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“I am.”

He stood and she scooted over so there was room for him on the side opposite her swollen eye. He sat gingerly, she took his hand and leaned against his side, tilting her head and resting it against his shoulder, then she took a deep breath, taking in his scent of motor oil, man and just a hint of the sweet fruity scent of the energy drinks she’d learned he preferred. All subtle, but solid reminders that he was there and would make sure she was safe. She closed her eyes to rest while she waited.

What seemed like a moment later, though she knew had been longer, a knock sounded then the door slid open. Lauren opened her eyes to see a man she didn’t recognize in scrubs.

“I’m here to take you to CT?” His gaze flicked back and forth between them. “Which one of you is Lauren?”

“I am,” she said, straightening, even as Cypher stiffened then shifted and moved off the bed.

“This shouldn’t take too long, CTs are usually pretty quick. You can wait here, sir, or in the waiting room.”

“I’m going with her,” Cypher said, shaking his head. The orderly frowned but Cypher kept talking. “I know I can’t go in the room while she’s being scanned, but Dr. McKennon said I could stay with her until then.”

“Give me just a moment,” the orderly ducked back out of the room. He was gone for a minute, maybe two, then returned. “All right. You’re going with us. It’s not too far away, so when you’re ready, we’ll get moving.” He moved around the rolling bed, releasing brakes and making sure she didn’t have any wires or tubes connected to anything, then moved her out of the room and down the hall. Lauren closed her eyes and listened, she heard the soft thump of Cypher’s boots as he followed. The sound, while most would think it was out of place in the hospital, comforted her. The longer she went with no one and nothing threatening her, the more she let her guard down, though it would be a long time before she was entirely comfortable walking out of her office alone again.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Cypher fought the urge to go looking for Bones to demand answers. It had been more than an hour since they’d come back from the scan, and he wanted to know what was going on. Lauren was hurting and needed something for the pain. He hated that they hadn’t brought her anything yet or even been back to check on her.

But he didn’t want to leave her. She looked so tired and pathetic, not that he pitied her, but his chest ached every time he looked at her. He’d had his share of black eyes and he knew they hurt, especially this soon after the injury. How could bones leave her hurting like this?

When a knock sounded on the door a moment before it slid open again and Bones stepped in, he had to bite his cheek to keep from snapping.

“Sorry it took me so long, we had a GSW come in and I got pulled into it until we sent it up to the OR.” He took a deep breath and pinned his gaze on Lauren. “Some of your bloodwork came back with a surprise.”

Lauren started to lift her brows, then winced.

“Oh?” she said.

“I take it you didn’t know you’re pregnant?”

His heart seemed to skip a beat even as her eyes went wide and he heard her breathing catch. She turned to stare at him.

“How?” Her voice was little more than a whisper. “I mean we used protection and I’m on the pill.”

Cypher did his best to look unphased. She didn’t need more stress right now, and she didn’t need to see how he was freaking out inside. He took her hand and squeezed even as he lifted one shoulder and let it fall.

“Shit happens, sweetheart. No method is perfect. We’ll figure it out.”

“So you didn’t know. I’ll give you some time to process before we discuss options there, in the meantime, I’ll proceed as if you plan to keep it. It does limit our options some, with medications and such but nothing serious. I’ve ordered a safe pain relief for you, it should be here shortly along with the local so I can set your nose. I’ll numb it as well as I can, but it will probably still hurt.” He cut his gaze to Cypher. “You’ll either need to control your shit or leave the room while I do it. You know I won’t hurt her more than I have to.”

Cypher clenched his teeth but didn’t say anything. Lauren squeezed his hand and he looked at her. If he had to sit her and hold her hand while Bones hurt her, he’d do it, but he didn’t have to like it.

Pregnant.

Lauren is pregnant.

The image of her round and wattling much like Elizabeth had been only a few weeks before flashed in his mind. Warmth started somewhere in his chest and spread through his body. But he tried not to get his hopes up. He knew she might not be ready for it, she might not want it. She’d already expressed that she valued her independence. And this would tie her to him, for the next twentyish years at least.

He would have to reconcile himself to that if that was what she decided but he hoped she’d at least talk to him before she made a decision either way.

Bones was talking again, drawing Cypher’s mind back to the present.

“I’m sorry. I missed that. Can you repeat it?”

Bones shot him a disgruntled look.

“I said that the results probably won’t be back for a few days, but I suspect they used chloroform to knock her out. It can have some pretty serious side effects and can be very dangerous, depending on the dosage and how much hits your bloodstream.” Bones went on to ask Lauren questions about how she felt when she first woke and how she felt now. “How bad was the headache and are you still dizzy?”