Chapter 25

Sophie saw the doctor emerge and walk directly to them. She could see on his face that he was not brining good news and her heart sank. She kissed her daughter on her head and then handed her over to Parker before standing and meeting the doctor. Kate was sleeping peacefully and if this was bad news…

"Doctor…"

"Mrs Ford…" The doctor said coming to a halt in front of the woman. Eliot and Hardison had joined her and although Parker desperately wanted to hear what was happening she hung back holding the sleeping Kate in her arms.

"Is he…did…"

"He survived the surgery Mrs Ford…" The doctor told her but she could tell that that was the only good news he was going to give her.

"Thank God…" Hardison blurted out and turned to give Parker the thumbs up.

"But…?" Sophie asked quietly.

The doctor looked at her and nodded at her implication that that was basically the good news.

"But your husband sustained a serious injury. The bullet entered his back just below the right shoulder blade, it shattered his 9th rib and perforated his lung before exiting his body. Unfortunately one of the shards from the rib lodged in the wall of his heart causing cardiac haemorrhaging…the blood filled up the chest cavity putting pressure on his remaining lung. Now we have managed to repair the damage but he lost an enormous amount of blood. He also, as you know was in full cardiac and respiratory arrest when he was brought into the hospital, I am afraid he went into arrest again on the table. We have inserted a drainage tube into his chest and we had to intubate him, so he is not breathing on his own at the moment." The doctor paused to allow the information to sink in.

As Eliot listened to the litany of damaged the bullet had done he blanched slightly, his chances were not good. He looked at Sophie and then to Hardison and he could see on their faces that they understood the seriousness of the situation.

"Mrs Ford, I can see that your husband is a fighter, he would not have made it this far if he weren't, but I have to be honest with you, the chances of him coming through this are not great. The next fourty eight hours will tell us more, but I suggest that you prepare for the worst…I am sorry."

The doctor's words brought a flash of anger to Sophie's eyes. How dare this man write Nate off.? Nate was a fighter he was right and he would fight to come back to them…he would come back to them, to his family.

"Thank you doctor…" Eliot said before Sophie could say anything. "Can we see him?"

"He will be in recovery for a while and then we will move him to ICU. You can see him then but only one at a time and only for a few minutes. He is extremely susceptible to infection. One more thing…" The doctor told them. "We have him in an induced coma to give him a chance to heal, we will evaluate the situation again in twenty four hours. I will have the nurse fetch you once we have moved him into ICU."

The three watched the doctor walk away before turning back to Parker who still held the sleeping Kate. Sophie took the sleeping child trying to contain her tears as she rocked the little girl. Eliot and Hardison explained to Parker what was happening. An hour later the nurse came to fetch them telling them they could see Nate for a few minutes. It was decided that Sophie could go into the room and the rest would wait outside. They could see Nate through the glass surrounding the room. Parker once again had Kate in her arms. Sophie entered the room and approached Nate's bed. He looked so small and she was afraid to get to close. He had so many wires and pipes protruding from him. The ventilator obscured his face and his skin was pallid , almost paler than the white sheets he lay on. His chest was bare except for the long bandage that covered the incision almost from his chin all the way down to his belly. She reached out and tentatively touched his hand.

"You won't hurt him…" The nurse told her as she watched her tentatively place her hand on Nate's. "You know it can only do him good to know somebody is here for him."

Sophie looked up at the young nurse and smiled through her tears.

"He…he looks so fragile and all the pipes and…"

"I know…but you know I believe that even when they are not awake, they know, they can feel your presence and that makes all the difference." The nurse told her.

"Thank you…" Sophie said taking a step closer to the bed.

She reached out and placed her hand on his forehead, it felt cold and his skin was clammy. Her other hand held his and squeezed it gently.

"Nate darling I am here…we are all here and we are all safe. Kate is just waiting for her Daddy to hold her…" Sophie said as tears once again flowed down her face. "I love you so much Nate…please…I can't lose you. Kate needs her Dad and I need my husband. You have to fight Nate…you have to fight my darling." She told him her hand still resting on his forehead. She half expected something, some form of acknowledgement from him but there was nothing, just the sounds from the medical equipment…that was the only indication of life at all.

She looked over at the others who all stood at the window. Parker rocking Kate gently in her arms, the little girl was now awake and staring through the window at her parents. Sophie smiled at the child not wanting to frighten her, then she looked down at Nate again and lifting his hand to her lips she kissed it gently.

"Me and Kate are waiting for you my love…" She whispered to him. "I love you." Then she turned and left the room.

As Sophie walked out of the room her daughter ran to her parker having put her down just as Sophie walked out.

"Mommy…" The little girl cried out as Sophie scooped her up into her arms.

"It's ok Kate…It's going to be ok…" Sophie said hugging the child tightly.

"I want to see Daddy." Kate told her mother.

"I know my darling but you can't right now. Your Daddy is sleeping and he needs his sleep ok…"

"Can I see him when he wakes up?" Kate asked staring over her mothers' shoulder at the sleeping form of her father.

"Yes my darling I promise." Sophie said.

"Ok…" Kate said then pulled slightly away from Sophie to be able to look at her. "When will Daddy wake up?"

"Soon my darling…soon…" Sophie told her hoping that she would not be made a liar if Nate never woke up. The thought nearly made her collapse but she just pulled Kate tighter to her and steeled herself. She had to be strong for her daughter.

"Ok…well…" Hardison said turning away from the window. "I have organised hotel rooms for us. The hotel is just across the road."

"I…"

"Sophie there is nothing we can do here. We all need to get cleaned up and I think we could all do with a good meal." Parker told the woman. Nate would want her to make sure Sophie and Kate were taken care of and that was what she would focus on.

"Ok…" Sophie said. She knew Parker was right. She was exhausted and so were the others. They had not had a decent meal for a while and Kate…well Kate they didn't even know when last Kate had eaten. "I just…I don't…"

"Don't worry Sophie, I'll stay. You take Kate and get some rest and some food. I promise I will let you know if anything happens." Eliot told her. She did not want to leave Nate alone in case something happened and he understood that. She was torn between being with her husband and taking care of her daughter.

"Thank you Eliot." Sophie smiled at the Hitter.

"Ok let's go." Hardison said putting his hand on Sophie's back and steering her towards the elevators.

"Eliot…"

"I promise Sophie." Eliot assured her.

Sophie took one last look at the still form of Nate in the glass room and then turned and left. Eliot turned back to the glass and stared through it at Nate.

"What the hell Nate…" He whispered. "You have a damn cross hair on you…what the hell…" Eliot said shaking his head as he spoke softly to the man who could not hear him. "Couldn't you just have pulled them down…couldn't you have…God damn it Nate…" Eliot said frustrated that the man had gotten hurt, frustrated that he had not been able to stop Johnston before he pulled the trigger. "You better not die…" He warned the unconscious Mastermind. "You better not Nate because…" Eliot fought the emotion that welled up in him. "Dammit Nate…" Eliot stood like that for a few minutes just staring in at the sick man. Then he decided to go and get some coffee before settling in for a long vigil.

Eliot was gone for only a minute or two when another figure approached the window separating the visitors from the patient. The figure stood at the window and then raised her hand and placed it on the window.

"I am so sorry this happened Nate…this was never supposed to happen." The figure whispered.

"Are you also family of his Miss…?" The nurse asked as she stopped outside the room before going in to check Nate's vitals.

The woman nodded, then looked up at the nurse her eyes swimming in tears.

"Can…can I…can I go in and…"

The nurse stared at her for a few minutes and then nodded. She had not seen the woman with the others but she was obviously connected to the patient.

"Only for a minute…" The nurse told her.

The woman nodded and then moved into the room and to Nate's side. She reached out and took his hand rubbing it gently.

"Everything will be alright Nate…everything will be alright." She told him. "You see…" She said leaning in to whisper in his ear as she laid a hand to his forehead. "I told you that you would be happier with me. This would never have happened if you had just…" She stood up and looked down at the man in the bed. "You lied to me Nate, you said we…we would fix things and then you ran off and you let them take me, but I forgive you. I love you Nate…"

"I am afraid you will have to go now Miss…" The nurse said as she finished checking Nate's charts.

The woman looked up at the nurse and then her eyes fell on the figure exiting the elevator and nodded, dropping her head slightly and whispering her thank you to the nurse before quickly leaving the room and turning away from the elevators and disappearing before Eliot could see her. He took a seat outside the room and settled in until the others returned. About an hour later the nurse who had been looking after Nate since they had arrived approached him.

"Hi…I'm going off duty now but I thought you would like to know that he is doing alright, his vitals are stable and he is holding his own." She said approaching the man.

"Thank you." Eliot smiled at her.

"Well you know not many patients have so many people here for them. I mean you and all the others earlier and then that other lady…she really was upset."

"What other woman?" Eliot said suddenly on high alert.

"The lady who stayed with him while you went for coffee…" The nurse said not sure what the good looking young man's disposition had suddenly changed.

"This is very important…" Eliot told the nurse his voice had a hard edge to it now and the nurse knew something she had said had upset him. "I need you to describe her to me…"

"She was…I don't know about fourty I think, not too tall and with brown hair I think…I…I didn't pay that much attention." She said suddenly afraid without knowing why.

"Ok…ok…what did she do?" Eliot said backing off slightly realising that he was frightening the woman. "I'm sorry but this is very important…please." HE reiterated.

"Well she just…I don't know talked to him. I didn't hear what she said but she was obviously upset by his condition…I'm sorry…I thought she was family she seemed so…so distraught."

"It's ok…really…no harm done." Eliot told her seeing that she was now visibly upset. "I just didn't realise she was here…"

"She didn't…I mean I know he was shot and…She didn't…"

"No…no…" Eliot smiled at her. "No just…just if she comes back…well you know she and Nate were close and then they had a fight and now…well, after what happened…"

"Oh…oh ok…" The woman said thinking she understood. Obviously a family feud, she was not part of the family any more, the patient must have had a fight with her over something. She had seen it a million times, families don't speak to each other and then something happens and they have regrets and try to make things right.

"Thanks again…for taking such great care of Nate." Eliot told her.

"Oh…yes well, he is a lucky man to have so many people concerned for his welfare." She told him. "It's always sad when they have nobody. Anyway I have to go, I'll see you again in the morning." She said then left.

Eliot watched her leave and then pulled out his phone.

"Eliot…has something…"

"No Hardison Nate is fine." Eliot assured the Hacker. "I need you to get over here and bring your stuff."

"Eliot…"

"Just get here Hardison and don't tell Sophie, let Parker stay with her ok."

"You're scaring me man…"

"Dammit Hardison just get your ass over here now."

"Ok man…" Hardison said hanging up the phone.

Eliot immediately dialled another number.

"Bonnano…"

"Pat, where is Penelope?"

"Eliot…" Bonnano said then read the urgency in Eliot's voice and immediately told him that Penelope Cowan had got bail. He was having her followed and as far as he knew she was at her house.

"Check on her."

"Eliot what's going on?"

"Nate was shot. I think Penelope was here at the hospital."

"Nate was shot…? By Penelope…?"

"No…no it's a long story Pat but I need to know where Penelope is." Eliot replied.

"You got it Eliot." Patrick Bonnano said sensing that Eliot was not going to tell him the 'long story' right then. "I'll call you back."

"Thanks Patrick." Eliot said then hung up the phone and stared in at the window and at Nate.

"Eliot what the hell is going on?" Hardison asked as he walked through the elevator's to be met by the Hitter.

"I think Penelope is here…"

"Here…here…in this hospital? Why…?" Hardison asked.

"That I don't know Hardison but it ain't good." Eliot told his friend. "We need to set up surveillance. Nate is never alone understand?"

"Yeah man I understand." Hardison said starting to work on his computer. "Don't we have enough trouble…?" He said shaking his head as he worked.

"Just get it done Hardison." Eliot told the man. "I don't know what she wants but she is obsessed with Nate and she could do anything." Eliot told him. She could either go after Sophie and Kate and try to get them out of the way, or…she was a nut and was capable of anything, including going out and taking Nate with her.

"What about Sophie…I mean she tried to get rid of her and Kate before remember."

"Yeah, that's why I'm headed to the hotel and you are staying here. Keep the coms in." Eliot said then turned and left the Hacker.

Hardison watched him go then pulled out his phone.

"Hardison what is going on?" Parker answered.

"Eliot will explain when he gets there. Don't open the door to anybody Parker, Penelope is back."

"Got it." Parker said not asking any more questions.

Parker hung up the phone and went to check that the door was securely locked. She looked in on the main bedroom to find Sophie curled up in bed with her daughter sleeping peacefully. She closed the door softly then started checking on all the windows in the suite. They were in the penthouse but she knew better than anybody that was no guarantee that somebody could not get into through the window. Whatever Penelope wanted she was going to have to go through her to hurt her family any more than she already had.

So Penelope is back but what does she have in mind? What about Nate will he be alright? Are Sophie and Kate in danger again? Thank you all so much for your reviews they are very much appreciated.