Chapter 10

"How are you feeling?" Brandt asked as they just finished lifting Benji onto the bed again; Benji did cry out every now and then when someone would lay their hand on his ribs or other bruised parts of his body.

"Never better." Benji replied getting comfortable.

"Well, Thank God you are ok." Luther said examining Benji's wounds once again.

A few moments had past of them just standing around when Ethan spoke up. "Hey, Brandt, Luther would you mind going to get Benji more water and some food that he can easily eat?"

Brandt and Luther headed out without saying a word and it looked like Benji wanted to protest but Ethan gave him no time to do so. Once Luther and Brandt were out of the room Ethan turned back around to Benji who sat there and watch Ethan with his puppy eyes and that saddened baby face.

"Benji..." Ethan tried to find the right words he wanted to say. "I'm sorry. I should have been there."

"Ethan, all of this is not your fault. You do know that don't you?"

Ethan was silent and that's when Benji realized that Ethan did blame himself for what happened.

"Ethan, its wasn't your fault and I don't blame you. You saved me. You got me out before anything could happen. You…" Ethan cut Benji off.

"You died Benji." Ethan blurted out.

"what?" Benji spoke so softly it was like a whisper. He was shocked.

"When Brandt and I found you, you were already dead." Ethan said.

Benji started to look around the room and tried to steady himself even though he was sitting on his bed he felt the world turn upside down. I died? He thought trying to catch his breath.

"We managed to bring you back, but we didn't think you would make it." Ethan kept talking, for some reason Ethan really needed to let Benji know. Why? He had no clue. "We couldn't get to you in time."

Benji gathered his thoughts and tried to calm himself down. "You are talking like I'm still dead. You brought me back Ethan."

Ethan and Benji sat in the room until Brandt and Luther came back with the food and water. Luther handed Benji some pudding and a banana with a bottle of water. They also brought back some food to divide between Luther Brandt and Ethan.

"Thought we could all use the energy." Luther said handing Ethan some food.

They ate in silence and Luther and Brandt could feel the tension in the room. It wasn't long after Benji ate that he fell asleep again. Benji looked awful. His bruises had deepened. His black eye and bruised face it was difficult not to imagine how he got them. They saw the streaks of electricity that had been through his body. His broken nose and dislocated shoulder. Bandages were covering Benji head to toe. They all felt guilty that he was the one that had to go through that. Benji was the most lovable out of them and he did nothing wrong, he didn't deserve what had come to him and he doesn't deserve all the pain and hardships that has come with the job.

The three of them hung around the hospital most of the day. They would take turns watching Benji as the other would go and take a shower or get something to eat. At around 7 o'clock in the evening the three of them were quietly doing there own thing while Benji slept. Ethan was doing some work or research on his laptop. Brandt was watching something on his phone and Luther was reading a book.

A nurse came in with a small cot, "I'm sorry, there is only room for one cot in here. But I can get each of you some blankets and pillows for tonight. Last night you boys looked uncomfortable."

"Thank you." Ethan said standing up and helping her move some chairs to put the cot in the corner of the room.

The nurse smiled and walked out of the room after saying that she would return shortly with some pillows and blankets. Ethan took his seat again next to Benji's bed and looked back at his computer. For some reason he couldn't focus and looked back towards Benji who looked a little uneasy in his sleep but still seemed ok. Ethan tried to work on his laptop and ended up putting it away and trying to doze off in the chair he was sitting in.
"Ethan, why don't you use the cot?" Brandt asked when he saw that Ethan was trying to get comfortable in his chair.

"The cot is for one of you two. I'm fine sleeping here." Ethan said closing his eyes again.

"But none of use are using it. Come on just lay down for a few minutes." Brandt pushed a little.

Ethan sighed, "Promise one of you will wake me up when you are going to sleep?" Ethan asked the two of them who both nodded yes, and Ethan hesitated for a moment before laying down one the cot. It was surprisingly comfortable all considering.

Ethan manage to doze off quick. Luther went back to reading his book before a few minutes later Benji started to wheeze and seemed to not be able to breathe. Luther put down his book rather fast and rushed over to Benji's bed. That's when he saw that Benji was covered with cold sweat and his face was scrunched up. He started to shake his breathe became more rapid and he started mumble uncoherent words and phrases.

"Press the help button." Luther said turning around to face Brandt who was watching him carefully.

Brandt quickly made his way over to the button and pressed it before going to Ethan and taping him on the shoulder to wake him up. Ethan looked at Brandt waiting for him to explain but when he saw Benji and him shaking and rapid breathing he knew why his teammate woke him up.

Ethan rushed over to Benji's bedside with Brandt; Luther was already there. There wasn't much they could do but wait for the nursed to come in. Not long after Brandt pushed the button a nurse quickly came into the room and saw that Benji was freaking out. Quickly she poked her head out the door and yelled for some help and 3 more nurses came into the room.

The laid Benji flat on his bed and removed the pillow from his head and put some stuff that either of the IMF agents knew, into Benji's IV. One of the nurses told them to wait outside in the hallway and all they saw before leaving the room was their beaten friend struggle to breath and layered in cold sweat.