Zarek caught her before she slumped to the floor. 

“I’m fine,” she said as she weakly batted at his chest.  He gently placed her onto the bed.

“Yes, you are.  I think that confrontation was a long time in coming.  So emotionally you’re a little closer to fine, but physically you have a long way to go.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s seven o’clock.  Are you hungry?”

“God no.  My stomach is twisted into knots.  If I smelled food, I would probably throw up.” She pushed up on her elbows.  “I was asking what time it was to see if I can just go to sleep for the night.”

She looked exhausted.  “When did you get to be so delicate?”

“Huh?  I’m the furthest thing from delicate,” her voice was weary.  “Don’t forget, I taught you how to change a flat tire, and I had to gut the first fish you caught because you were too squeamish to do it yourself.”

Zarek shuddered at the memory.  Chloe had been proficient with the knife, fileting the bass so they had a perfect fish to cook over the open fire.  Hell, she couldn’t have been much more than ten years old. 

“The fish was slippery,” he defended himself.  “Every time I tried to cut into it, it slid out of my hands.”

“Amateur.” 

“I learned.  You taught me.”

“See, I’m not delicate,” she said coming around full circle.  But her looks belied her statement. 

“Fragile.”

“That’s even worse,” she complained.

“It’s the truth, just live with it right now.  You’re going to get on a regular eating schedule when we get to Dallas.  Exercise too.  I’m not going to let you just bury yourself in my house and become a recluse.”  He gave her a hard stare, wanting to make sure that his words sank in.

She looked at him solemnly, her big eyes going deep black.  “I don’t think this is a good idea after all.  Can you take me home tomorrow?”

“Not going to happen.”

“I hate it when you say that!” She hit at his chest, and he barely felt the blow.  He caught her hand to his chest.

“You might hate that phrase, but it’s the truth.  You made the decision to go home with me.  It stands.”

“No.  It.  Doesn’t.”  She tried to take her hand back, but he wouldn’t let her.  He looked at this woman who had been his best friend all of his life and felt fear slither down his back.  He hadn’t been kidding when he said she looked delicate and fragile.  Those were two words he would never have associated with Chloe Avery before.  She had always been a force to be reckoned with, even when her shitty home life as a kid had tried to beat her down, she come out fighting.  He couldn’t let this woman who had been his touchstone continue to hurt.  Not on his watch.  He was going to give her a safe place to land.

“Zarek?  You’re just staring at me. You’re supposed to be arguing.”

“There’s nothing to argue about, Cupcake.  I’m taking you to my home.  I want you with me.  I need to make sure you’re taken care of.”

“But―”

“Wait.”  She stopped talking and looked at him expectantly.  “Do me a favor.”

“What?”

“Imagine if the positions were reversed.  Imagine if you found me in Dallas, having just suffered through a bad fire where something catastrophic happened on the job happened.  I couldn’t cope, so I was on leave.  I’d been holed up in my house for six weeks, no food in the house, and I’d lost weight, I cut of communication from everyone I loved.  I was disoriented and fading fast, what would you do?  Would you try to help?  Would you want to take care of me?”

“I’m not that bad off,” she protested as she squirmed in the bed.

“This isn’t about you.  I’m describing a scenario about me.  What would you do, would you want to intervene?  This is me, I’m basically falling apart, and it’s me.  What would you do?  Would you walk away?”

“No,” she said resignedly.  “I wouldn’t walk away.  I would try to help.”

“Even if I didn’t want it?”  He searched her face and saw her acceptance.

She nodded.  “Even if you didn’t want it.  I’d somehow make you take my help.  You’ve been my best friend since I was seven.”

Zarek smiled and put his arms around her thin shoulders, pulling her in close for a hug.  She clung to him.

“This is going to be hard.  I think I’m in trouble.”  The words were bare discernable as she whispered them into his chest.

“We’ll work it out together.”