Huffing, her beast settled down and remained quiet.
Sid looked back up to Gregor’s gaze. “We’ll try it.”
Gregor smiled. “Aye, well, then we’d better head back into the room. The sooner Ginny doesn’t have to stand watch, the sooner she can fetch your dose.”
She nodded. She loved the fact Gregor didn’t offer any guarantees or false hope.
Sid was lucky when it came to her true mate.
Gregor looped an arm around her waist and guided her back into Brendan’s room. Her heart pounding, Sid wondered how she would be able to keep the boy’s spirits up until Ginny brought her dose. But then she saw Brendan’s scrunched up nose as he ate a spoonful of soup and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
Ginny said, “Now, now, the soup isn’t that bad. Back when I was a child, our doctor gave us all kinds of foul things to try. You should be grateful.”
Brendan asked, “Just how old are you?”
“Old enough. Now, eat your soup. It tastes better warm than cold.”
Sid added, “She’s right, you know. I’d hurry up and eat it if I were you.”
“You have to say that,” Brendan replied. “But if it’s so good, why don’t you have some?”
“Oh, I will be as soon as Nurse Ginny fetches me some.” Sid nodded at Ginny and the nurse left the room. “Do you want to be friends with your dragon again?” Brendan nodded and Sid continued, “Then each spoonful of that soup should help.”
“Okay,” he muttered before taking a large spoonful.
As Sid stood next to Gregor, watching the little boy, she could easily envision them doing the same with their own child when they were sick.
And for the first time, Sid truly believed she’d be there for her child at Brendan’s age.
~~~
Five hours later, Sid could barely stand up straight. Even though the soup had made her sleepy, she’d carried on to help Brendan and then Molly Caruso. Both patients were stable and reported that their dragons were nearly back to their old selves. While both of them would stay for another few days to ensure the cure was permanent, Sid was confident that they would be okay. She would miss Brendan, but she wasn’t about to keep him from his parents longer than was necessary.
Besides, she just needed to be patient. She and Gregor would have their own handful before they knew it. Even if Sid hadn’t had the chance to check on her own dragon, which was snoring at the back of her mind, she was hopeful.
As she arrived at her office door, Gregor stood waiting. “I’m taking you home.”
Before she could nod, Gregor scooped her up in his arms. She frowned at him. “What are you doing?”
“You’re not only exhausted, you’re experiencing the effects of the medicine. As your doctor, I say you need to be off your feet.”
Too tired to argue, Sid leaned against his chest and murmured, “Just this once I’m not going to put up a fight. I feel as if I could sleep for a thousand years.”
“Let’s hope you don’t sleep that long, love. You’d miss not only the birth of our child but their entire life.”
She sighed. “Stop being so literal. It’s irritating.”
Gregor chuckled. “I’m never going to stop teasing you, Cassidy.”
Snuggling into his chest, she replied, “For whatever reason why, I hope you don’t, either.”
“I may have to bring that up to you later. I have a feeling you won’t remember what’s happening right now.”
“I will,” she mumbled. It became harder and harder to keep her eyes open. “Just take me home and hold me close, Gregor. I think we deserve that much after a day like today.”
“As my female wishes.” He kissed her forehead and whispered, “Now, rest. I’ll look over and protect you until you’re better.”
Surrounded by her male’s heat and scent, Sid closed her eyes. As she listened to his breathing and the beat of his heart, she fell fast asleep.