Ambushed
Chapter 4 – The Waiting Game
By: Pink Brain

Four days later, the steady procession of GI Joe team members coming and going from the hospital echoed on the floors. Wild Bill was starting on the road to a long but full recovery, and the team was stopping by to give him some moral support. Shipwreck was receiving plenty of visitors, but constantly asked to go see Wild Bill and Cover Girl or would sneak out to go visit them. Cover Girl had made no significant improvements, but the team continued to pray for her and support Dusty. They were also getting ready for Steeler's funeral.

Thunder, Spirit, Blowtorch, Quick Kick, Mutt, and Junkyard had been deployed to the desert team so that Grunt, Clutch, and Lady Jaye could return for the funeral. Flint had urged Lady Jaye to stay at headquarters after the funeral, which she had finally agreed to do. She was torn between being with her husband and being with her friends, but realized that Flint had a good group of soldiers and she was needed back home. She and the two guys arrived the morning of Steeler's funeral.

On the day of the funeral, Lifeline stayed at the hospital with Wild Bill, Cover Girl, and Dusty, who had not left Cover Girl's side since he got there, except for a quick ten or fifteen minute shower once a day, brief bathroom breaks, and when the nurses pushed him out to change her bedding and dressings. Shipwreck was granted a temporary leave from the hospital in Doc's care so that he could attend the funeral. Ace, Ripcord, Airborne, and Slip-Stream did the flyover, and Hawk presented Steeler's young daughter with the flag that had been draped across her father's casket. Steeler's ex-wife spoke a short eulogy followed by Clutch, Grunt, Hawk, Doc, and Duke paying tribute to their fallen comrade. A prayer was said for the continued recovery of the others who were injured, and a satellite was rigged so that Flint and his team could be part of the ceremony. Flint, Gung Ho, and Stalker each spoke a few words.

After the service, Lady Jaye thanked Mainframe and Dial Tone for setting up the satellite feed for Flint and the guys and then rode back to the hospital with Doc, Shipwreck, and Scarlett. "Does he leave her side?" Lady Jaye asked Scarlett.

"No," the counterintelligence operative answered. "Ron sits there day in and day out. Hawk and Conrad dragged him to the showers the first day, but after that, he willingly went when strongly advised." She looked out the window. "I just wish something would happened. There has been no improvement, except for the bleeding has mostly stopped, and at least the fever dropped to a more manageable and stable level. Her pulse is still so very weak."

Lady Jaye put a comforting arm across her best friend's shoulders. "Hon, Courtney will pull through this. I can feel it. Her body is just trying to heal itself."

"I hope you are right, Al," Scarlett answered, smoothing out her dress uniform. As the car parked and they all got out, Scarlett told Lady Jaye, "Just don't be surprised by what you see. Her bruises have really developed. Her face is quite colorful with black, blue, purple, and green blotches. Jinx keeps telling Vince and me that it isn't her. Vince got so upset at her yesterday that he threatened to remove the bandages from Court's head to reveal her auburn hair and prove that it's really her. Hawk threatened him with time in the brig if he ever said that again, and Conrad had a private talk with his brother."

"Good God!" Lady Jaye exclaimed. "Where was Ron? I'm surprised he didn't flatten Vince."

"Thankfully, that all happened when Ron was out. Everyone is antsy though," Scarlett explained.

Lady Jaye nodded. "We weren't any better in the desert. Footloose or Clutch would call in hourly when they were out in the field, hoping for updates. Every time the phone rang or communicator buzzed, we all jumped and then held our breaths as we listened to the conversation. It was nerve-racking," she sighed. As they entered the hospital, she fixed her curly, brown hair, prompting her next question. "Did they have to cut her hair?"

"Fortunately not a lot, but they did have to shave a few spots. She'll just have to grow some bangs and contend with the layered look for awhile," Scarlett answered, giving Lady Jaye a weak smile.

"She's still one damn fine-looking Doll Face," Shipwreck commented from his wheelchair as Doc pushed him back to his room.

Both women smiled and continued towards Cover Girl's ICU room as Doc re-admitted Shipwreck. Scarlett tapped on the door, peeking through the glass window.

Dusty was sitting in his usual place beside Cover Girl's bed, holding her hand and staring into space. He heard the tap and then the sound of the opening door, followed by the clicks of heels on the floor. Looking towards the entrance, he saw Scarlett and Lady Jaye walk in, dressed in their uniforms. At first, he gave them a confused and surprised look, until he remembered that Steeler's funeral was today.

Scarlett smiled and asked, "How's our girl? Any change?" She knew the answer just by the fatigued look on Dusty's face but still remained hopeful of good news.

"The same," Dusty answered. "Although, I swear she squeezed my hand. The doctor on duty and the nurses tell me I was wrong. They checked her reflexes and these machines and said it couldn't have happened," he revealed dejectedly.

Lady Jaye stepped forward and said, "If you believe it happened, then it happened. These machines don't always register everything."

"Thanks, Al. Ed kind of alluded to that too. I just hope you both are right," Dusty stated. He looked at each woman's somber face before he asked, "How was the funeral? Sorry, I missed it."

"It was very moving, Ron. We had a wonderful prayer for Court and Bill, plus several of the guys spoke. Brad led the flyover, and Wally was the 'Fallen Solider'," Scarlett told him.

"Blaine set up a video feed via satellite so Dash and the guys could participate. A small group of greenshirts sang Amazing Grace," Lady Jaye added. "It was a very nice service."

"I'm glad. I liked Ralph. He had always been good to us," Dusty sighed, looking back at the mostly lifeless body in front of him. "I should have went," he mumbled quietly.

"It's okay, Ron. We all understood. Lance and Rob came back with me and said wonderful things on behalf of you and Court in their eulogy. No one thought any differently. Your place was here," Lady Jaye rebutted gently, following Scarlett closer to the bed.

Scarlett glided her hand over Cover Girl's leg, massaging it like Doc and Lifeline had instructed them. The movement not only helped keep the muscles flexible but also could be felt by the patient, or so Doc said. "Ron, why don't you go take your shower now? I know it is a little early, but Al and I are here. We will sit with her," she suggested.

Dusty looked at both of their faces. Even though it had only been four days, he had given up arguing with the team about when he should leave. He put his worn-out Bible on the nightstand and stood up. "Maybe I will. Call me if anything changes," he requested.

"We will," Lady Jaye promised.

"Thanks. I'll be back in a few," Dusty said, lifting Cover Girl's hand and gently kissing the top of it. "I'll be back in no time, my love," he whispered. Replacing her hand on the bed, Dusty quickly strode out of the room.

Scarlett and Lady Jaye felt their hearts tighten as they watched the scene unfold before them. They both knew from personal past experiences how hard it was to leave a loved one's bedside. It was never known what they might return to find. Scarlett stepped back so that Lady Jaye could approach the side of the bed where the chair was and walked around to the other side, beginning to gently rub the right leg.

Lady Jaye trailed her eyes over Cover Girl's battered body. She had to agree with Jinx. If she didn't know any better, she would swear this was not the female tank jockey from the GI Joe team. The former model's head was still wrapped with multiple bandages, and her face was swollen and bruised. A few bandages covered her right cheek, hiding the stitches from a deep laceration caused by flying debris. Tubes protruded from her nose, and her lips were bruised and swollen from previously inserted tubes via the mouth. A few cuts and abrasions were scattered around her eyes and nose. The ends of bandages could be seen sticking out of her hospital gown, and Lady Jaye could only imagine the extent of her injuries and wounds under her gown. The only parts of Cover Girl's body not scarred by the accident were from her waist down. The lower part of her body had remained protected from most of the shrapnel. Even when the Wolverine had been violently tipped and she had been thrown free, only mild bruising and abrasions occurred on her hips and legs.

"Hey there, Court. I finally made it here to whip you back into shape. I was told that you have been lazing around too much," Lady Jaye teased, but her green eyes began to mist over with tears. "Oh God, Court, I'm so sorry for this."

Scarlett paused, glancing up at her friend's choked up voice. "It's okay, Al," she softly murmured.

Lady Jay nodded and took a few calming breaths, before she recomposed herself and continued, "I wish I could do something." She paused again, watching Scarlett rub Cover Girl's leg and then said, "Well, besides kicking your stubborn fiancé out so that we could have us a girls' chat. Shana is here assaulting your legs. Can you feel her touch?" Her hand enveloped Cover Girl's, hoping to feel a responsive squeeze to her question. "You know what? This could be just like old times when the three of us would sit around and mercilessly pick on each other and force you to eat bonbons after you ragged on us for ignoring our hair and beauty treatments. But you need to wake up first or at least squeeze my hand. I know you can hear me."

Scarlett listened to Lady Jaye talk, smiling at the memories. What she wouldn't give to have Cover Girl sit up in bed and yell at her for always wearing her hair in "that ponytail", or even yell at Lady Jaye for "that unruly mop of hair".

--

Doc got Shipwreck settled in, even though the sailor complained that if he could be out for a few hours he should be released. "I can walk you know," he argued as Doc pushed his wheelchair into his room and helped him into bed. "Let me out of here, Doc. The nurses are being mean to me."

The doctor cocked an eyebrow and shook his head. "Tomorrow, and not a day sooner. If you keep arguing with me, I'll make it the day after tomorrow and put Beach Head in charge of your rehabilitation," Doc sternly warned him. "Besides, maybe if you tried to be a little nicer to the nurses, they would be nicer to you. And stop asking them out. They are all married," he huffed.

Shipwreck rolled his eyes and settled down in his hospital bed, muttering that he felt he was in jail. As Doc prepared to leave, he requested, "Tell Courtney I said 'hi', and I'll be down to visit her later."

"I will, Hector. Get some rest," ordered Doc as he left the sailor's room and stopped by Wild Bill's room to check on his progress. The cowboy was in physical therapy, but his charts looked promising. He left a few items on the cowboy's nightstand that some of the team had handed him after the ceremony and continued to Cover Girl's room.

Approaching the room, he glanced over her charts, wishing to see a change but not seeing anything different than the day before. Her fever had climbed the day that Dusty had arrived to the unhealthy limit of 103 degrees. The medical personnel had quickly worked to stop the fever from climbing higher. It would dip to 102 and then bounce back up to 103. Twenty-four hours later and with the appropriate medication and antibiotics, the fever had begun its gradual but steady descent. For the past two days, it now lingered around 100 to 101 degrees. Even though it was only a slight decrease, it put Doc and Lifeline's minds at ease.

Stepping inside, Doc overheard Lady Jaye teasing Cover Girl about bonbons. He shrugged his shoulders and really didn't want to know what she meant by that comment but couldn't help but smile. He also heard Lady Jaye's somber request. "You're right, Al. She can hear you. Just keep talking to her."

Lady Jaye nodded and then stated, "I just wish she would wake up."

"You, me, Red, and everyone else, but like I keep telling Ron, even though there are only slight improvements, there aren't any organs shutting down," Doc explained, walking over to the bed.

"So, she is not getting any better nor getting any worse, huh? How long will this last?" Scarlett asked the inevitable question that was on everyone's minds.

Doc shook his head. "I wish I knew. She could wake up right now or a month from now. I don't know."

"A month?" Both ladies muttered. "Wow."

"Let's hope not that long," Doc said quietly, thinking to himself, 'Let's hope she just wakes up sometime.' Remaining hopeful and keeping his fears deeply hidden, he continued, "I just keep reminding Ron that she is sleeping, and her body is healing. Her fever has remained stabilized, and her bleeding has lessened considerably. Even the X-rays of her chest this morning showed her lung already started to heal from some of the shrapnel piercing it. Her bruises are changing colors, which is also a positive sign. I know that everyone wants her to wake up now, as do Ed and I, but sometimes, sleep is better."

--

Lifeline exited an unlucky greenshirt's room, who had sustained injuries from combat training, just in time to see Dusty walking down the hall towards the parking lot. Quickly trying to catch up to him, he called out. "Hey Ron, wait up a minute."

Dusty stopped and looked back at his friend. "Hi, Ed. I really don't have much time. I need to shower and get back here," he said urgently, stepping backwards, moving towards the doors.

"I know. I just wanted to see how you are doing. Have you eaten anything since you have been here?"

"A little, but I'm not really hungry. Usually one of the guys or Jinx brings me a sandwich," the desert trooper answered, shrugging his shoulders and still backing towards the doors as Lifeline continued to follow him. If Dusty had been thinking levelheadedly, he would have realized that his actions were hurting those around him.

"Would you like to go out for a bite to eat tonight instead of a hospital sandwich? Maybe we could go down to that Mexican restaurant that just opened? I heard it is really authentic," Lifeline suggested.

"Nah, I would rather not," Dusty answered. "I really have to go. I'll talk to you when I get back." Dusty quickly turned around and walked out the doors.

"Okay," Lifeline mumbled, watching the door close and shaking his head. "This is not healthy, not healthy at all," he muttered to himself. He turned and made his way towards Cover Girl's room. As he approached it, Doc exited. He didn't have to ask to know that there was no change; he could read the disappointment in Doc's eyes. Instead, he asked, "Doc, you got a minute? I need to talk to you about Ron's behavior."

"Sure, Al and Shana are with Court right now. What's wrong with Ron?" Doc asked, falling in step beside the long-legged medic.

"I'm just worried about him. He never leaves except to shower. He doesn't eat or at least not healthy foods. I tried to get him to go out to eat tonight, but he refused and practically ran away from me," Lifeline revealed, leading the way into the lounge and leaning against the counter as Doc went over to the coffee pot.

Doc poured two cups of coffee. Handing Lifeline a cup, he dumped cream and sugar in the other cup and stirred it before he spoke. "Ed, I'm sure you are worried, but you have to understand that Ron is not the soldier or friend that you knew five days ago. His world is lying in a hospital bed, fighting for her life. Al and Shana asked me how long she could be like this. I told them that it could be another hour or another month. Or it could be another year, and that is if she ever wakes up. Her organs are still healthy, but that doesn't mean that they won't start shutting down. We both know this, and Ron knows this too. I have been brutally honest with him and have not sugarcoated the truth. He is spending as much time with her as possible. Plus, I'm positive that if Courtney is going to recover, then it's Ron's voice that will bring her back to us. Give him some time, Ed. Don't give up on him. He needs us, even if he starts to push away," Doc concluded, rubbing his temples and then downing half of his milky coffee.

Lifeline nodded, understanding what Doc was saying. "You are right. I just thought maybe a night away or even an hour away would do him some good. But if anything would happen to her, good or bad, and he wasn't here, I'd never forgive myself."

"I know you wouldn't, and neither would he." Doc finished the rest of his coffee, grabbed his charts, and said, "I need to go back on rounds. I'll see you later."

Lifeline read over his schedule, sipped at his hot coffee, and then headed down to therapy to see how Wild Bill was doing.


My sincere thanks for the reviews, and those of you reading along. I hope I haven't lost anyone yet. I have tried to include a broad range of Joes, but if anyone wants to see someone that I haven't mentioned yet, let me know.

Thank you to MedicLifeline for answering a few questions for me. I know enough medical to be dangerous, but Medic was most helpful with providing me a few facts.

Next chapter - I do a time jump, and you will find out Cover Girl's fate.