Chapter 23

Several hours later, she stirred as she placed her hand on her head. Opening her eyes, she stared at the ceiling and realized she was not home but somewhere else, possibly, a hospital? She also felt she was wearing a strange gown…hospital gown? What happened?

She turned her head to the left and smiled as she saw him hold her hand and then lightly stroke her hair.

"Hope." He said to her with a smile. "How do you feel?"

"I feel sick." Hope said as she looked around. "What happened, Sawyer?" She asked as she looked at him.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"You carrying me through the hall." She said as she looked at him with a smile. "Did you?"

"Yes. What about before that?" Sawyer asked her.

"I was in Unit 1 and then…pain…excruciating pain going through me…. my head felt like it was spinning and I couldn't breathe…what happened? I've got such a headache." She said as she put her other hand on her forehead.

"Unit One went into rejection mode." He told her.

"Rejection mode?" She asked as she sat up and turned her body towards him. "Unit One rejected me as its pilot?"

"Yes." Sawyer told her. "We're going to try to get you back in the EVA as soon as you get cleared. We want to try and avoid this."

"Oh!" Hope growled as she sat up. " So all that matters right now is getting back me in the damned EVA?"

"No, Hope." Sawyer told her. "Its not."

"You have hardly spoken to me in over two weeks!" Hope told him. "…What happened, Sawyer?"

"What happened? Unit 1 went into rejection mode and I…"

"No!" Hope said as she looked at him and then asked gently. "What happened with us? I thought after you came back…. we'd pick up where we left off? What happened?"

Sawyer took a deep breath as he looked at her and said. "The mission is what happened. I needed to properly prepare for battle, I wanted you ready. I'm sorry, Hope. With a mission coming up, I didn't want…"

"…. To get emotionally involved?" She asked.

"No. That's not it. I am all ready emotionally involved. I didn't want to be caught off guard with our defenses.. I wanted everything to be set. I wanted you to have your defenses in place. I wanted you to be ready."

"Sawyer, you could have told me that." She said with a smile. "I would have understood."

"I still feel the same way, Hope." He told her with a smile. "I still care about you. I just I haven't been able to…"

"Its okay." She said with a smile. "We'll have that time."

Sawyer smiled at her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're the Commander of NERV. You have a huge responsibility. I just wanted to know why…. you were distant. I needed you." She whispered to him.

"Hope, the type of man I am…. when my job calls me to duty, I pour myself into it. This is why I haven't been too successful at relationships. That's the type of a guy I am. I have worked very hard to get this assignment. I want to stop SEELE with every fiber of my being! Hope, I want to make this work with us but I can't guarantee you anything. I can't tell you that this is going to be forever or not. I can tell you…that I am willing to try if you are. I want to make you happy, I want to make you…I want to make you feel amazing. Are you sure that you want to…try this?"

"Yes." She told him with a gentle smile. "I do."

"Hope, you know this mission will be dangerous. We could possibly face death."

"I've learned a thing or two about facing death in my lifetime." Hope told him. "You can't let the fear of death stop you from life. Until our mission, Sawyer, I know what I want. I want to live each day like it was new. My father taught me that." She said with a smile. "I want to enjoy you as much as I can before that mission occurs and if I lose my life, defending this world, it was my decision and I would been honored to do so but, Sawyer before this mission starts, there's something else I want too."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm very sure." She said to him.

"You're saying what I think your saying, aren't you?" he asked her as he looked into her face.

Hope smiled slightly as she blushed. "Yes, Sawyer. I am."

"Wow." He said as he gulped.

"Hey?" She asked with a smile. "First things first. Where's that kiss you promised me? Souke's not here you know, I'd doubt we could get interrupted so easily."

Sawyer smirked at her as he said with a chuckle. "Do you think we should? There are security cameras in here and I don't' want us to be the subject of gossip."

"Shut up and kiss me, Commander." She said with a very flirty smile, taking a hold of his shirt and moving closer to him.

He smirked back at her and moved closer to her.

"Hello, Major." Dr. Ibuki said as she pulled back the curtain, stepping through and then closed it again, looking down at her clipboard.

Quickly, Sawyer and Hope straightened up and pulled back from each other as they looked at one another and smirked as they both thought the same thing at the same time.

Damnit!

. "Well," Dr. Ibuki said as she looked at her clipboard. ", After that nine hour nap you took, it looks like you don't have any brain damage, your heart is fine, your lungs are fine. No exterior or internal wounds to be concerned over. You're fine, Major. You'll be discharged in a little while. I am going to advise rest tonight and rest tomorrow."

"What kind of rest?" Hope asked.

"Well preferably I'd like you to stay in bed." Dr. Ibuki told her.

"Oh, that's not so bad." She said with a smirk as she smiled at Sawyer who cleared his throat and put his hand behind his neck.

"No getting into EVA's or operating heavy machinery like the routine flight time that you like to log in everyday." Dr. Ibuki told her.

"Okay. I'll be good and stay at home or at least I won't do anything… strenuous." She said as she smirked at Sawyer.

"Also, try to avoid heavy exercising or exerting yourself physically, Major."

"Oh!" Hope said as she blushed looking at Sawyer. "Well, I wasn't thinking of running around or having sex or anything like that."

Sawyer raised his eyebrow as he heard her and turned red as he heard her. Hope meanwhile caught his look and winked at him with a smile, to which he raised his eyebrows.

"Good. Keep it that way." Dr. Ibuki told her.

"I'll try." She said with another smirk as she looked at Sawyer.

"Take two Tylenol tonight for your headache and by tomorrow you should be fine." Dr. Ibuki told her. "Commander Dell, I am placing Major Ikari on restricted duty for two days."

"Yes, Doctor." Sawyer told her.

"Are you feeling all right, Commander?" Dr. Ibuki asked. "You seem a little flushed."

"No." Sawyer said as he cleared his throat. "I'm fine, Doctor."

"Okay, I'll be back in a moment." Dr. Ibuki said as she pulled the curtain back, exited and then closed it once more.

"You've got some explaining to do!" Sawyer said with a smirk as he pointed at her.

"In all good time." Hope said with a smile as she reached for his finger and then moved her fingers into his hand, holding onto it. .

Sawyer smiled at her as he tried yet again to lean over but once again was interrupted by Dr. Ibuki pulling the curtain back.

"Here are your discharge orders, Major." Dr. Ibuki said as she handed her a slip of paper.

"Commander Dell, two days. She is to be off duty for two days."

"Understood, Doctor." Sawyer said as he glanced over at her.

"Great!" Hope said with a smile. "Can I get out of this bed now?"

"Sure." Dr. Ibuki told her. "You're uniform is over there. We had it cleaned and pressed while you were here."

"Thanks." Hope said with a smirk.

"Remember, what I told you. Two days, Major. Mandatory. Rest and relax. No flying jets under any circumstances."

"I understand, Doctor." Hope said with a smile as she looked over at Sawyer. "I think I can find a way to put two days to good use. Don't you think, Commander?"

"Oh, most certainly, Major." Sawyer said. "Yes, two days. I can think of several ways for relaxation, Major." He told her with a smile.

"Really now, Commander?" Hope asked. "Perhaps, you should explain this to me in detail."

"I would be very happy to." He said as he smiled at her.

"Very well. Feel better, Major." Dr. Ibuki said as she made a quick exit.

"Do you think she had a clue?" Hope asked.

"Nah." Sawyer said.

Sawyer smiled at Hope as he leaned closer to her and looked into her face, asking. "What exactly did you have in mind for the next two days?"

Hope leaned in to him with a smirk and whispered. "Whatever may come to mind, Commander."

Sawyer raised his eyebrow at her with another smirk and then said. "Major, there are several things going through my mind right about now."

"Several huh? You'll have to brief me on that, Commander." Hope said with a smile.

"We should go…" Sawyer said quickly as he stood up.

"Sure but first would you mind…if I get dressed?"

Sawyer snickered for a minute and then said "Certainly, Major."

As he exited the curtain, he looked back and smirked.

As she finished getting dressed, a wide smile crossed her lips as her eyes shined and despite the fact that she was injured in the EVA, she didn't feel all that bad about it.