Nodding he stepped to the left close enough that their arms brushed. “Can I hold your hand?”

Her head snapped around to look at him and he stepped back to where he’d been.

“Okay. I’ll take that as a no.”

The elevator door pinged and they stepped inside waiting quietly as the doors slid shut. She punched the floor his mother was on then turned to glare at him. She looked as though she was about to yell and then punch him, or punch him then yell, but instead she shocked the shit out of him.

“Kiss me.” she demanded.

He didn’t need a second invitation. He moved a step over to her grabbed the lapels of her lab coat and pulled her in close covering her mouth with his. She groaned against him and parted her lips. He quickly dipped his tongue inside, rubbing it up against hers, knowing the doors were about to come back open. Then he pulled back and traced her bottom lip ending it by nipping it gently. He stepped back and grinned at her reaching out to take her hand.

“Don’t even think about it Langley. You’re still an ass and you can not hold my hand.”

He couldn’t have kept the smile from his face right then if his life had depended on it.


Lena stood silently beside Mason as the elevator slowed. She was finding it hard not to grin at him and equally hard to breathe after the kiss he’d just given her. The ping of the elevator signaled they’d arrived. When the doors slid open she stepped out and made her way down to the left already knowing what room his mother was in. When they got there she pulled Catherine’s chart from the door and took a quick peek to make sure everything was going well with her treatment. Scanning through the recent EKG’s Lena frowned a little at what she was seeing then flipped the papers back and walked into the room. Mason had already made his way inside and was leaning down to kiss Catherine on the head. Lena stood silently just inside the doorway not really knowing what to say. She watched as Mason brushed a hand down his mom’s hair then stepped back to stand beside her. Comparing the two side by side Lena could see the strong family resemblance. Catherine smiled over at her and she watched her eyes crinkle up at the side from years of laughter. Lena returned it and moved over to stand at the foot of the bed. The resemblance didn’t end there. The blue eyes were exactly the same and now that she saw them beside one another she was surprised she hadn’t seen it before, but then again she hadn’t been looking. Mason stood by his mom grinning at her with his usual effortless grin and he looked so relaxed and happy at that moment Lena couldn’t help but finally give him a smile back.

“Lena honey, don’t you look like a doctor?”

Laughing she heard Mason answer her, “Well mom she is a doctor. So I suppose that’s a good thing.”

“Oh yes yes,” she said waving her hand as though what she’d said was trivial. “I just meant that whenever I’ve seen her she has looked so,” she paused and Lena wondered if she was looking for the word lost. Then she continued, “Young.”

“Mother!” Mason admonished and tsked her lightly. Lena couldn’t help but be amused as the two went back and forward. “You should know better than to talk about a woman’s age. You taught me that.”

“Oh hush Mason Langley. I didn’t mean anything by it. Lena knows I think she’s lovely. I just meant that usually she’s in casual clothes and looks like she just came from school.”

Finally Lena spoke up, “Well that’s probably because when we first met I was in school You just have that same image in your head.”

Nodding Catherine looked up at her son. “You better be careful with this one son. She’s not going to let you walk all over her because you’re handsome.”

Lena watched as Mason tried to pull of an innocent, who me look, but his mother was having none of it. “Oh I know how you work young man. From the time you were old enough to wrap someone around your finger, especially women, you worked out how and then did it.”

Lena started to laugh because she found it completely believable. It’d only been minutes ago she’d been telling him to stop charming her defenseless receptionist.

“Lena dear how are you?”

Lena walked around the opposite side of the bed to Mason and sat down next to Catherine. She reached out and took her hand. “I’m good. The more important question is how are you?”

Catherine’s eyes widened a little, almost looking worried for a moment, then she smiled wider and glanced over to her son who’d now taken a seat in the corner facing them.

“I’m doing much better. I gave myself a bit of a fright.”

Staring right at her Lena nodded, “I’m sure you did. You need to be very careful when you leave and make sure you do everything the doctor’s tell you.”

Catherine nodded then patted her hand. “I know dear. I know.”

Lena whispered quietly, “Do you?” She watched Catherine’s eyes flick up to hers then move over to focus on Mason. She smiled at him and nodded, “Yes, of course I do. Don’t worry. I have to much to stick around for to clock out early.”

“Mom.” Mason admonished softly.

Lena squeezed her hand once again then looked over to see he was staring right at her where their hands were joined. His eyes softened as he looked up at her and then he smiled a slow warm smile that said he was happy she was there.

Turning back to Catherine Lena said softly. “Mason took me to see Carly yesterday.” she paused as she felt Catherine’s hand squeeze hers. “Did he tell you?”

Catherine nodded. “I’m very proud of you Lena. I know how hard that must’ve been.”

“It was. Terribly hard. But your son helped me through it. I owe him a lot.”

“You owe me nothing.” she heard him say softly from his chair. She turned grateful eyes to him and he enunciated slowly. “Not a thing.”

“I wanted to thank you for making her final resting spot such a beautiful place.”

Catherine shook her head then reached up to stroke a finger down her cheek, much like her son sometimes did. “I didn’t do anything special.”

“You displayed the flowers in a way that makes it glow. Most people would’ve just laid them over the ground. You decorated it.”

Catherine nodded, “It seemed like something she would’ve liked.”

Lena thought that an odd thing to say because Catherine hadn’t know Carly at all.

“I know I didn’t know her but I feel as though I do now. I’ve been visiting and talking to her for nine years. She knows all about my family. She even knew about Mason before you took him there. Every day I’d go down and spend 15 mins or so tidying the area and placing the new flowers in a vase and I’d tell her about my day.”

Lena felt a tear slide down her face not quiet understanding what she was feeling but knowing she was grateful that Carly hadn’t been alone. For nine years this lady, a stranger to her sister, had been telling her all about her life while making Lena’s bearable by taking on a task she herself couldn’t.

“I can never thank you enough for what you’ve done.”

“Oh hush girl and stop this crying. Tell me something exciting.” she paused, “Like how on earth you let my son talk you into dating him.”

“Gee thanks mom.”

Lena was about to answer when a short familiar young lady burst through the hospital door in tight black jeans and a bright purple shirt that had red polka dots all over it. As if the outfit wasn’t loud enough the girl’s hair was dark black but had an under layer of bright purple that matched her shirt. She stopped suddenly when she saw Lena sitting on the bed

“Oh sorry Doc. I’ll come back.” she went to turn when Lena heard Mason speak up.

“Rach it’s ok. This is Lena.”

Watching the girl closely Lena saw her turn to see Mason and walk over to him bending down to hug him Then she stood back up and asked. “Lena?”

Looking back in Lena’s direction she frowned then turned back to her brother. “Should I know her?” then she whispered, “Did we meet her last week? Cause I don’t remember shit from back then.”

“Rachel Langley watch your mouth.” Catherine admonished from the bed.

“Sorry mom.”

Mason laughed softly then stood reaching out to tug on a purple piece of hair. He grinned down at her then moved past his sister and walked toward Lena. She felt him wrap an arm around her. “This is Lena O’Donnell, my doctor.”

Arching a brow at him Lena muttered under her breath, “Oh really?”

Rachel was frowning at them then it seemed as though a light went off in her head as she grinned and slapped her leg. “Oh I got it. This is pants suit!”


Mason winced at that and felt Lena stiffen a little. He’d been kidding when he’d said she was his, but now that he stood there with his arm around her and he could smell that sweet vanilla scent of hers, he had to admit it was a fantastic idea.

“Pants suit?” he heard her ask his sister. He glared at Rachel over Lena’s head and hoped she got the message but because it was Rachel, and she only got a message when it was written in bold letters on a large sheet of cardboard, she blurted out.

“Oh don’t worry. I know who you are now. I called you that when he still didn’t know your name.”

“Rachel!” He watched Rachel’s eyes twinkle and look from Lena’s stiff pose up to him.

“What? It’s true.”

“It’s irrelevant. I told you her name was Lena and you’ll leave it at that.”

Rolling her eyes Rachel walked to stand on the other side of their mother’s bed. She leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “How you doing today mom?”

He watched as his mother reached up and patted Rachel’s cheek. “I’m doing great sweetheart. I like the purple.” she said fingering the tips. “Very dramatic.”