Chapter 9

Though he would never admit it publicly, Myles hadn't been that afraid since the day he was shot and nearly lost his life. When Hannah had first started toward the broken pipe, he thought she was losing it. However when he thought about it, he'd realized she was their only hope.

Not used to being on the sidelines watching, Myles had done his best to help her, despite his condition. He'd almost given up on her when Hannah taunted him about his comment on her dress. That woman can be so infuriating, he thought, but at least her tenacity played in his favor when she'd all but given up.

She's going to kill me, Myles thought with a slight smile when he told her that he was bleeding. Though he knew when he said it, his little lie would galvanize her into action.

By the time she returned to his side, Hannah's breathing was shallow and raspy, worrying him. When she stopped responding to his questions altogether, collapsing against the pile of debris, Myles thought he'd lost her.

I never should have let her go over there, Myles admonished himself, all the while ignoring the little voice in his head telling him there was no way he could have stopped her. Thank God, he sighed deeply, stretching his arm up to check for a pulse at the base of her neck. The steady thud of her heartbeat felt a little fast under his fingers, but at least it was there.

The movement of his hand at her neck caused Hannah to begin a downward slide across the pile of debris towards him. Myles tried to stop her descent, but with only one hand, and the position he was in, he couldn't stop the momentum, only slowed it as her head came to rest on his chest.

Shifting his hand around, Myles pushed her brown hair from her face, listening carefully to her breathing. At minimum, she has a head injury, he thought with concern, unsure if he should let her rest. The gas couldn't have made her condition any better, he sighed, trying not to notice how peaceful she looked lying there, only inches from his face.

"Hannah! Wake up!" Myles called loudly, watching her carefully. "Hannah!" he repeated, moving his hand to her shoulder, urging her awake.

A soft moan escaped Hannah's lips as she rubbed her cheek against his shirt, trying to burrow deeper into the tranquil sleep she craved. Myles knew he had to force her awake, or she might be forever lost to her peaceful dream world.

"Hannah!" he shouted again, shaking her shoulder harder.

"Myles?" Hannah murmured quietly, her voice still raspy from the gas.

"Yes, Hannah, it's Myles," he groaned loudly in exasperation. "You need to wake up!"

"No. Sleep," Hannah pleaded groggily.

Despite all of their arguments in the past, Myles really hated being unkind to her right now. However, Hannah's obvious injuries, as well as her possible ones, made it imperative to do whatever it took to wake her up.

"Just like a woman to not be able to pull her own weight when the going gets tough," Myles stated, hoping the implication would get her attention…and it worked.

"What?" Hannah moaned, her body stirring as she tried to wake up.

"I've always said women didn't belong in the F.B.I., unless they were bringing the real agents coffee," Myles continued staunchly, straining his head back to see her face.

"I'll have you know women can do the same as men in anything…and most times are even better," Hannah croaked hoarsely as her eyes forced their way open.

His breath caught in his throat when Myles looked into her eyes and saw their vacant stare. My God, what if it's permanent? he thought with compassion, his hand involuntarily brushing through her disheveled brown locks.

"I didn't see you over there trying to get the gas shut off now, did I?" Hannah whispered sarcastically as she awkwardly disentangled herself from his arm, pushing herself to a seated position.

"Not that I had much choice in my condition," Myles bit back sardonically, noticing the pink flush that had come over her cheeks as she sat up.

"Oh," Hannah stammered, her brow furrowed as if she was trying to remember something. "You're hurt?" It was more of a question than a statement, causing Myles to worry about her condition. When her hands moved to his chest searching, he realized what she was talking about.

"No, I'm fine," Myles insisted, brushing her hands away.

"But you're bleeding," Hannah persisted. "Where are you hurt?" she questioned, her hands going back to their probing.

"I'm fine," Myles snapped, pushing at her hands abruptly.

"Ouch," Hannah pulled her hand back to her chest. "What's wrong with you, Myles? I'm not going to hurt you. Just tell me where you are bleeding, so I can help," she continued, forcing herself to take a deep breath before she lost her patience with him again.

"Uh…" Myles stammered, looking everywhere but her face, even though he knew she couldn't see him. How did I get myself in this situation again? he wondered.

"What is it, Myles?

The desperation in her voice drew his eyes back to her face, and Myles sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her in any way, but he knew eventually she'd find out that he'd lied to her about his injuries. Better to come clean now, he mused regretfully.

"I'm not bleeding," Myles whispered quietly, still trying to keep her hands away from him.

"What?" Hannah stopped, her body still as she stared at him.

"Uh, I'm not bleeding," Myles repeated a little louder. "I never was bleeding," he finally confessed, waiting for the explosion.

Myles expected her to be angry, but he never anticipated her real reaction. Instead of yelling at him like she normally would, Hannah leaned back against the pile of debris, her hands entwined in her lap. Her face was emotionless as she sat staring unseeingly into the room.

"Hannah, I'm…" Myles began, reaching out to her.

"I'm going to see if there is anyway out of here…or if I can at least hear the rescue teams," Hannah interrupted abruptly, swatting his hand away from her arm as she pushed herself tentatively to her feet. Reaching out to steady herself on the pile of rocks and debris when she swayed slightly, she turned and began pulling herself around the pile to where Myles first saw her.

"Hannah. Wait, Hannah. Hannah!" Myles called after her, but she ignored him as she disappeared from view.

Great job, Leland! Myles berated himself as he looked around the solitary room again., I just hope she forgives me enough to bring back someone, if she finds them, he thought ruefully. And doesn't get hurt more in the process, he worried, his eyes going back to where she disappeared.

"HANNAH!"