Chapter 51
Much later, Tara and Bobby made their way to Wayne Franklin's hospital room. Bobby protested at first, a deep frown creasing his forehead, that growing familiar look of jealousy squaring his jaw. They were only slightly surprised that Hannah and Sue were there with Jack and Myles.
Wayne was lying in the hospital bed, heroically pale and bandaged, enjoying the attention he was receiving. A nurse bustled around the room, trying to keep some kind of control over the visitors. She didn't look pleased to see two more walk in.
"Well, there you are," Hannah beamed as soon as the couple entered the room. "We were beginning to think you two lovebirds were going to stay hold up in your room forever," she grinned, noting with amusement the telltale blush creeping up over the petite blonde's cheeks.
"You two okay?" Jack asked, casting meaningfully look at his best friend.
"No worries, mate," Bobby smiled mischievously, pulling Tara closer with his arm at her waist.
"Oh, grow up," Tara teased, rolling her eyes as she stepped away. With a determined smile, she approached the bed, while Bobby lingered by the door.
"Look at you," she grinned, shaking a finger at Wayne. "I thought I'd find you on the verge of death, and instead you're lying here like a sultan, basking in all this attention."
"Can't help it if I'm just natural hero material?" Wayne drawled, giving her a charmingly crooked grin.
"Oh, Lord, and I thought just being Texan was bad enough," Tara groaned. "Now you really have a line to use on the ladies, don't you? Not to mention the cavalier scar you have now."
"Think it will work?" his eyebrow lifted.
"Probably," she admitted.
"Well, I understand you weren't exactly honest with me about your marriage, darling," Wayne glanced toward the man at the doorway, then back at her, his smile still in place, but a little anxious now. "However, I don't suppose there's any need for me to waste the line on you."
"No," Tara answered seriously, a faint blush tingeing her cheeks as she glanced at Bobby briefly. "You don't need to use lines on me, Wayne. I already know you're a hero. You were hurt trying to protect me. I don't know how to thank you for that," she added, tears brimming in her hazel eyes as she took his hand.
"Aw, little lady," Wayne drawled in a poor imitation of 'The Duke'. While he tried to make light of the situation, the big Texan flushed in embarrassment. "It was nothing, but are you sure you're okay? That's a mean looking lump."
"It's just a scratch," she assured him, patting his hand. "What about you? And Shanna? Does anyone know how she's doing? Bobby said you found the Morgans. Are they okay?" she asked expectantly, looking from Myles to Hannah to Jack.
"Well, at least that bump on your head hasn't slowed down your ability to switch from one topic to another at the drop of a hat," Myles quipped, grunting in surprise when Hannah elbowed him in the side.
"Lay off," the tall brunette chastised, pointing to Jack when Sue's eyes darted to her as the blonde tried to figure out who was talking.
"The missing agents, including the Morgans, were found in the warehouse. Apparently, the place was used for meatpacking and had several freezers on the lower level," Jack explained, cutting his eyes over to make sure Sue was following.
"I heard Cameron talking to someone about killing them," Tara interjected, waving her hand to let Sue know she was talking.
"To keep Cameron in line, Colton agreed to keep them alive, but when they didn't need them anymore… Fortunately, we got there in time," Jack continued when Sue turned back to him. "They're a little dehydrated, and Brad has a broken arm from attempting an escape, but they all should be fine."
"Oh, that's good," Tara breathed a sigh of relief.
"Shanna had a pretty bad concussion, but the doctors say she will be fine in a week or so," Jack finished. "She's experiencing some blurred vision and a major headache, so she's trying to get some rest."
"I want to go see her in the morning. She and Kat really helped me with my investigation," Tara stated firmly, looking at Bobby who nodded in agreement. "Now how are you? Are you in much pain?" she asked, turning back to the tall Special Agent lying in the hospital bed.
"No, sweat," Wayne shook his head, though the faint lines around his mouth belied the denial. "The bullet just grazed his shoulder, some soft tissue damage, but nothing permanent. The doctors assure me I'll be back in top form within a few weeks."
"I'm glad." Tara leaned down to give him a careful hug. "You scared me half to death! Don't ever do anything like that again without backup, you hear me?" she chided him, suddenly fierce.
"Hey, I wasn't the only one going in without backup, remember? At least I had Shanna with me," Wayne countered teasingly.
"Oh, yeah, right," Tara remember, biting her bottom lip sheepishly.
"Anyway, I don't think you'll have to worry about that. I'm not going back," Wayne answered solemnly. "When I think of what was going on right under my own nose…damn it, it just makes me feel like an incompetent fool," he said angrily.
"Because you trusted others who were sworn to protect this country," Tara shook her head. "Don't feel that way, Wayne. You can't help putting your faith and trust in them. They failed, not you. You've got good agents working for you that wouldn't dream of betraying you that way."
"Like you," Wayne asked hopeful, taking her hand.
"I wish I could say that I was staying, Wayne, but my place is in Washington," she stated gently.
Wayne sighed, squeezing her hand gently before releasing her. He glanced back toward the doorway at the tall Aussie.
"Well, I hope your friends know how lucky they are to have you…" Wayne started.
"We do!" Bobby interrupted sternly.
"Okay. I think I better let you go," Wayne grimaced. "Your friend is beginning to look very intense and I'm started to get worried. One bullet is enough for one week, don't you think?"
"Bobby's not going to shoot you, Wayne," Tara promised with a shaky smile, but she moved a step away from him anyway. "You need some rest…and truthfully so do I. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"
"Okay, take it easy." Wayne looked toward the door yet again. "And you take care of her, or you'll have to answer to me," he warned with a tired smile.
"I don't think that will be a problem, mate," Bobby agreed, pulling the petite blonde to him as she rejoined him.
"Good," Wayne grinned, suddenly looking very worn and tired.
Tara's heart went out to him, but she only smiled and bade him a goodnight. There was really nothing else left for her to say as she turned to walk out, Bobby at her side.
"So Crash, looks like everything is good again," Jack asked, looking pointedly at the arms his friends had around each other, when he and Sue joined them in the hallway.
"Better than good, Sparky," Bobby replied, dipping his head to capture Tara's lips in a brief kiss.
"Well, I for one will be glad to get back to DC where everything can get back to normal again," Sue sighed happily, as Jack put his arm around her waist.
"Ah, not exactly," Tara beamed up at the tall Aussie, wrapping her arms tighter around his waist.
"What do you mean, not exactly?" Jack questioned worriedly, signing the last to words for Sue.
"Well, that's something we wanted to talk to you about, Sparky," Bobby grinned, placing a kiss on the top of the petite blonde's head as Jack and Sue looked at each other, then back at their friends apprehensively.
Chapter 52
Dimitrius Gans sat behind the desk in the supervisor's office, his temporary assignment since Ted Garrett had gone on vacation to Bermuda with his wife. He had just responded to Lucy's knock at the door when his phone rang. After signal Lucy to take a seat, he answered.
Besides saying 'hello', D did little more than mumble some incoherent words into the receiver during the conversation. Lucy leaned forward concerned, trying to figure out what was wrong from the shocked look on his face.
"What is it, D?" Lucy asked anxiously as he slowly returned the phone to its cradle. "Is something wrong? You look…"
"Stunned?" D supplied with a little laugh. "Flabbergasted?"
"Well…yeah," Lucy admitted, relaxing a little bit as she realized her friend wasn't terribly upset, but still she remained very worried.
"That was Bobby," D told her, still looking a little bewildered. "They got married."
"Married?" Lucy repeated confused, then a broad smile slowly formed on her face. Lucy jumped up, heading towards the door, a million ideas running through her head. "Jack and Sue got married? I can't believe they did it without me, but I'm so glad they finally did. We've got to plan a party for them when they get back. I need to get in touch with Charlie and Troy…" she went on animatedly before D finally waved his hand.
"Luce. Lucy!" D repeated several times before he got the young rotor's attention. "Sue didn't marry Jack!"
"Huh?" Lucy turned back, sure that the other man was kidding. "Then who'd she marry?" she returned to his desk more confused
"Sue didn't marry anyone," D responded with a slight chuckle, almost as if he didn't believe it either. "Bobby married Tara."
"Oh, my," Lucy muttered, her knees seemed to fold beneath her as she sank heavily back into the chair. "How did that happen?"
"Well, when two people are in love…" D started with a smirk.
"I know that!" Lucy replied sarcastically, with a distinct roll of her eyes. "I meant, when? I thought something happened between them when Jack was shot, but they were barely speaking to each other before they left, so I thought I was imagining things."
"Well, apparently you weren't," D smirked, moving around to lean against the front of the desk as he looked down at her. "And they apparently started talking in Texas. My question is…when did Tara and Stanley break up?"
"Oh, that was over long ago," Lucy scoffed, leaning comfortably back in the chair. "Before Darcy sent Bobby that 'Dear John' letter from California."
"You know about the letter?" D's eyes widened in surprise.
"Hey, of course I did," Lucy grinned smugly. "I'm not the best rotor in the F.B.I. for nothing."
Smiling, D nodded his agreement before turning around to gather some files off the desk. He'd just picked them up when Lucy's gasp had him spinning back around.
"You okay?" he asked concerned as her playful, toothy grin faded.
"If Bobby and Tara are married, that means one of them has to transfer," Lucy groaned, her shoulders slumping.
"That's what Bobby was calling about," D nodded solemnly. "He didn't want us finding out about Tara's transfer from someone else. Bobby said it was her idea," D frowned when Lucy looked at him in shock.
"It's going to be really strange not having her around," Lucy admitted. "I wonder who we'll ever get to replace her," she wondered aloud.
"Oh, Bobby also said that he recommended Special Agent Starr as her replacement," D remembered as he finished gathered the files and led Lucy to the door.
"Hannah Starr?" Lucy asked, a devious glint shining in her eyes as her broad smile returned.
"Yeah, I think that's what Bobby said," D nodded curious. "Truthfully, I couldn't get much past the fact that 'bachelor Bobby' got married," he grinned.
"I can understand that, but I can't wait to see Myles' expression if Agent Starr's transfer gets approved," she smiled, barely able to control her mirth. "From what Sue told me on the relay call the other night, those two can't stand being in the same room together."
"Oh, great," D groaned shaking his head. "Sounds like Davey and Tanya," he commented, recalling all the fights he and his wife refereed between his two children.
"Uh, that would be about it," Lucy laughed. "And I hope she gives Myles a run for his money."
"You would," D grimaced swatting at her as she sashayed passed him. As happy as he was for Bobby and Tara, he knew that if Special Agent Starr did get transferred to the team, it would be quite an adventure.
THE END ….FOR NOW