Settling Storms

Dave was right when he said that he was a master marksman. He had managed to hit Tom without hitting any major organs. His collarbone was however shattered and he needed surgery. Julia decided that it was best to keep Daisy sedated during the duration of the surgery to help her with her shock. When Tom was transferred to a cabin after the procedure, Daisy was just coming to.

Andrew decided to keep the couple in the same cabin. When Daisy opened her eyes Tom was watching her. He was bound to his bed but there was a smile on his face. He had gained consciousness a while back when Andrew informed him about their decision to keep her sedated to spare the worry regarding the procedure.

"Let her sleep it off." Tom had requested and that was what they did. Daisy slept for almost thirty hours and when she opened her gritty eyes it was Tom's face that greeted her.

"Hello sleeping beauty." he greeted her. "How do you feel?"

Daisy smiled to take in his smiling face when her eyes dropped to his bandaged shoulder and took in the hospital room. "You were shot," she recalled.

Tom laughed at her concern and winced as pain ricocheted through his body with the shaking of his body. "You need to be careful about making me laugh Mrs Monroe," he warned. Daisy made a face at him before sitting up. She felt a bit dizzy after lying down for so long.

"You scared me," she told him.

Tom nodded his head with closed eyes. "He is gone for good," Tom assured.

"About sloppy seconds..." Daisy hesitated.

"I already told you where I stand on that Daisy. I am the first person you chose to be with. I see that as a privilege."

"It is I who is privileged to have you in my life, Tom," Daisy assured. "I saw how Dave was trying to get to you but believe me when I say that your past doesn't define you. You are my guardian angel and you will always be my ray of sunshine in my life."

Tom smiled, trying to sit up. Daisy, however, pushed him back into the bed. "No antics Mr Monroe. You need your shoulder to heal as quickly as possible so that you can carry your kids. I don't want you to make this injury an excuse to not carry your kids," Daisy warned.

Tom smiled at her, enjoying the conversation about a life he had recently started to desire. "It is the truth Daisy that until you came into my life, I never imagined that I would be a father or that I could have a family. I always considered myself a scourge of society, something that was better as extinct."

"It was before I came into your life, right?" Daisy reminded. "Why are you recanting it now? Just forget about it. We have a future to plan that is different from both our pasts."

"I love you, Mrs Monroe," Tom whispered to her. Daisy smiled, noticing that he had used those words for the very first time.

"You are not going to say it back?" Tom asked feeling insecure.

Daisy couldn't help her laughter. "If memory serves me correct then you are the one who started to say it back and I expect to hear it a few hundred times before we are even. However, I do not mind keeping a running tab. So, I love you more, Mr Monroe."

"Thank you for putting up with me, Daisy," Tom whispered.

"I could say the same thing, Tom," Daisy said.

"Are we allowed to come in now?" Fred sounded outside.

"We need a few more minutes," Daisy called out.

Tom frowned. He wondered what was going on.

"Remember I had something to tell you on the terrace?" Daisy urged.

Tom nodded.

"I am expecting." she breathed out.

Daisy was alarmed at Tom's calm expression.

"Are you not happy, Tom?" she asked getting worried.

"I am thinking about what would have happened if you had got hurt. I thought I was protecting you and I was in a panic. If I knew about junior I would have lost it." Tom said sorrow laced in his eyes.

Daisy couldn't help it and came forward to wrap her arms around her husband. Tom flinched as her hand brushed his shoulder.

"We are safe now. We are good." Daisy assured him of their well being.

Tom finally smiled. "So I guess that concludes our business as I have served as a capable sperm donor, Mrs Monroe."

"Not so fast mister. I want a quarter dozen more." Daisy demanded.

Finally, Tom laughed. His body shook violently but he didn't care about the pain. Tom felt happy in a very long time.

"Now may we come in?" Fred asked again.

"Come in," they said at once.

As the entire gang filed inside the hospital room Tom eyed each one of them suspiciously. "How many of you knew and didn't care to share, other than Andrew of course?"

"What do you mean, other than Andrew?" Daisy questioned.

"Andrew told me when he took me in for surgery that I had to live a healthy life to see my kid being born. I cried on the operating table before the anaesthesia started working. Why do you think I didn't react to you right now?" Tom asked Daisy.

Daisy felt like hitting Andrew on the head. Tears threatened her eyes when Tom pulled her towards his uninjured shoulder. "Don't cry, Daisy. I think I have done enough crying for us both." Tom confessed.

"Hormones", Daisy blamed and the entire group started laughing.