Author's Note:

I meant to post this sooner but forgot. I'm not sure how long it will take for the next chapter to be up.

The surgery took a few hours and Miller wasn't sure what to do with herself while waiting. She went down to the cafe but she wasn't particularly hungry for anything. She ended up back in Hardy's room, waiting impatiently for her friend to return. She had to believe everything would turn out fine. She wasn't sure if she go through another loss. At least, not so soon.

Eventually, Hardy was wheeled into the room. He had a tube down his throat breathing for him, probably to help regulate breathing while he was still under anesthesia. He looked so vulnerable and helpless and it was strange to see him like that, since Miller didn't think either of him. She spoke to the doctor briefly. Hardy was going to be okay. The surgery had gone well and without complications. Good. They had both worried for nothing.

The question was, what now? Were her and Hardy going to see each other more often? Would he want to? She had really messed things up by kissing him, hadn't she? Miller sighed at her thoughts. She wasn't sure what she wanted herself. She knew Alec, it was weird to think of him like that, was her only stabilizing force in her life right now. After everything that had happened, she wasn't sure if she would have been able to keep it together without him there to help her through it. Perhaps she was was just underestimating herself. Another sigh but when she heard movement come from the bed she turned her attention to it immediately and gave the man a small smile. "Welcome back."

Hardy had only just woken up and already he was irritated. There was tube rammed down his throat. Who would be happy with that? The sounds of the machine greeted his ears first and then Miller's voice. He turned his head and smirked behind the tube as best as he could. He lifted his hand to tug at it, hoping the message was conveyed that he wanted the damn thing out immediately.

Miller returned the smirk and nodded. "Let me see if I can find someone." She got up out of the chair and went to the nurse's station. She spoke to a nurse, who said they would find the doctor. She thanked them and went back to Hardy's room. "Someone should be in to take it out soon." She fell back into the chair, opting for silence for now since he couldn't answer at the moment.

Hardy nodded in return and stared up at the ceiling while he waited. Waiting. He hated it. The bed too. It wasn't very comfortable. Just like the cafe chairs, he thought wryly with a smirk. It seemed like an eternity until the doctor came.

"Mr. Hardy, on the count of three I will remove the tube and I will need you to exhale deeply. Please nod if you understand." The Doctor was standing next to the bed as he peered down at his patient.

What wasn't to understand? Seemed pretty self explanatory. Hardy nodded anyway and when the time came he exhaled with a cough at the end. He coughed a few more moments, ignoring the pain in his chest where he had just been sliced open. "When can I go home?"

"Two or three days. We want to keep you here for observation. Make sure the pace maker is working properly. I'll be back to check in on you later." The doctor smiled and then left the room.

Hardy was going to argue but the doctor was already gone. He sighed his annoyance and looked over to Miller. "You don't have to stay, if you don't want. You have children who need to be taken care, especially right now."

"Someone should be here with you. What about your daughter? Would you like me to let her know what is going on?" Miller didn't want to leave, but Hardy was right her children needed her right now and she couldn't very well be two places at once. And the thought of having them sit in a hospital with her after recent events didn't sit right with her. "I can stay for a little bit."

Hardy closed his eyes at the mention of his daughter. He didn't want her see him like this. "No. It's fine. I'm fine. I don't know why they just won't let me leave." His eyes finally opened again, but stayed looking up at the ceiling.

"They aren't letting you leave because you just had major surgery. Why are you always so stubborn about things?" Miller managed a small smile, despite her chastising words.

"Why do you always feel the need to mother me?" Hardy shifted his gaze over to Miller, a slight smirk on his lips.

"I'm not 'mothering you.' It's called being a decent human being. You should try it." Miller matched his smirk.

"Fair enough," Hardy grumbled. He didn't have the energy to keep up the banter. The drugs he was hooked up to were probably making him tired and he gave into the pull, eyes closing.

"Stubborn bastard," Miller muttered as she watched Hardy drift off.