The Gift: Chapter 10
I.
"That's it!" Bonnie threw her cards on the table, "I am not playing another game of Old Maid."
Tara grinned half heartedly, "Because you keep loosing?"
"No, it's just...just." Bonnie stood, wrapping her arms around herself. "What's taking Kim so long?"
Monique shuffled her cards, glancing sideways at the brunette cheerleader, "I imagine they have a lot to talk about, Bonnie. And I'm sorry about the cards, I just have them because I was babysitting my cousin and she loves the game."
Bonnie shuffled her feet, nervously, "I know, Monique, sorry about the blow up, I just want to do something. Anything! Why won't anyone tell us what's going on?"
Monique dropped her cards in astonishment. Bonnie apologize? To her? The devil would surely be in Club Banana today shopping for long johns. "Bonnie, maybe the reason they won't tell us anything is that they don't know anything."
Bonnie and Tara both stared at her. "I mean, this bit with Ron glowing, and screaming for Kim in her mind. Maybe they just don't know."
Bonnie walked to the door, opening it and looking out into the hall. "You may be right, Monique," She said over her shoulder, "but if the hospital people, and Mrs. Possible don't know anything, who would?"
"Maybe...maybe one of Kim's villains?"
Bonnie and Monique stared at Tara. She raised her chin defiantly, "Maybe."
Bonnie closed her mouth, "You know, that almost makes s..."
She was interrupted by Kim and those with her running past in the hall.
II.
Kim was stopped at the nurse's station by a burly security guard. "Hold it, Miss Possible, just slow down." In her fright, Kim turned an enraged glare upon the officer. He hurriedly explained. "Look at those doors, Miss, you won't be able to see anything."
The others crowding behind Kim saw what she finally noticed. The two windows in the swinging doors blazed with an arc welder's brightness.
"See," the officer motioned toward the station, "the nurse that was in there is almost blind."
Anne walked over toward the nurse who was holding a cloth to her streaming eyes. "Mrs. MacKay, are you all right?"
"I will be, just a flash blindness, Doctor. Luckily I was looking away when it went off."
"When what went off?" Anne asked gently. The others gathered around, listening intently.
"I'm not sure. I was bent over picking up my pen when the room just exploded in light. If I had been looking at the patient, I'm certain I would have been blinded. It was like a hundred magnesium flares all went off at the same time."
"Did you see anything, anything at all?" Chief Steffer asked.
"No, it all happened too fast."
"All right," Anne took charge. "We'll get you down to the head of E.E.N.&T., Mrs. MacKay, just to make sure every thing is all right."
"I'm an old Navy nurse, Doctor, a little thing like this isn't going to stop me." The watery eyed nurse smiled back. "That's my patient in there, and I'm not leaving. I've already called maintenance and they're bringing me a pair of welder's goggles. Then I'm going to see to my patient."
Barbara leaned forward, "Mrs. MacKay, you have no idea how much what you're trying to do means to me...to us. But don't you think you should get your eyes taken care of and then come back."
"Ma'am, I..."
"Your duty, I understand. And when you're checked out, I promise you, I will demand that you be one of my son's nurses."
Mrs. MacKay looked at Dr. Possible questioningly.
"I agree, wholeheartedly. If the patient's mother can't swing it, I think I pull enough weight around this hospital to guarantee it."
Mrs. MacKay grudgingly stood up, the security guard offering a supporting arm, "All right, since you insist, but I will be back shortly." She and the officer left the room.
When the two had left, Dean turned to James, "You know, you hear a lot of stories about prima donna RN's, but if that's an example...that is one tough old broad." He shook his head admiringly. Anne smiled, "Mrs. Mackay is a retired Commander, US Navy Nurse Corps. I doubt there is anything anyone could do that would shake her." She turned to the station nurse. "What was she doing up here, anyway? She's the assistant director of Nursing."
"She insisted, Doctor. When she came on the floor her exact words were, "I've taken care of more torn up young idiots than anyone else in this hospital. Now give me a gown."
Kim was touched, but more worried. "I appreciate that, but what about Ron?"
"Kimmie," Anne touched her softly, "we won't know anything until we can get in there."
"I'm going in first."
"Kim, you're not trained for..."
"Mom, I'm the only one that could get close enough to touch him,before, I may be the only one who can even get in there now."
The rest exchanged worried looks, before nodding in agreement. All except James. "I don't think anyone is going in there now." He said softly, pointing at the doors. The arc light now shone like a small sun through the windows.
III.
When Ron's families stampeded past her, Bonnie was momentarily frozen in shock. "Something is wrong, terribly wrong." Before she could follow them, her arms were grabbed by Monique and Tara.
"Just where do you think you're going, girl?"
"Something's wrong and I'm going to find out what." Bonnie snarled, jerking her arms.
"Bonnie, I don't think they'll want anyone around right now but family." Tara said tearfully. "The only reason I can think of for them to run like that is if Ron...if Ron.."
When Bonnie relaxed, the two let her arms go. She stepped past them back into the waiting room. "You may be right, Tara, but I still have to know. I'm going up there, like it or not."
"Excuse me, is this the area for waiting for word of Stoppable-san?"
Monique whirled at the soft inquiry. "What? Yes, but who..." Monique's eyes widened, "I know you. You're that girl Kim was jelling over."
The oriental bowed lightly, "Yes, I remember you also, Monique-san. I do not understand this 'jelling' you speak of, however."
"Never mind that," Bonnie stepped forward, "Who are you and what's your connection to Ron."
Unconcerned with Monique and Tara's glares for her rudeness, Bonnie looked at Yori determinedly.
"I am here as Stoppable-san's friend, but I am also here to introduce Mataki-sama to Stoppable-san's parents." Yori turned and gestured to an oriental gentleman standing in the doorway. "So, if we could be told where the parents are?"
"They're...ah...they're probably a little busy at the moment." Tara stammered, "But that doesn't answer Bonnie's question."
"Ah, yes, Mataki-sama is here to discuss a possible loan of Japanese antiquities with the Middleton museum, a request of long standing. I am here to assist in my small way, as I am somewhat familiar with the area and people. We heard about Stoppable-san's accident on the radio and came to offer our hopes for his recovery and the prayers of the Yamanuchi school."
"Tell you what," Bonnie offered, striding toward the door, "I'm just going up, you wait here and I'll tell the Stoppables about you." She continued forward, Mataki-sama stepping out of her way.
IV.
When Bonnie burst through the doors, the first person she saw was her rival, leaning on the nurse's counter, panting, welder's goggles around her neck. "I don't know," She hear Kim say,"it's not painful, but it's like I'm trying to walk through that wall."
Bonnie's eyes turned toward the doors to Ron's room. The blazing light drew her unwilling words out. "He's dead, isn't he?"
The others eyes snapped to the girl in the doorway, the tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks.
"We don't know, Bonnie." Kim stated grudgingly, "All we know is that the light blew up. We haven't been able to get in to see what's happened to Ron."
"But...but...the light, the heat must be intense in there." Bonnie managed, "How could he live through that?"
"There is no heat." Kim explained, "When I tried to get in, all I could feel was a force pushing back. No heat. But the light is so bright we'll have to get heavier goggles before I can attempt it again."
"Will you..." Bonnie swallowed, "when will you get them."
"We've sent to the science center for as many sets as they can round up," James explained, "But how many that will be, we don't know yet."
"When they get here..." Those who could see the door gasped. The light had gone out.
XXXXXX
AN: I apologize for how long it took to update this. It's a hard one to write. For those still interested, all will be explained. A few more chapters and an epilogue, and it's over. Hate ending a story really, it's like abandoning a child. (G) I promise the next two won't take so long. Next update, "The Lecture".