A big thank-you to my reviewers. Your kind words made me happy.

Disclaimer: Still don't own it. But all mistakes are mine.

The atmosphere in the waiting room was thick with tension. Thick enough to cut with knife or maybe punch a hole through. Ed definitely looked like he wanted to hit something. Or someone, Jules thought dryly and a part of her agreed.

Sixty-three hours. It had taken them sixty-three hours to realize that Sam was missing, that he had been forcefully abducted (she'd seen the black-and-white video footage from a traffic camera). Sixty-three hours until they had been able to connect the dots, find out who had taken their teammate and why and most importantly where.

And now three more hours had passed since the paramedics had brought Sam in and he was wheeled into the ER and his team was left standing, wondering, worrying, not knowing whether or not their friend was going to be okay. (But of course he was. Any minute now he'd walk out of those doors smiling and telling them that he was fine even though they'd all know he was lying and then they'd all go home together.)

A nurse came. And went right past them. No word. No news. Nothing. Jules glared at her retreating back, saw Ed do the same. Because glaring was better than the alternative and looking tall and intimidating was better than worrying and thinking back on that room.

Their usually strong and confident comrade just lying there, chained to a wall, his chest a mess of bruises and burns. The way his eyes had opened halfway when the boss had called him, giving her some amount of hope only to take it away the very same second.

Abruptly Jules left her position on the wall opposite to Ed. To do what she didn't know but she did know that if she didn't do anything right now she'd go crazy. Maybe she could yell at some nurses or pick a fight with the security, never mind that they were just doing their job. Somebody ought to tell her something.

The teams eyes were on her and it didn't take a profiler to figure out that she was about to do something… irrational. Ed looked like he thought about joining in on the fun. Spike and Wordy just looked exhausted. And Rafs expression didn't reveal much of anything. Only the boss was brave enough to intervene.

"Where are you going, Jules?"

Dangerous question, boss.

Parker didn't leave the chair he had claimed about two hours ago, his hand folded in his lap, Sam's blood still on them, dark and reminding them of their failure, their inability to save him before this happened. But she didn't want to think about that. Not with his boss looking at her like that. He pinned her with his eyes. Gave her the I-know-your-on-the-edge-but-let's-just-not-do-this-look usually reserved for testy subjects. He knew exactly where she was going. And more importantly what she going to do.

Maybe destiny had decided they had suffered enough because while Jules was still trying to come up with an answer (other than "Knock out the first guy who looks at me wrong") a doctor came to speak to them.

xxx

It was the third day since they'd gotten Sam back and the doctor had assured them that their teammate was alright and that they could all go home to bed. That it would take him a while to heal and that it was perfectly normal for him to remain asleep for a prolonged period of time.

All this was good to hear. All this was completely and utterly meaningless until she'd hear him tell her himself. ("I'm fine, Jules.", that's what he'd say.) And then she'd rant about how he wasn't allowed to worry her like this ever again.

That's why she was sitting in this crappy hospital chair. Keeping silent vigil just like he had what felt like a lifetime ago.

His hand was twitching. Immediately Jules was beside him. Holding his hand (the one without the IV's) and speaking to him, asking him to open his eyes. While he had shown signs of waking in the past days he had never actually regained consciousness but it seemed this time he actually might.

Blinking against the dull and yet too bright light his eyes opened, slowly travelling down his arm to his hand and finding their way up to her face.

"Hey", she whispered. Almost afraid to speak.

He gave her a tired yet genuine smile in return. His hand squeezing hers lightly.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

And that was all she needed to hear for now.

A/N: Didn't turn out the way I had planned but it's almost 3 a.m. and I don't care anymore. Sorry for not writing more chapters but knowing myself I probably wouldn't be able to finish a longer story anyway (first being too busy to write and then hating everything I've written so far).

Once more, please leave a review and tell me what you think.