"Not at all," he sputtered, earning a victorious grin from her as she settled back into place.

"They are good role models for us," she said, softly. "Showing us how to be if we want a long life full of love. That's why I enjoy when we can spend time with them. Any lessons that we can sponge up from their experience, the better. I don't ever want to be apart from you, or not full of love for you, Stephen."

His arms held her a little tighter after that statement, and his heart grew one full size as well. "I love you, Grace."

She turned back around and kissed him soundly, "I love you, too, Stephen."

"One thing does kind of bother me though, Grace," he began, choosing his words wisely. "They choose each other freely, out of love, and stayed together because of that love. I chose you freely because of love, but you are compelled to be mine without any of your own free will. I mean, it practically makes you a slave, Grace..."

"Please," she said, sitting up straight, and turning to press her fingers towards his lips. "You are overthinking this one, my love. To think of me as a slave is to miss the forest for the trees."

"But, Grace..."

"No, Stephen," she interrupted, quite firmly. "The alternative is...," she s.h.i.+vered, "much worse. This is how things are supposed to be, and we can't change them. Please, let's just talk about something else?"

He stared into her blue eyes for a moment, before dropping the subject. Content to hold her, and trying not to think about her servitude, he occupied the rest of his thoughts until his grandmother poked her head into the family lounge finding them together.

"There you two are," she said, giving a small smile. "I'm afraid the pain meds have knocked him out cold. He's in a deep sleep right now. Probably will be for a while. Just wanted to tell you now in case you had anything else you may want to do today."

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Stephen looked at Grace, before resuming to look at his grandmother. "That's okay, Grandma. Why don't we keep you company for a while? Even if he's resting, it couldn't hurt to have family present."

Her face lit up, "I was hoping you'd say that!"

Together the three of them returned to room, with a very sleepy Grandpa dozing on the hospital bed. For the next several hours, they switched between talking, reminiscing, and finally resting on their own. All keeping watch on one of their own, and providing the best level of support they could.