Salvation

06

There were better ways to spend the day, Adelaide thought, than trying to be coaxed out of her room. "You can't stay in here forever. I can see how much you love this room, but honestly, you do need to come out." Adelaide narrowed her eyes. "Hey, don't go glaring at me. If I remember rightly it was you who asked me to return to visit you again."

"Yes, that is true." Adelaide nodded agreeing, standing up and away from the window she turned and looked at Harvey.

"Come on, I know the city is bad. But it's not all bad." Harvey held out his hand as Adelaide walked slowly over. She seemed to deliberate about actually venturing out of the hospital room. Fidgeting from foot to foot awkwardly she put her hand in his and got slowly pulled out of the room.

"May I ask where exactly are we going?"

"Just out of here. You can't tell me you actually like being surrounded by so much...clinical equipment?" Harvey questioned thoughtfully while looking down at her. She shook her head slowly. "Exactly, what you need is some fresh air. Away from this place."

"All right, now you make it sound like I'm breaking out."

Harvey smiled lightly at this and turned the corner to the elevator. "Well, you're breaking out for a few minutes."

"Only a few minutes?"

"Half an hour?"

"What about an hour?"

"Only if we dare," he smirked and pushed the ground level button. The two were in the elevator with several other people.

Adelaide looked at them sidewards before snapping her eyes forward again. Taking to staring at the steel grey coloured doors, she looked up when two people left. The doors slid shut and it was only them and three other people. "We can't go far." Adelaide piped up.

Harvey frowned lightly and looked down at her. "Why?"

"Because," she paused. "I have to see the doctor this afternoon." She whispered and walked slowly out of the elevator with him.

Harvey nodded slowly at this. "All right, we won't go far then."

"Something tells me, by the tone of your voice, you don't mean that."

"You're a very clever woman."

"Ah well...never been told that before." Adelaide smiled lightly.

----

Harvey leaned his head against his hand. "You know, I never knew this park existed." Adelaide stated while looking around. Harvey smiled, like her reaction to the surroundings weren't obvious. No sooner had they escaped the hospital did he lead her away from the main city streets. It took a few minutes but they arrived in a small park. Adelaide's reaction was odd, much like a child's reaction to a sweet shop. It was endearing slightly. "Actually, I don't think I've ever been in any of the parks in the city." Adelaide added as an after thought. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She raised an eyebrow.

Harvey blinked confused, he hadn't realised he was staring at her intently. Straightening up in the seat he was sitting in, he shook his head and shrugged. "No reason." Adelaide mused over his answer and shrugged too.

"I'm going walking," she stated and stood up from the seat. Turning and looking at him she nodded. "Coming too? After all you can be an eyewitness if any of Maroni's gang want to leap out and try and kill me."

"Trust me, if they see both of us it'll be like their Christmases have come early." Harvey stood up and walked beside Adelaide down the lightly pebbled path. She looked up at the trees which were giving a lot of shadow to the surrounding park. A small pond sat in the middle of the grass, children threw bread to the ducks while parents stood close by keeping a close eye on them.

Adelaide regarded them curiously before moving on, picking up her pace she caught up with Harvey again. "They're trying to kill you too?"

Harvey let out a laugh at this and nodded. "Yes."

"You're the only person I know who'd laugh at having their lives threatened."

Harvey rolled his eyes and looked down at her. "Remember what I said to you? You know you're getting to them when they try and kill you."

"And you," Adelaide smiled. "You're getting to them, Mr Dent?"

"I'm trying."

"How's that going for you?"

"Surprisingly slowly. It's rather uneventful." Harvey ran a hand through his hair and looked at Adelaide when she bent down to pluck a flower from the grass. She twiddled it in her fingers and looked up at the sky. "The man's in court tomorrow." Harvey stated, Adelaide tensed. She clearly didn't know this information. It seemed clear that the hospital staff were keeping her in the dark about any further action towards the man who caused her accident. Or effectively the men who accompanied her father home. Someone had to tell her. It just so happened that Harvey was that someone. And by looks of things, Adelaide didn't seem to react at all with being told this information.

"What'll happen to him?"

"Well," Harvey looked up at the sky quickly, looking over the greying clouds he stopped suddenly. "Considering three people died in the accident, dangerous driving, involved in organised crime." Harvey looked at Adelaide. "He's going away for a very long time. Low level people in mobs never make bail." Nodding slowly he looked back to the gates. "We should leave, you need to see your doctor, not only that it looks like it's going to rain." Adelaide looked at the greying clouds which were getting darker by the second. Giving a lazy shrug she twirled the flower in her fingers before reaching up and poking it through Harvey's jacket button hole before turning and walking towards the exit.

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(Edited: 21/Jan/2020)