With his bones creaking, Kincaid settles down in a plastic chair next to James. The old gamekeeper sighs, looking over James with weary eyes. Sunlight filters in between the light curtains, growing brighter over time.

James's chest rises and falls in a deep, slow pattern, still asleep. One arm peeks out beneath the hospital-issued blanket so the IV wouldn't be torn out if he moved, but only James's eyes move beneath his eyelids every so often.

Reaching forward, Kincaid holds James's hand in his own, pleased that his normal body temperature returned. Scenes of last night replay in the gamekeeper's mind. He remembers, shocked, when he glimpsed James as the medical team whisked him away.

The flat, pale color of James's skin and the mask placed over his mouth and nose all were to white. Remembering the nurses telling him James was in critical condition with a body temperature at 31˚C and still dropping.

And when the nurses asked for James's medical file, they couldn't find it. They searched other hospital data bases with the same result; James Bond didn't exist. The two nurses didn't know what to do. Kincaid offered health information he knew, and they accepted it with grateful looks.

The nurses asked him his relation to the patient when the phone rang. It was an odd conversation, Kincaid noted, just from hearing one side. The nurse listened for some time, and then nodded her head.
"Yes sir, we understand," she had replied, "What should I tell…" She looked to Kincaid with a puzzled expression.

"I'm a family friend," the gamekeeper had offered. She flashed him a smile.

"Alright, I will do so. Ah, here it is!" She exclaimed, glancing at the computer. The nurse ended the conversation and typed on the computer. The printer sitting on the desk began spitting out papers.

"Lucy, give these to the team in Bond's room," she ordered and handed the papers to the younger nurse. She nurse printed another copy for herself and motioned for Kincaid to follow her. Along the way to James, she explained his files have been locked. She gave Kincaid a small smile when he had asked why, and responded with an evasive, "It's not my place to say."

And that is why the old gamekeeper sits next to James, waiting for an explanation. The file reported a long history of alcohol abuse, evidence of childhood trauma-Kincaid agreed with the assessment- and previous visits to hospitals, which was quite the list.

It had said that James had suffered through more than a few broken ribs and broken his wrist twice. It also spoke of deep, knife-inflicted wounds that had required stitches. Kincaid read, surprised that James was shot twice in the chest with almost fatal results.

Who was James Bond? A question Kincaid couldn't answer anymore, and it bothered him.

"-no, I don't know," a feminine voice says with a sigh. The door opens and the gamekeeper lets go of James's hand as if caught doing something he shouldn't. The nurse Kincaid was expecting ends up being a young woman with dark skin wearing tailored pants and a blouse.

She pauses, her hand on the door and her brown eyes flick from Kincaid to James like she knows she is intruding on something personal.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were in here," she apologizes, and inches the door closed. Kincaid smiles at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

"No, it's fine. There's enough room for all of us." Kincaid says, patting the seat next to him. The young woman returns his smile and sits down, crossing her legs.

"My name's Eve," she says, extending a hand. A silver watch flashes on her wrist. The old gamekeeper accepts her firm handshake.

"Kincaid," he responds in kind," are you a friend of James, Miss Eve?" Kincaid wants to know, curious.

"I consider myself as one," Eve says with a small laugh, "and you?"

"A family friend," replies Kincaid, same as he told the nurses. Eve pauses, listening to something on the earpiece that Kincaid just noticed. That explains the talking earlier.

"Q, I'm not talking to you. Be quiet and stop bugging me," she rolls her eyes and winks at the gamekeeper, "I'll talk to you later, bye." Eve slips the earpiece into a pocket.

"Sorry about that, Q's a worrywart but he means well," she explains, noting Kincaid's amused expression. Standing up, Eve touches James's hand for a second before running her eyes over the clipboard stating his current health.

"Patient must remain in the hospital for 48 hours after recovering," quotes Eve, lifting a sheet of paper.

"The nurses are going to have fun trying to keep him in here," she says with a knowing smile, replacing the clipboard and sitting down again.

"What do you mean by that?"

Eve turns to Kincaid, a mischievous glint in her eye, "Have you ever seen Bond here listen to medical advice?" She nods to the sleeping James. Her hand pushes some of her dark brown curls behind her ear.

"I haven't been around him since he was young," Kincaid says, sharper than he had intended to be. But it stung him. This 'Eve' seems to know this James better than him.

The young woman, eyes wide, realizes her tactless blunder and would have tried to mend the situation if James hadn't stirred. Without saying anything, both of them stand next to James's side, waiting.

His breaths becoming normal again, James stirs again. Blue eyes open, and then shut with a soft groan. Only then does he notice the mask on his face. James's right hand comes up to rip it away until Eve strikes, pinning his hand back to the bed.

"Hey! Calm down," she orders when James's eyes fly open, double-oh instincts screaming at him to kick the person away, letting him get enough leverage before-oh wait, that's Eve. James settles back onto the bed, eyes glaring at Eve. The meaning in them is quite clear: YoubetterexplainbeforeIkicky ouoffofthisbed.

"Don't touch anything, 007. I don't know what all of this is doing for you." She soothes him, unable to hide a grin at Bond's death-glare. He attempts to say something in response, but it only comes out muffled and inaudible. Something along the lines of: I don't give a damn, Moneypenny, but if you value your bloody hand, get off! So Bond settles for a growl.

Kincaid watches the interaction. Since when did James react with such violence when touched? Since he's had enemies blow up Skyfall to get to him, another part of him says.

But Eve doesn't look fazed by the double-oh's hostility. She reaches out a hand and flicks the switch that calls for a nurse, careful not to provide Bond with any space to remove the mask.

"Now, stay put until this nurse gets here, alright? She'll tell you if you can take the mask off." She pulls her hand away from Bond's, and waits for him to react. The double-oh doesn't move, but fixes Eve under his unwavering stare.

Less than a minute later, a nurse pokes her auburn head into the room.

"Is everything alright-Oh, Mr. Bond, you're awake! Good morning," she greets in a cheerful tone, stepping into the room. The expression Bond gives the young nurse means anything but. A wry smile pulling the corners of her mouth up, she checks over the mask.

"Well, you don't need this anymore… Just hold still for a few moments…" The nurse detaches the tube running into the mask and pulls the offending object off of Bond's face.

"Do you remember anything from last night?" asks the nurse, taking out the IV and tossing the needle into the biohazard waste basket. Bond freezes, his eyes widening.

"Oh god, M!" He would have been out of the room before anyone could react, if not for the fact that he hadn't eaten for quite some time and the double-oh is still weak from the effects of hypothermia.

All three-visitors and the nurse- leap forward to stop him, but Bond had overestimated his strength. His muscles don't listen, protesting with exhaustion. And he stops, wincing.

"Mr. Bond, you aren't in any condition to be running around!" scolds the nurse as Eve gives him a little push, guiding him back into sitting position. The concern in James's eyes makes Kincaid wonder who 'Em' meant to him.

"Is she alive?" demands the double-oh, his eyes flicking from the nurse to Eve to Kincaid.

"Was this the older woman who was brought ahead of you?" The nurse inquires, keeping watch on him. She emits a calm aura in an effort to calm her agitated patient down again.

"Yes. Is M alright? Where is she?" Bond again tries and fails to get up. The nurse realizes that more harm than good would come from keeping information from him. Bond's blood runs cold, catching sight of the nurse's sympathetic expression. No…

"She had an embolic stroke last night after the doctors performed an operation to stop the bleeding. Her blood didn't clot right… and she's in a coma. I'm sorry, Mr. Bond."


And scene! Bwahaha! Told you M's alive! For now...

Oh, you guys are spoiled rotten! One chapter after another? And Eve Moneypenny has made her appearance!

So I have a migraine and got to stay home all day. I shouldn't be looking at electronics, but I was bored. And I love you guys ;D

RebaForever15: Love you too! ;D Nope, I am a 00Q fan, all the way! I see M as a mother-figure to lovely Bond. Well, sometimes like a bickering, old married couple, but no ship. I just can't see it for some reason. ):

Prosper-the-XVIII: Thanks! I look up my stuff on the internet. One place called 'Mayo Clinic'. It's very helpful, just browse the internet, too ;D. James has hypothermia from jumping into that lake. Don't worry; I am only two years older than you!

LilyLunaPotter142: We'll have to see, won't we? * evil cackle*

To anonymous Guest: Thank you!