Bobby Manning sat on the edge of Tara's hospital bed attempting to cheer her up. All she wanted to do was be out of the place and back at work but short of discharging herself and incurring the wrath of the powers that be, there was no way she was going to be able to escape. She was beginning to think that her enforced stay was more down to her fellow Agents than any medical concerns.

"Bobby, it's not fair! If they're going to try and close us down I should be at my desk not here."

"I wish I hadn't told you now." Her companion sighed. "Look," he took her hand in his. "For the hundredth time… You're safer here. We don't want anything more to happen to you. There's no telling what this cowardly drongo still has in store for us."

She was about to put forward another counter-argument when one of the Ward nurses came to the door.

"Excuse me for interrupting but I thought you'd want to know…"

"Know what?" They both asked at the same time and smiled at one another.

"Word just came up from downstairs. I'm sorry but an F.B.I Agent has been shot leaving the hospital… It sounds bad." She disappeared the way she'd come and they stared at each other in disbelief.

"It must be Myles or Jack." Bobby stated softly.

"Or, one of their protection guys" Tara suggested earning herself an 'oh please' look. "What?"

"You're kidding right? Have you seen how much gear they're wearing? Geez, I bet if you had the nerve to check you'd find that their underwear and socks are made of Kevlar!"

Tara laughed despite herself. "Now there's an image I'm never gonna get out of my head."

"Sorry, Tara I need…"

"Go."

"You're not gonna do anything I'll regret are you?"

"I'll be here when you get back. Cross my heart and hope…"

"Don't finish that!" Bobby ordered taking her hand again and giving it a squeeze.

"Go…" she repeated. "You'll come back and let me know?"

"No worries."

o-xxx-o

He ran to the lifts but finding them both in use headed for the stairs to get him to the Trauma Unit. Rushing through the Waiting Room door he practically ko'd Myles who was just leaving. "Thank God, we heard there was an Agent down."

"You mean besides me?" Myles quipped rubbing his right arm. "You heard correctly."

Bobby stepped further into the room and let out a sigh of relief when he saw Jack standing with his back to them. "Who..? How..?"

"I went outside without my vest." Jack stated tonelessly.

"You did what? Geez Sparky, that's a mistake even a rookie wouldn't make! What's wrong with you? You could have been killed!" He was in full flow when Myles touched him on the arm.

"Not now, Bobby."

"What do you mean not now? It was a stupid thing to do. What were you thinking?"

"Bobby!"

The Aussie shook off the arm that was trying to restrain him, grabbed Jack and spun him around, his anger evaporating when he saw the blood covering his friend's clothes. He stared at them in horror. "No! Sparky..?"

Jack followed his gaze. "It's not mine."

"Then who's?" When he didn't reply Bobby turned to Myles. "His protection..?"

Myles shook his head.

"Then who?" he asked again, his frustration growing as he looked from one man to the other.

"Sue…" Jack's voice was barely audible.

"No!" Tears sprung to his eyes but he sniffed them back and flopped down into the nearest chair. "Is she…?"

"They're working on her now," the Harvard man informed him. "But…" He left the sentence unfinished.

"What the hell happened?"

"Jack went to see Ellis' wife with Ted. He took his vest off so he wouldn't scare the kids. The SUV they came back in was armoured so he didn't need it and then, well… he just forgot."

"How did Sue get involved?"

Myles shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't there."

"Sue…" Jack began but stopped again when one of the medical staff entered the room. "Is she..?"

"We have her stabilised for the moment. It was touch and go for a while but they're taking her to theatre now. One thing, Ms Thomas wasn't responsive to any of our questions but we don't think it has anything to do with the gunshot wound. Did she hit her head at all when she fell?"

"You need to be looking at her when you speak." Bobby offered by way of an explanation.

"Ms Thomas is deaf." Myles expanded on his colleague's statement. "But, she can read lips."

As they watched the man breathed a sigh of relief. "In that case I'll tell them they can proceed. We were worried that there might be some kind of brain injury. Could someone come with me to the desk and give me her details?"

"I can do that." Ted Garrett's voice sounded from behind them.

"Thank you. And Sir…" He looked Jack up and down. "I'll see if I can find you something to change into."

"Thanks."

"There's a coffee machine down the corridor. It's probably better if you all stay here and someone will come down to speak to you later. Are there any relatives we can call for Ms Thomas?"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible." Ted stated firmly. "This is an active investigation and is to be kept under wraps."

"Very well, if you'll follow me"

"Of course" Garrett turned back to his Team. "I'll need a detailed report about what happened when I get back and it had better be good."

Bobby got to his feet. "I promised I'd let Tara know what was happening." He followed the Supervisor out of the door.

o-xxx-o