Chapter Four: Safe in My Bed

Kate had toed off her heels as she went to check on Lisa. The girl was sleeping peacefully so Kate closed the door and went to make coffee. She had just placed two cups on the tray when she heard the sound of explosions and rapid gunfire from next door. Damn that idiot Wilson from next door. He let his son play Halo with full wrap around sound. The spoiled brat had made rude and profane comments to her when she'd repeatedly asked him to turn it down and the scumbag of a father backed him up. Several complaints to the manager had done no good as the Wilsons' had no problem playing the race card. The rotten punk was going to wake Lisa up again.

Kate turned to go to the door and really raise hell this time! She froze in the doorway. Rick's coat and beret were on the couch but Rick was crouched in front of the couch his head snapping around as if he was scanning the area. Kate went to him and knelt next to him, a worried expression on her face. "Rick what's wrong?" He looked right at her but she could tell that he wasn't seeing her. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down. "Incoming." He yelled than he surged to his feet. "Fall back and Rally." Then he collapsed. Kate was frantic. "Oh God what's happening?" Rick was unconscious and his body was shaking. His shout had awakened Lisa and she was crying. Kate dialed 911 and asked for help. When the dispatcher asked her what the emergency was Kate explained what happened. The dispatcher said that Emergency Services were on the way. Kate then ran to scoop Lisa out of her bed and soothe her. She quickly called Natalie to come get Lisa. Lisa looked down at Rick and scrunched up her face.

"Mommy is the man hurt?" Kate smoothed Lisa's brow. "Yes Lisa but he'll be okay."

The paramedics arrived and immediately started checking Rick's vital signs. There was a cop with the paramedics. He took one look at the coat and beret and said; "I've seen this before. I'm pretty sure that it's PTSD. I was in the Rangers in the sandbox." He took a closer look at Rick's ribbons. "Oh crap, this guy's been wounded three times. I know its PTSD."

The senior paramedic looked up at Kate and said; "Ma'am your husband's pulse and respiration are a little high but otherwise his vitals are stable. We can transport if you want us to but I don't think it's critical to do so. I think that he just hyper-ventilated and passed out."

Kate sighed in relief; she didn't bother to correct the paramedic's assumption.

"No, she replied I'll take care of him here. If you'll get him into the bedroom I'll take care of the rest. The paramedics rolled Rick onto a back board carried him into Kate's bedroom and laid him on the bed. Kate signed the forms and the paramedics left. As soon as they left she called her friend Lanie Parish an ER doctor.

Lanie was clearly annoyed as she answered her phone. "What are you doing calling me at 1:30 in the morning Kate?" Kate knew that her friend had a right to be angry but she needed help.

"Lanie, I need help. I have a friend over here, he's a Green Beret. He just suffered a panic attack and passed out. The paramedics said they didn't think he needed to be transported but I'm scared. He wasn't violent or anything but I don't know what to do if it happens again."

Lanie could hear the fear and incipient panic in Kate's voice. Kate never got shaken up like this. She knew that whoever it was he had to be pretty important to Kate for her to react like this.

"Okay Kate I'll be over there in half an hour. I'll bring Javi with me. He was a Green Beret and maybe he can help. You owe me on this one Kate you're interrupting a fine booty call."

Natalie showed up just after Kate ended the call. Her eyes were wide and she was obviously worried. "What's going on Kate?"

"Rick had a panic attack and passed out. The paramedics said it was PTSD. Lanie and Javi are on the way over to help me. I want you to take Lisa to Mom and Dad."

Natalie scowled. "You're going to take care of him, are you crazy? He could hurt you. He should be in the hospital."

Kate said; "It's not like that Nat, he wasn't violent. If they transported him they'd probably hold him for "observation" that's PC for the psych ward and he doesn't deserve that" After the commotion had died down the tired toddler went to sleep in her mother's arms. Kate handed her to Natalie and said; "I'll be all right, just take her to Mom and Dad's like I asked."

Kate was sitting on the edge of the bed unlacing Rick's jump boots when Lanie let herself and Esposito into the apartment. Kate had given her a key some time ago. Lanie walked into the bedroom and asked; "Tell me exactly what happened Kate." Kate never took her eyes off Rick's face as she said; "Rick and I came home from the theater party and I was making coffee when that damn kid next door was playing Halo with the sound cranked to the max. There was the sound of explosions and gunfire.

I was going to go next door to raise hell when I saw Rick crouched by the couch. I knelt by him. I know that he didn't recognize me because he pushed me to the floor I think that he was protecting me. Then he yelled Incoming, jumped up and yelled fall back and rally then he passed out."

Esposito looked at rick for a moment and said; "Yeah that's one phase of PTSD a flashback. And they affect different people differently and sometimes the same person differently each time. Espo leaned down and checked Rick's pulse and breathing. I've seen this before. Sometimes they just sleep it off, sometimes they have nightmares but whatever somebody needs to be with him when he wakes up. Espo walked back out to the living room and looked at Rick's coat.

He turned around. His eyes wide he said; "Holy crap Kate do you know who this guy is?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Of course I know who he is. He's Richard Rodgers. I've known him since I was ten years old." Espo was obviously talking about something else.

"That's not what I meant Kate. I still have friends on the teams. This guy's something of a legend even among us. They say he really takes care of his men but he's a stone bad-ass in action."

Kate narrowed her eyes at Espo. "And you think that's a good thing? That's probably what caused the problem. Even the toughest men have limits which they can't go beyond." Espo shook his head. "I'm sorry Kate I didn't mean it like it sounded. I was Special Forces too. I wish I'd had a commander as good as he is half my team wouldn't have been wiped out."

Lanie looked at Espo. "Javi, go get a coffee and relax. Kate and I will handle this." Kate spoke up. "Javi there's some beer in the fridge if you'd rather have that." Espo smiled.

"Thanks Kate I think I will. Coffee will keep me awake." Espo closed the bedroom door as he left. Lanie opened her medical kit and took out a syringe and an alcohol swab.

"I keep one of these with me in case of something just like this. It's a light sedative that will keep him out for about eight hours without nightmares." Lanie injected Rick and put the syringe back into the bag." Then Lanie looked Kate straight in the eyes, grinned and said;

"So is this the same Richard Rodgers you were telling me about those nights you were crying in your beer? Dish girlfriend." Kate blushed and hung her head for a moment then looked up.

"Yes it is and I've finally got my chance and I will tell you all about it but not tonight. Help me get him undressed and under the covers." The two women pulled Ricks boots and socks off and then Kate untied his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. After removing his shirt Kate lifted his hips and Lanie slid his trousers off. Kate neatly folded his shirt and trousers and placed them on a chair. She then pulled his sweat soaked t-shirt over his head revealing his torso. She gasped and tears filled her eyes. "Oh my God Babe what did they do to you? You warned me but I didn't believe you."

Lanie was as equally shocked. She had seen numerous gunshot and stab wounds in the ER but nothing like this. There was the puckered circular scar of a bullet wound low on his right side and two more close together on his upper right pectoral muscle. Those would have been sucking chest wounds. His right side was peppered from the waist band of his boxers to his armpit with shrapnel scars. There was an ugly burn scar across his abdomen and the knife scar on his face.

They pulled the covers over him then Kate said; "Thank you so much Lanie I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you."

Lanie smirked. "I'll think of something girlfriend. Just call me later and tell me how he's doing. Good night Kate."

As soon as Kate heard the front door close she stripped to her panties and bra made a quick trip to the bathroom and then crawled into bed and snuggled up against Rick.

"Well Babe, she whispered, this isn't how I imagined my first time in bed with you but I'll take it."

She awoke seven hours later to find him still peacefully sleeping. She smiled as she realized how good she felt snuggled up against him. She'd thrown one leg across his and she lay partly across his torso. She only wished that he'd been conscious when he got into her bed and that this snuggle had been post coital. That will come my love I swear it will and not too long from now. Tonight? Maybe. Am I moving too fast on this? Not on my life! If you snooze you lose and I've already lost ten years.

She reluctantly got out of bed and went to the bathroom. From there she went to make coffee and then crawled back into bed and snuggles in. It's only a few minutes later that she feels him stirring. He's awakening slowly and Kate's thankful for that. Without the sedative he would probably awakened quickly which could cause problems.

Rick awakes to feel a warm body pressed against him, a soft hand slowly caressing his chest, the scent of cherries and another subtle perfume in the air. He opens his eyes and finds himself staring into a pair of lovely hazel ones. A soft, sweet smile spreads over her face and she gently kisses him. "Good morning my love." She whispers. He sits up, a look of surprise maybe consternation on his face. "Kate, what?" He stares at her noting that she's wearing only her bra and panties and he's got nothing but boxers on. She laughs at the look on his face and says; "Don't worry, nothing happened last night. Not that I didn't want it to but you were out of it."

He looks chagrinned. "I didn't think I had that much to drink last night. Drunk or sober I'd never forget getting into bed with you."

She smiled to reassure him. "You weren't drunk last night you had a PTSD episode and passed out. A doctor friend of mine gave you a light sedative to help you sleep through the night."

Rick passed a hand over his face. "Oh God, I'm so sorry Kate and ashamed. You didn't need to see that. You should have had me taken away." For the first time in his life he got a display of Kate's temper.

"Had you taken away, had you taken away? Just wait a damn minute Richard Rodgers do you think I give a damn about your super macho image? PTSD is a medical condition. Not something you can control at will and you weren't even close to being violent. Do you think so little of me that you think I'd let the man I love be put in the care of strangers when I can do it myself?

Get this straight Richard Alexander Rodgers, what happened last night was not weakness! It doesn't diminish you in my eyes. I love you. All of you, including all the scars, idiosyncrasies, conceits and foolishness. I lost you once. I've got you back and I won't let you go again!"

Rick was speechless, something quite rare for him. Kate was still glaring at him.

"Do you understand me?" She demanded. Wide eyed Rick was still not saying anything. She raised an eyebrow. "Well?" "Yes I understand you Kate. I love you too." Suddenly he started to laugh. She glared even harder. "What's so funny bud?" He stopped laughing and grinned.

"It's kind of hard to process your anger when I'm sitting in your bed with you half naked."

She chuckled at that then said. "I concede your point but nonetheless you had better take it seriously. I meant every single word. I'd also be willing to bet that you haven't seen a therapist about the PTSD. That will change. Now you go take a shower while I cook breakfast. There's one of my Dad's robes in the closet. After breakfast I'm going to shower and then you wait here while I go to your apartment and pick up some clothes for you. You promised me the whole day with you and I'm not letting you out of it."

He nodded and said; "But what about your daughter, won't she miss you? You could bring her along." Kate smiled.

"Not for one day, she'll be thrilled to spend the day with Nana and Papa. That's another point for you Rick. Not one of my previous guys whether dates or more have ever worried about Lisa unless it was a way to avoid her. I love the fact that you'd be willing to include her but we have a lot to do and a lot to talk about it needs concentration."

Kate began preparing a good breakfast. Scrambled eggs with cheese and peppers, bacon and sausage, toast, coffee and orange juice. She called rick to the table and as he walked into the kitchen she caught her breath as she imagined this scene repeating itself many times in a future home of their own.

Her father's robe was slightly small for him, stretched tight across his massive frame and Kate blushed as she thought of Rick taking her right here in the Kitchen. She managed to get her thoughts under control as they enjoyed breakfast in a comfortable silence,

She called her mom and explained the situation and her intentions for the day and the evening. Johanna assured her that everything was fine with Lisa and quietly encouraged Kate.

Reviews are appreciated.