"W-wait!" Claire struggled to get the word out.
He froze instantly. Her thoughts were sluggish, and she labored to form a coherent explanation for him.
"The room… still s-spinning," she managed. "Can we just… stay put for a minute? Don't wanna… barf. Shouldn't take long."
"Uh, sure." He eased back down, his movements careful.
While she waited for her stomach to calm, Claire took stock of her body, wiggling her fingers and toes, looking for injuries. Noah held her tight, his arms locked around her, her head cradled in the crook of his elbow. Like he held something fragile.
Her face flushed with heat. The closeness. The care. The way he was looking at her like she might break.
She watched his brow furrow and heard an odd noise in his throat. "You scared the shit out of me, Claire. When I realized what was happening, I tried to remember what we learned in the safety meeting. I protected your head, but the convulsions… This floor is hard, and I didn't want you to hurt yourself, so I tried to protect the rest of you, too." His voice trailed off. "I hope it's okay."
Claire moved cautiously. The room was no longer spinning, and her stomach was solid once again, but her limbs were still sluggish, like they were moving through molasses. The thought of Noah trying to protect her warmed her insides.
"I'm good now. I can sit up." Her voice came out raspy, barely above a whisper.
Noah shifted aside and gently helped her sit upright. "You need water?"
She nodded gently, alert for any aftereffects. "That'd be great."
He retrieved the abandoned plastic bottle and handed it to her before settling back beside her. She took a sip, the coolness grounding her.
"How long was I out?"
"Not long. Less than a minute?"
"It always feels like forever to me. Like I've been asleep for days." She stared at the floor, afraid to look at him. "I'm so sorry you had to see that. I'm sorry I scared you." Her face heated, and she turned away.
His arm came around her, pulling her into a side hug. "Hush now. You don't owe me an apology. I'm just glad I was here, and you weren't alone."
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"What now?" Noah asked.
Claire sighed. "Now, I have to call my neurologist and tell him so he can decide if my medication needs adjusting." She paused at his confused look. "Oh, wait. That's not what you meant, was it? Um, I'm ready to stand up, I think."
Noah climbed to his feet and assisted her. She gripped his arm tightly, making sure she wasn't about to fall over. Once her legs stabilized and gravity was again working as expected, she let go. She was okay. Exhausted and drained, but otherwise okay.
"Um, I'm usually pretty wiped out after an episode. I-I don't think I'll be able to finish the site list tonight. I just need to go home and sleep."
"The sites can wait. Let's gather your things, and I'll drive you home."
"What? No, that's not necessary. I can take the bus." Embarrassing enough that she'd seized in front of him, but to be completely dependent upon him to get home? That was too much.
"No arguments, Claire. You look like you've been through the wringer. I wouldn't feel right putting you on a city bus when you're too tired to walk. I'll drive you home."
Claire's shoulders sagged. He was right. She was exhausted and couldn't imagine catching the bus now.
"Thanks, Noah," she said quietly.
Noah bundled Claire into the passenger seat of his rental car and closed the door with care. As he slid into the driver's side, a persistent ding chastised him. He scanned the console for the problem. Seeing the familiar indicator, he glanced at his passenger.
Claire sat motionless, staring blankly through the windshield like she wasn't really seeing anything at all.
"Claire, honey, you have to put on your seat belt."
She startled, like she'd forgotten he was there. "Oh, right." Her voice was faint, unfocused. She reached over her shoulder and blindly fumbling for the belt without looking, like her body was moving on autopilot while her mind lagged behind.
