Well, the Uncharted bug is biting again... and I have a bit of an obsession with a new couple. I really wanted to hear more about Cutter and how he was doing after breaking his leg, even if it was just a brief update on his injury. So, I decided to write a little snippet with he and Chloe in the hospital. I have a couple more little scenes planned, so this might be handful of chapters in which they become closer throughout his whole ordeal. In any case, this is something new to me so I hope I did them justice.

Oh, and reviews are greatly appreciated. I won't be uploading any more unless I know that people actually want to see more.

Cutter had made it to the nearest hospital without passing out... as well as remaining alert through a series of x-rays and examinations. Chloe was impressed, given the fact that his leg had snapped like a twig during their most recent excursion in Syria. Then again, she supposed that his pain tolerance was higher than most.

"Bollocks, where on earth are they going to stick that?"

Or perhaps not.

"Jesus, Charlie," Chloe said from her spot beside his bed. With Nate and Sully off to continue their quest, it was solely up to her to keep him from punching any of the medical staff. She was ashamed to admit that there had been a few close calls already. "Your leg is in shambles and you're concerned about a little shot?"

"I don't like needles," he hissed through gritted teeth.

"Come on now, be a good lad and stay still."

Despite the fact that she was trying to be a source of comfort, Charlie was glaring daggers at her. She had no intention of disregarding his pain, as she knew that he'd been through a lot over the course of the last few hours...but the sooner he was properly drugged up, the better off they'd both be.

Charlie was currently propped with his weight on his good side, squirming miserably as he tried to make himself comfortable while the nurse was poking and prodding at him. It looked to be proving difficult, seeing as his leg was in a splint and he was wearing a rather awkward hospital gown. It seemed a bit too small for his muscular stature in Chloe's opinion and yet somehow still managed to cover all of the necessary bits.

Well, that was, until the nurse brandishing a syringe proceeded to jab the needle into his backside. Charlie issued a groan, muttering under his breath... and Chloe couldn't help but wince at his misfortune. Not only did it look painful, but the nurses didn't seem to care much for patient modesty.

"Alright, there you go, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Chloe said once the nurse was finished, but it only earned her another glare. His face had turned quite red from what she presumed to be anger more than embarrassment.

"Oh, yeah, that felt fantastic."

She smoothed the hospital gown back over his hips while the nurse exited the room, leaving the two of them alone for the time being. With any luck, the doctor would arrive soon with the x-ray results. Although Chloe was curious as to how badly his leg was broken, she mostly just wanted Charlie to be out of pain.

"You do realize that you're going to be blitzed from that, right?" An attempt at lightening the mood seemed to be in order as she helped him get situated once again. "They just pumped you with enough medication to knock out a horse. Maybe even two."

"Can't be any worse than that shit Talbot got his hands on," Charlie grumbled. "At least I won't try to kill someone this time." And just like that, the mood was dreary again. Well, so much for that idea.

The fact that he'd nearly choked Nate to death seemed to weigh heavily upon him. Chloe knew that it was beyond his control, but even she couldn't deny that it was one of the most disturbing things she'd ever seen during her time in the fortune hunting business. Mythological curses and war-torn countries were one thing... but to see two of her best mates nearly killing each other... well, it was enough to send chills down her spine. In all honesty, she thought that Nate was done for, and she couldn't have asked for a better outcome. If she hadn't brought Charlie back to the light, she had no doubt that Sully would have shot him down in order to save Nate... and that was something that she wouldn't have been able to live with.

Chloe began pacing back and forth next to Charlie's bed, wishing she could help ease his troubled mind. Distraction was something she considered herself quite good at. However, her usual tactics of explosions and taking her top off didn't seem entirely appropriate.

Charlie's brow furrowed as a few beats of silence passed, and she could practically see his thoughts unfolding before he voiced them.

"Hey, do you think Nate will—?"

"Nate will be fine. You have his word, and we both know that's not something he takes lightly."

"True. I just wish I coulda kept 'im outta trouble. Bastard leg..."

"Feeling any better?" She drummed her fingertips against the rail of the bed, raising an eyebrow. The drugs should be kicking in any second, now.

"Actually, I don't feel anythi— oh, wait, there it is. Ah, that's nice."

He breathed in a shaky sigh and allowed himself to settle against the pillows propped behind him. If she wasn't mistaken, his eyes were beginning to look a bit glazed. Charlie seemed content for a grand total of 10 seconds before he was upright again. If it were up to her, she'd just have him sedated.

"I swear to God," he continued, hands clenching into fists, "if I ever see Talbot again, I'll snap his nancy boy neck. And I'll burn Marlowe properly like the witch that she is..."

"Don't jump the gun just yet, mate," she said, patting his hand. "We need to get you patched up first. Try to relax."

"Righ', just let me get on that while I'm stuck here in a hospital and wearing a sodding dress when I could be makin' myself useful."

"As far as the dress goes, I think it suits you quite nicely. Shows off your bum." She couldn't help but smirk, and again her wry sense of humor seemed to go unappreciated. Charlie was not in the mood for jokes. "But you heard them yourself, Nate and Sully just want you to get back on your feet. We're all thankful you're alive."

"Well, excuse me for not jumping for joy," he huffed. He began staring at the far wall of the room rather than looking her in the eye, arms crossed over his chest. So she was going to get the silent treatment, eh? Wonderful. She pondered for a moment why men acted so childish when sick or injured. In her experience, it was always the case. Maybe she should just leave him be for a while, and give him a bit of room to breathe.

"Charlie..." A frown etched lines into her face, but before she could say anything further, the doctor came in to meet them.

The ensuing conversation heralded both good and bad news. On the positive side, Charlie's broken leg was fully expected to heal without surgery, once it was set. But his injury would still require a cast, and he'd be on the mend for a good couple of months, or longer. All in all, he had a long road of recovery ahead of him.

By the end of the doctor's prognosis, Charlie's face had gone quite bloodless. His palm came to rest upon his forehead but he waited until the man was out of the room again before letting the obscenities spew forth.

"Shit! Three months? How am I going to do this? Bollocks!"

"Hey, just... calm down, alright?"

Charlie had a way of becoming irrational when he was upset, just like when he'd insisted that he stay behind and gun everyone down after breaking his leg... even when they had more than enough people to carry him to safety. She wondered if she could defuse him.

"When I get my hands on them..."

"Charlie, calm down."

"... I'll wring their bloody necks..."

"Charlie..."

"...and then I'll throw them off a tower!"

"For God's sake will you just listen to me?"

Perched on the edge of his bed, Chloe leaned in and placed both of her hands on either side of his face, recalling how it had worked when he was under the effects of Talbot's drug. For a brief moment she felt quite silly, but then she saw in an instant how he seemed to calm at her touch. Charlie's blue eyes were searching hers, still remarkably clear despite looking a bit glassy from the effects of the pain relievers.

"You're being an ass," she said, playful yet honest, and she watched as his features softened. "Let's just take it one step at a time, okay? I promise, you're not alone in this."

Her palm lightly grazed the stubble upon his cheek before pulling away. For the first time since breaking his leg, Chloe felt like he was actually seeing her. He gave a great sigh, and his demeanor seemed to deflate back to his regular self. Now that was the Charlie she knew.

"I suppose thoughts of revenge are a bit... premature." Charlie smiled sheepishly, and Chloe wrinkled her nose.

"Just a tad."

"Damn it. I'm sorry I signed you up for this, darling. You deserve better."

"I kind of volunteered, didn't I?"

"Not for three months of this," he scoffed. "You've got your work cut out for ya."

"Hey," she smiled. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now let's just work on getting you fixed up."

"Alright, I think I can agree to that."

"Good." She allowed herself to plant a kiss upon his cheek, and the lopsided grin upon Charlie's face filled her with a strange sense of pride. Even when they were alone together at The Citadel, he hadn't looked at her like that. She blamed it on the medication.

Soon, he looked as if he was going to drift off to sleep at any given moment... again, the effects of the pain relievers. Charlie didn't even seem able to fight it off this time. She sat beside him on the bed, watching with amusement as he fought against sleep and eventually lost. She took solace in the fact that he'd be able to rest for a while after such a stressful day.

Of course, Chloe wouldn't deceive herself into believing that the next few weeks, or even the next few hours, would be easy or without its obstacles... but she'd do her absolute best in keeping Charlie's spirits up. She owed him that. Just like any journey, with a little patience, and a little optimism, she was sure that they'd get through it... together.