Chapter 25
Ron was pacing up and down the hall, wringing his hands in worry. He had been banned from the room for badgering the doctor. It had been two hours since Yori had collapsed in the middle of the base mess hall. The elevated heart rate and shallow rapid breathing were a cause of concern for the doctor. The health of the woman that had been adopted as the base mother and her unborn child was at risk.
The doctor, a GJ agent with advanced medical training, slipped out of Yori's room to find the anxious Ron hovering near the door. Before he could speak, she placed her finger on his lips to silenced him. "They're both just fine and are sleeping peacefully." Ron started for the door, Doc grabbed him, "and she needs to stay that way. She has been running full tilt for months, even after her doctor told her she needed to slow down and take it easy." Turning the young man towards her, Doc emphasizes, "she is on bed rest for at least the next week, bathroom breaks and a ten minute walk every two hours. Both of them are ok now, but if Yori doesn't slow down, there is a high possibility you could lose them both." She could see the panic rising in his eyes. Slapping him to get his attention, "Look, some good rest and some common sense and there is a high likelihood is both of them will make it safely to their due date in December. I want to see her in a week, sooner if something happens."
"How did I let it get to this point?" Ron just shook his head
"There were things that needed to be done" The doctor smiled "however, now there are others here at the base that can do it, she needs to let them." Wrapping her arm around the young man, "let's go get some lunch, then you can check on her."
Ron turned and wandered down the hall, his mind not on food for a change.
xXxXx
"Is she ok?" the worry in Kim's voice was palpable.
"Chill Girlfriend, she's fine. Doc's takin' good care of her." The relaxed look on Monique's calm face did more to ease Kim's panic than the reassuring words.
Taking a deep breath, "ok, who's Doc," The young redhead leaned back into the comfort of her companion's arms.
"We've been receiving a slow trickle of GJ agents. Total so far is eighty-five persons. They're mostly NFA that lack the experience to go to ground for extended periods."
Shego looked down for a translation 'Non-Field Agents' Kim shoots back across the link.
The chocolate beauty continues quirking an eyebrow the exchange. "That link must be handy in a pinch."
Kim just smiled, cuddling closer to her lover. "It has its uses," both lovers blush. Monique quirked an eyebrow.
Kim smiled, "Please continue."
Checking her notes, "We have a few scientists of various disciplines, two field medics, and Doc, who is an MD with multiple specialties including OB/GYN. She has kinda insinuated herself into the position of head of medical staff." She takes a breath "no one here has the authority to say yay or nay" she looks at the two lovers in her holo screen expectantly.
Kim looks up at Shego eyebrow raised "don't look at me. My contract says bodyguard," the dark-haired woman shoots back across the link.
Kim shakes her head and looks over her shoulder. "Yes, but you own the property." Turning back to the screen, "ok, officially offer her the job for as long as she is with us. Let her know that everyone gets a full checkup and physical. I want full reports posted on to the server" there was a short pause. She considered whether she had missed anything. "Please let Wade know were going to need a way to handle medical records. And I want to set up a meeting to hammer out a chain of command." The rest of the report was just mundane logistics.
After they disconnected, Kim turned a fire in her eyes, "Eme, what is this about you only being my bodyguard?"
Shego smiles, "well, as the contract stands, that's all I am."
"What about this?" Kim brings up her hand with the engagement ring
Shego smiles impishly, "that is a contract awaiting final ratification." She then became very serious "in truth, the team follows you, they are your team. Even Betty Director defers to you whenever you're involved in a case. They tolerate me out of respect for you." She just shakes her head "Kim, I'm an outsider, a former enemy and not to be trusted. I love you, and given time, maybe your friends will become comfortable with my presence. But right now, they still tense every time I enter a room."
"Eme," Kim sounded so small and fragile that it startled and worried the older woman. "Eme, I can't do this without you." her small frame begins to shake." Before, it was a bunch of bozos with delusions of grandeur and plans that tended to self-destruct with little effort on my part." Shego closed the distance and pulled the younger girl into an embrace. "Even then, when we were enemies, I would have died several times if you hadn't been there to save me." Kim turned in to snuggle with tears running down her cheeks. Fleetingly Shego wished she was wearing a shirt to absorb the wet. "Now, someone with real power has control. They outmaneuver us at every turn. I need you there to see what I'm missing. I need you there to help hold things together with each mounting crisis. But mostly I need you there to love me and to give me the strength to do what must be done and live with myself when it's over".
They lay like that for over an hour, just taking comfort in each other, the link wide-open sharing the honesty and feelings. The sound of a boat approaching roused the two of them. Checking the security sensors, Shego tossed Kim a thin, lightweight robe kept near the door for just such emergencies. Putting on her own robe, she walks towards the door, "Supply delivery. Good thing, the fridge is about empty" getting up Kim noticed that the robe was so thin you could feel the breeze right through it. The only thing that made it decent was that you couldn't distinguish anything through the floral pattern. The unloading of the supplies took a surprisingly short time considering the volume involved. Then the boats left as quickly as they came.
"Ok, where were we..." A long whistle interrupted Shego "that's the local emergency signal. Who would have the frequency in this area?"
Kim was already on her way to the com room, "We probably ought to find out." Quickly scanning the equipment, "that's a short-range beacon with a weak signal, it can't be more than fifty miles and its coming from the direction of the open sea."
"get dressed the plane is already warming up" Shego grabbed the emergency jumpsuits out of the front door closet tossing one to Kim. They both dashed to the plane and dressed as the autopilot took off.
Within minutes they were desperately scanning the open ocean for the beacon. A short time later, a glint off the port (left) wing caught Kim's eye "there it is and hurry, I have a bad feeling about this." As Shego descended, Kim went down to the rescue bay to receive the object. The intercom sparked to life "got it. Take us up….. it looks like a modified long-range message torpedo" a short pause and loud clang later "Eme how are the Medical facilities at the house"
"Top of the line. Why?"
"This torpedo has a passenger, and she is in terrible shape" Kim places an oxygen mask on Dolphin,s face through the small access panel, wondering how they were going to get her out.
xXxXx
"Hard to starboard, fire torpedos, Emergency blow."
"Sir, the ballast tanks have been compromised, surfacing is impossible."
"Message torpedo away. The receiver onboard will receive and record for about two to four hours."
"Gentlemen, it has been an honor serving with you. There is no way to surface. The air scrubber is damaged. We are dead men. Do we go quietly, or do we fight."
After a short pause, a thunderous shout, "we FIGHT, SIR!"
"Alright, all hands to battle stations. Engine room, remove all safeties from the reactor, and give me full speed."
"Reactor output now two hundred percent, sir."
"Captain why are they doing this"
"Because we saved the only two people that have a chance to save the world. And they want to get even. Helm, bring us about. Brace for impact. Let's ram the bastards!""
"Impact in ten seconds."
"Kim, Shego, if you're listening to this, take care of Dolphin. And get these bastards!" the sound of the impact was deafening even through the small speaker.
Kim held the small receiver in her hands for a long time crying while Shego destroyed several training dummies, each dealing with the loss in their own way.
XxXxX
"We've sent a general alert to those that have helped you in the past" wade just shook his head. "Most of GJ is working out of the mountain, and we have agents in the field grabbing as many as we can. Five confirmed dead plus the crew of the sub. Speaking of which how is she"
Kim looked up from her notes, "We don't know how long she was without or in weak air, so we will have to wait for her to come around to know for sure. It's been five days, but she seems to be getting stronger."
'Relax a little, it's not good for the baby' Shego was standing behind her younger lover, sending her comforting thoughts and trying to work the knots out of the small solders with her thumbs.
Kim just shook her head "how's the analysis of the data the captain sent us going?" looking at the comm holo. 'You can't lie to me, Eme, your wound up so tight you're going to snap' taking what comfort she can from the link Kim relaxes her shoulders.
Wade pulled up his laptop "the captain seems to have been running a gauntlet of battles ever since he dropped the two of you. I have identified several different types of craft. They range from the small two-man fast attack craft to something about the size of an aircraft carrier. The latter probably works as a mobile attack base. From the reports, Dolphin identified at least five of what I am calling the behemoth class submersible."
"Thanks, Wade, let us know if you find anything else."Kim Leaned back and stretched, letting out a groan, "how are things at the base."
"Monique is quite the organizer. Oh, that reminds me she wants to know if you will be joining us for thanksgiving next Thursday."
"Ok, we'll let her know."
XxXxX
It must have been some party. My head is killing me, my mouth is so dry its cracking, and my body hurts all over. Oh god, there is someone else in the room, don't tell me I did IT last night. And WHY IS IT SO DAMN DARK IN HERE!
"Good, you're finally awake" The voice is female and sounds friendly. The relief is instant. At least I hadn't brought home a guy. "all right, let's take a look at you."
"Wait," my voice is almost nonexistent from lack of use. I cleared my voice and try again, "Who are you. Why am I in a hospital if that's where I am, And why is it so damn dark?"
"Dolphin?" With the use of my Nickname, everything comes crashing back. The constant battles, the fear. "The lights are on bright." With those words, the world comes crashing down around my ears
XxXxX
Kim finished putting away the supplies in the new infirmary and humming quietly. Dolphin had been here almost week and was still unconscious. A noise from across the room startled the redhead. Looking around, she became aware that there was movement from the bed. "good, you're finally awake."
"Wait," her voice was cracked from lack of use. She cleared her voice and tried again, "Who are you. Why am I in a hospital if that's where I am, And why is it so damn dark?"
"Dolphin? The lights are on bright." With that announcement, the copper-skinned face fell.
Kim wrapped her arms around the distraught woman. "it will be ok. We'll figure this out together."
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, "ok, give it to me straight, I can handle it."
Another voice answered, "You have suffered from a severe case of hypoxia (oxygen deprivation). You were nearly dead when we found you."
Dolphin leaned back against the wall and took a deep calming breath. "I recognize your voices. Kim and Shego?"
"Yes, it's us." The redhead gave the young sailor a hug. "You're recovering in our home."
"Ok, now that you're awake, let's take a look at you," Shego began to take vitals and jot them down on a note pad. " When you came in, I was afraid that you had spent too long without air and you would never awaken." Reflexes and response times were tested. "your recovery is more than we could have ever expected. Now let's take a look at those eyes." A few moments later, "I'm not a specialist, but the fact there is no response to the light does not bode well." There were a few moments of silence, "You know we don't even know your real name."
"Kylee, Kylee Sailfin," she answered as she replied everything that happened since she woke up. "So I nearly died, but I am recovering. I'm blind, and you don't know if it's permanent. Does that about cover it?"
Shego gave a sad smile. "Yep that about it."
Kylee just nodded as she was still replaying the last little bit, "Uh Kim, were we both naked when we hugged?"
Kim blushed, "for you, it was easier to treat you, and we didn't have anything to put you in. For Shego and I, We have decided that our home will be a clothing-optional zone, and for the most part, we have opted out." The blush on the redhead outshines her hair.
The brunet sighs, "and I'm missing it." Shego burst out laughing as Kim's face nearly explodes.
