“Stop staring at me,” Flack muttered, his eyes still closed.
“I can’t help it,” Taylor sighed, gently stroking the side of his face. “Besides, I’ve been doing it for the last two months, so suck it up.”
Flack opened his eyes and smiled at her. They were lying in Taylor’s bed, facing each other, their faces close together. “You’re a nice thing to wake up to in a morning,” he muttered.
Taylor arched an eyebrow. “Does that line usually work?”
Flack grinned and moved his head to kiss her. “You tell me?” he asked when he pulled away.
Taylor just smiled. “Go back to sleep. It’s early.”
Flack raised his head to look at the clock. It was only eight. He frowned. They had both gone to sleep sometime around five. “So what are you doing up, then?”
“Can’t sleep,” Taylor shrugged, her eyes not meeting his.
Flack studied her. “Why not?”
“I got into the habit of not doing,” she choked out.
Flack’s eyes narrowed and he cupped her face in his hand. “Talk to me Taylor.”
When Taylor brought her eyes to meet his, he found that they were lined with fear. “Because I’m scared that you’ll get taken away from me again.”
Flack’s heart broke. He pulled her close to him, holding her tightly. “I’m not going anywhere,” he told her, talking into her hair.
Taylor tightened her arms around him. In all honesty, she had no idea how she had made it this long. She had been on the verge of breaking point for so long – it was such a relief to be in this position.
“Aiden and Maddy were there,” he said softly. It was a statement – not a question. Taylor pulled away from him, ever so slightly – just enough that she could see his face. She nodded. Flack pursed his lips. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would you have listened?” she asked softly.
Flack sighed. “I guess not. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright,” she smiled.
“No, it’s not.”
Taylor found his hand and linked her fingers through his. “It is now,” she told him, firmly.
Flack nodded. “Who else knows?”
“Marty and Danny know about Maddy, but you’re the only person who knows about Aiden. She asked me not to say anything. If it got back to, well, anybody, but especially Danny, he wouldn’t take it well.”
“Why them?” Flack asked, curiously.
“Maddy’s been helping me since just after her funeral. She keeps the victim company. And Aiden, well, she’s like…” Taylor frowned thoughtfully. “Maddy called her my guardian angel. I suppose she is. She punched Pratt.”
Flack’s eyes widened. “You mean he wasn’t making that up?”
Taylor grinned and shook her head, “Aiden has quite the punch on her,” she frowned. “Which I suppose technically makes her more of a poltergeist than a ghost.”
“And who was the other guy?”
Taylor frowned. “What other guy?”
Flack shrugged. “I don’t know. He was there in the hospital.”
“Oh, he was one of the allusive Powers That Be,” Taylor replied.
“The Powers That Be?” Flack repeated.
“Think of heaven as a corporate system,” she told her, repeating how it had been described to her.
“Right,” Flack muttered slowly.
“Yeah, it took me a while to get my head around that one too,” she admitted.
“So let me get this right, Maddy and Aiden are dead, but they managed to get jobs in heaven as a guide and a bodyguard?” Taylor nodded with a shrug. She kissed him again, before pushing herself into a sitting position. “Where are you going?” Flack asked her.
Taylor pulled back the covers to reveal his still bare chest. Her fingers snaked down for the bandages. “Nowhere. I’m checking your wound is alright.”
Flack grabbed her cast-ridden hand. “It doesn’t matter,” he told her.
Taylor glared at him. “It doesn’t matter?” she repeated in disbelief. “Flack, you collapsed outside my door at four in the morning. Don’t start telling me it doesn’t matter.”
“Hey,” said Flack softly. “I’m fine.”
“That’s not the point.” Taylor couldn’t help it. The tears were back. “It scared me, Don... You scared me.” Flack sat up, ignoring the pain which was shooting through his side, tucked her hair behind her ears and brought her into a tight embrace. It was a soft knock at the door which disturbed them. Taylor pulled away and quickly wiped the tears away. “Yeah?”
Marty stuck his head around the door. “I come bearing coffee?”
Flack frowned at him. “You were assuming we were up?” he asked as Marty entered carrying three mugs.
Marty shrugged handing one over to him. “I figured Taylor would be.” He handed her a mug of hot chocolate. “You sleep alright?” he asked her.
Taylor knew exactly what he was referring to. The main reason she slept so badly was, of course because of the fear that Flack wouldn’t wake up, but because of the nightmares which plagued her dreams. They were all variants of the same thing.
It would always be in the Daily’s building, and the bomb would always go off, but it wasn’t always Flack with half his abdomen open for the world to see. He would be replaced with herself, Mac, her father, Maddy. Even her brother. And then the image would shift to the hospital relative’s room and the argument with The Powers That Be. Except it was never Matthew. She would either find herself arguing with herself, or with Flack Senior, and most of the time, she never won the argument.
“I got some,” she told him vaguely. She didn’t want Flack to know about the nightmares. He’d already lived it once. He didn’t need to live it again.
Marty pursed his lips and nodded, catching on immediately that she hadn’t told Flack about them. He walked over to her window and pulled the curtains back. “Snow,” he told them, simply.
Flack and Taylor turned to the window. Snow was something of an understatement. Blizzard was more like it. Taylor got out of bed and over to the window. The world was white and even from as far up as she was, she could tell that it was settling well. The alleyway below was hidden beneath several feet of snow.
“It’s coming down from Canada,” Marty told them. “They think it’s likely to stick around this bad for the best part of a week. And it’s going to be a cold winter.” Taylor arched an eyebrow at him. “Watched the news,” he shrugged.
“Didn’t you go out last night?” Flack asked him.
“I wish,” Marty sighed. “Sid had some hot date – I was working until three. Thankfully the morgue is closed today.”
“What happens if someone dies?” Taylor asked.
Marty laughed. “Well, I doubt the body would get to the morgue in this weather as it is, but there will be some unfortunate soul down there to put them away. It’s only closed for autopsies.”
“Oh,” Taylor took a sip of her drink. “How are we for food?”
“We’re stocked up, don’t worry.”
Taylor smiled. “Good. I think that I’ll make us dinner today.”
As soon as the words left her lips, Marty actually visibly paled.
“What’s the matter, Marty?” Flack asked.
“Um, nothing,” he said carefully. “Why don’t you let me take care of the cooking?” he suggested to Taylor.
“What’s wrong with me cooking dinner?” Taylor asked suspiciously.
She may have been the world’s worst cook, but she didn’t personally think she was that bad. Besides, it wasn’t like she wanted to cook a three course banquet.
“Nothing,” said Marty, hurriedly. “But I figured you two would want to spend as much time together as possible.”
The statement seemed to appease Taylor. “Fair enough. But give me a shout if you need a-”
“I’ll be fine, don’t worry.” He gave her a reassuring smile and hurried out of the room.
Taylor glared at the door as it was shut behind him. Flack got out of her bed and walked over to her. “So, I’m stuck here, eh?”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “Make that sound like a bad thing then.”
Flack grinned. “Oh, I can think of several things we can do to keep ourselves occupied.”
Taylor took a step back and glared up at him. “Yeah, and you can keep on thinking about them, because it’s not going to happen.”
Flack pouted. “I never said anything.”
“You didn’t have to,” Taylor quickly informed him. “Your eyes gave it away. And quit with those Bambi eyes, because I’m not changing my mind. There’s not going to be anything happening between us until you are back behind a desk. Besides, I would have thought you’d have had enough of beds for now.”
Flack shrugged. “Not if you’re in it with me.”
“Nice as that sounds, it’s not going to work.”
“Whatever you want,” Flack assured her.
Taylor smiled. “Come on, you get a shower, and I’ll get Marty to lend you some of his clothes.”
Flack leant over and kissed her. “I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be stuck.”
“Shower’s that way, Charmer,” she grinned.
“I can’t help it,” Taylor sighed, gently stroking the side of his face. “Besides, I’ve been doing it for the last two months, so suck it up.”
Flack opened his eyes and smiled at her. They were lying in Taylor’s bed, facing each other, their faces close together. “You’re a nice thing to wake up to in a morning,” he muttered.
Taylor arched an eyebrow. “Does that line usually work?”
Flack grinned and moved his head to kiss her. “You tell me?” he asked when he pulled away.
Taylor just smiled. “Go back to sleep. It’s early.”
Flack raised his head to look at the clock. It was only eight. He frowned. They had both gone to sleep sometime around five. “So what are you doing up, then?”
“Can’t sleep,” Taylor shrugged, her eyes not meeting his.
Flack studied her. “Why not?”
“I got into the habit of not doing,” she choked out.
Flack’s eyes narrowed and he cupped her face in his hand. “Talk to me Taylor.”
When Taylor brought her eyes to meet his, he found that they were lined with fear. “Because I’m scared that you’ll get taken away from me again.”
Flack’s heart broke. He pulled her close to him, holding her tightly. “I’m not going anywhere,” he told her, talking into her hair.
Taylor tightened her arms around him. In all honesty, she had no idea how she had made it this long. She had been on the verge of breaking point for so long – it was such a relief to be in this position.
“Aiden and Maddy were there,” he said softly. It was a statement – not a question. Taylor pulled away from him, ever so slightly – just enough that she could see his face. She nodded. Flack pursed his lips. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would you have listened?” she asked softly.
Flack sighed. “I guess not. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright,” she smiled.
“No, it’s not.”
Taylor found his hand and linked her fingers through his. “It is now,” she told him, firmly.
Flack nodded. “Who else knows?”
“Marty and Danny know about Maddy, but you’re the only person who knows about Aiden. She asked me not to say anything. If it got back to, well, anybody, but especially Danny, he wouldn’t take it well.”
“Why them?” Flack asked, curiously.
“Maddy’s been helping me since just after her funeral. She keeps the victim company. And Aiden, well, she’s like…” Taylor frowned thoughtfully. “Maddy called her my guardian angel. I suppose she is. She punched Pratt.”
Flack’s eyes widened. “You mean he wasn’t making that up?”
Taylor grinned and shook her head, “Aiden has quite the punch on her,” she frowned. “Which I suppose technically makes her more of a poltergeist than a ghost.”
“And who was the other guy?”
Taylor frowned. “What other guy?”
Flack shrugged. “I don’t know. He was there in the hospital.”
“Oh, he was one of the allusive Powers That Be,” Taylor replied.
“The Powers That Be?” Flack repeated.
“Think of heaven as a corporate system,” she told her, repeating how it had been described to her.
“Right,” Flack muttered slowly.
“Yeah, it took me a while to get my head around that one too,” she admitted.
“So let me get this right, Maddy and Aiden are dead, but they managed to get jobs in heaven as a guide and a bodyguard?” Taylor nodded with a shrug. She kissed him again, before pushing herself into a sitting position. “Where are you going?” Flack asked her.
Taylor pulled back the covers to reveal his still bare chest. Her fingers snaked down for the bandages. “Nowhere. I’m checking your wound is alright.”
Flack grabbed her cast-ridden hand. “It doesn’t matter,” he told her.
Taylor glared at him. “It doesn’t matter?” she repeated in disbelief. “Flack, you collapsed outside my door at four in the morning. Don’t start telling me it doesn’t matter.”
“Hey,” said Flack softly. “I’m fine.”
“That’s not the point.” Taylor couldn’t help it. The tears were back. “It scared me, Don... You scared me.” Flack sat up, ignoring the pain which was shooting through his side, tucked her hair behind her ears and brought her into a tight embrace. It was a soft knock at the door which disturbed them. Taylor pulled away and quickly wiped the tears away. “Yeah?”
Marty stuck his head around the door. “I come bearing coffee?”
Flack frowned at him. “You were assuming we were up?” he asked as Marty entered carrying three mugs.
Marty shrugged handing one over to him. “I figured Taylor would be.” He handed her a mug of hot chocolate. “You sleep alright?” he asked her.
Taylor knew exactly what he was referring to. The main reason she slept so badly was, of course because of the fear that Flack wouldn’t wake up, but because of the nightmares which plagued her dreams. They were all variants of the same thing.
It would always be in the Daily’s building, and the bomb would always go off, but it wasn’t always Flack with half his abdomen open for the world to see. He would be replaced with herself, Mac, her father, Maddy. Even her brother. And then the image would shift to the hospital relative’s room and the argument with The Powers That Be. Except it was never Matthew. She would either find herself arguing with herself, or with Flack Senior, and most of the time, she never won the argument.
“I got some,” she told him vaguely. She didn’t want Flack to know about the nightmares. He’d already lived it once. He didn’t need to live it again.
Marty pursed his lips and nodded, catching on immediately that she hadn’t told Flack about them. He walked over to her window and pulled the curtains back. “Snow,” he told them, simply.
Flack and Taylor turned to the window. Snow was something of an understatement. Blizzard was more like it. Taylor got out of bed and over to the window. The world was white and even from as far up as she was, she could tell that it was settling well. The alleyway below was hidden beneath several feet of snow.
“It’s coming down from Canada,” Marty told them. “They think it’s likely to stick around this bad for the best part of a week. And it’s going to be a cold winter.” Taylor arched an eyebrow at him. “Watched the news,” he shrugged.
“Didn’t you go out last night?” Flack asked him.
“I wish,” Marty sighed. “Sid had some hot date – I was working until three. Thankfully the morgue is closed today.”
“What happens if someone dies?” Taylor asked.
Marty laughed. “Well, I doubt the body would get to the morgue in this weather as it is, but there will be some unfortunate soul down there to put them away. It’s only closed for autopsies.”
“Oh,” Taylor took a sip of her drink. “How are we for food?”
“We’re stocked up, don’t worry.”
Taylor smiled. “Good. I think that I’ll make us dinner today.”
As soon as the words left her lips, Marty actually visibly paled.
“What’s the matter, Marty?” Flack asked.
“Um, nothing,” he said carefully. “Why don’t you let me take care of the cooking?” he suggested to Taylor.
“What’s wrong with me cooking dinner?” Taylor asked suspiciously.
She may have been the world’s worst cook, but she didn’t personally think she was that bad. Besides, it wasn’t like she wanted to cook a three course banquet.
“Nothing,” said Marty, hurriedly. “But I figured you two would want to spend as much time together as possible.”
The statement seemed to appease Taylor. “Fair enough. But give me a shout if you need a-”
“I’ll be fine, don’t worry.” He gave her a reassuring smile and hurried out of the room.
Taylor glared at the door as it was shut behind him. Flack got out of her bed and walked over to her. “So, I’m stuck here, eh?”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “Make that sound like a bad thing then.”
Flack grinned. “Oh, I can think of several things we can do to keep ourselves occupied.”
Taylor took a step back and glared up at him. “Yeah, and you can keep on thinking about them, because it’s not going to happen.”
Flack pouted. “I never said anything.”
“You didn’t have to,” Taylor quickly informed him. “Your eyes gave it away. And quit with those Bambi eyes, because I’m not changing my mind. There’s not going to be anything happening between us until you are back behind a desk. Besides, I would have thought you’d have had enough of beds for now.”
Flack shrugged. “Not if you’re in it with me.”
“Nice as that sounds, it’s not going to work.”
“Whatever you want,” Flack assured her.
Taylor smiled. “Come on, you get a shower, and I’ll get Marty to lend you some of his clothes.”
Flack leant over and kissed her. “I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be stuck.”
“Shower’s that way, Charmer,” she grinned.
* * *
The rest of the day was spent most unconstructively, lounging around the apartment talking, or watching films. “What happened to your column?” Flack asked suddenly. The two were sat in bed, wrapped up under her duvet, watching the David Letterman Show.
“I’m taking a break,” said Taylor.
Flack frowned. “A break?”
Taylor sighed. “My office got blown up, remember. I can’t write for something that isn’t there.”
“What’s happening with the Daily?”
“It’s temporarily merged with its sister paper, The New York Weekly, which thankfully is housed on the other side of the island. They’re rebuilding the building, but it was really badly damaged. The Daily won’t be up and running again properly until the end of the month,” Taylor explained.
“And in the mean time you’re doing nothing?”
Taylor nodded. “Alex said that I could continue to do a weekly column if I wanted, but when he finally tracked me down at the hospital, he realised that I wouldn’t want to, and told me that he would continue to pay me anyway. He told me I was one of the best things that had happened to the paper, which was nice, and he didn’t want to lose me to another paper.”
“So, you’re getting paid to do nothing?” Flack asked incredulously.
“Yeah, but I haven’t taken a holiday in four years either. Besides, Don, so are you,” she pointed out.
“True,” he chuckled. “But I’ll be wanting back in the field soon enough.”
“Thanks,” Taylor pouted.
“It’s alright, I’ve got that guitar to keep me occupied,” he said, referring to the one Taylor had bought him. He was surprised she’d remembered. He’d only mentioned in passing that he’d always wanted to learn to play. Taylor smiled and leant for her phone. “Who are you calling?” he asked her suspiciously.
“Alex. Tell him that I’m ready to go back to work full-time.”
Flack snatched her cell out of her hand and flung it onto the chair out of the way. “Nice try, Tay.”
Taylor gave him an innocent face. “Well, you have your guitar to occupy yourself with. One can only listen to you doing a fantastic impression of a strangled cat for so long.”
“You’ll regret saying that,” he told her in mock anger.
“Oh, what are you going to do? Torture me with your attempts to break glass?” Taylor mocked him.
“Heh, heh, heh.” He pulled a face at her.
“You’re so cute when you’re sulking,” she told him, reaching up and kissing him.
“I’m taking a break,” said Taylor.
Flack frowned. “A break?”
Taylor sighed. “My office got blown up, remember. I can’t write for something that isn’t there.”
“What’s happening with the Daily?”
“It’s temporarily merged with its sister paper, The New York Weekly, which thankfully is housed on the other side of the island. They’re rebuilding the building, but it was really badly damaged. The Daily won’t be up and running again properly until the end of the month,” Taylor explained.
“And in the mean time you’re doing nothing?”
Taylor nodded. “Alex said that I could continue to do a weekly column if I wanted, but when he finally tracked me down at the hospital, he realised that I wouldn’t want to, and told me that he would continue to pay me anyway. He told me I was one of the best things that had happened to the paper, which was nice, and he didn’t want to lose me to another paper.”
“So, you’re getting paid to do nothing?” Flack asked incredulously.
“Yeah, but I haven’t taken a holiday in four years either. Besides, Don, so are you,” she pointed out.
“True,” he chuckled. “But I’ll be wanting back in the field soon enough.”
“Thanks,” Taylor pouted.
“It’s alright, I’ve got that guitar to keep me occupied,” he said, referring to the one Taylor had bought him. He was surprised she’d remembered. He’d only mentioned in passing that he’d always wanted to learn to play. Taylor smiled and leant for her phone. “Who are you calling?” he asked her suspiciously.
“Alex. Tell him that I’m ready to go back to work full-time.”
Flack snatched her cell out of her hand and flung it onto the chair out of the way. “Nice try, Tay.”
Taylor gave him an innocent face. “Well, you have your guitar to occupy yourself with. One can only listen to you doing a fantastic impression of a strangled cat for so long.”
“You’ll regret saying that,” he told her in mock anger.
“Oh, what are you going to do? Torture me with your attempts to break glass?” Taylor mocked him.
“Heh, heh, heh.” He pulled a face at her.
“You’re so cute when you’re sulking,” she told him, reaching up and kissing him.
Originally posted 30/07/2006