Buck had never been so relieved to see Saint Vincents and hurriedly pushed open the door of the borrowed vehicle and raced toward the main entrance. He knew Josiah was hot on his heels as he hurried toward the information desk and waited for the woman to deal with the couple who were happily smiling and joking about their first grandchild. He heard the woman give them the information they requested and moved past the older couple before anyone else had the chance.
"Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner…they were brought in here…yesterday…I think?" Wilmington answered when she asked what she could help him with.
They are in room 310…just take elevator…"
"Thanks, Ma'am, we know how to get there," Sanchez told her and hurried toward the elevator that would take them to the third floor. He knew Wilmington was anxious to see the injured men and hoped they were both on the mend. Buck hadn't said much during the trip back from Red Lodge, a definite sign that the rogue was far more worried than he was letting on. They reached the third floor and quickly made their way toward the room at the end of the hallway.
Buck forced a half smile to his face as he pushed the door open, but the smile quickly disappeared when he spotted the empty bed on one side and Vin Tanner seated in a chair by the window. The Texan had yet to notice them and the look on the tracker's face sent a chill down Wilmington's spine.
"Jesus, no…"
"Buck, when did you get here?" Tanner asked when he noticed the other man moving toward the empty bed.
"Josiah and I…we just got here. Jesus, Vin, I thought you said he was going to be all right? When did he…how long? God help me, but…"
"What the hell are ya ramblin' 'bout, Buck?" the Texan asked and realized why the rogue looked like he'd lost his best friend. "No, Buck, Chris ain't dead…they jest took him ta surgery ta drain an abscess. He should be back by the time they bring dinner."
"Jesus, when I saw the empty bed…I thought…God, I thought he was dead, Vin," Wilmington said and sat on the edge of Tanner's bed.
"I'd've called," the younger man said simply.
"I know," the rogue said and saw the same relief he felt on Sanchez's face.
"Where're the others?" Tanner asked.
"Still snowed in, but the plows are workin' at clearing the roads," Sanchez answered. "What did the doc say about your back?"
"They said it was inflammation…feels like it's getting' better and physio is helpin'," the Texan answered.
"Glad to hear it, son," Sanchez said.
"Was there anythin' new on the poachers?" Tanner asked.
"The police are working on tracing the numbers in the phone," Wilmington answered. "Could be it has nothing to do with them, Vin."
"I don't think so, Buck. Muh gut says it'll lead the Red Lodge Police right to 'em," the Texan observed as the door opened and the day nurse entered.
"Chris is on his way down…oh, I didn't know you had company," Marsha told him.
"Thanks, Marsha," Tanner said.
"Would you gentlemen mind waiting outside?" the nurse asked.
"No problem," Sanchez said, relieved that Larabee would be moved back into the room he shared with Tanner.
Vin breathed a sigh of relief that things had gone well with Larabee's surgery and hoped Frost would have good news for them when he stopped by to check on his patient. He watched as he nurse pulled back the blankets on the other bed, and closed his eyes as he waited for his roommate's return. It wasn't long before he heard the nurse and orderly push a stretcher into the room and he sat up in the bed, wincing when the movement reminded him that his back was still a mess.
Vin glanced at the pale face and knew Larabee was awake as the stretcher was pushed close to the other bed. He could hear the nurse speaking to his friend, but only had eyes for the injured blond as they shifted him from the mobile bed onto the more comfortable one. He heard Larabee cry out weakly and winced sympathetically as the nurse elevated his injured leg and took a new set of vitals before adjusting the flow of the IV.
"Chris, you can control the medication you're receiving, but Dr. Simmons said to tell you if he hears you are trying to be all macho then he'll reconsider his generosity and make it so that you get hourly shots with a nice big dull needle. His words, not mine," Marsha explained.
"Tell him he's all heart," Larabee griped tiredly.
"I will, but he was very serious, Chris, you don't have to ride out the pain when the relief is as simple as a push of the button next to your right hand," Marsha explained and adjusted the nasal canulas before leaving the room.
"Hey, Cowboy, ya look like hell," Tanner said.
"Thanks, but have you looked in a mirror lately?" Larabee asked and raised the head of his bed before coughing harshly.
"Easy, Stud," Wilmington said and gently eased the blond into a sitting position until the attack ended.
"When...when did you guys get here?" Larabee said upon seeing Sanchez standing between the beds.
"We got in about an hour ago. Nathan, Ezra, and JD are still at the cabin. The snow finally stopped and they should be dug out by the end of the day," Wilmington answered.
"I feel sorry for Nathan," Larabee said.
"Why?" Sanchez asked.
"Being snowed in with Ezra and JD...between JD's repertoire and Ezra's built in dictionary of useless vocabulary he's going to have one hell of a headache," Larabee said.
"Ya keep talkin' like that and he ain't gonna be the only one with a headache," Tanner groused.
Chris smiled and closed his eyes as the lingering affects of the anesthetic combined with the medication he'd been given in recovery dragged him toward sleep. He sighed heavily and relaxed into his wife's arms as the warmth of her dreamlike presence drove away the pain.
"Oh, man I feel for Nathan...Chris is right about having Ezra and JD as his only company..."
"Can't be much worse'n you and JD...think Chris once said ya were Laurel and Hardy...whoever the hell they are," Tanner said.
"You know it's gotta be more entertaining than you and Chris," Wilmington observed and smiled at the younger man. "I think Josiah once said it was like watching the grass grow or the paint dry."
"Buck, Josiah, when did you boys get back?" Nettie Wells asked upon opening the door and seeing the two newcomers. She hugged them both as Wilmington answered.
"We got in about an hour ago."
"Are the others all right?" Nettie asked as she moved closer to Larabee's bed.
"They're fine, but they have to wait for the plows to clear the roads," Sanchez told her.
"What did the doctor have to say about the surgery?" Nettie asked.
"Ain't been in yet and Chris' too tired ta tell us much," Vin answered and hoped when the surgeon did show up it was with good news.
"I'm sure it went well or else they would have kept him in recovery longer or in SICU," the elderly woman offered, but there was no mistaking the worry evident on the faces of her nephew-in-laws' friends. She touched Chris' arm before moving to sit in the chair between the two beds.
M7M7M7M7M7M7M7
Chris opened his eyes and looked around the room until his eyes met the familiar blue orbs that could read him so easily. He shifted slightly, relieved to find the move didn't ignite the fiery agony in his leg. He licked at dry lips as the door opened and five men entered the room.
"When did you boys get back?" Larabee asked.
"Me and Josiah got back yesterday. Ezra, JD, and Nathan got here about an hour ago," Wilmington explained as Jackson moved to the blond's bed.
"How do you feel, Chris?" the medic asked.
"Honestly, better than I did the last time I woke up," Larabee answered, frowning when the door opened allowing Kojay and Roy Simmons to enter.
"'Bout time you woke up, Larabee," Simmons said. He quickly noted that there was no sign of the fever that had plagued the injured blond over the last 24 hours. The man had given him more than a few grey hairs and had shown his true grit by fighting his way back to them.
"You have given us quite the scare, Chris," Kojay said as he opened the chart at the end of the bed.
"Sorry, didn't mean to...when can I get out of here?" the injured man asked and knew by the laughter he'd managed to ease some of the tension in the room.
"Ask me again next year," Simmons said, only half joking as he checked Larabee's eyes.
"Don't even go there, Simmons," Larabee tried as the rest of his team looked on.
"Chris, you have been fighting a fever for two days and have also developed pneumonia," Kojay explained as Simmons listened to the patient's lungs. "You are on oxygen and will stay here until we are certain there are no lingering problems or in your case complications. I do believe you are an expert on complications and your friends will help us make sure you stay put!"
"I can rest at home," Larabee tried.
"You can, but we all know you won't," Simmons said and folded his arms across his chest. "Now, look, Larabee, I can assure you that the staff will be more than happy to see you leave, but that is not going to happen until your temperature stays down and you're breathing without the need for those cannulas."
"Hell," Larabee spat.
"And then some," Simmons agreed with a hearty laugh. "By the way, Mrs. Wells said to tell you she's fixing up her guest room just for you. I believe she's the one person who knows how to ride herd on you and Tanner."
"Chris, your temperature is down, but we must continue with the antibiotics until the pneumonia has cleared up. Rest and eat and perhaps you will be able to celebrate by bringing in the New Year from Nettie Wells' home instead of from that bed," Kojay offered.
"I'll hold you to that, Kojay," Larabee said, grumbling when Simmons continued to check him over. "Jesus, Simmons, enough all ready!"
"Kojay, did you ever have such a grouchy bear for a patient. I'm thinking maybe that trap was meant for Larabee."
"Real funny, Simmons...don't give up your day job," the blond warned.
"All kidding aside, Larabee, you're a lucky man and your guardian angels must be watching you closely," Simmons said.
"They always do," the blond said and looked at the six men before closing his eyes and envisioning the faces of his wife and son.
"When can I get out of here, Doc?" Tanner asked.
"Give it one more day, Tanner, and maybe I'll sign you out of here. Think you can last that long?" Simmons asked.
"Guess so," Tanner said and looked at Kojay. "What happened with that loud mouth?"
"What loud mouth are you referring to?" Kojay asked.
"That doc with the burr up his ass," the Texan answered.
"He must be talking about Woodridge," Simmons said.
"Ah, yes, he was a little obnoxious..."
"A little?" Simmons interrupted incredulously. "Somehow little just doesn't cut it where Harrison Woodridge is concerned."
"The board does not meet until the New Year, but there is no doubt that he will be released from his contract," Kojay explained.
"Feel sorry for whoever hires 'im," Tanner said.
"Who is this guy?" Jackson asked.
"Let's jest say he make Simmons look like a pussy cat," Tanner answered.
"Hell, Vin, that's not possible," Larabee said seriously.
"Better watch it, Larabee, or I'll send Nurse Hardasty in here to give you a sponge bath," Simmons warned and smiled at the look that came over each face. All joking aside Nurse Hardasty was one of the best nurses on the staff and worked with both physicians and patients to ensure the best possible care was made available.
"Roy, I believe you offered to buy me lunch," Kojay said.
"I believe I did at that," Simmons agreed.
"Kojay, stand back when he opens his wallet...them moths will attack anything in sight," Wilmington said with a cheek grin.
"Look into my eye, Wilmington!" Simmons said and left the room with Kojay.
"Jesus, that man's got no bedside manners at all," Wilmington observed with a grin.
"Perhaps not, but he certainly seems to have our collective number," Standish said.
"He's good at his job," Jackson told them and looked at Larabee. "How do you feel, Chris?"
"Tired, but at least my leg doesn't seem to be on fire anymore," the blond answered.
"That's good news," Jackson said. "How's the nausea?"
"Better than it was, unless they keep bringing me that liquid diet," Larabee griped.
"They know what they're doing, Chris. It's not like you haven't been a patient here before and Lord knows you've always had problems after surgery...hell, before surgery for that matter. You need to eat what they bring you and hopefully you'll be able to keep it down and they'll bring you something more substantial tonight."
"I sure as hell hope so, because I'm not in the mood to listen to anyone telling me I'm losing weight again," the blond told him.
"You never were a heavyweight to begin with, and when you're sick or hurt you tend to drop the pounds without even trying," Jackson observed.
"I...damn, Nathan, it's not like I'm trying to lose weight," Larabee snapped.
"I know you're not, Chris, but you need to be careful," the medic offered as an orderly entered with two trays. "Looks like dinner is served."
"Ezra, any chance you could make a coffee run?" Larabee asked hopefully.
"I believe I could be persuaded to do as you request, but not until you finish your unappetizing, yet nutritional repast," Standish said.
"Damn, you boys are getting real good at blackmail," Larabee groused and looked at the food on his tray before reluctantly lifting the spoon and dipping it into the soup.
M7M7M7M7M7M7M7
Chris sighed heavily and sat back with his right leg elevated on the makeshift ottoman. It was dark outside, but the snow had stopped falling and the lights shone brightly from the Christmas tree standing in the corner near the fireplace. The flames were slowly eating through the logs JD had added to the fire and Chris felt the warmth flowing through him.
They'd driven up to the mountain cabin earlier in the day, stopping off at the Newmans just long enough to drop off a bottle of champagne and a basket of fruit. The Newmans had been happy to see them and told them the cell phone had indeed led the police to the poachers and the four men involved were now locked up until they either made bail or went to trial.
"Chris, would you like something to drink?" Jackson asked.
"Not if it's that crap with no taste," Larabee said with a hopeful smile.
"You're not on any medications now so I think a drink is in order," the medic told him and handed the glass of scotch on the rocks to the blond.
"Thanks, Nathan," Larabee said as the others moved to join them. The gifts were opened and placed beneath the tree as the fire sparked and the smell of burning wood lent an air of warmth to the scene. They talked long into the night, content in the company of the men who had become more than just friends, they were family. Chris realized that no matter how best laid plans turned out, they'd all make it through so long as they leaned on each other and believed in the power of their number.
The End!