What If I

Part 5: A Promising Day

Though Monday was a bust, Tuesday was a flop, Wednesday was a joke, Thursday was a waste and Friday was uneventful- Helen feels much better as she wakes up this morning in Max's bed. He has refused to let her go home and he himself hasn't been to work since the 48 Hour Interrogation. Leaving Helen alone was not an option and unfortunately, Luna was not a very helpful babysitter. Max had been a gentleman though, always sleeping on the couch and asking if she needed anything. Each day he made her a new kind of breakfast- something he's actually quite good at and per a silent plea to some of the Dam Fam- they sent over different main dishes for dinner and lunches. He has been nothing but sweet and caring and Helen can't help but feel bad for sleeping most of the day, everyday. Max doesn't mind in the least, however, because Helen needs rest more than anything. Upon his disappearance from the Dam, Karen Brantley has been up his ass about everything- not once asking how Helen was or if she was recovering. It irritated him severely. However, he let's it go each time and focusses on making Helen comfortable. Helen slowly sits up and leans against the bedframe, the cool metal pole grazing against her through a t-shirt she borrowed from Max. She likes the feel of his cotton blended Metallic shirt on her naked chest. Max notices her from the kitchen and smiles kindly before coming in.

"Good morning. How are we feeling today?" He asks and he bounces a bit with Luna, his voice is full toddler talk.

"Give me my munchkin and I'll be better." Max makes a sad face and hands her the 6 month old.

"No fair. I never get special attention." Helen looks at him and pats the bed beside her. Getting in, he pulls her into his body and kisses her temple. He's gotten a little free with himself lately- touching her intimately, but never anything more than a small kiss to her forehead or temple, his hand on her upper thigh, or on the small of her back if they are hugging. However, Helen doesn't mind being touched. In fact, she wishes he would do it more often. She and him have yet to have their second date, yet have pretty much moved on from the uncomfortable stage of nervousness.

"You're such a whiner." She says kissing Luna on her tummy as the little girl bounces on her thighs happily.

"The swelling in you cheek is gone. Still have a shiner though." She looks at him and shakes her head.

"It was the same as yesterday and the day before that. It'll take at least another week and a half to get rid of it. Even with the compresses." No one at work besides the select few- Iggy, Kapoor, Bloom, and Reynolds- have seen Helen's battle bruises. She would like it better if no one else knew they ever happened. The only nice thing about Karen Brantley is that she can pay off reporters to change the story slightly to "the patient and his wife, found the door opened due to a faulty lock"- instead of "patient steals physician's key card and plummets to his death with wife and cat", which would have had the reporters mention Helen by name. Other than that no one knows Helen was sort of responsible for Zeke's suicide.

"Don't get discouraged. You're still beautiful." He says it casually and she leans into him more.

"Don't you have to check up on the Dam?"

"Todd keeps me informed, as well as everyone else. Nothing major has gone on- so I'm not missing much." Helen feels bad that he's missing work for her. She wishes he would just let her stay by herself. It's not like she can't take care of herself. "I was thinking, we should do something fun today. It's Saturday and the day is beautiful- not too chilly, leaves blowing in the breeze. Whatcha think?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"A nice drive." Nodding, she smiles at him and watches Luna bounce up and down.

"That might be nice. Where to?"

"Someplace special." He says being illusive and slides out of bed. "But first, breakfast."