The Glade

17. Greenie Day

Her POV.

Waking up in the med-jacks isn't the best of feelings. The medical cot is stiff with barely any padding. I'm exhausted, having had to spend most of the night awake or being woken up because I was concussed. I didn't end up showing any other symptoms, and we chalked the nausea up to nerves.

I felt especially bad for Gally, who spent the entire night awake and even promised to stay up while I slept. He's sleeping soundly now on the floor next to my cot. I reach down and gently jostle him awake. He lets out a big yawn, then trains his gaze on me. I love the way he looks at me.

"Did you sleep well?" I ask jumping down from the cot to sit with him.

"As well as someone on the floor can." He answers, reaching out a hand and running it through my hair.

"Good." I smile.

"Ugh. You can leave now." Clint moans from across the room. I almost forgot where we were. "I didn't stay up all night to witness, whatever it is you're doing."

"Am I okay to leave?" I ask, stifling my giggles.

"Yes, you can return to work, but light duties. I don't need you collapsing in the Blood House." He says standing up. He walks to the door to open it for us. "Now get out. Please."

We both stand and make our way to the door. Clint isn't looking at us, but holding it open. I pause just before we leave.

"I want to thank you for taking care of me." For a second, he looked confused, then like a light being switched on, he gave me a small smile. The first smile I've seen him crack in the month I've been here.

"No one usually thanks me." He says, even his voice sounded a little different. Less dull and aggravated. I give him a pat on the arm before heading out for the day.

We decided to head to my cabin for another nap. Gally helps me up the stairs, I didn't need it, but I enjoyed it. He opened the door and took me to my bed. We sit there a moment, enjoying the silence.

Gally stands to open a window, wind whips through the room moving something on the table. The flowers are still there, on the table. I stare at them for a long time, trying not to think about where they came from, and the person who left them. I need them gone.

"Gally, can you do me a favour?" I ask after a moment of staring at the flowers.

"Anything."

"Can you throw those flowers out?"

He doesn't say another word, just moves to the flowers, grabbing them out of the pot.

"The pot too please." He turns around and grabs the pot, tossing them out the window together.

"That's not what I meant, but I guess it will work." I say. He laughs his deep chuckle, and I lay down for a nap.

"I guess I'll go for my own nap. Will I see you later today?" He asks.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're napping here." I put my hand out for his. He walks over, with the goofiest smile I've seen on his face, and climbs in behind me. We stay this way for what seems like hours, his body heat making me sweat.

-----

We wake by mid afternoon, and only because there is a knock at the door. Gally is the first to wake and rolls out of the bed to answer the door.

"What do you want." He snarls at whoever is at the door.

"I just wanted to make sure she got home alright. Is she okay?" It's Ben. I get out of bed to see what he wants. He looks tired with giant grey bags under his eyes. His face is splotchy, like he had been crying all night. He looked sad and pathetic standing at my door. A shell of the tall, strong runner he's supposed to be.