Authors' Notes: Well here we are at the end of another tale. The next part will be up in a couple of days, just finishing the final editing process on it. And again a side story should be up soon so be looking for it, Drowsy will be posting that. Also for any of you interested over on the LJ comm for our little series here is a Time Line for the events so far.

Now sit back and enjoy the final chapter of "High Stakes".

She nodded slowly and looked at the Doctor. A part of her wanted to go and the rest of her just didn't want to see him in such a fragile state.

B.A. sighed, "Get going Girl, sure we're all like family but you… you're more than that. An' you know it. We all know it. S'how it should be." He nodded his head in an affirmative manner.

"Shall we then Mrs. Jenkins?" The Doctor looked at her.

Charissa gave a glance back at B.A. and Hannibal's and Murdock's retreating forms, "I'll tell him you all say hi." She promised and followed the Doctor as bravely as she could. A few minutes later and she was seated by Face's side and carefully taking his pale hand in hers, a small choked breath leaving her lips at how cold he still felt.

Face fought his way up through the inky blackness and tar-pit of his mind to the surface, opening his eyes slowly. Bright lights forced him to blink until he focused; he could hear muffled beeping to either side of himself. He was in a hospital, where? He turned his head to one side a little - his shoulder still hurt a lot.

She blinked as he started coming too and stood up a little, her hand holding his a bit tighter, "Hey, its okay. You're at UMC in Las Vegas still." Her voice was soft, but also tense as she did her best to fight her emotions. She said a small silent prayer of thanks that he was awake and okay and still alive, she wasn't a religious woman at all but under the circumstances it just seemed right.

Face smiled and squeezed her hand - it was the hand of the shoulder not currently wrapped up in a million bandages - and nodded. "Hey. Thanks..." He moved a little more, wincing, "So, I was gonna crack a cheesy joke about being dead for sure, because you've got to be an angel."

She swallowed hard and laughed a little, "You're going to be just fine." She mused lightly and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead before moving back as the nurses came up to him to check his vitals now that he was awake and to get him ready to be moved to a room. She wrapped her arms around herself as she watched this and in that moment it suddenly hit her… she had almost lost him, forever. She looked down as the tears finally came, her hair obscuring her face from his view as she cried quietly.

"Hey, hey woah...I'm sure it wasn't that bad..." Face joked weakly, seeing her head dip down. He bit his lip, thinking back. He remembered getting shot, at least.

The nurses moved away for a moment to go and work out his room arrangement and she slowly moved back towards him, sniffling a little as she lifted her head, "You lost a lot of blood Face… it was close, too close." She wiped the wetness from her cheeks having stopped crying, "I've never been more terrified in my life." She admitted to him quietly.

"We're going to move him to a room now, if you'd like to go let your friends know and once we have him settled we'll come and get you." One of the nurses informed Charissa.

She nodded slowly, "Okay. Thank you." She offered Face a small smile before she left the recovery area, "The guys all say hi by the way and we'll all see you here in a few." She promised and then went back out to the waiting area of the Emergency room.

Face sighed and waited, smiling at the nurses as he was moved, "So. On my way out?"

"Not quite yet, mister Jenkins." one of the nurses replied.

"You're dead, Hannibal."

"I beg your pardon?"

B.A. looked up as Charissa reappeared, "So Girl, how is our hero?"

She smiled, "He'll make it. He was trying to be smooth and flirting with the nurses already." She chuckled a little.

"Good. Glad the fool is already on the up." He nodded.

"They're moving him into a room right now and once he's settled they'll come take us to him." She sat down next to the Big Guy to wait.

Murdock and Hannibal returned with fresh coffee and some other hospital-approved foods, "We should eat a little before we go in to see him." Hannibal nodded.

Reluctantly Charissa took some of the food and nibbled at it, she knew she needed to, but it was hard. It all tasted like ash in her mouth, but she forced herself.

B.A. had no issues eating something, he was glad for some grub, "Good idea, since some of us missed breakfast this morning." He gave Sosa a small sideways glare.

After about twenty minutes or so a nurse came up to them and lead them to an elevator and to Face's room.

Face was sitting up, doped up on painkillers, but happy to see them,"So. I hear my new last name is Jenkins." He said calmly to Hannibal when the Colonel entered, "Dare I ask what my new first name is?"

Charissa moved slowly to his side and settled on the edge of his bed, "No, you don't. Trust me."

B.A. grinned wide, "Hey Melvin, good to see you up an' at it fool." He snickered before finding a section of wall to lean against.

There was a moment of horrible, awkward silence.

"YOU ARE DEAD, HANNIBAL!" Face roared, attempting to rise from the bed, hands out like claws, rage written on his every feature, "DEAD!"

~SOUND TRACK~

We Are- Ana (Main Theme)

Burn to the Ground- Nickelback (Drinking Game)

Iris- Goo Goo Dolls (Just you and me conversation)

Hero- Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott (Face's Theme)

World on Fire- Sarah McLachlan (when Face gets shot/Going to the Hospital/At Hospital)

Someone to Die For- Jimmy Gnecco feat. Brian May (Face/Charissa theme)

An amusing fun end don't you think?

Well for our next story our couple get to go on a little adventure. Be on the look out for it.

Please remember to review! :D