Page 52 of The Alien's Major Dilemma

Marissa, my love, my mate, you have to let go of it so I can help.

She shivered in his arms and shook her head before wincing against the pain.

Don't say things you don't mean, she told him.

I do intend to help,he protested.But you're holding onto the wound instead of letting me close it and strengthen your shields.

I'm not your love.

Cooper stilled. The human endearment had slipped out but he couldn't bring himself to regret saying it.

Of course, you are.

I'm not. I haven't earned it yet.

You don't have to earn anything. That's not how this works.

The weak spot in her shields pulsed at him and he realized why she wasn't letting him help. It didn't feel like a weak spot to her. She was strong, both mentally and physically, steady, and competent, so when she'd learned how to create shields around her mind, she'd covered some very old wounds without realizing they needed to be healed first.

There hadn't been time to warn her when he'd been showing her how to do it but he didn't know if he would have in the first place. It was such a small hole in her psyche, such a small wound, he didn't think he would have noticed it.

Marissa, we may not have had much time to get to know each other yet, and we have a lot we need to talk about, but love is an action and a choice. Beyond anything else, I have chosen to embrace you, and care for you, and love you. And I hope some day you'll decide to do the same for me.

Something caught his attention while he felt her hesitation. She was fighting with herself, with her old hurts, and he saw the slightest hint of what had caused the weak spot in her shields.

A shiver of revulsion passed through him at the snake-like thought that came out to defend the pain it had caused. It was small, barely noticeable, and it had been living there for a very long time.

And until you make a decision, he said slowly, his focus on the wriggling, evil thought.I need you to trust me and let your shields down.

Cooper knew the invasive thoughts were a manifestation of electrical impulses. Whatever form they actually had was one he created to interact with them and help his own mind understand what was going on. But he could have sworn the evil thing turned and hissed at him.

I don't know. I'm scared.

He could feel her hesitation and see the snake-thought thrashing about in her mind, triggering impulses that would increase her anxiety and feed her fear.

I know you are, he acknowledged. But I need you to trust me. I will never do anything to hurt you if I can help it.

She let down her shields and he darted in, grabbed the snake-thought, and pulled. It thrashed and fought and he could feel her shields closing again, pushing him out. He kept hold of the thought and let her.

With the entrance to the hole it had created in her mind closed, the snake-thought tried to burrow its way into Cooper's but found his instincts the first time he'd been exposed to the horrible, intrusive evil were still good. It dissolved against his own shields, leaving behind a moment of doubt, but then it was gone.

That hurt,she told him, then cuddled deeper into his arms.

I know,he said.But how do you feel?

Like I could happily sleep for a week.

Not until the doctor clears you.

Don't like that doctor. She was a bitch.

Cooper agreed.

He kept her awake asking her questions and letting her mind wander through whatever came with the answers. Neither of them watched the time so he had no idea how long it took for a medic to knock on the door.

He recognized the medic that had been with the team that had rescued them, and John behind him. Cooper waved them in and helped Marissa sit up. The exam was quick and mostly confirmed that there weren't any large breaks and the bleeding had stopped.

"We're going to want to get her in for a scan," Doc said. "But I think it's safe for her to take a shower and a nap if she has someone to watch her."

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