"I'm fine," she whispered to Frank but her eyes were focused on Jake, who sat on the opposite side of the waiting room with Cody. 

Frank cupped Shay's chin and forced her to look at him.  "You've been through a lot, Shay.  It wouldn't hurt to get the once over from a doctor."

Shay looked down at herself thinking she must look a sight to most people.  She wore only one of Frank's dress shirts that he happened to have in the Blazer.  It covered her better than some of her dresses; still she was sure it looked odd.  Looking back up into the intense gaze of her husband, she was overcome by her emotions and tossed her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely. 

"Shay?"

"Tiger...we almost lost each other tonight...and now...Frankie's fighting for her life as we speak."

"I know," he replied, stroking her hair lovingly.  "I think I died a little when that gun went off...and when Frankie took that bullet for you...I..." a soft sob escaped him and he clung to her...his lifeline.  This was one debt he would never be able to repay Frankie; although he would damn well try, if only she would recover.

Finally, after receiving word that Frankie was out of surgery they could visit her for a few moments Frank, Shay, Cody and Jake looked into the Recovery room in silence. Frankie was listed in critical condition.  All the tubes and hoses linking her to the life support, the respirator and the IV drip looked antiseptic, like this was a bad nightmare.

"She needs her rest Gentlemen, and Lady.  Please, come back tomorrow and we'll see if she's better."

"What happened..." Jake asked softly after Frank and Shay stepped away from the quiet conversation they were having with the surgeon.  Up 'til now, he had not the strength to listen to any details of how Francesca was wounded.

Frank put his hand on Jake's shoulder.  "She took a bullet in the back meant for Shay.  Saved Shay's life.  However, it collapsed her lung, bounced around and did a lot of damage.  Jake.."

Jake turned and looked at Frank.  "What?"  When Frank didn't answer, he pressed Shay.  "WHAT?!"

"Quiet Please!" the nurse whispered.

"She died twice on the table, babe." Shay finally spoke up.  "They had to shock her back to life.  The surgeons didn't expect her to live through the surgery."

Jake turned back to the sight of Francesca's body on the bed.  She died twice and he didn't even know it.  "I want to stay."

"Jake, go home.  It's 3 in the morning and you've been knocked around quite badly."

"No Frank.  I'm going to stay.  I want to be here when she wakes up."

"IF she wakes up Jake.  The doctors aren't sure if she'll come out of her coma."

Jake turned to Shay, tears shining on his cheeks.  "She's a fighter, Shay. She's too damned stubborn to just lay down and die."

Shay laid a hand on his cheek and smiled.  "All right Jake.  We'll come by later and check on you both."

--

A week later Frankie's condition was upgraded to stable and she was moved to her own room.  Jake had stayed faithfully with her, only going home long enough to change clothes and shower under Frank's orders.

"I'm sorry Francesca." he whispered.  He leaned over the edge of the bed and held her limp hand in his.  He'd sat beside her bed for days, waiting for the moment to get it all off his chest.  The nurses smiled kindly at him as they came and went.  The doctor had suggested he talk to her, that perhaps the sound of his voice would bring her around eventually.  "For everything."

A high-pitched beeping sounded off next to him on the respirator, causing him to jump out of his chair.  The nurse came in and shut off a switch.

"What's that?"

"Her respiration is coming around on it's own.  That's a good sign Agent Shaw.  I'm going to go get the doctor.  Maybe we can get that tube out of her today."  She smiled and left the room.

An hour later found Jake back in his seat next to Frankie, the trachea tube removed.  All that was left of machinery was the IV, heart monitors and the oxygen tube that rested right under her nose.

"Wake up Francesca.  Baby, please.  I need you to know something."  He paused, looking at her pale hand in his.  "I was stupid to say what I did in Florida.  When Shay called, I didn't know how to explain it and that was the first thing that came out of my mouth.  I never meant to hurt you or make you feel like I didn't care for you.  It took Shay setting me right..." he laughed lightly... "Getting me 'righteous' as you put it, for me to realize what I really feel.  I love you Francesca Marie Battles.  I have for a long time now.  But I never knew how you felt about me."

Jake laid his head down on the bed near her hip, his fingers still loosely laced with hers.  "I need you to wake up, Firecracker.  You can't leave me alone here."

"Jake."

****