A/N: PHEEEEEEEEEEW! I'm sorry! I'm SO, SO SORRY that it took me this long to update! BUT, here we are! AT LAST. Hooray?

THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, for all your AMAZING reviews, listings and support! They're what brought this story back to life. (HUGS)

Awkay, because I've already kept you waiting FAR TOO LONG, let's go! I REALLY hope that this turns out worth the wait.

Part 2 of 6 – Fractured

Will was dragged through a breathtaking amount of tests. The incredible amount of poking was somehow the worst part, because he'd never been comfortable with physical contact. Then a couple of doctors showed him x-ray pictures although he didn't want to see. Mumbled something about a fracture and there might've even been a mention of where it was. And once they'd exposed him to all that, they asked him if he had any questions.

In his current state of mind Will had only one. He swallowed hard, bracing himself and gathering absolutely all his courage. Still his voice came out feeble and shaky. "Is it permanent?" Was he going to be stuck in a chair for the rest of his life?

No one had an answer, only vague guesses that filled him with even more fears and uncertainties. The only certain thing was the constant pity on the faces of the medical professionals. He didn't want anyone's pity.

He wanted to use his fists on something.

So he did. On his useless, pathetic legs. With all the strength there was in him. Once, twice, thrice. He couldn't feel a thing. And all of a sudden it was far too real.

He saw, with a sickening amount of clarity, what his life was going to be like. Unable to get up to his own two feet… No more going wherever he pleased. No more morning runs. No more missions. Hell, he wouldn't even be able to get to his own home! He…

What was he supposed to do with the rest of his life, what good was he, if…?

Will tried to breathe. He really did. Attempted desperately to convince his lungs into filling with oxygen. But it felt like his respiratory system was as useless as his legs. No amount of agonizing gasps was enough.

It felt far too much like he was dying.

The sounds of a door opening and approaching steps seemed to come from another reality. Just like the familiar voice. "Brandt?" The steps continued to walk closer slowly but steadily. Giving him time to adjust. "Will, you need to breathe."

No, he needed his legs. He needed someone to wake him up from this sick nightmare. Needed…

Will cursed loudly and colorfully in all the six languages he'd learned, howled against the injustice of everything. Used up whatever little breath he still had. Once he was done – dizzy, aching and completely breathless – he felt his stomach roll violently. Ethan was barely quick enough to provide a hideous cardboard bowl before he threw up violently, the process feeling like knives because of his injuries and empty stomach. The world spun in front of his eyes as he spat out the last of it, feeling humiliated.

"Better?"

Will shook his head. Because, no. It wasn't better. Nothing felt better right now. "What happened?" The words came out before he had the slightest chance at sensing them coming. He wasn't sure he wanted to know but he needed to. "Why… am I…?" He had to at least try to understand…

Ethan seemed hesitant but began after a few seconds and a glare from him. "A sixteen years old girl was on her first solo drive. She took her dad's car without his permission." His friend didn't seem certain how much more he'd be able to handle but eventually went on. "She was driving too fast and the car slipped from her control."

Will couldn't remember it, any of it. Not really. Loud noise. Pain. Lights. He didn't want to remember. Nor did he need to. He was a living testament to what came next. A shudder crossed him and he swallowed convulsively to soothe his gag reflex. "'s she?" His tongue felt too thick and his eyelids were drooping. All the infuriating emotional turmoil was exhausting him. Along with the meds he'd been given.

"A few scratches, nothing more." Again Ethan hesitated. "She was the one who called 991. She was in a shock when they arrived."

Will wondered if he was supposed to be furious. Or if he was supposed to gain some vindictive satisfaction from her agony. He'd had it with the anger. At the moment he was too tired to feel anything strong.

"According to the police you were driving fast, too. Not speeding, but almost. And you must've been deep in thought to not see her coming." It was easy to feel Ethan's eyes studying him. "Where were you rushing? Because you weren't headed home."

Now this, was something Will didn't feel like sharing. He would've turned his back on his friend if the pain it would've caused wasn't too much. "Are you gonna let me get some rest or do I need tell the nurses to kick you out? 'Cause those women are scary." His speech was slurred and he hoped that it was at least somewhat comprehensible.

Ethan didn't seem insulted or taken aback. "Get some sleep. I've got some paperwork to take care of, anyway."

Will smirked. Finally something felt comfortingly familiar. "'Cause I'm not doing it for you?"

"Exactly."

Somehow that single word and the unspoken words hidden underneath were enough to soothe some of the ache. Or maybe Will was just too tired to mope and wallow. His eyes slipped closed at the sounds of Ethan starting the work and someone moving around in the hallway.

He knew that Ethan would be there when he'd wake up, even if it was never actually promised. And for some reason it helped him sleep dreamlessly. Not that he would've ever admitted as much.

Ethan was there when he opened his eyes. A grim, nearly apologetic look on his face. And instantly Will knew. "A mission?"

Ethan nodded and opened his mouth but nothing came out.

Will gritted his teeth. Then worked his very hardest to keep his expression in check. "I don't think I have to remind you how stupid some of your ideas are. Try not to almost get yourself killed or I'll yell at you."

It hurt, almost more than anything before, to be left behind. The realization that it was how his life would always be from here on out… That was something far worse.

Will was all alone when he heard that he had less than ten percent chance at regaining his ability to walk. They said something about his spine. And a fracture. His mind zeroed on the number.

He'd always been good at math.

"Is there…? Do you have anyone?" The ridiculously young doctor beside him looked and sounded very, very nervous. Under different circumstances it might've been endearing. "I mean, who could… come and support you?"

Will looked away. His vision tunneled, like a trap had been closing on him. The weight of the world was crashing on his shoulders. "No." His voice echoed bizarrely in his head. "There's no one."

He spent that night wide awake. Laying in his bed, the blanket pushed aside, focused on his toes. Begging and pleading them to move. To at least twitch. Anything. Eventually he was panting heavily and sweating from the effort. Nothing happened.

For the first time in ages Will burst into true, honest tears.

Will had no idea how much time passed by. A physical therapist attempted to coax him into coming along. He refused. What good were those people to him when they'd already decided that he was a lost cause? A couple of times a counselor tried to get through to him. Explained, with a painfully bright smile, that she was there to help him adjust to his new life.

He didn't want to adjust, he wanted someone to help him, needed someone to tell him that it was all going to be alright, that he was going to be alright.

So he worked tirelessly to regain the use of his body. Day after a day he lay on his bed because he wasn't allowed to get up yet, fighting desperately to make his toes command. To regain control over himself. Over his life.

Nothing happened, no matter how hard he tried, and the lack of mobility made Will feel like he'd been sinking into quicksand.

In the middle of it all Will forgot something very important. He wasn't alone in the world anymore. He'd lost track on how many nights without sleep had gone by when the room's door opened and three familiar sets of steps entered.

It took whatever little strength he had to turn his head. With a frown he inspected his team. And immediately wondered if they really were his team anymore. He wasn't much of an agent, was he? "You guys okay?" he rasped, barely able to recognize his own voice.

Benji gestured dismissively with one hand. "Sure. It was like a vacation." At a pointed look from Ethan the man scoffed and went on. "Fine, fine. So I screamed a couple of times. But it was all Hunt's fault! He drives like a maniac." Seeming to catch his own words Benji winced, appearing mortified. "Sorry! I didn't mean to…" The man trailed off.

Will shrugged bravely. "No harm done." This was the first time their whole team was together since the accident. He wondered if things would ever feel normal again.

Ethan was the one who cut the ensuing awkward silence. "We're okay. Just some cuts and bruises."

Will nodded a little tensely. Trying to focus on relief despite the intense longing gnawing at him. "Good. I don't think my skull would've been able to handle any yelling." His head moved once more when there were steps. His brows furrowed when he discovered Jane emerging from the toilet. When did she go there? And why did she look so pale? "Jane?"

She shrugged. "Just sleep deprived." And clearly she wouldn't be going any further into the matter. "So… Since we all need a little break right now… Benji?"

"Right, right…!" The man rummaged through his bag, then pulled out a rather impressive amount of DVDs with a bright grin. "Superhero movie marathon!"

Sure, some of the movies were plain stupid. But for the first time in ages all of them relaxed fully as they allowed themselves to be distracted. For a few hours of bliss Will felt normal again.

The whole team was once again there when Will's back had recovered enough and he was finally allowed to try sitting up. He readied himself like a soldier preparing for a battle. Then hauled himself up. And instantly screamed when sheer, blinding pain washed through him like a tsunami. Black dots danced in his line of vision until he squeezed his eyes tightly shut and all noise was strangely muted, like coming from a different world. He gasped, trembling to his very core from pain although it only made him feel worse.

He shuddered and tensed up when a firm, steadying hand was laid on his shoulder. "Brandt?" Ethan's voice echoed painfully in his already throbbing skull. "Will, breathe."

"I'm fine", he gasped. "I'm fine… I'm fine…" The hell you are, a vicious voice sneered in his head.

His physical therapist was saying something in a panicked, high-pitched voice but just three sharp words from Jane were enough to shut her up. Will continued to try and breathe. Desperate to anchor himself on anything but the agony. At last, after what felt like a year, his eyes agreed to open. He blinked slowly at what he discovered when gazing through the window. "Is it winter already?" he breathed out.

"It is." Ethan's hand remained and no matter how much he usually hated being touched he welcomed this one. "It'll be Christmas in a couple of days."

Another shockwave shot through Will, and the last thing he heard before blacking out was Benji's yelp.

When Will woke up again only Benji was there. He didn't have to be told that Ethan and Jane had been called out to a mission to know. It was horrifying how small that knowledge made his world feel.

Waking up from light sleep, Benji made a lot of amusing noises and blinked owlishly before realizing that he was awake. The man's grin seemed guarded. "Hey, look who's awake! You're… not gonna pass out again, are you?"

Will shook his head. His back was still tingling, like someone had been tossing flaming carbons at it, but the discomfort was manageable. "You can go home", he mumbled, rubbing his face with one hand. "'don't need a babysitter."

"You do", Benji argued. "Both you and Hunt do. That's what Jane and I are for. Luther, too, I guess, whenever that guy is around." The smaller man took a deep, shuddering breath. "Look… I'm not really good at… this stuff. But… I wanna help, okay? So you've gotta tell me how."

Benji sounded and seemed desperate, miserable. And all of a sudden Will remembered something. He swallowed thickly, darting his eyes towards the ceiling. He decided immediately that he hated that shade of white. "Do you… think you could pick up something for me?"

A few minutes after Benji's departure he finally succeeded in turning his head. Apparently his physical therapist had decided to stop by while he was… resting. Because right beside his bed stood a wheelchair. He was almost sure that if he'd pulled it closer, he would've found his name on a sticker from behind it.

Will felt like he'd been shot yet again.

Since joining IMF Benji had been introduced to a lot of sick things. And some of that stuff left him traumatized for life. But very, very few things had frozen him the way what he encountered that day did.

Will's motorcycle was right there in front of him. What little was left of it, anyway. Despite having witnessed, all too vividly, the damage done to his friend it wasn't until at that moment he realized just how close it all came. The thought made him want to throw up.

"We're about to close, buddy", a rough, low male voice barked from behind him.

Benji jumped slightly before peering over his shoulder. The huge, bald man with small piercing eyes approaching him certainly wasn't a soothing sight. "Yeah, I just… My friend… That's his bike, and… He said that there was something in the…" Words failed him.

"Oh!" The man seemed genuinely surprised. "It's been a while since that pathetic wreck came in. I was starting to imagine that… you know, there was no one to pick up the belongings."

Benji felt a flare of anger and wasn't sure who it was directed to. "Well, there is", he pointed out sharply, and lifted his chin in a manner that was probably closer to adorable or pitiable than tough. "So where's the bag?"

"In the office. I'll go and get it." The man was already walking away before stopping a one more time. "The driver… Is he still alive?"

Benji nodded. No amount of gulps erased the lump that appeared to his throat. "Yeah, he is."

This time the man seemed shocked while shaking his head in disbelief. "Shit…! I was sure…" Another shake of a head. "I have no idea how someone walked out of that one alive."

Benji barely made it out of the building before he vomited.

Benji had no idea how he made it back to the hospital. His hand was just about to push the door of Will's room open when he heard a loud crash that made his eyes widen to a dramatic extend. Obviously he'd spent too much time with Ethan and Will. Because his first instinct was to just barge in. "Brandt, what…?" All words froze into his mouth.

A wheelchair had been tossed at the room's wall. The poor, innocent item now lay on the floor, miraculously still in one piece despite a few small scratches. Will sat on the bed, back turned fiercely towards the room. Trembling violently.

Benji swallowed. It was one of those few instances when he was rendered speechless. "Will?" he asked at last, uncertainty heightening his tone to something close to a squeak. "What…?"

He hadn't been sure his friend was even aware of his presence until the man spoke. "Twenty-two." Will's voice cracked from pain and rage. "That's…" The agent cleared his throat. "That's how many times in my life I've been sure that… you know, 'that's it'." Will gulped loudly several times. "I know that I'm an idiot, but this… This is the first time I wish it was."

Those words made Benji shudder. He opened his mouth thrice, all too certain that he looked like a fish on dry land. He wished the other man turned his head to see. Maybe it would've made him smile, or at least those horrible tremors stop. In the end the smaller man nodded resolutely. "Well, it wasn't. So what are you going to do about it? Because I'm not letting you just…" What? Give up? Let go?

Will continued to glare blankly at something only the agent himself could see. Benji had almost given up on hoping for a response when the man suddenly muttered, startling him. "Benji?" Still no eye-contact, but at least his continued presence had been acknowledged. "You're annoying." They both heard the words that didn't have to be voiced.

Benji smirked. Relief and warmth swell in his stomach. "People keep telling me that."

With a sigh Benji made his way to the bed and flopped theatrically to its edge. For a while they sat in a companionable silence, both of them deep in thought. Surprisingly it was Will who spoke first. "You're gonna tell Hunt about this, aren't you?"

Benji pursed his lips, thinking. Then shook his head. "Nah. On one condition." He pointed towards the wheelchair. "You're gonna try out that thing. Because you two will be stuck together for a bit and you need to start getting along." Seeing the way his friend tensed up and paled he was quick to continue. "Maybe not like, now, now. Just… You know, when you're… ready."

Will's nod and relaxing shoulders told that hadn't screwed up entirely. "Deal." The man's attention shifted to the bag he'd brought along. "You found it?"

Benji smirked. He lifted the small, red bag and waved it triumphantly at his friend. "Mission accomplished."

"You've spent too much time with Hunt."

"Oh, I know." Naturally curious, Benji couldn't take his eyes off the bag. "What's in there, anyway?"

"You'll sleep better not knowing."

"I'll bet." A few more moments of pleasant silence passed by. On the street someone was singing 'Silent Night'. "Hey, Brandt? Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Benji. And… Thanks. For everything."

"Don't make me smack you."

"Would you dare to try?"

"No."

It was very far from a magic cure. Will didn't try out the chair that day. But at least it was a small, fumbling step forward.

It was merciful that they didn't know what was still to come.

TBC

A/N: Oh dear…! Poor, poor Will! Let's hope that the team manages to help him, so he won't be so very lost anymore. (whimpers)

Sooo… Worth the wait, at all? Are you still looking forward to more? PLEASE, do let me hear from you! It always makes my day.

Awkay, I'd better head to bed before I fall asleep on my laptop. Until next time! I REALLY hope that you'll all be there!

Take care!

Guest: WELCOME ABOARD – on the site, and this story! (grins) Don't worry, it'll get easier once you've used the site for a bit.

I REALLY hope that what's to come meets your expectations! There indeed WILL (giggles) be more.

Massive thank yous for the review!

DanishGirl: (chuckles) Oh, I SO DO! There just isn't enough typing time. DANG, it's been TOO LONG – I REALLY hope that the second chapter turns out worth all the waiting!

Monumental thank yous for the review! Until next time?

IHaveANameYaKnow: (chuckles and hugs) It took me WAY TOO LONG to update! But here I am. At last! And I REALLY hope that you'll keep enjoying the ride.

It's ridiculous how much I adore both Clint and Will! (gets all starry eyed)

Colossal thank yous for the review! Until next time.