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Without this work, these fights, her nightly routine, there was nothing to ground her Pull her through Keep her going

And her salvation froiveness by her, here and noard hi that would spread to everyone else and re-bind the group The other trainees would have to follow her lead--and ps, she hadn’tpart of the problem She should never have let the enemy just lie there on her like it had Those slayer bastards were like rattlesnakes, capable of biting you even after you cut them in half Peyton had definitely set the bad result in motion, but she had provided the slope

It was a ain

Assuth, she tried to keep her eyes focused on Peyton’s face, but she could only get halfway to goal Everything was fuzzy, as if there were panes of dusty glass between them

What was clear? The scent of his tears

And that was a shocker Sure, she had needed open-heart surgery, but he was the perpetual joker, the playful resister who bobbed on top of everything Not even a brush with death could ht it could--

I’m not in love with her

That was totally not relevant, she told herself

The door to the roo open and Dr Manello caear, a water bottle under his ar from his hand

"And we’re awake" The huhter," she said in a voice that washated to sound weak

Dr Manello caainst the base of the bed "Yeah, as a soldier, you are absolutely in the right line of badass work You flatlined twice on our table, which, to be honest, pissed me off But you had your reasons And there was one point when I was convinced I was going to lose you for good--you cah Guess you decided you weren’t done with your work here on earth--well, and that six-cha with us So on so I could do what I needed to to fix that hole"

"Maybe it was eon"--she took a deep breath--"is talent? I mean, talented"

"Nah, I’m just a , of course Just as she had been co out of anesthesia, she had heard Vishous say that there were only two surgeons that he kneho could have saved her--Doc Jane and Dr Manello Especially because they hadn’t had a bypass ical unit

Whatever the hell thattheher chart in his head "You’re going to stay here for the next forty-eight hours And don’t frickin’ bitch to enerative powers are and how you can go hohtfall" He put his palm up as she opened her mouth "Nope, there will be no discussion In another twelve hours, I want you walking yourself up and down the corridor All the way to the exit and back every two or three hours--"

"Hoping…back to…work forty-eight hours"

Dr Manello shot her an are-you-fucking-serious "After you had open-heart surgery Yeah, right"

"Feeding? But I could…feed more"

"That’ll help, sure But you knohat else is aot rapturous "Staying the fuck in bed"

"I heal faster…if I feed"

"What’s the rush? None of you are going back out in the field anytieon shut his mouth, as if that were information he was not authorized to share "Anyway, take a load off, eat chocolate pudding to soothe that throat I intubated, and we’ll see how you go"

"Feeding, too"

"Fine, yeah, sure, take asveins as you want But whether you turn yourself into Frank Langella or not, I’oddamn ready"

"Do you always curse…at your patients?"

"Only the ones I like"