Regan's eyes widened, and her face seemed to get very pale. "Not make it back?" she whispered in horror, and Stone looked away with disgust.
Staring down at his cup, he tossed the rest of the brown liquid over the side of the ramp. He didn't know what the stuff was, but it was plainly making him stupid.
He was saved from making any more dumb-ass remarks when a transport hummed close and landed in front of the ramp. Regan jumped to her feet and ran down, Stone following more slowly. Mea got out of the transport, moving with some stiffness, but she smiled at the girl who came to a screeching halt in front of her.
"Are you okay? Stone said you were hurt, and you might not make it back!"
Mea looked from the girl to him with a glare. "What's wrong with you?"
"Hell if I know," he sighed, and her expression changed to something like speculation, eyebrows raised.
She didn't say anything else about it though, to his relief. Pulling Regan around to her right side, she put her arm around the kid and started walking up the ramp slowly. Stone watched her with a frown as she pressed the left elbow to her side.
"I just have to visit Ema. It's no big deal. Just like the one on my shoulder."
Regan didn't get a chance to respond. Warren boiled out of the hatch, stomping towards them. "Goddamn it, Mea, that's the last time you leave without your transceiver! I've been worried sick—" He stopped abruptly and looked her up and down. "What's wrong?"
Mea and Regan spoke at the same time.
"Nothing."
"She's hurt."
The android didn't hesitate, shifting Regan gently out of the way and then lifting Mea without effort into his arms.
"Warren! For god's sake! You're overreacting." She looked back over his shoulder at them as he carried her through the hatch. "He's overreacting."
Pushing Regan ahead, Stone stalked after them. Seeing her in the android's arms made his insides burn as if he'd swallowed acid. He refused to ask himself why.
"Put me down, you big idiot! I'm not wounded in my legs!"
"I can't believe you didn't get this taken care of. What's wrong with the EMU's at HQ?"
They entered the infirmary, Stone and Regan right behind.
"Because I trust Ema to heal me right."
"Thank you, dear," Ema responded, sounding smug.
"Welcome, Ema."
The android lowered her carefully to her feet and started to take off her jacket. With a glare, she slapped his hands away and slowly removed it herself. Stone noticed that she kept her left side out of Regan's view.
"Regan, honey," she said in a too casual voice, "would you go get me something to drink and maybe some soup? I haven't had anything all day."
"Sure." The kid sounded willing, but left reluctantly.
As soon as she was out the door, Mea looked up at Warren. "Go keep her busy, friend."
"You don't need my help?"
"I can manage. Go on."
She watched him go and leaned carefully against Ema's table.
"That bad, huh?" Stone asked softly, and she grimaced, working the body suit off of her shoulders.
"It looks worse than it is, but those two would fuss."
Kicking off her boots, she began slowly shimmying out of the suit. Stone shoved his back against the wall and crossed his arms tightly over his chest, trying to remember how to breathe. It wasn't like she was teasing him again either. Her pale, set expression and occasional wince made that plain, but he couldn't tear his eyes away as she uncovered inch by inch of smooth skin.
He was both relieved and disappointed to see that she had underclothes on. There was a coag pack over the wound itself, and Stone gratefully focused his attention there. Blood was smeared all down her left side and across her flat stomach. He could see why she hadn't bled visibly—the body suit had held most of it in. As she peeled the pack away, he winced at the sight of the wound itself. Whatever weapon the woman had used had been jagged and dull—it hadn't sliced her. It had ripped her in a long tear up her ribs. The edges of it were purplish and angry red, and it oozed even though the pack had been on it. Here and there, he could see the dull silvery gleam of alloyed rib bone. The coppery smell of blood filled the room.
"Looks worse than it is, my ass."
Coolly she looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "Are you going to fuss?"
"I don't fuss." Then he watched her ease slowly up onto the table with a frown. "You need help?"
Her low chuckle made heat spread up his neck. She lay on her right side, legs curled and head resting on her right arm. Dropping her left arm behind her, she twisted slightly to give Ema a clear shot at the wound. "Think this one's going to scar, Ema?"
"I wouldn't be surprised. You left it late enough bringing it to me, you stupid woman."
"Your concern is astonishing," she sighed as Ema administered a painkiller and golden flickers began moving over the wound, "but I have faith in your delicate touch."
"Flattery will get you everywhere."
"I knew it would."
Stone watched as the wound began to slowly knit together, but the snails pace couldn't hold his attention for long. Not with the rest of her to look at. He shouldn't be here. The kid was safe and would stay on the ship with Mea to worry about. There was no reason he should be standing here imagining what it would be like to touch her there and run his hands over that curve and taste her skin…
Pressing harder into the wall, he took a careful breath, trying to remember that he didn't trust this woman. What had the android said? "Cave and save himself the torture"? Torture was right. He was definitely in pain. It only got worse when he saw her watching him.
She ran smoky green eyes slowly over him, lighting fires wherever they touched. He couldn't hide the fact that he was aroused and when she saw this, she took a quick breath, sleek body tensing. Eyes sliding back to his face, she spoke in a throaty voice that made him want to growl in response. "Oh, Bay, I'd love to love you."
That was all he could take. He needed to leave right now, but if he started moving, it wouldn't be out the door.
"Stop that! You're not doing anything for awhile with this wound," Ema snapped, her harsh tone cutting through the thunder of blood in his ears.
Mea released him by turning her face into her arm with a groan. "Yes, Ema," she whispered and Stone bolted.
Desperate to get out into the cool night air, he headed toward the hatch, but he should've known escape wouldn't be that easy.
"Stone, wait!"
Reluctantly he stopped and looked back over his shoulder at Regan, not turning around. He was pretty sure a kid her age shouldn't see a man in his condition. She had a tray in her hands with a cup and bowl on it, but she shoved that at Warren and came after him. Cursing soundlessly, he ducked out the hatch into the relative darkness.
Walking down the ramp slow enough for her to catch up, he took deep breaths and tried to clear his head. She came abreast of him and walked silently with him for a few steps.
"You leaving again?"
He stopped. "Yeah. But I'll be around, kid." He didn't look at her, afraid she'd be crying again.
"So if I need you, you'll be there?"
Her voice sounded muffed, so he reluctantly looked down. She had her chin on her chest and he couldn't see her face. "Yeah, I'll be there."
"What if I need you now?"
Ambushed again, he thought as she raised solemn eyes up to his. This time he knew she wasn't going to like any answer he could give, so he held his tongue. When he said nothing, her lower lip started to tremble and she dropped her chin again quickly. He was startled when she stepped forward, wrapping thin arms around him in a hard hug.
"I love you, Stone."
Then she was gone, running up the ramp and into Mea's ship. He stared after her, unconsciously rubbing a spot over his heart as though it hurt.
Chapter 13
Mea was expecting her, so when Regan burst into the infirmary, she sat up immediately and held out her arms. Not pausi
ng, the girl launched herself into them. It hurt her side quite a bit, but she still pulled the child up onto the table and held her while she cried in great, gasping sobs.
"Well, how do you expect me to heal—"
"Shut up, Ema," she growled and was relieved when the AI kept her peace.
He really had to stop doing this to them, she thought, murmuring soothing nonsense and rocking Regan gently. She had no idea that she was crying herself until Warren wiped her cheeks and wrapped his arms around the both of them. More grateful for his presence than she could ever say, she leaned on him and let the tears fall silently.
Sometime later, she pushed at Warren and he let them go, brown eyes warm and worried. She gave him a watery smile, wiping tears off her face and Regan's. The child was done sobbing, but warm tears still spilled freely from her great dark eyes. For this alone, she ought to chase Stone down and kick his ass.
"Didn't you bring me soup?" she asked Warren, and the lines of his face eased somewhat.
"It's probably cold."
"I'm not picky."
Eating was the last thing she wanted to do, but it would calm Warren, and her body needed the energy to heal. He brought the tray over and placed it across her knees. Slowly, she ate one-handed, still holding Regan with the other arm. When she was finished, Warren took the tray and left. Mea gave Regan a squeeze and lay back down on her side to finish healing. The girl curled up on the table with her, back to the woman and using Mea's arm as a pillow. They lay like that for a while in silence, and Mea hoped she'd gone to sleep. She herself felt completely drained, but knew she wouldn't sleep.
"Mea?"
"Hmm?"
"What if my aunt and uncle don't want me?"
"Of course they'll want you."
Regan shifted to her back, turning her head to look into Mea's eyes. "They probably won't. They've never even seen Katie or me. I guess they have a bunch of kids of their own and I don't think they'll want another one."
Mea ran gentle fingers over the tearstains on her face. "Anybody would want you, sugar."
"Would you?" she whispered, and Mea felt her heart squeeze painfully in her chest.
"If I didn't have a job that put you in danger, I'd take you in a second."
"I'd stay on the ship from now on."
"I go to some very bad places. You wouldn't necessarily be safe on the ship."
"You did okay with Uncle Mike."
"That was different."
"How?"
"Well, that—that was —" Mea faltered, staring into Regan's pleading eyes helplessly. There were more similarities than differences in the two situations and Mea was having a hard time saying no. Truth was, she didn't want to say no.
Regan took her silence as rejection and with a whimper she turned back over to her side. "You don't want me either."
Wrapping her arms around the child, Mea curled around her protectively. "Baby, I'd give anything to call you my daughter. But you deserve a nice, normal family in a nice, safe place. Not bouncing from one hole in the galaxy to another with somebody like me. I don't think I'd make a very good mother."
"I don't want nice and normal. I want you." Regan wiggled back around, eyes red rimmed. "I think you'd make a great mom. I feel safe with you."
"Well, I haven't done very well with that so far, have I?"
Regan waved a hand airily. "Bragan doesn't count."
"He doesn't?" Mea raised her eyebrows at this easy dismissal. "How do you figure?"
"He was a rogue hunter. How often are we gonna run into rogue hunters?"
"Hmm." Mea had to admit that she liked the we. "What if your family does want you?"
Regan turned her face away. "I don't want to go."
"I don't think I can convince the authorities to give you to me if you have family asking for you."
"But if they don't?"
Mea could feel her holding her breath. "Well, Child Security would want to stick you in a foster home." Then she ended softly, "But I could ask."
Regan's face lit up like a sun. "You would?"
"Like I could say no to you."
In a flash, the girl locked her arms around Mea's neck in a strangling hug.
"Oh, dear. I can see how this is going to go. You're going to have the run of the ship in half a day, wrap Warren and me around your little finger, grow up spoiled—"
"I'll grow up to be just like you."
"Now I know we're in trouble."
Regan pulled back and Mea thought her life would be good if she could just see the girl smile like that every day. Reluctantly, she realized that she had to put some caution into this conversation. "We still have to hear what your aunt and uncle have to say about this. And the authorities may fight it because I have a dangerous job."
Regan sobered a little bit and nodded, but her smile didn't completely disappear, and Mea gave in to a smile of her own.
"Uncle Mike'll have a stroke."
Regan giggled. "Would I call him Grandpa Mike?"
Mea snorted, laughter trembling in her voice. "If you want him to tan your hide. On second thought, you should, just once. I'd love to see his face."
"You and me both!" Ema chortled. "Little one, I'd love to welcome you to the family, but right now you have to get off my table. You're disrupting the healing process."
"Okay." Regan slid off of the table and walked to the door, but didn't leave just yet. "Hey, Mea, can I go tell Warren?"
"Sure. And tell him to tuck you into bed. I'm a little busy here. See you in the morning, squirt."
"Goodnight—Mom!" She flashed Mea an impish smile before dancing out the door.
Mea felt a silly grin on her own face, but couldn't make it go away. "God, I love that girl."
"I can tell," Ema murmured. "Hold still, please."
"What the hell am I going to do if they tell us no?"
"I remember having almost the exact same conversation with Mike. Turned out all right then."
"I didn't have any family."
"It doesn't sound like she's got much of a family either. What kind of aunt and uncle never sees their nieces?"
"The very far away kind."
"Well, if there's any justice in the universe, you two will be together. For all the hell you put Mike through, you deserve a little of your own."
"Oh, thanks. You're all heart."
"I'll take the thanks, but you can hold the sarcasm, young lady."
"Yes, Ema," she murmured indulgently.
They were quiet for a few moments, then Ema spoke in a voice softer than Mea had heard in a while. "Do you want to talk about him?"
Mea sighed wearily, rubbing a hand over her burning eyes. "No, I don't think so. Thanks anyway."
"I've just never seen you so worked up over a man before."
"Not counting Job?"
"Oh, please! That mistake of yours was purely hormones—infatuation at best. You were just too stubborn to listen to me when I tried to tell you that."
"I listened. I just didn't believe."
"Typical. You want my opinion on this new one?"
"Would it matter if I said no?"
Ema continued as if Mea hadn't spoken. "I think he's a match for you in obstinacy. It's obvious that he wants to be here with you. He watches you like a hawk when you're in the room, and when you aren't, he acts like a caged tiger."
"He has other reasons to act that way besides wanting to be with me—and I thought I said I didn't want to talk about this."
"Tough. You're stuck on my table until you're healed, and I'm not done opinionating."
"You are such a pain in my ass." She was ignored.
"The boy had a very obvious reason earlier. I can scan and heal at the same time you know and that man wanted you with a vengeance. I thought you two were going to set the whole infirmary on fire."
"Just because he wants me, that does not mean he likes me, let alone loves me."
"Well, it's true that I can't scan for human emotion, but you're hormonal readings were almo
st identical in intensity—"
"Just shut up, Ema. Please!"
"If you want my advice—"
"Oh god."
"You should drag his butt back here and give him what he wants—what you both want—for a few days, then see whether or not he feels like running away."
"I won't force him. He has to come to me of his own free will," Mea muttered through clenched teeth. Just because that advice sounded really damned good didn't mean she should take it.
Just then Warren walked in, forestalling any further comments from Ema, and Mea breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god, you're here. I was just about to say screw the healing and yank her crystal out of the wall."
"Ema giving you fits again?" He came over and activated a seat in front of her.
"Always. Regan okay?"
"Tucked the munchkin into bed a few minutes ago. She told me the news."
"Yes?" Mea watched him carefully. His approval meant a lot to her and she needed his objective view on the subject, but his expression wasn't particularly encouraging.
"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't exactly lead a stable life, and it's not the ideal living conditions for a child."
Mea covered her eyes, feeling tears burn behind her eyelids. "I know. I know you're right. She's just a little girl—what does she know about what she wants or needs? For her sake, I should let her go." Her voice had dwindled to a pained whisper.
"Don't be stupid!" Warren scoffed and she looked at him, surprised. "Right now you'd do a lot more damage to her by making her go to complete strangers than keeping her here with you! I would testify to that in front of a whole panel of Child Security officials if you want me to."
Both angry and relieved, she punched at his chest. "Then why the hell did you ask me that?"
"I wanted to make sure that it was what you wanted. Mea, neither one of you has had an easy life. I think you both deserve a little happiness for a change, and if that means being together, I'm behind it one hundred percent."
Ignoring Ema's squawk of protest, she leaned forward and pulled Warren into a hug. "Thank you," she murmured with feeling.
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