The sunlight entered the hospital room, embracing it with its warmth. The white curtains swayed from the gentle breeze entering the half opened window. On a side, table a vase with a dozen red roses filled the room with their fragrance. On the hospital bed, Jaye stirred, a moan escaping her throat, and a hand gently covered hers, softly caressing it, while his other arm was tied, mending from the bullet.
"Allie?" The voice came gentle, soft, calling her back to reality. Flint gazed at her features, his eyes filled with concern. He closed them for a second, composing himself. He couldn't fall apart now, Jaye need him. Needed his love, his strength and his support.
She moved her head, turning towards him. Her eyes barely fluttered open and once again closed, but not before she whispered his name, "Dash," unleashing with a sigh of relief. A gentle squeeze in his hand told him that she would be all right.
His hand gently touched her cheek, then her brow and guided it on her head, slowly stroking her hair. Telling her in his own way, everything would be fine. That they will survive this ordeal together. They were strong, young, and still had a future together, forever. And nothing, not even Cobra, could destroy that.
"How is she?" Scarlett's voice broke his thoughts. He turned to find her leaning against the door, her hand strongly gripping the knob to compose herself.
"The question is, how are you? Shana, you look like hell." He rose from the chair, offering her his seat.
She shook her head, declining his offer, as she entered the room. "I'm…I'm holding." Her voice slightly broke, and swallowed the lump in her throat, that threatened once more to escape. "I checked on Cover Girl and Roadblock, they only managed to escape with a few bruises. The Doctor released them a few hours ago, so I sent them back to the manor to rest."
He nodded. "I checked with the rest of Allie's family, mine and even the Royal guests. No major injuries. Lord Burnett suffered some cuts and bruises, but is fine. He came here this morning, and took my parents with him." He closed his eyes, calming the heat of anger that shot through his body. "Thank goodness, everyone is alive, but once this is over, I'm going to destroy Cobra for what they've done."
Scarlett gently touched his arm, her voice soft, "Don't let revenge dominate you, Dash. Cobra will fall one day, I'm sure of that. You need to think. Think of Allie, think of your lives together."
Flint nodded. "You're right." Why did the Joe women always had to be right? He looked back towards Jaye, and a smile spread across his face, watching her breathing steadily.
"Allie is going to be fine." His eyes continued to rest on her face. "The Doc gave her a tranquilizer to calm her down. You know how she hates Hospitals. When she started yelling in Gaelic and almost took the Doc's arm off, he thought best she take a long nap. She's fortunate that the bullet gazed her upper thigh and lucky to come out of it with only a few stitches."
He felt Scarlett's hand squeeze his uninjured arm. "Your arm?" Her words were soft, filled with concern.
Flint looked down at it, remembering how it all happened. "Fine, just a sprain." His eyes began to change color, transforming to reddish and cold. "Destro… Vickie… did they…"
She nodded, and swallowed hard. "Disappeared. Probably back in the snake hole from where they came."
"When I get my hands on them." His arms became tensed, his hand turning into a tight fist.
"Flint! Think of Allie." She reminded him.
He turned to her and nodded. "Conrad?" He asked concerned.
Scarlett exhaled slowly. "Hawk's with him…he…he hasn't awakened yet."
He could hear the pain in her words. "Shana." He embraced her, holding her tightly as a tear dropped on her cheek.
A groan from the bed; caught their attention. Jaye's eyes fluttered open slightly. Her features moved and tensed as she relived some of the day's events.
"Allie?" Flint rushed over to her, Scarlett next to him, both looking concerned.
Jaye's eyes slowly opened, glancing around before becoming wide.
"Hey," His voice was soft, stroking her hair. "How you feeling?"
"Are you...alright?" Jaye asked, her last memory was of him going down, trying to reach her side.
"I'm fine. Just think of it as another battle injury. Didn't know that the battle would come to our wedding--." He stopped, when he felt Scarlett's warning kick on his lower leg. "How you feeling?"
"I can't feel my leg," She answered softly, tears glistening in her eyes.
Flint and Scarlett exchanged worried looks.
"Dash, want me to get a Doctor?" Scarlett asked.
He looked down towards Jaye, watching a tear slowly trailed down her cheek, and brushed it away with his finger. "Allie, don't cry. It's probably from the meds, so they could sew the stitches. But I'll call the Doctor, just in case." He hit the nurses' button.
"How are the others?" Jaye asked, trying to regain her composure.
Flint touched her cheek. "Almost everyone came out without any major injuries. Your Dad and my parents are fine." He watched the relief flow in her face. "All the guests basically lucked out with small cuts and bruises. Roadblock and Cover Girl were released earlier, they went back to the Manor. Aunt Brody is there too, making sure that everyone's taken care of, he's even wearing that white apron of his." He smiled down at her green eyes.
Jaye smiled for a second, then turned serious. "And Duke and Hawk?"
"Hawk's fine, he rescued most of the Royal family. The guards were with him, so the entire party didn't get more than a few bruises." He answered, then glanced at Scarlett, exchanging another concerned look.
"What's the matter with Duke?" Jaye asked, her voice sounding hoarse from the anesthesia.
A nurse walked in. "Can I help ye?"
"Umm, yes," Flint said to the nurse. "She can't feel her leg, can you call the Doctor in here, please."
The nurse nodded. "Ah see what Ah can do. Doctor McCloud is with a patient now, and is the' only wan on duty." She turned and quickly left the room.
Scarlett held her breath. She knew that Dr. McCloud was with a patient at that moment, a six foot two, eyes of blue patient, named Conrad Hauser. She closed her eyes, holding back the tears.
Flint cleared his throat. "You have Get Wells from the guys, back at home. Seems like Gung Ho got caught playing with Brutus as he was showing him how to use a M-16, so right now Sgt. Slaughter is bear-sitting."
"Duke?"
He sighed, giving her one of his worried looks. He had tried to distract her with Brutus's adventures and miserably failed. His mouth opened to say something, but a gentle hand touched his arm. He glanced towards Scarlett, who looked extremely pale, and nodded.
Scarlett stepped closer to the bed, and gently touched Jaye's hand. "We...we... don't know, Allie. Duke hasn't woken up, yet." Her voice slightly broke, and she blinked hard twice, blinking the tears away.
"Oh, Shana," Jaye said worried for her best friend. "He's a fighter, he'll be fine."
Her friend nodded. "I hope so. I couldn't live with the thought he took the bullets for me. If he doesn't…" Her voice trailed, shaking the bad thought way.
"Seems to me that the mightly Hart-Burnett fighter is awake," came the voice of Dr. McCloud entering the room. "How ye feeling, Lass?" He walked over and touched her hand to take her pulse. "Now, ye be a good Lass and dona take this old poor man's arm off, would ya now?" He said, smiling down at her.
"Yes, please Allie, be a good Lass, I don't think the G.I. JOE insurance covers attacking the Doctors," Flint said with a smile.
"Looks normal te me," Dr. McCloud stated, then looked towards Scarlett. "Ye can go see yer Lad, now. He still hasn't waken, for ye to know."
Scarlett nodded. "Thank you." She squeezed, Lady Jaye's hand. "I'll be back later to see how you are doing." She felt Flint's hand on her shoulder. "I'll tell him a Hello from you, Dash." She turned and left the room.
"Well ye had to have surgery to remove the bullet," Dr McCloud explained. "Ye canna feel it right now because some of the nerve endings were severed. But ye will be fine. But ye need to not be moving yer leg much. It nicked the artery when ye were shot. Any questions for me?"
"No," Jaye answered. "Thank you, Doctor."
"Alright, Ah will leave ye two newly weds alone," The doctor said and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
Flint bent over and kissed her on her forehead. "See, nothing to worry about." He pulled the chair closer to her bed and sat next to her, taking her hand in his. He didn't say anything, just looked down at her face, thinking of what could have been, not wanting to even deal with the fact what he would have done to those Cobras if he had lost her. He couldn't bear to even think about that.
She reached up and caressed his cheek and gave him a soft smile. "Hey, I'm going to be all right. I've been through worse."
He cupped her hand in his. "Allie... when I saw you fall... I...I thought my world ended right there and then." He closed his eyes, holding her hand tightly.
She tried to give him the reassurance that he needed, to let him know that she would be just fine. "Can you go get me something to drink?" she asked.
He nodded, "I'll go grab you a Coke. Want anything to eat? Feeling hungry? Want me to fluff your pillow? Are you cold? Want another blanket?" His questions kept flowing out of his mouth causing her to laugh. "What?" He tilted his head.
"You," Jaye said with a chuckle. "If you are like this now, what are you going to be like when I'm in labor?"
"Hoping I'm on a mission." Flint mumbled, but the teasing could be heard in his voice.
"Hey! I don't think so." Jaye said, and playfully smacked his arm. "A Coke will be great and maybe some toast with butter and peanut butter."
"I'll be right back," He leaned closer, kissing her gently on the cheek. "Now, don't try and destroy anything or anyone while I'm gone." He laughed at her evil glare towards him.
Flint kissed her one more time, stood up, left the room and headed towards the elevator. Rounding the corner of the hallway, he stopped to look in Duke's room. He found Scarlett sitting next to his best friend, her face hard to decipher, but it was clear that this was taking an extreme toll on her.
He walked in and touch her shoulder. "How is he?" He asked gently, looking at his friend sleeping, not moving and barely responding. Duke's face was paler than Scarlett's, god only knew how much blood he had lost.
"No change," Scarlett answered in voice, barely audible.
Flint kissed her forehead. "He knows you are here with him, don't you worry. Any moment he's going to wake up and in a few weeks, we will have our PMSing First Sergeant Hauser back to normal."
She nodded. "How is Allie?"
"Better. I'm off to get her something to eat and drink. I'll bring you some coffee and a sandwich." He squeezed her shoulder and went to Duke's side. "Hey Buddy, you better wake up soon. We all need you." Turning, he gave Scarlett an encouraging smile, before leaving the room and walking over to the elevator, pressed the button, and waited.
The elevator's door opened and a tall figure stepped out, passing the warrant officer, who walked into the elevator, pressed the down button, and door closed with the second ding of the bell.
Dressed in a surgeon's scrubs, the tall figure strode confidently towards the nurse's station. The day nurse looked up towards the figure. " 'Ello Dr. Ortsed. Canna help ya with anything?"
The Doctor, still wearing his surgeon's mask, looked to the left and then the right before answering, "You need to quarantine this floor immediately, there's a case of Dengue Fever in room 225."
The nurse's jaw dropped and panic filled her features. "At once, Doctor." She scrambled immediately to sound the alarm and quarantine the entire floor, making it off limits to everyone.
He walked over to Lady Jaye's room and entered, closing the door behind him. Stepping next to her, he watched her eyes widening with shock and she opened her mouth to scream, but he cut it off by covering her mouth with his silver hand. Taking the surgeon's mask off, he softly spoke, "Alison, its Uncle James, don't bother screaming, I have the floor quarantined. And several Vipers on hand, ready to strike. I just need to talk. Please." He slowly let go of her mouth.
"How dare you come here after what you did," Jaye snarled angrily at him. Her face was still deathly pale from the blood loss, and she was receiving blood through the IV.
"Alison, you have to believe me. I had nothing to do with the Cobra attack. If I had known, wouldn't I have done something to stop it?" he stated sincerely.
"You only think of me as the enemy, don't you? I'm no longer your niece, am I?" her voice cracked slightly with a sad emotion.
"That's not true, Alison. You are first and foremost my darling niece. I don't think of you as the enemy, even if you do work for G.I. JOE." He replied truthfully. "If I did, then wouldn't I have killed you that time at the Manor?"
Jaye looked down at her injured leg, which was starting to throb. She didn't answer him.
"Fine, I can understand. This is all hard. But I do want to tell you something. When I saw the Vipers come in, and start shooting at everyone, at my friends, at my family and at my niece, all I wanted was to go find the one who authorized that attack and destroy him." He closed his eyes, hoping she would believe him.
"I saw you running towards me," she admitted softly.
His eyes opened, looking down at her. "You did?" he asked. When he saw her fall down on the marble floor, his blood had frozen, thinking that she could have been killed, and gone just like his beloved sister. "Alison, I have a confession to make. Seeing you on the floor not moving, scared me. I haven't felt like that since your mother was in the same position years ago."
Jaye looked up at him. "You were there when she died?"
He touched her cheek, soothing her. "Yes, Blue Jaye, I was there. I was there when they entered, from all sides, going after you and your mother. She grabbed you, took you upstairs, to her special room. She hid you near the fireplace, but..." His voice trailed, "But…she was too late to hide herself. I ran, killed three of the assassins, and went through the north secret passageway that connected from the library to the room. From behind the fireplace, I watched them... destroy her… I watched you see her fall… I couldn't bear to lose you too. I reached out from the secret passage way… grabbed your hand … and lead you to safety. The last image I remember from the room, was a light. A glowing light and a scream. That scream has haunted my dreams ever since."
He took out his handkerchief and wiped the tears that were spilling down her cheeks, like a waterfall.
Jaye looked up at his face, softly weeping. "I don't remember that."
"You were little, so little." He stroked her hair, telling her that he was there, even though he had done wrong in the past, he was there, for her, forever. "You fainted, and slept for three nights. I was by your side, never leaving you, afraid they would come back, return. I sang you Gaelic songs, anything to keep your spirit alive. Your father was on a business trip when this happened, and was devastated when he heard. When you woke, both Robert and I vowed never to mention the room again and that is why he blocked the passageways. We also vowed never to say anything on how your mother died."
"I've been to that room," Jaye admitted.
"What!" He sounded shocked, surprised, but then chuckled. "I knew you would find your way up there one day, Blue Jaye."
"I never knew her, Uncle Bear," Jaye said, using the pet name she used to call him when she was young. "I wanted to feel close to her. Your youngest brother is the closest I've ever had to a mother."
"Brody is the closest thing I had to a mother too." He shook his head, as she giggled. "I wish you had known her. You are so much like her-- more than you know."
"I sometimes wonder if she would have been proud of me, of the woman I have become."
"Something tells me she is already proud of you, Blue Jaye," Destro said, his hand slowly reached into his pocket and took out something that she had not noticed until that very instant was missing, the amulet. "This belonged to her and to her mother, and now it rightfully belongs to you." He gently clasped it around her neck, "Where it always belongs. By the way, tell the Joes, they will find the missing jewelry at the Cathedral's office."
"Oh, Uncle Bear," Jaye said softly, feeling the pain killers wearing off. "Thank you." She looked up at him. "You have made me very proud to be your heir."
Destro smiled. "And I'm proud you are my niece." He bent down and embraced her. "Now, promise me that you will always be careful out there."
Suddenly, a voice came from near the doorway, "Allie, the floor is under quarantine, I just wanted to make sure you--" They glanced to find a very surprised looking Scarlett, holding the door open.
"Destro!" Scarlett took a step forward, ready to attack the Cobra High Command officer, but felt a sharp pain behind her neck, and her body crumbled to the ground.
Another figure stepped inside the room, wearing a Cobra Viper uniform. Jaye's eyes widened with shock, watching her mirror image glance down at her fallen friend. Her mouth hung open realizing for the first time her cousin, what her cousin truly had become.
"You little fool!" Destro snarled. "You shouldn't have done that!" He stepped next to Scarlett and bent over, checking for a pulse. Then he glanced towards his niece. "She'll be fine." Standing back up, he grabbed Victoria's arm. "I see our time has run out. Goodbye, Alison."
Jaye glared at her cousin. "Why did you do that?"
Victoria glared back at Jaye. "I thought she was going to be a threat," she answered, shrugging with an thin smile on her face.
Scarlett began to stir, and the two Cobra agents exchanged similar looks.
"We better leave before she becomes conscious again." Destro stated, then turned to his niece. "I hope to see you soon. Keep in touch. I love you, Alison."
Jaye noticed her cousin's face became ice cold at her Uncle's words. "I love you too, Uncle Bear. I hope to see you at the wedding in the States," she said.
His eyebrow raised. "You think that would be wise, especially with all those Joes around?"
"They were around for this one and no one did anything to you. It was Cobra that attacked remember?" Jaye said evenly, her gaze never leaving her cousin's face.
Destro nodded but didn't say anything. Scarlett began to awaken, so he left in haste, not answering her. Victoria followed him, but not before she sent her cousin an icy stare.
Scarlett slowly stood up. "Why do I keep meeting the floor?" she shook her head. "Where did they go?"
"They left not wanting to be here when you woke because they were afraid of you. I don't know what is up with my cousin Vicki. I think she hates me."
"Why would she hate you? She barely knows you," Scarlett asked perplexed.
"I don't know. Maybe perhaps because I'm my uncle's heir?"
"That could be a good reason why." Scarlett nodded. "Feeling better?"
"Not really," Jaye answered softly.
"I'll let you sleep." Scarlett gave her an assured smile. "I have to check on Duke."
"Is there any change yet?" Jaye asked in concern.
The other woman looked down at on the floor, her eyes losing their sparkle. "Nothing. His condition hasn't changed since we brought him in."
Jaye reached out and touched her best friend's arm. "He'll pull through. He knows you're waiting here for him. Now, get back there, so you're the first one he sees when he opens those gorgeous blue eyes of his."
Scarlett tried to smile. "Yes, I can only imagine what he would do, if he woke up and saw Aunt Brody's blue ones instead," she said, causing her friend to laugh. "Rest. I'll come by in a while again."
Jaye nodded and watched her friend leave, closing the door behind her. She rested her eyes for a moment, trying to fight the pain. She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but stirred half awake from a burning sensation on her chest. Her amulet!
A hand gently stroked her hair, soothing her pain. And then she felt a cold sensation on her forehead, a pair of lips, gently touching her skin, barely there. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself face to face with the Ghost woman.
Jaye just stared up at her as the spirit looked down at her. She did not feel afraid of this woman.
The woman glowed, continuing to stroke Jaye's hair, her amber eyes sparkled looking down at the young woman, her long brown curly locks pulled behind her head in a braid. A smile spread on her face, her mouth closed, staying silent, speaking volumes without any words.
The door burst open. "Allie!" Flint cam rushing in, and stopped dead in his tracks. Lord Burnett and Hawk were by his side, both frozen.
The woman stood up, smiled and disappeared.
Jaye kept staring at the empty spot where the ghost once stood.
"Oh my..." Hawk said speechless.
Flint stared, his mouth opened, nothing coming out.
But it was Lord Burnett's voice that got their attention, "Sorcha..." His voice barely heard, his eyes wide and illusive, and all the color from his face drained.
"Da? Are you alright?" Flint asked concerned, but there was no reply from his father-in-law. He glanced towards Hawk, his expression identical to Lord Burnett's.
"Daddy? That was momma?" Jaye asked, her face looking even paler.
"Aye lass. Ah dona know how-" His voice trailed off, spotting the amulet on his daughter's neck. "The necklace, Alison. How did ye get the necklace, back? That is yer momma's, tis the only thing that keeps her alive, in spirit."
"Uncle Bear brought it back to me," Jaye explained softly, looking down at the amulet.
"Ah shoulda known he would come to see ya, Lass," Robert said in a soft, gentle voice.
"Who's Uncle Bear?" Flint asked, confused.
"Destro," Hawk answered flatly. "Allie used to call him that when she was a child. She hasn't said that name in a very long time."
"Destro!" Flint said in anger, "Now it all makes sense. He wanted the floor locked, so he could get in here, and to Allie." His hand became a fist, ready to smash anything near him.
"Dash, he wasn't here to harm me. He was worried and wanted to make sure I was all right. He said he retrieved the jewels back from Cobra and you can find them all in the chapel's safe," Jaye explained.
Flint walked over to her and took her hand. "I just don't want anything happening to you, Allie." His voice was soft, gentle, filled with love for her.
"I know. He won't hurt me. He just relived my mother's murder." She softly replied.
Hawk took in a deep breath. Knowing that she had been never told about her mother's death.
"Lass..." Her father stepped next to her, taking her other hand. "Ah didna want ya ta find out this way." A tear trailed down his cheek. "But tis my fault. Ah shoulda told ye a long time ago. Ah didna want ya to hurt, knowing the truth."
"I understand, Daddy," Jaye replied softly.
He smiled down at her. "Ah love ya, Lass. Ye will always be in me heart."
She smiled towards her father.
The doctor stuck his head in. "It's time for the fair lass to get a wee bit of sleep."
"Aye, Dr McCloud is right, Lass. Sleep," Robert leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. He turned and walked over to Hawk, placing an arm around his long time friend as they walked out of the room.
"Get some sleep, Allie," Flint said. "I'll be here when you wake. I promise."
"There's enough room in this bed for you," Jaye said with a smirk. "Wanna join me in dream land?"
He smiled, climbing in bed, sliding next to her, close, and wrapped his arms around her protectively. "I'll join you anywhere you go, Allie." He whispered in her ear, watching her smile at him, returning his own. She leaned her head against his chest. relaxing in his embrace. Both closed their eyes, taking a well deserved rest.