Chapter 4

As Oscar and Rudy both entered the room, , Rick turned to Laurie, seeing her shaking with fright. "Laurie, darlin'." he said, then quickly cut the bindings on her wrists and chest and caught her as she fell into his arms.

Laurie leaned against him as she gasped, "Rick, you're bleeding!" Lifting her aching arm, she took his cut hand and stopped the bleeding with the cloth from the surgical tray. She held it against her as she saw Rick's expression of pain soften, then he drew her face to his. "My brave sweetheart." he murmured, kissing her gently, as her tears wet his shirt. "Darling, I was so afraid...." she wept, then felt his arm around her, comforting her.

"It's all right darlin', I'm here. You're safe, my angel." he soothed her, trying to calm down. "Rick, if you hadn't come...he was going to ...." Laurie couldn't form the words.

"I know, Laurie, I know." Rick stroked her arm, then feeling her sobs start to diminish, moved over for Oscar to hold her. The anger the former OSI chief had released with the shooting of the madman increased as he saw how upset his girl was. "Dad, he told me you were dead, he was trying to make me feel all alone..."

"Never, Laurie, you're not alone, baby." he said softly, and she looked up at him, then put her head against his chest. Oscar kissed her hair, then Rudy hugged her as relief covered his face.

"Honey, we're going to take you to the hospital now." Rudy saw her take a deep sigh, then she raised her head and gazed at her friend. "Just as long as you don't leave me, I'll be okay."

"Laurie, it's all right, I won't leave your side, not for a minute, I promise, sweetheart." Rick gently told her, knowing she was probably in shock still.

Slowly his wife nodded her head, then lifted her face to his and kissed him. "Thank you, darling, as long as Rudy looks at you too. It's just going to take a while for me to stop being afraid for us." Laurie added, then snuggled in his arms as Rick lifted her out off the bed. Oscar wrapped her in a blanket then Rick carried her outside into the icy morning air.

"Mom!" Robbie came around the corner of the building with Chief Ron and Rick stopped so Laurie could embrace her son.

"My baby, I thought I'd never see you again." she gulped. "No, Mom, we'll never let that happen. If I hadn't seen that weird flash come through the window..." Robbie stopped when she started to cry again. "It was when he used a laser to cut off my pendant. Oh, Rick, he cut the chain and took my Christmas gift!"

"Honey, it's all right, I've got it right here." Ron opened his hand to show it to her, then Rick vowed "Angel, I'll have it fixed before you go home. It's all right."

Laurie took a deep breath, and tried to stop crying. "Thank you, Ron. Bless you, Robbie."she kissed his cheek.

Rick was glad to get her into the ambulance Rudy had called. Within minutes they were racing to the hospital as Rudy bandaged Rick's hand, then started treating Laurie. True to his word, Rick refused to leave her side as the emergency room doctor ran some tests on his wife. While they waited for the results, Rick held Laurie as she told him how she was taken, and how the former agent had lied and said Oscar and Rick were killed by Beck.

"No, sweetheart, Ron and Oscar snuck up on Beck and shot him. My guess is when Masterson pulled up on the other side of the building and saw us leaving, he decided to make up that story to make you feel helpless." Rick reassured her.

"The only time I want to feel helpless is in my brave husband's arms." she sighed, kissing his cheek as she lay against him. "My precious, that is where you're going to stay!" he whispered as he kissed her again and again, on every injured place on her neck and face.

Just then there was a knock on the treatment room door, and A.J. stuck his head in. "Hey, this place is for sick people!" he teased, as Laurie brightened up. "Little brother, are you all right?" she asked, getting a kiss from A.J. as Rick pretended to be upset at being interrupted.

"I'm fine, just a little clostraphobic. How my big brother treating you?" he grinned, sitting down and taking her hand.

"He has the best bedside manner of any doctor I've ever had." she beamed, then took his bandaged hand and kissed it.

"See, A.J., all those hours of playing doctor finally paid off!" Rick smirked.