Chapter Seven – By Your Side

"I think she's got the wrong idea about us," Annie said with a cagey smile as she and Nick walked outside.

Nick chuckled. "You think so?" he asked enigmatically with a twinkle in his eyes.

Annie shrugged mischievously, a little unsure of what he meant.

They walked in silence the last few steps to the rotunda and sat down next to each other with only the basket in between.

"So, how are you?" the young mechanic asked softly as he handed her a large sandwich. "I heard you assisted at the operation. It must have been tough."

"I didn't do much," she answered hollowly. "But you're right, I didn't sleep at all when I got home. I kept seeing him every time I closed my eyes."

"Will he be all right?" Nick finally managed.

Annie sighed. "I don't know," she returned truthfully, her voice quivering slightly.

Nick gently placed a hand around her shoulder to comfort her.

"He's pulled through the operation and he's improving but-"

"Then he will be all right," Nick assured her.

"I hate this, Nick," Annie admitted. "I know they said we had to be professional in every way at every time at the academy but that's easy to say. Gerry is a colleague, he's someone I talk to everyday, not just some patient I see once or twice a year at a clinic run."

"I'm sure you can do it," Nick encouraged kindly.

"This is what I dreaded coming out here, everyone is so close. We're like one big family," she reasoned. "This would never have happened if I'd stayed at the hospital in Broken Hill."

"Did you want that?" Nick asked curiously.

"No," she whispered. "Not really."

OOOOOO

David led her to Tom's office, at the hospital, and knocked on the door before popping his head in to find the older doctor going through his file cabinet. "Tom, there's someone here to see you."

"Sure, come in," he offered.

David nodded at Gina and held up the door for her. "This is Doctor Callaghan," he offered warmly.

The doctor nodded.

"Tom, this is Gina O'Neill," David introduced and then turned to leave.

"Thanks," Gina said appreciatively as she watched him walk down the length of the corridor and disappear around the corner.

"Miss O'Neill," Tom began seriously. "I'm the doctor who called you yesterday afternoon."

"Where's Gerry?" Gina managed with forced politeness.

Tom studied her for a moment. "As I mentioned on the phone your brother had an accident. I will not lie to you. His condition is serious but stable for the moment."

Gina let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and swallowed. "Will he-" she began but couldn't bear to even mouth the words and steeled herself, afraid of the answer to the question.

Tom gave her a soft and reassuring smile as he walked over to her. "Gerry is tough and he's holding on. The most critical period has passed and if there aren't any unforeseen complications I see no reason for him not to make a full recovery.

Gina gave him a hesitant and uncertain smile. "Do you think he would want to see me?" she asked carefully.

He frowned at the question but he didn't enquire further what she meant, thinking it wasn't his business. "I'm afraid he isn't very talkative at the moment but it certainly won't hurt him to see a friendly face," he suggested.

Gina saddened at the last couple of words, her smile vanishing for a moment, and she looked almost ashamed.

"Is something wrong?" Tom asked gently.

Gina shook her head and the smile came back but it was forced and unconvincing. "No, I haven't seen him in a long time that's all," she explained.

The doctor seemed satisfied with the answer and nodded at her to follow him. "I must warn you though, Miss O'Neill-"

"Gina," she interrupted him. "Please, call me Gina."

"Very well, Gina," Tom replied as they walked over to the ward and the cubicle where the pilot lay. "Your brother's had quite extensive surgery and a rather rough night. Don't be afraid when you see him."

Gina swallowed as Tom gently drew the curtain aside to let her in. Despite the good doctor's assurances she couldn't help but to gasp. Gathering herself she moved up to her brother's bedside and reached out with her hand to trail his face with her manicured fingers.

"Remember, just a short moment," Tom said kindly as he turned away to leave them alone.

Gina glanced over her shoulder as the dark haired man closed the curtain behind him. Tired and weary from shock she sat down next to her brother and took his hand. She grimaced at clammy skin and the slackness of the fingers as she intertwined them with hers. At first glance he looked dead, his complexion too pale for someone alive and his hair seemed damp and ruffled on the pillow.

"Get well now big brother," she whispered, her voice so full of worry and anxiety that it hurt to speak. "I need you."

OOOOOO

"Vic!" Tom said he walked into the pub. "Do you have a room for the next couple of nights?"

The bar and hotel owner nodded jovially as he retrieved the ledger from underneath the counter. "For the good-looking woman that David found outside the base?" he drawled.

Tom harrumphed and scratched the back of his neck. "I see the jungle telegraph has already spoken," he returned sarcastically.

"I suppose one could have worked it out," Vic mused. "I mean Gerry, he's popular among the women, good-looking and all. Of course his sister would be-"

Nancy gracefully stomped on his toe and gave him a murderous look as she walked up from behind.

"That hurt," he complained.

"Serves you right, Vic Buckley," she returned unamused and focused her attention on the doctor. "Tom, of course we have. I'll make sure the room is ready for her when she arrives. The poor thing, she must be tired and worried."

"Yeah," he mused unconvincingly. "Look, I'll better head back to the hospital."

"Don't you want some lunch?" Nancy asked sweetly.

He waved at her lazily. "Later Nancy," he said.

Vic huffed. "Later is dinner. You keep skipping meals and we're going to be broke, doc."

"Don't mind that old mung roe," Nancy said. "See you later."

David pushed away his empty plate and gently wiped his mouth with the napkin. "Tom," he said as he rose from the table. "How did she take the news?"

He sighed as he glanced around the table at Nick, the mail plane pilot and Kate. "There is something…" he trailed off as David excused himself from the table and headed outside with his colleague.

"I can't put my finger on it but there is something that doesn't seem right," Tom said truthfully.

OOOOOO

"Good, there you are," Clare said as Geoff and Kate walked through the door to the base. "Head office has been trying to contact you about your request for a relief pilot."

"That's great news," he said in appreciation. "What did they say?"

"Basically that there are none available on such a short notice," she explained apologetically.

He sighed in frustration. "What do they expect-"

"Geoff," Kate admonished.

He sighed and spared his wife an annoyed glance. "We have clinics planned, transfers patients, we can't just cancel everything we've planned for the next few weeks."

"Calm down, honey," Kate said softly. "Why don't you give the head office a call and then we can take a look at the schedule and see what can be easily solved without an aircraft and what will have to be postponed?"

"Is there a way to get the Nomad back here at least?" Geoff asked sarcastically. "We can't have equipment worth a small fortune standing on an unguarded strip."

"At the moment I think Father Jacko is out there," Kate added smartly. "He's got connections with the good guy."

"Flying has never been his strong side, not what I've seen. I hope he hasn't crashed into the Nomad," he whined wearily.

Kate gently patted him on the back and pushed him toward his office. "Woke up on the wrong side," she mouthed at Clare with an amused smile.

OOOOOO

Nancy broke into a soft grin as the door opened to reveal the young woman who was the current talk of the town.

Gina O'Neill walked up to the bar, her high heels clicking on the vinyl flooring. She carried a bag over her thin shoulder that looked like it was on the verge to break her back any second.

"Hello, dear," Nancy greeted cheerfully. "We have a room ready for you."

"Thanks," she said with a curt nod.

Vic produced the old ledger and handed her a pen so that she could register. As Gina picked it up he couldn't help but to take notice of her manicured nails and the golden ring on her index finger.

She quickly signed it and nodded toward the stair. "Can I go up?" she asked.

"Sure," Vic said jovially and made to move around the counter. "I'll show you. Let me take that thing for you. It looks to me like you're going to be broken in two."

"Don't you want some food, love?" Nancy asked.

"Not at the moment, thank you," Gina returned, her voice reserved.

As she moved away several of the ranch hands at the pool table whistled in appreciation.

"Cut it out would you!" Nancy hollered at them in annoyance.

OOOOOO

He was restless and unsettled. He was aching in various places and he heard a faint murmur of voices in the room with him. Confused he tried to shake off the feeling of being watched yet he had no idea where he was. Awareness came to him gradually along with the faint beeping of machines around him and the smell of disinfectants. Then it came crashing over him in terms of bits and pieces of conversations, of shouting and hands on his chest, blood and excruciating pain.

"Gerry," a voice said sternly.

The machines around him started to beep more rapidly along with his elevated heartbeat and shallow breaths.

"Gerry," the voice called again. "Gerry, its Geoff. It's all right mate but you have to calm down."

The haze cleared around his brain and he tiredly blinked heavy eyelids open for the first time in two days.

The doctor and colleague smiled down at him. "That's better," he said kindly. "Welcome back!"

The pilot made a face as Kate walked into the room and smiled happily. "You look awfully cheerful," he mumbled suspiciously, his voice no more than a whisper. "Have I been causing trouble?"

"Painkiller?" Kate offered, seeing the tight expression on his face.

"Yes, please," the pilot returned a little too quickly for the others liking.

Geoff and Kate shared a look of concern.

"You had us worried there for a while," the doctor finally let on cryptically. "You're lucky to be alive."

Gerry made a face. "If this is lucky I don't want to know how unlucky feels," he whined miserably.

Kate chuckled. "It's good to have you back," she said. "There's someone-"

"Do you remember what happened?" Geoff asked and effectively cut Kate off.

The pilot nodded faintly. "I'll remember never to enter an old dilapidated building," he whispered.

Geoff smirked. "Yeah," he said. "Look, mate, we had to do a bit of surgery on you."

Gerry fought to keep his eyes open. "I hope you haven't rearranged too much," he said in a tight clipped voice.

"It'll soon get better," Kate assured him warmly.

"I'll fill you in tomorrow, go back to sleep, Gerry." Geoff said.

However the last few words was wasted upon the tired pilot who'd already closed his eyes and settled into a slumber.

Kate glared at her husband as they walked out of the cubicle. "Why didn't you let me tell him that his sister is here?" she asked.

"One thing at a time, Kate," the doctor cautioned.

"But it is his sister?" the nurse persisted.

Geoff nodded. "And it was you who was confused two days ago when you found out that he even had one. I had a word with Tom this morning and I don't think-"

"You never told anyone about your brother either," Kate interrupted him in annoyance. "He just appeared on our doorstep."

"Yeah and if Gerry will be just as confused about his sister staying here as I was when Barry appeared then I'd like to spare him that for the time being," he reasoned darkly.

OOOOOO

To be continued