Chapter 25: Wait For An Answer

"Jewel!  No, oh no!  Is she alright?!"  The Turtles came treading out of the lab toward where Lucy waited.  "Leo?  Don?  God, what the hell happened?!"

The Turtles looked to one another.  Lucy was hysterical once Don brought me out to her.  He sighed heavily.

"Where's the nearest hospital from here?"

The train ride to the nearest hospital was long and tiresome.  People stared while some backed away to give us room to pass.  Mike helped Leo with Raph's body to find an available seat.
Don carried me on with Lucy sniffling quietly in the background.  We caused a big reaction to the other passengers.  Raph's face was bleeding badly, Mike and Leo had black and blue
scars while Don nursed a fairly large scratch that soaked through his right shoulder.

"Oh, Jewel."  Lucy reached to squeeze my hand.  She tapped it next, waiting for a response.  Shrugging it off, she turned to the group.  "Guys, please, tell me what the hell happened in there?"

All four looked up to her.

"Do you really want to know?"  Mike asked.

"Well, why would I be asking if I didn't?"

"Her father wanted her dead."  Don started to speak slowly.  Lucy gasped.  "When we arrived, Jewel was already there, being prepared for the experiment."

"All I know was that she was coming to my house for a visit.  Some men informed me of her arrival and told me to act surprised.  My job was just to keep her there until they made their move."

"Who were these men?"  Leo eyed Lucy closely.

"They wore dark clothing and said they needed Jewel for something confidential.  I didn't know what to think."

"Why did you give in to them?"

"Because, Mike.  A gun to the head changed my answer to yes."  That caused several people to lift their heads.  Lucy looked down.  "It's all my fault.  I shouldn't have given in.  She wouldn't be
this way if it wasn't for me.  And Raph....."  She eyed the still body in Leo's lap.  "Raph would be okay."

"Don't blame yourself, Lucy."  Leo assured her.  "Those goons were hired hit-men who will stop at nothing to do what their told to do.  As for helping Jewel...."  He looked over to Don.
"You brought us to her.  All the way out here in England.  Without your help, she'd probably be dead by now."

"Then, I hope she's just resting, Don."  Lucy sighed shakily to him with a gesture to me in his arms.

"Huh?"  Don shifted to look down.

"She must have been tired, bro.  Haven't seen her wake up since we left that place."  Mike whispered to him.

He warned me but I couldn't help it.  I fell asleep.  Deep sleep.  My body finally gave in to slumber.  A wide hand tapped my face to wake me up.  I couldn't respond.  Someone's voice muffled
into my open ears.

"Jewel.  Hey, get up!  Get up, now!"  The train made a short stop, causing the breaks to squeak and the passengers to sway forward.  They could still hear him making little shouts over the
squeaking sounds.  "Damn it, Jewel!  I said get up!  Come on!"

More taps hit my cheeks.  A hard slap finally came out, knocking my head to roll over.  Father?  Was he the one holding me?  Who kept hitting me?   Whomever, was doing it out of concern,
not abuse.  There was movement again and we ended up outside.  Where we were was a question I was going to find out much later.  I could hear trees rustling.  Must be out in the country.
The wind was whipping against my sweaty face.  Someone caressed my cheek, tapping it lightly again.  Oh, stop.  I want to rest.  Five more minutes.  Maybe I'll wake when I feel up to it.

"Don, just stop.  Or else, she'll have a black and blue face."

"Damn it, Mike.  I told her not to sleep.  This is not good."

Leo blinked the tears from his eyes, holding Raph's still body.  Lucy was already gone with Mike consoling her.

"I'll take care of Raph, Don.  You go get her inside.  We'll be okay."

Don nodded to his brother.  He, Lucy and Mike entered the lobby while Leo disappeared from view.  My eyes felt so heavy.  Couldn't open them.  Father was right.  I felt absolutely nothing.
It felt so good to rest.  I was loving it.  An hour seemed to pass.  I could hear talking.  Couldn't see anything.

"This had better not be from a gang fight.  We don't deal with that kind of riff raff here."

The doctor had a pointed nose and looked very stuffy to Lucy.

"You're a doctor.  You help people regardless of where they came from.   Please, she needs help now."

He looked down to Don's arms.

"What is wrong with her?"

"She caught the flu and has a fever."  The doctor looked to Don for anything more.  "Um, I also detected she was drugged with curare poisoning and-"

"Front, please!  Get this woman a wheelchair immediately!"  The doctor's eyes had widened since Don mentioned what she was drugged with.  "My God, sir.  This is more serious than I thought!"

Lucy also widened her eyes, not knowing what was going on.

"Don, what is-"

"Shh!  I'll tell you later."

A team of nurses flew out with an old-fashioned looking wheelchair.  Within seconds, I was pulled out of Don's hands and taken into someone else's.

"You folks wait here."  Was what the doctor said while heading down with the chair at a quick pace.

Light sniffs was what I heard before they wheeled me down a long hall.  An intercom was paging some doctor's name to come to the front desk.  Was I in the hospital?  Was I......

Raph was elsewhere getting treated by Leo whom attempted to do what he could without anyone seeing them.  The wound wasn't too severe; Leo thanked the Lord for that.
The bullet whizzed past his ear barely, cutting a somewhat large gash into the side of his face.  Any inches closer, and he'd be suffering brain damage.  Or worse yet, he would have
been killed instantly.  Leo tended to his own cuts and scars with many bandages.  The final battle tore them all up badly.

"Raph, you just have to level with me.  Be glad you don't have any visible ears, or else you would have lost one of them."

"I'm not worried about that, Leo.  It's that Jewel doll that's buggin' the shit out of me.  All I wanted to do was get her the hell out of there."

"We got her out.  You did your job, Raph.  I'm proud of you."

"So, where is she now?"

"Under medical attention."  Leo closed his eyes for the moment.  "She's ah, being taken care of professionally.  The way it should be."

"And the others?"

"I checked on them while getting more supplies for you.  Last I heard, Lucy is outside the emergency room instead of the lobby room.  Mike's with her.  They're waiting for news."

Raph nodded.  "What about Donny Boy?"

"Took off.  Said he went to clear his mind.  Guess he didn't want to hear of any news in particular.  I think he really cares about her."

"Well, we all kinda do."

"No, I mean he really cares about her."  Leo made a wink wink gesture.

"Ohhhh!"  Leo nodded as Raph groaned.  "Pardon me for not checking in with reality here.  I almost lost my life for her, you know."

"I know, Raph."  His voice was very calm after what has happened in the past.  That's one thing Raph could not figure out about that guy.

"Think she'll pull through, Leo?"

"I can only pray that she will.  She's strong, but not as strong as us."

"I won't tell her you said that."  Leo smirked to that line.  Raph looked away with half a smile.  The other half hurt to move upward.  The mood lightened on the two.  Raph dared to changed the
subject to get a reaction.  "I think she's kinda cute.  I mean that Lucy chick.  Really hot."

"Guess Hannah is off your list."

"Hannah who?"  An eyebrow raised on Leo.  "Oh, her.  She's married, already taken.  Lucy's single.  And perhaps very lonely."  Raph clicked his teeth together.

Leo groaned to him.  "I think that bullet hit you harder then I thought."

"What do you mean-"

"What I mean is, how can you think about that at a time like this?"

"At a time like what?"  The two sat quietly for a minute.  Raph hissed as the cool cloth touched his face.

"Jewel is very weak, Raph.  She might live but her life may be under paralysis for several weeks.  Maybe months even."

"Shut up!"

"I'm serious."

"Look, you told me where she is but....."  He coughed out with disbelief.  "Paralysis?!  You said nothing about that.  Where the hell was I during all this?"

"Unconscious."

Lucy sat with her head bowed between her legs.  She sobbed with uncontrollable whines as Mike rubbed her back, also sobbing.

"Mike, what if she dies?  What if she dies?"  Lucy asked over and over.  He kept shushing her, feeling helpless sitting there.

"You can't think that way.  They're doing their best."  Mike looked up at the door with a shiver running down his back.  Even he was losing confidence.

Lucy looked up, wiping her eyes.

"Mike, I've been rotten.  I can't think that way."  He shook his head to her.  "She can pull through, my God she has to!"

Don was nowhere to be seen.  He remained fairly close to the area, overhearing what Lucy said and wishing she'd stop saying that.  To die would be the end of it.  It's what Splinter taught him.
You're born, you live, and then you die.  Life will still go on.  Standing up against the wall, he dug his hands deep into his pockets, feeling his fingers touch something cold and hard.

"What the-"

Pulling it out, his closed fist opened up to reveal a tangled-up sapphire necklace.

"Life would go on."  He mumbled.  An unusual moan escaped his lips as a fist punched into the wall.  He circled around toward the emergency entrance, watching the doctors moving in and
out of the different halls.  Then looked to his friend and brother sitting there.

"What was it Don said that was injected into her?"  Mike leaned back against the wall.

"Curare poisoning, Mike."  Don whispered from returning from his walk.

"Huh?"  Mike looked up as Lucy rose to her feet.  Don sized her up before staring to the floor.

"Um, it's what I found out back at the lab.  There's no doubt of it.   It's incurable but can be extracted if done correctly.  If it's gone into her blood stream, they may already be too late."

Both Mike and Lucy stared at him in silence.  Don sighed and turned toward the window, looking in at my lifeless body.  The doctor saw us and came out to give us some news.

"Miss Meddleton?"  Lucy came over to him and shook his hand.   "Hi, I'm Doctor Jenkins.  I'm glad you brought her in right away.   We were able to extract a lot of the poison but I'm afraid
much of it is still in her system.  She's awake now so we'll place her in a room for the moment.  You're welcome to visit her but I suggest you go one at a time."

"Thank you, doctor."

The doctor nodded to the three and turned to head back into the room.

"How long have I been unconscious?"

Leo checked around their surroundings before helping Raph to his feet.

"I'd say right when you dropped Jewel while being held at gun point.  You remained in that state until now."

"Mike said something to me about her not being to walk or she was too weak to move.  He said nothing about paralysis."

"That's because Mike didn't know what was wrong with her.  Don was with her when it happened.  The drug he mentioned can be found like at your typical drug store over here."

"Yeah, England's great for their drugs.  It's where a lot people come to get them."  Raph shook his head.  "I only care about the pubs and getting drunk on alcohol."

"That's also why people come here, Raph.  The drinking age is 16."

"No way!"  Leo nodded.  "Ohhhh, we gotta get Lucy to take us to a pub before we leave here!"

Leo rolled his eyes, a smile appearing.

"I see you're feeling better."

"I'm just dandy!  Almost got hit by a bullet!  Now, how about them pubs?"

"How about we take a rain check and check in with the others?"

"Oh, yeah.  Pardon my manners.  They'd want to have a drink too, huh?"

"Right, Raph."

Being the closest family member, Lucy went in first to smile, laugh, and sob all at once.

"Jewel, sweetie.  Don't ever scare me like that ever again.  Got it?"

"Got it."  I whispered.

Lucy bent down to kiss my forehead.

"Oh, love.  You gave all of us a scare.  We were praying like mad out there."

I remembered back to when I passed out and immediately thought of the Turtles.

"Is Raph okay?"

"Raph's fine.  Getting bandaged up by Leo.  He nearly took a bullet for you, Jewel."

"I thought he was gonna.....gonna....."

"No, no, no, shhhh.....he'll be fine.  Perhaps a trifle deaf in one ear but he's just fine."

"How about the-"

"The others are fine.  A little banged up but their tough birds, er, turtles!  If you'd like to see them-"

I shook my head no.

"No, not yet.  I have to talk to you."  I looked down to my hand which Lucy quickly took into hers.

"Sure, love.  What's wrong?"

Tears filled my eyes.  "My father did this to me."  I could see Lucy just nod her head.  "You knew about this, didn't you?"

"Yes.  Your friends told me.  It was all a set-up.  A group of men came to my apartment and told me I'd be expecting you to arrive.  I didn't know who they were.  Later, I found out and
wanted to hit myself in the bottom!  I blame myself for half of what has happened and I wish I could go back in time and change the past."

"So do I.  I wish I were never born!"  I turned my head away, letting the tears slide onto my pillow.

"What did you say?"

"I killed my mother during child birth.  You know, Gloria?  She wasn't my real mother.  My father never told me the truth."

"Ohhhhhh, Jewel!"  Lucy bent down to hug me, also sobbing.   "That's awful.  You poor thing.  Oh, that bastard of a Dad.   Oh, please don't ever say that you never wish you were born.
I could never stand it when people tell me that.  I'm glad you're here!  When you married my brother, you married into my family.  We all love you dearly."

"You're so sweet, Lucy."

"Now, would you like to see your other family?  They've been waiting to see you?"

"Maybe later, Lucy.  I look so horrid now, I just want to rest for a little bit."

"Hey, I'm seeing you now.  You can't let them see you but I get the honors?   Gee, thanks, Jewel!"

"You're different."

"I'm no different then the next average Joe.  Or Jane."

"Lucy, I'd just feel weird seeing them in this condition."

"Love, they brought you over here looking like this.  It's not like they haven't seen you before.  The least you could do is say hello and show your appreciation."

"Do it for me, Lucy."  She went to speak but I stopped her.   "Please, Lucy.  I will see them after I'm out of here.  I promise."

"Okay, fine!  I know when I've been insulted!"

"Oh, Raph...."  Lucy reached over to give him a hug.  "She's just really tired and wanted to rest."  The hug basically kept him standing upright but Lucy was soon losing her grip.  "And, frankly, I'm
pretty tired myself.  I....whoa, Raph!"  Raph slipped from her grasp and Leo was over to catch him in a flash.

"I'm fine, Leo."

"I'll believe it when you get back to kicking ass on our old enemies."   Leo pushed him up against the wall for support.  He looked over to Lucy.   "You, okay?"

"I said I'm fine."

"No, Raph.  I meant Lucy.  Mike went down to the cafeteria to stare at the food.  Maybe you should get something to eat with him."

Lucy nodded.  "I am a little hungry."  Then smiled to him.   "Stare at the food?  I guess he can't buy anything without money.   I'll go see what he wants."  She started to walk, then paused.   "Oh,
I do apologize about Jewel not wanting to see you lads.  I can't force her to, you know."

Leo waved a hand.  "It's okay, Lucy.  We're not offended."  He looked to Raph.  "That is, not all of us are offended.  We'll see her later."

"So, what are you going to do, now?"

Leo looked to me sleeping in the room.  Don sat in the hall chairs, staring out blankly to the floor.  Raph was starting to sway a little.

"I'll take Raph out to get some fresh air.  I guess Don will stay here, then."

"Okay, Leo."

Don looked up to see everyone going off in separate directions.  He stood up and crossed the hall to look into the doorway where I rested peacefully.  I bunked with an old man whom had a
short attention span, flipping the channels on his TV so fast, you could barely see what was on the screen.  Don stepped in, looking to the first bed with the old man sitting there.

"There's not a dang thing on this idiot box!"

"Sorry to hear that."

Don moved over passed the curtain that separated us, standing close to the window pane.   He watched me sleep.  He listened to the breathing patterns I made.   Slow, heavy, and a hint of
raggedness.  My throat was full of gunk which caused the strange sounds emerging from my lips.  I coughed to clear the passage, swallowed, and opened my eyes a little.   Looking around, I
saw no one around the bed.  I could have sworn I felt a presence watching over me.

Lucy found Mike sitting in the cafeteria, sipping a cup of coffee.  He looked so exhausted, his smile had washed off of his long face.

"A penny for your thoughts?"  Lucy sat down across from him.

"I got one.  Do you think when birds burp, they taste worms?"

"There went my appetite."  Lucy glanced around the area.   "Where'd you get the coffee?  I thought you didn't have any money."

"I don't.  The coffee is free.  And it should be.  This stuff tastes like motor oil."

"Would you like a snack or something better to drink?"

Mike looked up from his cup.

"Not meaning to get nosy, you can tell me it's none of my business even, but, how much money do you have left?  I mean, can you afford a snack?"

"It's none of your business."  She smiled.  "Just kidding.   The money I used for our hotel and things was from my savings.  I don't make a lot at the job I'm at, but I wanted to put money aside in
case of emergencies or.....a vacation.  This trip is a little of both."

He smiled back.  "I especially like the vacation part.  Even though we haven't done much vacationing since we came here."

"The emergency part is over.  We still have a chance to vacation here.   Come on.  Don't worry about my wallet.  Get what you want and I'll let you know if I have enough for it."

"Gosh, you're an upbeat lady!"  Mike reached over and kissed her cheek before getting up to grab his snack.

"I hope the emergency part really is over."  Lucy sat back, thinking about mine and Raph's conditions.

The medication must have made him sick Leo thought as he supported Raph whom puked onto the root of a tree outside the hospital.

"Easy, Raph.  Just relax."  Leo looked skyward, hating going through things like this.

Raph kept shoving him back.  "I said I'm fine for the gazillionith time.   Go away."

"I'm not going to just leave you here."

"This is a personal matter, Leo."

Oh, really?

"The medicine I gave you must have had a side effect of nausea.  It was supposed to prevent infection on your scar."

"Are you trying to help me?  Or kill me?"  Raph clutched the poor tree, breathing heavily.

"What do you think, Raph?"

"I don't know.  You hate me the most.  I was assuming you were trying to do both."

"Much as you anger me at times, I would never attempt to kill you."

"Even if a fight broke out?"

Leo couldn't answer that one.  "Questions like that don't have answers to them, Raph."  That meant no or maybe.

"Can't die just yet."  Raph pulled himself up, wiping his mouth.

"Why is that?"

"Still haven't gone to a pub yet!"

"How can you think of drinking after almost puking your guts out?"

"My guts are still inside."  Raph patted his stomach.  "Which means, there's room for at least one beer."

"I've said this to Don many times and now I'll say it to you, Raph."

"Whut?"

"You never cease to amaze me."

My sleeping was going further.  I really felt most comfortable now.   Suddenly, it got bright.  White.  All white around me.  In the distance, I could hear a faint machine droning in the background.
I felt being lifted onto a moving bed and pushed into another room.  People were talking to me, telling me to come back.  Panicked voices were arising.

"We're losing her.  Quick, get that activated, now!"

Get what?  What was happening?  What was-

"Clear!"  A woman's voice rang out.  My body jerked upward.

"No response.  Try again."

The medical team tried desperately to achieve something.  A ballpoint pen light shone into my eyes but it didn't hurt.  Nothing hurt me anymore.  It was so wonderful to rest.  I heard something
electrical crackling sound.  That woman shouted again.

"Clear!"

Hmph.  Wonder what she was clearing.

"Lucy, we have a problem."

Don stood over the cafeteria table, huffing and puffing.  Lucy and Mike stared up at him, fear suddenly rising.

"Mike...."  She quietly whispered.  He took her hand.

"It's okay.  What is it, Donny?"

"Jewel's back in the emergency room."  He swallowed.  "We're losing her."

I felt nothing.  It was so beautiful.  The light was so bright but not painful to stare at.  So calm.  I turned around.  The voices were drifting.  Someone started to approach me.  The face looked so
distant, like a shadow,  it was hard to tell who it was.

"Am I dreaming?"  I asked.

"No, Jewel."

"Am I dead?"

"You are in the realm of Passing.  Jewel, it is not your time to join me.  You must go back.  There is someone who needs you on earth."

"Who needs me?"

I reached a hand out.  The face was smooth to the touch.

"I will always love you, Jewel.  Remember me in your heart, always."

The voice was so muffled, I could barely understand it.  The vision started to head back toward the light.

"Wait-"

"Nooooo!"  Lucy was clearing steps and dodging objects.  She was almost air born as she heard the team of doctors running themselves ragged.  Leo came out just in time to catch her in his arms
to hold her down.  Mike came up from behind after chasing her, also holding her back.   "LET me go, you bastards!!  Jewel, nooooo!!!"

Don stared blankly, watching the gurney being surrounded by nurses and doctors.   Raph rested up against him, also staring off.

"Raph, if I lose her, I don't know what I'll do."

Raph rolled his head toward his brother.

"I'm not good with shit like this, but, all I'm gonna say is this.  You did what you could and now it's up to those guys.  If she dies and you blame yourself, I'll beat you to a pulp."

"Thanks, Raph."  He wasn't sentimental but did try.

Lucy was kicking and punching in Leo's strong arms, threatening him that if he didn't let her go, all hell would break lose.  Mike slowly stepped away with hands raised.

"Still have that sedative you used on Raph, Leo?"

"Not now, Mike."

"Leo, please, I have to see her.  Pleeeease!"  Lucy calmed down and was slipping down to the floor, almost crawling like a wounded animal.  "She was fine.  She was fine.  I talked to her
myself.  Please, God, don't take her away.  Please, please."  She felt her head calmly being caressed above her.  Clutching his leg, she stared up into Leo's face.  He was crying!

"I'm sorry, Lucy.  So sorry."  His words were faded.

Looking around, she could see him and her weren't the only ones shedding a tear.   Mike sobbed quietly, Raph sat down in a chair, covering his face and Don avoided eye-contact with anyone.
The minutes were murder to the group.  They waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Waited for an answer.

The brightness of a ballpoint pen light shone into my eyes.  A faint beep yanked me out of the white room and I gasped in the open air.

"We got a pulse!"  A man said in his thick British accent.

Lucy ran over to the door with excitement as the doctor came through, wiping a brow.

"Is she alright?  She got a pulse?"

The doctor nodded.

"She pulled through, but we're not out of the woods yet.  Her pulse is very weak.  We'll keep her on the machine a little while longer until she's able to breathe on her own."

Lucy reached up and kissed the doctor on the cheek.

"Thank you, doctor!"

"No, thank you!"  He gave a small smile.  "You and your family are real troopers.  I'm very proud of all of you for holding on for so long."   The doctor returned to back into the room.  "Jewel, your
friends are something else.  You're lucky to have such a wonderful group with you."

My eyes opened and the first one they laid upon was Don, whom stood in the doorway.   Nurses crossed past his view from me, but he still stared.  I stared right back.  It was like we were having
a staring contest.  I didn't have the strength so he did it first.  He smiled broadly.  Looking around, I caught Lucy hugging each of them, clutching her heart.   I prayed the woman wouldn't have an
early heart attack at her age.

For the remainder of the evening, I was put back in the room to sleep for the night.   Lucy tapped my arm, but I still couldn't feel it.

"Love, I warned you about scaring me.  I'm afraid I'd have a heart attack and would have to check myself in here!"

"I'm sorry, Lucy.  I have a purpose here on earth.  It wasn't my time to go."

"Damn right, it wasn't your time!  Who would I talk to when my next relationship goes haywire?"

I looked outside to the Turtles.

"I think your next relationship will be just fine.  You know your instincts.   Just do what your heart tells you to do and you should be alright."

"I'll try that, Jewel.  Thanks for the advice."  I nodded to her.   "Now, before we have anymore scares, would you like to see the guys before you go to sleep?"

"Yes.  Yes, I would."

Lucy kissed my forehead again and left my side.

The guys were too much.  Mike was kind enough to bring me a snack from the cafeteria, knowing the regular food I was given was disgusting.  Leo and Raph browsed the gift shop and came
back with roses and balloons that said "Get Well Soon!"  Each greeted me with many kisses to the forehead and cheeks.  What a moment of feeling loved.   My face kept smiling the whole
time to them.  Leo backed out of the room with a grin.

"We should let her sleep, gang."

"If you're not gonna eat that cake, I'll take it!"  Mike pointed to the treat on the desk.  I smiled.

"Go ahead, Mike."

The thing was gone in seconds.  A laugh came from me suddenly.  Did I just laugh?  It seemed like ages since I've done that.  The last one in the room was Don.  He stood by the window pane again.

"Come on, Don."

"Give me a minute, Leo."

Leo nodded and stepped out into the hall.  I looked up to Don.  I was too tired to do another staring contest so I would occasionally look downward.  Different parts to glance at.  Let's see.  His
folded arms, hmm, nice jacket you're wearing.  New?  Ummm, that hat looks different, too.  Don't tell me I've been away for too long.

"Hello, stranger."

"Hey, Jewel."

"Did I scare you, too?"

"A little.  But I hung in there."  He crouched down on one knee, taking my hand into his.  My whole hand fit in his large hand.  I glanced down.

"I'm starting to feel better."

"That's good."

"Just wish I could move around."

"Me too."

"I'd give anything to feel you.  To feel your touch once more."

Don raised his other hand to my cheek, slowly moving it downward.  That was the one place I had feeling.  I smiled and closed my eyes.

"Can you feel that?"

"Mm, hmm."  I opened my eyes to his large, soft ones.  "Maybe you're my purpose for being on earth."

"Who told you that?"

I shook my head.  "Aaahh, I'll tell you later."  Knowing that there will be a later.

"I should let you sleep now.  And then we'll talk later on."  Don stood up, releasing my hand.  "Goodnight, Jewel."

I lifted my head to him, glancing to the same old man I got bunked with again.

"Wait, Don."  He looked back with eyebrows raised.  "I'll sleep better if you kiss me goodnight."

A smile fell upon him.  "Very well, Jewel.  I must respect a lady's wishes."

He stole a glance to the door to see if anyone was watching.  I turned my head to the side for him to kiss my cheek.  I heard him quietly chuckle.  Reaching across me, I could feel his hot
breath on my neck.  What was he waiting for?  Was he debating to do it?

"Don?"  His fingers pressed my cheek to face him.  "What are you- "  My words were cut off as he placed his lips over mine.  Ohhhh, forget the shallow part.  Go right for the deep end.
I was thankful my mouth muscles were able to move.  Or else, he'd have to do all the work!  My head started to rise off the pillow as far as my body would allow me to go.  Don circled
his arms around my back, pulling me close to him.  My body fell into his chest but sadly, I couldn't feel him at all.  That made me depressed.  I let out a quiet whine and he thought he
wanted me to stop.

"I'm sorry."  He pulled away.  Gently, he put me back down and stood up fully.  "Um, I'll see you later."

Before I could say anything, he lifted and locked the safety bar up to my bed and walked fast out of the room.  Oh, what have I done?  Sleep came soon enough but I had trouble enjoying
it.  I thought the kiss would make me feel better.  It did.  What happened afterwards made me feel worse.  It will get better in the morning.  I prayed that it would.

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