Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot
live without and know we cannot live within.
-James Baldwin
Bethesda Naval Hospital
"Ron," DeeDee Sandoval gasped in response, in spite of knowing she shouldn't have. If she had refused to acknowledge that she knew this man and fled before he could get a more thorough look at her, there was a chance he would've simply ignored the resemblance to his late wife and forgotten about their encounter. But now that DeeDee had confirmed she did indeed know who he was, he would undoubtedly try to go after her, use his Taelon and FBI resources to locate her.
Without another word, DeeDee spun on her high-heels and ran down the hall for the nearest stairwell. She could hear Ron calling after her, pleading with her to wait, but she forced herself to keep going, running until she was out on the street and heading for the Portal.
***
Liam was near the point of dropping off when a low groan drew his attention to the bed, where his father's lover had lain for the past 16 hours. The young mother-to-be was slowly regaining consciousness, her slender fingers twitching against her swollen abdomen as she began to open her eyes.
"Ron?" The name was spoken in the faintest of whispers, as Erin tried to focus on the figure sitting beside the bed.
"Sorry, it's just me," Liam answered softly, leaning forward in the chair.
"Where's Ron?"
"I'm right here," another voice answered from the doorway.
Erin slowly turned her aching head towards the welcome visitor, a smile brightening her pale features as she watched Sandoval quietly close the door behind him. "You brought me a present," she noted with almost childlike glee, seeing the orchids and gift bag.
Approaching the bed, Ronald confirmed, "I certainly did," before leaning down to press his lips tenderly against Erin's forehead. Aside from the flowers and teddy bear, he'd collected Erin's favorite nightgown from her house in Connecticut, to replace the hospital pajamas she currently wore.
Across the room, Liam began to feel strangely uncomfortable watching the pair like that. Erin's eyes had closed as she clearly savored the brief contact with her lover, a contented smile bringing out her cheek dimples. And that bizarre feeling only grew worse as his father lowered his lips to Erin's. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks, as his cursed blush of embarrassment spread out across his handsome face.
As the tender lips withdrew, the hand no longer stroking her rumpled hair, Erin reluctantly opened her eyes once again. Remembering that they weren't alone in the room, she looked over at Liam and barely managed to restrain her giggles at the look on his face. He was most definitely blushing, a strange pink-purple color that reminded her of the way the Taelons looked when they allowed their true forms to shine through for an instant, which she suspected was just an illusion from the lights on the monitors beside her. And there was no mistaking how adorable it made him look, almost childlike in a way she rarely saw in Liam.
Sandoval, however, didn't pay any attention to the younger Protector's reaction, not even acknowledging his presence as he placed the flowers in a vase on the night-table. He knew all too well why the Major was probably feeling uncomfortable about such displays of affection and he didn't wish to think about it. He'd managed to keep those thoughts from occupying his mind for the most part of the day, but being in the young man's presence was almost too much for him.
After a moment, Liam grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and stood up on stiff legs. "Well, I think I'll leave you two alone. I'm beat and that chair severely lacks comfort," he announced, hoping the color in his cheeks was returning to normal. From the silly smile on Erin's lips he suspected that she hadn't missed the display of his one boyish quality that he still had yet to master. "Will you need me tomorrow?"
"Oh I think I'll be okay," Erin answered before Ron got the chance to. She knew what he was about to say and wanted to prevent it. Liam had clearly been by her side all day and she didn't want him missing sleep or work for her. "I mean, what kind of trouble could I possibly get into in a hospital?"
Liam chuckled as she flashed him that impish smile of hers that rivalled only his own. "You're sure? Sitting here with you sure beats sitting on my butt all day in the Embassy."
"If you are without a sufficient work load, Major, I'm sure I could find you something more productive to do," Sandoval offered, unable to resist despite his current emotional turmoil. "I know how good you are with paperwork. And I'm sure the new female Volunteer recruits wouldn't mind a tour from THE Major Kincaid."
Don't even think about blushing! "Er, no thanks. I have a feeling I'll be kept fairly busy for the next few days."
Sandoval simply nodded. He too had some plans that would keep him away from Erin for several hours each day but he had placed three 'undercover' Volunteers on the hospital security staff to ensure the young woman's safety when he and the Major were absent. That would have to do until she was released, then he would see to it that her father had her confined to his estate in D.C. She wouldn't be too happy about that, of course, but he knew that she would listen to reason eventually for the sake of their unborn baby.
"Thanks for staying, Liam. Oh, and next time, since you are visiting someone in a military hospital, do you think you could wear that uniform of yours?" Erin requested with a grin.
Liam felt the heat rise in his cheeks again as his father's lover winked at him. "Um, I'll think about it," he answered too sheepishly for his own liking. Damn women and their fascination with men in uniform. And damn this blushing!
"Good. I'll look forward to it."
"Good evening, Major," Sandoval declared more loudly than was needed, interrupting the exchange between the pair. He was growing steadily uncomfortable with the Major's presence and Erin's playful flirting wasn't helping his mood any. He knew she was attracted to Liam and vice versa, but it hadn't really bothered him until after Doctor Curzon's little surprise the evening before.
"Er, goodnight. I'll see you soon, Erin," the Major told the young woman with a slight smile, forgoing a goodbye kiss as it appeared his father was already about ready to kick him out.
Erin graced her friend with one last smile, then waited until he was gone to sit herself up against the headboard. "Sorry about that uniform crack. I was just playing with him. I like to make him blush," she explained with a slight giggle.
Ron released his breath in an almost silent sigh and finally allowed himself to relax, collapsing onto the edge of the bed. "It's okay, I know it's harmless fun."
"Then why so gloomy? I'm awake, I thought you'd be happy about that. Unless you were counting on me not waking up."
"Hey, don't even think that! Of course I'm happy," he promised genuinely, taking her hand in his for a simple, tender kiss of her warm flesh. The feel of her steady, strong pulse throbbing beneath his fingers was more of a comfort to him than Erin could ever know. He would never forget what it felt like to hold her almost lifeless body in his arms, to think that he would never have the chance see their son alive. No, he would never forget and he would never let it happen again. "So how do you feel?" he asked softly, determined to bring that infectious smile back to those perfect lips.
"Pretty good, actually. Not tired or light-headed. No pain, either," Erin informed quietly. "I guess they doped me up real good, huh?"
"A little. Just to help you sleep, and for the pain."
"Hmm. Well if I start to hallucinate, see Taelons trying to extract my baby, that kinda thing, it's probably because certain medications tend to make me a little... loopy. When I was five, the cough syrup my nanny gave me made me see clowns, who I insisted were coming to take me away to join the circus with them. Only problem was, I was terrified of clowns and became hysterical. So how long have I been asleep?" she inquired, without even pausing to take a breath between sentences.
"Er, almost twenty-four hours... So you don't like clowns?" Ron asked with a slight laugh.
"No. They're just so darn irritating. But can we talk about something else?"
"Sure."
Erin tensed suddenly. "Ow, I think someone else is awake too." Wincing at the twinge in her stomach produced by the baby's forceful kicking, she began lightly rubbing her hand across her lower abdomen. "Is he all right? The baby, I mean?"
"Doctor Curzon says he's fine. You both are," he assured her with a slight nod, then, after a brief hesitation, added, "Thanks to Liam. He provided the blood you needed... That seems to be a habit of his."
"What'd you mean?"
"Oh, nothing. Just showing up just in time to save those who need him," Ron sighed.
"You say that like it's a bad thing. I guess I owe him one now. How about we name the baby after him?" Erin suggested, only half-joking.
"Um... Let's not. It would be too confusing."
"Why? It's not like they're related."
"No, but I would still prefer not to. William, perhaps, but not Liam."
Erin's brow furrowed in curious suspicion as she noted the Implant's odd, rather too objective, reaction to her suggestion. "Okay," she agreed slowly. "Speaking of Liam, did you notice the way he acted when we kissed? He looked like he'd just seen his parents kissing in front of him," she laughed.
Ron utilized all his CVIs emotional control to keep his expression unresponsive to that statement, instead gladly turning his attention to his other son, who was indeed awake and slowly moving within his mother. Ronald smiled with fond amusement as he placed his hand on Erin's tumescent stomach, unintentionally encouraging the baby's kicking. "He has quite a kick," he noted softly.
"Mmm. Probably gets his legs from me," Erin murmured, the smile curving her lips suddenly melting. "My Dad told me that before I was born, I hardly ever let my mother get any rest without kicking so hard. I don't think she ever really wanted me, you know. My parents were married for seven years before I came along and screwed up my mother's life. I've always known that's why she left, because she never loved me. Not even for a second."
The sadness in those deep-blue eyes avoiding Ron's own gaze was unbearable to witness. How anyone, especially her own mother, could fail to love a child of such beauty in both body and spirit was unimaginable to him. Raising his free hand, Ronald tenderly caressed Erin's cheek. He slid his thumb under her chin and gently tilted her head up so that she would look at him. "I don't know how or why your mother could abandon you like she did, but I want you to stop thinking about it, okay? I don't want you to be upset about anything, ever again," he whispered fiercely. "And as long as I am able to prevent it, you will never have reason to be sad again. All that matters now is that you have my love and always will. And when our baby is born, I know that you will be the best mother you can be to him."
Erin's pale features once again brightened into a sweet smile. "I'll certainly try my best," she vowed softly. "Do you think I could get something to eat? I'm starved."
Ron smiled back at his beloved angel and leaned forward for another, deeper, kiss. A blissful, lingering taste of Erin's soft lips that almost made him forget about his encounter with the woman in the hall just ten minutes before and the revelation that Dee Dee was still very much alive. Almost...
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