Chapter Text
Each day was starting to form into one. When Christine wasn’t at work, she was over in Stephen’s apartment, or thinking about Stephen. Even though they weren’t dating, not by a long shot, she still cared for him. Maybe more than she even realised. But each day she would pop around and make sure he was okay, although more for her own state of mind then anything.
Turning the key quietly and bringing in the two bags full of fresh shopping, Christine gently placed them onto the counter as her eyes fell fondly upon Stephen. Night time had fallen outside, and he was currently passed out on his bed. His laptop lay next to him after liking falling to sleep trying to find more research. As silently as she could, Christine placed the fresh food into the fridge and others in the cupboards. Even upon finishing, and slightly shutting the cupboard too loudly, a quick glance revealed Stephen was still asleep.
It had been a while since she had seen him look so peaceful; but even in sleep his eyebrows seem to furrow. For a moment, she wondered if his dreams haunted him as much as the day seemed to.
Reaching over the bed, Christine grabbed onto the laptop gently, shuffling it from under one of Stephen’s hands where it lay on the keyboard. Once it was in her grasp, she walked over to the table, skimming the articles and various tabs that lay open. All of them were about unsuccessful surgeries, and all linked to hand traumas.
Even as Christine read, she felt herself frowning. With these various article, and the ones she had delved into herself, it seemed there wasn’t a full stop cure - or at least not one people would risk their career and reputation on.
Closing the lid, she allowed herself to step away from the situation and instead focused on finding a blanket. With a quick search in his closet, she found one and made her way back to Stephen, hands sliding over the fuzzy texture.
Climbing onto the bed once more, Christine sat on her knees and laid the blanket over Stephen. For a moment, she held her breath, unsure if it would wake him. Thankfully it didn’t, and she adjusted the makeshift cover.
As she did so, Stephen’s hand which originally lay on the keyboard still stuck out under the cover. Her eyes fell over the back of his hands for a moment. It had healed, somewhat. It was a total improvement since the crash, but scars still ran up his fingers, scars that would always be there. Christine thought whether that and Stephen’s ego was one of the problems.
Without her own acknowledgment, her own fingertips edged towards his. Her eyes flickered up, finding that the other was still fast asleep. Skimming her fingertips over the raised scars, her only hope was that it did not bring him too much pain. Even before, Stephen wasn’t someone to be open about his feelings or thoughts.
Her smaller hands came to cradle around his, bringing his hand up to place it against her own cheek. Eyes flicking to his face, to see Stephen still sleeping softly, she let out a sigh. Fingers gently held against the scars as she found herself speaking out loud.
“You can do so much good, Stephen.”
Moving her face, Christine allowed her lips to kiss Stephen’s open palm.
“Even after this.”
Mumbling the words into his hand, she brought his hand back down and laid it across his chest.
Wiping away an escaped tear, Christine climbed back off the bed and made her way to the kitchen, to see if to prepare anything for them both. As she did so, she missed as Stephen opened an eye to watch her walk away.