Okay... This chapter was a little more difficult to come up with. I hope that everyone enjoys it. Let my know if I went down the wrong path.

Disclaimer: The story is mine. The characters belong to JE.


Scene Change St. Frances Hospital Approx. 3P.M. Saturday

Cal's POV

Okay. So, I've been awake now for a few minutes. I've come to the conclusion that I'm in a hospital. I can't move and I can't open my eyes yet. There is a hideous beeping in my right ear and a tube down my throat. Yep. I'm in a hospital. This isn't last thing that I can remember is talking with Hal. Hal! God, I hope he's in better shape then I am.

Hold the phone! Is someone holding my hand? It feels like someone is massaging my hand. Yep! There's someone there alright. It's gotta be Stephanie. My Angel. She's the only one that would be here right now. She's the only one that I want here right now. Maybe I can get her attention. Maybe, if I squeeze her hand a little, she'll be able to see that I'm awake and get this damn tube out of my mouth. With the tube out of my mouth, I can finally kiss her. That's a good plan. Okay. Here we go. Hand... Squeeze Stephanie's hand!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! CAL! YOU GOTTA LET GO!"

Why is Steph screaming? What's going on, Angel? Who's hurting you?

"TANK! HELP!"

Oh God! This room is too bright. I think I need to rest my eyes a little longer.

"STEPH?"

Tank! Buddy!

"He's awake! But, I think he's breaking my hand! He won't let go!"

What in the hell is Steph talking about? Who's breaking my Angel's hand? I'll kill them!

"Here! Let my try to get you loose."

Why are you pulling away Steph?

"Thank God! Grab a towel out of the bathroom. Damn It! There's blood everywhere!"

Who's bleeding? That's it! I'm gonna try to open my eyes again. There she is! Stephanie.

"Hey, Handsome," Stephanie said as she looked down at me. "Welcome back. Tank's gonna go find the doctor so that they can take that tube out. Just hang on."

"Here Steph. Welcome back, Tough Guy," Tank said with a big smile.

"Mmmmrph," That didn't come out right.

"I definitely think that it's broken," Steph said looking down at something that I couldn't see. She looked up at Tank. "Tank. Doctor."

"Sorry, Steph," Tank said and walked away out of my sight.

"You scared the crap out me," Steph said looking down at me with a smile. Tears were still rolling down her cheeks.

Why is she crying? I can't bare to see my Angel crying.

"Hey Steph. The big guy finally woke up?"

Who's this guy? Hold on. Scrubs. White coat. Doctor. My brain is starting to work again. This is good.

"Cal? My name is Doctor Hulbert. I'm going to take this tube out of your throat," The man said as he walked up to me. "It might hurt and you won't be able to talk for a little bit. Steph will help you drink some water and you should get your voice back soon."

Then I'll finally be able to tell her that I love her. Hurry up, my good doctor!

"Steph, what did you do to your hand?" the doctor said as he turned to look at Steph.

"Cal got a little excited when he started to wake up. I'll get it checked out after we get him situated," Steph said as she held up her hand and examined it. Her hand had a towel wrapped around it. "I think that it looks worse then it really is."

"Mmmmmmrph." Again. Not what I was aiming for. Angel. Why is there a towel wrapped around your hand?

"Okay," The doctor said looking down at me. "I think that you're ready to get that tube out. On a count of three, I want you to take a deep breath in and blow it out. One... Two... Three... Blow out Cal."

Jesus! Did he pull my throat out with the tube?

"Let's get him up a little bit," Steph said as she raised the head of my bed. "Here's some water, Sweetie. Drink slowly."

My lord! That's some cold water. It feels wonderful. My throat feels like sand paper.

"Steph," Tank said walking back in the room. "I'll sit with Cal. You really need to get your hand looked at."

"Steph," I whispered.

"Save your voice, Big Guy," Steph said as she pushed my hair off of my forehead and smiled at me. Then she lifted up her hand. The towel had some blood seeping through. "You're too strong for your own good. I think that you broke a few bones in my hand when you were trying to get my attention. I'm going to get someone to take a look at it. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Call Ranger," Tank said from at chair at the end of my bed. "Let him know that Cal's awake and that he broke your hand. He'll get a kick out of that."

"I'm sure that he will," Staph said with a laugh. I love that laugh. Then she turned back to me. "I'll be back soon. Just rest for a bit."

Then she did it. She leaned forward and kissed me. It was light and soft. I reached up and touched her soft curls. She slowly pulled back and smiled at me. I want more. Damn It!

"Take good care of him, Tank," Steph said and then left the room.

"She's been a basket case for the last twenty-eight hours, Cal," Tank said with a huge grin. "She's in love. She didn't freak out this much when Ranger got shot in her apartment. She actually fainted in Pino's when they told her that you had been shot. She yeld at Ranger. Ranger! Can you believe it?"

She's in love with me? Me? Thank God!

"Cal," Tank said bringing me back.

I think that the painkillers are still affecting me.

Tank smiled a little and shook his head. "Wipe that stupid grin off your face. You're still going to have to convince her that you won't break her heart like Morelli and Ranger did."

"Her heart wasn't broken," I whispered after I took a big drink of water. Still some sand paper in there. "She walked away."

"Yeah," Tank agreed. "But, there was still damage done. She loved two men with everything that she had and both relationships were failures. That still had to hurt her even if she didn't let any of us see it."

"I saw it," I whispered as I looked into my empty cup. "Can I have more water?"

"Sure," Tank said as he stood. "There's a really hot nurse at the nurse's station."

"I'll tell Lula," I whispered with a menacing grin.

"No, you won't," Tank said with an equally menacing grin. "She'll shoot you for being the messanger."

On that deflating note, Tank walked out the door and Junior walked in. Junior walked over to the now vacant chair and propped his feet up on the end of my bed. He sat there and took in the sight of me.

"You look like hell," Junior said as an easy smile spread across his lips. "Taking a few bullets doesn't agree with you."

"Hal?" I asked with a whisper.

"Driving the nurses crazy up stairs. He'll be fine. Took one in the shoulder and one in the leg. Both through and through. A little physical therapy and he'll be good as new."

"What happened?"

"Ribisi used your Bronco as target practice. Don't you remember?"

"No," I whispered as I looked back down at my empty cup.

As if on cue, Tank walked back in the room with four large cups. He handed one to Junior, one to me, kept one for himself, and put the last one on a table next to my bed.

"I brought you a back up," Tank said with a smile. "You can drink as much as you want and not have to worry since they put that tube up your penis."

Yikes!

"Damn, Tank. Tact," Junior said with a laugh. "It's bad enough that the man can't remember taking two to the chest. You don't have to piont out the down side to being in the hospital. You're supose to piont out the upsides. Like having Bomber at his side until he gets out."

"Shit! You don't remember what happened?" Tank asked me.

"Not a thing," I whispered after I took another drink.

Both of the guys broke out in a roar of laughter. I love these guys.