Project Shady

A Pink Rose

24 hours later

''Whitney,'' Clara called out as the young girl bounded into the room. She held a plush teddy bear in her arms and the moment she found herself next to Clara's bed, she held it out to her.

''I got you something,'' the eight-year-old grinned and held the bear up for Clara to take.

''Aw thank you so much, he can stay right here,'' Clara tucked the teddy, which had 'get well soon,' stitched onto his little black t-shirt, under her left arm. It was the only one that was truly functional due to the fact her other was in a sling because of the injury to her shoulder.

''Whit I told you not to run off like that,'' Marshall entered the room, a disappointed look on his face directed towards Whitney, which she very much ignored, continuing to chat to Clara.

''It's ok Marshall, she's fine,'' Clara responded as Whitney climbed onto the bed her legs swinging back and forth as they dangled off the end.

''Dad says you're gonna be staying with us,'' the blonde blurted out a giggle escaping her lips a Marshall let out a large sigh.

''Oh did he now?'' Clara questioned raising an eyebrow at him.

''I said Clara was going to be staying as my assistant not living with us,'' Whitney's face dropped slightly, but she perked back up when Marshall offered her money to get something out of one of the vending machines that littered the corridor.

Once she was gone Marshall finally entered the room properly. He held a bouquet of flowers in the hand that he had managed to keep behind his back throughout the exchange with his daughter. Clara wouldn't be able to tell you what kind of flowers they actually were (apart from the pink roses, most people knew what roses looked like), but she could tell you how much she loved them as Marshall placed them in an empty vase that sat on the table next to her bed.

''They're beautiful, thank you,'' she whispered as she watched him arrange them. He'd come to visit her ever since she'd woken up the day before, in fact, he was there when she woke up after the doctors had finished patching her up.

''So, any word on your big bro yet or has he completely disappeared?'' Marshall asked taking a seat on the exact spot Whitney had been sitting moments before.

''Miranda came by yesterday to tell me they hadn't seen him but weren't going to stop looking for him,'' Clara explained.

''Maybe it's for the best he doesn't come back eh?'' Clara nodded as she reached her left hand out to touch his.

''He fucking hope so,'' she whispered running her thumb over his fingers, ''it would make my life a whole lot easier, but he is my brother so there is some part of me that worries for him you know?''

''Yeah, but on the plus side I can take you out on a date and not have to worry about him lurking in a dark corner somewhere,'' Marshall joked.

''Bold of you to assume I'll still be going on that date you asked me on,'' however, unfortunately, Marshall couldn't respond just yet as Whitney came back into the room crunching down on some sort of packet of sweets she'd got from the vending machine.

''There are some people in black in the hallway and a mean looking woman,'' Whitney squeaked out running over to Marshall at the same time as the 'mean looking woman,' entered the room or as the other two knew her; Miranda.

''Marshall, Clara,'' Miranda greeted them with a nod before she approached them. She walked right past the bed stopping at the window. She stayed, staring out of it before turning around to continue speaking, ''I spoke to your doctor and he said if you passed all the right tests tomorrow you can go home. I recommend that you stay with Marshall or he with you a few days until you are fully fit. Then you'll come back to London for a full debrief before coming back here.''