'Lost in the Woods'
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Without A Trace or its characters. I only own the characters that I created.
Author's Note: If anyone is still reading this story, thank you and I also apologize for the very long delay in updating. My old laptop broke in November and I finally got a new one today. So, here's a small piece. Hope to have the next chapter put up in a day or two. Enjoy.
Chapter 9
Jack sat there crying softly as he tightly held Danny's hand in both his own. He couldn't accept that he was going to lose Danny. So, Jack did the only thing that he could and remained by Danny's side as he prayed silently.
Danny's in a dark place but he isn't in pain and he feels no fear. But there is something a bit unsettling about the darkness that surrounds him in this place. In the distance he hears what sounds like crying. He frowns, he doesn't understand–why would someone cry for me, Danny thought. He notices that the voice is filled with pain. Someone is hurting for him, a lot. Danny doesn't want to leave this pain-free place but he somehow knows that he should go to the voice. Suddenly, a white light appears, small at first, and he walks towards it. As he does, the pained voice becomes louder and clearer. He walks through the light and slowly opens his eyes, to find himself in the hospital, causing him to grimace in agony as he was filled with pain once again. He tries to speak but finds it impossible because there's something in his throat.
Danny saw Jack holding his hand and crying and his eyes went wild with terror. He wanted to tell Jack that he was okay but he couldn't. Slowly, he was able to move his fingers as he tried to get Jack's attention.
Jack frowned. He could have sworn that he felt Danny moving his fingers. But that was impossible because Dr. Winters had already told him and the others that Danny was going to die. He felt the pressure again, but stronger this time. He looked up and saw that Danny's eyes were open and that Danny was looking at him.
"Oh, my God! Danny?!" Jack exclaimed hopeful but in complete shock as tears stained his face, causing Jack to let his head fall to Danny's bed as he cried in relief and tightly held Danny's hand in between both his own, when tears escaped Danny's eyes.
As Danny lay in bed, all the memories of what happened during his and Martin's hike in the woods came back to him, like a raging firestorm. He remembered everything and began panicking, especially when he thought of his best friend. Where the hell was Martin? Was he dead? Was he alive? The last time he saw his best friend, Carr was going to execute them both and Martin was covered in blood. Wait a minute, Carr, Danny thought fearfully and his eyes widened in horror as he began struggling to try to move but couldn't.
As Danny panicked, all of the monitors began shrilling violently, causing Jack to immediately see the raw fear in his eyes. But just at that moment, when Jack was going to comfort Danny, a flurry of nurses and doctors rushed into the room.
"You need to leave, Agent Malone." Dr. Winters said urgently and seriously as he began preparing a syringe.
"I'm not going anywhere! I'm not leaving Danny alone! He's scared out of his mind! Look at him!" Jack said furiously as tears stained every crevice of his face and he grabbed a carefully tight hold of Danny's face in his hands.
"Danny, Danny, calm down. Look at me." Jack said fearfully as his hands shook but Danny continued panicking and struggling to get free from the hands that were grabbing at him. "Damn it! I said look at me! Look at me right now before I kick your sorry ass!" Jack said angrily out fear as he tried to get Danny to calm down but Danny looked at him fearfully as tears stained his face and he had a look of sheer terror in his eyes. "Damn it. Calm down, okay. It's me, Jack. I know that you're scared but you're safe, Danny. You're at the hospital. Do you understand me, Danny? You're in the hospital. You're not in those damn woods and we got those sons of bitches, okay. We got them and they can't hurt you anymore." Jack said sternly but caringly and Danny began shaking violently as he tried desperately, with pleading eyes, to ask where his best friend was. "Shhh. Calm down and relax, okay. Martin's not dead, all right and neither are you. You're both here in the ICU but you're improving and soon you'll be out of here. Now, calm your ass down before they give you a sedative." Jack said sternly but with compassionate undertones.
As soon as he heard how harsh Jack was being, Danny knew that he and Martin were really safe. He couldn't believe though. He and Martin were safe and free of those bastards. He didn't have to be afraid anymore. So, Danny did the only thing he could do. He let his body sag in defeat as he stopped struggling to run away. Danny lay there shaking in bed as he silently cried distraught but relieved, causing him to hold on for dear life to Jack's hand when Jack took a hold of it in his hands.
"Agent Taylor, can you hear me? My name is Dr. Greg Winters and I've been treating you since you came in. Can you understand me? I need you to blink once for yes and two for no." Dr. Winters said compassionately and began assessing Danny's silently cry in agony the doctor examined his body. "All right. You rest a few minutes." He said kindly to Danny as Danny shook crying and then turned to Jack. "I need to speak with you outside. Follow me." He said concerned and then looked at his nurse.
"Get him ready. I want a full body MRI, stat." Dr. Winters said seriously and then led Jack outside to the waiting room.
"What the hell happened? We heard alarms and a lot people running inside." Rafi said angrily but fear was clearly evident on his voice.
"Rafi, calm down. Danny's awake." Jack said harshly and then looked at Dr. Winters as everyone gasped in complete shock. "You were saying?" He said seriously.
"Look, I know that you're relieved that Agent Taylor is awake but he is still not out of danger. His health is very critical right now. That's why I'm ordering a full body MRI as well as extensive. I'm certainly hoping for the best but in either case, you should be prepared. Excuse me." Dr. Winters said seriously concerned and then went inside to continue treating Danny.
"How is he, Jack? How's Danny." Jeff said fearfully.
"Well, he's awake but he was disoriented. When he first woke up, Danny panicked and tried getting rid of everything so that he could run away." Jack said with a heavy sigh as he massaged his aching head and neck.
"What?" Sam said fearfully.
"Calm down. He reacted like that because he was scared shitless and thought that he was still in the woods with those freakin' sociopaths. Then, he thought that Martin was dead. But I was able to calm down him. Now, thought, all we can do is wait to see happens with our boys. So, what's going on Martin? Is he awake yet?" Jack said concerned.
"No, he's not awake yet and Dr. London says that he needs another transfusion." Sam said very concerned and tiredly as she sighed heavily and fresh tears escaped her eyes. "He looks horrible, Jack." She softly said sadly.
"All we can do is wait, Sam. There's nothing else we can do." Jack said with exhausted sigh as he held her.
