*Luna*

Part of me still believed that I was hallucinating. I would wake up, and Amir was just an illusion. I'd go back to being alone with my thoughts and haunted by the hallucination that I experienced last time. This didn't seem real. He couldn't be in the same room as me. How? How did he get in, and where did he get those brown scrubs? Everyone else was wearing white or tan colors, but was in a separate color.

And what truly surprised me was that Amir strolled in like he was part of the staff. Dr. Kim glanced at me and then down to his laptop, laying it down on a counter after sitting in his chair. He typed something in, but Amir and I kept our eyes locked.

He was here.

I gasped.

His hair was darker in person, his eyes were lighter than they'd always been, and his height was taller. Amir's scent oozed my way, and it nearly caused me to fall backwards. He smelled like fresh-cut grass with a mix of clean laundry. I couldn't look anywhere else and stayed hypnotized by his gaze.

"Ms. Carlyle?" Dr. Kim said, distracting me from my thoughts.

My emotions felt like a volcano just erupted from my insides and caused me to feel dizzy. Oh God, I think I'm feeling the effects of Amir being a just a few feet apart from me. He was even more attractive in person. His heart and soul were attractive. I kept believing that I must be asleep and when I wake, I'd be on a bed strapped down. Amir knew he couldn't be so close to me; we were a danger to each other. But yet, he was right in front of me, not moving an inch.

"Luna?" Dr. Kim murmured.

"Sir?" I pushed my thoughts away and glanced back at the doctor.

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

My frantic gaze shifted back to Amir's, 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." 

I loved how Amir came in here using his middle name. In my heart, I was Mrs. Amir Ibrahim Khan. I had to shift my mind elsewhere and concentrate on what was about to happen now. My future husband was distracting.

"It's all right, doctor. I just rolled in three days ago, and I'm still working my way around." So Amir came in a three days ago? I wished I 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 soon. She is in here for-"

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

"Yes, it is," I whispered, and smiled a little.

"Wow. That's days away. Five, to be exact. We share the same birthday, ma'am." Amir was trying to look subtle while talking to me. We couldn't let on that we knew each other outside of here. And he was helping me learn the date. It was the third of July.

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

"Because they're wrong," I said, in a grave tone. But Dr. Kim just rolled his eyes and glanced back up to "Ibrahim."

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

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

Oh yes, he sure can. Can we make a break for it already, flee from this abomination of a hospital? Grab my friend in the process?

"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 Amir his laptop. "You are a volunteer and should have access to anything you'd like, Mr. Khan." 

Amir volunteered to work here? What? He came all this way to rescue me, and hopefully Cami, and this was his way in?  I just wanted to hug him now and love on him. 

"Thank you, sir."

Amir... being so casual and formal and polite. I could feel the emotions from his body, and they surged with fury for Dr. Kim. I narrowed my eyes and shook my head at him. We didn't need to draw attention to ourselves.

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

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

Oh, great. Nurse Smith. How lovely. Not!

The petite and expressionless woman walked in with a square tray and passed it to the doctor. Then he handed Amir some blue silicone gloves. All three of them were now wearing them, but my mind kept pondering what was about to happen. I had Amir here, but if we touched each other, it could turn out horribly. We could die. 

"Luna," the doctor said, dragging my attention back to him. "We need to take some blood samples and you'll be done. You can have your evening meal, and then your medication. After that, you should get some rest." 

"Why? Why do you keep getting my blood samples?"

"It's for tests, Luna," Nurse Smith remarked, causing me to flinch. I was tired of getting blood work done every hour of every day.

"Okay. But does he have to touch me?" I asked, looking at Amir. I wanted him to touch me, but he couldn't without risking the both of us. 

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

"No, but I don't want him to touch me." 

"Okay. Understood. The nurse will perform the blood sample and only she will touch you." Ugh, Dr. Kim was getting on my nerves. I didn't want her to stick me either. 

"Can I ask a favor, then?" I said, glancing between Dr. Kim and her. "If I can wear some gloves, too, 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 me two gloves. I slipped them on slowly and calmed my nerves, shaking inside my skin, being so close to my partner. The nurse lifted my arm up and put the pressure cuff a few inches above my elbow. Then Dr. Kim prepared his syringe to take my lab work. Amir stood cautiously behind him, and Dr. Kim glanced back up to him.

  "Mr. Khan, go ahead and tighten Ms. Carlyle's upper arm with an elastic band once Nurse Smith is finished," he instructed him.

Amir does as he's told, and he picked up a band from the plastic container, and then inched downward where our noses were a few inches apart. I stared deeply into his eyes and felt the tremors running all over my skin; my goosebumps were popping up everywhere. 

Amir was right in front me, his gloved hand running around my arm, and our gaze never leaving the other. I wanted to reach over and kiss him, risking it all, but that wouldn't have been good. I kept my feelings in check and slightly smiled in his presence, showing him as much appreciation as I could express to him for coming out here, letting no one know. 

His soul felt like it mended with mine, our puzzle pieces linked back together.

"Sorry," Amir said as he tightened the band a little too tight.

"It's okay." I glanced down and noticed a gold wedding band around his third finger. My lips, then, began trembling.

The nurse passed me a tissue and Dr. Kim's eyes peered over to mine. "Are you okay, Luna?"

"Um. Yeah. I just-it's cold." I made it seem like my nose was stuffy. My eyes probably looked like I was on The Walking Dead.

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

She stepped outside the door, and I exhaled a breath. Amir smiled a little at me where neither Decker nor Dr. Kim could see. But when a tiny tear slipped through my eyelid, he brought his finger up and swiped it away, softly, closing his eyes. I could feel how his emotions scattered around inside him; he never expected to touch my skin, let alone my cheek. He might have been wearing gloves on his hands, but he was still able to touch my body in person, and our heart's wouldn't stop pounding.

The door swung back open and destroyed our two second communication. Then Amir reached for the needle. But Dr. Kim came over to my side. He took the syringe from "Ibrahim" and adjusted my arm so he could stick me instead.

Dr. Kim doesn't realize that one day he will be stuck in the ass soon, with a tranq. He didn't realize how much Amir, Cami, Faisal, Darren, Cassie, and I all despised him.

"Why can't the new scientist take my samples?" I asked Dr. Kim. "He is in here, too."

"It's not that I don't trust him, 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. Whatever." Dr. Kim just wanted to have the upper hand and prove he was the Führer here. The nurse and Decker glanced at Amir, their eyes scrunched together. He straightened his posture and gathered himself. Looking straight into Dr. Kim's eyes, I murmured, "Mr. Khan doesn't look like he isn't capable to take my blood."

Amir stayed quiet and still, just glancing back and forth between us.

Dr. Kim looked at me and said, "Ibrahim has been a decent scientist so far, but you are a different person, Luna."

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

Dr. Kim snorted, and then continued what he was doing, despite my comment. The way he handled taking my lab work was exhausting. He'd push the needle in deeply, and later on my arm would feel numb.

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

After writing a few notes down on his notepad, he handed the nurse my samples and turned my way on his heel.

"Ibrahim?" He called out to Amir. Amir was still near my 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 here. 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. Especially scientists."

I almost busted out laughing when I noticed Amir ball his right fist, ready to hit Dr. Kim in his face. But he controlled his anger. Everyone exited my room with Amir giving me a signal that he'll be right back. They went to fetch my food and medicine as I sat here and waited for him to arrive again. I was so tired and wore out, feeling drained and still in shock over this happening. My beloved came straight to his woman, my T-800, who was ready to wreak havoc in here to get me out.

My protector.