After a while she said into the darkness, "So, we lost a patient today."

"Shit, I'm sorry."

"Yeah… there was no saving her. Sometimes you just know, and with her? I knew it. We still did everything we could, but all along… yeah, all along I knew we weren't going to bring her through."

"That must be hard."

"Awful. I was the one who told the family she was slipping, but at least they got to be there when she passed, which was good. Like my sister? Hannah died alone. I hate that." Jane pictured the young woman whose heart had given out in the chute. "Death is weird. Most people think it's an on/off kind of thing, but more often it's a process, really, kind of like closing up a shop at the end of the day. For the most part things fail in a predictable manner, until finally the last light in the place goes out and the door is shut and locked. As a doctor I can jump in and stop the progression by sealing up wounds or giving more blood or forcing the body to regulate its functions with drugs. But sometimes… sometimes the shopkeeper just leaves, and you can't stop him no matter what you do." She laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, don't mean to get morbid."

He brushed his hand down her face. "You're not. You're amazing."

"You're biased," she said, before yawning so wide her jaw cracked.

"I'm right." He kissed her forehead. "Now sleep."

She must have followed orders, because sometime later she felt him moving away. "Don't go."

"Have to. I'm patrolling downtown."

He stood up, a giant of a man-er, male, his dark hair catching the dim light from the street lamps out in front of the condo.

A wave of sadness came over her, and she closed her eyes.

"Hey," he said, sitting down next to her. "None of that. We're not sad. You and me? We're not sad. We don't do sad."

She laughed with a choking sound. "How did you know what I was feeling? Or do I look that pathetic?"

He tapped his nose. "I can smell it. Spring rain is what the scent's like."

"I hate this good-bye shit."

"Me, too." He leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead. "Here." He shrugged out of his long-sleeved shirt, balled it up, and put it under her cheek. "Pretend this is me."

She breathed in deep, caught the bonding scent, and was calmed a little. As he stood, he looked so strong in just a muscle shirt, invincible, like a superhero. And yet he breathed.

"Please… be careful."

"Always." He bent over and kissed her again. "I love you."

As he pulled away, she reached out and grabbed his arm. Words failed, but the silence said enough.

"I hate the leaving, too," he replied roughly. "But I'll be back. I promise."

He kissed her again and then headed for the door. As she listened to him go downstairs to get his coat, she cradled his shirt to her face and closed her eyes.

With perfectly fucking bad timing, the garage door of the condo beside hers started to rumble up. Halfway through, it got stuck, the motor whining loud enough to make her headboard vibrate.

She punched the pillow and rolled over, ready to scream.

Vishous was not a happy camper as he pulled on his dagger holster. He was distracted, vaguely pissed off, achy as shit, in desperate need to have a smoke and collect his marbles before he went downtown. He felt totally off center, like he had a heavy duffel bag hanging off one shoulder.

"Vishous! Wait!" Jane's voice came from upstairs just as he was going to dematerialize, "Wait!"

Her footsteps bounded down the stairs and she whipped around the corner, his shirt dwarfing her, the tails hanging down almost to her knees.

"What-"

"I have an idea. It's crazy. But it's also smart." With high color in her cheeks and her eyes lit with purpose, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "What if I moved in with you?"

He shook his head. "I want you to, but-"

"And functioned as the Brotherhood's private surgeon."

Holy… shit… "What?"

"You really should have one on-site. You said there are complications with that Havers guy. Well, I could solve them. I could hire a nurse to assist, upgrade the facilities, and be in charge. You said there are at least three to four injuries a week within the Brotherhood, right? Plus, Bella's pregnant and there well probably be more babies in the future."

"Jesus… you would give up the hospital, though?"

"Yeah, but I'd get something in return."

He flushed. "Me?"

She laughed. "Well, yeah. Of course. But there's something else."

"What?"

"The chance to systematically study your race. My other great love is genetics. If I got to spend the next two decades fixing you boys up and cataloging the differences between humans and vampires, I'd say my life had been well served. I want to know where you came from and how your bodies work and why you don't get cancer. There are important things to be learned, Vishous. Things that could benefit both races. I'm not talking about you guys as guinea pigs… Well, I guess I am. But not in a cruel way. Not in the detached way I was thinking of before. I love you and I want to learn from you."

He stared at her and did a whole lot of not breathing.

She winced and said, "Please say y-"

He crushed her against his chest. "Yes. Yeah… if it's okay with Wrath and you're cool with it… yes."

Her arms went around his waist and squeezed hard.

Holy shit, he felt like he was flying. He was whole, complete, solid in his head and his heart and his body, all his little boxes arranged properly, that Rubik's Cube in out-of-the-wrapper, perfect condition.

He was about to get sappy when his phone went off. With a curse he undipped it from his belt and barked, "What. Jane's. You want to meet me here? Right now? Yeah. Fuck. Okay, see you in two, Hollywood." He clipped the RAZR shut. "Rhage."

"You think we'll be able to swing a move-in for me?"

"Yeah, I do. Frankly, Wrath would be much more comfortable if you were in our world." He ran his knuckles down her cheek. "And so would I. I just never thought you'd give up your life."

"Not giving it up, though. Living it a little differently, but not giving it up. I mean… I really don't have many friends." Except Manello. "And there's nothing tying me down-I was prepared to leave Caldwell for Manhattan anyway. Plus… I'm just going to be happier with you."

He looked her face over, loving the strong features and the short hair and the piercing forest green eyes. "I never would have asked you, you know… to blow everything you have here away for me."

"That's only one of the reasons I love you."

"Will you tell me the others later?"

"Maybe." She slipped her hand between his legs, shocking the shit out of him and making him gasp. "Might show you, too."

He covered her mouth with his and pushed his tongue into her as he backed her up against the wall. He didn't care if Rhage waited on the front lawn for an extra-

His phone went off. And kept ringing.

V lifted his head and looked through the window by the front door. Rhage was on the front lawn, phone to his ear, staring back. The brother made a show of checking his watch, then flashing his middle finger at V.

Vishous pounded a fist into the Sheetrock and stepped off from Jane. "I'm coming back at the end of the night. Be naked."

"Wouldn't you rather undress me?"

"No, because I'd shred that shirt, and I want you sleeping in it every night until you're in my bed with me. Be. Naked."

"We'll see."

His whole body throbbed at the disobedience. And she knew it, her stare level and erotic.

"God, I love you," he said.

"I know. Now run along and kill something. I'll be waiting for you."

He smiled at her. "Couldn't love you more if I tried."

"Ditto."

He kissed her and dematerialized out front to Rhage's side, making sure some mhis was in place. Oh, great. It was raining. Man, he'd so much rather be cozied up with Jane than out with his brother, and he couldn't help but shoot a short-stack glare at Rhage.