City of Angels (and Demons)

Chapter Two

It was a long, quiet drive back to Mark's house. Amy kept stealing glances over at him as she drove. She had tried starting up a conversation, but he had muttered that he hadn't felt like talking. She wouldn't call it an awkward silence, but something was just unsettling to her and she couldn't pinpoint the cause.

Maybe it was just from being cooped up in the hospital for so long. She knew he had had health scares in the past, so maybe he didn't care for hospitals and staying in one even though he told the doctors and nurses that he felt perfectly fine was what had irked him.

And then there was just the fact that he liked silent car rides.

Amy pushed all of that out of her head as they got out of the car. She was nearly to the front door before she realized Mark wasn't following. She stopped and turned back to see him still standing by the car.

"Mark?"

Mark looked at her. "Sorry, just thinking," he said as he walked over to stand by her.

"About?" Amy pried gently. Knowing what had happened, it was still strange for her to see him moving around as if the accident had never happened. That experimental surgery had done wonders. Still, it took a lot for her not to baby him and make sure he was okay at all times. Which was something that clearly bothered him at times, which was why she was trying to hold back now.

Mark didn't seem bothered now, which was good. "I was thinking about the last time I walked here," he said, pointing at the ground where he was standing. "And about how close I was to it being my last time."

Amy told herself not to cry. She had done enough crying this past week. "You've got more years left in you," she said, reaching out to take his hand. Part of her was afraid he would pull away, but he gripped her hand back just as tightly. "We're not ready to let you go." She gave him a peck on the cheek. She started for the door, but stopped when Mark didn't move.

"What about Felix?"

Amy felt guilty for not saying anything. "He's been staying here, taking care of Chica," she said, relieved he didn't look pissed by that news. "Sorry I didn't tell you. It-"

"Don't worry; I didn't think to ask," Mark said. "Didn't expect him to still be here. He said it'd only be a week."

"But I didn't think you'd be in the hospital that whole time," Felix said, walking out of the house. Chica came out as well, running up to Amy, who was the closest. Felix placed a hand on Mark's shoulder. "You scared a lot of people."

"I heard," Mark said with a slight nod. "It's not the first time and it won't be the last."

"Don't say that," Amy said, giving Chica a few more pets. "I'd rather have it be the one and only time." Chica finally noticed that Mark was standing there-

And gave a fearful whine before she started barking at him.

Which made Mark jump, startled. "Chica? It's me, girl," he said, kneeling down and reaching for her.

Chica backed off, still barking, then ran off back into the house.

Mark looked heartbroken as he stood back up. "I wonder what's up with her," he said. He'd been away from home for longer without her acting like that. Amy could tell that that worried him.

"Maybe she just confused you with someone else," Felix said. "You probably just smell like hospital."

"Probably," Mark said, but Felix's reassurances didn't seem to make him feel any better.

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Dean let himself inside the office of Dr. Laurie Bates. Sam had gone to check out her operating room. Any lock could be picked and Sam was just as good as Dean was at that. Dean could have gone, but he couldn't resist snooping as they passed Bates' office.