Growth 0f Love

by D. Anne Paris

  "Mrs. Brinks, Jeri needs to stay by Keith."

  She waved him off. "He's my son, Dean. He needs me the most right now."

  She walked around him but was stopped by Dean's hand. "No. She needs to stay."

  She ripped her arm from his grasp. "You don't have a right to tell me what I can or can't do. I know that your sister has feelings for my son, but that's no reason to block me from being by his side."

  "This has nothing to do with it."

  She stared daggers at him than snapped at Jeri. "I think it's time for you to leave. I am Keith's mother, and legally I have the right to be here. You don't."

  Anne stepped in front of her, eyes flaming with anger. "Mrs. Brinks, do you think for one minute you can put aside the stupid conspiracy theory you have in your head and listen to us for a moment?"

  Her mouth dropped. "Conspiracy theory? I don't..."

  "Ever since you have arrived you have wedged yourself between your son and us and not allowed any of us near him. We're his friends. We care about him a lot."

  Dean stepped closer towards Donna and whispered, "We think Keith may have been poisoned by a plant."

  "A plant?" Her eyebrows shot up. "And you're telling me that I'm the one creating a conspiracy theory!"

  "Mom, just listen to them." Rose chimed in behind her. "The doctors don't have any other explanation as to why he is getting sicker. This sounds more plausible than anything else we've been told."

  Donna spun towards her daughter. "Plausible? Why would anyone want to poison Keith? It makes no sense whatsoever! I think they are just making things up so that they can keep me away from him."

  She turned back to Dean and Anne. "I don't know what I did to Keith to make him push me away, but I'm not letting any of you stop me from being close to him now."

  She pushed right past Dean and Anne and walked up to Jeri.

  Jeri's fingers tightened around Keith's. She didn't move from the chair as Donna hovered above her.

  "You need to leave now, Jeri," she bluntly ordered, waiting for Jeri to move from the chair.

  Jeri didn't move, she stared at Keith's unconscious form. Her stomach was in knots. He needed her now more than ever. She was the only one who could find who was trying to kill him.

  "I'm not leaving."

  Donna frowned. "I don't want to start an argument with you, Jeri, but I will if I have to."

  Jeri looked up at her. "If I leave Keith will die."

  Donna shook her head. "He could die with you here, too. I'm his mother. I have a right to be by his side. If I have to remove you by force I will."

  The words didn't faze her. "The poison is plant based. I can sense..." She raised Keith's hand with the IV tube. "If it comes through here I'll know it and we can stop whoever gave it to him."

  Donna grabbed her arm and tried to pull her up. "This is nonsense! Get away from my son!"

  Before Dean could move Rose rushed over and ripped her arm away from Jeri.

  "Mom, would you just stop!" Rose yelled at her. "God, you are acting like a little child!"

  Donna's eyes threw daggers at her. "You watch your tone with me, Rose."

  "Me? Mom you're acting like a lunatic! Can't you see they are trying to help Keith? You need to back off before you smother him to death."

  Donna's eye began to twitch. "I am trying to help your brother."

  "Then back off," Dean spat back. "We know you love Keith, Mrs. Brinks, but you have to let us figure out what's going on. Someone tried to poison Keith, and we have to find out who it is and why."

  "And you think your sister can find out by 'feeling' for this poison?"

  "I found it a few minutes ago," Jeri informed Donna.

  Donna spun towards her. "What if you are wrong and no one is trying to poison him? Then you will have taken what precious time I have with him." She turned around and stormed out of the room.

  "She'll get over it," Rose assured Jeri as she sat down at the foot of the bed. "She is used to being in control and having people do what she tells them." She cracked a smile. "It's actually kind of fun to see her put in her place."

  Jeri smiled back at her, but her heart was heavy. She hoped she would be able to find the person who was poisoning Keith.

  Chapter 14

  Jeri laid her head on the bed beside Keith. She’d barely moved an inch since her discovery of the poison in his IV. Evan came back again and gave him a boost of healing power again. Keith's condition stabilized and the nurses were able to remove him from the ventilator.

  As night fell the nurses tried to shoo everyone home, but Anne and Dean persuaded them to let two people stay overnight.

  Donna was not thrilled Dean and Jeri would be the ones staying overnight with Keith, but somehow after her meltdown she mellowed and told them she understood the reason behind it.

  Dean hired a bodyguard to guard Anne's hotel room while she slept to ease his mind. He now leaned back against the other chair right by Keith's IV and closed his eyes to get some sleep.

  Jeri couldn't understand how he could do that. She was having problems herself with falling asleep with half her body on the chair and the other half on Keith's bed with her hands entwined in Keith's. Sleep was something she needed in order to be alert tomorrow when more nurses and staff would come in to check on him.

  Maybe if she counted sheep she would fall asleep. Cute cuddly sheep. The funny computer animated sheep from the mattress commercial entered her mind and she almost started laughing. Okay, sheep won't work.

  The slow beep of the heart monitor caught her attention. That would work. She turned her head to watch Keith sleeping. His perfect lips just screamed temptation. She remembered how wonderful he looked when he smiled at her. Jeri ran her hand slowly up his arm. It was full of ropes of muscle toned to perfection, and his chest... Jeri closed her eyes and remembered how easy it was for him to move all those logs for her during the fall. One swift move and they were in his arms, being hauled away. The tattoo with the bald eagle on an American flag to honor his father and 9/11 on his back rippled with every step that he took.

  Her heart started to race. This wasn't going to help her fall asleep. Maybe she should just get some coffee and pull an all-nighter, like she did back in college.

  The door creaked open and a sliver of light filled the room. Dean sat up instantly as a male nurse walked into the room.

  "Sorry to disturb you, but I need to administer some medicine." The man showed him a syringe.

  "Sure." He didn't move from his chair but kept his eyes on the strange man as he walked up to the IV machine.

  Jeri kept her head on the bed but moved her hand up the IV a couple inches before it went into Keith's hand.

  The man took hold of the injection port at the bottom of the IV bag and tore open an alcohol swap packet. He swiped the port and then removed the cover from the needle. Slowly he pushed the needle into the port and injected the contents. When he was done he capped the syringe.

  Suddenly, Jeri felt the presence again in the IV and yanked the IV tube out of Keith's hand before it could reach him.

  Dean saw her reaction and swiftly grabbed the man, who twisted away from him. Dean leaped and swung at the man, who moved and grabbed Dean's arm.

  Jeri ran behind the man and jumped and wrapped her arm around his neck.

  He released Dean and tried to pry Jeri's arm loose.

  Dean used that momentum to punch the man in the face. Jeri used his stunned moment to push him on the floor. Dean moved her aside and rammed his knee in the man's back.

  "Who sent you?" he growled at the man.

  "Go to hell!"

  "Who sent you!?" Dean screamed again.

  The man didn't respond and a moment later he stiffened and went limp.

  Dean flipped him over and saw white foam around his mouth.

  "Cyanide," Dean muttered.

  Jeri's heart dropped. There was no way they'd get the answers they needed now.r />
  The lights went on in the room and the nurses rushed in to see what the commotion was about.

  Dean shook his head and saw the syringe that the man dropped on the floor. He snatched a latex glove from the box above Keith's head and grabbed the used syringe. There was some residue left inside. Maybe that would give them a clue as to who was after Keith.

  Jeri leaned against the wall as the nurses went to Keith and Dean spun a story about what happened.

  Chapter 15

  The smell, he knew it all too well. It seeped into his mind and every pore. Was he still at the hospital in Germany?

  Dean. Was he okay? Did he get out? How long would he have to be there before they let him go?

  Jeri. When would he see her again?

  Wait. That didn't make any sense. He met Jeri after his accident.

  "He should make a full recovery with time." An unfamiliar male voice spoke to someone.

  "Thank you, doctor." His mother's voice was etched with worry.

  A door closed.

  "I think I owe you an apology, dear." His mother said

  "None needed. Keith is your son and you care a lot about him."

  Jeri, it was Jeri's voice. What did she do to his mother?

  "Yes, but my behavior was uncalled for. I'm sorry."

  There was silence and Keith willed his eyes to open. There was bright light around him and he closed his eyes and moaned.

  "He's awake!" Rose exclaimed.

  Keith blinked a few times. He was in a hospital, but not the one in Germany. Then it all came back to him. The drug bust, the shooting, coming to the hospital. He was getting better and then he just passed out.

  "Keith, honey, can you hear me?" his mother called out to him.

  A pair of warm hands held his.

  He opened his eyes again. His mother was on his right side, his hand clutched tightly against her chest. Rose sat at the foot of his bed and Anne sat in a chair not far from her, with Dean standing protectively behind her. And Jeri... He looked around the room. She stood on the other side of the bed stand, her right hand touching one of the potted plants. Her eyes were focused on him and the smile he’d grown to love lite her face.

  His heart ached at the thought of how he’d yelled at her before he left her house. He was such a jerk. Why was she even here? She should have left his sorry ass to fend for himself.

  He turned his attention back to everyone by his bedside. He opened his mouth and felt like it was full of cotton balls. "Why's everyone looking at me like I came back from the dead?" he croaked.

  "Because you almost died, Keith," his mother told him. "If it weren't for your friends you probably would be dead." Her voice cracked.

  "What?"

  Dean stepped forward. "Someone was trying to poison you, Keith."

  "Poison me?" Did I hear him right? How many drugs did they give me? "What? When?"

  "During your recovery from the bullet wound," Rose explained.

  "We caught him, but he killed himself before we got any information from him." Dean frowned and crossed his arms across his chest.

  Keith shook his head slowly. "Someone really wants me dead."

  "Don't think like that, honey," Donna told him. "Anne's brother is looking into this assassin and will get more information on him and who he works for."

  "I think we all better start watching our backs," Keith warned. He tried to move, but sharp needles hit close to his spine.

  "You still need to rest." Donna let go of his hands and handed him the bed remote. "Not only were you shot, you were also poisoned."

  He took the remote and adjusted the bed to ease his back. He hurt everywhere. It was as if he got both shot and run over by a bus multiple times. His mother helped fluff his pillows.

  "Do you need another blanket, Keith? I'll go get you one." Donna grabbed one out of the closet.

  Keith sighed. "Thank you."

  "You should be the most thankful to Jeri," Rose said with a smile. "She discovered the poison."

  Keith looked over at Jeri. "Really?"

  Her eyes seemed to twinkle when she looked at him. "It was plant based, so I was able to pick up on it right away."

  "She saved you," Anne chimed in. "I think a thank you dinner is an order and I can make all the arrangements once you feel better." She smiled.

  "No, you really don't need to." Jeri waved the thought away.

  Shit. She is still pissed. And she still saved my life. He felt like an ass.

  "Oh, that's nonsense." His mother waved her off. "It's the least he can do."

  Mom now wants me to spend time with Jeri? What the hell happened when I was out?

  "Can I talk to Jeri alone for a minute?" he asked everyone.

  "Sure," Dean responded.

  "Why don't we get some lunch?" Anne suggested. "Jeri, do you want anything? "

  Jeri looked back at her. "Any kind of sandwich is fine and a bottled water."

  "Sandwich it is!" Anne replied from the door as Rose, Donna and Dean followed her.

  "Jeri."

  She stood by the plant, hesitant to move away from it. Her emotions must be really intense if she couldn't step away from it.

  "I'm sorry for the way I acted when I left your house. It was wrong for me to act that way."

  "Of course it was wrong. Who are you to tell me what to do with my life?" She slowly walked over to his bed. "If I want to go and date someone online than I should."

  "Jeri, those guys..."

  Her body shook as she yelled at him. "And by the way, why the hell am I your emergency contact? Why didn't you choose Dean?"

  His heart started to beat faster. What the hell did he have to lose? "Because you're the closest to me," he muttered.

  "Closest? I'm 150 miles away!"

  "No, Jeri. You're the closest to me." His voice was low and his eyes captured hers as she hovered over his bed.

  "Keith, I..."

  "I know you, Jeri, and I want you in my life." He reached out for her hand. She walked up to him, tears in her eyes, and took hold of his hand. "The question is, Jeri, would you want to be with a busted up and broken man like me?"

  She nodded and a tear fell down her cheek. "You're not broken in my eyes."

  "And you're perfect in mine." She sat down on his bed and smiled as she wiped away the tear.

  "So where do you want to go for dinner?" His other hand fingered through her hair and his heart monitor began to beat faster.

  She laughed. "You said you know me really well, so surprise me."

  He squeezed her hand and looked into those gorgeous eyes. "Sounds like a challenge I'm willing to accept." He couldn't stop touching her hair. He hurt everywhere, but he was happier than he had ever been in his entire life. Baby steps. He told himself. First dinner, then...

  Chapter 16

  The hot water was a welcome warm massage on Keith's banged up body. He was done with the hospital sponge baths and feeling like an invalid. When the doctors finally released him after what seemed like several weeks he leaped out of the hospital and almost stole the keys to Dean's car to get the hell away.

  Not only did he want to get away from the hospital, but he got a text that Max was ready to be picked up to come home with him. In all the chaos he’d forgotten to tell the adoption agency that he was looking for a new home. Fortunately Jeri jumped at the chance of having Max stay with them, so they raced to the agency as soon as the hospital released him.

  With the boosts of healing power from Evan he felt better but not 100%. The poison did enough damage to slow his healing. He needed some time to recuperate, and they were still waiting to find out who wanted him dead. Staying with Jeri was a good option for now, and having Max on alert would give him a heads up if someone lurked around the area.

  It was three days before Christmas, and he and Jeri planned to run into town tomorrow to buy some last minute gifts. During the car ride back he tried to get an idea from Jeri as to w
hat she wanted for Christmas, but getting that information from her was hard without using his power. He really wanted to buy her lingerie, but that would have been more for him than her. Plus they haven't even had dinner together yet, so technically they weren't a couple, were they?

  He reached over and turned off the water and moved the shower curtain away. As he grabbed a towel and dried off he could smell the slight scent of Jeri. His groin stirred to life.

  They planned on having dinner tomorrow night after they finished their shopping. He chose a wonderful Mexican restaurant in town that had Jeri's favorite enchiladas and the best margaritas in town. He planned to make sure she had a great time, which was why Kenneth let him borrow Logan for the night. Logan was the Stevens' old conversion van that was 'alive' because of Anne's ability to bring cars to life. It amazed him how Anne's powers stayed with Logan, even when she wasn't around. The same thing happened to Hawk, Anne's sports car before he was thrown in the water. Keith wondered if the same thing would happen to Dean's truck, now that she was with Dean most of the time. Logan reminded him of an old reliable hound dog that was always by you when you needed him. At least with Logan, if he was in pain and Jeri was intoxicated he would be able to drive them both safely home.

  He placed the towel back on the towel hanger and grabbed his sweatpants and put them on. After a two-hour car ride and Jeri's wonderful homemade chicken soup his body was calling it a night.

  He walked down the hall to the kitchen and wished he had put on a long t-shirt. Jeri leaned over the counter top, mixing dough. Her back was towards him and her very perfect ass was covered in a nice pair of leggings. Max lay next to her and twisted his head every time she flipped the dough and punched it.

  "And after I'm done kneading this dough I need to oil and then flour a pan so the dough doesn't stick to it when I bake it," she explained to Max.

  Keith's lips curved. Max took a liking to her right away and she kept talking to him like he was her long lost friend. It made his heart swell.

  Max will be in good hands until I can find myself an apartment. And what great hands they are. Her hands worked the dough and his mind began to wonder what they would feel like as she touched him. Her ass jumped when she punched the dough and caused his balls to inflame. He wanted to pin her against the counter and kiss her slender neck as his hands worked their way under her t-shirt and beneath her bra to tweak her nipples.