Brazen came in to relieve Maria's vigil. The doctor had come and gone early in the morning but no one had said anything to her. That alone gave Brazen reason to worry. She could see it in everyone's eyes. Something was wrong. Maria left without a word which was so unusual. Her thoughts were replaced when she looked down at Plissken.

He hadn't moved and one of the fears was he had fallen into a coma. Susan could imagine that easily when she knelt down beside him. The left side of his face was bruised, though compared to his chest they were mild. A cut ran through the bruise from his cheek just below the patch up to his temple. He'd scar there but Brazen didn't mind. Gently she placed a cool rag on the sickly purple cheek. His breathing changed under the touch. It wasn't much but it did mean he was aware. Susan smiled brushing his sweat soaked hair from his forehead. The fever had them worried too.

The rag had warmed and Brazen dipped it in the cool snow melt again. The world had become so surreal since Plissken was captured, even more when she saw him in the truck. A sigh escaped her lips when she returned the cloth to his burning skin. All she could do was hope he would pull through and with Plissken she believed he would no matter what was wrong.

Lost in thought Brazen's mind wandered to memories of her father. There was some of him in Plissken. She could see it especially in how they handled crisis. They had both trained for the military around the same time. Though by the time Plissken would have been in her father was already an instructor. Susan stopped on that thought wondering if Snake had been trained by him. Maybe that's why he let her come along. He recognized her name.

Sadness crept in with thoughts of her father. It was the first and only funeral she had ever been to. Fear was rising inside. It was the terror that she would have to bury the only other man she'd ever loved. It wasn't the same as her father but the thought was no less hurtful.

"Any change?"

The voice shocked Brazen down to the core. Her head snapped around to see Scar stepping into the tent. Awareness came back slowly allowing Brazen to feel the hot hand in hers. She looked down at Plissken's fingers and shook her head.

Scar sat on the stool across the room watching Brazen. The same look was in his eyes. She knew something was wrong. Brazen had to know what.

"What did the doctor say about him?" Brazen tried to hide her sadness but it was impossible. Her voice cracked just on the verge of tears. Part of her didn't want to hear.

"He has a fever and possibly an infection from the wound on his face." Scar paused wringing his fingers gently.

Susan looked up at him expectantly. There was more. Scar had spoke with the doctor almost fifteen minutes, there had to be more.

Scar held back for a time and finally spoke in a sympathetic tone. "His ribs are broken. He couldn't tell if Plissken has internal bleeding. It would be one explanation for his condition."

Brazen squeezed Snake's hand feeling the hot sweat against her skin. She was afraid of what would be said next. All of her will had to concentrate on preventing herself from telling Scar to stop telling her what was wrong.

"If he is bleeding internally, Plissken only has a few days. He probably won't get up again." Scar took a deep breath watching the tears well up in Brazen's eyes. The pout reminded him of a child with a skinned knee, too stunned by the pain to even react.

"We'll know in a few days if his condition will improve."

Brazen looked down at Snake. His slack features and shallow, labored breathing. He couldn't die on her. Maybe he would if things were so grim. A hand touched her shoulder in support.

"I'll be outside if you need anything." The hand left her shoulder but the voice continued. "If anyone can survive this, he can." They were Scar's words of encouragement before he left.

Susan kept her fingers entwined with his and laid down beside him. She pressed her face against his neck crying. They couldn't take him away from her. They had a chance to start over and forget the fight they'd had. She needed him for more then just his street smarts. Brazen cried until her eyes burned hot as Plissken's skin against her face.

"Don't leave me again." She whispered the words in broken, child-like sobs. "Don't leave me again." She kept whispering it over and over. Maybe he could hear her and know how much she wanted him to wake up. If he did Plissken might wake up, try harder, and not die. The thought brought more tears from her overtaxed eyes. More tears and whispers. They were all the comfort she had.