+18 - eps.33-35 - The shadow of an old foe leaves Gillian fighting for her life. And as the team hunts down the attacker, Brock and Gillian run out of time to come to terms with their feelings for each other. BONUS TRACK: episode 36 - the breakfast
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Gillian woke up to a fresh smell of flowers. Looked like the delivery service had waited to load a whole van with things for her, and delivered them all together while she slept. There were balloons, flowers, baskets. Her room was a sudden mess of colors and fragrances. Connor and Brock worked hard to put some order to that merry mess, their backs turned to her when she opened her eyes.
Siblings.
That was the first word that came to her mind at seeing them together.
Siblings. Just like she'd dreamed countless times. Yeah, they'd get along just great, Connor and Andrea. And she'd always thought the girl was just adorable. And Connor somehow knew how to handle Brock...
"They said they'll bring another table."
Gillian heard the whisper and turned to the door, surprised. Cooper saw she was awake and approached the bed.
"Ma'am...?" Gillian muttered.
"Nice to see you awake, Gillian," Cooper said, keeping her voice low.
Brock glanced back from over his shoulder and nodded at Connor to keep minding their own business.
Cooper waited for a moment, her eyes on their backs, then looked down at Gillian. "Men in hospitals..." she muttered. "You just let me know if you need me to keep you company."
And kick everybody out to give you a break. Cooper didn't say it, but Gillian knew her enough to read the foot note.
"Let me get back at you about it tomorrow, ma'am," Gillian replied with a mild smile. She was able to smile! Maybe they'd reduced her morphine supply? Great. She'd only need a ten-year detox to cleanse it off her blood stream.
"I've talked to your doctor," Cooper said, sitting down by the bed. "He thinks you'll be good to go in four or five days."
Gillian's face reflected her revulsion at the idea of spending a whole week there. Cooper flashed a quick grimace.
"He says it's important that you keep your rest, and he thinks you won't do it if he lets you go home. So he's gonna keep you here to force you to rest."
Gillian rolled her eyes. Cooper nodded.
"I know. I'll talk to him again tomorrow. Maybe I can come up with something to soften him and convince him to let you go in a couple of days."
The idea of Cooper 'softening' somebody was enough to make Gillian laugh around the clock through her week in the hospital. Had her chest not been all stitched up, not once but twice.
Cooper's phone buzzed. She checked it and frowned. "Sorry, I need to take this," she muttered, standing up.
A nurse came in as Cooper walked out—this room is busier than the ER, Gillian thought, annoyed. The woman pushed one of those high tables with wheels they used for patients to eat. Those lucky bastards not on IV like her.
Connor helped the nurse to park the table at the only available gap against the wall. Cooper stuck her head into the room.
"Is your phone on, Brockner?" she asked, her own phone still to her ear. "Cassidy and Wright are trying to reach you."
Brock fished in his pockets with a puzzled scowl, produced his phone, scowled deeper.
"What is it?" asked Gillian.
He came toward the bed, still scowling at the phone as he pressed the side button. "I didn't touch it, but it's off," he said. "And I can't turn it on again."
Gillian hated to feel the stupid tenderness he always inspired her.
"When did you last charge it?" she asked softly.
Brock scowled up at her, suspicious, as he tried to remember. She smiled and looked past her.
"Connor, son..." Connor materialized by her side. "Agent Brockner's phone ran outta battery. Why don't you check if my charger works for it?"
Brock handed out his phone reluctantly as Cooper came back. She met his eyes with a quick nod to the door. At the same time, Connor followed the nurse out, to see if somebody at the nurse station had a charger with a fitting plug.
All of a sudden, Gillian was all alone. She closed her eyes with a mild smile. Enjoying the silence. Those three words pushed her eyelids up and sharpened her ears, to try to catch anything of what Brock and Cooper talked in whispers at the doorway. She was only able to get two words—'back', 'Cincinnati'. That, and Brock's stubborn scowl when he shook his head, were enough for her to fill in the blanks. Something had gone wrong with the arrests in Cincinnati, so Cassidy and Wright wanted him back there to take the lead on the procedures. And he refused. Because of her.
