Date Posted:15:56:32 04/27/03 Sun Author: dqfan Subject: Ghosts - ch.43
CHAPTER FORTY THREE Thursday 4pm
"Out of my way, Charity!" Peter shouted, displacing Charity from her seat beside Ivy's bed. Gus followed close behind, not sure what was going on, but determined to be a part of it, especially if it meant finding Sophie.
"Ivy!" Peter stood by the bed and said her name sharply. "Ivy, wake up! Ivy! Do you hear me, I said wake up!"
Incensed, Charity grabbed her nephew by the arm and pulled him away with all her might. "Peter! Have you lost your mind? You know she can't hear you. She's in a coma!"
Stunned, Gus approached Ivy's hospital bed, horrified to see the vibrant woman he had once loved so passionately connected now to tubes and machines and looking so deathly pale.
"Ivy…" As much as he'd grown to hate her over the years, he'd never expected to see her like this. "How the Hell did this happen?" Gus gulped.
"She tried to kill Ben," Charity explained gently, realizing, now, that Gus had never been the enemy. "She struggled with Peter and accidentally stuck herself with a poison syringe."
"Poison?" Gus was at a loss for words.
"They've given her an antidote. With any luck, it should bring her out of the coma soon," Charity consoled him.
"Soon isn't good enough!" Peter interrupted, frantic. "She knows where Sophie is! I'd bet my life on it!"
"Peter…" Charity was as upset as he was over Sophie's disappearance, but making oneself sick was never the solution.
"She's kidnapped her, Charity," Peter pleaded, his usually bright blue eyes cloudy and hollow with fear.
"Maybe it's already too late…" His heart broke at the thought of Sophie lying dead somewhere. "But, if Ivy doesn't regain consciousness," he whispered devastated, "I might never know."
Charity moved to comfort him instantly, her arms encircling him in a hug. Considering the circumstances, it was a miracle Peter had kept his emotions in check this long.
"Peter, I'll sit with her," Charity promised, soothing him. "If she wakes up, I'll come get you. But, until then, please, go get some rest."
Desperate, Charity looked toward Gus. Apparently, she'd misjudged him. Whatever his part in all this, he seemed genuinely ready to help.
Would he help her now? Please?
"C'mon…" With a shrug, Gus took his cue from Charity and urged Peter out the door. Charity was a tough old broad, devoted to those she cared about, through and through. He had to admire her for that. In many ways, she reminded him of Dolores.
Besides, it wasn't as if he didn't understand Peter's pain. Hell, Gus had only known Sophie for a few days and already she'd captured his heart. To think of the joy of having her as his wife, and then face the agony of losing her… Well, Gus had no doubt that he would react exactly as Peter had - if not a thousand times worse.
With an uneasy truce between them, Gus tried to encourage Peter to sit down. Instead, he watched in exasperation as Peter headed for Detective O'Neill once again. "Anything on the APB for Leroy Carter?" he asked hopefully.
"No sign of him yet, Peter," the detective reported, a note of sympathy in his voice.
"If I hear anything, I'll come get you," he promised. "Til then, why don't you go sit down and get…"
"Some rest…I know…" Peter punched the air with his fist, ready to strangle the world with his bare hands.
"She'll be okay, Peter," Gus assured, gesturing him toward the couch in the waiting area.
Having nowhere else to turn, no other leads to follow, and no one else to take his frustrations out on, Peter slumped onto the couch and let his head fall into his hands.
"We'll find her," Gus insisted, squirming. He'd never been particularly good at male bonding.
"How?" Peter stared up at the ceiling, hoping his tears wouldn't fall. The last time he'd felt this alone, he'd overdosed in a gutter in Seattle.
"Ivy'll wake up." Gus seemed confident. "She enjoys messing with my life too much to stop now."
For all the bravado in Gus' voice, Peter wasn't that much of a fool. "I'm sorry about Ivy," he said quietly. "I mean…I know you two…"
"Hey," Gus cut him off with a wave of his hand. "These things happen. Other fish in the sea, right?"
Peter smirked, in spite of his worries. "Confidence is good…"
Gus chuckled. At least Peter still had his sense of humor. "My five minute kiss gets 'em every time," he boasted in a whisper.
Frowning, Peter recalled Sophie telling him about her one kiss with Gus. "That what you gave my wife?" Peter asked, cranky.
"Oh…I…um…." Gus looked everywhere but at Peter.
Luckily for Gus, Peter was too tired and too worried to care at the moment. "Remind me to punch you later…" he grumbled, his head falling back against the sofa cushion.
"You got it," Gus winked, glad to see Peter unwinding - even a little. "Hey, how 'bout some coffee?"
In addition to coffee, Gus sensed Peter could use a little time alone.
"Sure…fine…whatever." Peter was a million miles away.
Gus nodded, leaving Peter to his thoughts.
"Be right back."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Peter's eyelids drooped for only a second. He awoke with a start to find Michaela sitting beside him on the couch, wearing a white doctor's coat, hoping to blend in.
"Can everybody see you or just me?" Nervously, Peter looked up and down the corridor.
"Anyone who passes by," she smiled. "Why, don't I fit in?" she asked, a little disappointed.
"The skirt kinda gives you away." Chagrined, Peter pointed to the floor-length skirt Michaela wore beneath her doctor's coat.
Unwilling to change her dress to the immodest styles of the day, Michaela pouted. "Then, I won't stay long," she revealed, miffed.
"Do you know where Sophie is?" Peter begged in a hush.
"That's not for me to say, Peter," Michaela admitted plainly.
"Why not!" he faced her angrily.
"I can't say…" Michaela thwarted him a second time.
Furious, Peter confronted her again. "Well, if there's any advice you'd like to give me, now would be a really good time!"
Finding a stethoscope in the pocket of the jacket she'd "borrowed," Michaela held it fondly. What she wouldn't give to be able to practice medicine again - and in such an advanced setting.
"Hank was in a coma once…" She recalled one of her most difficult cases.
"And?" Peter demanded impatiently.
"Most everyone in town came to visit him…talk with him. But nothing seemed to work. I was at my wits' end," she remembered.
"It was only when I stopped being so stubborn that I realized I'd been more interested in curing him as a doctor than as his friend."
Peter stilled, absorbing what Michaela had just said and relating it to his own circumstances. It was true. He hadn't spoken a kind word to Ivy since he arrived. But this was different, dammit. Hank hadn't kidnapped, or maybe even killed, someone Michaela loved.
"She doesn't care about me," Peter snarled, not seeing the point.
"Perhaps, this hasn't been about you?" Michaela prompted him as much as she dared.
Peter thought for a moment. Michaela was right. This had never been about him. And it wasn't really about Sophie either. Ivy was just lashing out in any way she could, hoping to hurt the one person she despised most of all…
"Charity." Peter realized at last.
Michaela smiled at her grandson's perceptiveness.
"What should she say?" Peter asked eagerly.
"Just what I did…" Michaela replied, thinking back on the intimate revelations she'd shared with Hank.
"Say what's in her heart…"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Initially at a loss for words, Sully had only one comment after hearing Sophie's story.
Whistling, he teased her with a wide grin. "Sure glad Michaela wasn't around to hear that."
Expecting Sophie to have a comeback of some kind, Sully paused. Only silence greeted him.
"Sophie?" Sully's grin faded when he received no response. "Sophie!"
Looking over at her, Sully realized she had fallen fast asleep. Was it a coma, or just a deep, restful sleep? Either way, Sully had no choice. It would be up to Sophie to wake on her own now - if she could.
Sully read Sophie's mind and smiled. She was still dreaming of her early days with Peter…of that night they first shared.
Apprehensive, Sully wondered. Would Sophie's memories inspire her to keep fighting, or would they lull her into a sleep from which she would never recover?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sophie couldn't sleep. She was lying there, in a bed fit for a princess - with Peter snuggled warmly at her back - and she couldn't sleep!
The reason was annoyingly simple. She was on the wrong side of the bed! Ever since she was a little girl, Sophie had always slept on the right side of any bed. Whether it was college, or her first apartment; whether she slept alone, or with someone; whether she was in Toronto or Tibet; Sophie just couldn't fall asleep unless she was on the right side of the bed!
She'd had every intention of scooting over to the right side before Peter fell asleep. But they'd been cuddling so contentedly, Peter whispering in her ear, that she'd quite understandably lost track of time. Unfortunately, now, Peter was enjoying a perfectly good night's sleep, while she was stuck there, wide awake, and longing for her precious right side.
Of course, she could crawl out, walk around, and then slide in behind Peter, hoping he'd move over. But, the fire in the fireplace had died over an hour ago and the room, beyond the confines of their toasty comforter, was more than a little chilly, especially since she wasn't wearing a nightgown.
Desperate, Sophie decided to try a different approach…
As slowly, and as quietly as she could, she lifted the comforter slightly and attempted to climb over Peter to the other side. He'd been a sound sleeper - and, with good reason, Sophie smiled - so maybe it wasn't too much to hope for that she could accomplish her mission without him…
Groggy, Peter opened his eyes to find Sophie perched above him. A deep chuckle escaped his throat and he grinned wider than the Cheshire Cat. Dreaming or awake, this was going to be fun.
"Something I can help you with, Little Girl?" he asked, as innocently as the Big Bad Wolf.
Wishing she had been asleep, because then this might be nothing but a really embarrassing nightmare, Sophie rolled her eyes and tried to explain. "It's…it's silly…" she sighed, "I didn't want to bother you."
"Bother me?" Peter almost choked with laughter, securing his hands firmly at her waist and thoroughly enjoying his view. "Sweetheart, you could ask me anything right about now, trust me."
Trapped, in more ways than one, Sophie decided she might as well tell Peter the truth. "I can't sleep unless I'm on the right side of the bed," she revealed sheepishly.
"Hmm…" Intrigued, Peter absorbed this new bit of information about the indescribable Sophie Becker.
"Good to know," he nodded, his expression one of bemused solemnity. Every intimate moment with Sophie was one to be cherished.
Lightly, Peter traced tiny circles at the small of Sophie's back, hoping to urge her closer. After all, he was awake now, no sense wasting this delightfully intimate moment…
Aroused, Sophie savored his caresses. But, the incredibly smug look plastered on Peter's face made her determined to win at all costs.
"So…can I go?" she resisted, stubbornly.
"Sure." Undeterred, Peter continued his gentle massaging of Sophie's back, his hands traveling up, across her shoulder blades, and then slowly down her sides.
"But, it'll cost you," he added, a suggestive spark in his eyes.
Sophie's willpower was fading fast - as fast as she could feel Peter's body coming alive beneath her. Valiantly, she maintained what space she could between them and placed her hands against Peter's chest for support.
"What'd you have in mind, Sparky?" she bargained, seductively.
Peter had never considered himself a "Sparky" before, but just the timber in Sophie's voice when she said it was enough to make his throat tight and his muscles clench.
"Deal?" he flipped her over with a low moan, pleading for a truce.
"A deal, huh?" Sophie giggled as she landed, softly, smack on the right side of the bed.
"You can have the right side, but…"
His suggestion interrupted by the sight of Sophie licking her lips, Peter kissed her until they were both breathless.
Sophie smiled brightly, her hands stroking the length of Peter's body. Victory was so very sweet. Not that she much cared about that any more. Defiance was highly overrated; and, on Peter, smug looked awfully good.
Still…
Her eyes glazed with desire, Sophie questioned her part of the deal.
"But?" she whispered, curious.
"Sparky's" eyes continued to shine, his head dipping to explore the soft flesh that lured him so completely.
"You don't get to sleep…"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Thursday about 7pm
Exhausted, Charity paced the floor of Ivy's room. It seemed unimaginable to her that she had begun this morning in jail, been released, and then forced to watch as both Peter and Ben were nearly killed by her long-lost relative.
Even for Charity, it had been an unusually busy day.
Looking back on all the havoc Ivy had brought into their lives, Charity could hardly believe it. Then again, Ivy was a Lawson. Havoc was to be expected.
Lost in her thoughts, Charity was startled when Peter barged into Ivy's room once again. "Charity, you've got to talk to her!"
"What?" Charity was growing concerned over Peter's mental and emotional stability. "Peter, I thought Gus was going to take you to get some rest…"
Just then, Gus dashed into the room with two cups of coffee. "Sorry, he got away from me…" he scowled at Peter.
"You…coffee…outside." Peter insisted succinctly. This needed to be a private conversation.
Unsure, Gus turned to Charity. "Give us a minute, would you please?" she asked him politely.
Charity waited until Gus was gone and Peter had shut the door behind him to demand her explanation. "Peter, what is this all about?"
"You can wake her," Peter reported excitedly.
"Ivy? How? With a kiss?" Charity found Peter's supposition ludicrous.
Deadly serious, he ignored Charity's quip. "With the truth," he persisted.
