The back double doors to the Hospital flew open as the vehicle backed into the receiving bay. Medical staff personnel were already waiting, helping to transfer the stretcher and its occupant to the ground. The two paramedics that had ridden in the ambulance with the heroes kept pace as they entered into the hallway, exchanging rapid medical jargon with the attending physicians to fill them in on their patient's condition. Barnaby had not stirred since losing consciousness in the ambulance minutes prior, and Kotetsu had remained by his side, still grasping the blonde's hand as he ran along side. Perhaps it was more for his own comfort than Barnaby's at the moment.
"Patient sustained a single gunshot wound to the right shoulder. Went straight through, it looks like." Said the male paramedic to the doctor, who was now helping to push the stretcher down the hall. "Blood pressure is low. He needs a transfusion, immediately."
"Already on it." Said a female nurse, while skillfully inserting a catheter into the blonde's arm as they moved. A second nurse appeared beside her carrying a packet of blood. Kotetsu couldn't help but be impressed.
"The patient displayed signs of shock, which was when he lost consciousness." The female paramedic added in, resuming where her partner had left off and helping to turn the stretcher around a bend toward the ICU. "Saline was administered at this time and he responded, but has not regained consciousness. Vitals are currently holding steady."
The doctor nodded. "Thank you. We'll handle the rest. Lets get this young man into ICU and patch him up." He glanced up as if just now noticing Kotetsu. "And the heroes just keep on coming. You were with him at the time of the injury?"
Being addressed suddenly, the veteran took a split second to form words and reply. "Uh, yeah, someone shot him. Kept pressure on it until we got him to you guys –"
"Good thinking," Said the doctor, unintentionally interrupting the hero. "You did well. We'll take care of him now, I promise."
As the next doors into the ICU parted to admit the medical team and their patient, the female paramedic slowed and caught Kotetsu's arm to stop him, and the sudden jerk wretched Barnaby's hand from his. The young woman didn't miss the brief pained look on the hero's face as the hand clenched at his side.
"I'm so sorry, but you can't go in there. Medical staff only past this point." She explained gently. "I can show you to the waiting room though, Mr. Tiger. Don't worry, your partner be okay. Dr. Kaffee is one of the best surgeons in Sternbild." The hero's unease hardly dissipated upon hearing this, not that she could blame him. Her brow knit in sympathy. "I can walk you to the waiting room, and then I have to get back on duty, but…is there someone I can call for you?"
The other, male paramedic gave her a stupid look. "Like he'll give you a personal phone number while he's wearing the mask. Duh."
She frowned at the criticism, her back straightening. "Can it, Jimmy! I'm just trying to help!" Ignoring the other now, and turning back to Kotetsu, she said, "I don't want to just leave you here by yourself. I know how that feels."
Kotetsu tried to swallow the growing lump in his throat before speaking up, forcing a smile to reassure the two. "No need to worry about me, I'm alright." He lied. It wasn't entirely true, but he wasn't going to just admit that. "Besides, you said you needed to get back to work. Just point me in the right direction and I should be able to find it, at least if there are signs." Since the hero was already somewhat familiar with hospitals, getting lost probably wouldn't be an issue.
"Well, there are signs, but…" She hesitated. "If you're sure you'll be fine. Go that way," she pointed, "And follow the hall until you can turn left. The waiting room is just at that end of the hall, straight on. Picture it like a giant 'L'. I'm sure you're partner will be okay. I've seen worse, Mr. Tiger. Much worse. His wasn't that bad." Before she could say more, her partner was gesturing to his watch before taking off back the way they came.
Before she could say more, Jim was gesturing to his wrist watch before taking off the way they came. "We'd better go, Gretchen. See ya, Mr. Tiger. Try to relax okay?"
Gretchen moved to follow, but then turned back Kotetsu once more. "Listen, I've got to go, but if you ever need anything, at all, just ask for me. My name's Gretchen Giovanni. Say you're my uncle or something, if you're not in uniform. I have ten of them, and that's only on my dad's side." Kotetsu's eyebrows shot up at that.
"Wow, that's a big family." He commented. Gretchen chuckled a bit.
"We're all big fans of yours too. Anything I can do to help a hero, just name it. Make sure you take care of yourself."
"You too. Thanks for all the help, Gretchen. Barnaby will be grateful too, I'm sure." With a final wave, she jogged off down the hall after her partner. After they disappeared around a corner, Kotetsu started walking off in the direction that the female had told him.
No sooner had he gotten to the waiting room, thanks to the paramedic's directions, and gone to sit down nearby, the hero's phone rang. Digging it out, he saw just whom it was calling him and figured he should have known that Rock Bison would call first to ask about the situation. With a sigh he picked up, leaning back in the chair. "Hey."
"Hey, how's he doing? You know anything yet?" Came his friend's voice, calm but curious.
"No, not yet. They're bringing him to the ICU. I'm just sitting here waiting now."
"And how are you holding up?" Bison asked in a knowing tone, speaking up again when Kotetsu didn't answer right away. "Look, I could swing by there in a bit. Just gotta ditch the armor first and all that. Give me twenty…no, better make that a half hour max to get over there." He explained, and for a moment Kotetsu was caught between accepting and declining the offer. It might be nice to have some company right now, but he also didn't want to pull the other hero away from his duty either. Eventually he gave into the idea though.
"…Yeah, okay. Just don't rush out of there early because of me, got it?" Hearing his phone beep, Kotetsu pulled it away from his ear a moment to check the screen. "Ah, I'm getting another call. It's Mr. Lloyds. I should take it. Thanks for calling."
"Sure thing. See you there in a while." With that Antonio ended the call, allowing Kotetsu to answer the new one.
"Mr. Lloyds?"
"I just saw on the news," Their boss said, cutting straight to the chase. "Is Barnaby alright? I have a couple different reporters hounding me to confirm whether he's still among the living, Ms. Jubeart among them. One news bulletin is saying he expired on scene, and there's some dramatic footage of you carrying him. Then it cuts to you jumping into the ambulance seconds before it peeled off down the street." Lloyds sighed. "Give me a straight answer through all this hearsay, Kotetsu."
"Expired on the scene?" Kotetsu repeated incredulously. "Geeze, reporters are crazy. No, Barnaby's not dead. He's in surgery right now getting patched up. But that's all I know so far." He admitted.
"Hm, I see. I have to finish up a few things here, but I'll try to get over there sooner, if possible. Keep me informed." Lloyds paused, and then asked, "Are you handling this?"
Kotetsu sighed at hearing that question again. "Of course. I'm a hero aren't I? I've seen worse than a single gunshot." He attempted to joke, forcing his voice to sound convincing. He couldn't really tell if his boss bought it, but whatever the case, the man didn't push it thankfully.
"Very well. I'll be in touch then." As both of them then hung up, the veteran hero let out another deep sigh, sagging in the chair and lifting a hand to rub his face. Now that everything had stopped happening at such a fast pace, and the adrenaline was beginning to fade, he was starting to feel more and more worn out. However, Kotetsu wasn't going anywhere until he saw Barnaby for himself and was assured of his condition.
The only thing he could do now was wait. It was going to be agony.
Twenty-eight minute later, Antonio walked into the waiting room and easily spotted Kotetsu, considering he was the only occupant. "See? Told you a half hour max. And look who followed me in." He gestured toward Keith, a pace or two behind. "He heard where I was going and decided to tag along too."
"My powers weren't conducive to putting out fires." The king of heroes, Sky High, said in hushed tones. "And I wanted to come check on you two as soon as I could. Blue – I mean, Karina told me to pass along her concerns. She was going to come by as well, but was called back to the scene at the last minute." His brow knit in sympathy then. "Has there been any news?"
Kotetsu shook his head as he slowly stood, running a hand through his hair briefly before replacing his signature cap.
"Nothing yet." With no news, the hero wasn't sure if he would be finding out soon, or if he should be worried something else had come up with Barnaby that was keeping the doctor and nurses busy. Since sitting there the hero's stomach had been unsettled because of it, and he was partially glad there was barely anything in it. "How did things go back at the park? I know I sort of just took off without much explanation, sorry about that. Thanks for clearing that path for me too, by the way." Not that Kotetsu had much of a choice but to rush out at the time. His partner's health had been top priority. Still, the other heroes were left having to finish and clean up the scene he'd been a part of.
"Nonsense!" Keith brushed off the apology. "Barnaby is your partner, and as such, you did well to accompany him. I'm glad someone could."
"You did practically fly into that ambulance though." Antonio commented. "I'm not gonna lie and say I didn't get a sinking feeling in my gut. The siren didn't make it any better. But then I thought, 'nah, something that minor, its gonna be fine. Kotetsu just gets a little extra dramatic when he cares about someone.'" He nudged the other hero after the lighthearted jab. "Can't help it, I guess, with you being a dad and all…"
"That's right, you said you had a daughter." Keith recalled, and seemed pleased to have remembered the detail about his friend.
"Yeah. Of course I had to go, he wanted me to! And I am not that dramatic…" Kotetsu muttered in reply in attempt to defend himself, crossing his arms and looking away with some embarrassment. He could feel Antonio smirking at him.
"Yeah, I'm gonna call bullshit on that." Teased the bulky hero.
"At least he means well." Keith commented helpfully with a smile. "Try and take a deep breath. Everything will be fine, and fine again! You'll see."
But Kotetsu couldn't sit still. In the next forty-five minutes or so since Antonio and Keith arrived, he was up and down about every ten minutes, either pacing anxiously around the room or sitting tensely, unable to get comfortable. At some point Lloyds had stopped by as he'd said he would, but seeing as there was still no updates about Barnaby's condition, he did not linger. A couple of the other heroes had also called Kotetsu to check in. Origami to apprize the veteran that he had filed the necessary paperwork like he said he would, and Fire Emblem to fill him in on other details about the incident at the park. The two teens that Freddie and his little gang had been harassing, Andy and Delia, were safe and sound, and very grateful for the rescue. Deila's father who owned the park even more so. Apparently he also wanted to give Kotetsu and Barnaby some kind of reward for their assistance, but the details of that were still unclear.
"That's not necessary. We're heroes, its our job to help people." Kotetsu had replied, and heard his flamboyant friend chuckle on the other end of the line.
"You saved his daughter's life! Who knows what that delinquent would have done to them if you and handsome hadn't been there. You if anyone should be able to relate to how relieved her father must be. Give yourself some credit, hon."
"I guess you're right." Kotetsu would have been a mess if he learned Kaede was ever in that kind of danger, and someone else had stuck their neck out for her sake.
"Of course I'm right. And don't you fret too much over there. Handsome will be fine, he's a tough boy." He said encouragingly, and the older hero couldn't help but smiling a bit at the reassurance.
"Yeah I know. I'm still not leaving until I know for sure though." Kotetsu could practically hear Nathan roll his eyes at the reply.
"I expected nothing less. Well then, if you need anything feel free to call me up okay? Especially if you need some nice, warm comfort tonight."
"Alright, thanks." Hanging up abruptly, the room was once more silent, leaving Kotetsu looking somewhat lost as to what he should do next. He glanced over at Antonio and Keith. "You guys don't have to stay the whole time you know. I really appreciate you stopping by and all, but if you have things to do…"
Keith blinked his blue eyes and, as if a light bulb clicked on, leapt to his feet. "You are absolutely right! Look at me; sitting here with you while you stare at the clock, waiting uselessly to hear some good news." He missed the insulted look Kotetsu shot his way at that. "I will get you something from the cafeteria post haste!" The hero announced, and boldly marched out the door, only to pop back in a second later. "Um, you don't have any strange food allergies do you?"
Antonio's booming laugh burst out of him. "Nah, he doesn't. Go save him from hunger, your majesty."
Keith saluted smartly and disappeared out the door again.
With it being just the two heroes now, Antonio turned a lopsided grin toward his long time friend. "Well, now I feel like a shit friend. You want some crappy hospital coffee?" He thumbed to the door. "I think there's a vending machine out there."
Snorting lightly and smirking, Kotetsu rested his hands on his hips. "Only if you're offering to buy. I'm not wasting my money on that stuff."
"Sure, what are friends for? Be right back." In a few minutes, he returned and handed Kotetsu a styrofoam cup, filled with the watered down black stuff mixed with a bit of creamer, the way he knew his friend took the drink. He lightly bumped his cup to the other's. "Cheers." He said, taking a swallow. Grunting, face scrunched up in distaste as he stared down at the drink. "Ugh, how they still manage to save people's lives on this stuff is beyond me. Maybe I should have a word with my boss. These people save lives every day, so someone should worry about whether or not the lining to their stomachs are corroding."
"If this stuff corrodes stomach lining, why the hell are we drinking it?"
"Because we're badasses."
Kotetsu snorted again. "Yeah, that's it."
As they waited for Keith to return, they sat in companionable silence, sipping the horrible decaffeinated instant coffee. Kotetsu looked thoughtful for a few moments before eventually speaking up. "That bullet was meant for me you know." He stated quietly as his gaze remained locked on the floor.
"What do you mean?"
"At the park. One of those teenagers grabbed that gun and said 'you're dead'. But Bunny pushed me out of the way and took it instead. That's how it happened. I didn't think it was that bad, since he was still able to talk and move. But on the way here he went into shock and passed out from blood loss." Kotetsu swirled the dark liquid around in the cheap styrofoam cup with a frown. "If anything worse happens to him now, it'll be my fault for not paying better attention." Not that he'd wanted to get shot, but if Barnaby had been killed back there at the park… Well, the hero wouldn't have been able to handle that. "If that bullet had hit him just a little more to the left…" Then he would have lost someone else he'd grown to care a lot about.
"Well it didn't," Antonio said sharply, and if that wasn't enough to snap Kotetsu to full attention, the rough grip on his shoulder that turned him toward the other hero was. "It didn't," He repeated. "So stop thinking that way. If you were the one in surgery right now, how do you think Barnaby would feel? How do you think I'd feel? We've known each other practically our whole lives! The only reason I didn't lose my shit after Jake handed you your ass those months ago was because I was still unconscious from him handing mine to me."
He was, of course, referring to the now deceased convicted felon Jake Martinez, the NEXT who was released from Abbaz Prison due to televised terroristic bomb threats from the hidden crime syndicate known as Oroboros. To prove his superiority above the rest of he human race, and the heroes, Jake had individually challenged them to one on one fights on the condition that if one of them managed to defeat him, he would release the city from the bomb threat. Until Barnaby and Kotetsu managed to see eye to eye and collaborate to defeat him, those who had previously fought Jake hadn't faired so well, as Antonio has already pointed out.
"I was still under when they hauled you into ICU. When I woke up, Keith was on my right, and you on my left, looking worse off than the two of us combined. If I hadn't already been wearing a neck brace, I would have given myself whiplash." The man said, simmering down and forcing himself to take a calming breath. "Sorry. Guess all that mess at the park reminded me of that time, and this place."
"It's alright." Kotetsu replied, somewhat unnerved. He had no idea he'd caused his friend that much stress.
"Look –"
"Nope, I'm done bitching. Now, are you kidding me? Tell me, what kind of sorry state do you think Barnaby would be in right now if things were reversed and you were in there being sewn back together? You think he didn't know what he was doing? He saw that someone was going to kill you, or at least try. After seeing his parents murdered, maybe Barnaby didn't feel like standing there and watching someone else he cared for die in front of him again, when he could do something to stop it. So he took that bullet for you, and now you're sitting in here going on about how it's your fault some dumbass kid decided to target your back and pull the trigger. If he knew, and if he were able to, I think Barnaby would enjoy giving you a good kick to the head." The hero sighed, sitting back in his seat.
Kotetsu winced slightly at the accusation and mention of watching others die in front of him, knowing exactly what his friend was hinting at.
"I just…" He faltered, trying to gather his thoughts. "Guess it just spooked me. Especially the way he was acting in the ambulance…" Barnaby asking for him, and how out of it he'd been. Then watching the blonde go into shock had especially scared the older hero. "I know I'm probably overreacting, but I can't help it I guess… Sorry, you're right."
Antonio grinned. "Wow, that's not something I hear from you a lot."
It was then that Keith reentered triumphantly, cutting the conversation, and any reply Kotetsu had, short. "Sorry I took so long. There were a lot of people down there, and a long line. That, and I couldn't decide what to feed you. Here you go, Mr. Wild."
Here Antonio snorted. "'What you should feed him'? You just compare Kotetsu to you dog?"
"Hm?" Keith inclined his head. "What do you mean?" He asked, completely oblivious.
"He's just goofing around. Thanks." Kotetsu interjected before his friend could reply, offering an appreciative smile as he took the wrapped plastic plate of cafeteria food, not wanting to seem rude or call attention to the blonde hero's air headedness. He made himself eat a little, even though the veteran wasn't feeling hungry. Or so he thought at least. After a few bites, his body finally seemed to remember that it had been empty, and that contrary to what Kotetsu first thought, he was indeed very hungry. The realization allowed him to eat with more energy, finishing off the entire tray's contents relatively quickly.
"See? Just what the doctor ordered. Good job, majesty." Antonio joked, and Keith immediately looked a little uncomfortable.
"Please don't say such things in public. Someone could catch on that we're –"
"Um…which one of you is Wild Tiger?" Asked a female voice from the waiting room doorway. When the three men whirled in panic to look at the woman in scrubs, she zeroed in on the only individual in the room wearing a mask. "Is that you?" When he nodded, she beckoned him. "Would you mind stepping out here with me a moment, please? It concerns Barnaby."
Kotetsu froze in his seat, staring wide eyed in the nurse's direction blankly for a good few seconds before a nudge and supporting slap on the back from Antonio had him snapping out of it to stand up. "Y-yeah, right. Coming…" Swallowing thickly, he moved to follow the woman, who stepped out and held the door for him. Once alone out in the hall, Kotetsu hoped he didn't look as nervous as he felt. Maybe eating all of that food wasn't such a good idea. "So, what's the news?"
The nurse offered him a kind smile, touching his arm. "Mr. Brooks is doing just fine. The surgery went well. The bullet passed straight through, and he is receiving the transfusions he needs. Oh, we got a call from a Lieutenant Greene from the Sternbild police force; he and Origami Cyclone found the bullet imbedded in the Hermes statue. The Lieutenant said there was a single case missing from the gun's magazine, so that must be it."
Kotetsu nodded. "Yeah, only one gun, one shot. But Bu – Barnaby is going to be okay?"
"He might need some physical therapy for his shoulder after he heals, but he will definitely be okay. In a few minutes, we're going to transfer Mr. Brooks to a private room if you would like to see him. Granted, he'll still be under from the anesthesia, but since I heard you rode here with him in the ambulance, and obviously haven't left, I thought you might."
The hero exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding all at once, taking a moment to let relief fill him, wash over and revive him. The smile he returned was natural this time, reaching his eyes and brightening them. "Yes, I would like to. Thank you, I appreciate it."
"Of course. I'll come and get you when we have him situated." She smiled and started walking back down the hallway.
When Kotetsu walked back into the waiting room, the other two heroes were standing at attention. "Well?" Keith asked, initially anxious, but judging by the smile plastered on the other hero's face, he knew that could only mean good news. "Barnaby is alright, then? Thank goodness." He said after Kotetsu shared what the nurse had told him, a perfect smile brightening his own features.
"See? Told you." Antonio nudged his friend's shoulder with a fist as he got close. "We'll just wait until she comes back for you before we head out, since I'm assuming you'll want to sit at his bedside and speed Barnaby's recovery by staring at him while he sleeps. Just don't send the kid into cardiac arrest when he wakes up."
"Ha ha, very funny." Kotetsu retorted dryly at the teasing, but his mood had greatly improved now after hearing the good news. "I'm going to tell him you called him a kid by the way. I'm sure he'll appreciate that." He shot back.
"Throwing me to the wolf-bunnies, after I was a good friend and got you crap hospital coffee…" Antonio sighed. Keith laughed.
"Wolf-bunnies? That sounds…oddly cute. Well, please send him our regards as well, and tell Barnaby all our thoughts are with him." The blonde haired hero added.
Kotetsu gave a short little head nod. "Will do."
When the nurse returned a few minutes later, Kotetsu thanked his two friends again before they went their separate ways for the night. Antonio however suddenly snagged his arm again, and said in undertones, "He might not exactly show it all the time, but Barnaby needs you. Just don't smother him too much. You know how you are." The taller man gave his friend a knowing look as Kotetsu shot him an indignant scowl.
"Hey, I'm not that bad!"
"…Right." Was the curt reply Antonio had for that as he released his friend to turn and mosey on down the hall to the hospital entrance. Watching him go for a moment, Kotetsu then turned and re-joined the nurse as she beckoned him once more to follow her down the hall. Arriving at the door, the woman admitted him into the private room, gesturing for the hero to go in ahead of her.
Inside, Barnaby was lying in the bed, wearing a white hospital smock and appearing to be resting comfortably. His right shoulder was swollen, but dressed neatly with medical gauze, concealing what the surgeons had done to repair the damage. An IV fed a supply of blood into his left wrist, and the steady beep from a monitor adjacent to his bed broadcast the signs of a strong, stable heartbeat. Someone had even thought to place his glasses within easy reach on the bedside table when he did wake which, according to the nurse, wouldn't be for some hours most likely.
While he couldn't have been happier, Kotetsu still hesitated to enter. The scene just made the hero slightly uncomfortable, despite his recent knowledge that Barnaby would be just fine. The sterile smells and white rooms of the hospital would forever be associated with loss, for him. Ever since the devastating death of his wife, the resulting trauma had instilled unfortunate stress triggers in the veteran that were always at the back of his mind. Now though, they were creeping towards the forefront as he stood in the doorway of the dimly lit room, his shadow casting ahead of him across the floor and leading to the bed.
Suddenly, it wasn't Barnaby lying there at all, and Kotetsu stood once again at the threshold of Tomoe's hospital room on the night she had passed.
He had been too late…
"Mr. Tiger, are you alright?"
The vision of the past dissolved at the nurse's inquiry and the hero found himself back in the present once more. He blinked a few times, turning briefly to glance at the woman.
In the bed, Barnaby sighed quietly in his sleep, very much alive, for which Kotetsu was immensely thankful. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Uh, yeah." The veteran chuckled. "It's just been a long day."
"I understand. Why don't you go on in and have a seat?" She suggested, gesturing with an arm.
It was then that the relief returned with a vengeance, drawing Kotetsu closer to the bed. A moment later the older hero finally decided to take the nurse's advice and pulled over a nearby chair to sit beside the bed, his gaze trained on his friend.
"You two are really close, aren't you?" She asked, still watching from the doorway.
Kotetsu jumped slightly, turning to address the woman, when she spoke up again. "He said your name a little while ago, in his sleep. At least, I'm assuming it was your name. I was wheeling him in here before I came and got you, making sure everything was in order. As I was checking his readings, he muttered a name. It was so quiet I barely heard it, but I heard him say 'Kotetsu'." She held up her hands as the veteran's eyes widened in realization. "I'm not going to tell anyone, and no one else was in here at the time but me, I promise. I know how to keep a secret. With everything that happens in his hospital from day to day, I'll probably forget it anyway. Just because Barnaby flaunts his identity doesn't mean you have to after all." The nurse gestured toward the blonde with a nod of her head. "Why don't you go ahead and tell him you're here? You'd be surprised how much people can hear and retain when they're under. If you need anything, just push the red button on the side of the railing there." Having said everything she needed to, the woman excused herself and left them alone.
Turning back to his partner, Kotetsu watched his sleeping form a moment more before scooting forward in the seat and leaning closer. "Hey Bunny, it's me." He started, speaking quietly though he didn't have to. "You're looking a lot better. You gave me a good scare earlier. Might have to use that against you at some point in the future. Really, what was I so worried about right? Like you'd let yourself go out from a single gunshot by some kid… But you know me, I meddle a lot." Pausing a moment and, unable to help himself, a moment later Kotetsu reached out over the guardrail to lightly grasp his partner's hand. "Still, I'm glad you'll be okay Bunny. And if you have to stay here another day, I'll bring by some real food for you, how about that? Then you won't have to tolerate lowly hospital food. Hard to call it food though; I had some instant coffee before, and it was horrible."
Kotetsu ended up talking to him randomly for a while longer, finding that it helped smooth out the rest of his anxieties. Eventually the hero finally tapered off into silence, as he felt the returning sensation of fuzzy sleepiness settling in and beginning to fog his mind, making him yawn a moment later. By now he'd almost fully relaxed back into the seat, did little to help him stay awake, even if it wasn't the most comfortable chair. The veteran's eyelids grew heavier and heavier by the second, and he caught himself nodding off a few times only to snap awake moments later. But with no one else in the room to talk to, and the rhythmic beeping of the monitor nearby the only sound there, he was fighting a losing battle. Eventually Kotetsu's head flopped back against the back of the chair softly, his eyes slipping shut as his body succumbed to sleep.
"Mr. Wild Tiger?"
"…Hmm. Wait…huh?" Kotetsu eyes cracked open groggily.
The room was a lot darker than it had been when he had first drifted off. He was gently woken a bit more as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, the hero stared at the face of a male nurse, who smiled down at him. "Huh?" He repeated intelligently.
The younger male's smile widened in amusement. "I felt kind of bad waking you up after the day you've had, but I'm afraid visiting hours are over for today. They've been over, actually. It's about one in the morning now. None of the ladies had the heart to wake you though, so they nominated me to play the bad guy. Don't' arrest me." He joked lightly, chuckling. "Do you need me to call a cab for you at all?"
Sitting up from his slouched position in the chair and stretching, Kotetsu groaned as stiff muscles protested. Holding back a yawn he answered, "Mm, no, that's alright. I've got a car." But the hero caught himself a second later, pausing as he remembered one important detail: his car was still at the park. The nurse didn't seem to notice his blunder though, and nodded at the reply.
"Okay. I'll need to be escorting you out of the room then sir, sorry. Need a moment?" He asked, gesturing to Barnaby, who was still sound asleep in the bed.
"Oh. Sure, I guess. Thanks. I'll be right out." The male nurse nodded with a smile and stepped outside the door. Kotetsu turned back to look at his partner, sighing a moment later and standing up before stepping closer. A part of him was still hesitant to leave, but the hero knew that the younger would be fine and wasn't in any danger. "Well, I gotta go Bunny. I guess I'll try and come by tomorrow when I can, or I'll call." The veteran didn't really know what else to say now, and scratched the back of his head in thought. "Right…sweet dreams then." He turned for the door, but then paused and turned back again. "Oh, and everyone says hi, and hope you feel better soon too. Or did I already mention that?" Kotetsu couldn't remember. Shrugging, he gave Barnaby's hand a final pat as he turned and headed out the door.
After the escort from the ICU, Kotetsu thanked the nurse and continued on down the hall to the hospital entrance. How was he going to get home? He supposed he could call for a cab…
Pulling out his wallet to check and see how much cash he had, the hero sighed seeing that he more likely than not wouldn't have enough. "Oh wait," he said out loud to himself as he remembered something. "Fire Emblem did say I could call if I needed anything." But it was also after one in the morning. At this point, Kotetsu didn't have much of a choice though. Putting away the wallet, he dug out his phone and found the other hero's contact number, listening to the device as it rang and hoped his colleague wouldn't be mad at him for calling so late.
Thankfully the line picked up after the third ring. "Mmm, hello?" The usually flirtatious voice was slurred from sleep.
Guilt settled in as Kotetsu replied. "Uh, hey, it's me. Sorry for waking you up. I wouldn't have called unless I didn't have a choice." He heard the sound of what he guessed were rustling sheets before hearing the other speak again.
"Well, I did tell you to call if you needed anything." Nathan replied, sounding a little more awake than he had initially, if somewhat begrudgingly. "Is everything alright? Nothing's wrong with handsome, is there?" Kotetsu didn't sound upset, so he guessed that wasn't the case.
"No, everything went well actually. Bunny will be fine."
"That's a relief, but what about you? After all you said yourself you wouldn't be calling unless you needed help. You do realize what time it is, right hon?" Kotetsu chuckled awkwardly.
"Yeah, about that – I, uh, kinda fell asleep in Bunny's hospital room by accident. A nurse had to come in and wake me. That was only about ten minutes ago. Apparently they felt bad so they were letting me stay a little longer."
"You must have looked pretty pathetic, then."
"Hey!" Kotetsu replied indignantly, scowling. "I was not pathetic!" Nathan chuckled in response.
"Don't worry hon, I'll cut you a break this time since you had a rough day. Just give me a bit to put my face on and I'll come by and pick you up." This seemed to snap Kotetsu out of his brief irritation, as he blinked in surprise.
"Oh, really? I was afraid you'd say no, considering the time."
"Honestly~! You thought I'd go back on my word that easily? How cruel… Maybe I ought to leave you stranded there after all."
"Aah! No, please, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to imply that at all, I swear!" Kotetsu frantically apologized, hoping he hadn't screwed up his only good chance of getting home at a decent time that night. But hearing Nathan laughing on the other end at him thankfully reassured the hero he hadn't actually insulted him.
"You must be tired. You're being much more dense than usual."
Kotetsu frowned at that but didn't say anything, managing to hold his tongue.
"I'll pick you up in front of the hospital then, see you soon!" The line went dead before the older could reply, so he just put the phone away and went to sit on the steps in front of the hospital, propping his chin up in one hand, elbows resting on his knees. At least it wasn't cold out, and was actually rather comfortable, with a nice breeze blowing by every so often. After yawning a few times, the veteran hoped he didn't end up falling asleep out here as he waited.
While he hadn't ended up falling asleep, at some point Kotetsu must have fallen into a sort of daze. Hearing a car horn suddenly beep a few times snapped him out of it however, and his spine jerked into an upright position to glance around for the source of the noise. At the street, he recognized Nathan's car, and the other hero waving at him from the rolled down window.
"Come on, sugar! I would think you would much prefer your bed to these steps to sleep on, am I right?" The pink-haired hero smiled and winked teasingly. Kotetsu chuckled a bit sleepily and dragged himself to his feet, walking over to get in on the other side of the red sports car.
"Yeah, bed sounds so good right now." He replied sleepily, leaning back against the seat heavily. "Thanks for coming to get me."
"Don't worry about it. You just relax and let me do the rest. You'll be home in no time." In the back of Kotetsu's mind, as they began rolling away from the curb, he wondered if Nathan had been worrying too, considering that the flamboyant man was usually hitting on him or making other suggestions of that nature. As tired as he felt, the veteran was grateful the other hero was toning it down for his sake. "So, I'm guessing your car is still at Big Tree?"
"Yeah, completely forgot about it until I was leaving the hospital."
"Well, that's not hard to believe." Nathan lightly teased with a smile. "Do you have your keys? I can have someone go by and pick it up for you. That way you'll have it tomorrow morning. I'll have them leave it where you usually park, at your place." Kotetsu glanced over at that, showing surprise despite his half lidded eyes.
"Really? I mean, you don't need to do that. I could just get a ride there tomorrow I'm sure."
The flashy hero just waved that suggestion off with a flick of his well-manicured hand. "It's no trouble. Just leave me your keys and I'll take care of everything. If you need to get to Apollon early, you'll need your car. Unless you'd rather get in trouble for being late?"
Kotetsu groaned at the mere thought. "No, not really…" He admitted, seeming to deflate even more just thinking about it. Nathan smiled over at him, and held out his hand, wiggling his fingers. The older hero hesitated another moment or so before fishing out his car keys from a pocket and handing them over.
"Good. Now you shouldn't have any worries. I promise not to make any copies."
By the time they arrived outside the apartment building, Kotetsu's body felt like lead, but he forced it to carry him out of the car. "Thanks again for the ride. I owe you one."
"Nonsense! We're all friends after all, are we not? Now go get some sleep before you fall over. Though, I have to say I wouldn't mind carrying you."
"I think I can manage, thanks. Night."
"Darn. Goodnight then, hon." As Kotetsu stepped away, Nathan rolled off down the street, leaving the older hero to turn and shuffle into the apartment building's entrance.
Once he passed through his doorway and locked the door behind him, the man made a beeline for his room, almost not bothering to undress other than taking his shoes off, but ultimately came to the conclusion that sleeping would be much more comfortable after doing so. Just tossing his clothes to the floor, Kotetsu all but collapsed into his bed and was asleep once more within moments.
The next morning began relatively slowly. Kotetsu was roused from a deep sleep as his phone went off beside the bed. Groping for it blindly, he didn't bother checking the caller id as he picked up with a sleepy, "Hello?"
"Oh, there you are." Lloyds returned the dull greeting.
"…Huh?" The hero confusedly asked. "Mr. Lloyds? What…"
"Do you need to take another day, Kotetsu?"
"Another… Why?" Kotetsu yawned.
"Never mind. Just take the day off. It's almost nine thirty at this –"
"What?!" The hero immediately jerked up, eyes glancing to the clock on the bedside table. "Oh no, I forgot to set my alarm!" He half staggered to his closet frantically to change. "By the time I got home from the hospital last night it was late and I guess I wasn't thinking. Sorry!"
"As I was saying," The man resumed, "In light of what happened yesterday, just see that you get here in one piece. With Barnaby out with an injury, you're the only active hero for the company until he recovers."
"Okay, thanks. Oh! Have you heard anything new about Barnaby?"
"Yes, actually. Mr. Maverick called to update us not too long ago. He's having someone take Barnaby back to his apartment some time this morning and stay with him for the day. The doctors said he was well enough to go home, and gave him some painkillers. He'll be off hero duty until his injury is fully healed, of course."
"Right, of course. Good to know he was able to get out already." If Barnaby was home now, maybe Kotetsu could stop by later to check on him.
"By the way," Lloyds continued, "Lieutenant Greene from the Sternbild police called earlier requesting an interview with you, but I told him you weren't in yet. He may be calling back, and since you seem dead set on coming in, you should have no difficulty completing that stack of paperwork that's been on your desk most of this week."
Kotetsu couldn't hold back a groan at the suggestion.
"I'll see you when you get in." The other man stated before hanging up. The hero then returned to scrambling to dress and get ready. Then, just one quick cup of coffee later he was out the door.
Reaching the garage, he remembered after seeing his car waiting for him that Nathan said he would arrange for someone to drop it off. The veteran walked up to the vehicle, wearing a small smile, he noticed something that looked like a note stuck between the windshield wiper blades. Picking it up, it simply read: 'Have a good day!' with a little heart and kiss mark in white. Not wanting to think too much about whether the print was real or just a stamp or decoration on the paper, Kotetsu just climbed into the car and started it up.
Getting to the Apollon building a little over twenty minutes later, another cup of coffee in hand, he sat down at his desk and sighed at the papers sitting there. Well, they weren't going to complete themselves, he thought. "Okay then, papers it is."
About a couple hours into the process, Kotetsu was interrupted when his phone rang. "Hey, Origami, what's up?"
"Hello, Tiger. You sound like you're doing well. I heard Barnaby was home. That's great news." Came the younger hero's voice.
Kotetsu nodded before remembering that he was on the phone and Ivan couldn't see it. "Yeah, it is. I'm planning to pop in on him later. I'll tell him you said hey."
"You don't have to do that, but I appreciate it. Tiger, as you know, I already filed the crime report, but wanted to let you know that I also managed to get my hands on the surveillance footage from yesterday afternoon. If you were interested."
Kotetsu sat forward, spinning his chair away from the desk and the paperwork in front of him. "Yeah? What'd you find?"
"Well," Ivan hesitated, "I was able to locate the area where the incident took place, at the park. No audio, but the video quality is flawless. Lieutenant Greene – he's with the police – and the rest of the electronic detective division are working to identify all of the suspects who fled the scene. They've positively identified five of the minors so far, including Freddie. The guy has a sheet so long it's ridiculous… Anyway, while perusing the footage, I came upon something I was uncertain I should share with you, at least for the time being, but…"
"But what?" The older hero prompted, sensing something was up. "If it's something I should know, tell me."
"I'm not sure that's the term I'd use, but if you insist." Ivan conceded with a heavy sigh. "I'm sending you one of two files now."
Kotetsu's computer signaled an incoming message, and the veteran turned back around. "Open it?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'll stand by. It's not the entire confrontation at Big Tree, just a section I copied. It starts with Barnaby showing up and helping you."
The veteran watched the figures on the video curiously. Like the other hero had said, there was no audio but the image was crystal clear. There was Barnaby, kicking away the teen NEXT's sphere before it exploded, and confronting the delinquents. A tightness in Kotetsu's gut forewarned him of what was to come even as it was upon him. They retreated to the Hermes statue. The blonde and him were then speaking back and forth. Then he saw the change in his partner's posture, the abrupt rigidity, as his gaze locked onto something slightly off camera.
The teen with the gun.
In a millisecond, he watched his friend shove him aside and slam into the statue as the bullet meant for him struck home. The knot in his stomach from yesterday began re-twisting itself within him.
"Tiger?" Ivan inquired after a moment, and Kotetsu snapped back to attention.
"Y-Yeah! Just watched the video." He replied quickly.
"Okay. I was able to work with some of the E-detectives and utilize their equipment – actually, they did it for me on scene after you left with Barnaby. Anyway, they were able to combine that footage with other surveillance cameras that were also positioned in that area to determine the exact trajectory of the bullet when it fired, for purposes of criminal intent as well as forensic evidence for the case. Bison has seen is as well. I'm sending you the second file now."
So Kotetsu was going to get to see his partner get shot twice? Maybe he would save it for the next time he got frustrated with the younger hero. It would prove therapeutic rather than traumatizing in that instance. Kotetsu opened the second file when it came anyway, though it seemed this one was not a video at all but a still frame of two images, side by side, frozen just before Barnaby had reacted to the teen with the gun, and after. "Okay…"
"See the red line that goes through the top and bottom images? That's what their calculations were based on your and Barnaby's movements at the time of the incident. The cops pinpointed the bullet's exact path. In both images, the red line stayed on the exact same course but with two very different outcomes: In the top, its progression passed through Barnaby's right shoulder, matching what had happened at Big Tree." In the bottom image, Barnaby stood to Kotetsu's left, and the red line…
"If Barnaby hadn't spied the gun in time, the computer generated imaging estimated that the bullet would have…it would have killed you, Tiger." Ivan finished nervously.
Though the matter was resolved, the outcome far from fatal, the new knowledge made the veteran sweat a little. Antonio had yelled at him for thinking so, and yet that was how events would have unfolded.
He would have been dead.
Kaede, his daughter… He would have left her instantly. While she had her grandmother and uncle, her mother, Tomoe, was already gone. If not for Barnaby, Kotetsu would be dead as well, and his little girl…
"…Tiger?" Ivan prompted again, gently.
"I uh…Just studying the pictures…" He replied with forced cheerfulness, hastily swiping at his eyes, not that the other hero could see. The back of his hand came away damp and he cleared his throat. "Its just, uh…technology's really something these days huh?"
"…Yes," Ivan replied, choosing not to comment on the elephant in the room. "I only showed you because Lieutenant Greene thought it would be more expedient for me to contact you since he couldn't get a hold of you. He wants to charge the minor suspects for reckless endangerment, destruction of public property, disturbing the peace, the smuggling and possession of an illegal unregistered firearm, and a whole gamut of other charges. But he's really pushing to get them for two counts of assault and two counts of attempted murder of public servant, especially for the NEXT the two of you fought, along with the one who actually fired the gun. The Lieutenant insisted I show this to you despite the chilling graphics, because he intends to press charges with or without your cooperation, but he felt that if you knew, the conviction might stick a little harder in court." There was a brief pause as the younger hero heaved out a breath from the long winded explanation.
"Tiger, if I may speak frankly… If it wasn't for Barnaby's quick thinking, we wouldn't be having this conversation now, and that's a scary thought. Rose and Bison accidentally saw the footage and was pretty shaken up, and Fire Emblem got so pale I could see through his makeup." Ivan paused again. "But we are having this conversation now, and that's all that matters, along with Barnaby making a full recovery. Is there anything you would like me to tell Lieutenant Greene? He seems to think I'll relay any messages he gives me."
The older hero really didn't know how to reply at first, as his mind was still processing all of the information. On the one hand, the delinquent teens had broken a great many laws yesterday, and should be punished for it. But on the other hand, if they were charged with all of those counts, it would ruin their lives for sure. Lives they had barely started.
"I…don't know, honestly. Do I get to think about it?" After all, the other teens still needed to be found. The search should give him the time he would need to come to a proper, thought out decision.
"I told him you might say something like that." Ivan replied, a trace of a smile in his voice. "As to whether or not you decide to press charges, all the suspects are all going to do time in a juvenile detention center. However long each of them will spend their time there will vary. But since you requested more time, I'll get back to you in a week. The Lieutenant won't be very happy but he never said I had to deliver your answer in person. Just don't think about it too hard, Tiger."
Kotetsu chuckled slightly. "Heh, you know me that well huh? I'll try. Thanks. Who's going to take the case? Do you know?"
"In court?" Ivan asked. "Well, I believe I heard Judge Petrov's name mentioned at least once. Why?"
"No reason, just curious. Anyway, I'll let you know when I make up my mind."
"Alright. Um, take it easy today, Tiger." Ivan offered, and Kotetsu smiled appreciatively despite the fact that his ally couldn't see it.
"Yeah, I will. Thanks."
After hanging up, Kotetsu admittedly had a bit of a hard time getting back to the mundane paperwork. The new information was distracting him as he leaned back in his seat with a sigh. Tipping his head back and looking at the ceiling, the veteran had a feeling that Lieutenant Greene wouldn't end up liking his choice in the end. But perhaps if he got a chance to talk to the other man, they could come to some understanding. Surely Greene wouldn't be so heartless as to damn such young civilians to such a cruel fate.
In that moment however, his phone rang again, startling him out of his thoughts once more. Did Origami forget something? Or had Greene somehow weaseled his personal number from an Apollon employee? He glanced down at the device warily but, seeing the picture of his partner – or rather, a bunny – on the display, the hero smiled and answered, leaning back in his seat as he felt his mood lighten. "Hey Bunny! I heard you got to go home today! So how's your day going with that shoulder? You bored, or did you just miss me that much?"
"I want ice-cream."
"…Huh?"