A Happy Coincidence

Chapter 26

I better slow down, this story is speeding by so fast! I'll have to start packing my updates and extending my chapters or this will be over too quickly. Thanks for all the support, you guys are awesome! Xox

--

Happy cleaned up and, on his way back to the hospital, grabbed something to eat. Sleep wasn't a concern, he'd sleep there, he just wanted to get back to Rory. Inhaling the greasy burger and fries before he even got to her room, Happy dumped the trash and using the dispenser outside her door vigorously rubbed the alcohol disinfectant between his hands. When he stepped in, he saw immediately that they removed the intubation tube and she was breathing on her own. He was thrilled to see it, despite the fact she didn't stir when came closer, and kissed her cheek gingerly.

"I didn't kill them." He said, sitting in the visitor chair and sliding it closer to her bed. "Not yet." Opening his mouth to continue on again Happy was silenced by a knock at the door. Turning to see the doctor entering quietly, Happy stood and shook the man's hand. "How is she?"

"She's doing well. Tube came out a few hours ago and she should be up soon. We kept her sedated to regulate her breathing after the surgery. Her lung is not 100% by any means but it was merely a precaution and there's been a lot of improvement in the last twenty-four hours."

"Thanks." Happy smiled and looked back at her. "She'll be in here a while? We're not from Oregon; she'll want to go home soon."

The doctor looked her over and nodded. "A few days, I can't really say until she wakes up. You know, the police were here last night they were hoping to speak with the man who found her. Based on the description the paramedics gave I'm guessing that would be you."

"I don't know anything. I came to meet up with her and she wasn't around so I just started looking."

Raising his hands, palms out, the doctor shrugged. "I'm not the detective, just giving you a heads up."

--

The detectives did come and Happy repeated exactly what he had told the doctor. When they arrived he was passed out, hunched over in the armchair leaning his head on the bed beside Rory. They were rude, as Happy expected, since he was wearing his cut but that was nothing new.

"So you just found her in the alley?"

Happy nodded. "The knife was hers." He said. "I know you need it to find whoever did this but she's gonna want it back. Her dad gave it to her."

"She'll have to file a request with the department after the case is closed. We ran the name on the blade." One said. "Interesting life her and her family led."

There was a tone, one of suspicion and judgment and Happy didn't like it. "This had nothing to do with that shit; she doesn't even do bounties anymore. When I found her she didn't have her bag, probably got mugged."

"Who are you, boyfriend? Not family, we didn't see your name in her records anywhere."

"Not family. Did you get prints off the knife?"

The detectives looked at each other and smiled. "We did, we have a name we're looking into."

"We done?" He asked abruptly, exhausted not only by the run around and head games but he events of the last few days.

"For now." One detective said as the other shot Happy an obnoxious wink.

--

Happy didn't think he'd fall asleep so soon with his anger bubbling but he did and when he awoke, Rory was looking at him through squinted eyes. "Sleeping Beauty." Her voice was horse and weak, the words barely intelligible but seeing her smiling at him distracted him from her garbled words.

"Shit little girl, you scared me." He beamed, it was the biggest smile she'd ever seen from him, and kissed her lips. "Are you okay?"

"Thirsty." She managed to croak out. Rory smiled to herself as he helped her with the styrofoam cup of water the nurses left. "Thanks."

"I should get your doc in here."

"Just wait. I like the peace and quiet." She settled her head down again and blindly moved her hand to his on the bedrail. "I'm sure they'll be cops and tests once they know I'm awake."

"Yeah." He hated hearing her voice so rough and crackly. Rubbing his thumb along her knuckles he tried to think of something to say. "Your asshole bounty buddies are still alive."

"I don't want to talk about it, Hap." She didn't open her eyes. "I know what Johnny did and I remember everything but I don't want to talk about it."

"Alright. You know I was thinking we could see if you can transfer to Saint Thomas? Just get you out of Oregon all together."

Shaking her head slowly she declined. "Something nice about being away, I guess." She said dopily, already tired from exerting the effort to speak. "A painful, mini vacation."

"Look who decided to join us." The doctor was exuberant as he entered the room, suddenly charming now that his patient was roused. "How are you feeling?

Rory smiled sweetly. "Shitty. I feel like I'm not getting a lot of air, just enough but I feel really out of breath."

"Normal. I can bump up your oxygen," he gestured to the cannula in her nose. "Pain, on a scale from one to ten, where are you?"

"Like a four." She lied and neither of them bought it.

"Okay, now answer honestly."

She grimaced as a little chuckle left her lips. "Maybe more like a six."

The doctor fiddled with her IV before placing his hand on her shoulder. "I'll have the nurse up your dose. Rest for now and we'll talk about recovery and all that when you're feeling up to it."

"Thanks." She closed her eyes again and when the door shut and removed the cannula from her nose.

"Hey, you need that." He protested.

"Shut up and come here." Happy did just that and leaned over her, unsure of what she wanted. Taking as deep of a breath as she could, Rory smiled and she smelled him. That scent, the mix of cigarettes, leather, whisky and exhaust was like heaven to her and she hated being unable to enjoy it.

"You wanted to sniff me?" He asked awkwardly as she replaced the oxygen back in her nose. "Let me sniff you then." He joked and went to stick his face under the covers.

Weakly, she slapped at him. "You're a pig. Get away from my lady bits. I'm so gross."

"You're not gross." He said staunchly. "You do smell like shit though." He winked and they both laughed remembering how she'd used that phrase to get him in the shower months before. "You should sleep, baby."

Rory opened her eyes again and looked at him with confusion. "Did you just call me baby?"

"Ahh shit, just shut up and sleep." He spoke gruffly, embarrassed, but Rory wasn't bothered by it. She loved when he show bits of himself he hadn't ever before.

"Thank you." She whispered. "Please don't leave while I'm sleeping, okay?"

"I'm not going anywhere."