Guardian

Alex rushed to her side and got her to the chair and helped her put feet up. “How about water instead?” he suggested softly. She snuggled in to the chair mumbling something and laid her head against the armrest of the chair.
Alex got a glass of water and his coffee but she was asleep by the time he got back to her. Setting everything down he covered her up with one of the many blankets from her bed, then he sat on a kitchen chair and stretched his feet out on the ottoman with hers. His eyes felt heavy, he thought there would be nothing wrong with catching a quick nap.
The chill of the room woke him up, as he cleared the cobwebs of sleep he saw that the sun was setting. He needed to leave and go check on the clinic. He had been away from almost a day this is the first time that the clinic was not open for patients since he started. He needed to get back he had patients but he had one that needed him here too. He thought for a few seconds, what was one day that he was closed. Yes his patients needed him but he wasn’t going anywhere while she was weak. He would go back tomorrow when he was sure she would be okay on her own for while. Alex went over to the fireplace and started a fire to get the room warmer. Reaching over he touched her forehead finding her burning up, he went a grabbed his bag searching through it he took out the needed pills for her. Bringing over a glass of water he gently woke her up, she groaned something and her eyes flew open full of terror.
Kenna screamed and began to scramble out of the chair, “no don’t you dare come near me” she hissed. Her eyes burned with fever but she was ready to fight.
“It’s me Alex” he calmly says holding his hand up. “I just want to give you something to drink and medication to help you feel better.” He knew he had to take it slow with her.
Kenna tilted her head looking through fevered eyes she sits back down. “Why are you here?” she asks
“You called me, don’t you remember?” Taking a cautious step towards her he reaches out offering the medicine to her. “Take these they will help, I know you don’t like pain pills but I have those if you want also”
Taking the pills she puts them in her mouth. His voice is reassuring to her. “Thank you”
Turning her fever glazed eyes to him she smiles, as she lays back into the chair. “I hear your voice in my dreams, do you always come to make the demons go away?” her speech was slurring.
“I need to look at the stitches I put in” as he reaches for her shirt to get to her side. Grabbing at his hands she glares at him, and shakes her head. “Come on” and he begins to talk softly to her about anything and every mindless thing he could think of. She says she hears my voice and I chase away her demons if I just keep talking will it keep her calm? He muses. Slowly she begins to relax but watches him closely. The wound was swollen, red and it was infected. Getting up he went for his bag of tricks, he dug around and got what he needed to take the stitches out. “I need to take the stitches out” he murmured to her.
She slapped his hand twice just while he was cleaning the wound, “Ouch” she shouted. Reaching up to pat her arm he explained that slapping him would not be advisable this next part, all he got was a grunt and a four letter word. The stitches came out easily, then he cleaned and bandaged it. Thirty minutes, ten smacks and a slew of cursing he was done. He was astounded at her threshold for pain still after all this time treating her and her injuries did she ever take pain killers, she told him once it numbed the mind and made you vunerable. What a funny word to use? he thought to himself.
Her body felt like a lead weight, she was soaked with sweat and she was freezing even though there was a -fire in the fireplace. The past twenty –four hours were a blur, a mixture of nightmares, memories and Alex. She was on her chair in front of the fire place, trying to sit up higher pain shot from her side to everywhere else. Hissing in pain she saw Alex shoot straight up in the chair reaching for her before she could blink. Looking at him she raised an eyebrow silently asking why he was there.
“The cut on your side got infected, I have been here taking care of you” he explained
“Thanks” she muttered.
“How do you feel?”
“Like shit, what did you do?”
“I took out the stitches, cleaned it and bandaged it. I have to tell you it will leave a ugly scar.” He offered.
“Compared to all the beautiful ones that I already have.” She snipped back.
“Hey some of those are my best work” he shot back. Alex so wanted to ask about the others, he wanted to know where they came from. In the ICU he would help the nurses turn her, and he saw her entire back he was shocked to see the scars. He had seen torture victims during the war with less damage. The most mysterious was the LMJ that was on her lower left back, he had seen those initials before on a few DOAs that had come in through the ER a while back. He wanted to ask her about it, no time like the present. It is not like he has never pissed her off before hell that was the easy part. “What about the others?” he quiered softly.
“What about them?” she snapped, her eyes told him he was walking on thin ice.
“Where did they come from?”he nudged, Easy he thought to himself.
She went to stand up, but her head began to swim and the floor tipped. Kenna felt herself going down but instead of hardwood she was in two strong arms and a hard body to lean against. This is the closest they had ever been to each other.
He caught her and as their bodies came in contact he stopped breathing. Easing her back to the chair, “We know you can’t run.” He chuckled
“Fuck you” she grunted
Just one more push he thought “Where did the other scars come from?” There was a line and he saw it and jumped way over it. Point of no return he mused.
“They were reminders and that is all you need to know” she barked at him. Her voice dropped an octave with that comment.
“Reminders of what?”
“That is none of your damn business”
He felt a wall come up, as fast as a door slamming in his face. “Look, I am sorry, I am here if you ever need to talk” he said as he stepped away and handed her the glass of water.
She took a deep swallow the wetness touched her tongue and it felt good. She guzzled the entire glass to the tune of Alex telling her to slow down or she was going to get sick. The cold water hit her empty stomach and a cramp hit hard, sending pain to her already sore side and up her back. “Oh my god” she shouted through a hand covered mouth and staggered down the hall as fast as she could. Alex was on her heals, made it to the bathroom behind her just as she emptied her stomach. Falling to her knees breathing heavy she leaned over as another wave hit her, just then a cool washcloth was placed against her forehead. It felt good.
Leaning back on her feet she reached up to grab the rag and touched his rough hands, a small wave of guilt ran across her as she looked at him. He has stopped his life to take care of her, how many times has he risked himself and his clinic to take care of her after her exploits. “I am sorry” she said softly.
Helping her up to her feet he heard her apology, “It's okay” he whispered. Scooping her up he carried her to her to her bed. Lying in the middle of the bed was her fuzzy protector glaring at them to move him. “Move it, fuzz ball.” Alex ordered. Mutt responded by rolling on to his back and closing his eyes in an "I dare you" statement. Placing a knee on the bed, still holding Kenna he nudged the cat over by pushing with his body until they had the bed and the cat landed with a thud and a meow.