Warm Bodies: The Little Brown Bear

The Calm Before

When R's eyes opened, he wasn't quite sure who he was. Or where he was. He lay, his eyes softly blinking up at the ceiling, wandering through lazily drifting thoughts, trying to figure that out.

It was frustrating, knowing there was an answer beyond the feeble flickering of his consciousness, but being unable to reach it.

His mind felt slippery, as if something had been loosened that wasn't meant to be, and he was left holding threads that didn't go anywhere.

But he felt wonderfully relaxed. Comfortable. Peaceful. That was nice.

"Oh my gosh, he's awake!"

A female voice, urgent, excited, came from somewhere in front of him, washing over him like a warm wave.

Then a face appeared. A beautiful face, long wavy blonde hair framing blue eyes that were somehow worried and delighted at the same time. His eyes traveled over her rosy skin, her full lips, stretched back in an uncertain smile, and he felt his mouth echo it, even as he tried hard to bring a name up from the murky mess of his mind.

Those ocean blue eyes dipped to his mouth and back again and her smile grew, until he was basking in a blazing display of love and joy, that he couldn't help but reflect, even as he wondered whose face that was.

"Still not all there, are you?" the beautiful girl said, and he wondered how she could know him so well.

"Let me help," she said softly, her mouth pulling into a grin, as her warm hands cupped the sides of his face.

Then she drew in and kissed him, and as their lips touched, his mind found its anchor and the threads weaved into a cohesive whole.

He was Rowan, and this was Julie, the girl he loved above everything else.

Their mouths pressed eagerly together, searching, seeking, tasting, and he pushed himself up and wrapped his arms around her body, holding her as close as he could, feeling her skin like fire against his own.

Slowly, their kiss softened, and gently, he drew from her, grinning as their foreheads touched.

"Hi," he said, his voice a dry whisper, his eyes locked on hers, only inches away.

Julie grinned back. "Hey..."

Someone cleared their throat behind them.

Rowan shifted his head, peering around Julie's as she turned as well.

It was the Colonel, giving him a cool smile, standing in what looked like attention at the end of the bed. The man nodded. "Good to see you awake. You had us worried for a long while."

Rowan frowned, finally absorbing where he was. The hospital. He was sitting on a bed, surrounded by monitors and machines. An IV line led to the back of his left hand, the fingers bandaged. The other arm, the one with the bite, was bandaged as well. There was something in his neck too, and something taped to his thigh?

In fact, something felt really weird down there, something he'd noticed as he'd sat up, and curious, he lifted the sheet a little.

"Um, yeah..." Julie started to say, "They... uh..."

"Jesus!" Rowan cried, staring down at the tube coming from a place tubes should never come. "What the hell?! That's not...! Why?! Can someone get this out?!"

"I can," came a familiar voice from the doorway.

Rowan looked up. Nora was walking into the room, dressed in a colorful nurse's shift and carrying a tray of food. A sly grin crossed her face as she set the tray down next to him with a wink, and his skin flushed bright red.