36 | Touched

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Luna •

Part of Luna believed she was hallucinating. She'd wake up, and Amir was an illusion. She'd go back to being alone with her thoughts and haunted by the hallucination she experienced last time. Locking her eyes upon Amir didn't seem real. He couldn't be in the same room as his partner.

How did he get in? Where did he get those brown scrubs?

She noticed everyone else was wearing white or tan colors, but Amir was in a separate color.

What truly surprised her was that he strolled into the room like he was part of the staff. Dr. Kim glanced at her and down at his laptop, placing it on a counter after sitting in his chair. He typed something in, but she and Amir kept their eyes locked.

He was here.

She gasped.

His hair was darker in person, his eyes were lighter than they'd always been, and he looked taller. His scent oozed into the room, and it nearly caused her to fall backward. He smelled like fresh-cut grass with a mix of clean laundry. She couldn't look anywhere else and stayed hypnotized by his gaze.

"Ms. Carlyle?" Dr. Kim said.

Her emotions were like a volcano had erupted from her insides and caused her to lose her balance on the bed. For a moment, she thought she was feeling the effects of Amir being a few feet apart from her. She kept believing she must be sleeping, and when she woke, she'd be on a bed strapped down. Amir knew they couldn't be so close to one another, yet, he was right in front of her, not moving an inch.

"Luna?" Dr. Kim murmured, gaining her attention.

"Sir?" She pushed her thoughts of Amir away and glanced back at the doctor.

"Luna, this is a geneticist from India, Ibrahim Khan."

Her frantic gaze shifted to his, and he cleared his throat. "I'm from Pakistan, sir."

"Oh, sorry," Dr. Kim said, gazing at his side. "When I was looking into the referrals that were sent about you, I thought it said India. That's the other Khan, who works in the children's lab."

Luna loved how Amir was using his middle name.

"It's all right, doctor. I rolled in three days ago, and I'm still working my way around."

Amir came three days ago?

Luna wished she knew the exact date, but everyone had a problem with that.

"Okay, well, this is Luna Carlyle. Her file is online, and you can read through my notes about her condition. She is twenty-three, and her birthday is approaching."

"Her birthday . . ." Amir whispered, glancing between the doctor and other staff members in the room. "Her birthday is July seventh."

"Yes. It is," she said, smiling a little.

"That's in five days. We share the same birthday, miss."

Amir was trying to look subtle while talking to her. They couldn't let on they knew each other outside of there. And he helped her learn the date.

The third of July? After Sarah's birthday?

Luna frowned at the realization.

"Fascinating," Dr. Kim said, who was not at all interested in them talking. "Luna has delusions and isn't well. She refuses the treatments we give her."

"Because they're wrong," Luna said in a grave tone. But Dr. Kim rolled his eyes and glanced back up at Amir.

"I wouldn't pay attention to her. She's in this facility for a reason, just like the others."

"It's okay, sir. I can handle her."

"All right, I'll let you handle things the way you want to." Dr. Kim got up from his chair and stood to his feet, then passed him the laptop. "You are a volunteer and should have access to anything you'd like, Mr. Khan."

Amir volunteered to work here?

"Thank you, sir."

Amir was being so casual, formal, and polite. She could sense the emotions from his body, and they surged with fury at Dr. Kim. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head at him, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

"Nurse Smith is right outside the door with her medical equipment. Sergeant Decker, please escort her in," Dr. Kim instructed.

"Yes, sir," he replied, following orders.

The petite and expressionless woman walked in with a square tray, then passed it to the doctor. He handed Amir two blue silicone gloves, and all three of them were now wearing them. But Luna kept pondering what was about to happen. She had Amir there, but if they touched each other, it could turn out horribly. It could be fatal.

"Luna," the doctor said, dragging her attention back to him. "We need to take some lab samples and you'll be done. You can have your evening meal and your medication."

"Why do you keep doing this?"

"It's for tests, Luna," Nurse Smith remarked, causing Luna to flinch.

Luna was tired of getting lab work done every hour of every day.

"Does Mr. Khan have to touch me?" Luna asked, looking at Amir. She wanted him to touch her, but he couldn't without risking both of them.

"Is there a problem?" Dr. Kim asked, tilting his head to the side.

Luna shook her head. "I don't want him to touch me."

"Okay. Understood. The nurse will touch you."

Luna groaned inwardly, not wanting Nurse Smith to touch her either. She didn't stick her arm properly and had always drawn too much blood.

"Can I ask a favor?" Luna asked, glancing between Dr. Kim and Nurse Smith. "If I can wear gloves, then I don't mind Mr. Khan helping with taking my blood."

Dr. Kim chuckled, but then he nodded with his chin, and the nurse handed Luna two gloves. She slipped them on slowly and willed her nerves to calm down, shaking inside her skin from being so close to her partner.

The nurse lifted Luna's arm and placed the pressure cuff a few inches above her elbow. Dr. Kim then prepared a syringe to take her lab work. Amir stood cautiously behind him.

"Mr. Khan, you can tighten Ms. Carlyle's upper arm with an elastic band once Nurse Smith is finished," he instructed.

Amir picked up a band from the plastic container and inched downward, where he and Luna's noses were inches apart. Luna stared deeply into his eyes and felt the goosebumps popping up everywhere on her skin.

He was right in front of her, with a gloved hand running around her arm as their gaze never leaving the other. She wanted to reach over and hug him, risking it all, but she controlled her emotions and slightly smiled in his presence, showing him as much appreciation as she could express to him for coming out there, letting no one know.

"Sorry," Amir said as he tightened the band accidentally.

"It's okay, Mr. Khan."

She glanced down and noticed a silver wedding band around his third finger.

Amir got married?

Her lips, then, began trembling.

Or was it for show since he was finally here?

The nurse passed her a tissue, and Dr. Kim's eyes peered over at hers. "Are you okay, Luna?"

"Um. Yeah. It's chilly in here."

She made it seem like her nose was stuffy because her bloodshot eyes probably looked like she was on The Walking Dead.

"Nurse, go tell them to raise the temperature outside in the hall," Dr. Kim instructed.

Nurse Smith stepped outside the door, and Luna exhaled a breath. Amir smiled a little at Luna, whom neither Sergeant Decker nor Dr. Kim could see. But when a tiny tear slipped through her eyelid, he brought his finger up and swiped it away, softly, closing his eyes. She could sense how his emotions scattered inside of him for her; he never expected to touch her skin, let alone her cheek. He might have been wearing gloves on his hands, but he was still able to touch her body in person, and their hearts pounded in tandem.

The door swung back open and destroyed their two-second communication.

Amir reached for the needle. But Dr. Kim came over to Luna's side and took the syringe from him, then adjusted her arm so he could stick her instead.

"Why can't the new scientist take my samples?" she asked the doctor.

"It's not that I don't trust Mr. Khan, and he is decent for the two days he's been in here, but I know what I'm doing when it comes to you."

"Okay."

Dr. Kim wanted to have the upper hand and prove he was the Führer in the facility. The nurse and Sergeant Decker glanced at Amir, their eyes scrunched together. Amir straightened his posture and gathered himself quickly.

Looking straight into Dr. Kim's eyes, Luna said, "He doesn't look incapable of taking my blood."

"Ibrahim has been a decent volunteer so far, but you are a different person, Ms. Carlyle."

"Right." Luna sighed loudly, causing everyone in the room to stare at her, including Amir. "What? I'm just tired of being stabbed by Dr. Kim. He's rough with my arm."

Dr. Kim sniffed, then continued what he was doing, despite her comment.

After popping her elbow around to have one of her veins become visible, he slid the needle in and collected three small tubes of blood. When he was finished, he placed a medium-sized bandage on her sore and hopped up.

Writing a few notes down on his notepad, Dr. Kim handed the nurse Luna's samples and turned her way on his heel.

"Ibrahim?" he called out to Amir.

Amir was still near Luna's legs. "Sir?"

"I will walk with the nurse over to the laboratory on this floor and put Ms. Carlyle's samples in the collection bin. If you wouldn't mind, monitor Luna as she takes her medication and eats her dinner. After that, I will have a staff member escort you to the first floor where you can sign out for the day and head to the hotel you are staying at."

Amir nodded and walked his way, then stood close to him beside the door. "Sure. No problem. I can handle a few more minutes here."

"Fabulous. It's good to have you on board. If you stay here longer than you intend to, I may have a job opportunity open for you. We are always looking for new employees."

Luna almost burst out laughing when she noticed Amir ball his right fist, ready to punch Dr. Kim in the face. Everyone exited the room, with Amir giving her a signal that he'll be right back.

They went to fetch her food and medicine as she sat there and waited for him to arrive again. She was so tired and worn out and couldn't believe he was there. The emotion of their connection sealed as a perfect photograph in her soul, one that had touched her life forever.

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