Sorry for the long delay in updating, thank you for reading and hoped you liked this fic. I enjoyed writing it, although it has been a bit of a drawn out thing! But maybe I will write more! Thanks again for all your encouraging comments and critiques! Especially Agnes on the ! ;-)
Kelly stopped in her tracks yards from where the car had left the road. Her hand flew to her open mouth in utter disbelief as she stood rooted to the spot in shock, listening to the gut-wrenching sounds of the vehicle crashing down the side of the ravine, knowing Sabrina was inside. Her heart pounded and her brain refused to take in what her eyes had just witnessed, yet she began to walk again, then jog, up to the edge of the road. Oh please no, no, no no…the word tumbled over and over again through her crashing thoughts. The officer was at her side within moments, trying to peer into the dark after the car. He cursed softly then looked at Kelly.
"I will get help!" He ran back to his own car, but Kelly hardly noticed his presence. She felt like she was in a trance, as she also looked down into the darkness. A heavy odour of gasoline came wafting up on the cooling evening air and Kelly suddenly was galvanised into action. She gingerly stepped right up to the edge and looked down and saw that the cars headlights were still lit.
"Sabrina!" Kelly screamed down, hearing the lack of control in her voice, hoping against hope that her friend could at least hear her, know that someone was there, ready to help. The only sound coming from below was a soft hissing, metal jarring against metal, and the tick-tick-tick of a cooling engine. Nothing else. Kelly looked back at the officer talking on his radio and decided Sabrina couldn't wait for emergency help. If Sabrina was alive down there - Kelly now desperately needed to hold on to that hope - she didn't have much time. She carefully began to descend down the side of the hill, grateful for a little light from the dull beam of the headlights below. As she picked and stumbled her way down, around bushes and small rocks and jutting ground, she could hear Officer Jaimes now calling out to her agitatedly. He had brought a torch back and was shining the powerful beam down to help light her way.
Kelly couldn't clearly hear what the officer was shouting, over the noise of her unsteady feet slipping and sliding down stones and gravel, and her loud ragged breathing coming in gulps as she fought to keep her tears back. Whatever it was he was yelling, she probably knew anyway. Kelly took a quick glance down at the car and was relieved to find she was near the bottom. She hurried her pace, almost reeling off-balance as her momentum caused her to almost run downhill. Yet she managed to steady herself and negotiate her way successfully to the bottom, now only just a few metres away from Sabrina. The smell of gas was even stronger and Kelly felt the knot of fear in her stomach tighten almost unbearably. She hurried over to the battered upturned car, and grimly bent down to the drivers side window, dreading what she might see next. Her dread turned to more shock as she realised the front was empty. She shifted position and looked further into the back, thinking perhaps she'd missed her in the darkness, mindful of the fumes and wondering at such fortune that the car hadn't already blown sky high. But dark as it was, she could tell there was nobody in the car. What the hell…? Oh Bri please be alright…where are you? Kelly let out a small cry of pent up emotion and stood up, ready to begin searching the area.
"Kelly!"
Kelly started, then breathed easier when she looked up in the direction of the voice she recognised, and saw a shape and a bouncing torch-beam begin making their way down the hill that she had just tracked down.
"Kris!" Kelly was at once both thankful…and annoyed. Kris should be at the hospital! And this unending nightmare was getting worse every minute. "What are you doing?" She called up.
"Stay there!" She commanded.
Kris didn't answer, likely she didn't hear, or needing all her focus on the rough ground underneath her feet. Kelly sighed as she realised Kris was intent on joining her. She again spoke up.
"I can't find Sabrina - she's not in the car!" Kelly shouted louder this time. She watched Kris slipping unsteadily here and there, anxious that she should not even be here, wanting to go help Kris down, but needing to look for Sabrina. She decided Kris had managed to make it almost to the bottom on her own and turned her attention back to locating Sabrina. The night air was beginning to cool rapidly, she noticed. She had no idea of the time, not that it mattered. She stepped around the front of the car, using the headlights to scan for any sign of their friend, then stepped back up to examine things more closely. There was a small patch of trees behind the car… was it possible that Bri had survived the crash and managed to get out, but become disorientated, losing herself in there? The windscreen was cracked in places, but still intact. In fact, only one of the rear windows had shattered and blown out. Good job she was in a patrol car, she thought. She bit her lip and looked up to see Kris now making her way across to her.
"Kris, what are you doing? Why aren't you…" Kelly began in a scolding tone, but Kris cut her off.
"I know, I know - but I couldn't leave you to go after Bri on your own!" Kris shone the torch up near Kelly's face, enough to see how Kelly was fairing. Not good.
"Bosley's trying to contact Charlie, he said he was following me down in a minute…" Kris then shone the torch over the wreck of the police vehicle. "Oh my god, Kelly?"
Kelly looked at Kris for a moment and could see the shock written over her face, even in the dim light that they shared.
"Oh Kris…" Kelly gestured hopelessly at the car wreck. "She was in the car, but I can't find her! She's got to be here somewhere!"
"I know Kel," Kris felt her own fear churning it's way up from her stomach. She was acknowledging Kelly's extreme anxiety as well as the thought on Sabrina's whereabouts.
"But what if she bailed out before the car came over the top?"
Kelly looked directly at Kris. "I saw her Kris, I watched her go over." With that, Kelly's shoulders slumped and she held her hand out for the torch. Kris handed it over then watched Kelly make her way around the car and over to the trees, all the while sweeping the torch beam everywhere, looking and searching for the least little thing that might make their friend suddenly appear. Kris felt the lump in her throat threaten to break. She hurried after Kelly, mindful of the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Since arriving on the scene with Bosley and finding out what Sabrina had done, Kris had kicked into autopilot, ignored Bosley's entreaties, and followed Kelly down here, despite all the nagging pain in her head. Now that she saw the car for herself and had seen the stark fear in Kelly's eyes, her own dam was beginning to crack. She'd been keeping everything in check ever since she'd first been kidnapped, taken the beatings from Jessica, holding on to the thought that Kelly and Sabrina were out there looking for her, trying to get to her. And they had. Again, her friends had come through for her. Just as they always did. But now, because of one crazy Jessica Rhys-Davies, Sabrina could be … Kris couldn't even think the word. She swallowed hard and caught up with Kelly.
"Kel, maybe we ought to…"
A familiar but weak voice cut across Kris and Kelly's thoughts. "Maybe you oughta what…?"
Kelly and Kris both whirled as one, Kelly shining the torch to see Sabrina alive, leaning against a tree, but also levelling her revolver at them. Kelly gasped and took a step towards Sabrina, taking in the sight of their injured friend, some of her fears beginning to melt, some new ones sprouting fast in their place. "Sabrina! We've been so worried…!" Kelly began.
Sabrina straightened her arms as she tried to hold her gun more tightly. Kris winced
as she noticed a badly bleeding laceration down the side of Sabrina's face, but reached out and held Kelly's arm in caution. They both could see in the torchlight, that Sabrina was deathly pale and bathed in sweat. And they could also see that Sabrina wasn't waving her gun around in jest.
"Oh Bri, c'mon," Kris called out softly, "what's with the gun? We're friends right?"
Kris hesitantly held a hand towards Sabrina. She all too clearly remembered Jessica's taunts about the drug. If she could somehow try to reason with Bri…
"Don't!" Sabrina snapped back, through clenched teeth. She'd watched them from the trees, looking for her, coming after her. Friends? She stared icily at Kris and Kelly, who looked back, shocked at the gun held on them. They were not prepared for this. Kelly had stayed put when Kris had held her arm, but she had not stepped back. She shone the torch back towards herself.
"Please Bri, it's Kelly, and Kris - you're not well, we only want to help you." Sabrina looked at Kelly, briefly noting the deep concern in Kelly's voice. She had another fleeting memory… a time when she had helped this person… talked to her in soothing tones…the way she appeared to be talking to Sabrina herself now… The revolver wavered slightly. Along with Sabrina's resolve. Kelly looked imploringly at Sabrina but didn't move. "Bri? Will you let us help you? Please?"
Sabrina couldn't work it out. She looked at the two women in front of her, wondering why she wasn't pulling the trigger on them both… she felt so sick. And so threatened. She understood they wanted to kill her, yet she also knew somewhere deep inside that it would be wrong to take preventative action. Yet still… she felt so sick and so tired and her chest was beginning to ache… she couldn't let them take her. She made a decision. She took aim at the one in front and took the safety off.
Then without warning, the pain in her chest exploded, and she sunk to her knees in agonised shock. As she dropped her gun and clutched at her chest, losing the battle to breathe in a heartbeat, the fog that head held her mind captive began to swirl and dissipate. It dawned on her ebbing consciousness that she'd been about to blow away her dearest friends. As she felt everything within her judder to an excruciating halt, she wondered dimly, finally, toppling face down into the dirt, if Kelly and Kris would somehow forgive her.
Kelly and Kris were by Sabrina's side in an instant. Kris now couldn't stop the tears from falling as she helped Kelly roll Sabrina onto her back on the soft dry dirt of the underbrush. Kelly could hear Kris's sobs but with a stinging heart, ignored them, as she focussed on Sabrina. She checked her pulse. She listened for her breathing but both herself and Kris already knew that Sabrina was in cardiac arrest. She wrenched open Sabrina's blouse, tearing buttons and material as she went. She passed the torch back to Kris.
"Kris, here, keep the torch still!" She barked, as she began CPR. Kris could see even by the torchlight Sabrina's lips turning blue and it terrified her to the core. But she did as she was told, then taking hold of Sabrina's hand and gripping it without even thinking.
Kelly pumped down on Sabrina's chest and after so many repetitions, breathed for her friend. Kelly knew enough about first aid to administer this much help, but she knew that if professional medical help didn't arrive soon, all her efforts could be in vain. She pumped Sabrina's chest again, feeling the incredible tension of the last couple of days begin to get the better of her.
"C'mon Bri!" Kelly gasped, between thrusts to her chest. "You're not a quitter!" She left off and endeavoured to again breathe life into Sabrina.
Kris sobbed openly and rubbed Sabrina's arm that she was holding. "That's right Bri! You never ran away from anything in your whole life!" She kept the torch still as Kelly began pumping Sabrina's chest for the third time.
"You - taught - me - not - to - quit!" Kelly almost shouted at the inert form of their friend, as she delivered more chest compressions, watching intently for the slightest sign of recovery. "Now I'm not letting you quit!" Kelly shouted down at Sabrina this time, before she breathed once more to try and revive her.
As Kelly went into the fourth round of chest compressions, Kris gulped back her tears and lifted up Sabrina's hand and placed a gentle kiss on top of it. "You just come back to us, Bri, y'hear?" She tried to order Sabrina, but her voice came out as a cracked emotional plea. "We're a team! We need you… Charlie needs you, Bosley needs you…"
She shone the torch over Sabrina's waxen face as Kelly readied herself for another breath.
"…I need you - Kelly needs you…"
Kris moved as close as she could to Sabrina, still clutching her hand as if she could will the life back into her friends face. "We love you Bri." She whispered simply, yet with all the raw emotion that avalanched from her heart.
Kelly felt her own emotions then finally begin to break, as she delivered yet another breath to Sabrina…please oh please God please listen…of all the times Kelly had doubted her creators care, now was the time when she needed it most. She leant back and clasped her hands ready once more to …
Sabrina breathed. It was a very small, shallow breath. But she breathed on her own. Then as Kris and Kelly looked on in barely contained relief and amazement, she did it again. Kelly's hands stayed hovered over Sabrina's chest, not daring to move in case any movement on her part caused Sabrina to stop taking these wonderful little breaths of life. Yet once more, Sabrina took in another small breath all by herself, and exhaled. Kris looked expectantly at Kelly, forgetting to shine the torch her way, only seeing her outline, but knowing instinctively that Kelly's face would be a pool of relief. Just like her own. She kept the torch focussed on Sabrina's face, as both herself and Kelly edged closer with so much anxious relief, wondering if Sabrina would be able to come round. Neither of them ironically dared to breathe.
It was Kris who broke the silence.
"Hey, Bri?" She queried softly, brushing hair from Sabrina's face. "It's okay, you're going to be alright!"
Both Kris and Kelly noted thankfully that just a hint of colour was returning to their friends face. Sabrina was still pale, and she was far from out of the woods, yet she was breathing. She was alive. Kelly could only look over her friend and be eternally grateful for that. Words had now failed her, but she sent a deeply appreciative thought heavenward. She and Kris watched Bri's face for any flicker of movement. Sabrina's eyes flickered open slightly, then slid shut, but she was still breathing. Kelly pulled her jacket off and drew it over Sabrina carefully. She looked over at Kris, who looked back in the torchlight.
"Kelly, I can't ever lose any of you guys!" Kris almost whispered, the fear still evident in her voice as she looked from Sabrina then back to Kelly. Kelly nodded, her own fear not yet drained away. She clutched Kris's arm, suddenly needing to comfort and be comforted.
"I know Kris." Kelly suddenly felt years older. Life was not a done deal. "I know." She repeated.
And then they both heard the whirring-beat of a helicopter closing in from somewhere above, then moments later, large beams of light played down on the location of the crash.
"Guess the cavalry's arrived." Kris quipped with more relief.
Kelly looked skywards. Then looked back towards the car as they both heard running footsteps crashing towards them and another light winking at them through the semi gloom.
"We're over here Bosley, be careful!" Kelly called out. Bosley appeared moments later, out of breath and fearful of what he might find.
"Sabrina! Is she…?" He got gingerly to his knees and looked at Sabrina's unconscious form.
"Sabrina's alive, Bos, but she needs to get to a hospital fast." Kris told Bosley only minimal detail at this time. The bigger picture would be revealed soon enough. But as Bosley looked over their errant angel and back at Kelly and Kris, he noted their stark expressions and the tearful state Kris was in. He suddenly understood more than they were letting on. He shone his torch towards Kelly, who was fixing her attention on the hovering rescue helicopter.
Kelly watched worriedly as lines were dropped from the helicopter. Make it fast guys, make it fast.
Kris decided she'd really had enough of hospitals to last her a lifetime. She'd been under strict instructions from Charlie to get checked out, when Sabrina was admitted. Which was downright out of order, when all she wanted to do was to find out how Sabrina was doing. But Bosley and Kelly had chimed in too, so she really didn't have a lot of choice. The emergency doctor that had examined her and sent her for scans, had said she needed to be admitted overnight for observation, due to major concussion. So here she was, stuck two floors away from Sabrina, being hovered over by a nurse who was hell-bent on keeping her confined to her room. Kris sighed and looked towards her window for the sixth time in as many minutes. It was still dark. She checked her bedside clock. 4:30 am. She had been given strong painkillers and told she was lucky her skull wasn't fractured, after explaining the injuries she'd received. She sighed again and turned over in bed, wondering how Kelly was bearing up. She hoped Kelly had managed to find somewhere to try and catch a few hours sleep, after checking up on Sabrina, but knowing Kelly, she probably hadn't. Kelly had sat with Kris for a long while, trying to get her to sleep, but Kris was just too wound up, and wouldn't initially accept any sleeping pills. Then Kelly left, saying she was going to check on Sabrina, but that had been hours ago. And Kris, knowing that Kelly would be feeling just the same way as herself, wherever she was, just felt more anxious. She sighed and rolled over onto her back, staring up to the ceiling. She could ask the nurse for a sleeping pill… but decided against it, as she might sleep too long and miss seeing Sabrina. So she waited out the last couple of hours until sunrise.
The early morning sun shone pleasantly through the half shuttered blinds of Sabrina's room in the hospital, casting both bright patches and shadows around floor and furniture. The heart monitor still attached to Sabrina gave a constant audible re-assurance that everything was as it should be.
Kelly watched the rise and fall of her friends chest from the chair she occupied between the window and the bed. She'd been watching Sabrina for over an hour, from the chair. Kris was in another chair, dozing lightly, resting uncomfortably. Kelly glanced over at Kris and wondered if she really ought to be allowed home. Still, the doctors must know what they're doing, she thought passively. She knew Sabrina was being cared for through the highest standards here. Kelly looked back at Sabrina, then stood up out of the chair as quietly as she could and stepped lightly up to her bed and looked down at her sleeping friend. As she had done many times over the last so many hours - again, she realised she'd forgotten the time - just to make sure that the machine wasn't somehow faulty. Of course it wasn't, she chided herself. But since Sabrina had been moved into a private room from intensive care not long ago, Kelly had subconsciously almost taken on the role of Sabrina's other carer. She looked intently at Sabrina's face, taking in again the dressing attached to the side of her face and also noting one or two new lines etched around her features that she'd not noticed before. Or perhaps hadn't been there before. Before… Kelly's thoughts stumbled into each other as one thought was hindered to be let through. Kelly let it through. Before Sabrina had had a heart attack. Almost fatal. Almost dead… careless… sloppy… the thoughts tumbled on…
"Kelly…" She heard Kris whisper softly to her and turned to see Kris rub her neck and stretch a little.
"It's okay Kris, she's fine, still sleeping." Kelly whispered back, thankful that Kris had halted her downwards spiral thinking. She walked quietly over to Kris and crouched down in front of her chair.
"How are you feeling Kris?" She whispered as softly as she could, placing a hand up to her brow.
Kris smiled back. "I'm okay Kelly." Kelly didn't immediately smile back. "Really, the doctor has given me an all clear, but I just need to rest, you know?" Kris tried to convince her. Then she frowned at Kelly.
"You don't look too good Kel…have you gotten any sleep?" Kris's voice wasn't loud, but it stirred someone else in the room.
"Sure, I slept like a baby!" A weak croaky voice emanated from the bed. Kelly and Kris grinned delightedly at each other before getting up and going over to the bed.
"Hey Bri, good morning!" Kris pulled Kelly's chair up to the side of the bed. "How are you feeling?" Kelly stood next to Kris, and smiled down at Sabrina, who peeked through blurry eyes at her two friends. She was suddenly hit by deep gratitude that they were there right now…and yet suddenly, something else filtered into her still foggy mind. Tears that she didn't even realise were on their way, sprang from way back, found their way out of her brown eyes and trailed down her cheeks as she remembered her last thoughts.
Kris was alarmed. "Bri, what's wrong, shall I call the nurse?" Kelly had began to go towards the door.
"Kelly…!" Sabrina managed to choke out, to stop her. Kelly stopped, and turned. And walked back, wondering what was wrong. Kris took hold of Sabrina's hand. "Sabrina, honey, are you in pain?"
Sabrina blinked hard then swallowed. "Kelly…" She looked from one to the other. "Kris…I never ever meant to hurt you… I just - I didn't…" She stammered, weakly. Kelly took her other hand and sat on the other side of the bed. She couldn't believe Sabrina was even thinking about this.
"Shhhh, it's alright Bri, you don't have to say anything, we know," Kelly said, stroking back Sabrina's hair from her face. "Shhhh now, it's over, it's all over. We're all okay and you just get some rest now, alright?"
Sabrina calmed a little at Kelly's soothing voice and she sniffed, and managed a small smile for her friends. But she was tired suddenly, even though she had just woken up. But she looked directly at Kelly for a moment. And even through her own inner turmoil and exhaustion, she detected some misplaced unfounded guilt hiding in little places around Kelly's own exhausted looking face. She found Kelly's hand and squeezed it. "It's really all over then Kelly, huh?"
"Sure." Kelly went to pull her hand away gently but Sabrina held on. "We're all okay?" Sabrina re-iterated back to Kelly, not taking her eyes from Kelly's. Kris didn't miss the meaning either. Kelly knew Sabrina was needling her, and suddenly, right here, right now, she was never gladder in her life that she was. She held Sabrina's hand and her questioning gaze for a moment before smiling honestly back at her, and felt a load lift. They were all okay. That was enough.
Sabrina now felt her eyelids begin to droop and felt exhaustion overcome her once more.
Kelly stood and stepped back.
"Get some good rest Bri, alright? We'll be back to see you soon." Kelly and Kris walked quietly out of the room. Sabrina was asleep even before the door closed behind them.
That evening Bosley walked down the hospital corridor and knocked cautiously on Sabrina's room door and poked his head around the door, wondering if he was okay to visit. But then he saw the girls around the bed with the awake patient and smiled and approached Sabrina's bed.
" Hey, Sabrina, you look a little better!" He beamed at the angel and placed a large bouquet of mixed blooms on the top of the cabinet beside her bed. Sabrina glanced at them appreciatively.
"Aw thanks Bosley, they're lovely! Thank you!"
"You're welcome, honey! " He smiled at Sabrina. Kris then stood up and offered her seat to him, but he declined.
"It's okay Kris, I can't stop long…" He looked apologetically back at Sabrina.
"Charlie…!" She guessed out loud.
Bosley grinned ruefully. Well, something like that. Anyway, I've just been chatting to your doctor, and he said he's very pleased with your progress - he said your prognosis is very good because of your general good health and fitness..."
Sabrina sighed. " Yeah, the doc had a chat." She was a more than a little despondent, knowing that her heart was now somewhat weakened. Hell, she had been that close to pushing up daisies… She turned her head towards Kelly.
"Kelly…I owe you my life…thank you… for not letting me quit, huh?"
Bosley looked over at Kelly also and sent her a silent message of deep respect. Kelly blinked and looked back at Sabrina, slightly embarrassed. Then her expression became earnest.
"You're no quitter, Bri."
Kris then took hold of Sabrina's hand. "No way! You're a real hard case, Sabrina!" She joked, easing the slight tension in the group. Everyone was all too very well aware that the outcome of the events from the night before would have been so very different, if Kelly or Kris had not been right there for Sabrina.
"Yeah, I know!" She smiled back.
She then cleared her throat and looked at Bosley. "So what's happening with our case, Bos? And who's gonna be charged with Jenny's death?"
Kelly and Kris also looked toward Bosley.
"Well first things first, angels," he replied, "The case is now officially with the CIA…"
He was then paused by Kris and Kelly's interrupting questionings, but he held his hands up and continued.
"We did what we were hired to do angels, and that was find Jessica Rhys-Davies. Mr Bronwyn Rhys-Davies is understandably cut up about his daughter, but has now let us off the payroll."
"But what about Jennifer's murder?" Kelly indignantly replied. "That's not off our payroll is it? Don't we owe it to her to find the source of the corruption at Chemsoft?"
Bosley sighed. "I know what you're saying Kelly, and I would have ordinarily agreed with you…but now that Rhys-Davies is withdrawing from any dealings with Chemsoft and is returning to England, there is no more reason for any curb on more official investigations." He shrugged slightly. "It's now over to the CIA to investigate Chemsofts corruptions within the U.S., the government and abroad, I'm afraid. And Jennifer's death will come under their investigation. We don't have a choice." He heard the impatient sighs from Kris and Kelly but didn't have anything else to say.
"Bosley?" Sabrina queried, after listening to all that Bosley had to say and noting the frustration in his voice. He looked at her.
"Can we let her folks know that we…we're sorry…"
Bosley's expression softened. "Absolutely."
There was a sad silence in the room then, as everyone reflected on just how much of a risk they each took on the job…and how much of a loss Jenny Caine would be just to each of them.
Bosley broke the silence. "I'm real sorry Sabrina, unfortunately I have to run…Charlie sends his fondest regards and hopes you recover very soon…he was very worried you know…" He faltered slightly, as he knew this kind of message relaying between Charlie and his angels in times of sore straits never quite hit the mark. But he also knew things that the angels didn't know, yet wished so much he could tell them. One day, perhaps…one day. He looked again at Sabrina, who looked back and smiled all too knowingly, and he realised no other words were necessary. He smiled widely before leaving.
"Anyway, I've been wanting to know," Kris changed the tone of the conversation suddenly, when Bosley closed the door behind him. How on earth did you manage to get to me when we touched down here in Mexico?"
Sabrina just smiled. "Ah Kris, you know Charlie… he always likes to be punctual!"
Kris frowned good-naturedly. "But…"
"And Charlie has contacts…" Kelly supplied.
"And a really fast jet…" Sabrina finished.
"Oh!" Kris laughed. "Of course! But…wait a minute, how…?"
Kelly smiled at Kris fondly. "Let's just say that things are never quite as they seem, right Bri?"
"Right Kelly!"
Kris looked between her friends, trying to work things out and piece together everyone's possible movements that evening, but for now, it actually didn't seem that important…