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He sighed and resumed his seat on her bedside "You were very tired, but you were talking Youadvantage of a tired woet back in the condo? I re the door"

"You closed it, but you didn’t lock it, or it didn’t lock I ca fall It sounded like it broke I listened, but I didn’t hear anything else, so I decided to check on you The door opened" He confessed, "I didn’t knock When I walked in you were asleep on the couch, so I carried you to your bedroom I can say with honorable intentions, but that wouldn’t be entirely true Claire, I asked you hed "I re about you until I gave up and stayed awake That’s why I was so tired"

The red dissipated as green prevailed "You dreamt about me?"

"Yes, it was after our dinner I hadn’t seen you since… the jail in Iowa"

He softly kissed her lips and asked again, "You dreaotistical narcissist I did"

"I’ve drea to do with seeing your beautiful face above ht before I fall asleep"

The door opened, and a nurse entered "I’ her door to visitors for a while"

Tony stood with Claire’s hand still in his "What about…?" he asked

"I’ll tell them I was about to tell Harry when you showed up"

Tony turned to the nurse "How long is a while?"

She looked to Claire Claire’s answer told Tony everything he wanted to know Nothing else htness filled his world with a brilliance he’d never known With Claire’s entire family a few feet away, she said that she wanted him It wasn’t like before--it wasn’t his , she’d laid it on the line The deep lines of worry and stress momentarily left Tony’s eyes, as soft chocolate saw only Claire No longer was the world a threat to their relationship It surrounded them, but they were safe and secure within a bubble of their choices and decisions The nurse’s voice returned Tony to the present as she answered, "Let her sleep through the night"

Tony nodded "I can do that" He smiled as he bent down and kissed Claire "I’ll be back in the "

"Good I think you look like you could use soh her bruised face

Turning toward the door, Tony saw the five sets of glaring eyes watching their good-bye Her family remained silent as he politely passed their huly walked the gauntlet Despite their objections, Claire wanted him Therefore, he would be there, and when she was better, she would be in Iowa Until they found that laptop, they weren’t taking any chances

Late Wednesday afternoon, Claire’s doctor released her froave her a referral in Iowa City Tony had planned on driving her directly to the airport and getting her to the safety of his estate; however, Claire refused She didn’t refuse the iather sos before they left Tony pro sent, but she wanted to do it herself

As they entered A Claire’s apartment in Atlanta He suddenly understood why this was important to her She hadn’t had the chance to do it then, or even after she was arrested Again, that had been Tony Although she didn’t mention the other two moves, Tony suspected that her lack of control in the past, helped facilitate the need she now possessed Nevertheless, neither one of theht of her bedroom Drawers emptied and contents strewn across the floor Clothes and shoes pulled from her closet; even the bed was disheveled When they entered, Claire stood paralyzed, looking at the debris Tony considered again offering to hire someone to clean and pack, but the look in her eyes told hi back his offer, Tony hugged her reassuringly and asked if he could help Together they righted the wrong that Chester had done In the grand schean to take shape, Claire’s deter security called to confirm that she was home to receive a delivery After the flowers at the hospital cae note that read:

I’ve learned that you are well… But now,

there’s another body to add to the count…

They should have been on guard Tony should’ve received the delivery; instead, it was Claire This tiain addressed to Claire Nichols Rawls When Claire called out for Tony and he read the name on the envelope, he emphatically ordered the delivery as the nas and returned red to his vision were the contents of the envelope--nothing, it was euish and assure himself that it wasn’t the fulfillment of his dream, he couldn’t contain the e this, I promise"