Kellin and J.T. sat by the fire when he came back under cover ten minutes later. He’d lingered out by the edge of the tents long enough to watch the dark clouds starting to build in as the sun inched higher in the sky. J.T. didn’t look like he’d slept at all as he cradled a mug of hot, strong coffee between his palms, peering blearily over the rim at Thom as he approached.
“Where were you?” J.T. asked.
“Watching the sun come up,” Thom said, scrubbing his hand over his face. “Was thinking to get some work done out there today, but there’s a storm rolling in. It’s not going to happen.”
“Surprised you weren’t still in bed with Marin,” J.T. said, watching as Thom sat down next to the fire, stretching his booted feet out toward the flames.
“That surprises everyone every time I’m not there and she is,” Thom muttered, staring at the flames for a long moment. Cold still nibbled at his toes inside his boots from standing so long in the snow outside. “She was asleep and safe. I decided to let her keep right on sleeping.” He glanced down at the sketchbook in his lap. How much of what we’re building today am I building for her? For our son? For no one else but them? He swallowed hard. As much as he liked to tell himself that it was for everyone, more of it was for them—for her, for the son that hadn’t been born yet.
“That’s because you’re more protective of her than a mother bear protecting her cubs,” J.T. said, shaking his head slightly. “But I’m glad that you trusted what we told you enough to leave her alone.”
Thom nodded absently, still staring at the flames. “It was easier when Matt found me asleep in the chair and told me to go to bed.”
“What time was that?” Kellin asked as she handed Thom a cup of coffee.
“Just after the first watch,” Thom said. “Matt had it and he came to check on Marin and I after he was relieved.”
“Just after we finally finished up with Phelan,” J.T. mumbled.
Thom looked at him sidelong. “How is he?”
“He’ll make it,” J.T. said, trying to smother a yawn. “Sorry. I had the overnight. Jac’s with him now, making sure he doesn’t try to flop out of bed. She’ll probably sit on his legs if he does. I’d like to see him try to lift her off of him with a hole in his side.”
Kellin winced. “Was it that bad?”
“Pretty bad,” J.T. said. “But it doesn’t look like it hit his spleen or any other organs, so it’ll heal and he’ll live. We’ll need to get fluids into him when he wakes up, but I don’t think he’ll complain too much. He’ll just be happy to still be breathing.”
Aren’t we all? Thom shook his head and sipped his coffee. “This shit needs to stop happening to him.”
“I’m pretty sure he knows, but do you want to remind him?” J.T. smiled tiredly. “I’m sure he’d love to hear it from you, too.”
“How many I told you so moments has he had already?”
“This time or all the other times?” J.T. stretched and took a deep draught from his mug. “This time I think it’s number three or four, if you count it by people. Thordin alone told him he was an idiot and needed to be more careful half a dozen times, though.”
Thom smiled wryly. “Then I’m thinking he doesn’t need to hear it from me, too.” He shook his head. “Everyone else seem to be okay?”
“Seems like,” J.T. said. “Cameron’s sleeping it off and Rory’s sleeping the sleep of the freaking dead, but after what he tossed around yesterday, I can’t exactly blame him.”
Kellin shivered. “I don’t think any of us quite suspected that he could do that.”
“Don’t count on that,” Thom said quietly.
Kellin arched a brow at him and he shrugged.
“Odds are, she knew.”
Kellin sighed and shook her head. “Maybe, maybe not. Do you really think it’s worth asking about?”
“Probably not,” Thom admitted, eyes returning to the fire. “Probably not.”
