Chapter 2

Sam used the medical supplies he brought to the back along with other supplies stored in the room to help stop the bleeding of Hawke's wound. He bandaged him the best that he could. Next, he found several hand towels on one of the shelves took a bottle of water out of the refrigerated compartment and lightly soaked two towels. Noticing he was gradually building a fever, he placed one on Hawke's forehead.

Hawke shivered at the touch of it and then slowly opened his eyes. "Caitlin?" he asked. "Is she okay?"

"Just relax," said Sam. "I'm getting ready to check on her now."

Hawke turned his head and watched as Sam moved to Caitlin. He gently touched the side of her head with the cool rag causing her to flinch and open her eyes. She quickly tried to sit up but a wave of dizziness overtook her.

"Whoa there," said Sam. "Take it easy."

Caitlin propped herself up in a sitting position with one arm. "String?" she said, trying not to panic. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," he tried to assure her but his raspy voice told her otherwise. "Let Sam look at you."

"Okay," she replied hesitantly.

"Looks like a minor cut," said Sam as he put a bandage on her forehead. "You have a nasty bump too but I don't think it's anything serious."

Caitlin tried to give him a slight smile. "Thanks," she said. "I forgot you were a medic. Is Hawke going to be okay?"

Sam looked down at Hawke. "I've stopped the bleeding. Looks like the bullet went right through him. My only concern is that he has a fever that is building quite rapidly. We need to get him to the hospital."

Caitlin stood up carefully and went to the door. "How can we get out of here?" she asked.

"That's the only way out," he told her. "He put the padlock on. All we can do is wait and hope someone comes looking for us. My wife isn't expecting me for several more hours though."

"Dom knows where we went," assured Caitlin. "I'm sure he'll come when he realizes we've been gone too long."

Hawke began to cough uncontrollably. "Unless he thinks we kept looking for his stuff," he told them between coughs.

Caitlin ran back over to Hawke and sat down by him, putting his head in her lap to help make him more comfortable.

Sam looked around the room. "I think I may have some pillows in a box in here somewhere. I don't normally sell them but they were for some sort of promotion. There might even be a few blankets in there too."

A few minutes later he pulled down a large box from one of the shelves. "Yeah, here they are," he said. "It's from a cigarette promotion."

He handed Caitlin one of the pillows. She supported Hawke's head and gently shifted back to put the pillow under him in place of her legs. Sam took the blanket and spread it out over Hawke who was slightly shivering.

"I'm afraid all we can do now is wait," said Sam with a sigh.

Caitlin stayed close to Hawke. She took his hand and squeezed it lightly. "Hang on String," she said softly. "Someone has to come looking for us soon."

Hawke squeezed her hand back. "Don't worry," he replied. "I'll be okay." Then, trying to get her focus off of him, he asked "Sam how did you and Dom meet? He's told me a lot of stories about you two over the years but he's never mentioned that."

Sam laughed. "Yeah well that's a night that old Santini doesn't really want to remember," he replied. "But what the hell, I'll tell you about it anyway."

"Oh, why is that?" asked Caitlin.

Sam smiled. "Let's just say that when I first met him he had been shot," said Sam. "He was madder than hell. It wasn't the fact that he got shot that made him mad either. It was where he got shot."

Caitlin shot him a confused look. "Where?" she asked.

"Right in the ass!" Sam tried to say with a straight face.

"Don't make me laugh," said Hawke while clutching his side. "It hurts too much."

"Oh sorry son," replied Sam. "But it was a funny story. I mean it was only a flesh wound but he couldn't sit down for quite some time after that."

"I can see why he never told us about it," replied Caitlin. "But, he's told us a lot of good stories about you."

"Yeah, we don't get together that much these days but I do have a lot of fond memories of Santini," replied Sam. "I know he talks a lot about you two whenever I see him."

Caitlin blushed slightly. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, he considers you two like his own," said Sam. "I'm just sorry you got caught up in this mess. This is the third robbery I've had in six months. I'm beginning to think it's about time to close up and retire."

"It's not your fault," replied String.

Caitlin and Sam couldn't help but notice that his condition seemed to be worsening. Caitlin tried hard to hide her concern but the situation was starting to get to her.

"Do you have any more water?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have quite a bit in the refrigeration unit over there," replied Sam. "It might be good to let Hawke have a little. The last thing he needs is to be dehydrated."

Caitlin got a bottle out and gave a little to Hawke before drinking some herself. Then she took the rag that was on his forehead and poured the cool water on it before wringing it out slightly and placing it back on his head.

String shivered again but welcomed the cool relief. "Thanks," he said softly.

Sam stared at the two as Caitlin grabbed Hawke's hand again and held it tightly.

"I see what Dom means about these two," he thought to himself.