honored.
He went in to the kitchen looking for something to eat for them. Reaching for the coffee pot the big brown lion jumped up and head butt his hand. Sniffing Alex’s hand Mutt nudged him again then walked to his empty food bowl, getting the hint Alex searched for the cat food as well as the coffee. Finding both, Mutt began to eat and the room began to smell of coffee as he looked for a cup. Hearing a thump Alex looked up to see Kenna stumble down the hall, using the wall the keep her steady. Cheeks red with fever and her eyes glassy she looks at him “I smelled coffee, got some for me?” she asked with a sleep filled voice.