Professor Jewell angrily stopped his lecture to answer the phone, something everyone knew he hated doing. No one or thing interrupted Jewell. Fuming, he picked up the receiver and barked into it. His face went from irritation to understanding to pity while 200 students looked on in silence. When he put the phone down, Jennifer picked up her pen, ready to get back to her notes. Instead, she watched her professor's eyes sweep over the class.

"Falcone? Jennifer? Jennifer Falcone? Where are you?"

Jennifer felt herself blushing. "Here, Professor Jewell." She raised her hand, expecting him to smile when he spotted her. He didn't.

"Please go to Student Affairs, dear." He took off his glasses and sighed.

"Right now, Professor?"

He nodded, slowly. "Yes, right away. Please, dear. It's rather important. I'm afraid there's been an accident."

The sudden apprehension shot cold bolts, right to her fingertips. She stood and gathered her things.

Julia nudged her with an elbow. "Are you going to be OK? What's going on?"

Jennifer shook her head and swallowed. "I don't know." She quickly dashed down the stairs and out of the lecture hall, the entire classes' eyes upon her. Professor Jewell offered her an uncharacteristically comforting look as she passed.

"I'm sorry, Miss Falcone."

She made it to the Student Affairs office in less that fifteen minutes to find a dean waiting for her. He took her to an empty office and told her to call home, then waited with her as she dialed. The phone was picked up before the first ring ended.

"Hello?"

"Pop? What's going on? Is Mama OK?" Jennifer imagined a heart attack, or maybe car accident. Her heart pounded.

"Your mother's fine."

Jennifer caught a sob in the background. "Drew? Is Drew OK? Pop?"

"It's not your sister, Princess." He was quiet. Jennifer heard him pull in a deep breath. Mama was definitely crying. "It's your brother."

"Vince?" She had bite back a nervous laugh. Vincent had gotten himself into a few tangles over the last year or so. Pop was not pleased.

"No." Pop sighed. "Jennifer, it's Conrad."

"Con? What did he fling himself into this time? Was he blown off another oil tanker? You think he'd learn." She tried to cheer herself up. "This means he's coming home for a bit again, right."

"There was a battle. He was wounded, Jennifer. It's serious. They're not sure he's going to make it. Not this time."
"Pop?" Jennifer couldn't feel her toes, but she thought her stomach and heart had fallen down there somewhere. "But...Pop?"

There was a hitch in Pop's voice. Jennifer heard her mother make a long, forlorn wail. Her father turned from the receiver to soothe her. "Jane...it's OK. We'll go. We'll get there. Then it will be better." His voice got louder as he returned to the line. "We have to get there, Baby. We have to go. Just in case. You need to be there. He'd want you there."

"Pop! Pop...I..." Jennifer felt a few tears roll down her cheeks. The dean handed her a tissue. "But...school..."

"It's OK. I spoke to the dean. He's called a cab. It's going to take you to your dorm so you can pack a few things. It will wait, baby...and then it's going to take you to the airport. A ticket will be waiting for you at the Delta check-in counter. Just show them your ID. They took care of making sure you'll be able get on whatever flight to Salt Lake is leaving when you get to the airport." Pop was all business now. "You're going to get off in Salt Lake City, and someone will be there to get you onto another flight..."

"Pop..."

"The second plane is going to be smaller. A shuttle, really. It's going to take you to a very small airport, and I want you to wait there with the soldier who will meet you there."

"But Pop..." She tried again.

"Wait there for us. It should only be an hour or so." Pop finished, and she could hear him blow his nose. "We have to just get your sister from school on our way to Lambert. We're already packed, we were just waiting to hear from you."

"Pop! What...what's going to happen? Is Con going to..." She wasn't sure exactly how to ask.

"Jennifer, I don't know, Baby. They say..." His voice dropped to almost a whisper. "They say it's a bad wound, OK?"

"He's pulled himself out of a lot of scrapes, Dad. He'll pull himself out of this one." She tried to rally herself. She wanted to cheer him. It couldn't possibly be that bad. Conrad had proven himself indestructible over the years. "He'll laugh at us when we get there, I bet."

"Jennifer..." Pop sighed again. "Please, go get in the cab now, OK?"

She'd never heard her father sound like this. He was...not angry, not sad. Jennifer could hear defeat in her father's voice. She looked over at the dean, who handed her another few tissues. Her face was wet, but after the first few tears, she had forgotten she was crying.

The cab broke the speed limit getting her to the dorms, where she shoved whatever she could think of in her bag. At the last minute, she grabbed the cassettes of her current video project. All four of them, barely edited together. She shoved them in under her spare pair of jeans and zipped the bag shut. Getting to LAX wasn't bad, not in the afternoon in the middle of the week. Her ID provoked a kind of frenzy of action at the Delta counter, and she found herself shoved onto a jet and in the air within half an hour. The stopover and switching of planes had been just as fast. She ended up in a small local airport next to a young soldier in plain green uniform with brown web gear. The woman, who was close to her own age, bought her coffee and sat with her. They'd spoken only once.

"Miss, I want you to know, your half-brother is one of the bravest men I've met. It's been my honor to have him as my Field Commander. He's one of a kind."

"Thanks. I call him my brother, though. He always says we don't count family in halves" Jennifer sipped at her coffee, relieved the woman hadn't referred to her older brother in the past-tense.

The soldier blushed. "Oh...Sorry!"

"Don't worry about it." Jennifer forced a smile. "It's a common thing to say, it doesn't bother me."

He's going to be fine, and we'll get to see him at home for a while like last time. They forced him to finally take a few weeks off in a row. It's a good thing, really. I'll take a break from classes. Maybe he can come back out to California with me for a week.

She'd sat with the woman, the kind of Joe she now remembered her brother preferred to be called a "regular" over a "greenshirt". She noticed a lack of name tag, which she'd thought went against uniform regulations. But Conrad said they all got to dance around that. Something about security. An hour and a half later, Mama and Pop rushed through a gate, Drew in tow. Jennifer stood, and Mama grabbed her and held her tight.

"Oh, Jennifer, you're here! Thank God!" Mama let go to dab at her eyes. Pop pulled her against him and rubbed her back.

"Good job. You did that well."

"It was pretty easy." Jennifer felt herself relaxing against her father's soft flannel shirt. He was still pretty strong, the muscle of his chest was comforting. Pop being there made it all right. Mama and he could fix it.

Next to them, Drew yawned and pulled on the soldier's sleeve. Drew had no fear of strangers. "I'm hungry. What next? When will we see Duke? Is he coming to dinner with us? Is Vince here? He's coming too, right?"

The soldier looked shocked. She turned to Mama. "Ma'am?"

Mama smiled weakly, then managed to broaden it for Drew. "Let's get in the car, sweetling. This nice soldier's going to take us to the hospital, OK? We can get some food there and you can see your brother."

Jennifer looked up at her father. "She doesn't know?"

"We told her he was wounded." He kept his voice down. "That's it, Jennifer. It would have been impossible to get here otherwise. You know what she can be like when she's upset, and we had to move fast. We'll fill her in once we're there where she can see him."

Jennifer nodded. "Ok. I get it." She pulled herself out of the comfort of her father's arms. "How..."

He held up a hand, then ran it through his salt and pepper hair. "Cripes, Baby, I don't know. I don't have any more answers. We'll find out when we get there."

"This way, please." The soldier beckoned, lifting up Mama's bag. "The transport is outside. I have a local police escort. "

Mama stopped. "Where's my other son? Where's Vincent?"

The soldier stopped. "I can't exactly tell you that, Ma'am. I can say Falcon and several other Joes went to back up General Hawk and the rest of that team. But I can't tell you where. I'm sorry. Last I heard, he was in full contact with headquarters.

Mama blanched. "Oh, Vincent..."

Pop wrapped one arm around Mama. "Let's go, Jane. We've got to face this."

Mama took a deep breath, then nodded. She grabbed Jennifer's hand tightly as they walked to the parking lot. Drew groaned disappointedly.

"It's just a sedan. I thought it would be a VAMP. Or an Awe Striker."

It was a very large sedan, in fact. A police car was parked in front, the words 'Keystone City Police Department' surrounding the shield on the door. The driver looked over at them. "They needed room for all of us, Drew." Jennifer handed her bag to the soldier, who threw it in the trunk. Along side the others. "Plus, this will be more comfortable for everyone.

Drew yawned again. "Duke said if I ever got to go to base, he'd let me ride in as many things as he could get me in."

"He's in the hospital, Drew." She followed Mama and her sister into the back seat.

Drew yawned again. "Yeah, but he'll be out soon. He never backs out on a promise. And here I am."

Jennifer didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. The soldier waved to the police officer, then got in and started the car. Their escort led them through the parking lot and to the main road, lights flashing, but siren silent. Jennifer looked out the window, watching the darkening scenery fly by. She didn't know if she wanted to go, now. To face it. To find out just exactly how bad it was...maybe he was dying. Maybe he was already dead, and the soldier hadn't been able to tell her. Everything went blurry


"What's wrong, Jenn?"

She had to tilt her head way back to see his face. Through her tears, she could see he was smiling down at her.

"I can't see!" She wailed. "Everyone's too big, an' they all got in front of me, an' they won't let me see!"

"You were in front when I left." He handed her a cone of cotton candy and bit into his hot dog.

She took a hank of spun sugar and crammed it into her mouth. "They just kept getting in front of me. Now I'm back here, and I can't see the show!" Her sobs faded to sniffles.

"Your shoe's untied, too. Where did Vince go? I told him to watch you." Conrad finished his hot dog in two large bites, wiped his fingers on a paper napkin, wadded it up, and tossed it into a trash can several feet behind them.

"He went off with his friends to the rides." Something exciting must have happened up on the stage, the crowd laughed and cheered. "Mama and Pop'r in the big building looking at quilts and pictures. My shoe's untied, and I can't

see!" It was the worst fair ever. It was her first. She felt fed up with the whole thing and decided to cry again.

"Well, that's no good, now is it? Here." He crouched down, grabbing the laces of her shoe and doing the magic that made the loops and knot. "Remember how I showed you? The rabbit goes around his burrow and through." He finished and pulled the laces tight. "That's your shoe." Conrad crouched down further. "C'mere." He grabbed her by a hand and an arm and swung her up onto his shoulders, then stood easily...as if she wasn't even there. The ground seemed much further away. "Hang on tight. Can you see?"

Jennifer's feet dangled almost level with the letter on his blue and white jacket. She could see right over the heads of the crowd to where the bearded clown was making two dogs stand on balls. She laughed, hanging onto his light golden hair with a sticky hand.

He laughed with her and bounced on the balls of his feet to keep her giggles going. "There you go, Jenn. Everything fixed. Don't cry any more."


It was late. The back seat of the car was dark, but she could still see Mama at the other end of the bench seat. Pop sat next to their driver up front, every so often, he'd look back to check on everyone. Mama sat up straight, one hand on the arm rest on the door, the other dabbing constantly at her face with one of the many tissues she seemed to keep on her person. It never showed, but it always seemed that Mama kept a box full of tissues stuffed up one of hr sleeves. Jennifer had never been able to figure out how she made the used ones disappear. Even now, there was no detritus of Mama's tears to be found in the cab. It would never do to leave trash anywhere. Not for Mama, who couldn't stand to leave a mote of dust to lie for even a second.

Jennifer looked to her baby sister. Not quite a baby anymore at nine but without doubt the baby of the family, nevertheless. Drew had passed out almost as soon as they'd hit the highway, leaning first against Mama, then shifting to loll on Jennifer's arm. She was happily not entirely aware of what was going on. Not that she wasn't capable of understanding; Mama hadn't told her everything. Not yet. She thought their brother was just hurt. Scraped, maybe. Or a sprain or broken arm or leg. Something she'd inserted into the blank space the word "wounded" left to fill. She'd find out soon enough.

She could see hospital complex ahead of them, windows picking out every room on every floor. A large red cross blazed close to the top of the tallest building. "Aren't we going to headquarters?" Jennifer was confused.

"No, Miss. Headquarters is off limits to anyone but essential personnel and support staff right now."

Pop looked back at her. "They don't need civilians to get underfoot or worry about right now, Jennifer. Plus the facilities here are better equipped to deal with whatever your brother needs. Base infirmaries, even the Joe one, are never as good as an outside hospital."

The soldier nodded. "Yessir. Plus, this whole hospital is a lot easier to secure."

"Secure?" Mama started. Jennifer looked at her. She'd stopped crying, but she looked tired. "You've secured the hospital?"

"Yes, Ma'am. With the help of local PD. The perimeter and entrances are secured. The floor Duke and the other Joes are on is on 24 hour armed guard, only assessable to those with proper identification. His room is completely locked down." They pulled into the parking lot and right up to the entrance. Two uniformed police officers stood on either side of the doors. The sedan stopped, and the soldier pulled the parking break and hopped out to open Mama's door. "Ma'am?"

Mama slid out. "I never even asked your name. I'm so sorry."

"Gonzalez, Ma'am. Don't apologize."

"I am sorry, though." Mama smiled weakly and put her hand on Gonzalez's arm. "Thank you. For meeting my daughter and waiting with her. Thank you for everything, Gonzalez."

Jennifer knew Mama wouldn't ask for a first name unless it was volunteered. Something learned by being married into the Army. "Yeah, thanks!" She smiled at Gonzalez. "I didn't want to wait alone."

"It was my pleasure, Miss."

"What's you're code name?" Drew grinned.

"I don't have an official one, yet." Gonzalez smiled back. "I'll earn that when I'm promoted out of greenshirt and get my togs. But my friends call me Slingshot."

"Why?" Drew rubbed her eyes with one hand.

"That I can't tell you, miss." The soldier blushed.

"Why?"

"It's sort of an in-joke."

"Why?" Drew cocked her head. Jennifer was familiar with this game. She rolled her eyes.

"Princess, let it go." Pop slid out of his coat. "We have to get to your brother." He turned to Gonzalez. "Should we get our bags?"

"Nossir. Leave them in the car. It stays right here. I'll take you to your hotel when you're done here. We've checked you in already. It's close." Gonazlez indicated the doors. The police officers stood straighter. Jennifer smiled to herself. They weren't soldiers, but they snapped to, all the same. Gonzalez nodded. "I'll take you all upstairs now. Doc is waiting." She too off at a good clip.

"Jane, it's time to go see." Pop gently rubbed Mama's arm, then grabbed Drew's hand to follow. Jennifer slid her arm through Mama's. "He'll be good, Mama. He's always been good."

The doors slid open for them, and they were inside. Police and Regulars were scattered through the lobby. Officers stood by the elevators. Gonzalez lead them right through and to the doors, pressing the call button. They were not challenged. No one even greeted them, but several pairs of curious eyes followed them as they passed.

A soft ping. Doors slid open. Jennifer followed Gonzalez her father into the elevator, Mama at her side. They all stared at the numbers as the light slid from one to the other.

Drew took Pop's hand as they rose. "Duke's going to be happy when we get there, I bet. His last letter said he wanted to see us all. He's got a new tattoo!" Drew frowned. "OK. I wasn't supposed to tell Mama that. Don't tell him I forgot. But Mama's going to see it anyways, probably, in the hospital. I bet I can trick him into showing us."

Pop sighed, and got to one knee in front of Drew. "Baby...your brother's...asleep. Right now he's sleeping." He put his hands on her shoulders. "We're going to let him sleep, OK?"

Jennifer heard Mama's breath catch. She looked at both her parents. "You know more than you're telling me, don't you?"

Mama sighed. Pop stood and looked away.

"What aren't you telling me? It's worse than you said, isn't it? What's going on?" Her heart began to pound. "What don't I know?"

Pop didn't turn. "We'll talk to the doctors."

Jennifer tightened her grip around Mama's arm. "I don't want to hear it from the doctors. They always hide behind big medical words. Please. Mama."

She felt both her mother's arms come around her. "Jennifer...I... I can't. I need to talk to the doctor's first, because I'm not really sure what's going on myself. I don't know how to tell you because I haven't finished convincing myself." She kissed Jennifer's cheek. "We're almost there. Let's just get there. We'll talk it all out then. I need to see my son."

It was odd. Jennifer had never heard her mother call Conrad that. My son. Not 'your brother', or 'Conrad', or even 'Duke', which she hated to ever say except for the occasional tease or sarcastic barb. My son.

The elevator stopped, the doors slid open. Another greenshirt...regular, stepped into the doorway and blocked their exit. He was quite a big man, but young, not much older than Jennifer herself. When he saw Gonzalez, he nodded. Jennifer expected him to step back and out of their way, but he didn't.

"What's tonight's word, Slingshot?" His voice was low.

"Macaroni and Cheese." Gonzales countered. "Back up, 'Dozer, they're the real thing."

"Gimme the names, anyhow. You know you have to. Hawk said not to loosen security, no matter what." Dozer wasn't budging, though he smiled warmly at Jennifer.

Gonzalez sighed. Jennifer couldn't quite believe it, but she heard the woman mutter a curse under her breath. "...fucker...Right!" Gonzalez looked 'Dozer in the eye. "Falcone, formerly Hauser, Jane Lilly. Falcone, Major Johnathan Riley. Falcone, Jennifer Iris. Falcone, Drew Gretchen."

Dozer snapped to and saluted. "Major!" He took a crisp step back and to one side.

"I'm retired now, corporal." Pop stepped out of the elevator and past the saluting soldier. Jennifer could see he was standing straighter. "No need to salute."

"There is every need to salute you, sir!" 'Dozer was barking excitedly, now. Jennifer walked Mama past him. "Ladies, I salute you as well!" He held the salute until Drew walked by. Jennifer had to smile, her little sister saluted the man back. Then he dropped his hand, spun on his heel, and barked into the hall. "'HUT!" Guards stationed all along the hallway snapped to attention.

"This way, please." Gonzalez waved to where two doctors in white lab coats had come through the swinging doors at the end of the hallway.

Mama turned to 'Dozer, who still stood at attention. "Thank you. Thank you for that."

Jennifer saw that the smile on her mother's face was, for the first time in hours, genuine and thankful. The fear in her stomach abated, just a bit. She gave the soldier a smile of her own. He didn't put himself at ease, but he smiled back.

They followed Gonzalez-Jennifer wondered if she would actually prefer 'Slingshot'-down to the swinging doors. Every guard they passed offered a crisp salute. Jennifer watched her father hesitate a half step, and then return the salute. Each salute. Drew copied him for the first guards, but then switched to a happy wave instead. They continued down the hall that way until they reached the doors.

The doctor wearing green glasses stepped forward and offered Pop his hand. "Major Falcone, Misses Falcone, I'm Doctor Greer." He nodded at the bearded man next to him. "This is Doctor Mahboubian. He's one of the operating surgeons, and he is one of the lead in Duke's team."

Team? Conrad has a 'team' of doctors?

Jennifer watched her mother and father shake both doctors' hands, then offered her own. Pop took over the introductions.

"This is my daughter Jennifer and my youngest, Drew."

Jennifer wondered when Pop would ever feel she was old enough to manage herself. She decided to start now. "Hello, Doctor Greer. Doctor Mahboubian. Thanks for taking care of my brother." She shook both hands in turn.

"You're Doc, right?" Drew smiled.

"That's right." Doctor Greer nodded. "You can call me Doc, if you'd like."

"Sure!" Drew turned to the second doctor. "I don't know your code name..."

Dr. Mahboubian smiled. "I don't have one. I'm just a normal doctor."

"Oh. That's all?"

"Drew!" Mama blushed.

Doc laughed. "Doctor Mahboubian's one of the top thoracic surgeons in the country."

Jennifer was shocked. "Really?"

"Yes." Dr. Mahboubian turned to her. Jennifer liked his accent. "I dropped everything and came here as soon as I was called. I'm here for the duration."

Jennifer caught the concerned look Pop shot over Drew's head to Mama. Mama took a deep breath. "And how long are you expecting to be here, Doctor?"

"Ah." Mahbounian glanced sidelong at Doc. "Why don't we go somewhere more comfortable so we can discuss the details?"

"Right. Good idea." Pop put his arm around Mama. "I think the sooner the better."

"What does 'thoracic' mean?" Drew followed along behind as they walked through the doors and into a ward. More joe regulars took up guard posts inside. There was a large office and nurse's station in the center, surrounded by a high counter. In the center, a large new fangled clear plastic board hung from a stand. There were names on the chart, listed by room number. After each name, a bunch of numbers and acronyms Jennifer couldn't decipher.

Pine, Katzenbogen, LaFitte.

Then she saw it. She knew she would, really. But seeing it made everything real.

Hauser.

Jennifer's eyes traced along the row, trying to get the numbers to tell her something, maybe give her some understanding. In red, at the end, were the only three letters she understood.

IC. Intensive care.

She couldn't see it after any of the other names. Jennifer swallowed. This was real.

"Jennifer? Dear?"

Jennifer jumped and turned to see Mama calling her from a doorway. She glanced once more over the board, trying to memorize the string of letters and numbers, then jogged over to her mother. "Sorry, Mama."

"Come on, sweet. Let's hear what they have to tell us." Mama folded her in one arm and lead her in.

It was a waiting room. Jennifer had expected an office. A large desk with fancy shelves of medical books, a few pictures, some fancy desk toys and viney green houseplants. Instead, they were in a waiting room with chairs upholstered with brown and white fabric. Some chairs had square wooden arms, but some didn't, meaning a person could stretch out if they wanted to. A small table was in every corner, magazines spread out over each surface. The television was on, but Doc reached up and turned it off as Jennifer and her family sat down. She expected the doctors to remain standing, but they both sat. Pop leaned forward and opened his mouth, but then shut it and turned to Mama, who looked back and forth from one doctor to the other before speaking.

"Tell me about my son, Doctors."

"Where's Duke?" Drew was sitting uncharacteristically still. "He's sleeping, right? When can we go wake him up to see us?"

"He's in room 1131." Jennifer had surprised them.

Doc nodded. "He is."

"He's under intensive care." Jennifer surprised the doctors again. Mama sighed. Jennifer figured she had the floor, she might as well continue. "But how can he be in intensive care and here? Isn't that a separate ward?"

"We moved everything up here." Doc was matter of fact. "We needed to secure all our troops. It made more sense to lock down a single floor."

"There's no one else on this floor?" Pop sounded incredulous.

"There are three other injured Joes on this floor, a regular nursing staff, your stepson's team, and more GI Joe troops on guard than this hospital's ever seen. As many as could be spared." Doc leaned forward, his hands on the arms of his chair. Next to him, Dr. Mahbobian was nodding slowly.

Mama shuffled in her chair. "Can you get everything Conrad needs up here from the Intensive Care Unit?"

"We can and we have, Ma'am." Doc steeled his fingers. "We have a lot of pull. We tend to ignore 'won't' or 'can't'. Everything your son could possibly need is available to us and within quick and easy reach."

Jennifer watched her parent's eyes meet. Something passed between them. Mama stood. "So, I would like to see him now, please. Take me to him."

Mahboubian rose as well. "Madam, we will, but please, sit. We need to speak with you first. Especially with the children here."

Jennifer fought the urge to respond with an avowal of maturity. Mama sank back into her chair.

"Thank you." Doc looked at each of them. Jennifer liked him better than the other doctor. His voice and face were kinder. She felt better hearing anything from him. "Misses Falcone. Major. Jennifer. Drew. I need to talk to you about what's going on, about what has happened and what you're going to see when you go into Duke's room. It's better if I prepare you now."

Pop rubbed his forehead. "In the back of my head, Jane, I've been preparing for this. I never wanted it to happen..."

Mama touched Pop's shoulder, then put her hand in his. "Jack...I know. I've done the same thing. I've done it since he enlisted. We have to face it now." Jennifer felt her mother's hand on her leg. Pop's free hand slid to pull Drew to him.

Mama looked at them all, from Drew to Jennifer, then back at both doctors. "Please, tell us."

Doc nodded. "I'll put this as plainly as I can. Your son was struck in the mid-left chest with a bladed barbed weapon. The wound was severe."

Mama's grip tightened. Jennifer felt her heart start to pound. She looked to Pop, whose lips were pulled into a tight grim line. Drew's eyes were wide.

"It missed his heart by inches, thanks to his ribs-three of which were fractured in the blow. There was, however, a good deal of other damage. Vessels, some muscle tissue, and his left lung was lacerated. There was extreme blood loss. This is a battlefield wound; I did the best I could on-site while we waited for medevac. We got him here and into the ER as soon as possible. Dr. Mahboubian. cleaned and repaired what he could, including the blood vessels, some very basic muscle repair, and the lung itself. We closed him up with a few drains. There will be discharge. He was given an infusion of donor blood. Several, in fact."

Mama looked down and nodded. "Good...All right..."

"Ma'am, I'm not going to lie, it was a bad wound in a nasty battle. We've had him on high antibiotics, but he has pneumonia resulting from an infection as wall as the damage to the lung. We've drained it once and upped his antibiotics as much as is medically safe."

"He's in a coma. It's touch and go." Pop's voice was flat. "Tell us about that, please."

Jennifer felt her heart skip several beats. "What?!" Angrily, she turned to her parents. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Jennifer, I didn't know how. I didn't really want to believe it myself. I though it would just be temporary..." Mama's voice almost plead.

"Would it have done anything but make you suffer on the way?" Pop's eyes were sad. "All you would have done was worry."

"I would have known!" Jennifer banged on the table next to her. "I deserved to know! I'm not a kid any-"

"Please-" Doc held up a hand. His voice was louder, sterner. "Arguing does nothing." He looked at Jennifer. "Your parents did what they felt was best. Besides, we don't want this out in the media yet, and things said over the phone have a way of getting free from the places we want them to go."

"I wouldn't have told..." She felt judged.

"You wouldn't have thought not to. It's perfectly human to seek comfort." Doc sighed. "Jennifer, your brother is, indeed, in a coma. It is serious. We are monitoring him every second, things still could go bad. You're here, and that's what counts. That was what he told me he wanted."

"How could he tell you that? He's in a coma!"

"Jennifer, your brother and I have had some very long talks. He and I have been serving together for some time. He's been injured before. He's aware of the dangers of his job. He knows the possibilities. And we have, long ago, gone over what his wishes would be in a case like this. He made it very clear that he wanted his close family here with him, if at all possible. He doesn't want to go through this alone." Doc took his glasses off again. His warm brown eyes held hers.

Jennifer felt the tears start. "You mean..." she gulped, "he could..." She couldn't finish the thought. "He's in a coma! How will he know I'm here?"

"He knows you're here because he made me promise that if it was at all possible, we would get you here. All of you."

She didn't know what to say.

"Wait, what exactly is a coma?" Drew was actually raising her hand. "I know it's like being asleep, but no one is telling me what it is. No one told me what thoracic means, either."

"Thoracic means the chest. Like a thorax." Dr. Mahboubain pointed to his chest. "A thoracic specialist, like myself, deals with thing up in here, lungs and a bit to do with the heart, although a cardiologist also deals with the heart. I deal with how the heart and lungs together. Since your brother's heart wasn't seriously affected, he doesn't need a cardiologist."

"Oh. Thanks. But is a coma like being asleep?" Drew looked at Doc.

"Yes. In his case." He caught Mama's eye. "Duke's brain function appears normal, according to every scan we've given him. If there was any damage due to lack of oxygen...it's too small to notice on the monitors."

"Lack of oxygen?" Jennifer picked up the odd thread.

"He stopped breathing for a short while in the ER. We intubated him. He's on a ventilator." Doc put his glasses back on, but shot a look at Mama and Pop right before the green lenses covered his eyes.

Mama played with her wedding ring. "There's no damage, then?"

"Not that we can tell. It's doubtful. But we're keeping him on the ventilator till further notice. He's weak and his lungs need a little help thanks to the infection." Doc sounded sure of himself. "There is another doctor who can fill you in on that, Doctor Haber. You'll see him tomorrow."

"I don't get it." Pop stood. "If he didn't damage his head, why is he in a coma?"

Doc shrugged. "I honestly don't know. It could be a way of escaping trauma. Comas are medically induced when pain is to great to endure, and will last for a while. It seems Duke's body came to that decision on his own. Frankly, I think it's almost a good thing. He's still, he's stable, he's resting."

"When will he wake up?" Drew slid over to Pop's abandoned seat and wrapped Mama's arm around her.

Both doctors looked at each other, then back at them. Doc sighed. "That, I can't tell you. I don't know when. I don't know if. He's fighting. But let me be blunt, it's still touch and go. The possibility exists that he won't win. Duke may not win this one."

Pop let his arms drop and stared at both doctors as if he could somehow make them take it back. Drew kneeled on the seat and wrapped herself around him. Although she was nine and too big for it, he leaned down and scooped her up to hold her close. Jennifer found herself wanting to join her in his arms, Mama on the other side. She looked at her mother for a hint on what to do next. Mama was looking down at her hands.

"I need to see him." Mama whispered, almost to herself. "Please." She spoke more loudly, more firmly. "I need to see Conrad right now. Take me to him."

Doc nodded. "All right. But let me say this first...how he looks may be somewhat shocking. There is a tube down his throat helping him breathe. There are pulse monitors on his fingers. IV's are in his arms, and he's getting medicine and nutrition through them. We have monitors on his chest, so he's stripped, but he is covered with sheets and a blanket. He's been catheterized. There are a lot of tubes and wires and machines. There'll be noises that may sound wrong. It could look a little frightening," Here Doc looked at Drew and Jennifer, "But everything he has, he needs." Doc stood and then came to crouch in front of Mama. Jennifer could smell antiseptic and some light aftershave. "I want you to feel free to talk to him. It's OK to touch him, please do. It's best for him-human contact, and most of us believe that people in his condition can sense people are around-at least some of the time. But be careful of everything attached to him." Doc took Mama's hand. "But do, please, touch him. Loving touch is important for healing."

Jennifer watched her mother's head rise. Her eyes were full of tears, but her face was set and determined. "Take me to my son, then, Doctor. I'll hold him in my arms. But I can't promise you that once I catch hold of him I'll ever be able to let him go."

Doc stood, nodding. "I wouldn't expect anything else, Ma'am." He looked over to where Pop was still holding Drew. "If you're ready, then."

"We were ready when we got here, Doctor." Pop set Drew back on her feet. He frowned at her, then over to Jennifer. "If you think the girls should wait..."

Anger flashed in Jennifer's chest. "No. I'm not waiting. We're not waiting." She rose, grabbing Drew's hand. "We're going. Don't try to stop me."

The corner of Doc's mouth pulled back and his eyes lit up. "It runs in the family, I see." He chuckled. "No, major, your daughters should come. If he ever found out I or anyone kept them away, he'd kill me."

Doctor Mahboubian shook Pop's hand, then took Mama's. "I'll leave you to Doctor Greer, then. It's been a long day. For you as well, I know." He came and took Jennifer's hand. His skin was soft and warm, his touch delicate. "Miss, I appreciate your tenacity. May it help you persevere." He bent down and shook Drew's hand. She shook back hard, and he smiled "You, too, Miss Drew. I will be back tomorrow if you have any questions." He waved as he passed through the door.

Jennifer saw him go out through the double doors as Doc lead them across the ward, past the nurse's station and to the door of her brother's room. The doorway was wide-wide enough, she reasoned, to get his bed in and out without trouble. She could hear faint whooshing and beeping inside.

Mama stepped through without hesitation, Pop behind her. Jennifer hesitated, but then pushed herself through the doorway when she heard her mother's gasp. She towed her baby sister behind her. Doc followed.

"Oh! Oh Jack...Conrad... Oh, Kleiner..." Mama stood before the bed, hands to her mouth. Pop quickly took her in his arms.

The room was bright, brighter than she had assumed it would be. She had thought they might have dimmed the lights, but instead, it appeared almost brighter than the hallway outside, and she could see everything. Jennifer stared in awe. Conrad lay on his back before them, arms outside of the blankets, dwarfed by a bank of monitors with dials, lights and readouts. A clear cylinder with light blue bellows pumped constantly, soft whoosh accompanying its rise and fall. On the right side, an IV stand held several bags and bottles, tubes running down to his left arm, which was taped to a board. Tubes and wires of every sort were everywhere, running from his arm, from the tips of his fingers, and out from under the sheets up and down his body. The biggest by far was taped into his open mouth, a large clear accordioned tentacle running back to whatever beast ran the bellows. Jennifer's throat constricted painfully. Her brother's eyes were taped shut. His face was scruffy-he hadn't been shaven in days, and his hair was mussed, something he would have never stood for had he been able to take up a comb or razor.

"Conrad!" Mama pulled free from Pop and rushed to the chair on his right side. She snatched up his right hand, the only thing free of wires and tubes, and pressed it to her face. "Mein Sohn, schauen, was sie dir angetan haben ..." She held his arm to her tightly, rocking gently back and forth. "What did they do? Kleiner...how did they hurt you?"

Pop walked up behind her, sliding his hands over her shoulders as he looked at Con's face. Jennifer watched, amazed, as her father folded, almost falling over her and wrapping his arms around both Mama and Conrad's arm, his head resting on hers, eyes shut tight. "Jane, shhhh, Jane...He's still here with us."

Jennifer felt Drew stiffen. Her sister backed up until she ran into Doc. Jennifer tried to comfort her, despite the fact that what she most wanted was someone to hold on to her and whisper soothing words. "Drew, it's OK. All that stuff is good."

Doc's gentle warm voice joined in. "Don't be scared. None of that is anything wrong. He's not in pain. He's not suffering. The machines help let us know what's going on, so we can act on any change right away. They're keeping him fed and comfortable and warm." His hand dropped to Drew's head. "Go up to him. He wants you to be close."

Jennifer gave Drew's arm a gentle pull. "Come on, let's go see up close." She glanced back at Doc. "You think he knows we're here?"

"Yes." Doc nodded. "I'm sure of it. Don't ask me how."

Drew took tentative steps to the bed, bringing herself right up to where Mama still rocked, Pop doing his best to soothe her. Doc's hand was now on Jennifer's shoulder. She needed it. She needed someone to remember that she was hurting, too. "Your mother needs you. Your sister needs you. Your brother needs you. But I want you to remember what you need, too. What can I do to help?"

Jennifer felt the tears start anew. "Tell me he's going to be OK."

Doc's smile didn't waver, it wasn't pitying, or cheerful, it was...understanding. "I can't. I'm sorry. I wish I could. But I will let you know this-your brother is a very strong man. He's not one to give up unless he's absolutely certain there's no point in fighting anymore. He doesn't do that very often. He's a stubborn man."

"Could he be like this forever?" Jennifer kept her voice low. She didn't want Mama to hear.

"Yes." Doc nodded. "There is a chance of that. It's slimmer than movies would have you think."

"He wouldn't want to...Conrad would never want to be like this." Jennifer hadn't seen her older brother sit idle for more than an hour or two at a time. Even then, a knee would jiggle, fingers would drum, his mind would whirl. Conrad had to be moving and busy to feel right.

"I know." Doc agreed. "He's let us all know, after the last time. Because his brain shows no indication of damage, chances are that won't happen."

"It'll go one way or the other, won't it. Either he'll wake up or he'll..." She looked back at her family. Drew had reached up on the bed to rest her hand on his chest. She was looking up into his face.

"Duke!" Her quavering voice broke Jennifer's heart. "Duke! Wake up!"

Doc's hand squeezed Jennifer's shoulder gently. "Yes. It will, most likely. That is the truth, and I can't hide it from you. You need to be prepared for that. But I want you to know that I haven't given up hope, and I don't want you to, either. We're doing everything we can to keep him with us. Go on. Go to him."

Jennifer made her way to the bedside. The right side was too crowded, so she moved to the chair on his left, careful not to knock the tubes from the IV. Mama was still clinging to his hand, but she'd relaxed her grip so she could brush his hair back and caress his head. Up close, Jennifer could see the dressing and bandages over his chest. It smelled of antiseptic, a strong clean smell. She tentatively touched his forearm, avoiding the needles in the crook of his elbow. His skin was warm. She'd been expecting him to be clammy. She put both her hands on his arm, stroking down over the light golden hairs and firm muscle to his hand. They'd left his dogtags on, and that gave her a small sliver of hope.

"Hey, Con. Looks like you got into a mess. Must have been a big one, they pulled me right out of class." She half expected his eyelids to twitch under the medical tape, but there was nothing. "Yeah. Right in the middle of lecture and everything. My professor was pissed at first." She looked up to see her parents watching. To her surprise, Pop's face was wet. She'd never seen her father cry. He wasn't sobbing, or sniffling. His cheeks were damp. "Pop?"

"It's okay, Princess." Pop nodded. "You're doing fine."

Mama gulped and sniffled, somehow pulling herself together. Her hand stroked Conrad's cheek through the stubble. "Now we're all here, Kleiner. We're here to help take care of you. You can relax and let people take good care of you until you're strong again."

Jennifer looked back into his face. If she ignored the tape holding his eyelids shut and the massive tube down his throat, she could convince herself he was sleeping in. He looked, to her surprise, relaxed. She watched his chest rise and fall with the whooshing of the ventilator. "Yeah, I didn't mind, though. It was kind of a boring lecture. I hate Ingmar Bergman." She laughed, then caught herself. But Conrad told her long ago he didn't like Bergman's films either.


"They drive me crazy, Jenn. I usually want to throw a brick at the screen about 20 minutes in. Besides, the Cards are doing well this year."

She'd just discovered and started watching The Seventh Seal on cable when he came, scooped up the remote in and switched it to a ballgame, ignoring her protests.

"I wanted to see what the Skeleton Guy was doing." She grabbed on to his arm and struggled to claw the remote out of his grasp.

He snorted, lifting his arm and her with it. "Nothing good. This is pretty heavy for someone who's only eleven."

"I thought you would have loved him." Jennifer gave up trying to get the remote and flopped back on the couch.

"Why?"

"Well, he's all Germanic and everything." She moved to curl up against him, and he lifted his arm so she could get underneath it.

"Eiser." He rolled his eyes. "He's Swedish, for one. Secondly, what says I have to like everything German?"

"Three-fifths of your blood." She pinched his arm.

"I doesn't work like that, or you'd be munching on crumpets and croissants covered with black forest ham and spaghetti every night." He pinched her back. "Dammit! Fuck you!" On TV, the batter knocked the ball out of the park and scampered around the bases. "Not you, Jenn." He kissed the top of her head.

She'd long ago learned to ignore his cursing. "I know." She snuggled into his chest, pretending he didn't have to go back to Bragg the next Friday.

"Hey! The game's on!" The couch jerked as Vince flung himself over the back to land next to her, the baby in one arm. "Why didn't you tell me? Hey Con, she's stinky again."

"And?"

"Mama's taking a nap. You're stinky! Aren't you? You bet you are!" He smiled and made a face at little Drew, who gurgled happily.

"And?" Con put an arm behind his head.

"Pop's out in the garage." Vincent held her out towards them with both hands. Drew smiled and reached for her oldest brother. Jennifer detected a distinct twang of soiled diaper. Vince grinned, "There ya go, Big Brother! Mama always says when they're busy you're in charge!"

"Right." Conrad sighed, tipping his head back against the couch to look at the ceiling. Jennifer knew he wasn't really bothered. She'd caught him in the nursery dancing and swinging Drew around, singing about elephants, just last night. He stood in one fluid motion, taking Drew from their brother and lifting her to eye level. "Look here, Rabbit, I was watching the game. I'm submitting a formal request for you to schedule these things between innings or at the seventh inning stretch."

Drew smiled and blew spit bubbles.

"Bet you do that for all the guys. Why can't every girl be cute like you?" Conrad blew a raspberry on her cheek, then tossed her in the air, making her squeal. "Minus the smell, of course. Wow, Vince, you weren't kidding. What's in that baby food? Come on, cute stuff, I don't mind. We'll get you cleaned up." He headed up the stairs. Jennifer heard him start up about elephants again as he went.


"Does Vincent know?" Jennifer didn't really know who she was asking.

"Yes, he knows. He called us after General Abernathy." Mama brushed Con's hair back again, then reached to pull his blankets up a little higher. "It's cold in here. Can he have another blanket?"

"Sure. I'll leave you all for a bit and let the nurses know you want one." Doc put his hands in his pockets.

"I'm hungry!" Drew grumbled. "The food on the plane was gross, and we missed dinner."

"Drew!" Pop let go of Mama long enough to pull over a chair for himself. "There's a vending machine around here, somewhere. I have a few dollars. The cafeteria's closed by now."

Doc stood from where he'd been leaning against the door. "It is. But don't settle for the vending machine. A few of the local places deliver here. The guards downstairs can bring it up. I'll tell the nurse to bring you one of the menus. Do you want pizza or Chinese?"

"Chinese!" Drew yelped, then cowed at their father's glare. "Please."

Doc nodded. "Chinese good for everyone?"

"Sure." Jennifer hadn't thought she was hungry, but a growl from her stomach told her she was wrong. "Thank you."

Mama let go long enough to scrabble in her purse. "I'm afraid I don't have any cash."

Doc held up a hand. "Don't worry about it. My treat."

Pop reached for his wallet and flipped it open to reveal only a few dollars. "I can't let you-"

Doc's hand stayed up. "You can't stop me, Major. The nurse will come shortly with everything you need. You can call out from here. Just have them deliver it to the lobby for this room. I'll check back in a little bit." He left them.

"Thank you!" Mama called after him.

Drew tried to climb up on the bed, but Pop stopped her. "Not now, Baby."

"But I just want to hug him. Doc said we should touch him." There was a hint of whine in her voice. Jennifer knew she was close to her limit. She was tired. She was hungry. She was probably confused and more than a little scared. Jennifer was too, but she didn't have the luxury of being able to act like a nine year old. Still, she felt she was getting just as close to her limit as her baby sister was treading.

Mama came to the rescue, pulling Drew close. "All these things on your brother need to stay there right now. They're helping him. I want to hug him, too. But you know if we knock or pull something, it could hurt him." She put her head down and whispered almost into her hair. "We want Conrad to be as comfortable as he can. So we can hold his hand and pet his arms and head, even his tummy, if you want, just be careful. You can hug him later, when he wakes up. He'll need lots of hugs then."

Jennifer looked back into Conrad's face. He hadn't moved. She caught herself thinking that maybe he would open an eye, come to now that they were in the room. That somehow, their arrival would wake him up. But he hand't budged. His eyes were taped shut, and the only indication he was alive was the beeping of the monitors and the whoosh of the ventilator. And the warmth of his skin. The wonderful warmth of his skin. She slid her hands over his forearm again, then suddenly stood and leaned over to kiss his cheek. It was rough and stubbly under her lips. She'd never seen him with so much hair on his face. "I love you, Con." It was a whisper, but everyone heard it. She couldn't stop crying, though she really wanted to.

Mama was smiling. Pop, too. Weak smiles. Worried smiles, but smiles.

"Can I do that?" Drew tried to climb up again to reach his face.

"Here." Pop rose and grabbed her around the middle and held her over.

Drew bussed Con's cheek noisily. "I love you, Duke. Bunches. Your face is bushy. You should shave."

"He'll want to when he wakes up." Jennifer stretched and wiped her face with the back of her hand as Pop put Drew back on her feet.

Mama had taken his hand again, then she, too, was crying, and she, too rose to kiss her son, stroking his hair again. "Ich liebe dich, kleiner. Ihr Vater ist ein wenig länger warten. Wir brauchen dich hier." It was whispered, and Jennifer couldn't quite understand it. Something about Pop, or maybe Con's father, the man who she only knew through pictures and stories.

Jennifer looked at her father. He was still standing, hands in his pockets, watching. He glanced at her, then at Mama. Jennifer realized she hadn't seen him touch her brother yet, or talk to him. Pop was now staring at Conrad. He took an awkward step in front of Mama's chair and hunkered by the bed, glancing around at each of them, then back to Conrad. He reached out and roughly tousled his stepson's hair, but the gesture slowed to a soft rub, then stopped. Pop crouched, his fingers still on Con's head. "Champ..." It was loud, too loud, and his voice broke. Pop swallowed and tried again, his voice lower. "Champ. Keep fighting. You did good. Abernathy told me. He told me why you did it. He told me-" Pop's voice broke again. "You've always made me proud. But I've never been prouder than when he told me. Thank you." Pop leaned in to kiss Con's forehead, then pulled back and walked quickly over to the window, his back to them, hand over his eyes.

"What did he tell you Pop?" Jennifer called to her father. He didn't turn. "Pop, what did he do?"

Mama sighed. "Jack...it's okay to be upset. Jack..."

"I'm fine." Pop's voice sounded strange. Strangled. "Jennifer...before you were born, when Conrad was very young, and Vincent was just born, I told him..." Pop took a breath. He leaned down to look out into the darkness; maybe at the parking lot. "I told him that since he was the oldest, he was to always look out for whatever brothers or sisters he had. I didn't realize how much he took that to heart."

"Pop?"

Pop stood straight again, now looking up into the sky. He crossed his arms over his chest. "That weapon was meant for Vincent, Jennifer. Conrad took the blow for him."

Jennifer looked at her father's back, but all she could see were her brothers. Wrestling. Laughing. Con teaching Vince something new. Horseplaying. Fighting. One of those. Always, one of those. Con stalking out of the house, Mama trying to stop him, because Vincent had gotten into it with the little brother of one of the town thugs, and now the thug needed a beating. At least in Con's mind.

"I've brought the blanket you asked for." A kindly older nurse had come in, folded blanket in her hands. "My name is Matthews. I run anything to do with Joes and this one-" She shifted the blanket to one hand to point at Conrad. "This one and I have known each other for a bit." She smiled. "He comes in, he drives the staff crazy, then proves every doctor but Greer a fool and gets right back up and out there again." She took a small folded paper menu from where it rested atop her burden and handed it to Mama, then shook out the blanket and pulled it over Conrad, expertly missing every wire and tube.

"They said it's still iffy." Jennifer helped Mama pull the blanket up to Con's chest.

Matthews snorted. "I'll believe it when I see it." She leaned down to closer to Conrad. "That's right, Hauser, I know you can hear me. The only difference this time is you're still and quiet, and frankly, you and I both know that won't last long." She winked at Jennifer. "He'll be up and playing havoc with every shift 'till they're sick of him. Orderlies, too. Mark my words. Every time." She looked back to Conrad. "Won't you? I bet you're planning it now."

Mama laughed through her tears. "Is he really in here that often?"

Matthews smile was now for her. "Not often. Enough. Not always for anything major. But that man never does anything halfway, be it on the battlefield or in my ward. They don't make men like that much anymore." She came around Jennifer's side of the bed to lightly pat Conrad on the shoulder. "Don't let that go to your head, Hauser."

The room seemed brighter. Seeing the nurse talk to her brother as if nothing was wrong made Jennifer feel just a bit brighter. She could see Drew smiling over the bedspread, and Mama's tears had stopped. Even if it was a small part in the clouds, it let a little sunshine through. But Pop still faced the window, his fingers gripping the frame. Because it was dark outside, Jennifer could see his face reflected in the glass. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut. He was struggling with something. Jennifer didn't want to think about her father being anything but strong and able to handle it all. She looked up at Nurse Matthews. "Have you been talking to him like this since...since he came in?"

"Sure. He never likes to be left alone for long. Probably why he makes such a pain of himself. He can be quite the chatterbox, when he wants to." A gentle hand came to Jennifer's shoulder. Matthew's fingers were long and her skin a bit wrinkled. "Last time he was here, a bit back now, he told me you were accepted into USC. That's an impressive thing."

Jennifer was amazed. "He talked about me?"

"About all of you. Not by name-never by name. He had a terror of someone finding out who you were and going after you. Though telling me where you were going to school was just about as close, I wager. Man doesn't always make sense. I think he was too proud to hold it in."

"Proud?"

Matthew leaned over to check the IV, and then she glanced at a few of the read outs. "Of course he was proud. He was ready to burst. He'd told me a few years back about dropping a wad on a video camera for you for your birthday. Couldn't wait to tell me you'd gotten into school. Said you'd be the next Ford, Lucas or Spielberg. Actually I think the phrase he used was 'blow them out of the water'. Biggest smile I've seen since he wormed his way out of the Cobra Temple."

"Which time?" Drew had come around to their side of the bed.

"All of them combined." Matthews laughed. "And you must be the little badass."

Mama was shocked. "Little..."

Matthews nodded. "That's right, 'badass'."

"Me?" Drew looked down at herself, grinning. "Pop! I'm a badass!"

"I heard. Don't go repeating that too many places." Pop's eye's hadn't opened, but Jennifer saw him chuckle and shake his head. His hand came up to rub at his eyelids.

Drew sat on the edge of Jennifer's chair. "What'd he say about Vince?"

Matthews stopped what she was doing to look down at them both. "He told me your brother would be one of the best officers the Army's ever seen. He was more thrilled with those bars than if he'd gotten them himself."

"He always turned them down." Pop turned around, finally. "Every time, he turned them down. I never understood it."

"There's something to be said for knowing what you're best at, Major. Not everyone does." Matthews picked up the phone. "How about you glance over that menu and pick out some dinner?"

"Will they be open?" Mama unfolded the Chinese menu.

"Twenty four hours, that place."

Jennifer thought about what she would want. Beef with broccoli, maybe. Won tons. "Can we eat in here?"

"Sure!" Matthews leaned down to check something under the bed. "I'll have someone change that soon." She stood. "Go ahead. He's getting his chow through his arm. I'll find some extra paper towels." The nurse glanced around the room. "Let me get you a pitcher of water and a few cups, while I'm at it. Anything else I can do to make this easier?" This was addressed to Mama.

"No, thank you. You've done so much." Mama rubbed Conrad's chest.

"Right. Back in a bit. Go ahead and call out. Dial nine to get an outside line. Tell them to drop it off at reception downstairs for this room number. Someone will bring it up for you. Doc Greer's already left a note on how to pay." Matthews left.

Dishes were chosen, and food ordered. Pop kept his post by the window. Mama alternately held Conrad's hand, stroked his hair or fiddled with his blanket. Drew took Pop's abandoned chair and sat kicking her legs. Jennifer wasn't sure what to do. She didn't want to leave. She wasn't sure she wanted to stay, either. She had no idea what to do or say. Drew's heels thudded against the chair over and over. The ventilator whooshed. The monitors beeped. It was all too much.

"Hey, Drew. Let's walk around for a bit."

Drew sat up. "Can we?"

Mama didn't break away from Conrad's face. "It might be a good idea for you both, a little walk, just for a bit. Dinner will be here soon. Maybe around the floor. Just don't go anywhere it says not to, or anywhere the soldiers tell you to stay away from."

Pop grunted.

"Come on." Jennifer stood and stretched again. Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. Drew jumped down and joined her. As they left, Jennifer took one last look back at her brother and silently wished nothing would go wrong while they weren't there.

They walked a loop around the ward. Jennifer fought the urge to peer into any of the other rooms. Some were lit, some were dark. She heard loud snoring coming from one. Doc was chatting with Matthews at the nurse's station. Both stopped to look as they passed. Doc nodded. Jennifer lead Drew past the waiting room, through the double doors and down the hall. The guards snapped to as they passed, but didn't salute this time. At the end of the hall, Drew stopped and pulled Jennifer down to her mouth.

"I bet they'll do that every time we go by."

"Probably." Jennifer nodded. "They don't have to, you know. It's a show of respect."

"I know." Drew looked back over her shoulder. "I thought of going back to the doors and then back again to make them do it a few times. But I've changed my mind."

Jennifer was glad. The last thing she needed was to push the affability of soldiers. They were going to be here a while, so long as nothing terrible happened, it wouldn't be a good idea for Drew to make their stay a tedium on the men and women charged with watching over the floor.

They passed the elevators and wandered on. A bank of vending machines guarded the next hall. Drew begged for a soda, but Jennifer had no change, so they kept walking. Double doors branched off every so often, signs announcing their purpose. CT room. MRI. X-Ray. Hematology. Another ward, which they decided not to explore. A few examination rooms, then offices, names on plaques next to the closed doors. There were windows all around, and they stopped to look out at the lights of the city.


"Would you ever live in the big city, Con?" Jennifer sipped at her hot chocolate and looked out at St Louis. Every year for as long as she could remember, a day before Christmas Eve, Pop took everyone to the top of the Gateway Arch, claiming the city lights were as good as any. This year he'd cheerfully whistled as he'd packed Mama and the three of them in the car. Jennifer liked to look out both sides.

Her oldest brother glanced down at her, one brow raised. "Nah. Too many people." It was probably the most he'd said to her in some time. He'd been quieter than she remembered since he'd come back-since that big barbecue that went all wrong, but even before then, to be honest. He tended to get lost in thought as he stared off at nothing. He avoided spending too much time with anyone. Or he'd just disappear. Especially at night. He was so different...but he'd been gone so long, she thought maybe she was remembering him wrong.

He was talking to her, and that made her happy. Maybe he was better. She smiled and kept talking. "But everything's so exciting! When I grow up, I want to live in a city. New York. Or Los Angeles! Maybe even Paris!" She stood on tip toe and tried to look down. A few windows over, Vincent was pointing out the tree on top of the Continental Life building.

"Too much noise." Conrad snorted, and walked over to the other side to look away from the city. "Too much fuss. Too many people."

She went to stand next to him. "Some people are nice, Con."

He didn't answer. He just stared out the window. She could see his jaw working. She reached up and slipped her hand in his. She watched his face, hoping he'd look down at her again. He didn't, but his fingers tightened over hers. He sighed.

When they got home, he disappeared again. She waited up with everyone, but eventually Mama sent her to bed. She heard Vincent coming up not long after, but he shook his head angrily when she peeked out to check. She went back to bed and, despite her best attempts to the contrary, fell asleep.

A crash and loud cursing beneath her window woke her. She held her breath, listening to see if Mama or Pop had heard, but there were no sounds of them rousing. She pulled on her robe and slippers and crept downstairs to the front porch-right beneath her window.

Conrad sat on the steps, his elbows on the top stair, legs stretched over the bottom two. Jennifer could see the porch light play over shards of broken glass on the path in front of him. She stepped out on to the porch, letting the door slam behind her. Vincent had learned the hard way not to sneak up on him, she'd seen it happen. Best to let him know you were there.

She stopped two steps behind him.

"Y'scared of me?" He didn't turn. She wasn't sure if he was talking to her or the world in general. "Are ya? Scared? 've me?" His heel kicked at some glass. "Shit." He turned suddenly; blue eyes piercing. "Jenn. Y'scared? Huh?" He turned away again, belching. "Shit. 's right. Fuckin' scare little girls."

She didn't answer. She

was scared, just a little. But she didn't want him to know. Gulping, she crossed the two steps between them and held out her hand. He didn't see it, so she leaned forward just enough that her fingertips, which were quickly getting cold, were even with the tip of his nose. "Come on, Con. It's real late."

He looked at her hand, then followed her arm up to her face. "Wha?"

His breath smelled of liquor. "It's late, Con. It's cold. You gotta go to bed." She moved her hand closer. "'C'mon."

He reached back, twisting around, and carefully enclosed her fingers in his. His big hand swallowed hers. He'd lost his glove somewhere out there in the night. She took a half step back, and Conrad got to his feet. It took some doing. He had to twist and put his free hand down, then shove himself up, grabbing the side of the post and pulling himself shakily to his feet. "'slipped."

"I know. It's icy."

"Yeah." He towered over her now, but hung on to her hand. She took her time leading him back inside, shutting the door behind them. He made it to the couch in the den and flopped down. " Thissis good." Conrad sighed. "'sgood."

"You need to sleep." She pulled a throw from the back of one of the easy chairs and did her best to cover him up. His heavy boots stuck out. She decided to take them off, and crouched at his feet.

" ...Yeah."

The laces were wet and tight, and she couldn't undo the knots. Frustrated, she found herself sniffling, just a bit. She heard a creak, and looked over a shoulder to see Vincent on the stairs. He joined her, and together they got Conrad's boots off. They lined them up next to his feet. Jennifer looked to his face to see if he agreed with how they'd done it. He'd fallen asleep.

"He's got to sleep it off." Vincent frowned. "I guess he's not going anywhere." He was almost two years older, and Jennifer trusted he knew best. "Mama and Pop'r going to let him hear it tomorrow. Let's go back to bed."

Nodding, she followed him to the stairs and up. She stopped on the landing to check that their brother was okay. He was awake. He was watching her. She could feel it.

"Y'fixd it Jenn. Don' cry any more."


"Hey."

Jennifer jumped. She spun to see a man standing behind her wrapped in a light blue robe and slippers. His brown eyes were warm. He had an IV stand next to him, and he was clinging to it with one hand. The smile under his mustache was friendly, kind of warm.

They stared at each other for a minute. Jennifer decided to make the next move. "Hi."

"You're Duke and Falcon's sisters." His voice was rough, but warm. "I don't know your names."

Jennifer waited again, but he didn't say anything more. "I'm Jennifer. This is Drew." She pointed to her sister.

Drew held out her hand boldly. "My codename is 'Rabbit'. What's your handle?"

The man grinned and took Drew's hand. "Bazooka." He blew a bubble, then popped it. "Good to meetcha." He held his hand out to Jennifer.

She took it, letting him shake it gently. "Hi, Bazooka. I guess you got hurt, huh?"

"Naw." He waved it off. "'Twern't nothin'. You came to see Duke."

It wasn't a question, but Jennifer answered it anyway. "Yeah. He's not doing so good."

"Yeah." Bazooka stepped up to the window next to them. "That's tough. Sorry. Betcha you're worried. Are ya?"

It was the first time anyone had actually asked her about it. "Yeah. It's scary. He's always been around." She needed to tell someone. Anyone. And he was the first to bother asking. "I don't want Con to die. I guess I'm supposed to have been ready for it, since he's a soldier and all. But I'm not. I don't want him to die. Please tell me he won't die..." She felt the tears roll down her cheeks. Next to her, Drew sniffled.

Bazooka let go of the IV stand and pulled her into his arms. She found herself sobbing into his robe. He rubbed her back. "It's okay, Jennifer. It's okay to be sad 'n scared. It's right to be... right now."

He held her until the she could stop sobbing. He held her until she collected herself. Then he let her go, patting her shoulder, and turned to Drew. "You're the littlest." He put an arm around her.

"Yeah." She wasn't shy, even though he was a stranger. Drew never was.

It worried Jennifer that Drew seemed so collected. She was young, but not too young to see what had happened. Not too young to understand. But there had not yet been the major breakdown Jennifer expected. Whatever was going on in her head, Bazooka had her now.

"He's your biggest brother." He turned her to the hall. "Grab that stand, yeah?"

Drew grabbed on to the IV stand. Bazooka started walking back to the ward, letting Drew pull his V along with them. "I couldn't sleep. Needed a walk. Glad I ran into you both."

Jennifer caught up with them. "We were just walking around. Someone's bringing food. We just got here a few hours ago." Was it just that? It seemed like days.

"Your folks are in there now." They rounded a corner. "You miss supper? Betcha you're hungry."

"Yeah." Jennifer nodded.

"Yeah!" Drew grabbed on to Bazooka's shoulders. "I got orange chicken. Duke says it isn't Chinese. He speaks Chinese, so he knows, I guess."

"Sure." Bazooka looked back to see that Jennifer was keeping up. "He speaks lots of languages. I like orange chicken. Not the peppers though. Those're hot."

"Me neither. Duke eats them whole. He laughs. Duke's really strong." Drew was going back to the classics. Jennifer shook her head.

"Sure." Bazooka nodded.

"When he wakes up, he's taking me in a Sky Striker."

"Cool!" Bazooka set Drew down outside of the doors to the ward. "Sky Strikers are fun. I like them better than Conquests." He pushed a door open and smiled at Jennifer. "Duke's a good brother?"

"Yes..." Jennifer nodded. "He's a good brother. Not around a lot. But he's good."

"He loves you a lot." Bazooka popped another bubble. "Duke's a good guy." He held the door open. "I gotta go to bed. I'm tired now. Bet your food's here."

Jennifer looked into his warm brown eyes. "He's your field commander..."

"Yeah. He's like my big brother, too." Bazooka held the door for them to pass, and then let it swing shut. " 'Night Jennifer. 'Night, Rabbit. Get some sleep soon, if ya can." He popped a final bubble, grabbed his IV stand and pulled it over to his room.

Nurse Matthews looked up from behind the counter. "There you girls are. Your food's here. Your parents have it inside. Hang on." She came out from behind the nurse's station carrying a small duffle bag. "Here." She held the bag out to Jennifer. "This is Duke's. Scarlett put a few things together for him earlier. We couldn't leave it in his room, that's against policy, but think he'd feel better knowing you had possession of it."

Jennifer accepted the bundle. Scarlett. Con's girlfriend? Lover? Jennifer had hoped to meet her. But then, she was probably the same place Vincent had ended up. The bag was jammed full. Drew grabbed on to the strap and tried to get a better look. "What's in it?"

"Just a few things to make him more comfortable. A book. His shaving kit and toothbrush. Something to wear beyond a hospital gown. Pair of slippers. Things like that." Matthews crossed her arms. "Man hates a hospital gown."

Jennifer nodded, walking with Matthews back to Conrad's room, where Mama and pop were setting out plates and Chinese take out containers. She put the duffle on a chair and unzipped it to see inside. An extra large ziplock bag was on top of everything. She took it out, pulling it open. "What's this?" It looked like folded web gear. She reached in and pulled it out. "Oh." There were large brown stains...