Disclaimer: see first chapter.
A/N: Apologies and thanks at the end.
Quotations between brackets are in Hebrew.
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The corridors of the hospital were bustling with activity. The smell of medicine was in the air. Nurses, patients and visitors donated their fair share of sound to the medley that was the expected background noise in any place with more than 3 people.
Despite it all, the world seemed eerily silent and slow to Harmon Rabb Jr. when he saw Simon entering his hospital room. In the few seconds it took Simon to get from the doorway to his bedside, Harm's mind went through everything from worst case scenario /I've lost her.../ to the highest peak of happiness /Oh god, she's alright/. He was so preoccupied with shutting down the rollercoaster inside that he completely missed what Simon said.
"What?"
"It's her, it's Sarah."
His earlier confidence that it had to be her notwithstanding, relief that it actually was true washed through him as if his heart hadn't worked until that point and suddenly started pumping fresh oxygenated blood to all his systems. His eyelids covered the unexpectedly watery eyes underneath, and then opened to the sight of Simon's wide and understanding smile.
"How is she?" Harm finally asked. When Simon's expression turned somber he wished he hadn't.
"I told you before, she's been badly hurt. She was trapped under a beam and it took a while to get her out. She lost a massive amount of blood and took some serious hits to her back and head. The doctor said she was very close to the point of no return in severe shock." Taking a deep breath, Simon went on since his partner in the conversation wasn't an active one. "Right now she's stabilized but she went into a coma from the lack of oxygen to her brain and from the bruises to her skull... If-when she wakes up he doesn't know the amount of damage..."
Later, when he thought about it, Harm was grateful the ECG was no longer connected. His heart rate must've been all over the map in those short minutes.
Distantly he hoped Simon wouldn't think him ungrateful as once again the outside world was anything but relevant and his mind was running through options and making calculations.
He wished his mother was there. It wasn't the small child in him seeking his mother's warm hand on his forehead, but rather the need to have someone he trusted implicitly and could rely on without hesitance or guilt. Usually the first person to come to his mind as that someone was Mac, but now he needed that someone for Mac.
He was still on the IV drip of antibiotics, though he'd been promised to be taken off it since he could take medicine orally. But even with the hypothetical freedom from those ties it was still pretty hard for him to move around, a fact he would never admit to aloud. He couldn't be at Mac's side and he couldn't very well ask strangers to stay with her day and night because he didn't want her to wake up alone. The only people he trusted enough in the country were Gil, Simon and Ester and maybe Tal, but he couldn't ask that of any of them.
A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his turbulent thoughts. "Harm?"
"Yes, sorry. I was lost in thought again." Half a smile was all he could force to his expression.
"I was saying Ester is taking care of all the paperwork in the hospital, at least the basic ones until you give them more details. She's making sure they treat Sarah well. She'll stay with her until later this evening and come back tomorrow morning."
Harm's surprise showed but Simon only smiled. "You thought we were going to leave her alone now that we found her? We take care of our own, we don't leave them behind."
A smile of gratitude held just a fraction of what filled Harm. Apparently the Marine attitude was also a Persian thing, at least as far as Simon and Ester were concerned.
"I don't know what to say... Thank you doesn't seem enough..."
"It's more than enough, I'm sure you would've done the same or more. I trust you will be alright on your own?"
It was all Harm could do to nod his assent and shake the man's hand as warmly as he could manage. With a parting smile Simon left him to his own devices.
Figuring out the time difference, he called first the General, then his mother and finally Harriet with the good yet guarded news. The General said he'd get someone from the consulate to give the hospital Mac's medical records and check on her every once in a while. Coates informed him that Mattie was in the loop and would call him later on.
His mother once again asked if he was sure he didn't want her to come. This time it was much harder to refuse the offer but he still couldn't ask that of her and Frank. Harriet on her part was more than happy to get him Chloe's number.
-----
The evening progressed and after the physically and mentally taxing talk with Chloe, Harm was truly exhausted and soon fell into a deep sleep. Lost in dreamland he didn't even budge when Gil hesitantly made his way into the room. His hesitation grew when he saw the Commander's form deep in sleep. He stood, fidgeting in the middle of the room and was about to turn back and walk out when a voice startled him.
("You've come to visit Rabb?") Tal had just entered the room and smiled at him brilliantly.
("Uh.. Erm, Yes. I... uh, promised him I'd visit when I could but I was on watch duty this Saturday and I just got off this morning and now I have a few days off an-") Forgetting he was out of uniform and that the woman before him didn't know him, Gil was surprised when she cut him off, even more so when he registered her smile had gotten wider.
("Breathe. It's very important to breathe.") Tal lectured and Gil complied, walking with her obediently to sit down in the room's corner.
("Did you listen to the news lately? They've identified the last body, it wasn't her.") Tal's tone was solemn but there was a hint of excitement in her body language. She was obviously happy for Rabb.
Gil wasn't so subtle in showing his relief. ("So Colonel MacKenzie is okay!")
The kid was a good soul, Tal decided resolutely. ("I don't know if they found her or not, but at least we know she isn't dead. Wait, did you say Colonel?") His use of rank suddenly sank in.
("Yeah, they're both American officers here on a conference. I was their driver the whole week in Tel Aviv and then they had one more day before their flight back, and I told them that they should go to Jerusalem and-")
("What's your name?") Tal realized quickly that getting a word in would only happen by interruptions.
("Gil. And yours?")
("Tal. It's nice to meet you, despite the circumstances. Remember what I told you about breathing?")
Gil nodded his head and in noticeable silence stared at his hands, where they rested in his lap. Tal watched him appraisingly. The kid couldn't be much over the age of 18 and was obviously very affected by the latest act of terror. Not that she wasn't. That kind of news never failed to stop her heart and get her fingers rapidly dialing the numbers of people she knew in the targeted area.
Still, sad as it was, after 2 mandatory years in the IDF and 25 some years of living in a troubled country had a way of making even the most compassionate person just slightly numb. She wasn't by any means apathetic – just shielded enough to keep her sanity and way of life despite the constant beatings on her humanity.
Whenever she paused and questioned whether she should go on with her plans after a terrorist attack or if someplace was safe enough to go to, she forcibly reminded herself of what her mother instilled in her from the first time she was old enough to understand what was going on – the point of terrorism was to change your way of life, to keep you afraid and bowed to it. Giving into those fears is exactly what the terrorists want, why the hell should they win!
("Where do you serve? Tel Aviv?") She tried to make conversation.
("Yeah...") Tal wasn't sure if it was what she said or the Boot-Camp-Implanted sense of keeping your mouth shut with any military details that made the kid unusually quiet.
("So you have a week's vacation now?")
("Yeah, my second leave since enlisting. Once again I'm spending it in hospitals. I'm beginning to dread them...")
Uncomfortable with asking a complete stranger about such troubling issues, Tal chose silence. A few moments later they were brought out of the loaded atmosphere by Harm's voice.
"Don't stop talking on my account. I can't understand what you're saying anyways."
"Commander Rabb! How are you feeling, sir?" Gil was up and by his side in seconds, his attitude extracting smiles from both Harm and Tal.
"I'm much better, Gil, Thank you. How're things in Tel Aviv?"
"Same." Gil shrugged. "Did you find Colonel Mackenzie?" His anxiety was palpable.
"Yes. Yeah... but she's in another hospital... Sharay-"
"Shaare Zedek?" Tal helped.
"That's the one. She's in a coma. Severe blood loss..." Harm shifted restlessly. "What are you still doing here anyways?" He asked Tal. "Your cousin was discharged this morning."
"I came to say goodbye and ask if you found your lady friend."
Harm forced a smile he didn't feel. He was grateful for the unrivaled kindness he was receiving but the more he was reminded of Mac, the more he fidgeted with the intrinsic need to do what had to be done by himself without having to depend on anyone. A change of subject seemed like the best idea.
"No uniform? Your commanding officer finally had enough, Gil?"
Gil chuckled, muttering something that sounded like 'Levy' in Hebrew, which made Tal laugh. "I got a week's leave. We get one every 4 months while on mandatory duty. If you sign up voluntarily after that it's different."
"That sounds nice, planning to do something special?" Small talk kept everything simple and nice.
"Uh.. well... actually, I was thinking... uh, maybe I could help you, you know, keep you company." So much for small talk, Harm thought.
"Gil, there's nothing you can do here, really. I'm fine, getting better every hour, just ask Tal here-"
"But sir-"
"I'm serious, Gil. Go have fun on your leave, you can visit me if you want but there's no reason for you to stay here."
"There must be something I can do!" Gil wouldn't let it go.
"Yeah, help me escape this hospital so I can be with Mac." Harm said under his breath, almost to himself. Raising his eyes to Gil he found the kid in deep thought. Obviously thinking up a way to execute his wish, Gil was mumbling things counting options on his fingers.
"Gil, he wasn't serious!" Tal saved Harm the need to exclaim. "You weren't, right?" she turned to Harm.
"No, no, of course not." He assured both. "At least not yet." He couldn't help but add softly. The moment he felt he could get around he didn't care what the doctors thought, he was signing his own release forms.
A few minutes were spent in silence until Gil spoke up again. "Sir, I really want to help. The only thing I had planned for this leave was helping my mom with some ordinary stuff, and she already said this was more important." He was practically whining at this point.
"The only one who needs help right now is Mac, not me." Harm said in the most commanding tone he could manage from a hospital bed.
"Fine then, I'll go sit with her. I heard people in coma respond to people talking to them, someone should be with her all the time and-". Harm watched in amusement as Gil cut himself short, feeling the glare from Tal's direction. He actually ducked his head, then took a deep breath and turned to Harm again when Tal smiled.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Gil?" Harm asked.
"Yeah, I'm completely sure. Is there anyone with her now?"
"Actually, the woman who found her should be leaving her about now, though she said she'll come back in the morning."
"Great, so I'll take the night shifts." Gil was excited at the prospect of actually doing something helpful to the two officers he'd come to admire and it showed.
"No, Gil, it's late, go home and you can come visit her tomorrow afternoon." Harm didn't want the kid's mother on his case as well. They were strangers to him, he knew family members that wouldn't take hospital night shifts with their relatives.
"Sir, it's fine, really. My big brother lives here in Jerusalem, so I'm staying with him and I don't have to get back to Tel Aviv." At Harm's doubtful look Tal decided to jump in.
"Don't worry, Rabb. I'll drive him there and stay with him for a while to make sure he's okay, if I don't think he's up to the job I'll take him home." Turning to Gil for approval, Tal added with a smile, "Besides, you don't have much say in this, it isn't your business if Gil wants to visit other people, is it?"
A wide smile split Gil's face and even Harm had to chuckle a bit, still careful with his chest pain.
"I guess you've got a point. Not much I can do to stop anyone doing anything in my condition right now." He gestured to himself. "I just want you two to know how much I appreciate it. This means more to me than you'll ever know."
"I think we're starting to understand." Tal said knowingly. "You should go to sleep, Rabb, we'll call you if we have any news, okay?"
Harm nodded as the two said their goodbyes and left him to think about finding new ways to show his gratitude, saying 'thank you' all the time made him feel verbally challenged.
-----
Gil and Tal found Ester and Simon still in Mac's room and introduced themselves.
("Wait, how many names does this woman have? Rabb calls her Mac, you two call her Sarah and you called her Colonel Maken-something") Tal pointed from Ester and Simon to Gil in confusion as they all sat beside Mac's bed getting acquainted.
("Her full name is Sarah MacKenzie") Gil explained. ("Rabb calls her Mac, short for her last name, but I guess she introduces herself as Sarah.")
("Sarah is in the army?") Ester was impressed.
("They both are.")
("I think someone should be here at all times") Simon brought up what they all wanted to talk about without hesitation, and got nods of agreement all around.
("I'm here most mornings anyways, so I can do the morning shift... And then Simon and I can come again in the evening for a few hours.") Simon agreed wholeheartedly.
("Night shifts are good for me, Tal, any chance you can fill the afternoon hours?") Gil asked timidly.
("Of course! There might be a day or two that I'll come a little later because I have late lectures...")
("You call me and tell me when you can come and we'll manage, dear.") Ester said calmly.
("Yeah, speaking of that, I think we should get a phone here so we can keep in touch and also Rabb could call here. What do you think?") Tal felt she was butting in a little, not knowing the woman lying in the hospital bed, but she felt she knew Rabb well enough to be sure they were both good people. She was of the solid opinion that good people deserved any help she could offer, and so fixed an expectant gaze at the three people she sat with.
("Yes, I was thinking of that too. I'll arrange for it first thing tomorrow morning, I know the guy in charge of the rental phones. He's a good person, a little old, single, no kids...") Ester's words trailed away as Simon placed a hand on her arm and Tal and Gil shared a smile.
("Okay, so we have your phone numbers and tomorrow we'll give you the number here. I think Ester and I will leave you now.")
With everything settled, Tal left soon after the older couple. Gil pulled his chair closer to the bed, took a deep breath and began talking quietly to Mac about anything and everything that came to his mind. Morning found him with three empty water bottles and a happy disposition with all feelings of uselessness discarded.
-----
The week flew by. Gil, Tal, Ester and Simon kept their shifts and kept Mac constant company. All of Mac's medical records had arrived at the hospital safely and she was visibly healing externally, while still in a coma.
At least once a day whoever was there would hold the phone to her ear as Harm talked to her for no less than a half an hour at a time. He told her about what happened to them, about his health, about their worried friends and family back home. Besides the mundane stuff he described in detail some of his favorite memories of their 9 year relationship.
When the half hour came to an end all too soon on the first day, Harm figured he should remind her that she needed to wake up, that she had something to come back to.
"I know you can hear me, Mac, I know you're fighting in there. Please remember you need to come back... I'm lost without you, Marine. No one to keep me in track and watch my back. Come back to me... I love you." After the words slipped out, he silenced for a long minute as his heart sped up. He was half expecting to hear her voice on the other end of the line rebuking his statement. His ear registering nothing but silence, he repeated the admission and made sure to repeat it in all his following calls.
Any frustration Harm felt at his inability to be with her was softened by the daily 'talk' he had with Mac and the many more chats he had with whoever was sitting beside her of the four people that have become his close friends.
The four made sure to visit Harm as well, but for short periods of time, mostly to bring him stuff like newspapers or books or food.
Harm himself was also healing nicely, his doctors said. The knowledge that Mac was being cared for calmed him but did nothing to diminish his determination to get better as soon as possible so he could be by her side. Everyday he made more progress with sitting and walking. His chest pain was almost gone and all his bruises were slowly turning colors, his tissues rebuilding themselves. The human body functioned as a marvelous machine, even more so with the right motivation.
By Thursday the doctors were pleased enough to promise him he'd be released the next week if there were no set backs in his condition.
-----
Since Ester and Simon were religious and didn't drive on Saturdays, Gil and Tal divided the shifts between the two of them. Friday evening Tal was sitting next to Mac, holding the phone to her ear as Harm told her the good news his doctors gave him. Harm was speaking loud and Tal heard most of the conversation, feeling a bit bad for sort of eaves-dropping, even though it couldn't be helped.
"And they said I could get out of here next week. So you better ready yourself, ninja-girl, I'll be coming to sit beside you full time, and annoy you with more stories. I'll beg you all day long to wake up already until you've had enough of this charade, open your beautiful eyes and hit me upside the head for talking your ears off. I bet that's what you'd do, huh Mac?
Well, Tal's hand has probably tired by now and my half hour's almost up anyways. I'll see you soon jarhead... love you." It was getting easier to say each day, yet harder knowing she wasn't really hearing it. Once again his revelations and proclamations were late in arriving and falling on deaf ears – literally this time.
"Time's up, Rabb" Tal's voice carried over the line.
"Yeah, I know. Is the blood still flowing to your arm?"
"Yeah," Tal chuckled, "by now it's used to being cut off for half an hour at..."
For a second Harm thought the line disconnected or his battery ran out but then Tal's voice carried clearly over the line and wrapped a tourniquet around his heart.
"Oh my god! Rabb she opened her eyes!"
"What! Put her back on! Put her back on!" He didn't care that he was shouting, he couldn't care less if he was waking the dead. "Mac? Honey, can you hear me?" He forced himself to keep his voice calm for her sake. She was just waking from a week long coma after all.
Tal brought the earpiece down to Mac again, while pressing the call button for the nurse. She could hear Harm's calmer, yet decidedly frantic chattering from the phone and kept her eyes focused on the woman's face. Other than her open, blinking eyes, there was no sign of consciousness.
("She opened her eyes!") Tal informed the nurse that immediately called for the doctor on duty, then rushed to Mac's side and kindly pushed Tal back with the phone.
"Rabb, it's Tal." She spoke and waited for him to realize what she'd said. "The nurse and the doctor are here now checking on her, she'll be okay, she'll be fine." She tried to calm the distraught man.
"God, I can't take this any more. I... I feel so god-damn helpless!" Harm exclaimed, momentarily not caring who was on the receiving end of his cries. "That's it, I don't care, it can't go on like this, I'm getting the hell out of here right now. I'll see you soon."
Tal's calming words were lost on him. He simply hung up, leaving her baffled with the phone against her ear until her mind registered the dial tone and she replaced the handle in the cradle and watched the medical team perform their tests. She noticed Mac's eyes were once again closed.
Though she wasn't exactly religious, she closed her own eyes and prayed. She prayed for Mac's recovery to full health and she prayed Rabb wouldn't do anything stupid in his desperation to be by this woman's side. This was the holy city in the holy land, if there was any place for miracles to happen this was definitely it, she reasoned.
-----
Across town, Harm was slowly making his way out of bed, grabbing the bag of cloths the guy from the consulate brought him at the beginning of the week while waiting for Gil to pick up his phone.
"Shabat Shalom."
"Gil?" Harm was wondering if he dialed the wrong number.
"Sir! Yes, it's me, are you okay? Colonel MacKenzie? Is-"
"Gil! Listen to me, remember how you said you wanted to help me?" Harm started.
"Yes, of course, whatever I can do." Gil answered without hesitation.
"Okay, good. Did you ever think up a way to help me escape from this hospital?" Harm couldn't help the small grin that formed on his lips at Gil's shocked silence on the other end of the line."
"Uh... give me some time, I'm sure I can figure something out..."
"Well, I think it's going to take me about 15 minutes to get all set up here, after that I'm getting out of here, plan or no plan." Harm's tone of voice left no room for questions or doubts, he was a man on a mission.
"Give me 20 minutes, I'm coming." Gil responded immediately.
"I'll meet you outside." Harm ended the call, his grin now a full blown smile. Mac was coming back to him, he was going to be with her soon. Besides that, everything else was only of secondary importance.
-----
TBC
A/N: Sigh. Okay, that took a while to get out... but I figured since the last chapter ended without a real cliffhanger a little delay would be forgivable. Your reviews never cease to amaze me, thank you all so much for the continued support and warm words.
A/N2: I had and still have a lot to say with this story and for that I've incorporated the help of the four new characters. Hopefully you don't find they take the spotlight too much from out favorite couple as that's not my intention. If you do, remember it's for a good cause!