Ch 21 Talking

He found Mark sitting upright in bed, looking much better.

"How ya doin?" Hardcastle asked as he approached.

Mark smiled at him, "Kinda hungry, got anything?"

"Hah!" Hardcastle chuckled, "I wouldn't even try to bring anything in here, these nurses run a tight ship kiddo."

"Tell me about it. They're tougher than you are," Mark returned.

"Maybe now you'll appreciate the good ship Hardcastle."

Mark watched the man take a seat close to the bed. "I already do judge. Thanks for everything. Shirley told me how long you were here. And ya know, as funny as it sounds, I felt like I knew you were close by. A couple of times, I really thought you were right there in that terrible fog with me. I even thought I could hear you telling me to keep fighting and," he hesitated, "that you were staying close."

Hardcastle coughed to cover up his surprise and thought quickly, he remembers. What do I say now?

"Course I was here. Any idiot would know that, where else would I be?"

Mark sighed and closed his eyes.

"You okay?" asked the judge when the silence stretched out too long.

Mark opened his eyes again. "Talking wears me out," he told his friend.

Hardcastle smiled, "finally, something to give me a break from your smart mouth."

"Yeah," Mark's voice sounded weak.

"You just rest for awhile kiddo. I'll be here," he said, opening up his paper.

H&M

Later that day, McCormick was moved out of the intensive care unit.

Once he was settled in his room, he cleared his throat.

Hardcastle looked up, "you want something?"

"It was my fault judge," he whispered.

"What was your fault?"

"I walked into their trap. I shoulda looked for you first."

Silence.

"Don't McCormick, this is bad enough without you blaming yourself."

"I walked past everything Millie saw in her vision, judge. The fog, the lights, everything. I shoulda been more careful. I don't know why I wasn't. I'm sorry it's been so much trouble for you."

"This is not your fault McCormick, so stop thinking that way," Hardcastle's voice was stern. "And this is no trouble for me as long as I get to bring you home."

He paused, "actually, this is my fault," he confessed in a subdued tone. "I'm sorry I made you go to that party. I should have figured they might try something. And I didn't even care about Millie's warning."

"Well, you don't go in for that kind of thing judge," Mark reasoned with him.

"But you do, and I really should've respected that. I know things like that can change the way a person responds in situations, and I bet that happened with you. You might not have gone out there normally, but because Millie said all that stuff, you decided to go have a look."

"I went because I was stupid. It wasn't your fault."

"Well, it sure wasn't yours kiddo."

Mark sighed and closed his eyes, too tired to go on arguing, but glad he'd brought the topic out into the open. Even if they couldn't agree, it was better to get the words out.

Hardcastle also sighed, and watched Mark drift into a light sleep. He couldn't help but smile. The kid was going to be okay, and he vowed to himself that he would taper off his retirement project.

After all, McCormick's parole was almost up, and he had to get on with his life anyway, especially when he'd been given this reprieve from death. There was just no sense in risking his life again. Whatever the future would hold for them, he hoped that he'd never see Mark in this condition again.

Hardcastle slipped out and headed down to the cafeteria for supper. Then, he would check on Mark again before he went home for the night. It was funny how McCormick thought that his being here was an imposition. The truth was, that without McCormick at home, he felt adrift, always preoccupied with what might be happening at the hospital and unable to focus on anything productive.