CJ popped her head around the door and gulped at the sight of his familiar, missed face, bruises yellow, almost healed. She stepped inside.
He slept, freeing her to stare. He had scars on his face, shoulder and chest, some surgical, others not at all, and dressings covering up god-knows what else. His leg was in a cast, almost to his hip.
She took a deep breath, reigning in her emotions. Of course she cared for him – who'd she'd ever been kidding?
She sat in the chair by his bed. It creaked.
He shifted, wincing, and then woke.
She held her breath, wanting to apologise for waking but still hoping he'd not see her and go back to sleep.
He didn't see her, but he was awake, pressing a button that, she guessed, administered him a significant dose of pain medication.
"I'm sorry I woke you." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You didn't." he answered, then turned and saw that, not nurse or Donna, but someone else entirely was visiting him. "CJ."
"Hi Danny."
"Shouldn't you be stabilizing the peace at that crazy summit?"
"We finished yesterday – or, actually, I'm not sure what day it is."
"Finished?"
"They agreed."
"Wow, well done."
"I'll pass that on."
He shook his head, "By the time you get back they'll have messed up something else, or heaven forbid, the same thing. Don't worry about it." He grinned.
She smiled at this small return to normalcy. "How you doing?"
"Getting there."
She nodded.
He held out his hand and she took it, "I'm okay, you know? Crisis averted."
"Yeah."
"Was a bit scary for a minute there, but…"
"It was."
"They agreed?" He jumped back the previous topic. "I mean, I like the guy, I probably even voted for him but I didn't realise he was a miracle worker."
"There's usually more of a story, apparently, in all the stuff we screw up."
"This is true."
CJ stifled a yawn.
"You just get off a plane?"
She nodded.
"You came straight here?"
"No, I was visiting – you know always wanted to see Germany – and thought it'd be rude not to pop in."
"I'm not complaining."
"Just don't get too carried away reading into it."
"They've got me on some pretty mean drugs. I'll be doing well to remember it. Tomorrow I'll think, that was a nice dream, God, let that one be the recurring one."
"You're having recurring dreams?"
"Pretty standard post-trauma."
She nodded, trying to keep concern from flooding her every feature. "Tell you what, I'll be recurring for a few days."
"They can cope without you."
"They'll live."
"I must look pretty bad."
"I can tell at a glance it wasn't a bar fight."
"Yeah, but you're a pretty smart one."
"Enough with the flattery."
"What? One comment?"
"Plus the nice dream bit."
He shrugged, "I'm pleasantly surprised, what were you expecting?"
She thought about it, "Not sure really. Coming her was kind of a gut reaction. Not particularly thought out… Some level of lingering resentment for never really giving you a chance?"
"I never resented you, CJ. You had your reasons."
"Yeah, so you got a pretty great room here."
"For a hospital."
"How long are you expecting to stay?"
"Another three or so weeks. At which point they pop me in a taxi and send me to the loony bin."
"It it cause you need machines?"
"No, they just don't want me on my own."
"Oh"
"It's amazing how many things are more difficult for the sake of a couple of broken bones."
"What's this for?"
"Chest drain. You don't want to know."
"Your lung collapsed?"
"Both of them. Double whammy."
She gritted her teeth, pressing her tongue to the roof of her mouth, willing herself to keep her composure.
"It's pretty well healed now. Due to come out in a couple of days."
"Could you fly? I mean if you had a place to stay, could you..?"
"I think so, but you can't do that."
"Why not?"
"You're never home for starters."
"True."
"It's a nice idea."
"You're right." She thought a minute, "Can't you hire someone?"
"I guess so. Hadn't really thought about it, not having a home right now and all."
"Where were you?"
"Before Gaza? In Nairobi."
"Where were you headed?"
"Wherever the story took me."
She nodded slowly, "How long are you taking off work?"
"I've been on some heavy meds, CJ, I haven't really thought about any of this."
"Sorry, well, offer stands. You can stay with me, hire a nurse, whatever you need. Don't want you going mad – too many reporters already are."
"You want me back in DC for the state of my sanity?"
She smiled,
"You want me back in DC."
"For the record, I never wanted you to leave. I mean… not that I wanted you to never leave or anything but-"
"Can't have too much of a good thing."
She shook her head.
"Thank you." He said.
"What for?"
"It's a very good offer."
"You'd better take it before I change my mind."
He smiled, laughing at her silently, then nodded.
An nurse entered, greeting her patient like an old friend – of course he'd charmed the nurses, just like he'd charmed her staff, especially Carol, and if she was honest he'd not stopped there.
"I'll leave you to it." CJ stood to leave.
"Hey," he grabbed her hand before she got away. "Thank you." He spoke seriously.
She smiled, squeezed his hand and left.
"When will I be up to flying?" Danny asked the Nurse.
CJ stepped out the hospital front door and turned on her phone. 37 missed calls. Josh's name came up first so she called him.
"Oh thank god, where have you been?" Josh didn't bother with the customary 'hello'.
"Inside the hospital."
"He okay?"
"Not really. He'll live. What's up?"
"You're going to need to come back."
"Out with it, Josh."
He sighed, "Leo is, ah, he had a heart attack. He's alive, just not doing so well. Not conscious yet."
CJ had stopped walking in the middle of the footpath at the words 'heart attack'. Someone bumped into her and she got out of their way.
"Is Mallory there?"
"Yeah. We're all camped out at the hospital. It's only been a few hours… okay twelve."
"Alright, I'm on a plane as soon as I can get one."
She hung up and called Carol to book her a flight, turned off her phone and went back inside the hospital.