YOU ON MY MIND / Day and Night Two

"Sam, time to get up," Angel gently shook her at the shoulder. She was instantly awake. "Angel? What time is it?" She rubbed her face to make herself feel more alert.

"It's eight thirty."

She gazed at her best friend, taking a beat to comprehend the words. "What?"

"I thought some sleep would do you good," Angel explained with a worried look on her face.

Sam started to move aside the blankets and sighed. "I wish you hadn't done that. I was gonna see Bailey before going to work and..."

"Relax, I already called George and said you'd come in later," the artist alleviated Sam's worries. "I'll take Chlo to school. Come on, she has something to show you before you jump in the shower."

Sam trudged after Angel to the living room, where her daughter was tying her shoelaces on the sofa. When Chloe noticed her mom, she stood up and grabbed a piece of paper from the table which she then gave to Sam. "I made it for Uncle Bailey."

Chloe had drawn a Get Well Soon card, complete with a greeting and a drawing of Bailey laying on a bed. Sam was touched at her daughter's considerate gesture. "Thank you, sweetheart. I'm sure he'll love it," she uttered and kissed Chloe's temple.

"Can I come with you and give it to him?" The adults exchanged glances. Seeing Bailey in his current fragile condition would certainly serve to frighten the little girl.

"You know what, Uncle Bailey's awfully sleepy right now. Why don't I take you there in a couple of days? He'll stay awake longer by then. In the mean time, he'll have this to look at," Sam replied, choosing her words carefully. She felt relieved when Chloe accepted this course of action with a nod.

Sam walked up to the little desk in front of the double doors beyond which Bailey was recuperating. She gave her name and stated her business, and was told that the doctor would come along shortly to apprise her of Bailey's progress. She thanked the nurse and pushed through the doors. Visiting hours wouldn't start for many more hours, but being a federal agent, she was allowed to visit Bailey any time of the day, an implicit contract between two branches of public servitude which dealt with the ugly side of humanity day in, day out.

She looked at him intently, searching for any signs of a speedy recovery. To her worry, she found none. He still looked ashen and weak. Trying to shake off her feelings of dread, she rummaged through her bag for the drawing and some tape. Having found them, she leaned in to whisper in his ear: "Morning, Bail. Chloe sent this for you."

She taped the drawing to the table, then gave her friend another look. She stroked his head gently, idly wondering at the lack of stubble on his cheeks and jaw. Movement beyond the doors caught her eye, and she looked over and saw John. "See you later, Malone," she said quietly and walked out to greet John.

Sam sidled in through the doors. The room was dark, only illuminated by the light seeping in through the windows of the doors. She stopped at the foot of the bed, allowing her eyes to get used to the darkness. Then, she looked around, in search of the chair to sit on for a while. She spotted it in the far-off corner, and she moved it to his bedside quietly.

She settled down and took a deep breath. The night nurse had informed her that the care team were optimistic about a speedy recovery, now that the leak had been fixed and his condition was stable. The team had woken him up for a few minutes to gauge his mental faculties; his brain had been without oxygen for approximately twenty minutes. He'd been able to answer the few questions satisfactorily, and soon thereafter, sleep had been induced, for the last time. From now on, he'd be sleeping on his own schedule.

She stretched her back and hands, trying to find a more comfortable position. She knew she couldn't stay long. It was already past midnight, and she had to make it home soon if she wanted to arrive there safely. She felt tired and she knew she'd fall asleep quickly, but she was sure to have nightmares about Jack, and her slumber wouldn't be restful.

She emerged from her musings when Bailey moved his right hand on the bed. Sam leant in closer to have a better view of his face, and at her movement, his half-open eyes widened a bit. He blinked, struggling to see more clearly. "Sam?" he croaked out.

She smiled and grabbed his hand. "Hey, you." She squeezed his hand.

"Hi, Sam," he managed to rasp before he started coughing, to clear his throat. She let go of his hand and poured a little water into a glass from a vase on the table. She raised the glass to his lips and tilted it to give him a little sip. "Better?" He swallowed and nodded. "Do you need anything?"

A gleam entered his eyes. "Could use a cigar," he mumbled.

Warmth spread all over her. Her friend was still with her, in all his charming glory. Coop had been right; he hadn't been slowed down at all. "No dice, Malone," she smirked and was rewarded with a small smile from him.

She placed the glass back on the table. "Go back to sleep," she whispered to him. "I'll see you in the morning," she added and looked on as his eyes drifted shut again. She stayed with him until his breathing had evened out.