Chapter 15

"An error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it."
-- Orlando A. Battista

Hobbes came into the room four hours later. He saw Casey sitting by Darien's bed writing. "Hey Doc, how's the patient?"

"This patient is doing well, how about you?" Casey asked. She put the papers down and walked towards Hobbes. She checked his shoulder.

"It's sore, but I can handle it." Hobbes winced when she moved his arm slightly.

Casey smiled, "Male macho spy training or are you lying?"

"Okay, you got me, a little of both," Hobbes sat down. "Okay, your turn to rest."

Casey sat down on the other bed, "Bobby, you've been with Darien the past two years, tell me about him."

Hobbes looked at Casey. Fawkes hadn't talked much about Casey after their relationship had ended. He didn't pursue the subject thinking that Fawkes didn't want to talk about it. He let out a deep cleansing sigh, "One thing I've learned about Fawkes is that he speaks what's on his mind. If he expressed any love towards you, he meant it. He probably lied to you because he would rather lie and hold on to you rather than tell you the truth and lose you." Hobbes paused, "You would have dumped him if he told you the truth, so he thought lying was the better option. Wrong as it was, he did it out of love for you."

"I don't know, Bobby. Can I trust him?"

"Yes, like I trust him with my life," Hobbes said. He studied her for a moment, "You still love him don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. I don't think I really ever stopped loving him, I was just so angry. It was the trusting part that drove me away. How do I know that he wasn't lying about other stuff or won't lie again?" Casey stood up and walked across the room.

"Fawkes is not the same guy you knew. He's put his life on the line for a lot people including mine. I think that maybe you need to give the new and improved Darien Fawkes a chance. If he told you that he loved you, take it from Bobby Hobbes, he was telling you the truth." Hobbes looked over at Darien, "I once said that he was a lazy selfish snot nose kid."

Casey eyed Hobbes carefully. Hobbes looked down and played with the sling. He looked back up at Casey, "He proved me wrong. Fawkes is the most loyal person I know. He's still a little lazy, but not selfish. When Claire gave him the gene therapy to cure quicksilver madness, he would have stayed with the agency had the Fat Man not bet his life on it." Hobbes noted confusion on Casey's face, "That's another long story."

"Bobby, I'm not tired. Besides, I want to hear." Casey opened up a bottle of water and made herself comfortable.

Hobbes told her what happened with the gene therapy. Who Claire was, some of the cases they worked on together and the fact that Darien's love life was basically next to nil.

Casey smiled at Hobbes and then glanced at Darien. She took a deep breath. Was she ready to give him that new start he asked for two years ago? Casey wasn't sure, she still had feelings for Darien and from what Hobbes had just told her, maybe it was a chance she was willing take. She went over the notes with Hobbes and had all the syringes prepared and marked. Casey told him what time to give them, where to write in the chart so she would have a record of time and dosage.

"How long is he going to be like this?" Hobbes asked.

"My guess is about a week. He'll be in and out of consciousness for a couple of days." Casey looked at Darien, "We should start to see improvements as time goes by. Without electricity or lab techs I can't really run the kind of tests I need. It's a waiting game now."

"Does the fact that he recognized you and me help?" Hobbes took out some food and put it on the table.

"Yes, it does. It's a very good sign." Casey sat down at the table. They ate and watched Darien move from time to time. He seemed to get agitated and then calmed down. Casey knew that the next couple of days were going to be long.

In Utah, Tom had encountered his own problem with Stu being ill. He thought that Stu would die on him until Nick had come to him a dream and told him what to do. Tom forced medication into Stu and waited.

It took a good two weeks for Stu to come around. Tom took care of him the whole time. Stu didn't even know that half the time Tom was forcing liquids in him. Tom bathed him, changed his clothes, and the sheets. Tom didn't have the expertise to use medical supplies like Casey had with Darien.

Stu had given Tom a scare when he relapsed, but two days later he pulled through. Tom woke up and there was Stu sitting up and looking around.

"I'm alive, Tom, thanks to you," Stu said. "I'm hungry big guy," Stu paused, he thought about what he said, "I'm sorry, Tom." That's what Darien called Tom. He watched Tom's face turn from joy to sadness.

"Nick is dead too, isn't he, Stu?" Tom played with the buttons on his shirt.

"Yeah, Tom, he is." Stu felt horrible for Tom, probably the only two people who ever made Tom feel special were gone.

"I knew it! Nick gave me a bike, Stu. No one had ever given me anything." Tom got up and turned his back on Stu, "He told me in my dream, Stu." Tom paused, he took out the badge that Darien had given him, "Stu, how come Darien doesn't visit me in my dreams like Nick does?"

"I don't know," Stu didn't know what to say to Tom. "Maybe Darien is helping other people since Nick is helping you." Stu noticed the glistening badge when Tom turned to face him, "You took that with you?"

"Darien made me a secret agent. I couldn't leave my badge behind." Tom said as he rubbed the badge with his shirt. When he was done, he carefully tucked it back in his jacket. Tom seemed to be satisfied with the answer. "What do you want toeat?"

"Some soup with some noodles in it," Stu leaned back and watched as Tom left to find something to eat. All Stu could think about was getting back to Boulder and to Frannie. He didn't want to leave until he felt he was okay to travel. His near death experience with the flu made him more cautious about taking their trip too soon.

Little did Stu know that in New Mexico, Hobbes and Casey were having the same discussion.

"I wouldn't risk moving Darien too soon. His immune system is shot and a night out in the cold air could be bad for him. Besides, he doesn't need the stress right now. Heat Stroke is hard on the heart. We should wait until he's stronger." Casey said to Hobbes. They were standing outside talking when the door opened.

"If you two are talking about me, I think I need to know," Darien said. He stood at the door bracing himself to keep his body vertical instead of horizontal.

Casey glared at him, "Get back in bed!"

"Case, I'm going nuts in here," Darien said. "I think I have cabin fever. Come on, let me sit outside, it won't kill me."

"It almost did, my friend." Hobbes reminded Darien.

Darien rolled his eyes, "Okay, I think we've gone over why I had Heat Stroke like a million times already." Darien produced a water bottle. He quicksilvered his hand and the bottle froze, "See, now its cold water."

Casey and Hobbes looked at each other and folded their arms.

"Aw come on, you two…please." Darien said. He sounded like a child asking for just one more cookie. His brown eyes pleaded his case.

Hobbes looked at Darien, "I see you still remembered how to pout."

"And look like a poor puppy."

"What do you think, Doc? We let the kid sit out here for a bit and get some fresh air?" Hobbes asked looking at his partner. Darien had been cooped up in the motel room for the past two weeks.

Darien shook his head in earnest, "Fresh air is good…please, Case. I can't take it in here anymore. Besides, you owe me for all the crap you stuck in me."

Casey gave in, "Okay, but I'm sitting with you." Casey walked with Darien to a bus bench and the two of them sat down. The weather was nice enough outside to take a well deserved breather.

Hobbes watched from the door as the two walked across the street and sat down on a bus bench, "Now, talk you two," he mumbled to himself as he smiled.

Darien and Casey sat in uneasy silence until Darien broke the ice, "You coming with us to Boulder?"

Casey looked down at her clasped hands that rested on her lap, "Yeah, Bobby said that there's a shortage of doctors."

"Hobbes told you a lot while I was out of it?" Darien said. "What else did you two talk about?" He knew that they must have talked about him.

"We talked about you if you must know," Casey said. "Nothing bad, only about how much you changed."

"Look, Case, I am sorry about what I did. I know that nothing I can say will change that. When we get back to Boulder, if you don't want to see me, I understand." Darien started to get up, but he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"No, sit down." Casey took in a deep breath, "I was angry for the lie, Darien but I never really stopped loving you, I thought I did at first, but it was only anger and hurt. A woman likes honesty in a relationship, Darien and you lied to me when we first met. When I found out I wondered what else you had lied to me about. When you were convicted, that was the straw that broke the camels back. What was I supposed to think, Darien? I'm a doctor, you're a thief. What were you trying to steal from me? Were you with me because you could live off me or did you really love me?"

"The only thing I'm guilty off stealing was your heart," Darien lowered his head, "I know…a lame and corny cliché but true. You have to believe me, I did not molest that old man, I was giving him CPR. And technically speaking another conviction was false. My prints were lifted and I was framed for a job I didn't do." Darien turned to face Casey and he took her hands in his, "When I asked if we could start from scratch, I meant it. So, here goes nothin'." Darien cleared his throat, "Hi, my name is Darien Fawkes, I'm a thief, well, ex-thief but now I work for the government, at least I did before Captain Trips. I got out of prison because my brainiac brother gave me an offer to be a human guinea pig in a science experiment. I agreed, so he drilled a hole in my head and inserted a bio-synthetic gland that makes me turn invisible. I worked for the Agency, lame I know but that's the truth. For two years I made the world safe for day traders and latte drinkers from other science experiments, terrorists and Canadian Nationals."

Casey laughed, "That is the sorriest pick up line I've ever heard."

"Hey, it's the truth!" Darien snarled.

"Oh Darien, I didn't say I didn't believe you, just that your pick up line was pathetic." Casey laughed louder.

"Somehow I get the impression that you're laughing at me." Darien paused and thought about his pick up line, "Yeah, it does sound pathetic doesn't it, but that's my life in a nut shell."

"Well, okay then, my name Casey O'Claire, nice to meet you Darien Fawkes." Casey shook Darien's hand.

Darien looked at their hands, "So…does this mean you're willing to give us a second chance?"

"Darien, if I can't find the room in my heart to forgive then how can love have a chance in my life?" Casey leaned closer to Darien. "We are all instantly forgiven; but in order to benefit from this forgiveness, we must in turn forgive others and ourselves."

Darien smiled, "Why Case, since when did you start reading philosophy?"

"Since Bobby would sit by your bed reading from a book he found at the library. He thought that reading it to you would help in your recovery. I told him that it was a good idea for you to hear his voice." Casey paused, "I read to you too. He said that it would be a good idea for you to hear my voice also."

"My partner the match maker," Darien mused.

"Well, I think he was repaying you for getting him and Claire together," Casey said.

Darien touched Casey's face with his hand and pulled her in for a kiss. Hobbes watched, "That a boy, Fawkes." Hobbes left the two to be alone and went searching for a house. Since they were going to be in town for a while, staying in the motel was something that Hobbes did not want to do.

Darien and Casey broke their passionate kiss. They stared into each others eyes for a moment. "You look tired, Darien. Let me help you get inside."

"Uh huh," Darien grunted. Casey helped Darien to his feet and they both walked back to the motel room.

Darien looked around, "What happened to Hobbes?"

"Don't know. He probably went off on another one of his excursions." Casey said.

Darien put his hands on Casey's shoulders and pulled her in close. He looked at her and their lips met again for another kiss. Casey felt cold and when she opened her eyes, Darien was orange.

"What the…?" Casey exclaimed.

"Oh crap, Case, I forgot to tell you. This happens when well, I uhmm…get…excited…you know, the adrenaline goes up."

Casey smiled, "This could be a new experience for me."

"Oh I believe that, don't think you've ever had this happen before." Darien fell to the bed taking Casey with him. Clothes appeared on the floor as they undressed each other. The covers move and formed one large lump on the bed when Darien and Casey retreated under the covers.

Claire had greeted each new day with hope, until about a week ago when a group came in reported an explosion out west. She and Frannie knew right away that Las Vegas had met with some catastrophic end. That also meant that the men and the spies that went out to Las Vegas, including Darien and Hobbes were gone.

Claire, Frannie and Lucy had started their own little support group. They met nearly everyday to talk about the men they loved. They had more in common then they knew. Each realized they fell in love shortly after the flu broke out. All three women were also pregnant. Frannie was due around the first week of January with Claire and Lucy around spring time.

Claire kept the two gals amused with stories of Bobby and Darien's exploits, leaving out some confidential information of course. She enjoyed these talks, but the hard part was when they left. Except for her, the house was empty. She wasn't ready to leave and move into an apartment and she also held onto Darien's house. Maybe deep down inside, she believed they had escaped. They had gotten themselves out of worse situations before, why would this be any different.

Claire stood outside on the porch and looked up at the nighttime sky. "I miss you guys." With a tear rolling down her cheek, "I love you, Bobby." Claire said and then cried.