She loved this.
Loved it when he properly - thoroughly - kissed her. Loved his hands and his body and his mouth when they shut her
mind completely off. It should have been the most terrifying thing letting go that way but it was wonderful instead. She
loved when it happened. Finally understood what all the fuss was about...
She loved more of him than simply his kisses. But, oh - she was so overwhelmingly fond of those kisses...
He could have done this all night and all through the next day, easily. Without complaint or break. Nothing else, in fact,
would have probably made him happier. But even as she responded and held onto him tightly, or maybe because of
that, he could feel the weariness flooding through her bones.
He kissed her forehead and sighed a bit. "You need to sleep. I got you to eat, some, I think I can get you to sleep too."
He said with a low chuckle. "It’s okay, I'll still be here in the morning."
"Terribly confident in your skills, yeah?" She teased. Responding to his forehead kiss by brushing a kiss against the
side of his chin. Entire body contentedly humming and all her joints coated in warm, liquid oil. A quiet sound that was
very close to the female equivalent of a purr unconsciously escaped her as she settled against him for sleep.
Funny how they both felt the need to reassure each other they would be there when the other woke. Not that she
wasn't soothed that he had...
She closed her eyes as she relaxed, long fingers light as they absently stroked along the warm skin of his back. She
hated that he'd been shot. That he'd been in pain. And yet - she couldn't bring herself to regret this moment, right
now, despite that.
"Told them that kissing you was like swallowing liquid fire." She murmured, lulled by the steady feel of his heartbeat
against her. "Sometimes it’s warm and slow and threatens to melt me entirely." She smiled against him. "Sometimes it’s
sharp and fierce and hungry and wants me to burst into flame too. They got a kick out that." She confided, sleep
starting to steal into her. "Got some dirty looks from some of them too." Tired, she forgot to hide how that pleased her
and smiled smugly against him. "I think I like being 'snagged'." She clarified contentedly after a moment. "Though if
Sam catches you in camp you really will have to run around."
"I'll grow on Sam." He said. Would take more than threats from Sam to keep him away from the camp if he really
wanted to be there. "That's if he even sees me. Last time no one but you saw me there, remember?" He said with a
chuckle.
But he was completely relaxed right now, a rare event being in the infirmary. And....happy. Not the content, or worse,
the smile he'd slap on his face when people were around. But honestly happy right now.
This was definitely worth getting shot for, even if he didn’t know the end result when it happened.
"Mm." She chuckled softly against him. "And Molly was so disappointed to have missed you too. I think we're her
favorite soap opera. Probably plagues Suz every night when she get back." Which brought another laugh considering
how leery of what was going on between Andi and Hector Suz was proving to be. That would have been a conversation
worth hearing. Andi exhaled a soft breath, feeling the greedy fingers of sleep pulling at her. She didn't think she had
ever before slept as well and deeply as she was in this thin hospital bed. Tucked in close against Hector. And yet she
resented sleeping too. Because it stole time away from her and she knew he'd soon be well enough that she wouldn't
have an excuse to stay anymore.
She was getting very tired of having to measure their hours together. Unfortunately there was no real alternative.
"Did it really take them two days to catch you the last time you were supposed to come in for a physical?" She asked.
Hector laughed. “Not quite. Forty five hours, seventeen minutes. They’re getting quicker. The time before that, it
took nearly four days for them to find me. Obviously they just won’t take my word for it that I’m fine.” He said. “Silly
doctors, never listen to patients. So we’re a soap opera? Should I expect an evil twin to come out of the woodwork?
Maybe a husband you don’t remember marrying?” He chuckled at the idea of being a soap opera.
Andi decided, once again, that she liked being tucked close enough to him to actually be able to feel his laughter.
"You think with all the sharp shooters in the camp someone would have realized they just need to use a tranquilizer
shot on you." She commented. Perfectly seriously. Then she chuckled as she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "And I
think you are the evil twin."
"And wouldn't it be such an evil testament if I was the good twin?" He asked with a chuckle. "I think the world, or at least
the medical community, would be in trouble then. Don't worry, no twins on my side, at least as far as I know. I at least
don't have one."
"I have some evil Pomeranians in my extended family." Andi offered helpfully. "And some relatives that should be evil
Pomeranians. But no evil twins. Or secret husbands. At least not that I remember." Her lips curved as she teased it.
"Though I do have an evil elephant," she started to twist away from him to search. "Somewhere about."
"He's keeping watch on Cara's desk." Hector said with a low chuckle, not about to let her leave and take her warmth
with her. "They had me so doped up before, I swear it was trying to smother me at one point. I'm serious. Drug induced
hallucinations aren't fun!"
"Silly man." She chided it as he kept her from making a getaway. Not that she minded or had tried very hard. She was
honestly far too comfortable right where she was. But it felt good when he didn't let go. Reassuring. She pressed a
kiss against his lips for it as she settled back against him. "You always think he's trying to smother you. Whether you're
on drugs or not." She chuckled as she tucked her feet under his. "Honestly, he's a sweet, trusting, tiny little elephant
with only good and noble intentions in his heart. I really don't see why you insist on bullying him so."
"Yeah. Okay." He said with a chuckle as she settled back down beside him. "He'd make a good torture device you
know." At least for him it would. "So don't let him fall into enemy hands, or world wide destruction will result. Chaos,
hysteria, the works."
She laughed, tucking back in and closing her eyes again.
"I can see you telling your children horror stories about him. And your grand children and your great grand children."
She chuckled against him. "He will be the phantom elephant that haunts the Garrett family for generations."
"At least." Hector said with a chuckle, as he stretched a bit, his usual pre-falling asleep (at least when not drugged)
routine.
"Thought I said no talking." Cara said on her way out. "I can detour by the med cabinet...."
"Yes ma'am!" Hector said, with a salute with his free hand, which just made Cara shake her head as she headed out
for her own sleep. "Good night."
"You think she might have said something when you were torturing me for information." Andi grumbled quietly. But she
raised a hand and waved despite that. And then shifted her hand over her shoulder to wave it in Potter's general
direction too. Hearing the chuckle in response that said he'd seen. Then she curled her hands back against Hector's
chest and let out a slow exhale that left her relaxed at its end. Content, she murmured:
"I love you" against Hector's shoulder.
"Love you too." He said and closed his eyes in the dimly lit infirmary, drifting off to sleep. He normally didn't sleep
good, or well, unless he was exhausted completely. And sure, he was pretty tired. But he still believed it was her
influence, being right there, that lulled him into sleep so easily and peacefully, and usually longer than he had
originally thought.
She felt him falling into sleep against her and her lips curved softly. She wanted this every night. Which was
impossible. Which didn't effect whether she wanted it or not in the slightest. Well, she didn't exactly want the infirmary
and the witnesses and the thin bed. Though she would happily embrace any and all of that to get what she really
wanted. Which was Hector. Asleep. Next to her. Had he ever actually slept in the same bed as another woman before?
She hardly expected him to be pure as the proverbial driven snow but she couldn't imagine how any woman could
have given up the feel of his body against hers like this. The feel of his heartbeat and his warmth and the way he held
her close even in his sleep. And the trust. What falling asleep with her implied about his trust in her. She wanted those
all to herself. His falling asleep in her arms and his 'I love you'. She was greedy for them, possessive of them and
entirely unwilling to share.
The smile came because she knew she was being silly. But it didn't change anything. That imaginary 'home town girl'
would just have to learn to live without him now. Because Andi wasn't going to share.