RACHEL SPENT THE next few days mostly sleeping inside a special chamber to help her lungs. After that, she transferred to a hospital bed to continue the healing. Through it all she felt the reassuring presence of Redpoint One in the background.
Each time she woke up she found someone else sitting next to her. Tish and Arthur, Damien, Vasiliy, the various members of the Naughty Knitter's Club. And, of course, her bot as well as one other bot.
The lovely bots who helped to save her life. Doing their best to lift her out of the water. Not a memory she enjoyed, but their efforts warmed her heart.
But, two bots? She fell asleep several times trying to remember where the blue and gray robot might have come from. Did it belong to one of the others, such as maybe one of the new apprentices?
By the third day she remained awake long enough to watch part of a movie, shared with Tish and Arthur during which she listened to the happenings of the maintenance department.
"I hate to say this, but I think the two new men are going to work out," Arthur said from where he sat in one of the two chairs in the room.
The two regular bots sat on the floor next to him as well as those belonging to Arthur and Tish. Sometimes facing each other as if catching up on news, sometimes talking softly in their language of sounds, and then just sitting quietly.
Rachel didn't know if she should smile or groan. "Oh great. The Naughty Knitter's Club were a success. They'll never leave you alone with candidates now."
"It might not be a bad thing if we get good people," Arthur said.
"Hey, you've been warned," Rachel said.
"Now the bad news," Tish said.
"Irvine escaped again?"
Tish glanced at Arthur. "I don't think so. Have you heard of him disappearing?"
"Nope. Ignacio moved him to a new enclosure," Arthur said.
"I was referring to the newbies," Tish said. She grinned at Rachel. "Redpoint One has already decided what areas it likes them working in, and it's not the plumbing department."
Rachel smacked the bed next to her hip. "It figures. I get hurt, and people steal the apprentices."
"Maybe they can find more," Tish said, pinching Arthur's arm.
He grabbed her hand, pulling her on his lap. "Mind explaining how the old ladies did it in the first place?"
The returning sleep prevented Rachel from trying to answer. She couldn't, anyway. Who knew how the ladies did what they did.
It was appropriate that the next time she awoke she found Daisy and Eddie by her bed. Velda sent her apologies as she had to stay with her Bed and Breakfast to welcome several couples.
Fortunately, the ladies weren't interested in talking about the new maintenance department recruits. Rachel ate her small dinner to the descriptions of a quilting show taking place in one of the convention centers.
"Velda thinks we should try quilting," Eddie said when she finished describing the quilts on display.
"Could be fun," Daisy said, nodding, picking up Rachel's empty tray and taking it out into the hall.
"Quilting?" Rachel echoed. "Shouldn't we do more knitting first?"
"Always good to expand our horizons," Eddie said. "I have several grandkids who could do with a quilt."
"And an afghan," Rachel said. "Seriously, we should do more knitting."
Daisy returned, but she wasn't alone. Ignacio towered over the shorter Daisy, a bouquet of flowers held in one hand.
Eddie jumped up from her chair, saying, "We'll talk about the quilting later. Have a good evening, dear."
Rachel plucked at the blanket, suddenly nervous. The time directly after she woke up after being pulled out of the water remained fuzzy, but she distinctly remembered several specific things including one thing she wasn't sure she could believe, even though she wanted to.
"You look better than yesterday," Ignacio said, coming fully in the room, the door closing behind him.
"I don't remember you being here yesterday."
"You were asleep." He arranged the flowers in a vase sitting on a small table near the door. With them ranged to his satisfaction, he turned towards her, studying her face. "You definitely have more color."
"I'm feeling better. Almost watched a full movie today," Rachel said.
"And ate well?" He asked, glancing down at the table angled over the bed in front of her.
She pushed it away. "Yes, doctor. Want to take a look at my eyes and in my ears, too?"
He ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry."
She didn't want him to be sorry. Only wanted him to stop looking at her like he was inspecting one of his newts.
"I bet you've been busy. The show and the newts. I hear you stopped Irvine's escapes," Rachel said.
Ignacio pushed the rolling table she'd pushed away to the wall. "Very busy. Still no explanation for what happened in your area, so it's been closed off."
"So I heard. Tish and Arthur were here earlier. Arthur is calling in the supervisor who had his position before him, just to see if they can figure it all out." Rachel gave a little shiver. Another subject she didn't want to talk about. Most of it, anyway. Part of it she needed clarified. To unconfuse her jumbled dreams.
She patted the bed near her hip. "I need to talk to you."
He settled at the foot of her bed instead of directly next to her, squeezing one of her feet through the covering blanket. "Go right ahead."
She thought back. How to approach this without possibly sending him running. Maybe start with the more simple stuff?
"I heard you pulled me out?" She asked.
He grimaced. "Yes, and I don't want to ever be that terrified again."
"Nor do I. Imagine being inside."
"Imagine being outside not able to get in," he countered, his voice rough.
Okay, maybe the other part she remembered wasn't a figment of her imagination after all. He really looked upset by the memories. Even better, he wasn't running. Instead, he still played with her blanket-covered feet.
"And I woke up in the corridors with you holding me," she said, more certain about that memory.
"I propped you up. I thought it would make it easier for you to breathe," Ignacio said, grabbing one of her wriggling toes and tugging it back and forth. She wriggled her feet even more in response.
"I was a bit loopy, wasn't I."
"You giggled."
She groaned. "I hate giggling."
"I don't recall you ever doing it before," he said with a laugh.
She gave way to her fear a little, glancing at the two bots sitting quietly next to one of the chairs. "There's a new bot in here."
"The blue and gray? His name is Trident. He seemed friendly, so I asked his help in finding you," Ignacio said.
"You named him?" Rachel demanded, a little hurt. Just met a bot and already named it, and he wasn't even a part of Redpoint One's crew. "And he's still here? He's attached himself to you?"
Ignacio shook his head. "He hasn't followed me since we pulled you out. He's stayed right here by your side."
Trident looked up at her and gave a chirp in response, quickly followed by her own. Did she now have another bot, or would it leave once she left for home? Only time would tell and while an interesting event, but it still wasn't what she wanted to ask. Her stomach tied. Time to stop skirting around the subject. He wasn't running for it so far, which must to be a good sign.
"You said something, though, and I don't know if it was a dream or real," Rachel started.
She had his full attention with that remark. His hand stilled on top of one of her feet. He nodded at her. "Go on."
"Something about I'm more important than newts?" Rachel haltingly said.
He gave a slow nod, getting up to move a little further up the bed. "I did say those words. What else do you remember?"
She bit at her lip, suddenly losing the nerve to ask. She took a deep breath, telling herself she was being silly. She'd started this. Time to finish it. "You let go of Irvine to save me."
He moved a little further towards her until he sat next to her hip. "I did."
She licked her lips. "Then, well. Something about…"
Her voice faded out, realizing the look was back. Her feet twitched as the warmth ran through her. Such a lovely expression, and all of it aimed right at her.
"Something about what?" Ignacio prompted.
"You love me?" Rachel squeaked.
She didn't expect the way he answered. By bending over and kissing her full on the lips.
The warmth turned into fire. Oh yes, she'd remembered right. She had to have. He wouldn't kiss her this way if he hadn't, would he?
The kiss curled her toes and then some. Her arms snaked around his shoulder and neck, pulling him closer. The movement yielded an even deeper kiss, yet he kept his hands firmly on the bed on either side of her.
She complained against his lips. In answer he laughed against hers and pulled back.
"Not fair," she said, trying to keep her arms around his neck.
He reached up and pulled them away. "You are still in the hospital under doctor care. I am not about to have a livid nurse chase me out of here and forbid me from coming back."
"There goes one of my fantasies."
Ignacio laughed even as he shook his head at her. "Be good, you. And yes, I said it. I'll say it again. I love you."
Rachel stared at him as the words washed over her. He'd said it again. No running away, no trying to get her to go away. He'd just said it.