Rating M: for violence, coarse language, and mature themes/events throughout. Remember that this is Femslash, so if that's not your thing, you might not enjoy this. I do not own the characters, they belong to WWE, AEW, Impact, and other promotions, respectively. This story is entirely fictional.

Dangers of Deville

Chapter 3 by Jurassicfatt

Daria's POV, Unknown

Baszler… Ronda… How many? Why? Suddenly, I see myself on that street corner again, this time Mandy in the sights of the detectives. She's lying on the ground, unable to stand as they aim at her. I try to stand up, but can't move my arms. Cocking them, the three men turn to smirk at me, as I hear their guns go off- No!

"Ah!" waking up in a fright, I hear a heart monitor going crazy, as two nurses grab my arms and look at me.

"Ms. Berenato, are you alright?" the first nurse asks, standing right beside me. The other nurse looks over my heart monitor, then turns their head towards me. Blinking away the bright spots, my vision becomes clearer. The nurse checking my monitor is a man with brown hair and green eyes. The one next to me is a woman, with brown hair and hazel eyes. "Ms. Berenato?"

"I'm okay now, thank you. Just a bad dream." I say, holding my head. "Where am I?" I then remember what happened, removing my hand. "Where's Mandy? And Otis? And Gable?" I demand, my heart rate going up again.

"Woah, woah. It's okay, Ms. Berenato. They're here, at Tampa General."

"Are they alright?" I ask.

"Yes. But you need your rest. You have a slight concussion, an injury to your right calf, and some bruising. The doctor will be here in a few minutes to check on you, okay?" I nod my head, relieved to know my friends are alright. I'd be even better if I could see them, but I guess I need time too.

The sound of footsteps cuts off my train of thought. A doctor, with the typical lab coat, black pants, and clipboard, comes into the room. He has blonde hair and blue eyes, freckles dotting his cheeks and forehead. "Hello, Ms. Daria Berenato? Hi, I am Dr. Sanderson. How are you feeling today?"

"My head is hurting me a bit… More than a bit, now that you mention it. My vision was blurry a second ago."

"Yes, that's to be expected after such a crash. Do you remember how you got here?" he explains.

"Yes, I was in an accident and shootout. Our van got rammed by another vehicle and it hit a building side first. My friends and I were injured- Do you have any information on my friends, doctor? I know it's not exactly the easiest to ask, but I need to know."

"I understand completely. I don't want you to worry. Let's get you checked up, and then we'll see how your friends are doing. I'm going to perform a series of tests to see how you're doing, alright?" I nod. Dr. Sanderson asks me a bunch of questions- full name, my parents' name, where I grew up. I answer them all, getting them all right. He begins checking over my head, then pulls a light from his jacket. "Okay, Daria, I just need you to follow the light." He slowly moves the light, first around my left eye, then my right, before turning it off. "Okay, doesn't seem too bad. Definitely a slight concussion, so you are going to need a lot of rest. That means no strenuous activities until further notice." I nod in understanding, as he pulls out a pen and notepad, before putting on some vinyl gloves. "Let's see that leg now."

He moves down to check on my leg, now bandaged from just below the knee down. He examines it for a moment, the nurses helping him gently move it and prod around the bandages. Even then, there's still a slight pinch. He then looks over some bruising on my hips, arms, and even my face, before speaking again. "Hm, you're not bleeding thankfully, but that leg took a nasty hit. We're going to keep you under observation over the next day or so. Concussion should be healed by then, but this leg might take another day or two to heal before we can send you home. I know this might hurt, but you are not to use electronics like your smartphone for more than 20 minutes max, per day. I would suggest avoiding it altogether, for the time being. I.V. is staying, but if you feel hungry, please let someone know. Can you give me the names of your friends and I'll see what I can find out for you?"

"Yes. Amanda Saccomanno, Otis Bogojevic, and Chad Gable. Please, let me know how they're doing."

"I will. I'll be back in a bit, so if you need anything, nurse Jackson and Mariner are here for you."

"Thank you, doctor." I tell him, and he nods, before walking out. I stare at the white walls, the beep on my grayish-blue heart monitor, and the light blue sheets gingerly covering one of my legs. After what seems like an eternity, Dr. Sanderson finally returns. Sitting up, I focus on him. He puts his clipboard down.

"So, I just finished checking in with a few of my colleagues. Your friends, for the most part, are stable. Mr. Gable is relatively uninjured, besides some bruising from the crash and a gash on each of his arms. He's eager to check on you. Mr. Otis has a fractured wrist and bruising on his back and shoulders, but should be released by tomorrow. As for Amanda." he pauses, and I feel my heart hit the bottom of my stomach at his tone. "She's suffered severe fractures to both her legs and her left arm, probably as a result of the crash. Multiple bruises on her arms, legs, and chest. Thankfully, no concussion, which is amazing considering the severity of the crash. It could be the way she landed when the crash occurred. She's still under observation, but…"

"Doctor, please. She's my best friend." I plead with him, feeling the tears well in my eyes.

"She's in a lot of pain. She's going to need physical rehabilitation and therapy. The crash was one thing, but we were told she was moved from the crash before EMTs got there. Is that true?" I nod, remembering those gas-masked bastards dragging her out.

"Yes… Unfortunately, the same men who attacked us dragged her out onto the street."

"That might have aggravated her injuries. For now, she's casted and we're waiting to see how she heals. But, once that's done, we may need to move her to a physical rehabilitation clinic, to help her walk again." I hear my monitor stop working, showing my heart just skipped a beat. "Doctors say it could take a few weeks at least, but round about figure might be a month plus. We just don't know the extent of the damage yet. Now, I'm told that she's a hell of fighter from Gable."

"She is. She's one of the strongest people I know. And the most supportive…" I say through tears. "Have you told her fiancé?"

"Mr. Sabbatelli is right outside her waiting room. Her parents have also been informed and are on their way. Now, I want you to focus on getting better yourself. We are going to do everything possible to help Amanda, Otis, and Gable, but you need help too. I hear you guys are a team. They wouldn't want you putting yourself in unnecessary danger, would they?" I wipe my eyes, shaking my head no. "We're here for you if you need. Once you start healing up and visitation is permitted, you can go see Amanda. But for now, rest. If you'd like, I can arrange for Gable to come see you in a couple of hours?"

"Okay." I tell him, before sniffing. Nurse Mariner hands me a tissue, which I thank him for. Dr. Sanderson tells the two nurses about checking my leg every half-hour, change them every few hours, and to call him if there's anything. He then leaves, grabbing his clipboard and disappearing through the door.

*A few hours later*

I sit and look around, lost in my thoughts. Time seems to pass so slow in here, the machines whirring and nurses moving in and out of the room. I keep replaying last night's events, over and over. Otis and Gable are injured. Mandy isn't able to walk, with Sabby and her parents probably freaking out. Both Shayna and Ronda are dead. All because of those three bastards.

And what am I doing? Sitting here with bandages on my leg and a minor concussion. We were so fucking unprepared. We thought because we were Coast Guardsmen, we could handle anything. I should have listened to Mandy. If I had, maybe she'd be okay. Eating a double-chocolate fudge donut. Preparing for her wedding. Telling off dudes who stare at her in public. Working out and teasing me for being too serious at times. Maybe… maybe she wouldn't be sitting in this damn hospital! Maybe she wouldn't have casts covering both her legs, and bruising all over her body! And she wouldn't need to learn how to walk again, damn it! My heart monitor is going crazy, the nurses quickly grabbing me and asking me questions.

"Ms. Berenato? Daria, please. Daria, can you hear me? You're hyperventilating. Slow your breathing. Deep breaths. Can you take a few deep breaths for me?" I do as I'm told, breathing deeply for a bit. When my heart rate finally normalizes, nurse Jackson asks me "Are you alright?"

"Yes… I'm just… worried about my friend."

"Amanda, right?" I nod.

"She's like a sister to me. She was afraid we were over our head when we went after the person who did this. I should have listened to her, instead of just charging straight for them like an idiot." I pause. "It should be me with the fractured legs, not her."

"Don't say things like that. You're not 100% either. As much as I hate cliches, the past is the past. You can't change what happened last night. What you can do is follow Dr. Sanderson's advice: focus on getting better, so you can be there for Amanda and your other friends. Listen, are you hungry?"

"A bit, but I really hate hospital food."

She laughs. "It's good to see your sense of humor hasn't disappeared. I'm going to get someone to come bring you some food. I could even ask Gable if he could do it. What do you say?"

"I… Yeah. Okay. Give us a chance to catch up." Nurse Jackson smiles, then goes outside of the room.

*Thirty minutes later*

"Delivery! Dar, your toast and fruit cups are here!" Gable announces, catching my attention. I see he has some small cuts on his forehead and chin, but is still jovial, staring at me with his blue eyes and a tray filled with food. I smile and motion him over. He places the tray onto the small table attachment above me, then sits next to my bed. "How are you feeling?" he asks.

"Not too bad. And you?" I ask, opening the butter packet and smearing some onto my toast with a plastic fork.

"Pretty good. Breakfast menu is pretty stocked, but I avoided anything that looked like slump."

"Haha! Thanks for that."

"You know, I saw Otis earlier."

"Yeah? How he doing? I heard he has a fractured wrist and some bruising." I tell him.

"Yeah. He's restless, and wants a burger. 'I have one hand. Gable, can you run to Five Guys and get me some real food?' Doctors told him he needs wait, so he's passing his time reading some Muscle and Fitness magazine."

"Yeah? I remember Mandz talking about his obsession with those…" I say, my voice getting lower as I mention her name and take a bite of my toast. Not really warm, but still edible.

"Dar… she's going to make it through this. Mandy's always been a fighter. We need to stay strong for her."
"She wouldn't have to go through this if it wasn't for me. I should have grabbed her as soon as I realized what was going on." I admit.

"Dar, you did everything you could. Hell, if it wasn't for you back on the autoroute, we'd all have been killed! Who would have brought you the toast?" I laugh, both at the absurdity and tone of his comment. Then, I remember Ronda. He notices my look. "They are going to get those assholes. I know it."

"I can't believe she's gone."

"*Sigh* Me too. Still processing Shayna, and now this?" Gable says in a lower tone, scratching his ear. "Best captain and commander in the Guard."

"Damn straight." I say, raising my hand holding the butter knife, before digging into my toast.

"Never forget them, or what they taught us. They're going to get who did this. And we've got to keep going, Dar. What matters now is you, and Mandy, and Otis. You three getting better."

"You're hurt, too. Damn it! I can't even protect you guys right now. I feel helpless."

"I do too. But I don't think we have to worry. Looks like the cavalry is making sure we stay safe." Gable mentions. I turn to him, my eyebrows furrowed as I continue eating my toast.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" I ask.

"Cover your mouth when you're eating." Gable chastises me.

"Hm! Asshole." I say, with a hand over my mouth.

"You remember those DOD and CGPD guys who saved us?" he asks. I nod. "Some of them have locked our rooms away from public eyes. There are at least two agents outside every room, one from each department. Took me a while to convince them to let me in here. And those two bouncers from the Ram are here too. Although I should tel-"

"They're agents, too." I finish, cutting him off.

"How did you know?"

"Would any random set of bouncers chase down fugitives towards the autoroute, then try to get them off our tail? Plus, Agent Michaels did say there were agents involved." I question. Gable nods and continues.

"They were there after we were put on the street. Those two bouncers and one other blonde agent are the ones who ordered medical for us. They accompanied our two ambulances all the way to Tampa General." Blonde agent? He must be talking about that bartender. "I spoke to them for a bit."

"What did you say?"

"What I know. What happened. They asked Otis a few questions, too. Something tells me they really want to talk to you."

"What makes you say that?" I ask. Why me?

"There are three guards right outside your door. Armed to the tee! And one of the agents, Joe, told me his boss would like to speak with us. She's on her way now, supposedly."

*Knock knock* We hear the noise come from the door and turn our heads. Maybe they heard us? Dr. Sanderson walks in, followed by two other people. The first one is a woman. I must have a concussion, because I'm hallucinating a wet dream. The woman in question is about 5ft.7, with straight brown hair, blue-green eyes, and white skin. Her round face, hair framing it on either side, brings out those big orbs of hers. She's wearing a black blazer draped over a white blouse, emphasizing her impressive D-cups, along with some black pants, stockings, and flats. Her pink lips gleam in the light of the room, her tongue coming out to wet them, as I fixate on them, wondering how soft they would feel against my own. Her fingernails are shiny but natural, and she has a small phone in her hand.

The second is a large man, about 6ft., with salt and pepper hair and blue eyes. Square jaw, with a pair of glasses. He's flanked by two men even larger than him. He's wearing a Coast Guard official uniform, as are the bodyguards, who also have naval caps. Although, the older man's uniform is different, with thick armband and multiple insignia. Hold on a second! That's, that's Rear Admiral Marcus, of the U.S. Coast Guard Seventh and Eighth Districts!

Gable gets up immediately and salutes. I try to do the same on instinct, but my arm in the I.V. pulls on me, causing the needle to move and hurt my arm. Fuck! Nurse Jackson comes to my side to check on me. Not thinking straight, it seems. I salute from the bed, trying my best to appear calm. Rear Admiral Marcus salutes, before putting his arm down.

"At ease, Ensign Berenato and Lieutenant Gable." he states, coming towards the bed. He looks at Gable.

"How are you doing, Guardsman?" he asks.

"Good, sir." Gable responds. He then turns to me, leaning a hand against the bed.

"And you, Ensign? How are you feeling?"

"Pretty well, sir." I tell him. He looks us both.

"I am glad to hear that. I was afraid we hadn't gotten to you five in time. This is Department of Defense special agent Stephanie McMahon." he says, then motions towards the woman in the suit. She simply nods, eyeing me the whole time. God help me. Gable then speaks up.

"Are you from the same department as agent Michaels?" She nods.

"He and my husband have been partners for a long time." Damn it! Every time I think a woman is hot, she turns out to be taken. I turn to the Rear Admiral Marcus.

"Excuse me, sir, ma'am, may I ask what all this is about?"

The Rear Admiral of the Seventh and Eighth Districts turns to me. "This is about your actions last night, Ensign." Shit. "Your team, under your own discretion, took the liberty of investigating and attempting to apprehend a man, on the assumption of his culpability in Commander Shayna Baszler's death. Am I correct?"

"Yes sir." we both answer. Wait, assumption? What the hell is that supposed to mean?

"Who authorized this mission? A mission which resulted in the death of one guardsman and the hospitalization of four others?"

"No one, sir." Stephanie stares at him for a second, before bringing her gaze straight back to me. I'm starting to feel really nervous, my heart monitor going off.

"Sirs, please, she's still a patient! My patient. I will not allow you to cause more psychological harm that could negatively impact her recovery. She's been through enough in the past 24 hours." Dr. Sanderson cuts in. Rear Admiral Marcus and agent McMahon look at him, but he stands firm. Agent Stephanie whispers something to him, while the rear admiral continues.

"Under other circumstances, you would be reprimanded, possibly even stripped of rank or kicked from the Guard. You do realize this?" Marcus tells us. "However, as a direct result of your team's actions, new information has been brought to the DOD and Coast Guard's attention. Information that has saved the lives of several citizens in the Tampa Bay area. Agent Stephanie is here to talk to you about." he explains, pointing to me.

"Me, sir?" I ask.

"Yes. You, Daria." Stephanie tells me, her voice firm but calm. Nurse Jackson squeezes my hand for a second, and Gable stands closer, both gestures I really appreciated.

"Excuse me." Dr. Sanderson cuts in again. "Under no circumstances will I allow either of you to continue this conversation to the detriment of my patient's health. Her heartrate has already elevated, and she's dealing with multiple injuries and a slight concussion. I have allowed you to speak your mind, but I must now request that you leave Ms. Berenato's bedside immediately, to ensure her safe recovery."

"I apologize, Dr. Sanderson. With your permission, there is one thing I must tell both Lieutenant Gable and Ensign Berenato."

"Wait-" Dr. Sanderson starts, before I put a hand up.

"It's okay, doctor. Really. I'd like to know what he's about to say."

Sanderson looks at me, then Rear Admiral Marcus and agent Stephanie, before gesturing with his hand to go ahead. "Thank you, doctor. Lieutenant Chad Gable and Ensign Daria Berenato, I will reiterate what I told Ensign Bogojevic. Effective immediately, Special Operations Team Mercury is disbanded. All four remaining members have been honorably discharged, both for your commitment to the nation and to the principles of the Guard. Your personal items will be brought into storage at CG HQ. Once you are all able, you will be permitted to request to pick up all belongings from our center in Miami. There will be an investigator who will contact both of you in the coming weeks, regarding the event that transpired last night. Do either of you have any questions?" We both look at one another, shocked by the revelation. Turning back, we shake our heads. "Then I leave the rest to agent Stephanie."

The beautiful devil herself walks up to my bed, politely asking Nurse Jackson to step aside. At first, she stays firm, but an affirmative nod by Dr. Sanderson calms her, and she does as she's asked. Agent Stephanie comes beside me, looking into my eyes. They're really beautiful, and I can smell her intoxicating perfume from here. Those glorious breasts are right at my face level. My heartrate monitor starts beeping like crazy, causing Stephanie and the others to look at it. Biting my lip and trying to hide my blush, I watch Stephanie turn to look at me, a wide grin on her face. "Guess I have that kind of effect on people, huh?" she asks, her higher pitched voice laced with amusement. "What you and your team did in one night, my own has been trying to do for nearly three months, with no success. Once you have healed up and everything with Coast Guard HQ is handled, I would like to have a word with you, Daria." Stephanie pulls out a card from her blazer, right above her breast, making my eyes stare at her chest. She puts it towards me, and my monitor going off jolts me back into focus. Blushing once again, I put my own hand out to grab the card. A pursed smile on her face, she stands back up straight and tells me, "When you're ready to talk, use this number. I'll be waiting for your call."

Stephanie then turns around, putting her big round ass on display. I breathe deeply, trying to calm my heartrate, which works to a slight extent, though it still beeps quicker than normal. I can just imagine the smirk on her face right now. Goddamn! Why? Why is she so sexy? First the monitor, then the blushing. I'm making a fool of myself.

Rear Admiral Marcus and agent Stephanie start leaving, before turning back to us. "Gable, Berenato?" the Rear Admiral speaks, and we listen attentively. "You helped a lot of people, yesterday. So be proud, and get well soon."

"Yeah, feel better you two. I'll be waiting for you when you do, Daria." Stephanie says with a smirk, before she, Marcus, and the two naval officers leave our room with Dr. Sanderson.

Gable looks at me. "Well, that was something, huh?"

"Yeah. Super embarrassing. Why the hell did that have to happen?! Ugh!" I exclaim, hiding my face in my hands as nurse Jackson and Mariner chuckle.

"I wasn't expecting the Rear Admiral of the Seventh and Eighth Districts to show up." Gable states.

"Me neither. How bad is this?"

"No idea. But we're honourably discharged, right? Guess we'll all be looking for new jobs after this."

"Guess so." I murmur with a shrug.

"So… I take it you like agent Stephanie?" he teases with a shit-eating grin.

I cover my face. "I swear, one of these days I'm going to punch you so hard, you'll lose teeth."

"Aw, come on, Dar. I got you toast, that has got to count for something?" he suggests. I put my arm out and I give him a half-hug.

"Thank you, Gable."

"You're welcome. Now, should I surf through the internet to show you some random memes?" he asks, pulling out his phone.

"Limited phone usage for me, until the concussion heals."

"Right. Well, you better get some rest. I'll be here if you need me, and Dr. Sanderson mentioned he'd let me know when Mandy is awake." Smiling, I let my head go back against the pillow, Gable sitting behind me on his phone, while I let myself fall asleep once again.

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