Viva Las Vegas (6/?)
By Carol M.
See first part for details
Note: The end is in sight folks. Probably another two parts at most. Little surprise for you at the end. Hope you enjoy!
Claire stared incredulously at Kathy Sabattini, unable to comprehend the words coming out of her mouth. "Five?" she asked.
"Five," said Kathy, nodding. "My nose, my chin, my breasts, my stomach, and my butt. You should have seen me five years ago. I'm telling you, plastic surgery saved my sex life," she said with a drunken laugh.
Claire shook her head and glanced over at the bar, looking for Darien. When she didn't spot him, a small frown spread across her face. She looked over at one of the poker tables and saw Bobby waving his cards in the air dramatically with all the other bodyguards looking extremely pissed off. She glanced around the casino and saw John trying his luck at the Blackjack tables. Darien was nowhere to be found. A feeling of dread grew in the pit of her stomach causing her to stand up from her chair. "If you'll excuse me for a moment," she said to the other wives. They all nodded pleasantly and went back to their conversation.
Claire quickly walked over to Bobby, tapping him on the back when she reached him. He turned around and gave her a crooked grin. "Hey Shirley, what's going on?" he asked.
Claire cleared her throat and gave Bobby a sharp look. "James, have you seen Roy?"
Bobby shook his head. "No, why?"
She stepped closer to him and leaned down towards his ear. "I'm worried something's happened to him," she whispered.
Bobby gave her a worried glance and then threw his cards on the table. "I'm gonna sit this one out boys. Keep my seat warm," he said distractedly.
Claire and Bobby began walking around the casino, looking for any sign of Darien. Their search turned up nothing. "Where's Hastings?" asked Bobby.
"I don't know, I don't see him," said Claire, looking around the casino.
"There," pointed Bobby as he saw Jack accompanied by his bodyguard entering the casino through a side entrance. He glanced at the bodyguard's shirt and saw faint stains of blood on the sleeve. "Aw crap," he said with worry.
The pair quickly ran over to the side entrance, which led into a winding hallway. They turned a corner and found Darien's bleeding unconscious form sprawled across the carpet.
"Fawkes," said Bobby as he dashed to his partner and placed a gentle hand on his back. He felt his neck for a pulse and was relieved when he found it was steady and strong. He looked at Darien's face and shook his head in sympathy, seeing the blood and bruises. "He's out cold, Keep," said Bobby.
Claire knelt down over Darien and gently rolled him onto his back. She winced when she saw the blood running down his face and the tinge of purple that was already forming on his eye and jaw. "Darien, can you hear me?" she whispered as she ran a gentle hand down his cheek.
A weak moan was her only reply.
"Let's get him back up to the room," said Claire.
Bobby nodded and reached under Darien, carefully lifting him into his arms.
"You got him?" asked Claire.
"Yeah," said Bobby as he began following Claire down the hallway with Darien tucked in his arms like an infant. They found a service elevator and quickly entered it, pushing the button for the fifth floor.
By the time they got back to the room, Darien was starting to come around. Bobby carefully lay him down on the bed and looked at Claire for instruction. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.
"Ice," was her reply as she began unbuttoning Darien's jacket and shirt. She quickly got them off his body and began feeling his ribs and stomach, looking for any signs of broken bones or internal injuries. He had several large welts across his ribs, some of which were slightly bloody.
"Ahhh," whimpered Darien as she pressed on one of his ribs.
"Sorry," she said apologetically. "What happened?" she asked.
"Hastings," panted Darien.
Bobby stepped next to the bed with a plastic bag filled with ice. "Here you go, buddy," he said as he placed the bag on Darien's eye.
Darien moaned and shut his eyes, trying to ignore the pain that even a simple breath brought with it.
"So he knows you're a Fed," said Bobby.
Darien shook his head. "No. Liz and I…we…ow…we pulled a job with him once. That's why I thought I recognized him. He was a thief," said Darien weakly. "He knows we were snooping in his room and wanted to dissuade me from doing it again," said Darien as he reached into his pocket and pulled out Claire's earring.
Claire eyed it intensely and gave Darien an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry," she said.
"It's not your fault, Claire," said Darien. "What's important is that I didn't blow my cover. Well, not completely anyway. I told him I changed my name so I would seem more respectable in the drug business. He just thinks I'm a glorified punk. He doesn't have a clue about us."
Claire nodded sadly and then glanced at Bobby. "Stay with him, okay. I need to get some supplies," she said as she picked up her purse and ran out the door.
"Damn it, Fawkes. I'm supposed to protect you from this crap. Some bodyguard I am," said Bobby.
Darien shook his head, swallowing painfully. "Forget it, man. We've got bigger problems."
"Like what?" asked Bobby somewhat hesitantly.
"Like Sabattini wants to meet my supplier tomorrow," said Darien. "We need to get somebody here pretty freakin fast."
"Don't worry about it, I've got it covered, partner," said Bobby.
Darien shut his eyes, feeling woozy and generally pretty miserable. He heard Bobby rooting around in the bathroom and then several seconds later, he felt a cold wash cloth pressed against his aching, bleeding cheek. Darien opened one eye and groaned. "Not that I'm ungrateful, Hobbes, but I think the nursing is best left to the Keep," said Darien as he felt the roughness of the cloth rub painfully against his cut.
"Yeah, well, I got to do something. I can't just sit here twiddling my thumbs," said Bobby.
Darien took a deep breath and regretted it instantly as the pain tore through his stomach. "Crap," he cursed through clenched teeth.
"Easy, just relax, okay. Claire will be back in a minute," said Bobby.
"You would think she would have brought her medical bag along. She knows how prone I am to getting my ass kicked," said Darien sarcastically.
The door to the room opened and both sighed in relief when they saw Claire enter the room armed with a bag filled with medical supplies. "Thank god the gift shop was still open," she said as she sat down on the bed next to Darien.
"I'm gonna give you two some room," said Bobby. "Gotta go find us a drug dealer," he said as he walked towards the adjoining door to his room.
"Yeah and his name better not be Super Fly," said Darien.
Bobby made a face and then walked out the door.
Meanwhile, Claire had cleared away the ice and washcloth from Darien's face and was examining the wounds. She opened a bottle of antiseptic and poured it over the cut on his cheek, causing Darien to flinch and hiss. "God, what are you using, acid?" he winced.
Claire rolled her eyes and began wiping away the blood. When she was finished cleaning the cuts, she applied bandages to the injuries.
"Roll over," she said in an authoritative tone.
Darien groaned and did what he was told, trying to mask the scream of agony that wanted to pour from his lips.
Claire frowned when she saw the mottle of bruises marring his back. "Looks like you've got a bruised kidney. We'll have to check your urine for blood," said Claire.
"Great," said Darien.
She rolled him back over and began wiping at the bloody welts on his stomach and ribs. Then she began wrapping bandages tightly across his ribcage, trying to ignore the moans of pain coming from Darien. Finally, she took out an icepack and place it against his stomach where the bruises were the most pronounced. She picked up the ice bag Bobby had given her and placed it against his cheek, sighing slightly in sympathy.
When she was finished, she patted him gently on the shoulder and then ran a hand through his hair. "You've got a fractured rib and lots of bruises, but other than that you seem to be okay. You just need to rest," she said.
Darien looked up at her and smiled slightly. "Thanks," he said softly.
Claire returned the smile. "Don't you be so silly. It's my job," she said as she reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of Tylenol. She left his side for a second and returned with a glass of water. "Here, take these, they should help with the pain," she said as shook two tablets out of the bottle and handed them to Darien. She placed her hand behind Darien's neck and helped him to sit up so he could take the pills. He put the pills in his mouth and swallowed them with the water, then she helped him settle back against the pillow.
"Rest okay," she whispered.
Darien nodded and closed his eyes, feeling sore and exhausted. He felt the comforter being pulled out from under him and then felt the warmth of blankets being tucked around him. He drifted into sleep almost immediately.
Claire watched him relax into sleep and then quietly knocked on the adjoining door to Bobby's room. "Bobby," she whispered.
"Come in, Keep," she heard him say. She entered the room and saw Bobby sitting on his bed talking on his cell phone.
"Sir, we need someone here now, okay. We get our covers blown and you can kiss our asses goodbye," said Bobby with irritation into the phone.
"No, no, Fawkes looks like he went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson…no the gland's fine, chief," said Bobby.
Claire rolled her eyes in anger.
"So when can he be here?… Nine in the morning? That'll have to be good enough. Thanks, sir, we'll keep you posted," said Bobby as he hung up the phone and glanced at Claire. "How's Fawkes?"
"Resting. He broke a rib, but other than that he's okay," said Claire. "What's going on? What did the Official say?"
"Sabattini wants to meet Roy's supplier tomorrow. The Fatman said he's got the perfect person in mind. Said he would be here in the morning," said Bobby.
"Why doesn't that comfort me?" said Claire sighing slightly, looking around the room. "I feel awful, Bobby," she said suddenly.
Bobby gave her a confused look. "What for?"
"If I hadn't have dropped my earring in Hasting's room Darien would be okay," she said.
Bobby shook his head. "Fawkes is tougher than he looks, Keep. He'll be fine."
Claire nodded. "So what now?"
"I'm gonna go back downstairs and maybe beat the crap out of Hastings. You stay with Fawkes. Keep your door locked," said Bobby.
"Okay," said Claire, looking at her feet.
"Hey Claire," said Bobby as he got up from the bed.
Claire looked up at him. "Yeah?"
"You're doing a good job. You might turn into a half decent field agent after all," he said as he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "But next time, you get to be my wife," he whispered in her ear.
Claire smiled and pulled away, wiping away a few stray tears that were trickling down her cheeks.
"Thanks, Bobby."
"No problem that's what Bobby Hobbes, or should I say James Burnett, is here for," he said.
She gave him a playful shove. "Go downstairs."
Bobby gave her a large smile, grabbed his gun and then walked out the door.
Claire walked back through the adjoining door and shut it, locking it behind her. She stepped to the front door and locked it as well. She then walked towards the bed and took a look at Darien, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Satisfied, she sat down at the counter and started looking through a magazine.
Several hours later, she stepped next to the bed and began shaking Darien softly. "Darien, wake up," she whispered.
He was curled on his side with the blankets almost covering his head. His eyes fluttered open and a groan escaped from his lips.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" asked Claire.
Darien rolled over and moaned. "Not so good," he answered honestly.
Claire picked up the bottle of Tylenol next to the bed and shook out two more pills. She fetched a glass of water and then returned to his side. "Here, take some more Tylenol," she said as she put the pills in his mouth and tipped the glass of water so he could drink it.
He swallowed the pills and then took several sips of water. When he was finished, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and relaxed back into the pillow. "Thanks," he whispered hoarsely.
Claire smiled. "You're welcome," she said. "Go back to sleep. I'm going to turn in too."
"Where's Hobbesy?" asked Darien.
"Next door. He went downstairs and had a few words with Hastings. He also found you a supplier for tomorrow," said Claire.
"Well that's something," said Darien.
"Yeah," said Claire as she stepped into the bathroom and emerged a few seconds later wearing her nightgown. She stepped over to the couch and lay down. "Good night, Darien. If you feel sick in the night, just yell and wake me up," she said as she settled deeper into the couch.
"Night," he said in a somewhat disappointed tone. He rolled on his side and sighed, unable to get comfortable. "Claire," he said.
"Yeah, Darien?" said Claire from the couch.
"Can I maybe get some company here?" he asked, patting the bed.
Claire sat up and gave him a curious look. "You want me to sleep with you?" she asked.
Darien's face flushed. "Well not sleep with me sleep with me, just sleep with me, you know," he said.
"Darien," said Claire, dragging his name out.
"Come on, please, cuddle with me," pleaded Darien. "I get lonely sometimes," he added quietly.
Claire sighed and stood up from the couch, walking over to the bed with apprehension. "All right, but Darien so help me god, you better behave yourself," she said as she climbed into bed next to him.
"Don't worry, I'm too sore to attempt anything, believe me," said Darien.
"Good," she said as she scooted behind him and spooned him from behind, wrapping an arm around his waist with her hand coming to rest on his stomach. Her face ended up buried against the back of his neck. "I'm not hurting you am I?" she asked.
"No," he whispered lazily. "Thanks."
"Go to sleep, you need to rest," said Claire.
"Yes ma'am," said Darien in a tired tone.
Claire felt Darien relax against her and within minutes she could tell he was fast asleep. She nestled closer to him and then placed a gentle kiss to the soft skin on the back of his neck. "Sweet dreams, Darien," she whispered. Five minutes later, she too was fast asleep.
**
Claire awoke with a start in the morning. She felt a warm body next to her and her face lit up in a combination of fear and confusion. She looked down and saw the sleeping form of Darien practically laying on top of her with his head buried against her chest and his arm wrapped around her waist. To her surprise, she found that her arms were wrapped around him as well. She stifled a small laugh and then carefully got up from under Darien, trying not to wake him. He moaned for a second and then buried himself back under the covers.
She was about to go see if Bobby was awake when she heard a knock at the front door. She walked towards it curiously and opened the door. "Eberts?" she said in surprise. "What the bloody hell are you doing here? And what are you wearing?" she asked incredulously.
Eberts stepped into the room, dressed in a black leather jacket and dirty jeans with a million gold chains hanging from his neck. "Doctor, for the next day you can call me Big Boy," he said in a serious tone. "You're friendly neighborhood drug supplier," he added with an excited smile.
Claire glanced at Darien's sleeping form and then back at Eberts, shaking her head slightly. "Oh dear," she said.
TBC