A Month Later

Making a trip to the hospital was now a daily routine for Alex as she parked in the visitors lot on Methodist. Before she got out she grabbed the box from the front seat then closed the door with her hip. As she slowly walked to the entrance she passed a few nurses that she got to know from Walker's stay here. She chatted with them for a bit then continued on her way.

After a few twists and turns in the hallway she finally made it to Walker's room on the rehabilitation ward. As she stepped inside the room she could see her husband laying on the bed sleeping. Quietly she placed the box down then found a seat in a chair by his bed.

In a month Walker has made a miraculous recovery surprising most doctors in the hospital. He still has problems with blurred vision out of his right eye and had numerous surgeries on his jaw. He also has had three other surgeries to remove small blood cots in his brain. Because of this he was still very weak and hardly moved even though Alex knew he wasn't in the coma anymore.

She took hold of his hand then squeezed it gently. "Hey, honey I'm here." Slowly Walker rolled his head over to face her then opened his eyes. "Are you going to talk to me today?" For an answer she got the slow closing of his eyes as he fell back to sleep. "You know Walker it's been over a month since I heard your voice." She took a deep breath trying to control herself from crying. "Just wish this never happened."

Walker opened his eyes as a tear escaped his left eye. Feeling really bad Alex began to apologize as she gently wiped his face with her hand. Looking at his eyes she could see the pain that they held probably from what she just said. Squeezing his hand she gently placed a kiss on his swollen lips.

"Honey, I'm sorry." She traced a scar on his left cheek made from a nasty cut from the attack. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It..." Walker swallowed hard as he rolled his eyes over to Alex. "Not…fault." His voice was slurred and almost a whisper from the wires keeping his jaw aligned and the tube in his throat, but none the less it was his voice.

Alex began to cry out of happiness. "Walker, are you hurting?" Slowly Walker nodded his head. "Okay, I'm going to get Doctor Miller for you."

Walker slowly shook his head and mouthed, "No." He lifted his hand up to her. "Sorry, I..." He took a very deep long breath, the breathing tube in his throat clicking as he did. "Can't…talk."

She nodded in understanding. "Honey, I know. You don't need to talk. Save your energy." She smiled. "I got something for you, Angela made it in preschool for you." She got up went to the box and pulled a paper mache of some animal. "Angie, made this for you, it's suppose to be a horse." She smiled. "If you use some imagination it becomes one." She placed the lopsided horse on the table and gave Walker a grin. "Your daughter is quite the artist."

"I've seen..." Walker closed his eyes tight then opened them back up. "I see..." He took a deep breath as he mouthed the words. "wall."

Alex looked around her, her smile beaming. "That's true." She looked down at Walker. "You don't need to talk honey if it hurts that bad."

Walker nodded. "I..." He took a deep breath, grimaced, then mouthed. "Do that."

As she watched Walker fall to sleep she couldn't help but to think that everything will soon be all right. Having him talk to her little as it was helped her out a lot emotionally. At first she thought that Walker's brain injury might have effected his vocabulary and memory but this brief moment of lucidity told her otherwise. He was fully aware of his surroundings just in a lot of pain. As she was about to tuck his blanket tighter to his body his physical strengthening nurse, Robert Morehouse came walking into the room.

"Well, hello there Alex how is my patient today?" He said stepping up to Walker's side.

She smiled. "He talked today. He says it hurts for him to talk."

Robert nodded his head. "I don't blame him. Poor guy's jaw was broken in ten places and he has had seven surgeries on it all together. I'm actually amazed he could actually talk with the trachea in. Most patients can't." He shook his head. "It must take a lot of effort for him to do it."

"Walker, is a fighter." She gently ran her hand across his shaved head, her fingers tracing the many scars that crisscrossed his skull. "What are you going to do today?"

"Well, I was thinking about stretching out those legs, but it appears that he's asleep." Robert took hold of Walker's hand. "Walker, are you awake, if so squeeze my hand." He got light movement from Walker's fingers. "Okay, I'm going to start moving your legs to get some blood flowing into them."

Robert lifted Walker's legs as he did Walker softly moaned and opened his eyes. Alex took hold of her husbands hand trying to reassure him. Slowly he began to relax his body and drift back to sleep.

Bosnia

The night was really cold as John made his way to the bunker after a hard day patrolling. Taking off his helmet he threw it on his bed then made his way to where a few guys were playing poker. He sat down in an empty chair still thinking about what went on today. Today alone he had to help out with one fatality and two gun shot victims.

One of the Marines, Sergeant David Smith turned to him. "Heard from your bro yet?"

John shook his head. "Nah, and I probably won't get a call till our stint is over. May get a few letters, but that's all." He took a deep breath. "He got transferred to Germany after word leaked out that we were brothers." He took a deep breath. "We haven't been separated this long for awhile."

Sergeant Mark Miller another Marine at the table shook his head with a smile. "You can definitely tell that your a twin." He placed his hand down then turned to John. "I've been meaning to ask you about that man you told us about that you helped in Texas."

"Oh, Ranger Walker. I write to his friend Ranger Trivette." He took a deep breath and laced his fingers together. "Why you ask?"

"Nothing really." Sergeant Miller got up stretching. "I'm going to hit the sack."

Nodding John was about to get up when Captain Hoover came walking in. Quickly all the Marines saluted and stood at attention.

Captain Hoover nodded. "At ease gentleman." He took a deep breath then turned to John. "Sergeant Norris I'm afraid to tell you that your mother was involved in a serious car accident. They don't expect her to make it. You have permission for emergency leave, Marine."

John took a deep breath. "Thank you sir." He saluted then watched as the Captain left still stunned at the news. He thought it was Michael, but his mother? He didn't even know that his mother cared enough about him or Michael to ask for them on her death bed.

Sergeant Miller shook his head. "You thought it was your brother didn't you?"

Nodding slowly John went to his bunk and began packing. "Yeah, gave me a scare. I don't understand why my mother would like to see me now."

Sergeant Smith seemed stunned. "Why do you say that?"

"I was adopted into a family. My mom didn't really care for me, neither has my dad. I haven't seen my mom my entire life." He threw some clothes in his military issued bag. "I don't know what to say to her."

"Say, 'Why do you want to see me now?'" Sergeant Miller said while shrugging. "I mean what more can you say?"

John nodded. "Your right. Hopefully I'm not too obvious about not knowing her."

"Believe me you will, but just play it off." Private Smith said while smiling.

Later that night he sat on his bag at an airstrip waiting for his plane to arrive. As he waited he blew into his hands trying to get some warmth into them. As he started to rub his arms he saw a lone figure making it's way down to him. When the figure got closer he realized it was Michael.

He quickly got up and ran to his brother. "Michael, what are you doing here?"

"I got a lift." He took a deep breath. "Why do you think mom wants to see us now after twenty-two years?"

"She's on her deathbed." John sighed then looked up as a cargo plane begin to taxi down the runaway. "We will soon know!" He said yelling over the loud engines.

Twelve hours later both brothers got off the plane sore and stiff from the rather bumpy ride over to the Sates. Grabbing his bag John began to get out of the plane when he realized that it was snowing. Turning to Michael he smiled at his brother who was shivering badly.

He laughed. "You know I was thinking about something. They stationed a Florida boy in Germany. How do you like it?"

Michael pulled his artic fur lined hood over his face. "I know I'm a Marine, but the cold is not cut out for me." He started to walk over to a jeep. "Are you nervous?"

John sighed. "Honestly, it took us fourteen hours to get here. If she's still alive..." He stopped in mid-sentence when he remembered how Ranger Walker fought off death. "Let's just go and see what she wants."

At the hospital John sat in the waiting room staring at the door watching the snow fall down heavily. He had visited Virginia before five years ago on a snowboarding trip. And now he sat in a hospital waiting room wondering why he and Michael had to make the trip here.

A doctor came up slowly. "Are you John Norris and Michael Garrison?"

Nodding John got up. "Yes sir. How is my mom, sir?"

"She's passed away. She was in a roll over accident and suffered life threatening injuries that should of killed her instantly. I'm sorry about your loss." The doctor dug in his pocket and produced a small box. "She wanted me to hand you this."

Michael took the box then smiled at the Doctor. "Thank you sir." After the doctor left he shook his head. "We took personal time off for a box." When he opened it up however, his face dropped in total shock. "This can't be right." He turned the photo over then looked up at John. "We need to get to Texas as soon as we can."