Laura took deep, heaving breaths, not knowing where she was.  She wasn’t sure what had happened but knew it had been terrifying.  Her lungs felt like they couldn’t get enough oxygen and black spots started to dance before her eyes.  She noticed the iv in her arm and reached to pull it out forgetting she had a cast on, surely it had been the medication that had caused such a reaction. 

But before she could tug the iv out, her hand was grasped firmly in a strong masculine hand.  A nurse came quickly into the room and Laura could hear but not understand the conversation taking place.  The hand that held hers soothingly rubbed a thumb over the back of her hand.  She was not aware that the nurse removed the iv from its offending place in her arm. 

Eventually calming down, she rolled on her side, keeping a hold of the comforting hand and tucking it next to her cheek before falling back to sleep, this time hopefully a dreamless one. 

***

The nurse had left a few moments before Laura had claimed his hand and had him leaning more over the bed.  Trying to pull it away only succeeded in her holding it tighter and starting to get agitated again.  He scoped out the problem and decided there was only one solution. 

Climbing in behind her, he settled in for the night.  Stretching his free arm above his head, he used the other to pull Laura back more comfortably against his chest.  Her body was soft and warm against his.  Her soft breathing blew over his knuckles.  When he inhaled, her scent overwhelmed him. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he caught himself drifting off to sleep as Laura again started to panic.  He gripped her hand tighter in his while his other came down to smooth her hair.  Humming a gentle tune, she relaxed again in his arms.  Now he was wide awake.

***

Laura awoke with a sigh, she could still remember the panic she had felt during the night.  But strangely she remembered someone comforting her.  And even now she could still feel the comfort of a warm hand in hers.  Then she realized there was a body pressed close to hers with a heavy arm around her waist.  Opening her eyes, she realized there actually was a strong masculine hand holding her good one. 

“Do you feel better now?” 

She licked her lips as she answered hesitantly, “Yeah… How did we end up like this?”  She released his hand and he shifted, moving slightly away from her.

“You freaked out in the night and tried to pull your iv out.  I stopped you and you wouldn’t let go of my hand, so here we are.”

Laura moaned as she brought her hand up to cover her face.  “How many embarrassing moments can a girl have around you?  No wonder you thought I was a huge inconvenience.  You’d better go now and get far away from me before something else happens.”

“Hey…hey”  He tugged her hand from her face.  “I thought we covered this last night.  I didn’t mean it and you needed someone here so I was glad to do it.”

“Maybe you’re not such a jerk after all.” 

JC chuckled and got off the bed.  “Thanks for that, I think.  So how do you really feel, you had a rough night.”

“I have never experienced anything like that before.  The dreams were so real, but now I can’t remember anything but being so scared.  I don’t know what was in that medicine, but I would rather live with the pain than ever go through that again.”  It was your touch that chased the fear away.

JC opened his mouth to say something but stopped when a nurse bustled into the room.  “How are you doing this morning?”

“Better than last night, I guess.  Was that caused by the medicine?”

“Yeah, you had a reaction to it.”

“Will that happen again?  How long will it take for that to get out of my system?”

“It’s possible and it could take up to 72 hours to get out of your body.”

“Really??  So what do I do?”

“Drink lots of fluids and rest.”

“Rest?  How am I supposed to rest if those hallucinations come back?  Or I get dizzy again?”  Laura questioned.

“That’s why we highly recommend that you not be alone in case something were to happen.”

“But I don’t have anyone to stay with me.”

“You can stay with me.”  JC said out of nowhere causing both women to look over at him quickly.  “What?  It’s not a problem – plus it’ll save you money.”

Laura hesitated.  “I don’t know, I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Look, I apologized, I didn’t mean those things, you need help and it’ll force me to spend some much needed time at the center.  Nothing will happen, I’m a good guy, ask my sister.”

She studied his eyes as he looked back at her unblinking while the nurse looked on in interest. 

Sighing, Laura acquiesced before she turned back to the nurse.  “So when can I get out of here then?”

“The doctor will be doing rounds shortly, but now that you are off the medicine, you should be able to be released this morning.”

Later when the doctor came in to examine Laura, JC excused himself to get a cup of coffee.   After discussing with the doctor the reaction to the medicine and being released, she dressed once again in her street clothes and waited for JC to return so they could leave.  She felt a little uneasy going back to his house again, but felt she didn’t have another choice given her last reaction to the medicine. 

She was rifling through her purse, looking for ibuprofen, when JC appeared in the doorway. 

Taking a sip of coffee, he asked, “So what’s the verdict?”

Still digging through her purse, Laura was mumbling to herself.  “I thought I had some in here, guess not.  Oh, I’ve been released.”

“What are you looking for?”

“Ibuprofen, the doctor suggested it since I’m refusing to take anything they were going to give me.  And apparently, I don’t have any with me.”

Pausing with the cup halfway to his lips, “We can stop and get some on our way home.”

“Are you sure?” 

“Alright, this is going to get old.  I’m sorry I said those things and chased you away when you had such a bad reaction.  Now you need to stop assuming you are a bother and let it go.  I’ve agreed to help you so let’s just leave it at that and forget about earlier.  Deal?”

“Okay, I’m sorry too, deal.”  They shook hands briefly.  Laura’s eyes widened at the shock that went through her at the contact.  She released his hand and grabbed her purse. 

“I’m ready, let’s get out of here and I hope I never see this place again!”