Surprising turn of events Chapter 5, a fbi fanfic

Hello All,

Boy has it been a while! I was down with Covid, and when I tell you it took my energy, I mean it took all my energy. I only left my bed to walk to the couch only to fall asleep again. Then it was work and playing catch up and then I had planning for a bridal shower I'm in. To say it has been a crazy month and a half would be an understatement. I had to reread this story just so I could get all my facts right and still I'm hoping I didn't mess up too bad.

Anyway, no more excuses, I also am a professional procrastinator so without further ado, here is the next chapter and I hope the next one comes sooner rather than later.

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Maggie had developed a bad habit from childhood of biting her fingernails when she was nervous; she knew it was disgusting but it was second nature now. As she paced the waiting room where her team and Mona resided, Akila and her daughters stood outside the room with the surgeon. It had been the longest 18 hours of her life even though the case had been solved so quickly, not know how OA was doing was killing her. Jubal offered her his seat even through there were about six more vacant, he must have just wanted her to calm down for a moment. Reluctantly, she sat but still kept her eyes glued to the door, barely tuned in to the conversation that Isobel was having with Jubal and Scola. Tiffany had struck up a conversation with Mona, which was something Maggie appreciated about Tiffany she was a good people person and always seemed to know what to say. Maggie glanced at the clock; it had only been about a minute since the last time she had checked but it felt like a lifetime. She checked the clock again, this time two minutes had past, time was moving at a snail's pace as they waited in anticipation but soon enough Maggie heard the click of the doorknob and it took everything in her not to jump out of her chair when Nubia, OA's middle sister walked in. She walked in with her head down, Maggie couldn't see an expression, so she was unable to read the situation but when Nubia finally lifted her head Maggie didn't see grief but also no sign of relief either.

"He is alive," She finally said. There was a collective sigh through the room, but Maggie could still feel herself holding in her breath. "They said they had complications in his surgery, and they are very worried as they couldn't wean him off the vent."

"What does that mean," Scola asked, the relief they had now evaporated from the room.

"He isn't breathing on his own, his body isn't strong enough." Maggie thought back to the first update they had gotten about OA, that he had coded during surgery and was down for a little too long for their liking. "There are a lot of unknowns, they won't know much until they are able to perform tests and also when he wakes up."

"So now we just wait," Mona asked, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Yes, for now he has been placed in a medically induced coma while his body recovers from such a surgery."

"What ever your family needs Nubia, our time is here for you," Jubal expressed.

"Thank you," Nubia bowed her head, in thanks before returning to her mother and sisters to see OA. Visitation was over for the night, and it was not looking like the team or Mona would get the chance to see OA; Jubal advised them to go home and try to get some rest.

Maggie drifted in and out of sleep the whole night not able to fall asleep knowing that OA's condition was uncertain. She had found a small amount of relief in the fact that her phone hadn't rung in the night to inform her of the worst. Knowing she wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep she threw the covers off of her and let her feet hit the cold hardwood floor beneath her. She rubbed her face trying to wash away the sleepiness, but it was no luck. Coffee was going to be her saving grace today, so she made her way to the kitchen to brew the first of many pots. She looked at the clock at it was about 6:35am, visitation didn't start for another two and a half hours which seemed like a lifetime away but with getting ready and a stop to the café to bring the Zidan woman breakfast and coffee it would be no time.

Her phone light up as it skittered across the countertop, she dreaded looking because ever since she left the hospital, she had a terrible gut feeling she couldn't shake. Lifting up her phone she glanced at the screen, it was Jubal, her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach as she hesitantly clicked the "answer" button.

"Hey Jubal," her tone was calm though inside she was anything but.

"Maggie, hey just calling to check in on how you are doing." She let out a breath of relief.

"I'm doing alright," she was lying through her teeth but somehow, he believed her, somehow, she was just convincing enough.

"Good," he sounded a little optimistic or perhaps that's just how he was pretending to be. There was quiet between them, uncertain on what to say next but Jubal came through, "Are you going to see OA?"

"Yeah, Isobel okayed me to come in a little later today, I thought I could bring his sisters and mother." She had put herself into action, started to move around and get herself ready. She pulled her boots on watching as snow fell down outside of her windows in big pillowy flakes.

"Well, I'm glad, listen if you need anything I'm here for you Mags." Jubal Valentine, always the dad of the group.

"I appreciate it Jubal," she felt the corners of her mouth lift ever so slightly. They bid their farewells and Maggie grabbed her keys and took on look back making sure she wasn't forgetting anything before she closed her front door and locked up.

She made it into the hospital quite easily once she flashed her FBI badge to the security guard. Pressing the elevator button, she was lucky enough to catch a ride quick but not so lucky when about six other people piled in with her. As the doors slid closed, she became slightly claustrophobic as they stood shoulder to shoulder. Her tray of coffee was pushed up against her nearly crushing the carrier and causing her to spill the coffee onto the older woman in front of her. The elevator dinged and opened to the second floor she was able to have breathing room as three people got out, her floor was next, and the anticipation was killing her. She wondered if she would be able to see him today or if she was just going to get a quick update from one of his sisters.

The hospital was a bunch of twists and turns; playing off of her memory from the night before she took her three lefts and a right finding the ICU. She had the secretary at the front desk notify OA's family she was there and within a few moments Amira arrived with a warm smile.

"Maggie," she was glad to see Maggie which she was grateful for as she didn't want to seem like she was invading their space.

"Hi Amira;" Maggie greeted back. She adjusted her grip on the coffee's before holding them out for the youngest Zidan. "I thought you ladies could use some breakfast, I went to that bakery that OA raves about, one that one of your aunts own.

"Thank you, that was so thoughtful!" Amira looked up and it was clear she had gotten just as much sleep as Maggie had, it was really given away when she let out a yawn.

"Is your mother here?"

"Actually, it's just Nubia and I for now," She looked behind her as if they were going to see through the doors with x- ray vision to see Nubia with OA. "Rana convinced Mama to go home and sleep, promised she would pick her up once she got her kids to school." Maggie often forgot that OA had nieces and nephews; he spoke of his family very rarely, to try to keep work and personal life separate.

"I'm glad, she needed it for sure," She watched as Amira yawned again, "What about you, when will you get sleep."

"As soon as my mother and Rana get here, Nubia and I will swap out, take shifts so he isn't alone."

"How is her today," Maggie felt the words fall out of her so quickly as she had been wanting to ask the moment, she stepped foot on the floor.

"No significant changes which they said was good; he made it through the night without complications."

"Good," she wasn't so sure how to respond. She wanted nothing more than to hear he was awake and okay, and she knew that was what his family wanted too.

"That was the nurse though, they haven't done rounds yet, they won't until about 9." Maggie glanced at the clock behind Amira; it read 7:56, she knew she would be gone before long before the doctor came around, so she made the mental note to be sure to call back around then. "You know they won't allow food and drink back there," Amira glanced down at the food, "I would hate to waste this food and the coffee, maybe you can take my spot to see Omar." Amira had read her like an open book, it was evident by the smirk on her face as she dug through the bag.

"Thanks, Amira." The youngest Zidan sibling peeled the visitor sticker off her shirt and stuck it on Maggie and ushered her towards the doors.

She stepped through the doors, and everything seemed to be calm; she looked down at her visitor's badge to identify the room her friend was in. She could feel her hear hammer inside her chest as she made her way to the room. It was a short walk, but the hallway felt like it stretched out forever, he had a room tucked away in a rounded corner. She didn't know what to expect but it wasn't this; he had a tube down his throat and EKG leads attached to his chest, wires attached to them lead their way out of his gown and to the machine that read his vitals. A bag of blood hung from his IV pole, next to a clear bag of what she assumed to be saline. He didn't look like the OA she knew but nobody looks like themselves in this situation. Anytime OA had to get checked out from the job though it was usually an in and out thing but now he was fighting for his life.

"Agent Bell; how nice to see you again." Nubia placed a sliver of paper in the book she was reading and shut it.

"Hello Nubia," Maggie greeted, "and please call me Maggie."

"Maggie," Nubia repeated with a smile, "how are you this morning?"

"I'm doing fine, I feel like I should be asking you that."

"Okay for now, just waiting for that doctor to come in to see him but they told us it would be a while."

"I brought some coffee and food; thought you might be hungry." Nubia smiled and stood up from her spot offering Maggie her chair.

"I better go and get something before Amira hogs it all, will you sit with Omar for a moment."

"Absolutely.'' Nubia walked out and left Maggie alone with OA. A bandage peeked through the top of OA's gown, the wound that took hours and hours to fix concealed by the stark white gauze. She slowly seated herself into the chair, his once tanned skin was now a paler version slightly slipping into the grays of color.

"Keep fighting OA," she heard herself plead. She wasn't sure what to say, what to do; could he even here her or was she wasting her breath. She settled on holding his hand and again repeating," keep fighting."