CHAPTER 12

Even with the high dosage of medications they already had him on, it was obvious there was still a long way to go, but nothing they had done seemed to affect that snooper mike hearing of his.

The door had slipped shut behind him silently, but it was enough to gain the attention of his brother, a weary grin spreading across his face upon seeing him.

"Thought I was going to have to find you myself," he remarked in a hoarse whisper.

"And knowing you, you would probably do that."

"You bet I would. How are Cait and the kids holding up? Better than you look to be I hope."

"Anxious to hear some good news, but far from giving up hope," Saint John replied.

"Good to know. And Dom?"

"Haven't been able to see him yet either, but I'll let you know as soon as I do. What about you? You still hanging in there? Gave me, at least, quite a scare."

"More or less. They keep telling me to get some rest before I have visitors, though don't seem to understand I can't have any rest before I see my visitors, all of them."

"I'll see if I can do something about that then so that you stay in bed instead of hunting for them.

String nodded in acceptance. "I promise to stay put, but only if you hurry up."

"I'll be right back then."

"One more thing, Sinj."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for everything. I may not have been totally with it, but enough to see you got everyone out safely then lugged me all the way out of the maze.

"No problem, that's what brothers are for, right?"

"Yeah, only it seems that's what big brothers are for. Little brothers just get in all the trouble."

"Maybe we'll have to change that some time, wouldn't want you to have all the fun."

"Can't say I much agree on the fun part, but I'm not planning on leaving you either."

\A/

At last Caitlin pulled away from the long embrace to let the kids get their turn, although reluctant to let go. She had been so close to loosing him….it only felt natural to keep him near.

But he did need to breathe, she admitted, and it wasn't fair to hog him for herself. They had been forced to watch all the pain and misery he had endured, surely it wasn't that much to ask that they get their hugs and give their get well wishes too.

He drew his nephew in for a hug and Chance wasted no time in climbing up onto the bed beside him. Even Joshua joined in the group hug.

"You two, too," he said to Saint John and Caitlin, embracing them tightly.

Kaleen, the nurse Saint John ran into in the hallway, reentered the room pushing Dom's wheelchair.

"It looks like you have a new roommate, Hawke," she commented, "uh, Stringfellow Hawke," she corrected upon seeing the whole family. "But, on the other hand, maybe it is Hawkes, it doesn't look like any of you are planning to be leaving anytime soon," she added with a knowing smile.

"C-Could you bring Dom over here?" String requested, still a little short of breath.

"Sure," she gladly acquiesced, "but you do need to get some sleep sp try not to be too long and I'll be just down the hall if you need anything." Kaleen wheeled Dominic up next to the bed and turned to leave, watching what she knew the doctors would have a fit over if they saw as with Saint John's help Dom got out of the wheelchair and sat on the edge of the bed. After only a moment it seemed both her patients were buried in a mass of arms clasping each other in what was definitely the most touching group hug she had ever, or probably would ever, witnessed.

Hawke drew in a deep breath and pulled his family closer, never wanting to let go. The weight on against his chest made it difficult to breath, and sure wasn't doing anything to make his abused body physically feel better, but he wouldn't have traded that moment for the world.