“Mmhmm.”
“Nora. Don’t sleep, okay?”
“Why not? We’re okay now.” Her voice was slurred.
“Dammit, Nora. You lost a lot of blood.”
Her eyes closed again and Simon pushed the throttle harder.
***
Simon sat next to Nora in bed, hovering over her, a bottle of antiseptic in his hand. The act of pouring it on her wound was what must have made her wake back up, wincing with its administration.
“I’m sorry,” Simon murmured. He stroked down her face.Glad she can wake up though. That’s a good sign.That she could still react and wake up filled him with relief. There were no other signs she had gone into shock either now that he had properly tied her leg to stem the blood loss.But her skin is still so cold and clammy.He drew the blanket up further over her torso.
A grimace crossed her face. “Ow.”
“I know it hurts, Nora. I know. I need to clean the wound though. It’s . . .” Simon watched her eyes struggle to stay open, her hand reaching for him instead of her leg. Pain streaked across her face.
He took his hands and cupped her chin. “I’ll be quick.”
Nora touched his arm, groggily. “Simon?”
“Yes.” He reached around her so she could more easily sit upright.
Nora’s eyes watered as she struggled to keep them open. “Simon . . . I’m . . .”
Simon gently moved her leg to the side before moving close to hold her. The pillows around the bed got pushed around until she sat up. He patted her cheek. “Can you drink something? It will help with some of the pain.”
“Yeah.”
There was some pain medication in the house, labeled precisely just like the ration bars were. He brought the pills on the nightstand close, putting them in Nora’s mouth and then holding the cup to her chin as she drank. His eyes stayed trained on her wound as he held her. “Good. That will help. Rest now. It’s all okay. Rest, Nora. Don’t fight to stay awake. It’s easier if you sleep through this.”
Her voice was slurred. “Thank you for coming for me.”
“Always.” The softness of her body filled his arms. “Always.” He tightened his arms around her. “Sleep now.”
The irony of what he was saying hit him full force as he stroked her hair.Sleep.Nora turned him off to pretty much do the same thing, to fix him. The comparison was not lost on him.I’m asking her to be unconscious, just like she did to me. Going to sleep. Turning me off.
He frowned, the thought clarifying his understanding as he saw Nora struggling to stay awake.It is a normal thing to want. To not want someone you care for to be in pain or broken. She did not turn me off because I was a machine. It was an act of . . . love.
He watched her slip in and out of consciousness, his realization weighing on him heavily. “I’m sorry I didn’t understand sooner, Nora. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you in the first place. I love you.” He leaned forward, and his voice hitched as he touched his forehead to hers. “I love you.”
Nora reached out and tapped his hand groggily. “Love you too.”
Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Simon processors skipped, his breath catching to hear those words said back so casually. His body heated in a way he didn’t think possible, similar to how she always reacted to him.
He moved forward and kissed her, before remembering himself and pulling back with a soft smile. “I need to stitch your leg, okay? Try to rest. Let the medicine work. It will be easier.”
“Mmhm.” Nora rolled in his arms and settled at his tone. The medicine he gave her with the drink, found amongst the bottles that Nora had hoarded from the drop, took effect, and she dozed off.
Even though she could no longer hear him, he spoke just the same. “I’ll stitch your leg now.”
Chapter fifty
Simon
Simon tended to Nora’s leg, feeling the pressure of the uplink on his mind but refusing the connection. With a shake of his head, he brushed it off.Later.He left Nora’s side to get out the first aid kit she had that contained a sterile needle, thread, and gauze. He dipped the needle briefly in alcohol to make sure it was clean as he assessed the supplies.None of this is ideal.This should be done in a hospital or clinic, with strong antibiotics and a sterile environment. Not here in Nora’s bedroom, on her bed, with a towel underneath her leg. He clenched his jaw.But I’ll do my best.
