Chapter 18

Nothing Short of a Miracle

Recovery Floor

Captain Harmon Rabb Jr. Room 418

Tijuana General Hospital

1900 Hours

"Mac!" Harm woke up from his drugged sleep, "MAC!" His memory starting to clear he remembered the house, and getting shot….Harm turned to the nurse next to him, she looked puzzled. Harm couldn't remember the Spanish word for wife, he searched his memory for it, when a familiar face entered.

"Victor!" Harm nearly shouted, taken into consideration his groggy state, "Victor how is Mac? The girls, the girls are ok right?" Victor came over and stood next to his bedside looking at his superior officer.

"The girls are fine sir, the US consulate has arranged for them to return to San Diego, NCIS is going to watch them until Captain Turner gets there."

"Sturgis?" Harm was confused.

"I called him right before the consulate picked up the girls, he was on leave in Los Angeles he was on the first flight to San Diego, and he agreed to take care of them until further arrangements are made sir." Harm nodded, assured that his daughters were in capable hands, Sturgis would protect them.

"Mac, what about Mac?" Not forgetting his wife, his heart nearly stopped when he saw the reaction on Victor's face. "Tell me she's not…"

"She is fine Captain Rabb." Came a heavily Hispanic accent behind him, Harm and Victor both turned to find Dr. Gomez, a reassuring smile on his face. "I have to say sir your wife is a fighter, she came in with no pulse, but your daughters were persistent and I had to try, she was in surgery for a couple of hours, and flat lined several times, but she finally came through. She is in ICU now, but I expect her to make a full recovery. "Dr. Gomez assured, Victor smiled at the news and Harm let out a cry of relief, quickly composing himself he attempted to sit up in bed.

"Can I see her?" He asked, forgetting momentarily that he to was recovering from surgery.

"I'm afraid senor you are in no condition, just only twenty minutes ago we pulled you out of ICU." Dr. Gomez reminded, Harm looked up at First Sergeant Galindez.

"Then can he go? Only for a few minutes, make sure she is alright?" Harm was persistent and wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. Dr. Gomez looked at Galindez, and shrugged.

"I don't see a problem with a quick visit." Harm relaxed and nodded up at Victor to go.

"Thank you doctor." Harm thanked.

"Don't thank me; the colonel pulling through was nothing short of a miracle." The doctor assured, as he stepped out to escort Galindez to ICU. Harm rested back against his bed as the nurse from earlier came back in to check on him, she gave him a reassuring smile, as he smiled back at her, he wanted to desperately to go back to sleep but would wait for Victor to return.

ICU Unit

Colonel Sarah Mackenzie Rabb Room 216

Dr. Gomez escorted the first sergeant to the Colonel's room, he glanced at his watch, and told him he had five minutes. Victor thanked him and stepped into her room. He looked around at all the machines and wires, and then down at the colonel. Who was peacefully sleeping, the heart monitor stationed next to her was beeping at a regular rate, not sure what to do stepped up next to the colonel.

"Colonel, it's me ma'am First Sergeant…Gunny…Victor Galindez." He paused not sure what to say next. "Captain Rabb sent me down to check on you, well you know how he can be ma'am….and I don't mean that to be insulting…anyway he is fine ma'am, going to pull through just like you. Your girls are ok, physically that is, they're worried, but there are on their way to San Diego, Captain Turner will take care of them from their ma'am. Your girls are fighters ma'am you should be proud of them…they'll make good marines someday…" The colonel let out a sigh; he wasn't sure if that meant she heard him or if she was just sighing. "You'll be ok ma'am, everyone will be ok." He stood up to salute, despite the fact that she couldn't return it. "Semper fi, ma'am." With that he turned back to go back to the Captain's room. He took the elevator up to the captain's room, he found the captain sitting up in bed trying to talk in Spanglish to the nurse who was smiling sympathetically at him. He stopped the minute he saw Galindez walk in.

"She's ok sir, she's ok." He assured the captain smiled, he then smiled at the nurse before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

Victor Galindez made the decision to stay until the Captain or Colonel dismissed him, he took a seat at the foot of the captain's bed and waited.