A/N: Sorry it's been so long; I've been drowned with stuff in RL plus my muses have decided to randomly shut up which really doesn't help much. Hopefully this is good enough to make up for it. (crosses fingers)
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Tseng paced in the waiting room, trying to calm his nerves. Who is he to keep me from doing my job!? Guarding Rufus in these situations is my main responsibility, not his.
Other people waiting for word on their loved ones had entered the waiting room. One glare from Tseng made them quickly retrace their steps and find another room to wait in as far as possible from the Turk. When the last family ran out of the room, he heard someone apologizing for his actions.
'Hey, don't take it personally, yo. If he's going to kill anyone around here, it would be me. You're safe.' After looking into the room and noting Tseng's mood, he decided to change his advice. 'On second thought; just run. He looks like he could kill everyone on this floor.' Reno watched as the family rushed to leave the area and cheerfully called out to them 'I hope whoever you're here for gets better soon! Say hi to them for me! All the best!'
No longer able to delay the inevitable, he entered the waiting room, Tseng stalking up to him, glaring murderously at the red-head.
'What? What did I do!? I wished them the best! You can't kill me for that.'
'I told you to stay out there until Elena was back!' Tseng seethed. 'You're here and she's not, which means that you disobeyed a direct order...'
'Relax dot-man, I waited for her like a good boy. She's just across the hall in the bathroom. You didn't want me to follow her in there did you?' He then grinned wildly. 'Although I do understand where you're coming from. She did just give a lot of blood; what if she passes out and whacks her head!? You're absolutely right; I must go into the ladies' room and rescue her.'
He started to turn and head towards the washrooms when a death-grip on his shoulder stopped him. 'You enter that room Reno, and your life is forfeit. Now get in here, sit down, and shut up.'
Sighing, Reno entered the waiting room, sat down and for once, followed the order to be quiet. He managed to sit still for 5 minutes before he got up and started pacing the room. Who can ever actually just sit still and be quiet?? Aside from Rufus that is, he seemed to have his ass glued to that office chair...
The shuffle of shoes on the floor let him know that he and Tseng were no longer alone. 'How are you feeling Elena? Tired? Would you like something to drink?'
Tseng's line of questioning and his obvious concern made Reno smirk and Elena blush. 'I'm feeling fine, sir. A little tired, but otherwise fine. I had some juice after I was done but water would be great right now. Is there a vending machine nearby?'
'No need to worry about it.' Tseng replied. 'Have a seat in the waiting room and I will find a bottle of water for you.'
Reno watched Tseng leave and laughed as soon as Tseng was out of earshot. 'What?' Elena asked confused. 'What's so funny?'
'You're kidding right?' Reno chuckled. 'He's actually going to search the floor for a vending machine just for you and you can't figure out what's so funny. Wow...so what they say about blondes is true. And to think I gave people with your hair color the benefit of the doubt.'
Elena looked down, trying to hide her now dark pink face. 'It doesn't mean anything Reno. He's trying to find things to do to keep his mind off of Rufus. That and he probably wants me to stay here and rest. That's all; nothing more, nothing less.'
Seeing her face turn pink made Reno laugh even harder. 'You seriously don't believe that do you!? Ah man, you two are good for a laugh. Even Rude would get a laugh out of this right now. Accept it; Tseng likes you.'
Reno laughed again and Elena's face and continued. 'Me or Rude could be bleeding to death with our guts hanging out and if we said we wanted some water, he'd tell us to get off our lazy asses and get it ourselves. But you? You give a little blood and he's running all over the floor looking for a vending machine.' He patted Elena on the shoulder. 'If you want to keep thinking that Tseng doesn't like you, be my guest, but some of us know better.'
Elena watched Reno as he resumed his pacing. Eventually she shook her head and sat in the nearest chair, closing her eyes. She re-opened them a few minutes later to find a water bottle in front of her.
Breaking into a smile, she gladly accepted it. 'Thank you, sir. Really though, you didn't have to search for one for me. It wouldn't have bothered me to search.'
'Nonsense, you needed the water and I needed the walk.' Tseng replied. 'It's the least I can do.'
Blushing for the umpteenth time that evening, Elena opened the bottle and looked around the room. 'Where's Rude?'
'With Rufus.' she heard Tseng reply, obviously a little bitter.
'Sir?' Elena quipped, curious about her superior's tone and obvious mood change.
'Rude pretty much kicked Tseng to the curb and went up with Rufus. Tseng's a little pissed about that right now so I'd avoid the topic if I were you.' Reno then shrugged and added, 'I hope you didn't get too attached to Rude though 'Laney; I'm pretty sure that Tseng is going to kill him when he sees him again.'
Elena looked at Tseng, noting the all too familiar death-glare and glad that his temper was directed at another Turk and not at her personally for foiling another mission.
'How long have they been up there?'
'It's been about an hour now, Rookie.' Reno informed her. 'There's still a few more hours left to go before it's all said and done.'
Elena sighed. Poor guy, I don't think he can make it through a surgery that will take that long. 'I guess all we can do then is wait?'
'That's basically all that can be done for the moment.' Tseng sighed. 'The doctor will come and inform us of the outcome as soon as he's completed the surgery.'
The three Turks sat in an uneasy silence, impatiently waiting for any updates.
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A/N 2: I threw in the small Tseng/Elena in there because I think that they would go well together. Tseng didn't do the searching for her not just because he was really worried about her (he was though, but he wouldn't admit that!) but because he also needed something to do to stop thinking about Rude, Rufus and the surgery...