"Don't you even think it, Thomas!"
His dark brow rose elegantly in a challenge, but Lauren actually growled. It was more like a cat than a panther, but her fierce little "Grrrr" was adorable. Until she leaned in a bit on his bandaged chest.
He gave a deep groan, which made Chuck look up but not move.
"Do you know what I've been through, husband?" Lauren wasn't backing down, and really, his little wife was quite heavy when she was leaning on a chest wound.
"Now, darling, I..."
Swooping forward, she placed a kiss on his lips before whispering, "If you try to pull out that IV or even move another inch, I will sit on your handsome, muscled midsection. Right at the level of your kidneys, in case you were wondering." Her pretty eyes were a cold lavender-grey, and it was clear his gentle spouse was Not Fucking Around.
Looking over at Straker, Thomas could see he would be no help. The big man simply settled himself more comfortably in his hard chair and ostentatiously looked away. The intimidating Number One was torn between outrage and a sudden desire to laugh. Aware that the latter would hurt terribly and that the former wouldn't go over well with his beloved wife, who indeed looked like she was ready to sit on his chest, Thomas simply put his head back on the pillow and sighed. "How long...?" his question was interrupted by a cough, and he watched Lauren's body go rigid, her gaze focused on his mouth. She snatched a tissue from the box on his bedside table and held it, hand shaking slightly. "Darling?" Thomas started again, "It's all right, why are you so-"
"When you coughed, in the room," Lauren interrupted, "when you coughed there was blood on your lips. I don't- when you cough, I grab a tissue just in case-" It was his eyes that made her start crying, Thomas's blue gaze was terribly sad. She'd never seen the expression on his face before.
His other hand - the one without the IV - grasped her shaking one and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl. I'm terribly sorry you were in harm's way yet again. That you were forced to care for me."
Lauren laughed- more like an angry little huff. "You still don't get it, do you? Thomas, I was terrified because I thought you died! Thirty goddamn minutes before the door would open and a doctor could save you and I thought you were gone." She used the tissue she was clutching to wipe her nose."Forcedto care for you? I'm so glad I was there. If that was going to be our last twelve hours, I wanted it to be with you." Lauren put her wet cheek against his.
"My beautiful Lauren," Thomas whispered, "I will move heaven and hell to stay with you. I am yours, as you are mine."
The two stayed together, face to face and whispered until the doctor came in, smiling at seeing the couple together on the hospital bed. "Mrs. Williams, thank you for not pulling out the patient's chest tube this time." Thomas took one look at his bride's mortified face and choked out a laugh. "It's good to see you alert, Thomas, I'm Dr. Giles." The doctor was beaming at him approvingly as if he'd done something more talented than simply regaining consciousness. "Your wife has been quite determined that we keep you alive. When an unidentified nurse walked into the room, your associate-" the doctor nodded at an expressionless Chuck, "-drew a gun on him while Mrs. Williams here jumped on top of you, shielding you from an attack. Hence, the chest tube." Thomas pressed his lips together, almost feeling the heat of Lauren's painful blush.
"My wife is very fierce when provoked," he managed, "as you have seen."
Dr. Giles simply chuckled, "Indeed. I consulted with her while you were in the Panic Room. Lauren was admirably courageous. She saved your life."
Smiling up at his teary-eyed wife, Thomas kissed her hand. "Of this, doctor, I have no doubt."
Limping back into their townhouse a couple of days later, Thomas could smell the fresh paint. Everything looked perfect and undisturbed- even the walnut wainscoting that hid the door to the Panic Room looked unmarred. Lauren had hastily put together a comfortable bedroom on the main floor to keep him from climbing the endless flights of stairs in their home. Finally, resting in bed while she arranged the pillows behind his back, he gave a huge exhale of breath. She looked up immediately, eyes wide. "Are you all right? Are you in terrible pain? I can get a pill-"
"I'm fine, darling," Thomas assured her with a tight smile. It was a lie of course, and they both knew it. He'd stubbornly refused most of the pain medication, wanting to stay as alert as possible. "But I would be grateful for some water, and a moment to speak with Chuck?"
Lauren's brow furrowed, but she nodded and gave him a kiss before heading out the door. Straker passed her, giving the girl a completely unrecognizable smile, one with warmth and fondness. Thomas shook his head. Of course, she'd won over the most unemotional man in his organization. Of course. But when the bodyguard paused before his bed, he was all business.
"Sir," Straker noted gravely, "you look much better."
"Thank you," Thomas replied. He took a deep breath, refusing to flinch at the corresponding flare of agony in his chest. "You have completed your investigation into the attack?"
Now, Straker wore the unkind, forbidding expression he was used to before Lauren. "I have, Mr. Williams."
Thomas waited until after the dinner he didn't feel like eating, but he forced himself, knowing every bite removed one of the little lines furrowing Lauren's formerly smooth brow. She'd kept up a cheerful commentary about the music program in the schools, looking gloomy only once when she mentioned Clara.
"Yeah, she's been there with Miles a lot. I can tell he's totally getting into her, 'grieving widow' or not." Lauren made the little quotation gesture with her fingers, another vulgarity he would not have allowed before everything changed in St. Petersburg. In fact, Thomas found himself smiling a little, enjoying his wife's quick wit and occasional sarcastic asides. She shuddered. "I don't see that going well. And there's not a word I can say to the poor man."
Looking at her worried face, Williams felt a surge of tenderness for his wife. Even after a year now as a Crime Lord's Bride, she was still empathetic, still sweet and caring. "Perhaps it's his innocence that attracts her," he mused, "but since she's Martinsson's daughter, I can't imagine her keeping it up for long."
Shrugging as she sipped from her wine glass filled with water, Lauren sighed. "I don't know, she kept up the innocent fiancée thing for what- a year and a half?" Collecting her thoughts, she took his now-empty tray from him and settled his blankets again. "Can I ask what you and Chuck talked about?" Her eyes were on the pillow she was fluffing, but Thomas could hear the anxiety in her tone.
"I rather suspect you know, darling," he answered. The weight on his chest felt heavier than the bullet that had torn through it, but Thomas forced himself to continue. "He was heading up the investigation into who sent the assassins. Straker kept the second shooter alive long enough to question him."
Lauren's full mouth was drawn into a tight, thin line. "I would imagine that was a smart move," she agreed. "What did Chuck find out?"
Thomas took her hand, smoothing out her clenched fist and resting it on his lap, admiring his wife's long, slender fingers. So gifted in coaxing beauty, unlike his, which were gifted in bringing death. "The man who ordered the hit." he sighed and forced himself to continue. "It was Frank. Your father."
He heard her stifle a sob but Lauren looked up, dry-eyed. "Go on."
"He thought if I was removed from the picture, The Corporation assets I controlled would go to you. Frank believed he could manipulate you into signing everything over to him in the middle of your grief and confusion. He would then have a controlling share in Jaguar Holdings and regain his position and millions of dollars. He-" Thomas stopped for a moment, clenching his teeth and feeling such a flood of rage that his pulse surged. "Frank intended to then marry you off again to another rising star in The Corporation, strengthening his position." Thomas continued to hold her hand, running his thumb gently over his wife's soft skin as he watched her bowed head. When she finally looked up, Lauren was livid. And heartbroken.
