The halls echoed now in silence. The storm of chaos from yesterday morning this time was gone--at least outwardly, and the thunder and lightning and strong rains that had taken power out of the hospital twice during the night had also gone.
Marcus was up, freshly shaved and showered, and he had put fresh dressings on his own wounds, and then had dressed in his usual black tailored suit that he wore for duty. He was much more heavily armed today. He had his wand, and a back up. He had two knives, one magical knife that he had gotten from Edward and one with a razor sharp titanium blade. He also had two pistols--one in a shoulder holster and a backup on his ankle. If she needed him to be a one man army, he would be.
He hadn't missed how twitter pated Hannah had been with him. She brought him some proper Earl Grey this morning and seemed to have it ready right after he stepped out from getting refreshed for the day. She seemed to be dressing up a notch this morning too, and he hadn't missed the slightest touch of a spice based perfume she'd added, or the fact that she wore her hair down over her shoulders today instead of pulling it up in her efficient style. He had played his part and had noticed it, but in a very subdued way that had only the slightest undertone of a flirt to it. But she had taken that whisper of a flirt as a huge invitation. And that had amused Marcus.
He had been relieved to go rest and had been sleeping when Khaat had awakened last night. She was sleeping now, rather than unconscious. Brian had felt secure enough, finally, to go upstairs to the private apartment that she had magically made from a closet in her office, and had showered there, as they were all doing. Kate was up and showered and dressed, and was working on a cup of tea and was eating an Asian pear cut into thin slices. She had mentioned she was sure Angus would be sending breakfast soon.
Now he went back down to Khaat's room and thanked Jack for staying. He went in and saw Jess still there. They all knew Brian would be back soon. Very soon.
Khaat's bruises were starting to show now, and they were black. She was so bruised from what James had done to her throat and her shoulder that her neck was bruised down into her shoulders and her chest, and up into her face. She was swollen now in her throat and in her shoulder--up into her face and down her arm, into her fingertips of her left hand. Brian had wisely removed her wedding rings from her before that had happened, and Brian now wore them on the chain that he always wore around his neck. The chain that had that odd pirate doubloon looking coin on it. When that was added to the serious bruising she already had had before this had all happened, it was hard to see the beautiful woman beneath it who had become his friend.
Her room was quiet today. A lady from the gift shop arrived with a huge cart of flowers.
"They're for the Director, Sir," she said to Marcus, as he walked forward to intercept the cart.
"Which ones?" he asked.
"All of them, Sir," she said. "And there's another cart as full as this. Some from her friends and family and some from well wishers who have read the papers. We brought the ones from friends and family first."
"Indeed," Marcus replied, already checking the plants for any sign of tampering. He found none. "These can stay," he told her. "I'll take these, though." He took the enormous bouquet of roses that Brian had sent to her, addressing them from himself and the kids. And he took the oddly chosen apricot colored roses and purple colored roses. The pairing had caught him as being an odd choice, but in point of fact, he rather liked the colors together. It was very artistic, and equally as artistically arranged. They were from her parents--the tag in her mother's handwriting.
The gift shop woman was taking the liberty of pulling several magical shelves that normally were kept on the ceiling and she adjusted them to the far wall of the room, across from the bed. Once the shelves were in place, she added them to the shelves, and it appeared to Marcus that she was preparing to add the other cartful of flowers by placing these with having it in mind where she would place the ones that were yet to come.
Marcus opened the drawers of Khaat's nightstand. Somewhere during the night, Kate had apparently brought some of Khaat's necessities and had put them there. They were trying to brace her that they couldn't merely patch her this time and send her home to let Robert provide hospital level care at home. Not this time. Something brushed against his wrist. He jumped and turned quickly to his right. Then he relaxed and smiled. She was awake.
"Well," he said quietly. "good morning. How's the pain?"
"Miserable," she admitted, her voice still only a whisper.
"I could find your pain potion that they brought in yesterday, if you like," he said.
"I would rather you sit me up a little and find me a decent cup of coffee," she said. He sent Hannah for it, who was more than glad to have a reason to see Marcus. She brought it promptly, and Marcus took it from her. He elevated the head of the bed to her likings and then he sat down on the edge of Khaat's bed, on her good side, and they sat in the quiet as he fed her small sips of coffee.
by 
