15.

Seated upright in the less than comfortable hospital bed, Belle finishes her oatmeal like a good girl and sighs, already wanting to go home. The pain in her shoulder was still being handled by way of medication and thankfully no signs of infection were present, which meant she should be released within a day or two. She had finally convinced her father to go home during the middle of the night for a shower and a few hours sleep in a real bed. The poor man had tried sleeping on the narrow cot but with all his tossing and turning in an effort to find comfort, neither of them was getting much rest. His desire for her to sleep was enough to tip the scales of his stubbornness. 

A light knock sounds upon the door before a familiar nurse, Trina, entered the room. The woman was small in stature but very large in personality and her bedside manner was ideal for her unforgiving profession. Flashing Belle a wide smile, she sweeps into the room and after a pump of hand sanitizer moves to position herself at Belle's side. "Why, look at you." She says, motioning to the near empty plate. "Trying to score points are we?" Belle grins, "It's not that I don't appreciate having people cook and clean up after me, but I miss my own sheets and my beloved Keurig." Trina nods and utters a soft laugh while taking Belle's wrist in hand and looking to the watch at her own.

The room falls silent as Trina does her count, Belle's thoughts suddenly clouded by just what going home would mean. Never again would she gaze out her favorite window to Mr. Higgins' garden without the horror of yesterday's goings on playing out in her mind's eye. Her own injuries, as terrible as they were, paled in comparison to what that poor man must have gone through. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Belle forces a smile when Trina announces that her pulse sounds 'A-OK' and instructs her to take a few deep breaths for her less than warm stethoscope.  With words of encouragement once all is charted, Trina takes up Belle's empty tray and turns toward the door only to run directly into Belle's father as he steps across the threshold. Still quick in the reflex department, Al manages to help catch the tray, the damage being no more than a plastic cup clattering to the floor. "Mr. Beauregard! I'm so sorry." Trina exclaims, her dark cheeks thankfully hiding her embarrassment some. Al's however, flush a bright crimson when he realizes that his hands are currently enveloping both of Trina's own at either side of the tray. Flashing an uncharacteristically boyish grin, Al smiles and says, "No, that's what I get for tearing around the place." He quickly leans over to retrieve the fallen cup from the floor, ignoring the twinge in his bad knee, and places it upon the tray before holding the door open for the lovely young nurse in a most chivalrous manner. The normally chatty Trina then flashes him a shy smile, her large eyes coquettishly downcast as she utters a soft, "Thank you." before exiting the room. 

Meanwhile, Belle is watching the whole scene play out before her and when her father finally meets her gaze, he notes the grin and quirked brow of amusement on his daughter's pale face. Not about to listen to her call him out on whatever it was that had just happened,  Al rushes forth and places a kiss upon her brow. "And how is my girl this morning?" He asks, willing himself back to his usual demeanor.

Belle's eyes shine knowingly, yet she lets him off the hook and says simply, "I've rediscovered my love for lime jello, and they let me have tea before bed, so there's that." Al lowers himself into the chair at her bedside and grins. "Well that's something then isn't it? I spoke with Dr. Krueger on my way in and he said that if you keep eating your Wheaties you'll be back home day after tomorrow." Belle leans back upon her stacked pillows and sighs. "Has Agnes called you? I worry about her taking on all the extra hours. Granted, the library isn't a very high traffic area most days, but the poor thing is getting up there in years and she tires easily." Al waves his hand, dismissing her concern. "She'll be fine, and if she's not then she knows how to lock up and go home. Oakhaven won't crumble to pieces if a few folks can't check out a book for a day or two." Reluctantly, Belle nods in agreement. "Have the police said anything about whether it's....safe....out there?" Unable to control her emotions, a tear slides down one cheek and she fights back images of the blood stained garden. Al lifts a large hand to clasp his daughter's. "Belle...please, come stay at my place for a while. I don't like the idea of you being there all alone an..." She lifts a hand and shakes her head, cutting off any further protestations.  "I'm a grown woman. I know how to lock my doors and Jace says that officers will frequently patrol the area. On top of that, either he or Sheyna will be playing taxi to get me to and from work, so all bases are covered." While Al would prefer his baby girl wrapped in armor...a very thick armor... coated in wolf repellent...he knew that the more he pressed the issue, the more she would fight him, so instead, he just nods.

The pair visits for a while until Trina returns with her pain medication and another smile for Al, at which point he says his farewells so that Belle may rest. 

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