Fire in the Night Ch. 10

Her eyes lit up with joy. She thought that he was just about the most romantic man she had ever known, and she couldn't believe how lucky she was that he loved her. "See if you can convince the nurses," she grinned.

*****

Jack was able to work his charm (and his badge) to convince the nurse to let him sleep in the chair and ottoman that was in the corner of Caitlin's private room. When he kissed her good night, there was tenderness and passion, but no lust. He could resist his temptations tonight -- after all, he was beginning to suspect that he had the rest of his life to make love to her. Tonight was about taking care of her and letting her sleep off the exhaustion that this day had brought. She went to bed relatively early, around nine o'clock.

Settling into his chair and ottoman, he alternated between staring out the window and staring at Caitlin's sleeping form. He replayed the events of the last two days in his mind, reliving every romantic, passionate moment between the two of them. He thought about the adoration that he had seen shining in her eyes tonight. 'She does love me,' he thought sleepily, hovering on the edge between wakefulness and dreams. 'She just needs to let herself realize it.' He had confidence that she would, when the time was right. And for now, he was still the happiest, luckiest guy in the world.

Falling into a light sleep, he didn't hear the hospital door slowly ease open. He didn't hear anyone tiptoe silently to Caitlin's bed, eyes locked on her tousled red curls. Jack didn't even hear the duct tape being pulled slowly from the roll, and then placed on Caitlin's lips. But the instant Caitlin whimpered with fear, he was out of his chair, gun drawn and aimed at the intruder.

"Back the fuck up, you sick son of a bitch," Jack growled.

To be continued...