Of Gallantry, Guilt and Grace
Chapter 3
Terry watched the still face. He remained unconscious. His arm was lying atop the covers, still slightly tanned despite the ordeal he had been and was going through. He looked incongruous in the hospital gown. The girl reached a hand out to slowly and tentatively stroke down the arm to the hand. She did it again, tracing the veins and feeling the light covering of hair on his forearm. The enormity of her feelings for the man hit her with force. Denial wasn't working right now. Dear God, he had to recover. If he didn't, she knew a part of her would die with him. She continued to stroke the top of his hand and finger the signet ring. Giving in when she knew she shouldn't, she placed her hand under his and bent to lay her cheek atop it.
On some level, he was aware of what she was doing. He was too snowed from the residuals of the anesthesia and too weak to make the effort to rise to full consciousness. Instead, he stayed unmoving and took comfort from the feel of her touch. He had been aware of her stroking his head at times and running a finger lightly down his cheek. He also knew her touch well enough to know it was her taking care of him, checking the bandage and adjusting tubes. She had cleaned him up at one point, trying gently to get the dried blood and iodine off his skin. He felt the softness of her cheek against his hand. He knew if he were awake, she would not be doing this. It was easier and nicer to stay this way. Right now, he could not force himself to fight the unconsciousness. Maybe later. For now, he drifted in his own little world where he could take comfort from her ministrations.
Forcing herself upright, Terry reached for the coffee cup Cheryl had brought her and took another sip of the cooling liquid. At least it was real coffee with real caffeine.
GGG
An hour later, stiff, sore and totally exhausted from the ordeal and loss of blood, Terry continued to keep vigil at Actor's bedside. Looking at her watch, she saw it was a little after five o'clock. There was more noise in the halls now as the day began in the hospital.
For the millionth time, she studied Actor's face and watched his breathing. It was still a little labored, but much better now that the lung was re-inflating. She wished he would wake up. Reaching a hand out, she took his larger hand in hers and let them both rest on the bed. Fingers slowly curled around her hand.
Terry's eyes jerked to his face. "Actor?"
Slowly the man's eyes blinked and opened to focus on her face. She held her breath.
"You look terrible," he said quietly in a rough voice.
Terry smiled, "I look a sight better than you, mio amico."
Actor swallowed, trying to moisten his dry mouth. He frowned at her. "Why so pale?"
"Because you scared the crap out of me," said Terry, not ready to go into long explanations. "Don't you ever do that to me again." She was on the verge of tears. This time of relief.
Actor closed his eyes, but his hand squeezed hers tighter. He spoke again. "You Garrisons are hard to say no to."
"Yeah," agreed Terry. "Especially when we both get on the same page." She swallowed hard.
Actor opened his eyes again. Watching her, he saw a tear escape and roll down her cheek. He lifted her hand and pulled it toward him, coaxing her out of the chair and closer to him. His hand released hers and reached up to wipe the tear away with his thumb. His fingers remained lightly touching her cheek, reassuring himself that she was indeed all right. The green eyes watched him as her hand covered the back of his. She turned her face just enough to press a kiss to his palm before rubbing her cheek against it. The green eyes glassed up again, and Actor watched the play of emotions on her face as she fought the tears.
"Don't cry, cara mia," he said.
"Do you have to be so damned gallant?" she asked.
"Always."
Terry saw he was trying hard to stay awake. She lowered his hand and half stood to lean forward and place a kiss on his cheek. "Go to sleep. I'll be here."
"You need to rest," he admonished.
"I think we will both have plenty of time for that later," she said. "Right now, I'm not going anywhere."
She slipped back to her chair, keeping his hand in hers. To her relief, he seemed to slip into an easy sleep and not the worrisome unconsciousness. Terry knew Doc Kaiser would be around shortly. She would wait until he had examined Actor before calling the Mansion and letting them know he had regained consciousness, even briefly.
When the gruff physician entered the room, Terry told him Actor had awakened briefly and made sense. Kaiser called his name, but there was no response. The doctor felt his wrist and was satisfied with the stronger pulse the man had.
"Actor, wake up," said Terry.
While the doctor checked the amounts in the vacuum bottles under the bed and followed the tube up to the dressing on the Italian's side, Terry attempted to awaken Actor again.
"Attore, ti svegli. Ho bisogno che tu ti svegli," she said.
Kaiser glanced at her in interest at the foreign language. Amazingly, his patient's eyes fluttered and opened. Actor looked up at him.
"How do you feel, Mr. Borghese?" asked the doctor, face not showing how relieved and pleased he was the man had pulled through.
"I believe roadkill would feel better than I do right now," said Actor weakly.
Kaiser shook his head. "I had my doubts about you for a while, but I think, if things continue to progress, you'll pull through this."
Terry let out a small ragged sigh of relief. She had forgotten she had her hand over Actor's until he turned his over and squeezed hers. Both of them kept eyes on the physician as he listened to heart and lungs.
"The lung is re-inflating and moving more air. Chest tube drainage is lightening up and slowing." Kaiser walked to the end of the bed and checked the chart. "Vital signs are stable. Blood pressure is a little low, but that's to be expected with the amount of blood loss." The Major looked at Terry. "He may need another transfusion at some point, but not from you."
Terry gave more of a grimace than a smile. "I think I'm a little tapped out right now."
When the two of them looked up, Actor's eyes were closed, and he was sleeping.
"I'm not even going to say how lucky this man is," said Kaiser. "But he is going to have a long recovery."
"Do you think he can make a full recovery?" asked Terry tentatively.
Kaiser eyed her. "If you're taking care of him, I don't think he'll have a choice. I hear you had a run-in with our resident iceberg."
"Let's just say we didn't see eye-to-eye," hedged Terry, afraid she was in trouble with the gruff man.
"Not many people do," said that gruff man with a tiny smile, "but few people stand up to her." He eyed her dark-circled eyes, pale skin and tired features. "You need sleep."
"I'm getting some," hedged Terry.
"Yes, in a straight chair," he shot back with disapproval.
"I'm not leaving, Doc," said Terry.
He sighed and shook his head. "I know. Just don't fall on the floor and crack your head open."
Terry smiled, "I'll try not to."
She waited until after the doctor had left before standing and leaning over to whisper in Actor's ear. "I'm going to go call Craig. I'll be back in a few minutes."
There was no response. Terry searched his face with a frown of wonder. She knew the signs. "I do believe you've learned how to do it, Vittorio Borghese Mancini. I don't know how, but you are doing it. Well, that's fine, just don't forget to come up for air once in a while."
GGG
Actor came awake in a haze of discomfort. His neck and shoulders were sore. His side hurt sharply where the tube was. His back ached and hips bones hurt in the back. Carefully, he looked around.
Teresa was asleep, her bottom on the chair, her torso folded over her thighs, her head on a pillow by his left hip. He couldn't see her face because the pins were out of her hair and it draped over her face and the pillow. Actor knew the face was pale with dark circled eyes. The woman was exhausted from the mission, caring for him, and the loss of so much blood she had made the doctor pour into his veins. She took catnaps in the hard chair, sometimes, as now, resting her head on the mattress. Actor was humbled and felt guilty by the concern and attention she was giving him. He would have to move carefully so not to awaken her.
Girding himself for the pain he knew would come, Actor slowly tried to scoot away from the girl. His ribs protested loudly, and the chest tube wiggled, causing him to grit his teeth. He rested for a second and then attempted to roll onto his left side. The chest tube caught on the bedclothes and pulled, feeling like a butcher knife stabbing into his chest. He tried unsuccessfully to stifle a groan. It came out as a high-pitched quiet sound through clenched jaws as his hand grabbed for the tube.
Terry's head shot up and she jerked her head to the right to look at him. "What are you trying to do?" she asked with concern.
"Get off my back," hissed the confidence man. "The tube is caught."
Terry was on her feet in an instant, leaning across him to see what was going on. "Lay back down," she urged him.
As she moved around the foot of the bed, Actor eased back down. He forgot and took a deep breath in response to the pain, resulting in another sharper jab of pain to his chest. Frustration and pain washed over him. Lips pursed tightly together, and his eyebrows furrowed above tightly shut eyes as he tried to regain control. He felt the bedclothes being adjusted and a little movement of the blasted chest tube. Fingers lightly brushed across his forehead and Teresa's other hand rubbed his forearm. Actor forced himself to relax and turned hazel eyes up to her green ones.
"Tell me when," said the girl with a reassuring smile, "and we'll try this again."
After a few moments, he nodded. Actor reached his right arm across his chest for leverage, bent his right leg partly up and attempted to turn again. Teresa's hand was beneath his hip lifting to help, her other hand supporting and guiding the chest tube. It still felt like a knife through his chest and he grunted in response.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Who is it?" Terry called out.
Garrison peered through the little window in the door and saw what was going on. He pushed inside, shrugging out of his jacket and going to the opposite side of the bed from his sister. "You need help?"
"Get his shoulder and hip," directed Terry. "Easy."
Craig placed a hand on his second's shoulder and replaced Terry's on the back of his hip, pulling him over. Terry leaned across Actor and grabbed the pillow she had been using, stuffing it one-handedly behind the man's back.
Actor's hand had reflexively grasped the lieutenant's forearm. "Watch the tube," he complained sharply over his shoulder.
Terry continued to work the pillow under his back. "I have the tube, caro."
"Not that one, the other one!"
Craig leaned over and saw the catheter tube stretching a little as Actor was turned.
"It's not going anywhere, Actor," said Terry calmly.
Actor turned eyes to his male leader for support. "She is going to pull my cazzo off," he said.
Craig stifled a laugh even though he was sympathetic.
"Trust me, it's firmly attached," said Terry. "Ease him back now"
As he lay back against the pillow, Actor sighed with the release of tension on the lower tube and the cessation of movement of the chest tube. "That is your pillow, Teresa," he said in guilty accusation.
"No, it's not. It's yours," she replied, straightening the bedcovers and adjusting the pillow under his head. She glanced at her brother. "There is a dearth of pillows in this place."
"I can do something about that," assured Craig relieved to be able to assist. He gave the Italian's shoulder a light squeeze of support before heading right back out the door.
Terry reached behind her for the bottle of lotion that was sitting on the table. She squeezed some onto the fingers of one hand and set the bottle back down, working the lotion between her hands. She started on his upper shoulder, working her hand under the gown and rubbing the lotion into his skin. A twitch of the corner of his mouth told her Actor appreciated the gesture. After a couple moments of this, Terry glanced at the door. Her brother was not in sight of the window. That said, she slipped her hand under Actor's hip and began massaging the bony points of his sacrum and spine. He pushed with his heel to twist around at the waist, giving her more access to his back and other hip.
"As you say, Teresa, you do do that well," Actor murmured.
"Anything I can do to make you more comfortable," replied Terry lightly.
"I wish you would get some rest," he said.
Terry adjusted the covers over him and gave a gentle pat to his backside. "I will when we get you back to the Mansion." She walked around the bed, squeezing his toes in passing, and took her seat back.
"Why do I doubt that," he grumbled.
Teresa smiled. "Enjoy the attention while you can get it, Vittorio," she said with a grin in her voice.
One eye opened and glared at her. He knew she knew he was not seeking attention. He hoped she also knew how much he did appreciate it though.
Garrison walked down the hall to where the pay phone was. He was worried about Actor, but he was also worried about Terry. The girl looked like hell. She was pasty white with raccoon eyes from lack of sleep and loss of blood. He hadn't seen her with her hair hanging loose and limp in a long time. She always tried to maintain some semblance of neatness in front of the others, especially the fastidious confidence man. Putting some coins in the phone, Craig dialed the Mansion. Casino answered, just the person Garrison wanted.
"Casino, I need you to do something for me," said Garrison. "Well, a couple things actually."
"Sure, Warden," answered the safecracker without his usual complaints. "How's Actor?"
"I guess they would call him stable. He must be getting a little better. He's awake and grumbling at Terry."
"That's a good sign," agreed Casino. "Whatcha need me to do?"
"Get some pillows out of the spare rooms and bring them out to the base." Craig paused. "And Casino, take Terry back with you. I don't care how you do it. Throw her over your shoulder, deck her, just get her out of here so she can rest."
Garrison could not see the raised eyebrows that request brought. "I ain't deckin' her, Warden. I'd end up in the next bed."
"It was my suggestion," said Garrison. "I won't hit you."
"I ain't worried about you, Babe," said Casino. "That woman would probably break my jaw."
Garrison snorted a laugh. "Yeah, she probably would at that."
"See yuh in a half hour," said Casino. "And Warden, don't worry. I'll get her out of there."
Casino hung up and turned to the other two cons in the common room.
"Wot's going on?" asked Goniff watching him expectantly.
"Warden needs pillows and he wants me to bring Terry back here. Whether she wants to or not." Casino grinned.
"How's Actor?" asked Chief, looking up for his solitary chess game.
"Guess he's doin' okay," shrugged the safecracker. "Warden says he's fussin' at Terry."
Casino bounded up the stairs and retrieved some pillows from the two spare bedrooms. As he walked past the open door to Terry's room, he paused and looked inside with a grin that would have had the woman worried. He strode inside the room and shut the door. The pillows were tossed on the bed and he made a beeline for the drawer of her nightstand. Sure enough, inside were three keys. One he figured was for the Fox, one for her flat, and the other was a car key. With a wider grin, he worked the car key off the chain and pocketed it. Whistling a dirty tune, Casino picked up the pillows again and went back downstairs.
"Be back in a bit, Boys," he said and hustled out the door.
Goniff turned to Chief with a knowing look. "'E's up to somethin' wot's going to get 'im into trouble."
Chief nodded and got up for the chess table. He walked over to the window and watched the safecracker throw pillows into the car. A grin crossed his face as Casino took off down the drive.
"Yeah," he drawled. "He's in for trouble. He took Terry's car."
Goniff cackled with delight.
Garrison made a call from the nurse's desk to the front gate, alerting the guards that Casino was on his way and he was safe to be allowed on base. Safe might not be the right word regarding the safecracker, but it would have to do.
That done, he went back to Actor's room. Terry was sitting in the chair again. He motioned her to stay when she went to stand up. Gingerly, Craig sat down on the foot of the bed, eyes watching the con man's face for any signs of discomfort. Actor looked at him and smiled.
"You are fine, Warden," he said.
Garrison looked at the intravenous line and chest tube. He could do without looking at the catheter again. Knowing where it went made him want to cringe. "Actor, when you do it, you really do it," he said.
The older man nodded. "I never do anything halfway. But I do believe I am developing a proclivity for doing damage to myself."
"Maybe I should quit going out with you guys," said Terry, guilt heavy in her voice.
Craig remained silent, not knowing quite how to answer that.
Actor reached a hand out for hers. "Teresa," he said softly. "I would have been hit whether I was standing in front of you, or you were not there. You have kept me from being shot before. And I have been wounded on missions you were not on. None of this is your fault."
"If you had stayed where you were, I would have taken the bullet, not you," she persisted. "So, it was my fault."
"I'm sorry, Teresa," said Actor firmly. "Not protecting you was not an option for me."
"Besides," interjected Garrison. "Look at your height, Terry, compared to his. That bullet would have killed you. So just thank him and give it a rest."
Terry looked down and intertwined her fingers with the Italian's longer ones. She cast her eyes at his. "Thank you, Actor."
"You are most welcome, Little One," said the con man. Actor was aware of the glassiness of the woman's eyes. "As long as we are getting maudling," he added, shifting his eyes to Garrison. "I don't remember much after taking the hit. I do remember our conversation in the plane. If you two had not made me feel guilty for wanting to quit, I would not be here now."
Garrison squeezed the knee of the man who was his charge and his friend.
Actor watched a tear escape down Terry's cheek. The woman was at the end of her rope. She wiped her cheek against the shoulder of her blouse, never releasing her hold on his fingers. The con man turned his attention to his leader.
"I seem to be without a clean white handkerchief," he said trying to lighten the mood. "And your sister seems to be in need of one."
Craig reached in his back pocket and pulled out a less elegant, but clean handkerchief and held it out to Terry. The young woman was self-conscious and trying to cover it. So, she took it from her brother, snapped it open and held it gingerly by one corner.
"And where has this been?" she asked with feigned suspicion.
"In my pocket," replied Craig, playing along with her. "It's fairly clean."
Terry blew her nose. "Not now."
Actor gave a snort of laughter and gasped, clutching his chest. "Do not make me laugh," he admonished.
"Sorry," apologized the siblings simultaneously.
GGG
Casino pushed into the room without knocking, pillows stuck under both arms. "Hey, Beautiful, brought you a present." He dropped them on the foot of the bed, next to Garrison. The safecracker's eyes took in the scene. Garrison seemed quiet. Terry had been crying. It was Actor that got his attention. He was still surprised the lightly olive complexioned Italian could look that pale.
"Man, Actor, you look worse than yuh did with all that makeup when you were playin' a corpse in the coffin at that monastery."
"Casino!" objected Terry sharply.
Garrison backhanded the safecracker in the chest.
"Hey!" objected Casino.
Actor shook his head. "He has no appreciation of a good acting job."
"You ain't actin', Babe," said Casino.
"I meant at the monastery," said Actor sarcastically back at him.
Terry stood up and picked up the pillows. She motioned Craig to move and he got up. Terry lifted the edge of the blankets and positioned one of the pillows between Actor's knees. Craig walked around the bed and tucked the other pillow in support of the con man's back. The third pillow went under his arm and against his chest. Terry sat back down in the chair and Craig resumed his seat on the foot of the bed.
Casino looked at the girl. The last time he had seen her look that bad was when she had been fished out of the Fox's basement with pneumonia. "You ready to go?" he asked.
Terry looked at him confused. "Go where?"
"Back to the Mansion with me."
"I'm not going anywhere," said the girl adamantly.
"Yes, you are," said Craig calmly. "We're down for a few days. I'll stay with Actor. You are going back to the Mansion and get some rest."
"Oh, no," denied Terry with certainty.
Casino stepped around Garrison and caught Terry under the arm. She immediately swung at him, missing as he stepped back.
"Careful or you're going to hurt Beautiful," warned Casino.
"You get away from me or I'm going to hurt you," she threatened.
"Terry . . ." admonished Garrison.
"Teresa," said Actor.
When she turned her head to him, he beckoned her closer with his fingers. She had come half out of the chair. Now she sat back down and leaned toward him. He beckoned again and she rose from the chair, leaning closer to him. He touched her chin with two fingertips, guiding her down so he could whisper in her ear.
In Italian, Actor spoke softly to her. "Cara, I am very grateful for the care you are giving me. But I am also worried about you. You are exhausted. You are weak and pale. And you aren't even wearing your own clothing. You can't go on like this. I will rest better knowing you are in your bed, getting some rest."
"You don't want me here?" asked Terry worriedly in Italian.
Actor's fingertips were still under her chin and he ran his thumb along her jaw. "I would be lying if I said I do not take comfort from your presence. But I would not and will not ask you to make the sacrifices you have made for me."
"They were and are given freely, caro," replied Terry. "As I know you have done for me."
The corner of Actor's mouth turned up in a half smile. "Go home, Teresa. Get some sleep."
"Okay," she agreed. "But I'm coming back."
"I will look forward to it," he assured her.
If her brother and Casino had not been there, Teresa would have kissed him. As she backed away, Actor held a finger up to stop her. She leaned down closer, not knowing what he wanted. He kissed his fingertip and touched it to her lips. With a smile, she made a kissing motion with her lips back to him.
Standing, Terry turned to the other two men. She regarded them with narrowed eyes. "Okay, you win." As she stepped up to her brother, she paused. "Anything. Anything at all. You call me!" she said evenly and firmly.
Craig nodded.
"Come on, Babe," coaxed Casino.
Terry preceded him out of the room.
GGG
"Boy, she is stubborn," said Craig with a shake of his head. He sat down in the chair Terry had just vacated.
"She worries too much," said Actor.
"That she does . . . and well," agreed Garrison.
Actor wanted to go back to sleep, but he knew there was more to come, and he wished to get it over with. "I assume now that she is gone, you wish to address the issue."
"Don't know what issue you're talking about, Actor," said Garrison casually.
"Come now, Lieutenant," scoffed the confidence man, "do not try to con me. I am sure you have grave concerns about the relationship between myself and your sister."
"Do I need to have 'grave concerns'?" asked Garrison playing the game.
"No," replied Actor.
"Well. You can't deny there isn't something between the two of you. This blew any doubts right out of the water," said Garrison.
Actor dipped his head in agreement. "I can't explain it and I have no intentions of trying. Teresa and I do not discuss it."
"Do the others know?" asked Garrison curiously.
Actor shrugged his eyebrows. He had never thought much about it. "I imagine Chief has an inkling. I was a bit out of control when Teresa was almost – raped." He continued on. "Casino seems to be aware of it. I believe he has feelings for her himself."
"I have gotten that impression," agreed Garrison. "Is that going to be a problem?"
"So far not," said Actor.
Craig was more that curious. "Do you and Terry even have a clue what you are going to do?"
"Nothing," said the con man. "As I said, we do not discuss it. For my part, I cannot drag her into my world and if the offer was presented, I doubt she would accept. And there is the age difference between us."
"The first part, you might be right," said Garrison. "The second part I don't think she gives a damn about."
It was the Italian's turn now. "The next question, Lieutenant, is what are you going to do about it?"
Garrison eyed his second. "What do you think I should do about it?"
"Send me back to Alcatraz?" It was what Actor assumed would happen.
Craig laughed. "No way. I need you and you aren't getting out of this that easily."
Actor looked at him questioningly.
Craig grinned. "If you decide you want away from Terry, you're going to have to handle her yourself. I stepped between her and a man once before. I was wrong to do it and I swore I would not do it again."
"Warden," said Actor with a sigh. "You need not worry. It cannot work between us."
Craig kept his thoughts to himself. At one time he would have believed that. But now he wondered. They could probably work past the age issue. It was Actor's choice of profession that would be the breaker.