Redemption

Chapter Seventy-Three

The flawless diamond sparkled beautifully in the fluorescent lights of the emergency room's waiting area, though the tears in Bobby's eyes made it look twice as beautiful to him. The white-gold metal of the band had been cool to the touch when he'd been given Danni's belongings, but now it was warm from him clinging to the one thing that proclaimed his love for her to the rest of the world. Only an hour ago, the ring had been on her finger when he'd pulled her into a bone-crushing hug—once they thought all of the danger had been taken care of—and telling her how much he loved her. Now, he held it as she lay upon the operating table, her life hanging in the balance.

Jack had been removed from surgery about thirty minutes ago—Sue and Levi going to his bedside—waiting for him to wake, leaving he, Myles, Tara, and D to wait impatiently for a diagnosis of Danni's injuries. If it hadn't been for Jack, she might have died right in his arms.

The gunshot had surprised them all and Jack, being the closest to Danni—the intended target—had enough sense to try to shield her body. Bobby stood in awe when he saw both his best friend and his fiancée go down as they were hit by the same bullet.

Dessa had somehow managed to wrestle a gun from one of his arresting agents—a gun that held armor-piercing bullets—and took both Danni and Jack down with one, single shot. None of them could even be sure that if Jack had been wearing a vest that one of them could have been saved from the act of violence. It depended on how on-target the shot was.

Bobby couldn't remember taking any action to apprehend the terrorist after he watched Danni fall. His entire body had frozen to the spot as he watched his future crumble before his eyes, leaving the others around him to scramble to subdue the prisoner. One more shot had gone off from Dessa's gun, though hitting nothing before a loud, echoing shot from Myles's gun silence the building.

Arif Dessa had been pronounced dead when the paramedics had arrived on scene.

A supportive hand found Bobby's shoulder, flinging him from his reverie and causing him to look at the expressions on his friends' faces. They each held a similar expression as they tried not to stare at him, though doing so through the corners of their eyes—pity. He didn't need pity from his friends; they all cared about Danni too and them looking at him as if he was about to break down at any second didn't help at all.

He'd been by her side as the medics were notified and saw how much blood she'd lost. He'd tried to put pressure on her abdomen and her wound, staining his hand crimson. There were still little, dried, red patches on his skin that he hadn't been able to scrub away. They continued to flake off as he nervously rubbed his hands together.

His gaze traveled to Myles's sorrowful eyes as he felt the Bostonian standing above him and placing a comforting hand upon the Aussie's shoulder. He hadn't noticed the other man had been speaking to him, his ears letting every sound mesh together until he heard everything and nothing. "What was that, mate?" he asked when his brain finally registered that something was going on.

"Jack's awake," said Myles softly as Lucy stood close to his side. Where she had come from, the Bobby wasn't sure. Perhaps she'd joined them when he tried to figure out what went wrong. Bobby could see the conflict in Myles's eyes as he wondered if he should stay with the Aussie or go see their team leader. The question was who needed the support more; there was no easy answer to that question. "The doctor said we go see him if you'd like." It would do him good to take his mind off of Danni, though the Harvard-grad knew that was impossible. He knew that if he was in Bobby's position, he probably wouldn't budge either.

Bobby shook his head, "Nah. I think I'll just wait for the doctor." It wasn't as if he didn't want to see Jack; he did. After all, Sparky was his best friend and Danni's hero, but his body continued to protest and forced him to wait until she was out of surgery.

"Are you sure?" Tara asked, softly, her own gentle hand resting upon his arm. He merely nodded as an answer. She gave a short sigh and leaned down, placing a gentle kiss upon his forehead. "She'll be okay, Bobby." She spoke confidently as she stood to her full height, her arms crossing over her chest, though Bobby could swear that he saw her give an involuntary shiver.

"Thanks, Sheila," he whispered as D gave him a pat on the back like he was dittoing Tara's response. He wished he had something supportive to say, but the words wouldn't come to him and he was sure Bobby knew how he felt. He hadn't exactly been trustworthy of Danni since her snitch had flaked on her, though she'd redeemed herself. It was at that moment that he realized that he'd never apologized and would rectify that at the first chance he got.

"Do you want some company?" Lucy asked, offering her should to cry on.

He was about to shake his head in protest, but Sue's soft voice penetrated the silence, stopping his mouth from even uttering the words that had been on his lips. "I'll stay with him." She let her grip on Levi's leash slacken and let the golden do what he did best when someone was in distress. She watched as Bobby welcomed Levi's comfort as he rested his head upon the human's knee, sighing softly. The Aussie raised his hand to the dog's head, stroking his soft fur for comfort and thanks.

She spared a glance at the others and motioned for them to go. She would keep Bobby company and besides, she'd already had her time with Jack—her lips doing most of the talking—and now it was time for the others to have their turn. She smiled at Myles and Lucy as they passed by her, their hands intertwined. In a way, they were revealing the relationship that she and Jack had discovered a few days ago to the rest of the team, yet they weren't flaunting the fact. Apparently, they were taking it slower, this time, giving Myles the chance to prove to her that he had change. They would probably get teased greatly when all of this was over, but for now, they could have their moment.

Exhaling slowly, she tentatively lowered herself into the chair beside Bobby, giving Levi's back a scratch of her own, before linking her hand with his with a gentle squeeze. She was surprised by his firm grip as he squeezed her hand, trying to give the much-needed comfort to them both. She wanted to tell him what he wanted to hear—that Danni would be all right—but she wasn't as confident as Tara when it came to drawing such a conclusion. She wanted the same thing he did; they wanted reassurance that Danni would still be with them by the time morning came.

Feeling Bobby stiffen beside her and watching his free hand rise to his face to silence the sobs that were threatening to escape was what pulled her from her thoughts and forced her to focus on him. She could see the tears freely from his eyes and immediately, her arms were around him, gently rocking him back and forth in their seats. Her own tears stung the back of her eyes as she fought to stay in control of her own emotions. One of them had to remain strong and Bobby had definitely earned the right to fall to pieces.

"I don't want to lose her," she saw his mouth form the words before his face became buried by both of his hands, his shoulders rapidly shaking when he could no longer hold the pain inside.

"You are not going to lost her," she spoke confidently, though she wasn't sure where such self-assurance had come from. A few moments ago, she wasn't sure if she could be as confident as Tara, then it hit her. No matter what happened on that operating table, Danni would always be with him because of the love and memories they share. Nothing would ever be able to replace those.

"How do you know?" he asked, raiding his tear-stained face up to her level, barely able to keep another sob from escaping him when he witnessed the sorrow she hadn't been able to hide from her eyes. The question wasn't filled with an accusing tone—his eyes proved that—he truly wanted to know how she could be so sure.

She gently reached up and placed her hand upon his cheek, wiping the trickles of moisture that ruined his boyish good-looks. If he kept this up, she mused, he would get wrinkles. She placed a soft kiss upon his forehead before looking him in the eye, giving them both comfort and a bit of reassurance. Deep down they wanted the same thing and would do almost anything to have it, but there was only one person who could give them what they asked for. Sue hoped that He was listening. "Because, I know Danni," she stated simply. "She's always been a fighter and I know she'll pull through if we just have faith."

Bobby stifled the snort that was threatening to escape. He didn't have very much faith, right now, though Sue always had enough to spare in time like these. He could only smile at her, taking her hand from his cheek and wrapping it in his own.

"Robert Manning?" a voice asked, causing Bobby to look away from Sue, her gaze following until both rested upon the surgeon that stood before them. The man's face looked tired, beads of sweat still slinging to his forehead, a few lone ones trickling down his temples.

As soon as Bobby took in the sight of the doctor, he stood up, his legs feeling like jelly, yet he forced them to cooperate and keep him from falling over. "That's me," she said simply as he tried to decipher what was written on the man's face. He couldn't tell if the wariness he saw was due to exhaustion or from losing a patient. Bobby greatly hoped and prayed that it was the former.

"I'm Dr. James Speller; Miss Talbot's surgeon." The man nodded to the distraught agent and held out his hand to shake. He was surprised at the angered grip that met his and that told him that delaying his prognosis was not in his best interest. He could see the worry lines forming on what would normally be a young, upbeat face and that told him that this could either become a tragedy or a miracle to the young man.

"Is Danni all right? Can I see her?" The questions came out rushed and anxious, though Bobby knew it wouldn't be possible for him to see her just yet. Although, the slightest glimpse of her would raises his spirits greatly and keep the ache in his heart from growing even more than it already had.

"The surgical team is still finishing up and you'll be informed when you can see her." Dr. Speller spared a glance at Sue as she continued sitting in her chair—her legs refusing to let her stand; both her boyfriend and her cousin getting shot in the same day certainly took a toll on one's nerve—but watched both men intently. He bid a kind nod in her direction before focusing on Bobby. By the way he asked of her condition, he was either the husband or the boyfriend. Of course, he'd seen the diamond on her finger when she was brought upon his table, so he was probably more than just a boyfriend. The woman, on the other hand, was a mystery to him. She seemed as worried about his patient as the Aussie had been, yet her relationship with Miss Talbot couldn't be determined by first glances, although, there was a strange resemblance in the bone-structure of their faces. A sister, maybe?

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, turning his attention back to Bobby. "You are Miss Talbot's… fiancée, am I right?" He was reaching, he knew, but it was all he could do to get the information he needed. He watched Bobby nod and did the same. Usually, only the family would be addressed, yet the Aussie seemed to be the closest family on the premises. He looked to Sue for a second, raising his eyebrows in question.

"I'm Sue Thomas; Danni's cousin," she answered the unasked question, urging the doctor to continue. Waiting for Jack had been hard enough, but this was taking a toll on her.

Dr. Speller nodded again, clearing his throat before continuing. "Then, I must tell you both that recovery will be difficult for Danni in the coming weeks and possibly months. The bullet pierced her abdomen, cutting through many layers of tissue. Fortunately, it passed by any vital organs when it impacted." He watched as the tall Aussie sighed heavily in relief, his face paling by many shades only seconds ago. He understood that the man's hopes would be high when it came to her recovery, but his words of reassurance seemed to relax him greatly. "We were able to remove the bullet and mend her up as best as we possibly could," he paused as he took in a deep breath and prepared himself for the ruin of the fiancée's euphoria. There was still a long way to go and one day could mean happiness or a deep depression. "Now, the next twenty-four hours are critical due to her abundant blood-loss. We are doing everything we can to remedy that and if she does wake up in the next day or so, she will be very lethargic and might not even recognize any of you."

"What if the infusions don't work?" Sue asked, voicing the question that had been on both hers and Bobby's minds. Her body could always reject the new blood or the tissue could be too damaged to repair itself; what if that were to happen?

The gray-haired doctor took a moment to ponder that question, trying to think of the best possible answer, but there was only one and one way to deliver it. "Then, I'm afraid we might lose her." That statement was always difficult to deliver to family members, but as he looked upon the faces of the Sue and Bobby, he concluded that telling these two the dangers seemed especially difficult. He'd seen to many families in similar situations, yet as he looked at the stunning blonde and the tall Aussie, he could see how loved his patient was and saw that they still had much more love to give to her. He was suddenly reminded of why he became a doctor in the first place and it was because of people like them.

"When can we see her?" Bobby asked, his voice crackling slightly at the thought of losing the woman he loved. He tried not to believe it, but he knew it was a possibility and he wanted to see her one more time if it came to that.

"Uh, she will be moved to ICU for overnight observation. After that, I'll let you know." He shook Bobby's hand again and nodded to Sue and Levi before turning and leaving them along to think about his news.

Immediately, Sue looked to Bobby to see his reaction. If he was going to break down again, she wanted to be there for him, but his face remained focused with a stern determination. Gently, she reached up and let her fingers slip into his hand to get his attention. "Bobby?" she asked, tentatively when his eyes turned to gaze at her.

His blue eyes were shadowed as he looked down at her, his heart was still pounding rapidly in his chest, though he couldn't put his finger on the strange feeling he was getting in his chest. That ache that had resided in his heart was still there, but it wasn't as severe as it had been.

Swallowing hard, he saw the silent question she was asking him through her eyes, 'Are you okay?' was the question, but just as she couldn't ask in words, neither could he voice his answer. He simply nodded as he sat back down next to her and pulled her to him in a hug.