Sam awoke with a start, a single gunshot causing her to stir. She grasped blindly for her sidearm, which was no where to be found.

"Hey, hey…it's alright," she heard, unable to make out who the voice belonged to for a moment.

Sam hadn't realized she'd been lying down, and instinctively tried to sit up, which she regretted at once.

"You're in the hospital. You're fine now."

Now her vision had cleared. That was Marcus sitting at her bedside. Sam put a hand to her forehead. The room was spinning.

"How long was I—"

Oh no.

"Baird's here too. He's alive."

Marcus must have seen how Sam's face had gone slack. The brunette let out a breath, obviously relieved. But that didn't last long. Marcus's face; she knew something wasn't right.

"Marcus, how…how is he?" The man seemed to hesitate to reply. Sam sat up straighter, ignoring the pain the action caused her.

"Marcus, please…"

"He started coughing up blood," Marcus stated, expression completely blank, voice low. "They moved him to Intensive Care."

The sergeant's harsh features seemed to soften ever so slightly at Sam's reaction to his words. There was pity in his eyes.

"They've got him on a series of breathing treatments, along with some painkillers, so he can't feel much," he added, trying to sound hopeful. Sam's watery eyes told him he fell short. "He's in good hands Sam." Marcus placed his palm over her hand. Her skin was like ice.

"Sam—"

"I want to see him," Sam was already getting out of bed, unaware of the IV inserted into her wrist. Marcus stopped her from pulling it out.

"Sam, listen,"

"I want to see him!" she cried, weakly pushing at Marcus' hand on her arm. A nurse came running.

"Please, please let me…I need to seem him," Sam begged, tears welling up in her desperate eyes. Marcus relaxed his hold on her.

"Can you walk?" he asked calmly. Sam nodded vigorously. By now one the nurses has burst into the room, eyes darting over to Sam and Marcus.

"She's fine," Marcus stated dismissively, without even looking up as he removed the IV from the woman's arm. The young man in blue scrubs seemed to take the hint in the sergeant's gruff tone, and turned back out the door with a swift nod.

"Come on," Marcus gestured for Sam to take his hand. She did, and was grateful for the extra support the moment her feet touched the floor.

God, why was she so dizzy?

"He's not far. Don't expect him to be awake though."

Marcus led the way, exiting the small hospital room at a slower than normal pace with Sam close in tow, still holding his hand like a small child. For some reason, the contact between them wasn't awkward at all though. Sam knew that she and Marcus were like brother and sister; their dynamic was completely platonic, and nothing more. Still, she was extremely grateful for his help. Marcus could be kind of sweet when he wanted to; the thought almost made Sam smile.

After what seemed like hours, the pair finally reached the ICU. Sam observed right away how much more quiet it was here than in the emergency room. The hubbub of doctors and nurses and patients constantly moving from place to place was significantly decreased. Sam couldn't help but think that that was because most of the patients on this floor were immobile. She held Marcus' hand a bit tighter, and he responded with a gentle squeeze of her own hand.

"Here," he grunted, coming to a stop in front of room 34 B.

Sam stared at the Sharpie pen-scrawled label on the door, unable to shake the images of Baird lying in the snow, half frozen, half dead in her arms.

"Sam, just…," Marcus began slowly, as if pondering something safe to say.

"I know," Sam whispered back. He didn't have to say anymore. Marcus nodded once.

"I'll wait out here."

"Thanks Marcus," she mustered quietly, tears springing to her eyes again. She really didn't want Marcus to leave; it was like she was afraid to enter that room by herself. She was afraid of what she'd find.

"Of course Sam." Marcus once again could almost sense her feelings of dread and gave her a reassuring touch on the bicep.

"Everything's going to work it's self out, ok?" Sam nodded. With that, Marcus turned the corner, and was gone.