John was silent as he led Scott through the hospital corridors. They entered the quiet ward and John smiled in greeting to the nurse at the reception desk. Sharing a quick few words together, John then nodded his thanks and continued on towards Alex's room.
"What did she say?"
John shrugged, "They had to do some stuff. She was just letting me know that they had finished."
"Oh." Scott replied, glancing around the ward in slight dread. The stark whiteness was so different to the gentle pastels of Western hospitals and it made him feel uneasy. He held his breath as John knocked gently on the door to the private room and then stepped inside.
God, she looked awful. Scott groaned slightly and hurried in after John, closing the door behind them. He watched as John crossed to the bed quickly and greeted Alex with a gentle kiss. And then he saw Alex look across at him and their eyes met. Scott stepped forward and saw the relief on her face that she made no attempt to hide.
"Hey." Scott took her outstretched hand and leaned down to let her wrap her arms around his neck.
"Oh, thank god!" Alex whispered and pressed her lips into his cheek. "Talk some sense into him?"
Scott smiled and slowly moved back from her with a firm nod of his head; it seemed John had already done that himself. At last.
Alex relaxed back against the pillows, tears gathering and closed her eyes.
"God," Scott grabbed a chair and pulled it over to sit beside her. He glanced up at John and shook his head slightly. "You look like shit, Al."
Alex smiled and looked back up at him, wiping her eyes with a trembling hand. "I feel like it."
John walked round to the other side of the bed and peered at the various monitors that hummed busily and scrawled out a graph of readings. "You've still got a fever?"
Alex nodded, "They said they're trying to treat it." She gave a short laugh, her hand going to her side protectively as she did so. "Or at least, I think that's what she said. The nurse that can speak some English was trying to explain something about an infection. I think." She frowned slightly and gave a small shrug, "But she said they had to use different drugs now that … well …"
John glanced quickly at Scott and then looked back at Alex, giving a small shake of his head.
Alex's frown grew.
John stepped back from her and sighed worriedly. "I need to go speak to them."
Scott watched his brother leave and then turned back to Alex. "Okay … why do I feel like I'm missing something here?"
Alex studied his concerned face and shook her head. "It's nothing."
"Sure," Scott smiled suddenly, "Maybe I've been out of the game for a while but I've been with enough women to know that that look means it's definitely a big something."
"What look?"
Scott laughed, "That look!" He pointed to her face and then his smile was quick to fade. "Come on, Al. What's wrong?"
Alex shook her head again and turned away from him.
"Al." Scott urged, "Come on … please … last time I knew there was something wrong, he'd hit you."
Alex gasped, "Oh god, it's not - " She spun back to him and clutched at her abdomen, biting her lip against the pain her sudden movement had caused.
Scott watched her in concern as she slowly relaxed and he watched her pressing her hands into the side of her abdomen, hardly able to imagine what a gunshot wound must feel like. And very grateful for that.
"It's nothing like that." Alex managed to explain and looked back up at him, recalling the many times when John had lashed out at her just as he had in the pool that night but deciding that Scott did not need to know about that. For John's sake as much as his.
Scott searched Alex's face and could find no answers. He sighed and glanced back at her hands, gasping as he saw the spots of blood that had appeared on the sheets.
Alex followed his gaze and groaned slightly. "Oh, don't worry." She lifted her gown and peered at the bright red patch in the centre of the gauze dressing. "It keeps doing that."
"But - " Scott stared at the small patch of blood in horror.
"It's okay!" Alex soothed, smiling as she looked up and saw the grimace of revulsion he was not quite quick enough to hide. "Really, it's okay." She urged, reaching out and placing her hand on his arm. "It's only a little bit of blood." Seeing the disgust that crossed his face, she then chuckled mischievously, "There was way more than that a few hours ago. I mean, it went right through and caught a vessel and - "
"Ugh!" Scott groaned, "Don't!"
Alex grinned up at him, "Really? God … I hadn't figured you for such a wuss!"
Scott glared a mock warning at her and then managed a smile. "Okay. Busted. Just keep it to yourself, okay?"
Alex nodded in agreement, glad for the reprieve and feeling suddenly better for having him there. She relaxed back once again against the pillows and sighed in relief, knowing that they really were safe now.
Scott smiled back at her and then couldn't help but take another intrigued look at the dressing taped over her skin. He chuckled as she then quickly covered the sight with her gown. And then he watched one of her hands resting on the centre of her abdomen, away from the wound. And there was something instinctively familiar about the way her fingers gently stroked there.
Alex saw the realisation cross his face and suddenly knew her error. She wanted to lift her hand away quickly and was ready to deny what he had obviously guessed. But something stopped her.
"Al?" Scott looked back up at her face and gasped in wonder as she nodded an affirmative. And he was suddenly grinning in delight. He stood and leaned over her, gathering her shoulders in his arms and hugging her tightly. "Oh god, that's wonderful!"
Alex slipped her arms around him and the tears fell as she heard him chuckling happily, her heart sinking as she acknowledged the difference between this and John's reaction. And realising with sorrow that this was what she had wanted from him.
Scott slowly let her go and moved back from her, a sudden frown interrupting his merriment. "I mean … it is, isn't it? Wonderful, I mean?"
Alex nodded, "I think so."
Scott groaned and sat back down beside her. "Huh? You mean - ?" He nodded towards the door and sighed in dismay, "Oh, for fuck's sake! Am I gonna have to kick some sense into him? What's he on?"
Alex laughed quietly, "I think he's just a bit shocked."
Scott then looked back at her abdomen and sudden dread filled his eyes. "Oh god. Is everything okay?"
"Fine." Alex answered quickly, "God knows how but the bullet went nowhere near."
"Jeez …"
Alex nodded in agreement. "It's been quite a day."
"No shit!" Scott shook his head in wonder and relaxed back in the chair. "We need to get you both home." He then stood quickly and shot her a warm smile, "Let me just go see where Mr Happy has got to." He watched Alex laugh in amusement and then hurried from the room.
John was nowhere to be found on the ward and sudden panic welled inside Scott as he ran along to the reception desk. Trying to remember enough Russian to ask where his brother might be, he then spotted him outside the ward and waved a 'never mind' to the bemused nurse that sat behind the desk.
"John?"
John turned and nodded a greeting. "They said she should be stable enough by morning." He indicated his cell phone and smiled happily, "They think I'm calling everyone; home, the Embassy, the airline."
"Oh." Scott frowned in thought, "Hey, maybe I ought to move One and let them transport Al to the airport so we don't blow your cover."
John shrugged.
And then Scott suddenly slapped his brother's back, a merry chuckle echoing in the empty corridor. "And congratulations, man! God, why didn't you tell me? It's awesome news!"
John watched his brother in uncertainty and gave another shrug.
"Aw, come on!" Scott enthused.
"It's a lot to take in." John offered quietly, turning his attention back to entering a scramble code and then dialling a new number.
"Fine." Scott sighed and shook his head in dismay but his smile still lingered. "I'll just have to be bouncy enough for the both of us."
"But - " John was about to protest and then smiled at his brother's happy expression. "Yeah … I'm pleased."
"I knew it!" Scott cheered and threw his arms around him. "It's gonna be okay. You'll see. Everything's gonna be different now." He urged sincerely and then stepped back from him, "I better go and tell Pen the plan." He paused for a moment, "Can I tell her?"
"Yeah." John smiled, "Please do."
"I'll let you call Dad later, though." Scott shrugged.
"Sure." John's smile faltered. That was going to be an interesting conversation.
Scott patted John's arm and began to walk away. "Hey," He spun back, "Ask Henry if he knows a good place to hide a couple of tonnes worth of state-of-the-art rocketry?" Scott grinned and headed quickly from the ward.
John nodded and put his phone to his ear, waiting for the call to be answered.
"John!"
"Henry, I - "
"John, Ustin just called."
John's heart thudded against his chest and he recalled what Scott had told him, again wondering just whose side the scientist was on. Deciding Henry ought to be warned regardless, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Listen, about Ustin. We - "
"He's here."
John held his breath, praying it wasn't too late and that Henry wasn't in danger.
"Ustin said he just saw him." Henry continued, "John. Trangh just arrived."
And John suddenly felt as if he was up on Five and the gravity plates were malfunctioning. He staggered back against the wall and gripped the corner for support.
"John?" Henry urged, "John? What d'you want to do?"
John couldn't breathe and tears blurred his vision as he stared up at the grey ceiling in disbelief. He then managed to swallow back the bile in his throat and coughed dryly. "I'll … I'll get back to you."
"Hey? You okay? What is it? Is Alex okay?"
"Yeah, she's fine." John managed, "I'll … I'll call you right back." John signed off and closed his phone, doubling over and holding his head in his hands. His head was spinning dizzily; he could hear himself telling Scott – and promising Alex – that this was all over and he had really meant it. But now …
"No." John declared to no one in particular, standing up straight and heading back onto the ward. He smiled at the receptionist and affirmed that he had got through to everyone. Watching her nod in relief, he then continued down the ward towards Alex's room, a determined frown darkening his face.
And then he paused. He stopped outside the door and stared through the small glass panel to watch her resting. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. And all at once he realised with complete certainty what he must do. Scott was right; everything was different now.
Oh god. Scott.
John looked down at the phone in his hand and blinked away tears. With a slight sob, he crouched down and placed the cell phone on the floor outside Alex's door. Praying that someday she might be able to forgive him, he then stood back up and hurried from the ward.
Tbc …
