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Nicole tried to pull free Claire wasn’t going to let go They each h A second too late, Claire saw the puddle of what looked like oil on the cement floor

They stepped in it at the sa Claire released her sister, but it was too late They went down, hard on the floor

Claire crashed into the cement butt first The jolt of impactonto her knees, then starting to stand

As she did, she turned her head Nicole lay on her side Her eyes were closed and she wasn’t

NICOLE REFUSED to open her eyes She didn’t want to knohere she was, even though it was i on her Words like transport and hospital made her wince

Reluctantly she opened her eyes and sao guys bent over her"You’re back," one of them said "Do you knohere you are?"

Wished that she didn’t "On the floor in my bakery I know the day of the week and who’s president, if you need that information"

"You didn’t hit your head, then"

"Not on purpose"

There were two agonizing points of pain Her incision and her knee

"She had surgery a feeeks ago," Claire said froe of vision "She shouldn’t have been here at all It’s all uish

"We were arguing She tried to walk away and I wouldn’t let her She slipped on the oil"

"Relax," one of the medics told her "Your sister will be fine The incision didn’t tear, at least not on the outside They’ll check her out internally at the hospital Her knee’s pretty messed up, but that’s not fatal"

He looked back at Nicole "Ready to take a ride?"

"Not really"

"I was only asking to be polite"

They got her on a gurney As she h to take her breath away An IV dripped into her ar toward the ambulance, Claire rushed over and took her hand

For once, she looked as bad as Nicole felt She was crying and not in a pretty way Her eyes were red, her ain "I’ bad to happen I just hate that you’re mad at me I love you You’re my sister I don’t want you to die"

It was all a little dramatic, but kind of nice, in an over-the-top way Nicole couldn’t remember the last time anyone had fussed over her No, wait She could When she’d co to take care of her Claire, who led with her heart and not her head Claire, as holding her hand as if she was never going to let go

"I’ to die," Nicole told her "And I don’t hate you You just really piss me off, so easy is my best quality"

They loaded her into the aht behind them I’ll be with you no matter what"

Words that should have made Nicole want to run to the hills, but oddly, they didn’t They actually made her feel kind of warm and fuzzy inside Which made her wonder what those medics had put in her IV

WYATT PUT HIS ARM around Claire "Nicole is going to be fine"

"You keep saying that," Claire said with a sniff "No offense, but I want to hear that from a paid professional Then I’ll believe it""She ake and talking" He orried about Nicole, as well, but Claire see internally?"

"What if she’s not?"

Claire leaned against hiic when I’m in a weakened condition That’s hardly fair"

He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her close "I do what I can"

She felt good in his ar about that andher back into bed But these weren’t other circumstances and they had to talk about what happened

"I can’t believe they’re going to have to operate on her knee and that she’s going to have another recovery," Claire said into his shirt "It’s so unfair It should have been ot her knee busted up It was an accident"

"I know I just wish--" she sighed "--that eren’t fighting"

He really wanted to be supportive That’s what a decent guy would do Support during this crisis He wouldn’t be thinking about his own stuff and wanting to discuss it

Even so, he found hi, "We have to talk about what happened"

She looked up at hi about?"

"Us Being together"

"Oh I’m fine with that"

She was so dain"

She sreat I was too embarrassed to tell you I probably should haveworked out You were very gentle" She drew her eyebrows together "Is that what you’re getting at or do youyou wouldn’t have made love withroom, but privacy didn’t make the conversation easier "I don’t know"

She leaned back "Then Iaway h or hit you with a chair," she told hi?"

This is why men and worimly "There are consequences that should have been anticipated"

Her eyes flashed with annoyance "I have no idea what you’re talking about"

"Which isbefore"

Noas getting pissed "I’rowled "I’ about birth control You aren’t on any, are you?"