Daisy | Simon Riley

|28|

Drew groggily came to in the hospital room, the curtains still parted slightly to reveal the darkened sky.

She'd slept too long. Slept the day away.

What time was it? Was it still the same day? How much medication had they given her?

"Hey," came a deep voice from beside her.

Her head turned, neck stiff from her position as she looked to Simon who sat in the same chair as he had been when she'd fallen asleep. He had a book in his hand, resting on his propped up knee.

"What... what time is it?" she asked, forcing her tongue to cooperate.

Fuck, those drugs were strong.

"Just before six," he answered, moving his foot to the floor as he leaned toward her. "You feelin' alright?"

She hummed in agreement, pulling her hand to her face to rub her eyes. "Feel like I've been... hibernating," she muttered.

"Good, you needed it."

"I'm sure you enjoyed the quiet."

"Best hours I've had in a while," he smirked.

She glared at him a little as she carefully pushed up to her elbows and pressed the remote so the back of the bed would rise. "Must have been bored all day then, b'y."

"I've been fine. Been on enough stakeouts to know how to keep myself occupied."

She adjusted her position, shifting her knees toward her carefully as she leaned on her right hip so she could look at him easier. "Tell me about them," she said quietly, eyes tracing over him.

"Nothin' much to say; we'd go in, watch, and leave."

Her head dropped to the pillow in mock annoyance, "Come on," she urged.

"What do you want to know?" he grumbled.

"About how you pass the time; do you just go blank-minded, do you think, do you tell yourself jokes?"

"The inside of my head ain't that interestin'."

"I'd beg to differ."

He stiffened a bit, his face looking unsure. "Usually just think," he shrugged. "Depends on what I have around. I'll read sometimes."

"What do you like to read?"

"You tryin' to play a game, Daisy?"

"I'm trying to get to know my teammate," she stated.

He huffed, dropping the book to the side table before letting silence sit for a moment. "I don't mind reading. Usually science fiction, suspense, that sort."

"Do you have a favourite?"

His hand came to rub his stubbly chin, "I like Stephen King's books. Don't have a favourite though."

She hummed, eyes falling to the books he'd brought.

"Do you read at all?"

Her gaze returned to him and she nodded, "I'll read just about anything," she explained, "got that from my Nan."

"You talk about your Nan a lot," he noted.

"I was close with her," she agreed.

"Did she raise you?"

The words had memories flooding her mind immediately. "No..." she shook her head, "she lived around the bay, so I only saw her when my parents brought me out or she came to town. But I'd spent as much time as I could with her. Nearly as much as I spent at my own house," she explained carefully.