"Clara" His voice was rough, still strained from the episode. He reached out a shaky hand toward her.
She crossed the room quickly, her heels clicking against the linoleum, and took his hand in both of hers. The warmth of her skin seemed to ground him slightly. She sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle the monitors.
"I'm here," she said softly, brushing her thumb over his knuckles. "You scared me half to death, Marcus. What happened? One minute we were talking, the next… you were gone."
He leaned his head back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling as if the answers were written there. His chest rose and fell in uneven rhythms, the heart monitor beeping steadily beside him.
