Chapter 15

The activity in the emergency room picked up as the more bombing victims arrived from the nightclub. Though the two firefighters had left to help with the rescue efforts, the others had seen them several times when they returned with new wounded from the blast.

D and Donna had arrived shortly after Bobby had gone to the back. However, the five friends had sat in almost virtual silence as they waited, hoping someone would come out to tell them something soon.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy watched as Jack put his arm comfortingly around her best friend's shoulders, using his other hand to sign something to her. Sue's hands were in the way so she didn't see what he said, but the petite black woman was just happy he was finally being so open about his feelings for her.

It's about time, Lucy thought with a smug smile, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride in her part of the matchmaking she'd done. However, she had to admit Sue's almost transfer to New York, as well as being held hostage by Montega and what both of them went through with the stalker, had helped too.

Soon I'm going to be the only one without someone, Lucy thought ruefully, thinking of Bobby and Tara as she turned her attention to the older couple next to her. Despite all their years of marriage, D and Donna still held hands and looked at each other like newlyweds. She knew they'd hit some rough spots, but they'd always seem to weather through. I hope one day I'll have a love like theirs, she prayed as D pulled his wife close, placing a tender kiss on her forehead.

"Tara!" Sue's gasp brought everyone's eyes up, just in time to see Bobby and Tara come through the doors into the waiting room. As one, the team crowded around the couple while hugs were exchanged with the petite blonde agent.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked, finally as the last person pulled away giving her room to breath.

"I'm fine, really," Tara laughed, looked up lovingly at her husband as he wrapped his arm around her, tucking her tight to his side. "We appreciate all of you staying," she added with a twinkle in her eye.

"Not like we had anything else better to do than to sit around a hospital waiting on the two of you all night," Jack joked solemnly, knowing they all had another reason to be there.

"Good thing we were already here, or we might have left you on your own," D added with a wink, his arm around his wife's waist while his other hand rested lightly on Lucy's shoulder.

"Well," Bobby drawled out, looking down at Tara who nodding enthusiastically. "Maybe you blokes won't might doing this again in a few months for us," he smiled, glancing around the room as he waiting for the news to sink in.

"Again?" Donna questioned concerned, D stiffening beside her.

"Why?" Sue and Lucy asked together.

"What's wrong?" Jack's voice was tinged with worry.

"Well, Uncle Jack," Tara beamed, wrapping her arms tightly around Bobby's waist. "This is normally where you come when you're having a baby!"

"Baby?" Sue repeated questioningly, sure she read it wrong.

"Baby!" Lucy confirmed excitedly, bobbing her head up in down.

"Woohoo!" Jack exclaimed, pulling his best friend into a bear hug.

"That's what he said," Tara laughed, pointing from Jack to her husband as the team again gathered round to offer their congratulations.

"So that's what happened earlier?" Donna asked as the girls led the group back over to the group of chairs in the waiting area. "Is that why you fainted?"

"Yeah," Tara admitted, more than a little embarrassed.

"The doctor said she'd been overdoing it too much with the case," Bobby interjected, coming to stand behind her, his hands tenderly massaging her shoulders. "She's on light duty for a few days, so Carrie will have to get someone else to take up the slack on her team," he stated protectively.

"No problem, Crash," Jack spoke up. "Carrie will understand," he added, still smiling broadly.

"We were going to wait to tell you all, but after what has happened, we thought we could use something positive…" Tara let her voice trail off as the emotions threatened to overflow.

Bobby quickly strode around the edge of the chairs to pull his wife into his arms, allowing her to give into her tears. Sympathetically, the others turned away, a few muffled sniffs from Lucy, Sue, and Donna were having just as much trouble.

"Any word on Myles and Hannah, Jack?" Bobby asked quietly when Tara slowly regained control.

"No, not yet," Jack responded quietly, his hand running soothingly up and down Sue's back.

"I wish we knew what was going on," Lucy groaned frustrated, sagging back against the chair as everyone nodding in agreement.

"What can you tell us, Bobby?" Donna asked, her hand gripped in D's larger one. "You were there when they were pulled out," she leaned forward expectantly.

"Uh," Bobby stammered panicky as he looked around the room at his teammates and friends who looked to him for answers. Fortunately, he was saved from answering when a young intern arrived, asking if they were with Agent Starr.

"And Agent Leland," Jack replied as he stood pulling out his badge. "How are they?" he asked, moving Sue to where she could see the conversation too.

"I don't know about Agent Leland. I'm on the team working on Agent Starr," the young man told them, looking a bit confused.

"That's okay," D interrupted waving, his hand slightly. "What can you tell us about Hannah?" he asked as everyone gathered around the intern to listen.

"The anterior surface of Agent Starr's retina ruptured in the explosion, or as a result of some flying debris causing pressure, which has blocked the cranial nerves that carry visual stimuli to her thalamus and other parts of her brain…" the intern began, looking around the group.

"Want to try that again in English?" Bobby questioned, causing the intern to take a deep breath as he tried to come up with another way of saying it.

"The blood vessels and some of the tissue in the back of Agent Starr's eyes were damaged in the explosion, and it swelled causing pressure on the nerves that feed images to her brain," he started again. "So even though she can see some clouded shapes, she's not getting the information she needs from her eyes," he glanced around, hoping that he made himself understood this time.

"Is it permanent?" Tara asked, gripping her husband's hand on one side and Lucy's on the other.

"At this point, there's no way to tell," he said regretfully as he watched the frowns deepen. "She's being prepped now for surgery, and you're welcome to wait upstairs. We hope relieving some of the pressure will restore at least some of her vision, but only time will tell," he finished, turning to go. He only made it a few steps before he stopped and turned back.

"I'm sorry I can't be more optimistic about your friend's condition," he sighed. Jack nodded as they huddled together, hoping to draw some strength from each other as they waited for more news.