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Ellie looked up at him with an uneven breath as she struggled to keep her head upright. Her smile was incredibly soft and serene. "It's weird to be taken care of again."

"Don't worry about it Ellie," Henry put a blanket on top of her and began to tuck it into the side of the bed. He moved her arms and legs around until he thought that she looked comfortable. Henry was glad he had positioned her well when he had put her down. "I don't regret getting involved with you. I don't think I've had this much fun with someone in a very long time."

Henry turned to towel off the sweat from his exertions. He expected her to laugh or say something interesting, but the room was quiet. Henry turned.

He could see to his surprise that Ellie had fallen fully into sleep. He didn't mind it as she had endured such a trial in front of his eyes and did deserve a full rest. She had earned it in his eyes, but she was out of place. It was strange to have a woman like this in his bed.

Henry did have a wall pager next to his bed where he could page the servers downstairs and have Ellie put in a stretcher so she could be carted back to her room. He considered it for several moments. It would be a loud process as servants argued over strategy and communicated. He knew that his charge was sure to awaken with all of that racket and activity. Ellie did still need her rest as she was in recovery from the combination of self induced trauma and the surgery. He would have to command a batch of sleepy men and nurses who were bound to make errors and complain the whole while. In truth, all Henry wanted was to sleep of his hangover in peace.

He looked back at the illuminated doorway and his overcoat which was dripping onto the carpet below from his earlier trip. Henry could go out and get a hotel. He could move to another of the many rooms in this house, but he knew that he would itch without fresh sheets. There was bound to be dust and mold that would make him cough for the better part of the night. The though repulsed him. He considered switching places with Ellie and crawling into her bed. But seeing her serene expression as she slept finally, made him pull a hand through his damp hair. So his wife was sleeping in his bed? What of it? No one would dare question his judgement. It's not like he intended to touch her tonight or ever. There was no danger emanated from her either as she struggled to move and even if she did he could pacify her easily.

He went to go take a cold shower in his glass walled bathroom and he shivered the whole while as he knew if she opened her eyes she would see him. He had designed this room for his use only and it felt very strange to have another person in here with him. After he toweled dry he pulled on his night shorts and added another blanket within Ellie's reach. He found a spare pillow in a drawer and put it between them. He looked at her, then realized this was something he could never do without her knowing fully. He made a pallet out of the spare blankets and threw his pillow on the floor with a finality as he slept. 

A man or a coward am I? he asked himself