A/N: I'm really sorry for leaving you hanging so long, but when I got back on Sunday I wasn't in the mood to write anything at all. But while I was reading another story right now where the author was apologizing for taking to update so long I suddenly felt so incredibly bad for just being too lazy to write anything at all I thought I had to pull myself together and write. So, guys, I can't apologize enough, this one's for all of you who hated me for not updating (yes, you're allowed to hate me- as long as you keep on reading ;))
Dedicated to: higherbeingfriendsfan (I was glad to hear you liked the Danny/Samantha teasing thing, because I didn't think I'm good at writing this stuff), rabbitmonkey, Zonya (Yeah, I really think I needed to get a bit of a life. Well, I had enough of it, now I'm back ;)), bdoney, wItHouT a tRacE fReAk, csigirlie156 (sorry to make you sad, I really didn't mean to... But the trip was very spontaneous), Kadyann, thebondgirl (don't worry about not being able to review, as long as you still read my story (which I know you do), I'm happy) and missusmesser (glad I'm not the only one...)
Chapter 17
When Jack reached Martin's door he stopped and turned around to face Danny. "You've got ten minutes." Again, Danny started to complain and again, Jack interrupted. "Hey, actually, you wouldn't be allowed to go and see him at all. You'll have more time to see him tomorrow when you have slept and eaten. Now go."
Danny threw Jack one last glance, then followed Samantha into the room. He stopped by the door and watched as she stepped next to Martin's bed and whispered, "I'm back." Martin slowly opened his eyes and looked at her with a smile.
"Hey," He said, "Where've you been? I was getting worried."
Samantha smiled and leaned down to kiss him when Danny interjected. "Hey, lovebirds, I'm still here!" And with that, he stepped out of the shadows and next to Samantha.
"Danny!" Martin exclaimed.
"Hey partner," Danny said with a grin and took Martin's hand, "How are you? Finally awake?"
Martin chuckled slightly and replied, "What, you missed me?"
"Yeah, you wish," Danny said laughing.
Their teasing continued for several moments until Martin put a serious exrpession on. "How are you? The only thing I get to hear if I ask how you are is 'okay'." He watched Danny, who had sat down on a chair next to his bed closely. Then his gaze fell upon the dressing on his partners arm. "What's this? That doesn't look like 'okay' to me!"
Danny tried to calm him down. "Hey, that's nothing. I was hit by a bullet, but it was a through and through and I'm really okay now."
Martin still looked furious and said, "Why didn't anyone tell me?" He turned to look at Samantha with a reproachful look. "When I asked you how Danny is you said okay!"
Samantha, sitting on the edge of his bed, took his hand and replied calmly, "When you asked me how Danny is you nearly panicked and tried to get up. You think I should have told you that he was shot then? If I might remind you, you had just woken up from a 21 hour coma. I don't think that was the right moment to hear it. Don't you think?"
Although her speech was everything except funny, Martin had to smile at Samantha's tone. It sounded like a mother explaining her 8-year-old son he wasn't allowed to get any more candies before going to bed. "Yes, Mom," He said with a huge grin.
For a moment it looked like she didn't quite get the point, but when Danny burst into laughter a blush crept up her cheeks, accompanied by a very ashamed look. "Hey, I am right!" She tried to denfend herself, althoug it was a very weak attempt as Danny laughed even more.
Martin gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and said with a smile, "Of course you're right, hon."
Danny finally stopped laughing and wiped his eyes, still chuckling slightly. "Y'know, you're really cute, you two. You're acting like an old couple who has been married for 50 years or somethin'."
Samantha gave him a deathly glare and said, "You're really lucky you already got hurt, Taylor, otherwise I would do it right now."
Martin laughed slightly, as did Danny, who replied, "Yeah, right. We both know that you would never, and I mean it: never ever, would be able to hurt me. You just love me too much."
"Hey, man, maybe I should remind you: I'm awake now. So you'd better stop flirting with my girl," Martin said with a sly grin.
It was Samantha's turn to laugh. "So that's what I am now? Your girl? Isn't that a bit too high-school?"
Danny and Martin exchanged a look and started grinning. "That's a guys-thing, Sam," Danny replied. "Our girlfriends never stop being our girls."
"Oh," Samantha said with a mock hurt expression. "If you want me to leave, just spill it."
Martin brought his hand up to cup her cheek and gave her a loving look. "I don't want you to leave ever again."
"Oh my God," Danny said with mock disgusted expression. "I think that's my cue to leave." Samantha and Martin turned around and started laughing when they saw the look on their friend's face. "Jack has probably already paced a hole into the floor."
"Where is Jack, by the way?" Martin asked suddenly.
"He's waiting outside," Samantha replied.
Martin gave her a questioning look. "Why doesn't he come in?"
It was Danny's turn to answer his question. "Actually, we're not allowed to be here right now."
Again, Martin gave them a questioning look, so Samantha added, "You're on ICU. Only family's allowed to visit you here and it's way past visiting times, too. But Jack managed to persuade the doctor to let Danny in, because he knew he wouldn't get him to leave without seeing you. Jack said he would wait outside, then take Danny home. He'll come by and visit you when you're transferred to another station."
"Oh, okay," Martin said with a slightly disappointed look. Then he turned around and looked at Samantha quizzically. "But how did you manage to come in here? I mean, you said you stayed with me the whole night..."
Samantha shifted uncomfortably and said, "Well, I... uhm..." She stopped and looked down, suddenly very interested in their still interwined fingers.
Danny started laughing and said, "Yeah, thanks for remembering me, buddy, I nearly forgot." After receiving confused look, Danny laughed again. "Congratulations!"
Martin threw Danny another, now totally confused look, but when he only received more laughter, he turned around to look at Samantha who still seemed very interested in her hands. He looked back at Danny (still laughing) , then Samantha (still examining her hands) and finally asked, "Would anyone be so kind and fill me in?"
The slightly annoyed tone finally made Samantha look up from her hands and Danny stop laughing (thoug he still chuckled slightly). "Well?" Martin demanded, looking from one to the other.
"Um... you know, the rules say that only family members are allowed to see persons on ICU and, well, the doctor was very insistent and I couldn't just keep sitting out there, waiting for someone to tell me what's going on so I... I told him that you and I, y'know... that we are- I mean it's not like I want to, don't get me wrong, I just wanted to see you and-"
"Samantha," Martin said loudly. Startled, Samantha looked up. She hadn't even noticed that she had looked down at her hands again, and when she looked at Martin now, she was surprised to see him wearing a huge grin. "What did you tell him?"
"I... I said I was your fiancée," She said and blushed, immediately looking down at her hands again.
"Hey," Martin said, trying to get her to look at him. "Hey," He said again, this time louder. When she still continued observing her hands he lifted her chin up sligtly so she had to look at him. "Hey," Martin said a third time. This time he got a small, shy smile as a response. "You don't have to be ashamed because of what you said. I'm glad you were here." She smiled at him, this time genuinly, and leaned in to kiss him.
"OK, and again, my cue to leave," Danny said and got up.
Samantha and Martin pulled away and turned to look at Danny. "Hey, man, I'm glad you were here," Martin said while taking his partners hand.
"Yeah, and I'm glad I was able to be here," Danny said seriously.
The two of them looked at each other seriously, but Samantha decided not to let anyone get depressed again. "OK, now get the hell out of here, because Jack's going to kick your ass if you're not."
Danny started laughing and replied, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Bye Sam," He walked over and gave her quick hug, whispering into her ear, "I know you two hadn't any time to be alone lately, but remember this is still a hospital." Samantha smacked his arm slightly, trying to hide the blush that, yet again, crept up her cheeks. Danny gave her a knowing smile and winked at her, before turning towards the door. He waved at Martin and said, "I'll come back as soon as possible," Then turned around and closed the door.
A/N: I managed to write a long chapter, finally. And I promise I won't take two (or three? See, I already forgot it) weeks to update again. I've got a few ideas for the next chapters coming (though there won't be much more, I don't know exactly how many, but I'll keep it open ended, I'm pretty sure I'm going to write a sequel), but I'm suffering a really bad writer's block at the moment, and those of you who write stories themselves know how hard it is to write anything useful if you're just not in the mood to write anything at all. But I promise I'll finish this one before the end of holidays. When I finally get to watch the end of season three (should air here in two or three weeks) I'll probably get enough inspiration to write the sequel.
Oh, and there's one thing I wanted to ask you: Has anyone of you ICQ or is interested in e-mailing and/or beta-reading my stories? I've already started e-mailing with one of my dear reviewers, and I really appreciate it to be able to talk English sometimes even though I'm not at school. And disussing Wat or fanfics or anthing with someone wouldn't be too bad, either (none of my friends watches the show :( )
So, if anyone would like to contact a very, very lonely :( person ;) just e-mail: IsabellColletweb.de