Something Akin to Dread (4/6)
Title: Something Akin to Dread (4/6)
Rating: K
Author: jlrpuck
Pairing: Ruby Quarles, Elias McCoy
Disclaimer: The characters contained in this story are the products of my imagination; as such, I retain all right to and ownership of them.
Summary: Another of the tales relating to Elias and Ruby McCoy.
Notes: Thank you to ginamak, earlgreytea68 and chicklet73 for their beta of this earlier this year.
Any mistakes in this story are mine, and mine alone.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
Rose was at the flat by the time they finally made it there, two bags of takeaway unpacked on the kitchen counter and the kettle nearly to a boil. Never had Elias been so grateful for Ruby’s decision to give the Carlisles their spare key.
“You look a fright,” Rose said by way of greeting, giving him a hug before turning to Ruby. “And you look like you could use some tea. Care for a bit?”
“Not coffee?” Ruby asked, still coming awake after napping during their drive across the city.
“Not coffee-it won’t go well with whatever they’re sure to have you on.” Rose leaned over to Ruby. “Take it from personal experience.”
That earned a smile from his wife. “I just need to change, then I’ll have tea.”
The hospital had given Ruby a set of scrubs to wear home, her suit having been cut off of her when she’d arrived. Elias had watched Peter charm the nurses out of the drab green clothes, using a smile and several amiable laughs to point out that there was simply no way of getting across town to find clothing for Mrs. McCoy, and as the shops were already closed couldn’t they do a wee favour? He’d been hard-pressed to keep from laughing outright when the folded articles of clothing were handed over, the nurse giving Peter a hopeful smile as he took them from her with a “Thank you.”
Elias helped Ruby back to their room, his hand gently holding her left elbow, his entire body tensed to catch her if she tripped or collapsed. She gave him a rueful glance as they entered the bedroom, and slowly walked the short distance to their bed. “I’m not going to shatter, Elias.” The words were said with a sigh as she leaned against the wall.
“I know.” He moved to their dresser, pulling open a drawer and finding the pair of ratty sweatpants Ruby preferred to lounge in. “But I’d rather not tempt fates who were terribly generous today.” The next drawer up held his vests, and he pulled out one of his older ones.
“Just how bad was it?” She gazed up at him, her eyes clear.
“I…I don’t know. I haven’t seen the pictures.” He wasn’t sure he wanted to, either.
“Ah.” She reached for the shirt, unconsciously using her right arm-closest to him-and wincing at the movement. She’d done the same thing in hospital when she’d tried to dress herself, and he joined her at the bed. “You’re going to have to help me.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
“I’m going to hate this in a day or so,” she said, her voice muffled as he worked to help her take the scratchy green shirt off.
“Probably,” he replied equitably. He heard her hiss and paused, waiting for her to tell him what to do.
“Ribs,” she said, her teeth still clenched, her voice pinched.
“Right.”
It was, he learned, far more challenging to remove clothing when dealing with bruised ribs-even ones whose pain had been dulled by opiates-than to put them on. Fortunately Ruby was soon in his vest, and was able to catch her breath as he helped her to change into her lounge pants.
“This is going to be miserable,” she said when he was done, her face drawn.
“No, it’s not,” he replied gently. Off her doubtful expression he amended, “Well, yes, it will be. A bit. But we’ll muddle through.”
She gave him a wan smile, and slowly shuffled out to the kitchen.
The four of them had dinner at the small table, sharing out light, quiet conversation as they ate. Ruby mostly listened, her face relaxing the longer she stayed in one place. Each time she caught him watching her, she gave him a small smile.
“I told you you’re off tomorrow, didn’t I?” Peter asked at the end of the meal, setting his napkin on his plate.
“You may have done-I don’t recall.”
“You’re off tomorrow. Most likely the day after, too. Possibly all week.”
“All week?”
“It’s not like you don’t have the leave.”
“But what about-” The look Peter gave him caused him to stop, and he sighed, “I’m off all week.”
“And you, Detective Inspector Quarles, are off all week as well. In fact, you’ll have a message on your mobile saying you’re to stay home as long as ordered by the doctor.”
Ruby’s lips quirked, her eyes sparkling with laughter. “Been checking my mobile, then, Peter?”
Peter looked only marginally offended. “Not quite. Your DCI informed my DCI who in turn informed me.”
“Expedient,” Ruby observed, amused.
“That it is.”
“And how will you be kept out of trouble while Elias is gone?” Rose asked, grinning at her husband.
“Housecleaning.”
“I can’t wait to see how you file some of those documents,” Elias said, shaking his head with laughter.
“I promise not to mess up your beloved files.”
“I appreciate the concern.”
They had ice cream for dessert, dipping into the container he routinely kept in the freezer. By the time they finished Ruby’s face was once again drawn, her lips pressed together in pain.
“Ready for bed?” he asked, watching Ruby carefully.
“Yeah, think so.”
“And for the meds the doc gave you?”
“Yeah. Well, no. And yeah. Not the painkillers-don’t like how they make me feel, not when they’re that strong.”
“Can I ask what he gave you?” Rose said, leaning forward.
“Some morphine derivative. And something which he said would help prevent infection in my stitches.”
“Can I see it?”
Ruby nodded and Elias got up from the table, collecting the prescription bottles from the counter and bringing them over. Rose glanced at them, wrinkled her nose, and set them both down. “Er…”
“Out with it,” Ruby said, her voice sharp but not hostile.
“I could get you something better. And something which probably won’t make you sick to your stomach. If you’d like?”
“You’re giving me the option for something that won’t make me vomit and will keep me from infection, and you have to ask if it’s alright?” Ruby shook her head, a smile forming. “It’s fine, Rose. Some of your dad’s wonder pills?”
“Not yet. Soon, but don’t tell anyone that. Something my employer’s been working on, let’s say.”
“Ah. In that case, yes, I’d definitely like some.”
“Can’t help you on the painkiller front, I’m afraid.”
“’s alright. It’s the infection pills that I really care about.”
Peter and Rose were easily persuaded to stay the night, the rain having now turned once more to sleet and pelting against the windows of the flat. They’d stayed over often enough that they shooed Elias away from making up the spare bed and finding towels. He was grateful for it when he returned to his bedroom and found Ruby sat on the edge of the bed, her head hanging forward as she tried not to wince.
“You’re sure you don’t want-”
“Paracetamol will do, Eli.”
“You’re mad.”
“As a hatter.”
“One of the myriad reasons I love you so fervently.” He collected a glass of water and two pills for her, handing them over silently. Her right arm, he noticed, stayed pressed against her body. “How’s the shoulder?”
“Hard to tell, in with the other aches.” The words were said with light humour, although her lips were once again pressed into a thin line.
“Then let’s get you ready for bed, and see if the paracetamol doesn’t at least take the edge off a bit.”
She straightened with a hiss, her jaw clenched. “Can’t wait.”
The hardest part was taking her shirt off, every movement now seeming to hurt her as the last of the morphine completely wore off. He found an old pair of his cotton pyjamas-the sort with a button-down top, given to him by his mum ages ago-and finally helped Ruby into them, his fingers trying to fasten the buttons as gently as possible.
“You going to change?” she asked as he finished, his fingers gently brushing her chin.
“I thought you liked me as I was.”
That earned a groan from her. “You’re awful.”
“Only my sense of humour is.” He unbuttoned his shirt as fast as he could, tossing it generally towards the closet. His trousers were discarded in a similar manner, landing where he thought he’d put his suit coat when he’d first come into the room with Ruby. She watched him, amused, and he couldn’t help but smile in return, immensely grateful that she was there with him, injured but well alive.
He let her settle in bed first, giving her a chance to find a comfortable position. He then joined her, gingerly curling against her body, his hand resting on her stomach. His thumb brushed across the cotton of the pyjamas as he took a deep breath, expecting to smell her shampoo and instead smelling the antiseptic tang of the hospital.
It him then, hard, and he took a shuddering breath. He felt Ruby turn her head, heard her hiss as she tried to reach for him, her arm dropping to her side. “’s alright, Eli.”
He burrowed into her, burying his face against her shoulder, desperate to embrace her but not wanting to cause her physical pain. “I was so scared, Ruby,” he whispered, his eyes growing damp.
“’s ok. It all worked out.” She slipped her left arm under his shoulders, bending her elbow so she could stroke the nape of his neck.
He didn’t reply, instead slipping his fingers through the space between the buttons of her pyjama top, desperate simply to touch her bare skin. She turned her head, awkwardly placing a kiss over the crown of his head. He draped a leg over hers, not interested in physical intimacy but simply wanting to be in contact with every possible inch of her.
“I’m alright, Eli.” Her fingers stroked through his hair; he let out a slow breath, focusing on the here and now and not what might have been. “I’m alright, and all is well.”
She soothed him to sleep, whispering to him, her fingers combing through his hair, her chest rising and falling as her heart beat steadily under his ear.
~ - ~
Part Five
Rating: K
Author: jlrpuck
Pairing: Ruby Quarles, Elias McCoy
Disclaimer: The characters contained in this story are the products of my imagination; as such, I retain all right to and ownership of them.
Summary: Another of the tales relating to Elias and Ruby McCoy.
Notes: Thank you to ginamak, earlgreytea68 and chicklet73 for their beta of this earlier this year.
Any mistakes in this story are mine, and mine alone.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
Rose was at the flat by the time they finally made it there, two bags of takeaway unpacked on the kitchen counter and the kettle nearly to a boil. Never had Elias been so grateful for Ruby’s decision to give the Carlisles their spare key.
“You look a fright,” Rose said by way of greeting, giving him a hug before turning to Ruby. “And you look like you could use some tea. Care for a bit?”
“Not coffee?” Ruby asked, still coming awake after napping during their drive across the city.
“Not coffee-it won’t go well with whatever they’re sure to have you on.” Rose leaned over to Ruby. “Take it from personal experience.”
That earned a smile from his wife. “I just need to change, then I’ll have tea.”
The hospital had given Ruby a set of scrubs to wear home, her suit having been cut off of her when she’d arrived. Elias had watched Peter charm the nurses out of the drab green clothes, using a smile and several amiable laughs to point out that there was simply no way of getting across town to find clothing for Mrs. McCoy, and as the shops were already closed couldn’t they do a wee favour? He’d been hard-pressed to keep from laughing outright when the folded articles of clothing were handed over, the nurse giving Peter a hopeful smile as he took them from her with a “Thank you.”
Elias helped Ruby back to their room, his hand gently holding her left elbow, his entire body tensed to catch her if she tripped or collapsed. She gave him a rueful glance as they entered the bedroom, and slowly walked the short distance to their bed. “I’m not going to shatter, Elias.” The words were said with a sigh as she leaned against the wall.
“I know.” He moved to their dresser, pulling open a drawer and finding the pair of ratty sweatpants Ruby preferred to lounge in. “But I’d rather not tempt fates who were terribly generous today.” The next drawer up held his vests, and he pulled out one of his older ones.
“Just how bad was it?” She gazed up at him, her eyes clear.
“I…I don’t know. I haven’t seen the pictures.” He wasn’t sure he wanted to, either.
“Ah.” She reached for the shirt, unconsciously using her right arm-closest to him-and wincing at the movement. She’d done the same thing in hospital when she’d tried to dress herself, and he joined her at the bed. “You’re going to have to help me.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
“I’m going to hate this in a day or so,” she said, her voice muffled as he worked to help her take the scratchy green shirt off.
“Probably,” he replied equitably. He heard her hiss and paused, waiting for her to tell him what to do.
“Ribs,” she said, her teeth still clenched, her voice pinched.
“Right.”
It was, he learned, far more challenging to remove clothing when dealing with bruised ribs-even ones whose pain had been dulled by opiates-than to put them on. Fortunately Ruby was soon in his vest, and was able to catch her breath as he helped her to change into her lounge pants.
“This is going to be miserable,” she said when he was done, her face drawn.
“No, it’s not,” he replied gently. Off her doubtful expression he amended, “Well, yes, it will be. A bit. But we’ll muddle through.”
She gave him a wan smile, and slowly shuffled out to the kitchen.
The four of them had dinner at the small table, sharing out light, quiet conversation as they ate. Ruby mostly listened, her face relaxing the longer she stayed in one place. Each time she caught him watching her, she gave him a small smile.
“I told you you’re off tomorrow, didn’t I?” Peter asked at the end of the meal, setting his napkin on his plate.
“You may have done-I don’t recall.”
“You’re off tomorrow. Most likely the day after, too. Possibly all week.”
“All week?”
“It’s not like you don’t have the leave.”
“But what about-” The look Peter gave him caused him to stop, and he sighed, “I’m off all week.”
“And you, Detective Inspector Quarles, are off all week as well. In fact, you’ll have a message on your mobile saying you’re to stay home as long as ordered by the doctor.”
Ruby’s lips quirked, her eyes sparkling with laughter. “Been checking my mobile, then, Peter?”
Peter looked only marginally offended. “Not quite. Your DCI informed my DCI who in turn informed me.”
“Expedient,” Ruby observed, amused.
“That it is.”
“And how will you be kept out of trouble while Elias is gone?” Rose asked, grinning at her husband.
“Housecleaning.”
“I can’t wait to see how you file some of those documents,” Elias said, shaking his head with laughter.
“I promise not to mess up your beloved files.”
“I appreciate the concern.”
They had ice cream for dessert, dipping into the container he routinely kept in the freezer. By the time they finished Ruby’s face was once again drawn, her lips pressed together in pain.
“Ready for bed?” he asked, watching Ruby carefully.
“Yeah, think so.”
“And for the meds the doc gave you?”
“Yeah. Well, no. And yeah. Not the painkillers-don’t like how they make me feel, not when they’re that strong.”
“Can I ask what he gave you?” Rose said, leaning forward.
“Some morphine derivative. And something which he said would help prevent infection in my stitches.”
“Can I see it?”
Ruby nodded and Elias got up from the table, collecting the prescription bottles from the counter and bringing them over. Rose glanced at them, wrinkled her nose, and set them both down. “Er…”
“Out with it,” Ruby said, her voice sharp but not hostile.
“I could get you something better. And something which probably won’t make you sick to your stomach. If you’d like?”
“You’re giving me the option for something that won’t make me vomit and will keep me from infection, and you have to ask if it’s alright?” Ruby shook her head, a smile forming. “It’s fine, Rose. Some of your dad’s wonder pills?”
“Not yet. Soon, but don’t tell anyone that. Something my employer’s been working on, let’s say.”
“Ah. In that case, yes, I’d definitely like some.”
“Can’t help you on the painkiller front, I’m afraid.”
“’s alright. It’s the infection pills that I really care about.”
Peter and Rose were easily persuaded to stay the night, the rain having now turned once more to sleet and pelting against the windows of the flat. They’d stayed over often enough that they shooed Elias away from making up the spare bed and finding towels. He was grateful for it when he returned to his bedroom and found Ruby sat on the edge of the bed, her head hanging forward as she tried not to wince.
“You’re sure you don’t want-”
“Paracetamol will do, Eli.”
“You’re mad.”
“As a hatter.”
“One of the myriad reasons I love you so fervently.” He collected a glass of water and two pills for her, handing them over silently. Her right arm, he noticed, stayed pressed against her body. “How’s the shoulder?”
“Hard to tell, in with the other aches.” The words were said with light humour, although her lips were once again pressed into a thin line.
“Then let’s get you ready for bed, and see if the paracetamol doesn’t at least take the edge off a bit.”
She straightened with a hiss, her jaw clenched. “Can’t wait.”
The hardest part was taking her shirt off, every movement now seeming to hurt her as the last of the morphine completely wore off. He found an old pair of his cotton pyjamas-the sort with a button-down top, given to him by his mum ages ago-and finally helped Ruby into them, his fingers trying to fasten the buttons as gently as possible.
“You going to change?” she asked as he finished, his fingers gently brushing her chin.
“I thought you liked me as I was.”
That earned a groan from her. “You’re awful.”
“Only my sense of humour is.” He unbuttoned his shirt as fast as he could, tossing it generally towards the closet. His trousers were discarded in a similar manner, landing where he thought he’d put his suit coat when he’d first come into the room with Ruby. She watched him, amused, and he couldn’t help but smile in return, immensely grateful that she was there with him, injured but well alive.
He let her settle in bed first, giving her a chance to find a comfortable position. He then joined her, gingerly curling against her body, his hand resting on her stomach. His thumb brushed across the cotton of the pyjamas as he took a deep breath, expecting to smell her shampoo and instead smelling the antiseptic tang of the hospital.
It him then, hard, and he took a shuddering breath. He felt Ruby turn her head, heard her hiss as she tried to reach for him, her arm dropping to her side. “’s alright, Eli.”
He burrowed into her, burying his face against her shoulder, desperate to embrace her but not wanting to cause her physical pain. “I was so scared, Ruby,” he whispered, his eyes growing damp.
“’s ok. It all worked out.” She slipped her left arm under his shoulders, bending her elbow so she could stroke the nape of his neck.
He didn’t reply, instead slipping his fingers through the space between the buttons of her pyjama top, desperate simply to touch her bare skin. She turned her head, awkwardly placing a kiss over the crown of his head. He draped a leg over hers, not interested in physical intimacy but simply wanting to be in contact with every possible inch of her.
“I’m alright, Eli.” Her fingers stroked through his hair; he let out a slow breath, focusing on the here and now and not what might have been. “I’m alright, and all is well.”
She soothed him to sleep, whispering to him, her fingers combing through his hair, her chest rising and falling as her heart beat steadily under his ear.
~ - ~
Part Five