Deep Water (A Brief Sequel To Letters From Will)

A Million Reasons

Charlie sighs, looking cross as she tiredly smiles back. "Tom is not going to be happy. He just wants to make up for everything. Why won't you just let him?"

Percy shakes her head and looks out the window of the taxi. "I may be exhausted, both emotionally and physically, and I may be broke at the moment, but Charlie, Tom is no longer in control of what I do." She turns to him, laying her head on his shoulder. "I just want to go home."

Charlie snickers before kissing her on the forehead. "Honey, you don't have a home to go to, remember?"

Percy nods. "All in good time, Charlie. All in good time."

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By the time they reached Charlie's building, Percy was fast asleep, her head still lying on Charlie's shoulder. When the car stopped, he shook her gently, not wanting to scare her. She lifted her head, as she blinked and looked around in confusion. "Where are we, Charlie? Are we at your place?"

Charlie nodded his head as he helped her out of the taxi. "Yes, Percy, although I just had a very unpleasant conversation with Tom."

Percy shook her head to clear it as Charlie helped her through the front doors of his building. She stumbled as they reached the elevators, making Charlie chuckle. She weakly smacked him on the arm. "It's not funny, Charlie. I can hardly stand up. What's wrong with me?"

Charlie sighed as he assisted her in boarding the elevator. "My guess is that you're just exhausted, Percy. Here, just hold onto me. We're almost there, ok?"

Percy nodded before she let her head rest against Charlie's chest and listened to his heartbeat as he held her tightly to his side to avoid her falling. By the time the elevator reached the right floor, Charlie almost had to carry her down the hallway. Charlie carefully deposits Percy on the couch before shutting the door behind them. Percy lets her head fall back against the cushions as Charlie watches her. "Can I go to sleep now? I'm so tired."

Charlie shook his head. "Not yet, honey. A doctor that Rita knows is coming to check you out, then I promise you can go to bed, ok?" 

At Percy's nod, he sighed. Just then, they heard a knock at the door and Charlie went to answer it.

Percy heard him as he spoke to someone and then felt a cool hand on her forehead. She shivered slightly, making the stranger laugh quietly. "Persephone? Can you open your eyes and talk to me, dear?"

Percy cracked one eye open to see an attractive woman around her age kneeling beside her. She cleared her throat, trying to speak. "Who are you?"

The strange woman smiled. "My name is Dr. Neela Rasgotra. I'm a friend of Ms. Calhoun's and she sent me to make sure you're all right. Will you let me examine you, Percy?" After a moment, Percy nodded and heard Charlie breathe a sigh of relief. Dr. Rasgotra smiled and motioned for Percy to sit up. She did so as she let the doctor feel around her neck and look into her eyes with a small penlight. After she checked Percy's blood pressure, she nodded to herself before she put her things away in a bag. She turned to Charlie, looking at him seriously. "She needs sleep and a lot of it. First off, before I leave, I'm going get her in the shower and out. She'll want to wash off the disinfectant smell from Rikers. Then, I'll get her into bed and you'll leave her there." She waited for him to nod before she continued. "Once she falls asleep, she could sleep as long as forty-eight hours, perhaps a bit more. I'll need you to wake her every so often and make sure she drinks something. She must stay hydrated. It's imperative to her healing. She'll also need food, but that can wait until she wakes up. The water can't. Someone must be with her at all times. You can't leave her alone."