Page 83 of Mountain Shadow

I love you too.

* * *

Jens

Jens folded himself back onto the uncomfortable visitor’s chair by Sarah’s bed.

He looked down at his wrinkled black T-shirt. Even though his friends had brought him clean clothes early on, to replace his bloody ones, two days and nights in a hospital could leave one feeling—and smelling—rather rank.

But he wasn’t going to go anywhere—not to eat, or shower, or sleep—until Sarah recovered. He knew, rationally, that she was safe now, that she was no longer in any danger, but every time he closed his eyes he saw her pale and bleeding by his feet, and the only way to calm himself down was to look at her and realize that she was going to be okay, that she was going to heal.

His lungs squeezed tight. He knew how close Sarah had come to dying. The surgeon who’d repaired her subclavian artery had told him as much—had the knife gone in just a little deeper, had Jens gotten there a few minutes later, had he not been able to transfuse those units of blood … Sarah’s life would have been snuffed forever.

And if there was one thing Jens couldn’t contemplate, that was a world without Sarah.

There was a soft knock, and Gael popped his head in.

“How is she?” he asked quietly.

“She woke up for a bit.”

“I just saw Damien and Tess leaving. Are you sure you don’t want to go home? I can sit with her.”

Jens shook his head. “No. I want to be here if she wakes up again.”

Gael looked at him with knowing green eyes. He fished inside the bag he was carrying. “I thought you might say that, so I brought you some Chinese takeout.”

“If the nurse sees you bringing food from outside—”

“She’s a friend. She won’t say anything.”

“A friend?”

“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell. Come on, you need to eat something.”

Jens debated briefly with himself, but the smell coming from the bag was too enticing, and he didn’t think he could stomach another vending machine sandwich.

Checking to make sure Sarah was still asleep, he moved the chair over to the corner, next to the other chair and small table.

“Thanks, man,” he said.

“It’s just takeout.”

It wasn’t. Not really.

Jens had spoken with Damien. Gael’s strength, speed and endurance were the reasons they weren’t mourning a different outcome today for both Kat and Sarah.

But he didn’t need to say anything. Gael understood.

“It’s okay, Jens. They’re both okay.”

Jens nodded, chewing on a piece of delicious sesame chicken.

“How are you feeling? I hope you’ve been drinking lots of water.”

“Yeah. Everything’s fine.”

“You know this could have ended badly, though, right?”