Page 110 of Bears Behaving Badly
“All right, goodGod, I understand.” The civil suit against the school that had dropped the ball when it came to keeping their charges from being poisoned had netted seven figures. When Oz turned eighteen, he received his share. And Opal’s, of course.
“You can’t save everyone, and no one’s saying otherwise,” Opal said. “You’d be a huge dumbass to try. But you’re not alone. Let ’em help you.”
“Do you mean ‘him’ or ‘them’?”
“It’s time to wake up now.”
“What?”
* * *
“Muh?”
My kingdom for a big glass of milk. Or a little glass of milk. Or a Coke. Or water. Or the blood of my enem—no, I’ve had enough of that.
Annette Garsea, Patient ID #FM2962–33, opened her eyes and was mildly surprised to find she was surrounded by a number of people, all of whom needed showers.I’ve been here at least a day, then. Glad it wasn’t a coma. Waking up to an adult Dev or an ancient David would have been unnerving.
“One of you has a sandwich or something, right?” she croaked.
“See?” Nadia cried, triumphant. “She has regained consciousness and is now hungry and clueless, exactly as I predicted.”
“Or soup. Preferably in a bread bowl. And I wouldn’t say no to a gallon of iced tea, either.”
David limped to her bed. Her gaze raked over him; she didn’t think he’d been shot, but he had the beginnings of a glorious black eye, he was carrying himself like a man favoring cracked ribs, his wrist was heavily bandaged, and she knew there were a number of bite marks under his street clothes. Not just the little ones she gave him, either. He was in street clothes but still had his hospital bracelet, so…just discharged, then. And came to see her on his way home.
She smiled. “Sit down before you fall on me. Which I would have welcomed literally any other day but today.”
Dev made a noise like a cat about to cough up a hairball. “Gross.”
David took her advice and gingerly lowered himself into the chair beside her bed, manfully stifling pained groans. “When you said you needed to take definitive action yesterday, you were not fucking around.”
“This wasn’t quite what I had in mind,” she said dryly. To Dev and Caro, huddled in the doorway: “Are you all right? You didn’t get hurt?”
“We’re totally fine,bien, bene.You, um, didn’t leave anyone who wasableto hurt us. Or walk. Or eat solid foods. Or piss without screaming.”
“Oh, God, I remember now, there you were, running in at the end like bold dolts.” Annette closed her eyes, appalled. “I’m so sorry you had to see that. I will kill Pat, figuratively, not literally. I recommend therapy on the hour. Starting yesterday.”
“Aw, don’t be like that.” Dev came over and perched on the edge of her bed. He was still in yesterday’s clothes as well.Did everyone just decide to camp out in the critical care unit? Did the nurses not notice or not care?“He promised you he wouldn’t let us out of his sight. Also, closure, I guess? It was awesome. Well. Not awesome. Gross and scary and a little overwhelming. And every one of them deserved it. And I’m glad they’re all maimed and dead.”
“Were you yelling at them to play dead?”
“Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do with werebears?”
“No. Pure propaganda. It just makes us hungry.” And she laughed, which hurt, but…worth it.
Dev sighed. “I’m just…” She realized he was huddled in one of Pat’s jackets, which made him look small and vulnerable. (Only one of those impressions was accurate.) “I’m just super glad you’re okay.” A pointed throat-clearing from David, who had the most expressive phlegm she’d ever heard. “And you, too, Auberon.”
“And a little child shall lead them.” Nadia snickered, and Annette’s eyes popped open as she snatched at the other woman’s hand. “Gah! Some warning, please. And could you loosen your grip a smidge? I cannot shake the feeling that you’ve mistaken my wrist for a trout.”
Annette stared up at her. “I ruined that nice cardigan you picked out for me.”
“I saw.”
“But first I put my arms through it. Willfully. For the purposes of warmth. Which I knew you’d hate.”
Nadia patted her hand. Were her eyes brighter than normal? Was she going to weep?Alarming. “Well, you did almost die, so in my magnanimity, I shall overlook your spiteful sleeve appropriation.”
“I’m sorry I said I was going to snuff out your life force as I stomped on your face.”
