Chapter 9: Twenty-Nine Palms

Bride's Dressing Room, Pasadena, California

Story summary to date...

Casey, Ellie and Devon were in the Bride's Dressing Room. The room was full of tension. Ellie desperately tries to tell Devon that she cannot marry him because she is unworthy of his love or any future happiness due to her actions during her year absence.

Devon was aware of his fiancé emotional distress from this time period. But it finally dawns on him that after six months home, her emotional distress cannot be solved without her being able to talk about this mysterious time period.

The young doctor realized that Ellie needed someone who could help her get past the events that were haunting her. Unfortunately, the government's insistence on secrecy prevented Devon from being that person. So reluctantly, Devon agreed with Ellie that maybe they shouldn't get married.

Ellie was devastated by Devon's agreement. However, caught up in feelings of unworthiness, Ellie was unable to fight for her future with Devon.

Being able to see the situation for rationally, Casey recognized that Ellie didn't deserve to lose Devon. In a last ditch effort to save the wedding, Casey decided to tell Devon about the tragic events that haunt Ellie in the hopes that he can save the wedding and more importantly, help Ellie heal from the emotional wounds she carries from the events that occurred in the past.

Casey knew Ellie couldn't tell the story herself. She was emotional beyond the ability to talk about what happened and she also had signed numerous documents detailing what would happened to her if she spoke about the events that had occurred.

He had to tell the story for her sake. She deserved at least that.

"I guess the story starts the night that 'Sarah Walker' died."

Casey sighed with exasperation at Devon's reaction. He tried to explain.

"Devon, what I'm about to tell you cannot be repeated. I could lose my job for this. Hell, I could go to prison for telling you this story," he muttered absently as he looked around the bride's dressing room.

Ellie stared in shock at Casey's words. She never thought Casey, the consummate professional, would ever share the ugly events of that time period. But realizing that Casey was going to continue, Ellie tensed up and closed her eyes, as if she was trying to shield herself from remembering where it all began.

Devon's eyes widened and he looked questioningly at his fiancé and then back at Casey. He steeled himself for a story he knew had affected Ellie greatly.

Casey looked at Ellie still debating with himself on whether to share the story. He saw her tear-streaked face. It was a face he had watched change slowly over the past eighteen months. It now carried a weight of all the untold events and personal choices that she made during her time away from Devon.

Casey knew that her story needed to be told. Devon needed to know the choices that Ellie had been forced to make and the guilt that she carried. Knowing this information, Casey hoped that Devon could help Ellie forgive herself so that she could eventually find some happiness.

Knowing how much shock his next words were going to cause, the NSA agent turned to Devon and stared at him intently for a moment. He hoped the man could handle what he was about to tell him.

Outside of 29 Palms, California, Eighteen months earlier.

Casey was at the control of the Bell 407 helicopter. He was pushing it to its limits as he maneuvered the helicopter towards the Marine Base in the small town of 29 Palms.

He was frantically barking into the radio, "Marine Air Ground Task Force Command, this is a civilian helicopter with government personnel aboard. Access authorization is niner-delta-four-gamma. We are in-bound with a medical emergency. Please respond!"

Ellie listened in exasperation. Sarah wasn't going to make it much longer.

"Casey, we need to land at the closest hospital. We can't go flying to some military base in the middle of no where," yelled Ellie to Casey over the noise of the helicopter engine.

The doctor's attention was diverted when Chuck's body suddenly constricted and his eyes glazed over. Chuck grabbed his head started to cry in pain.

Ellie quickly grabbed Sarah's IV that her brother had dropped and hung it on the wall. She leaned over Sarah and tried to determine what was wrong with Chuck who was withering in pain.

"What is it, Chuck? Talk to me," implored Ellie urgently.

Ellie watched as her brother's body suddenly relaxed and his head fell back upon the seat of the helicopter.

After a few seconds Chuck groaned, "29 Palms is a small town 65 miles east of Palm Springs. It is the location of Marine Air Ground Command and is the home of Robert Bush Naval Hospital."

Shocked by Chuck's sudden knowledge after his strange outburst, Ellie replied, "What happened to you Chuck and what are you talking about?"

Chuck slumped over and grabbed his sister's hand as he looked around woozily. He used his other hand to rub his temple. Chuck replied despondently, "Casey's flying to the naval hospital at the 29 Palms Marine Base. Ellie, my head hurts."

Ellie looked at her brother in bafflement. "When did you learn about the hospital at the military base?"

Chuck didn't respond, but continued to massage his head. Believing that he wasn't going to reply, Ellie squeezed his hand to prompt a response. Chuck sighed and looked at her sadly. "It's my head. It's why I'm in so much trouble Ellie."

Ellie furled her brow in puzzlement. "What? Why are you in trouble and how does your head have anything to do with what you are caught up in? How did you know…"

Casey interrupted the siblings by yelling angrily. "Chuck, you know the rules! Don't say another word - and that is an order!"

Ellie watched her brother wince at Casey's reprimand. She realized that Chuck had been forced to hide things from her.

Her blood began to boil and all her protective instincts started to rise. "Damn you, Casey. You have no right to tell my brother what to do," snarled Ellie as she squeezed Chuck's hand.

"No Ellie, you don't know what you are talking about. But I can't talk you about this right now!" yelled Casey. "I'm pushing this toy copter to its limits and we're going to have to fly through some tough Santa Ana winds during our descent. It's going to be a rough ride and I can't talk to you about this right now."

"Get Sarah ready for transport once we're down. We'll talk about this later."

Ellie was about to fight back but the helicopter suddenly lurched as a strong Santa Ana wind swept them to the left.

Both Ellie and Chuck were knocked around the cabin as it moved erratically. Noticing that Chuck was frantically trying right himself, Ellie grabbed Chuck's hand and placed them on the handholds. She then grabbed Sarah's IV that had fallen down and secured it the best she could. The helicopter continued to rock crazily as they descended through the gusseting winds.

Noticing that Sarah's unconscious body was being thrown about, Ellie leaned her body over Sarah in attempt to secure the unconscious agent. The helicopter continued to jostle wildly and Ellie was forced to abandon all other thoughts as she focused upon keeping Sarah and herself from being thrown about the cabin.

With great sense of relief, Ellie finally heard Casey yell.

"Hold on! It's going to be a hard landing!" With a bone thumping smack they hit the ground and Ellie sighed with relief.

Chuck let out a groan from the impact. Ellie looked up and shook her head to clear it. Somewhat recovered from the hard landing, she immediately checked on Sarah's condition. Not seeing anything readily visible, she knew that the jarring could not have helped the situation. Ellie yelled, "Damn it Casey Sarah's body can't take a jolt like that. We need that medical help you promised ASAP!"

Casey grunted in acknowledgement. He landed on the helipad of the naval hospital. Looking about, he spied a naval medical team approaching the helicopter. They were dressed in hospital garb but their hair cuts were a clear giveaway that they were military. They jogged towards the helicopter pushing a gurney. Mission Control must have notified them of their arrival.

"A medical team is approaching with a gurney. Get her ready to move," ordered Casey as he started shutting down the engines to the helicopter.

The doors to the helicopter opened and the three medical personnel stopped abruptly in shock at the bloody sight before them.

Sarah lay on the floor of the helicopter with her torso covered in blood soaked bandages. The front of Ellie's shirt was also covered in blood where she had leaned across Sarah. Chuck was also covered in blood as he sat in the pool of blood that had congealed around Sarah on the floor.

Ellie immediately took control of the new medical personnel. "Get it together people. We have a gunshot victim with probable damage to a major organ. I can't stop her bleeding and I've already given her three units of blood. We need to get her into surgery now!"

Hearing Ellie's voice commands prompted the trio of naval personnel to act. They quickly acknowledged her commands with several "Yes Ma'ams" and the trio quickly helped Ellie remove Sarah from the helicopter and rushed the CIA agent into the hospital.

Casey came around the helicopter and watched as Ellie and her band of medical personnel rushed into the entrance of the hospital.

The NSA agent sighed. There was nothing else that he could do for Sarah. He turned his attention to Chuck and walked to the open doors of the helicopter cabin. He peered into the helicopter to check on Chuck.

The sight of the abandoned cabin tilted the NSA agent's world. Casey had to grab the side of the helicopter for support. Casey's eyes grew wide as he took in the large stain of purplish red on the floor of the cabin and Chuck attempts to avoid it. It took up the majority of the floor and swipes of red were evident on the seats and handrails where Chuck or Ellie had touched their hands.

Casey hadn't realized that Sarah had lost so much blood.

The dark stain reminded him how very close they were to losing her. He watched Chuck feverishly trying to wipe the blood his hands with a desperate look upon his face.

Concerned by Chuck's expression, Casey asked, "Chuck?"

"It's her blood isn't it?" cried Chuck mindlessly as he wiped his hands on the seat.

Casey was confused. He didn't understand the question until it dawned on him.

"Can you see anything at all?"

Chuck stopped his actions and looked up at Casey.

"Not much," replied Chuck quietly.

Casey sighed and reached his hand out and gently touched Chuck's shoulder. Chuck instinctively clutched Casey's arm.

"Come on. Let's get you cleaned up," urged Casey.

As he helped clean Chuck's hands, Casey realized how important protecting Chuck and his sister were to him. For the first time in a long time Casey felt something for the people around him.

He cared for Chuck and his family as well as his partner. He hadn't ever really had a partner since he had been a spy. He hadn't trusted anyone enough before to call them his partner. But he trusted Sarah. She was his partner and he knew they were stronger together.

This assignment was just too different from anything he had experienced before. He no longer was tasked to just protect The Intersect. He was also tasked to protect the man and that worried him. He didn't trust himself to keep Chuck and Ellie safe physically and emotionally by himself. He needed Sarah's ability to connect to Chuck emotionally, if only to keep the young man sane.

Taking one last look in the cabin before he closed the door, the dark stain reminded him how very close they were to losing her; and by association him.

Robert Bush Hospital Operating Room, 29 Palms, CA

Ellie was surprised when she was allowed to scrub in on Sarah's surgery. Casey had informed her that she would be assisting in the procedure. It wasn't normal for a hospital to allow an 'unknown' person to assist in their operating room, but she had learned that her brother's keepers seemed to be able to cut through red tape.

It shocked Ellie that she was alone in the operating room with a surgeon and an anesthesiologist. There were no nurses in the room. This was even more non standard, but she knew that it was the wrong time to ask questions.

Ellie would have balked at the reduced staff, but the surgeon was very good. She tried to make conversation while they surgery was taking place by asking the surgeon where he had done his residency. However she was quietly rebuffed when he replied stiffly that he had done his residency at the front lines of Iraq.

After Ellie's initial attempt at conversation, the surgery was done in virtual silence.

The surgeon and the anesthesiologist communicated with terse, precise sentences. There was no small talk, but Ellie could tell that the duo had spent a considerable amount of time together in the surgical room.

As the surgeon completed his final stitches, Ellie felt a great wave of relief wash over her.

She was fairly confident that Sarah was going to make it.

It made her feel so much better to know that they had saved Sarah. Regardless of Ellie's personal feelings towards the woman, her brother needed the blond agent.

No longer caring about their earlier rebuff, Ellie brightly remarked, "Gentlemen, thank you for doing such a good job. I'll need to tell my patient the names of the men who saved her life."

The doctors looked up at her in puzzlement. They looked at each other and then back at her in dismay.

Before they could reply, a voice came across the PA system that connected the operating room to the viewing area above.

"Is the surgery over," inquired John Casey.

"Yes sir," replied both doctors quickly. They both looked up at the man behind the viewing window.

"Then I can assume that she is out of the woods?"

The surgeon looked at each other nervously before the surgeon replied, "As well as someone who is coming out of a major surgery to repair a gunshot wound could be expected, sir."

"That was a guarded reply soldier," replied Casey aggressively.

"Yes Sir," replied the surgeon loudly.

Casey paused for a moment to consider the reply. Ellie watched in puzzlement at the exchange.

"Now I want you to call it," ordered Casey with command in his voice.

Ellie was even more perplexed by his order. She didn't understand what Casey meant but was surprised when the surgeon sighed and turned to his left. He flipped a switch on the operating room voice recorder.

"It's 11:15 pm and the female gunshot wound patient air transported to the hospital has died. Nurse what was her name?"

The surgeon looked at Ellie.

Ellie's eyes grew big as she looked down at the blond figure before her. She looked up at Casey who nodded.

"Her name…was…Sarah…Walker," replied Ellie in shock.

The doctor swiftly continued, "Time of death was approximately 11:15pm."

Author's note: Thanks to Sharp for the Beta! Any new errors are my own!

Also, I tried explaining Twenty-Nine Palms in the story. It is a real city and is the location of the biggest marine base in the US (at least according to Wikipedia). I realize most readers are not from southern California and so I tried to provide explanations on any geographical references I used. I hope you all are enjoying!