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Bethesda Naval Hospital, ICU

Harm

            "Commander Rabb, this is Doctor Bynes. He's in charge of Colonel Mackenzie's case. If the two of you will excuse me, I need to get back to the ER."

            I barely notice his departure, sighting ICU-14 down the hall as I shake hands with Bynes. "That's her room?" I ask, gesturing, and the larger man nods.

            "We'll talk as we walk," he proposes, leading me down the hall. "The major issue is her concussion. She hasn't regained consciousness since the accident. If she does that, we're looking at very good odds that she'll make a full recovery."

            Something in his tone makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. My hand on his arm stops him inches from the door to Mac's room. "Doctor, what do you think her odds are?"

            He sighs. "I'll be straight with you, Commander. The fact that she doesn't have any serious injuries other than the concussion is a definite plus, but I'm very concerned that she hasn't woken up yet. In a case like this, her chance of survival drops significantly for every hour she stays unconscious."

            I shake my head resolutely. I've got too much faith in my partner - the mean, green, kick-ass marine - to even contemplate that outcome. "She'll wake up."

            The doctor gives me a slow nod. "There's no rule that says you can't go in and sit with her. Maybe give her a little encouragement?"

            I acquiesce and he leads me into the room. I halt just inside the door, feeling like someone's kicked me in the stomach. In all of the running around to find Mac, I forgot to prepare myself for the sight of her lying motionless in a hospital bed. I'm not used to seeing her so helpless, and it cuts me right to the core.

            Bynes' hand on my shoulder brings me back to myself. I step forward, getting a better look at her and cringing at the dark bruise on her forehead. I sit down in one of the visitor's chairs, which are as acutely uncomfortable as I remember them being, and take Mac's good hand in both of mine. It looks like it escaped completely unscathed, but I still try not to squeeze it too tightly. I'm afraid that, fragile as she looks right now, I might break her.

            "Just push the call button if you need anything," he advises, disappearing back out the door and leaving me alone with my injured partner.   

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Bethesda Naval Hospital, ER waiting room

Chegwidden

            I restrain my surprise when Brumby comes in with Renee Peterson on his heels, entering the room even as Mac's doctor leaves to go back upstairs and check on her. I can't imagine anyone would have called Rabb's girlfriend, so she and Brumby must have been together. To her credit, she at least looks concerned. Brumby wastes no time hurrying over to me.

            "How is Sarah?" he pleads, obviously distraught.

            I shake my head. "She's not out of the woods yet."

            "Lieutenant Roberts?" Renee asks.

            "He's all right," I reply, pleased that she bothered to ask. "Harriet's back there with him now." I glance behind me again, but my namesake is still sleeping peacefully in a visitor's chair. 

            "I can sit with the kid if you two want to talk," she offers, and I try not to roll my eyes at her well-meaning offer. How Rabb could be dating that woman when he's got Mac right there in front of him is something I've never understood.

            "I'd appreciate that, thank you, Ms. Peterson," I reply, clapping a hand to Brumby's shoulder. "Let's talk over here."

            We stop fifteen feet away and he gives me an imploring look. "What do you know?"

            I sigh, rubbing my eyes with a tired hand. "The biggest concern is her head injury. The car was hit on the passenger's side by a truck. The driver fell asleep behind the wheel. The fact that Mac didn't have any skull fractures was apparently a miracle, but she hasn't woken up yet. The longer she stays in the coma, the less likely it is she'll wake up at all. Her other injuries were minor scrapes and bruises and a broken wrist. The docs are saying that if she wakes up soon, there's a good chance she'll be back on her feet in a week or two. If not…"

            He leans back against the wall, intertwining his fingers and pressing his thumbs to the bridge of his nose. "Can I see her?" he asks finally, and I sigh again.

            "There isn't supposed to be anyone up there for more than a few minutes."

            "Then where's Rabb?" he asks, but the resigned tone in his voice tells me he already knows.

            "Up there," I admit freely. "The doctors were afraid not to let him up, and I'm not going to bother ordering him to come down." I snort. "Hell, he probably wouldn't leave her long enough to hand me his resignation if I did."

            "That's always the way," Brumby replies, and I shake my head.

            "You just don't get it, Mr. Brumby. You never did." I glance over at the ICU doors. "They're a team. You can't have one without the other –"

            "And you can't come first?" He sounds fatalistic but resigned, and I wonder if the time he's obviously been spending with Ms. Peterson is helping him realize that in the end, Mac and Harm are going to end up together. I'm the furthest thing from a sappy romantic there is, but I've always been a realist and that's just the plain truth. Mac and Harm belong together, whether they've always understood it or not.

            "No, I don't believe you can," I reply softly. He nods slowly.

            "I'll wait out here," he says, and offers me his hand. "I appreciate your honesty."

            "It's one thing I can always promise you," I respond, and we shake on it.