Beyond Affection (24 page)

“I’ve got her, Shane,” Michael said gently.  Then, without wasting another second, they were moving her inside.

Shane watched, frozen, praying for one of Michael’s medical miracles.  In a rare show of affection, Kane laid his large hand on Shane’s shoulder.  “Mick’s got this, Shane,” he said quietly.  “He won’t lose her.”

Kane prayed he had not just lied to his brother.

* * *

S
hane sat by her side, holding her hand as the fluid dripped into her body.  For all that she’d been through, she’d never looked more beautiful.  Like a fairy tale princess.  Silken blonde waves framed her face, her expression one of supreme peace as she drifted in the throes of some ancient magic spell.

His heart. 

He was vaguely aware of the others standing in the background, talking in muted tones.  He knew it was out of respect for him that they didn’t speak of it, but he knew.  He had seen the evidence of what Davidson had done to her.  He had drugged her and taken what she would not freely give him.  And it had nearly killed her.  Had, in fact.  And it was only through the grace of God and his brother’s medical skill that she was still with them.

Silent tears dropped onto her hand, each one a prayer that she had been unconscious for it all.

“Come back to me,
a croie beloved
,” he whispered.  “I need you.”

* * *

F
rom somewhere very far away, Lacie heard the words, floating to her as if in a dream, spoken in a voice she longed to hear. 

* * *

“H
ow is she?” Jake asked quietly.  The bizarre irony of the situation was not lost on him.  Nearly five years before, it had been Shane asking Jake the same question as Taryn lay still and unmoving after the psychotic stalker who had murdered her entire family had caught up to her ten years later.

And, just as Jake hadn’t been able to answer then, so Shane couldn’t now.

Everyone else had gone home, with the exception of Michael, who had merely left only to grab a shower and a sandwich.  The day had been a constant parade of support.  Jake knew from personal experience that on some deep level Shane was registering it, but on the surface, he was thinking only of Lacie.  How much he loved her.  How she had to come out of this alright, because anything else was simply unacceptable. 

Jake also knew that Shane was blaming himself, berating himself for all the things he could have or should have done differently.  How he should have known, should have sensed Davidson’s level of psychosis.  How he shouldn’t have waited so long to speak with Corinne.  How he should have found her sooner.

Unfortunately, he would have to fight those demons on his own.  There was nothing that anyone could say or do to ease the clawing grief in his heart and mind.  The only one who had any hope of helping him heal and get past it was Lacie.

Jake stepped up to the bedside and looked down at the woman who had captured his brother’s heart.  The last time he had seen her, she had been beaming, radiant with happiness over some small gift Shane had left for her.  With her shy smile and contagious ebullience, she was a perfect mate for Shane, and Jake had liked her instantly.

It was hard to reconcile that woman with the pale, fragile form before him.  Her hair, carefully braided for practicality of care, was tucked along the pillow.  A mask covered her nose and mouth, providing the oxygen her lungs needed to hasten the effects of the drugs on her tortured body, as did the fluids that flowed through her veins, attempting to flush out the narcotics.  At least the padded restraints had been removed; they’d been an unfortunate necessity when they’d first brought her in.  Her body had been racked with seizures, symptoms of withdrawal from the powerful narcotics Davidson had been giving her.  Michael had said that her body chemistry was way off-kilter, but chemical genius that he was, he’d devised the right combination to stabilize her fairly quickly.

It brought back such painful memories.  Memories he thought he’d reconciled.

He exhaled heavily, then returned to resume his place against the window.  He would share this vigil with Shane, lending his own quiet support, as Shane had for him.

An hour passed, maybe two.  Nurses came in and silently checked her vitals, disappearing again without a word spoken.  Monitors and machines blipped and hissed in the private room; the only light came from neon lines on the screens and the automatic nightlight just inside the door.

* * *

I
t felt like only minutes had passed since the silvery mist had enveloped her.  Gone was the ethereal sensation of being comprised entirely of light; in its place was an aching heaviness, as if someone had poured concrete into every one of her limbs.    This was different from before, though.  Instead of the muddled, painful disorientation she’d experienced at the cabin, this felt ...cathartic. 

There was something strapped lightly over her nose and mouth - a soft, rubbery plastic.  Each breath filled her lungs with the most wonderful cool, clean air.  Gentle whirs and hums filled the quiet space around her, and there was the unmistakable scent of rubbing alcohol, noticeable even through the mask. 

With some effort, Lacie opened her eyes.  The room was dark, but there was no mistaking it for anything but a hospital room.  And at her side....  Shane!

Relief and joy flooded through her at the sight of him, along with a pang of sorrow.  He looked so sad, so weary, but still, he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen, and her heart lifted.

Hypnotic blue eyes blinked once, then widened.  “Lacie...” he swallowed down the choking sob in his throat and whispered her name like a prayer.  “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ll get Mick,” Jake said quietly, disappearing from the back of the room.

Lacie’s heart pounded in her chest; tears formed in her eyes.  All of the emotion of the last week flooded into her, overwhelming her.  It was okay to let go now.  Shane was here, and nothing bad could happen to her when Shane was with her. 

“Don’t cry, Lacie,” Shane whispered, yet she clearly saw wetness on his own sinfully long lashes. 

She reached up, attempting to remove the mask over her face, but Shane caught her hand in his and pulled it to his lips.  “No,” he said, his voice hoarse.  “Don’t say anything, sweetheart.  Just...listen.”

Lacie blinked to clear her vision.  Shane kissed each of her knuckles, then held her hand to his cheek.  “I thought I lost you, Lacie.  I don’t ever want to feel like that again.  I won’t survive it.”

Lacie tried to stroke his jaw, but her fingers weren’t working properly.  She could feel the growth of a day or more against her palm, however.  It was surprisingly soft.  How much did he know?  Would he feel the same way if he knew what Craig had done? 

Michael came through the door, hair still damp, smelling of soap and shaving cream.  Jake followed closely behind.  “Welcome back, Lacie,” he said with a smile.  Lacie thought he looked tired, too, and realized that she was the source of his weariness as well.  He lifted her lids – he had such a gentle touch – and peered into her eyes.  “I’m Michael Callaghan.  Do you remember me?”

She answered with a brief flutter of her eyelids, a slight movement of her head.  Her fingers tried to grip the hand that held hers, filling her with warmth, but it was little more than a twitch.

“Good girl,” Michael praised.  He felt her pulse, nodding.  “Lacie, listen to me, sweetheart.  Don’t try to talk; I want you to keep that mask on.  Answer me with your eyes.  One blink for yes, two for no.  Can you understand what I’m saying?”

Another flutter.

“Excellent.  You gave us quite a scare, but thankfully, you’re a lot stronger than you look.”  He winked.  Then his expression grew somber, but he kept his tone very soothing.  “You had a hell of a lot of narcotics in your system, Lacie.  In your weakened state, your body started shutting down.  We’re flushing everything out, and you are doing beautifully.  We’re going to have you hang out here for a while, make sure it’s all good.”

Michael proceeded to listen to her heart, then checked her reflexes with expert skill.  “Okay, so here’s how it works.  You rest.  Period.  We’ll take care of everything else.  And if you feel any discomfort at all, you let us know.  No heroics, no brave fronts.  Got it?”

She blinked and nodded ever so slightly.  Michael turned to Shane and grinned.  “I wish all my patients were as accommodating as she is.  I take it you’re staying?”

Shane nodded. 

“Yeah, I thought so,” Michael said, but he didn’t seem annoyed.  On the contrary, he seemed quite pleased.  “We’ll bring in something more comfortable for you.”

“Mick...”  Shane couldn’t find the words.  Michael saved him the trouble.  “Do me a favor, though.  Eat something.  And for God’s sake, take a shower, will you?”

Lacie’s eyes widened, but a quick glance showed Shane’s mouth twitching and Michael’s eyes dancing with amusement.  She knew then that everything was going to be okay.

––––––––

T
he next day, Lacie was quietly discharged under Michael’s care.  Officially, she had been treated for dehydration, exhaustion, and a few minor bumps and bruises incurred while on a hiking trip with friends.  There was no reference to Craig or anything that happened while she was kept at the cabin.  Lacie wondered vaguely what kind of influence Michael had to do that.

She was still weak, but remarkably improved.  Michael said it would take a few weeks to start feeling normal again, at least physically.  Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she would be a recovering addict, but essentially, that’s what she was now. 

The other stuff, well, that was even harder to deal with.  No organic mix of detoxifying ingredients was going to help with that.

Rather than make the long ride back to Pine Ridge, they took Lacie to Kane’s cabin to give her a chance to rest and prepare before facing her family and the police back home.  It was a plan for which Lacie was grateful.  She needed to try to wrap her own mind around everything that happened before she could even hope to discuss it with anyone else.

Rebecca sat by Lacie’s side, adjusting her pillows and blankets, speaking in that quiet, gentle way she had.  Michael suggested that Lacie might feel more comfortable speaking to her about the events that had occurred.  So far she had spoken very little to any of them, other than to answer direct, medically relevant questions.  She was content to simply hold Shane’s hand.  When her eyes were open, they were on him and nothing else; she was afraid he would leave if she looked away.

* * *

S
hane stepped out to give them some privacy, but promised Lacie he would be just outside in the next room.  Only then did he lean against the wall and close his eyes.  It was impossible to see it for anything but what it was:  a gut wrenching pain that went so deep he wasn’t sure he would survive it.  He ached for her, for what she had endured, for what was yet to come, vowing that he would do anything and everything in his power to make it easier for her.

He heard the murmurs of Rebecca’s soft, comforting voice through the door, knew she was addressing some of the more horrific events Lacie had been subjected to.  Things he couldn’t bear to ask himself.  While Rebecca wasn’t a doctor, she’d spent more than a decade in relief and aid organizations all over the world.  She had seen more than her share of cruelty and violence, and the unmistakable air of kindness and serenity that surrounded her invited others to confide in her.  There was no one Shane would have rather had with his
croie
.

Shane gave Michael a grateful nod, taking some small comfort in the knowledge that his brother was doing everything he could to make it easier, for all of them.  He was overseeing Lacie’s care, ensuring that she was comfortable while her body healed and re-adjusted.  “Thanks,” he said, his voice sounding like sandpaper over glass.

Michael nodded.  Kieran came through the door, the look on his face unreadable.  Shane realized he hadn’t seen much of the youngest Callaghan over the past two days.  Then again, he hadn’t been able to think about much of anything besides Lacie.  His brothers, as always, had his back. 

“How is Lacie?” Kieran asked immediately.

“Better than expected.  Rebecca’s with her now,” Michael answered.  “Where’s Davidson?” 

Kieran’s eyes blazed the signature blue flames they all had in common.  “Dead.  Fucker somehow managed to off himself with a shiv he’d concealed.  Messy as hell, though.”

“Saves us the trouble,” Kane said, his eyes cold and deadly.  It was true enough.  They hadn’t reached a consensus on exactly what they were going to do with him once Lacie was safe.    They would have preferred to handle it amongst themselves – Shane in particular – but back in Pine Ridge the police were already involved and it might prove to be rather tricky.  Davidson’s suicide tied off more than a few loose ends, if nothing else. 

Shane’s eyes glowed with the fury of being denied his vengeance, but he had more important things to think about.   

“You take care of it?” Kane asked, his voice sharp and cold.  Kieran nodded.  Kane grunted in approval – the closest he came to praise – and the youngest Callaghan beamed.

Rebecca had left a sandwich and some soup for him, but Shane couldn’t stomach it.  Not when it was tied in so many knots.  Yes, Lacie was here.  Yes, she was safe.  But he had come so close to losing her, and that had left him badly shaken.  Shaken and filled with a sense of rage so hot it threatened to consume him from the inside out. 

Michael watched him carefully as he sat at the kitchen table, looking weary and angry and scared and in love.  “We think we’re so tough, so strong,” he said quietly.  Kane, polishing his guns in the living area, paused momentarily in his stroke, but didn’t look up.  “We train hard, spend hours, days, weeks in places no man should have to go, enduring all kinds of shit because life is so fucked up and people can be so unbelievably cruel to each other.  And we’re so smug, because we’re above all that, and we’re the best at what we do.  The fucking good guys.”

He paused and took a deep breath.  “Then we find someone.  Not just anyone, but the one we know we’re meant to spend the rest of our lives with.  The one we simply cannot live without.  And we finally know what real terror is.  We finally feel the pain and hurt and suffering that we thought we understood before and realize we didn’t have a fucking clue.”