Cougar watched as the blood washed off his hands, swirling down the drain under a torrent of water. He knew why he was the one who always handled the stitches, knew that he had the steadiest hands and the neatest rows, but he hated it sometimes.

Like today.

Pooch had been top priority of course, and he'd passed out only a few stitches into the dozens he'd ended up with. Cougar had stitched quickly and efficiently, wiping the blood off between passes through his friend's skin. After he'd finished, they'd settled Pooch on the couch, freshly bandaged and looking a bit peakish, but overall looking much better than he had earlier.

And then it had been Jensen's turn.

They'd forgotten, or at least overlooked the fact that he'd been shot the day before when they'd gone off after Max. He'd done well, scaling walls and taking flying leaps that reminded Cougar (again) that Jensen was quite dangerous for all of his jokes and idiotic tendencies. After it was over, though, and they'd all clambered into the stretch Hummer that Jensen was so proud of, the hacker was alarmingly quiet, face pale and pinched, a large spot of blood on the center of his bandage.

"You tore your stitches," Cougar had chided gently. Jensen had shrugged tiredly, a lopsided grin on his face.

"Sorry," he'd muttered, slim fingers brushing lightly over the wound.

Cougar watched with narrow eyes as Jensen relaxed into sleep, head lolling against the headrest. He'd worked hard on those stitches, made them as small and neat as he could. Still, he couldn't exactly blame the hacker for his actions, for refusing to abandon his team.

Jensen had remained conscious the entire time Cougar was replacing the pulled stitches, familiar teething toy once again clamped between his teeth. His face was pale, dark rings under his eyes and hair lacking its normal vibrancy, drooping over his forehead and into his line of sight.

Now, he was sleeping soundly in a cot they'd set up next to the couch Pooch was occupying, both easily visible should one of them need anything. Cougar was concerned about Pooch's blood loss, but didn't think it was anything severe enough that he wouldn't be okay after resting for a few days. He was more worried about Jensen getting an infection; there was always that danger, but busting his stitches in such unsanitary conditions definitely didn't help.

"They'll be fine," Clay said, coming up behind Cougar and turning off the tap. Cougar looked up, startled; he hadn't even realized that the water was still running, that his hands had gotten wrinkled and pruny. He wiped his hands on his pants and pushed his hat back from his forehead, allowed his shoulders to relax.

"You look beat," Clay observed. "You should go lie down. We've got time, now."

"Where's Aisha?" Cougar asked abruptly. Clay looked up, a slight frown on his face.

"She's out back," he said finally. Cougar nodded and turned to leave.

"Cougar?"

Cougar turned back.

"Don't kill her. She still saved our asses out there."

Cougar nodded once then stepped outside.

Aisha was there as Clay had said, sitting on an overturned barrel.

"Hey," she said as Cougar approached. Cougar tipped his hat in response, then sat on a barrel next to Aisha's.

"Thank you," he said without making eye contact.

"Yeah," she answered.

"It is only because you saved our lives that I have not killed you for shooting Jensen."

There was an awkward pause.

"I might be harder to take out than you think," Aisha said finally.

"It does not matter," Cougar answered. "I have taken out people more frightening than you." The 'and they didn't do anything to Jensen' hung unspoken, but obvious in the air.

"It won't happen again," Aisha said, "unless you make the first move against me."

"I will not let it happen again," Cougar said. "I will kill you before you touch him again."

"Fair enough."

"Good," Cougar said, standing upright. "Thank you again."

"No problem," Aisha answered.

It was only after Cougar had gone back into the room that Aisha found his knife tucked into the belt at the curve of her back, and she quietly vowed to herself that she would never, ever threaten Jensen again.