Part 6...

0045 EDT
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Room 212...



Victor looked down at the hospital johnny he was wearing with a sour frown. There was no reason for him to be here. Sure his head was pounding and he felt like he'd been run over with a tank then thrown from a helo onto the flight deck of a carrier, but he'd heard the doctor. He was okay. The stubborn Marine crossed his arms over his chest and scowled deeply: he was going home if it was the last thing he did.

"Oh my...someone looks grouchy," Austin commented as she eased the door to his room open and stepped in. He didn't look too horrible yet, but she was sure given time the bruises that would blossom on his body were going to be impressive.

"I want to go home."

"Well you're not going to go home. Commander Fowler wants you to stay here overnight and that's exactly what you're going to do," she retorted ignoring his lethal glare as she leaned over to press a quick kiss to his lips.

"But Aus..."

"Ooh...was that a whine Marine?"

Victor turned his head away and sighed deeply. Just what he needed was to be teased. A few more pokes into his all ready wounded ego.

"I was worried about you Victor," Austin whispered running her fingers through the short hair on top of his head. "The Admiral, Mr. Webb, Commander Rabb, Colonel Mackenzie, Bud and Harriet are in the waiting room. Do you feel up to at least snarling a greeting at them?"

"Sure...I can't believe you're going to insist I stay here," Victor tried again forcing his eyes to look pleadingly into hers.

"I l-...I'm getting rather fond of you Galindez...I want to keep you around for a little while," Austin managed without sounding too choked up. "I'll go get the others."

He watched her go a sense of wonder filling his heart. She'd been about to say she loved him, he knew it. Feeling a little smug Victor settled back against the pillows on his raised bed.

"You look like hell son," AJ Chegwidden boomed as he entered the room. "I see you let them hit you in the nose again."

"Pretty much sir," Victor shrugged wincing when he tried to grin and his cheek shifted under the tight black sutures.

"Glad to see you've got a sense of humor still. Rabb, Webb and Mac had to go. Bud and Harriet are still in the waiting room," the older man related as he dropped into a chair.

"What the hell'd you say to Miss Bradford, Gunny? When I left she was in tears," AJ asked gruffly eyeing his office manger suspiciously.

"Tears, sir?"

"You know...leaking from the eyes," AJ retorted. "You didn't say something awful to her did you?"

"No sir...just that I wanted to go home," Victor replied innocently.

"Well don't tell her that again...I can't stand to see a woman cry," AJ grumbled as he got back to his feet. "Rest up son...I'm giving Miss Bradford the day off tomorrow and probably the day after so she can help you out at your place."

"Thank you Admiral."

"Don't thank me yet Gunny...you're going to be nursemaided to death I don't doubt," the older man chuckled before he left the room.

Victor closed his eyes, dozing off on the pain medication the doctor had given him when he heard the door to his room ease open again. He cracked his eyes open to find Harriet looking at him critically. "Ma'am?"

"How are you Gunny?"

"Sore, but I imagine that's going to get worse before it gets better Ma'am."

"Bud took Austin to get something to drink. She's pretty upset Gunny," Harriet scolded as she pulled the blankets up around him more and straightened the one draped at the foot of his bed.

"I didn't say anything Ma'am...honest. She told me who was here waiting for word on me...then I complained about her making me stay."

Harriet watched as a light blush crept up Gunny's neck. Something else had been said, but she knew Gunny was too private to ever tell her what it had been.

"Just take it easy on her Gunny. Austin's a wonderful person and I don't want to see her hurt."
"Me neither Ma'am," Victor rushed to answer.

"You get some rest...I'll send Austin in as soon as she and Bud come back," Harriet fussed over him like a mother hen for a few minutes then left the room allowing Victor to sink back into a doze.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

0100 EDT
Cafeteria...

"Coffee, hot chocolate or tea?" Bud asked looking at the woman standing behind him. Austin wasn't crying anymore, but the way her lower lip was tucked in her teeth he didn't think it would take much to change that.

"Soda actually...Pepsi sounds really good right now," Austin answered feeling another sob clawing up her throat. God she wasn't going to do this here. She couldn't stand the idea of bursting into tears again. She could still see the horrified look on the Admiral's face when she'd started to cry in the waiting room.

"Soda it is then...come on, let's sit for a little bit," Bud urged leading her to a table at the far corner of the mostly empty cafeteria.

"You don't have to do this. I'm sure you and Harriet want to get home."

"Hey...you're our friend and you need us right now: that's what's important...not a night of missed sleep," Bud answered. "What's got you so upset Austin?"

She shrugged and looked at the ceiling. "I don't know really. Victor doesn't look really horrible or anything, not yet at least-but someone wanted to hurt him and they wanted to hurt him for the same reason I wasn't willing to give him a chance when I first met him."

"They didn't get a chance to do that Austin: Mr. Webb stopped them. He's bruised and a little battered, but he'll heal. Just focus on that."

Austin nodded and offered Bud a trembling smile. "Bud Roberts, you are such a nice guy."

"Nice guy, huh? I can live with that."

"Thanks for listening Bud, but I want to get back to Victor."

***********************************************************