by Jillian Neal
Adeline knocked again a little before five. “I know you want to go home tomorrow, so I’d like to set a specialized cast for you for a few hours tonight.”
“What kind of specialized cast?” Fionna’s energy was already waning. “Maybe Dan could do it.”
He smiled and brushed her hair away from her face. They’d been enjoying the time alone. She’d reveled in the moments where they were them again. Another cast only served to bring back the pain and terror that their life had been for far too long.
Fionna instinctively placed her hand protectively over her abdomen. Dan wondered exactly what she was feeling. Pain certainly, but he suspected that after seven weeks, she felt empty.
“Dan will definitely need to cast you when we’re finished, but that will be more for you emotionally than physically. You are a prime candidate for what we call an intense cast. Three Medios will cast you at once. It’s fairly common, and the healing will be dramatic. Your energy is stable enough now to withstand it. But the intense casting will make you very tired. And in your situation, it can be uncomfortable, so I want you to think about it and really discuss it.”
“Dan’s parents would really like to see both of you. Maybe they could come visit with you for a little while, and then you’re going to need to try and eat something a little more substantial than soup. I believe country fried steak is on the menu tonight.” Adeline shuddered as Fionna’s face contorted in a disgusted scowl. “But I don’t really see that staying down, so if you could think of anything from a restaurant around here, maybe a little less greasy, that someone could go get for you, there are several people in the waiting room that would be happy to pick up whatever you’d like.”
“Maybe visit with Dan’s parents, have something to eat, then maybe Dan could go get himself a meal. I know Rainer and Logan are both out there hoping to see you,” she offered Dan with a sweet smile that said they would understand if he didn’t make an appearance.
“If you’re going to cast her after we finish the intense treatment, that would soothe her to sleep and probably complete the process, but you’re going to need to eat something with a great deal of protein.”
“If you decide you do want to do this, we’ll start while Dan is gone and then he’ll be back about the time we’re finishing up.”
Dan shook his head. “I’m not leaving her in here alone for that.”
“I’ll be okay; you can go,” Fionna insisted.
“No,” he informed both of them in a tone that said arguing would be futile. Being casted by three Medios and forcing her body to complete the miscarriage in a few hours would be more than uncomfortable.
“Actually, you need to eat, and we need to make certain that solid proteins will stay down before we do the intense casting. We can still do everything I said. We’ll just start the intense process when Dan gets back.”
“I’ll just get Fitz to bring me something here. And you do not have to see my parents if you don’t want to.”
“I’m going to have to see them sometime, Dan.” Drawing a steadying breath and reaching for his hand, Fionna became resolute. “Let’s just do whatever will make me better. I want to go home.” she drew heavily from Dan. It was a sensation he hadn’t felt in so many weeks he’d nearly forgotten how incredible it was to have her pull his energy into her.
But his energy drained quickly, and he knew Adeline was right. He was going to have to eat a great deal if he was going to keep Fionna casted and work her through the pain of the last of the miscarriage.
He just didn’t want to leave her there again. They’d been apart far too long. He wanted to be with her constantly. He needed to hold her. He needed to prove to her that he would be everything she needed. He would construct her a healing sanctuary in his arms.
The loss was a deep, raw, horrifying pain, and he wanted her to know that he felt it as well. It wasn’t a loss she had to suffer alone.
“Dan, really, I think you should go eat with all of your guys one more time. It would mean a lot to you and to them. You’ll be back in time. I’ll be okay. I promise.”
“You’re certain?”
Fionna nodded adamantly.
Able to think logistically, somewhat better than Fionna, who was still weak from exhaustion and constant pain, he leaned and kissed her cheek tenderly.
“How about one of those grilled chicken sandwiches you like from Frye’s, baby doll?”
A broad grin spread across Fionna’s face. “On ciabatta!”
“Of course, and you’re sure about my parents?” He studied her closely.
She sighed, “Well I’m gonna marry you, so isn’t the saying that I’m marrying them, too?”
Dan grimaced. “Yes, but try not to think about that too much for me, at least until I get you down the actual aisle.” He reveled in her laughter.
“You know, Mrs. Haydenshire and Kara kind of went off on your mom yesterday. Emily told me.” Fionna seemed to have just remembered the story.
“I’m sorry I missed that.” He tried to envision his little sister telling of their mother.
“Get Garrett to tell you about it. He tells it best,” Adeline added.
“I’ll do that,” Dan assured her, but he was unable to glance Adeline’s way.
Fionna was gazing at him, and Dan saw something in her eyes that he hadn’t seen in weeks.
“Tell my parents I’ll come get them in a minute,” Dan requested as Adeline made her exit.
He slid onto the bed beside Fionna. Her eyes were heavy, and her color stronger than Dan had seen it thus far. He cradled her hands tenderly in his own.
She bit her lip, studying him closely. “You haven’t really kissed me in so long.” Her chin gave another tender tremble. She pulled towards him. The magnetism and chemistry between them was no longer able to be denied.
Dan felt the realization of the fissure between them settle harshly in his throat. “I didn’t think you wanted me to. I didn’t want to make you more uncomfortable. I seemed to make you so miserable.” The heartbreak he’d felt every single day as he’d watched her grow more and more depressed threatened to drag him back under.
“You didn’t make me miserable. I just didn’t know what to do, and then I did everything wrong,” she stammered with tears falling from her eyes again.
“No, baby, that isn’t true. Please stop saying that.”
She turned the full power of her pleading sienna eyes on Dan. “Will you kiss me? You know, like a real kiss, not like I’m in the hospital and all of this horrible stuff happened. Please.”
Feeling his heart stutter and then begin to fly, Dan edged his body closer to hers. He cradled her face in his right hand gazing at her. His entire being filled with love for her.
She eased herself up until she was sitting and smiled. There didn’t seem to be any pain.
“I love you so much,” he whispered the words across her lips.
“I love you, too.” Her eyes begged him, and her breaths came quicker.
He tried to quell the desire that he’d not felt in many endless weeks. He felt its powerful resurgence course through his weary veins.
He leaned and brushed his lips tenderly across hers. He felt it instantly, the spark, the need, the essence of her.
She panted, and a low groan escaped his lungs. It had been so long. He moved his head to the other side and slowly began to feel the swell of her lips against his own. He traced them with his tongue, memorizing the way they felt once again.
“God, I missed you.” He pulled her closer, trying desperately to be gentle with her as he began devouring her mouth.
She threaded her fingers through his hair as he wrapped her up in his muscled embrace. He pulled away as she gasped for breath, but he needed more.
He began kissing his way down her neck and praying that he wouldn’t hurt her or frustrate her in anyway, he hesitantly let his hands slide from her neck down the sides of her breasts.
She moaned heatedly. She’d missed his caress, missed his kis
s, and missed his touch as much as he’d missed her.
“I want you,” she whispered in a heated plea. He felt the shame and confusion that washed over her.
A shuddering moan thundered from his chest. He would remember the confusion. They would talk about it later, but right then he needed to taste more.
He moved his lips back to hers. “You have no idea how badly I’ve missed you telling me that.” He dipped his tongue inside her mouth, slowly feeling her give in to the emotions she’d kept locked away. She began to draw from him again. The sensation was heavenly.
She was still tentative and afraid of her own feelings and desires. Dan pulled away slightly.
“Fi, just for a minute, baby, don’t think.” He leaned in and and kissed her again as she panted. “Just feel. Just let it all go for me, everything but you and me. Right here, right now, just feel.”
She gave in. Her body relaxed. She pulled him back for more. He held her to him, sucking her tongue softly as she moaned in his mouth. Her weary energy permeated his.
Her hand traced softly down his chest, and he felt her brain shut out the restless worries of her heart as she slid her hand up his zipper line. He groaned from the exquisite sensation of her hands on him once again.
She began to massage him, unable to help herself, and he fought with everything he was not to lay her down and crawl over her.
Using her left hand, she grasped his right and brought it back to her breast. His entire being flooded with a heady cocktail of need and elation.
Forcing himself to start slowly, he massaged her breasts, still swollen larger than he’d ever seen them, and so tender she shook from the slightest touch. Her nipples strained against the t-shirt she was wearing.
“More,” she begged.
He didn’t have to be asked twice. He grasped them firmly, groping and massaging her. He listened to her sweet, impassioned moans. They sang directly to his heart and to his groin.
They stayed lip locked for several long minutes until they pulled away. They couldn’t move anything further, not yet, and certainly not in a hospital bed. The temptation was simply too strong for either of them.
Fionna fell back against her pillows with a replete sigh and a smile that Dan could have sat and stared at for all of time. “I’m gonna need you to do that a lot for the next couple of days.”
Chuckling, he tried to catch his breath. “You just say the word, baby doll.”
Worry etched her beautiful face. “Do you think it’s okay that I want to do that?”
Dan felt pain fracture his still mending heart. “Fi, honey, I know that we’ve pretty much been through hell.” He saw no other way to phrase it. “And I don’t think that we should use that to cover the pain or to keep us from talking about everything that happened. But that is an important part of our relationship, sweetheart, and it’s going to be an important part of healing this relationship, because the past few weeks it just hasn’t been so good.”
“I’m so sorry,” she choked as renewed tears took her over.
“Me too, baby, me too.” He brushed another kiss on her forehead. “But if you’ve taught me anything, Fionna, it’s that we’re worth fighting for. My life isn’t worth anything at all without you. So if you want to be kissed, or held, or anything at all, then that’s what I’m going to do. And,” he caressed her face again, “in a few days, when you’re feeling better, maybe on our trip, then I want to be with you, baby. I’ll be so gentle, Fionna, I swear to you. And I’ll wait as long as you need until you’re sure you’re ready, but I want you to feel how much I love you. I want to put this back together stronger than it was before.” Dan dammed back tears of his own as he wrapped her back up in his arms and let her cry on his shoulder.
“I want that, too.”
He felt the full force of her healing power overwhelm him. He scrubbed his hand over his face wiping away his tears.
“Well,” he smiled at her, “I’m currently unemployed.”
She giggled through her tears.
“And Medio Haydenshire informed me yesterday that you will not be challenging for at least six weeks, so how about we spend a little time, just the two of us, working through everything, and hopefully someday putting it behind us.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“Then let’s see if they can’t get you all healed up.”
She smiled through the last of her tears. He stood and headed towards the door.
“You’re sure about my parents?” he quizzed again.
She laughed, “Yes, Dan, it’s fine. Just don’t leave me in here with them.”
“I would never ever do that.”
Healing
Dan pulled his wallet from his back pocket as he met Garrett, Logan, Rainer, and Fitzroy in the corridor. All of the men noted his wet chest and shoulder. They offered him sympathetic gazes, but no one commented.
“Hey, would you mind getting the lady a grilled chicken sandwich on ciabatta and a baked potato from Frye’s?” Dan offered Garrett two twenties.
“Sure thing, and I’ve got it. I heard you were on the dole.”
Dan laughed and gave Garrett a wry grin. “Yeah, well I’ll definitely be wanting my change.”
“Daniel, that isn’t something to joke about,” Mrs. Vindico huffed.
Rolling his eyes, Dan didn’t comment.
Glancing at Mrs. Vindico and then back to Dan, Logan smirked. “So we heard you needed to eat your weight in meat. How about after he gets back with her sandwich, we all go to Big Mickey’s?”
His customary smirk and the invitation eased some of the worry in Rainer and Garrett’s eyes.
“That sounds good,” Dan agreed. “Just let me get her fed and settled, and then we’ll go.”
“I’ll be back quick.” Garrett left Dan holding the money and jogged to the elevators.
Slipping the cash back in his wallet, Dan turned to his parents. “Would you like to come see Fi for a little while?”
Kara, who was sitting by Governor Vindico, tried to hide her giggle at Dan’s begrudging tone. She was the first one up.
“Well, it’s about time,” Mrs. Vindico spat.
“Marion,” Governor Vindico sighed, “they’ve been through enough. Let’s go tell Fionna how thrilled we are that she’s agreed to marry our son, and see if we can do anything to help her heal, okay?”
Drawing a deep breath, Dan guided his parents, Kara, and Meredith, who’d come by to bring Fionna flowers, to Fionna’s room.
He willed patience by reminding himself that his mother’s carefully orchestrated world had come crashing down around her in the last few weeks.
News had broken right after New Year’s that Lindley had been arrested. At the trial that Dan had purposefully missed, Governor Vindico had forced Lindley into a sixteen-week stint in rehab. Now, the entire Realm knew that her son had not only gotten his extremely famous girlfriend pregnant, but had also resigned as Chief of Iodex, a prestigious job unto itself, under relatively sketchy circumstances.
Dan knew, just as his mother knew, that people would always assume the worst. He opened the door, allowed his parents and sisters to enter, and immediately went to sit on Fionna’s bed. He held her right hand in both of his as he kissed the side of her head.
“Feeling any better?” Kara asked sweetly.
Fionna nodded, though she tried very hard not to look at Mrs. Vindico.
Shame fevered her face. Fionna’s embarrassment infuriated Dan. She had nothing to be ashamed of, and he couldn’t stand that his mother made her feel like she’d done something wrong.
“I’m really a lot better, I think. If I keep dinner down and the casting tonight goes well, then I can go home tomorrow.”
“Bless your heart. I’m just so sorry. If Tim and I can do anything, you just say the word.” Meredith was blinking back tears as she placed the cheerful bouquet of Gerbera daisies on one of the counters in the room.
“We’re all so sorry, sweetheart.” Governor Vindico seated himsel
f in one of the chairs in the room as he gazed at Fionna as if she were already one of his own. “But Marion and I are so thrilled that Daniel somehow convinced you to marry him.” He winked at her, making her beam.
“Well, I didn’t make him beg or anything,” she giggled.
“I would have,” Dan assured her.
“Daniel, that ring is lovely.” Mrs. Vindico smiled at Fionna, shocking both she and Dan.
“Thank you,” Fionna offered hesitantly.
“It’s ginormous,” Kara gushed.
“Well, I told Tad Anderson that I wanted every guy within a fifteen-mile radius of her to know she was mine, so…” He watched as her eyes regained just a little of their sparkle.
“Arthur, maybe we should go over to Dan’s to get the house ready for her to go home tomorrow. I could cook a few things, tidy everything up, organize, so they don’t have to worry about food,” Mrs. Vindico planned.
Fionna and Kara shared a horrified expression as Dan grimaced. Thinking quickly, he spun on the bed to face his mother.
“Actually, Mom, we’re heading out of town for a few days. We need to get away from the press, from everything really.”
“You sure she’s up to traveling, son?” the Governor probed.
“Adeline said it would be fine.”
“Well, if you’re feeling up to it, I recommend it, sweetheart. You should hear the things I’ve been asked coming and going in and out of here. It’s insane,” the Governor huffed. “I know that you’ve lost your jet privileges, son, but I do still have mine. If you’d like to use one of the Senate jets, I don’t think anyone would begrudge you that.”
“I will definitely take you up on that, Dad. Thanks.” Dan grinned. The motion felt restorative.
“You should have insisted that Daniel not lose his job, Arthur!” Mrs. Vindico couldn’t hide her ire for long, it seemed.
“And here we go again,” Meredith sighed.
“Mom, I quit. I don’t want to be Chief of Iodex anymore. Governor Haydenshire was right; it wasn’t good for me. And, quite honestly, I wasn’t good for it.”