Convalescent

Chapter 8

"If you'll excuse me," She said, clearing her throat. Side stepping him, she kept walking, ignoring the feeling of his eyes on her as she continued down the hallway. Pushing through the double doors of the dining hall, she stepped inside, exhaling a long, flustered breath as she did.

"Nurse Montague?"

She jumped, her head whipping around to one of the tables to her right.

"Apologies," Captain Banks' dark eyes met her's, a bemused expression on his face. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Captain Banks," She greeted him, clearing her throat as she glanced around the empty room. "I guess it's safe to say I missed dinner."

"Afraid so," He shrugged, throwing her a sympathetic smile. She let out a silent breath, trying to mask her disappointment.

"I'm sure I could scrounge something up though, if you're hungry."

"I wouldn't want to be a bother," She shook her head but he was already standing to his feet.

"Come on," He said, motioning for her to follow him as he headed towards the main kitchen.

"Are we supposed to be back here?" She asked, glancing back at the empty dining hall as the kitchen door swung closed behind them.

"Well ... not officially," Captain Banks said, rounding the corner into what looked like a storeroom - one wall lined with refrigerators, the other with cabinets. "But I've beaten one of the line cooks in more than a few games of cards ... now I'm not a betting man," He turned around to face her, walking backwards as he did. "But lucky for us - he is," He added with a smirk. She laughed, watching as he opened one of the refrigerators. "How does cheese and jam sound?" He asked closing the refrigerator, a block of cheese, a loaf of bread, and a half empty jar of jam in hand.

"Wonderful," She nodded. "Though I think I'm so hungry anything would sound good right now," She added. Bracing her elbows against the table top in the center of the room, she watched him as he cut two pieces from the loaf of bread and began assembling the sandwich.

"Here you are," He said, once he'd finished.

"Thank you," She smiled, accepting the sandwich from him. Taking a bite from it, she stifled a sigh. She was so hungry she could've eaten six more if he made them.

"Good?" He asked over his shoulder as he returned the items he'd taken from the fridge back to their rightful place.

"Best thing I've ever eaten," She said between chews. He chuckled.

"I'll be patiently awaiting my Michelin Star then," He smirked, pushing open the door and holding it so she could walk out first. She laughed, stepping back out into the dining hall. "You could sit and eat here if you want," He said, gesturing to the table he'd been seated at before, and she nodded.

"Thank you again," She held up the half eaten sandwich as she sat down in the seat across from him.

"Don't mention i-,"

"Alright!" A voice exclaimed, cutting him off. The double doors of the dining hall burst open, revealing Captain Hughes - fully clothed now - three bottles of what she assumed was beer, and a deck of playing cards in his hands. "Let's see if you can actually beat me in a hand of poker to...night," He trailed off, the last word dragging out as his eyes fell on her. She met his gaze with an impervious one of her own. She took another bite of her sandwich, doing her best not to think about the run in they'd had in the hallway only a few moments before. She watched as Captain Hughes exchanged a questioning look with Captain Banks, to which he only shrugged. Sitting down beside Captain Banks, he sat the bottles down on the table and opened the deck of cards, shuffling them.