A/N Thanks to Infinity Star and Mary T. for their help and suggestions.
Upon awakening, the first thing Bobby saw clearly was the face of Alex Eames.
"Hi, Bobby," she said softly.
Bobby stared at her for a moment, clearly confused. He tried to speak, but nothing came out.
Realizing that, at least for the moment, Bobby had no clear recollection of where he was, she said gently, "You were hurt, Bobby, and you're in the hospital. But you're okay now, you're gonna be alright."
Again, he tried to say something, and again, nothing came out.
"Let me go and get the doctor, Bobby." Alex practically ran out, she was so excited.
While the doctor was in with Bobby, Alex, beside herself, spoke animatedly to the others. "He's awake!" They all hugged, laughing and crying, while Lewis kept saying over and over, "I knew it! I knew that son of a bitch would make it! I knew it!"
Doctor Henson eventually came out to talk to the group. "Bobby is going to be alright," he told them. "But he might have a few problems at first, talking, walking, motor skills. These are usually temporary—"
"Usually?" Alex asked.
"Ninety five percent of the patients recover completely. Some have a few problems. Knowing Bobby, he recover a hundred and ten percent," Henson laughed.
"The talking will probably return first," Henson continued. "Some of that is due to the illness, most is due to the tube being in his throat for so long. The large motor skills probably within a couple weeks or so."
"That's going to kill Bobby," Alex observed.
"Better this than the illness really killing him," Henson replied. "I've already spoken to Bobby. He knows what to expect."
xxx
Unfortunately Bobby did know what to expect, and didn't like it one bit. His recovery was slower than he'd hoped, but at least he was recovering. In bed at night his thoughts turned bitter. Normally not a vindictive person, he couldn't help but resent McFadden for what he'd done to him. He wanted to get back at him so bad he could taste it. McFadden had taken so much from him and injured him horrifically. And someday there would be a reckoning. Bobby kept these thoughts to himself, though, there was no sense in inviting trouble.
xxx
It took Bobby about two more weeks before his body started cooperating with his brain. But eventually it all came together. Doctor Henson was pleased with his progress, knowing that with Bobby it was just a matter of time. He'd had confidence in him all along.
Bobby struggled to overcome this latest setback, and had plenty of support from everyone. Deakins visited every other night, occasionally bringing Angie, the nights he wasn't there, Lewis was. And Alex was there every night.
One evening as Bobby practiced walking in the hall, Alex joined him.
"You're coming along pretty good," she said appreciatively, watching as every day his body got stronger.
Bobby smiled that elusive beautiful smile she loved so much. She hadn't seen that smile in quite some time. "Thanks," he said hoarsely, his throat still a little raw.
As they continued to walk, Alex grew quiet. This, of course, did not escape Bobby.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
When she didn't say anything, he stopped. "Eames?"
Alex chewed her lip as Bobby waited. Finally she said, very softly, "Bobby…did…did you mean it?"
Bobby frowned. "Mean what, Eames?"
"What…you said when you were so sick?"
Bobby really wasn't in the mood for games. "I said a lot of things, Alex. What are you talking about?"
Alex suddenly felt very vulnerable, and wished she hadn't said anything. But it was too late now, Bobby would never let it go. "When…um, you said you forgave me?" Finally it was out.
Bobby just looked at her for a moment. "Alex, I don't remember saying that."
Alex looked crestfallen.
"But I have been doing a lot of thinking. And…and I do forgive you, Alex."
Alex suddenly looked so happy, she hugged Bobby so hard she nearly knocked him over. "Oh, God, I'm sorry, Bobby!" she said, as she grabbed him before he fell. "Oh, Bobby, thank you! Thank you!"
Bobby smiled again, straightening up. Alex leaned into him, crying, and Bobby slowly stroked her hair. "It's okay, Alex, it's okay…"
They headed back to Bobby's room, where Bobby sat on the bed, needing to rest. Alex took the chair beside the bed. They talked for a long time, until well past visiting hours. Before leaving, Alex kissed Bobby on the cheek. "Bobby, I promise I will make this up to you."
"That's not necessary, Eames," Bobby started, but Alex continued. "No, Bobby, I promised you when you were so sick—and I will make it up to you!"
xxx
Everything seemed to be going pretty well for Bobby, except for one thing. He still couldn't escape Doctor Painter, his shrink, who never missed an appointment. Bobby had decided a long time ago that Painter needed his own shrink.
When Painter came into his room Bobby still wouldn't speak to him.
"Well, I see your little experience hasn't changed you," Painter told him.
Bobby, who was still pretty wiped out anyway, didn't even look up.
"It could have gone a lot worse for you, you know."
Bobby sighed. "Yeah, so what?"
Painter sneered. "Do you think it was just chance that you got so sick?"
Bobby's head jerked up. "What did you say?" Now Painter had his attention, but refused to say any more.
"What did you say?" Bobby demanded again.
"We'll talk after our session," Painter told him.
"The hell we will!" Bobby was furious. "Get the fuck out! Now!" To emphasize his point, Bobby got to his feet and advanced on him.
Painter backed up. "S-Stay away from me! I told them you were dangerous!"
Very softly Bobby said, "Well now I'm gonna show you just how dangerous I can be!" The softness of Bobby's voice terrified Painter even more.
Painter backed out the door, and was gone. If Bobby hadn't been so angry he would have found it amusing. But right now he didn't think it was one bit funny.
Later that day Doctor Henson was in. Bobby was still angry about Painter, and spoke about it with the doctor.
"I'm telling you, Doc, if someone doesn't take that son of a bitch off my case I'm going to do it myself—physically!"
"Take it easy, Bobby. No sense in getting all riled up about it now. We've had a number of complaints about him. I don't think he'll be here much longer."
"Well, that's good. How the hell did that quack ever make it to this hospital, anyway?"
Henson shook his head. "All I know is, he came with good credentials. What happened after that, I don't know. I know he's not good, but I don't think he's dangerous."
"I'm not so sure," Bobby mused. "Do you know that bastard actually insinuated that my getting sick was no accident?"
Henson looked startled.
"He said it was no accident—what?"
"Bobby, uh…we got the results back from your latest blood test."
Bobby looked stricken. His first thought was AIDS. His worst nightmare. He closed his eyes. "Oh God…"
Henson realized right away what Bobby was thinking. "Oh, no, Bobby…it's not that."
Bobby let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Then…what?"
"We found a trace of immunosuppressant drugs in your blood. It's extremely difficult to pick up on that if you're not looking for it."
Bobby stared at Henson for a second. "You're saying—"
"I haven't said anything yet," Henson told him. "What I am trying to say is that we found minute traces in your blood. The amount we found would not have had that effect on you. However, if there had been more by the time we found it there wasn't much there. This could explain your recovery."
"So how did it get there?"
"That I don't know," Henson admitted. But to himself he wondered if somehow Bobby's meds had been tampered with.
The detective in him already figured that out. Painter, Bobby thought.. "And could someone have easy access to those type of drugs?"
"I really don't see how," Henson said, suddenly seeing a malpractice suit against him, the hospital, and whoever tampered with the drugs. "I'm not saying anyone did."
Sensing he would get nothing more from Henson at the moment, Bobby merely nodded.
"Anyway, Bobby, I'd say you were coming along excellently. If you continue to make progress like you have been, I'd say you can probably go home in two, maybe three days."
"That's the best news I've heard since I've been here!" Bobby was excited; he couldn't wait to tell the others the news.
xxx
Later that evening when Alex arrived, Bobby was sitting on the chair reading his Smithsonian. Hearing Alex, he looked up, with the biggest grin on his face.
"You know you look just like the Cheshire Cat?" Alex teased him. "What's up?"
"What's up," Bobby said, putting his magazine down, "is that I'm finally getting out of here!" He stood up and walked to Alex, who hugged him fiercely.
"Bobby that is so great!" Alex seemed almost as happy as Bobby.
"Let's go for a walk, Eames," Bobby said, a little mysteriously. They headed down to the sun room. "I've got a few things to tell you. And a theory I'd like to run by you."
"Sure, Bobby," Alex said lightheartedly, figuring he was kidding since he hadn't even made it out of the hospital yet. Bobby didn't say anything, and Alex turned to him, "Bobby?"
The look on Bobby's face told her he was anything but kidding. He was all business. And part of that business was Painter.
tbc