Chapter 25:
Sighing, "For the last time Ripcord...I'm fine!" Isabella informed as she sat crossed legged on the couch in the Bunker with her hands resting in her lap while Ripcord sitting beside her, lightly dabbed at the bleeding cut on her head with a wet rag, mumbling under his breath about arranging for an 'all-over physical' for her...with cat scans?
"Ok, now that is completely unnecessary." she stated as her arms came up and folded themselves comfortably across her chest, "...Don't you think that's just a tiny bit extreme?"
Ripcord's brows furrowed together softly, a tiny frown of concentration pulling at his lips as he examined the gash on Isabella's right temple, "You got an head injury, Bella..." he answered, "...you might have a concussion."
Pulling the damp, bloodied rag away, Ripcord then bent over and pick a dark bottle off the ground by his feet. He popped the cap open with his thumb before he tilted the bottle up and let some of its contents wet one corner of the piece of cloth.
"Now you maaaayyy feel a tiny sting with this..." he confessed as he leaned back in towards the cut with his rag.
Isabella rolled her eyes, "Can't be any worse than when I had received it..." she grumbled back with a soft snort. "What is it, by the way?"
"...Hydrogen Peroxide..." he answered.
"Mmmm...great...Hydrogen Per..."Isabella stared to repeat but stopped when she just realized what that substance was, "Oh shit, Ripco..."
Before she could finish, the chemically moist rag made contact with her open wound. At first, all she did feel was a sting, but in seconds, that feeling progressed to a malicious burn.
She couldn't stop herself when her eyes closed shut, her head dropped back and she shouted up to the high ceiling above in pain.
"Mother of fucking Cheesecake!" Isabella exclaimed through gritted teeth, the words coming out as a hiss than anything else. "That hurts!"
Ripcord's jaw dropped open slightly at her colorful declaration, "...Well...I warned you it was gonna sting..." he replied carefully, gently shifting the rag slightly to cover a different spot.
"OWWW! This is not stinging, its..." Isabella paused when Ripcord moved the rag again, " Ooooh!" her face scrunched softly as another fiery wave of pain washed over her head.
That finally did her in.
Isabella's eyes narrowed before she fixed a harsh glare at Ripcord, "That's it..." she replied, "Give me that rag!"
Before Ripcord could prepare himself, Isabella lunged; throwing her weight directly at his center while her hands impatiently sought to take that blasted piece of cloth away.
"Wait...Bella..." Ripcord replied as he found himself trying to hold off a rather aggressive young woman next to him who had just managed to get her hands on a corner of the rag.
"No!" she replied firmly while she tugged, and tugged hard.
The two were relentless. Pulling this way, jerking that way; it was no surprise that eventually the rag split itself right down the middle.
And when that happened, Isabella and Ripcord who had both been in mid-tug, found themselves tumbling right off the couch in opposite directions with neither one of them being aware of the small audience watching from the doorway.
For Ripcord, he ended up doing a half, backwards summersault before he rolled right off the side.
Isabella, who had been sitting with her lower spine touching the arm of the couch, just fell back and over with the back of her right knee hooking around it, even when she found herself in a daze, lying on the floor.
Both groaned, breaking the brief silence that had fallen upon the room. They weren't in pain, just stunned from what had happened.
"What the hell...are you guys up to?" Came the thick, and distinctively accented voice of Heavy Duty.
Isabella tilted her head back to see the rest of her Joe team, standing in the entrance, looking over at her and Ripcord who was now, finally crawling back to his feet.
"Oh, hey guys..." Ripcord greeted as he stumbled to a standing position. "So...y'all saw that, huh?" he asked, grinning sheepishly.
"Just what exactly was 'that', Ripcord?" Breaker asked as he strolled on in to the room. Duke, Heavy Duty, and Snake Eyes all followed in behind him.
"Bella here, went all demented on my ass. That's what." Ripcord answered as he brushed himself off.
Isabella rolled her eyes and shook her head from where she laid, "Way to point fingers, Rip..." she threw back.
Breaker, at once, walked on over and offered her his hand. Isabella eyed it for a second before sighing.
"Thanks..." she grumbled as she reached up and gave her his hand, unhooking her knee from the couch's arm, so that Breaker could help her to her feet.
When she stood standing again, Breaker affectionately clapped her lightly on the shoulders. "Don't mention it." he replied with a grin.
"Eh-yo!" Ripcord announced bringing both hands up in the air, palms up, " A word of advice...never use Hydrogen Peroxide on this girl." he informed, "...she loses it when you do." he added in a lowered tone.
Again, Isabella rolled her eyes but chose to remain silent.
"Hydrogen Peroxide?" Breaker repeated.
"Yeah for her cut on her head." Ripcord answered, "...I just put a small dab on her and BAM!" he exclaimed dramatically, "...she jumped at me like a ninja..."
Realizing what he had just said, Ripcord turned swiftly to face Snake Eyes who was standing less than eight feet away with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Oh shit...no offense to you, of course!" he swiftly added.
Snake Eyes nodded his black, masked head once; keeping his head turned at Ripcord, while his eyes flickered over to where Isabella was.
She looked flushed with her eyes were swept down so that if she were to blink, her long lashes would lightly graze the tops of her cheeks. The young woman stood with a soft pop in her left leg while her shoulders were slightly hunched over.
"She needs rest..." he softly noted to himself as he slowly crossed the floor and approached her head on.
Hearing his step, Isabella lifted her eyes back up and saw Snake Eyes in front of her; she arched a smooth eyebrow up in response when she saw his dark head move down to give her a full, once-over.
Then before she could say anything, Snake Eyes reached out and took her gently by the hand, leading her back towards the couch where he then had her take a seat.
"It's alright, Snake Eyes..." she informed him when the Black clad ninja placed his hands upon her shoulders and softly forced her to lean against the back of the couch. "I'm alright." she assured him as she put up some resistance to his touch.
The ninja's dark head tilted to the side; a gesture than meant he did not believe that.
"Hey Bella, girl..." Ripcord suddenly spoke up, diverting her attention from the black suited man before her, "How's your head feel, by the way?"
"What?" Breaker exclaimed in soft surprise; his dark head turning from Ripcord to Isabella; his eyes alight with instant concern, "Is she hurt?" he asked quickly as the Moroccan hustled on over to stand beside Snake Eyes.
Breaker drew in a soft, but noticeable gasp when his eyes landed on the red gash on Isabella's right temple. Though it had finally stopped bleeding, it still appeared to be a nasty injury to the human eye.
"Oh my god..." he breathed out.
"Now Breaker..." Isabella replied, offering him a tiny smile of assurance.
"That's what I said too!" Ripcord joined in; moving around till he stood off to the couch's side, beside the young woman while Snake Eyes and Breaker stood practically shoulder to shoulder in front.
"It looks worse than what it actually is." Isabella informed them. But her words didn't seem to stick with her two friends.
Reaching across, Breaker rested his hand upon her shoulder, "Bella..." he started, "...does your head hurt?" he asked.
"Breaker I'm..."
"...any lightheadedness?"
"Breaker..." Isabella tried again, her voice sounding slightly irritated now.
"Quick!" Breaker suddenly declared while he took his hand off his shoulder to bring it a few inches away from her nose, "...how many fingers am I holding up?"
Isabella frowned, glaring softly down at the four fingers he was waving about in her face.
"You're kidding, right?" she returned in a grumble.
"Hey, that's a good idea!" Ripcord stated approvingly before he held his own hand out in front of Isabella's line of vision.
"How many fingers now, Bella?" he asked.
Her turquoise eyes went from one hand to the other; easily adding the number up but refusing to announce it.
"Unless you want to lose those fingers..." Isabella slowly replied, her eyes flashing her sure warning, "...I suggest you get them out of my face."
At once, both men withdrew their hands.
"Well she certainly sounds alright..." Ripcord murmured, leaning close to Breaker's ear to exchange words.
Did him no good though, Isabella could still hear what was being said.
"Yeah..." Breaker agreed, "...still perhaps we should take her down to the medical wing and get her a cat scan...?"
Hands curling into fists down at her side, Isabella flew to her feet defensively; startling all three men.
"No!" she replied angrily, "No freaking cat scans, no...Hydrogen Peroxide, and if one more person even suggests that I should be taken down to Medical Wing, I'll personally send him down there on a stretcher!"
She paused to take in a swift breath; disregarding the sudden throbbing in her head that had started when her anger took over, "Look, I appreciate your concern. But I don't need that kind of attention. I was a Marine, for God's sake!" she pointed out; blinking a few times when she found her vision starting to become unfocused. "I...I'm a tough girl, who can stand her own...so please, enough with the swamp..."
A wave of dizziness washed over Isabella just then, cutting her sentence off. Reaching a hand up to her throbbing head, the young woman collapsed back down onto the couch with sigh.
"...swamping." she finished, feeling suddenly spent of all energy and strength.
Snake Eyes drew in a sharp yet silent intake of breath. Then before Breaker or Ripcord could get to her, Snake Eyes stepped forward, bending down just enough so that he could scoop Isabella up into his arms.
Her head found the crook of his neck and rested there while Snake Eyes turned about on his heel and set off across the room to take Isabella to her quarters.
"Bella?" Came a worried Breaker.
"Hey, what's wrong with her?" Ripcord asked as both her and his Moroccan friend tailed behind the Black clad ninja.
When they entered Isabella's room, immediately, Snake Eyes carried her over and gently laid her down upon her bed. Her eyes were closed now and she looked to be asleep.
"You see?" Ripcord stated as they approached the bed, "...I knew we should've taken her down to the..." Before Ripcord could finish his sentence to Breaker, Snake Eyes fixed both men with a hard stare.
Though they could not see his eyes visibly because of the visor he wore, they could still feel their intensity and that instantly shut them up.
"Then again...maybe not?" Ripcord suggested quietly while shifting nervously on his feet.
Snake Eyes shook his head softly before he began advancing on the two men; placing one hand upon a shoulder belonging to each man before the ninja swiftly ushered them out of the room.
Of course, they left with lots of verbal protesting; however neither Ripcord nor Breaker dared to stand up against Snake Eyes physically.
That'd be suicide.
When both Breaker and Ripcord had been steered out of Isabella's quarters, Snake Eyes quickly signed something over to his Moroccan comrade before he turned back inside and closed the door shut; leaving the two men gaping in the hallway.
"Damn..." Ripcord exclaimed, "...what was that all about?" he asked; puzzled by the ninja's actions.
Raising a hand up to adjust his glasses, Breaker blinked silently at the closed door in front of him as Snake Eyes' hand signs processed before he turned to Ripcord and surprised him by the tiny smile pulling at his mouth.
"He said 'He'll take care of her.'" Breaker informed; his smile widening.
Ripcord glanced around, lost by Breaker's happy expression, "...what's so funny?" he asked.
Breaker shook his head before he turned away and started back down the hallway with Ripcord following his step.
"Nothing's funny..." he answered, "...It's just so cute!"
Again, Ripcord glanced around, still confused. "Huh?"
Breaker chuckled before he reached a hand out and lightly clapped Ripcord across the back, "I kinda always knew that there was something going on between them."
"Something going on between who?" Ripcord asked; and then it hit him. "Ohhh..." he replied as he glanced back over his shoulder; back at a certain closed door where a young woman and a Black ninja are there together in a room.
...Alone...
Taking a knee down beside the bed, Snake Eyes silently observed the beautiful young woman lying down upon it. Her eyes were still closed, her face looked a bit too rosy for his comfort.
Reaching a gloved hand out, Snake Eyes tenderly placed it down upon Isabella's forehead.
"Hmm...just as I thought..." he spoke inside his mind as he felt her heat through his glove. "She's feverish..."
Her body has overexerted itself.
Pulling his hand back, Snake Eyes rose up from the floor and quickly made his way into Isabella's bathroom. Grabbing a clean washcloth, he ran it under some cool faucet water; then after opening up some cupboards, he found a small bottle of NyQuil which he also took before he turned and carried the damp rag and medicine back over to the bed.
Snake Eyes set the bottle of NyQuil down on the small nightstand beside the bed so he could neatly fold the damp cloth and drape it across Isabella's warm forehead.
She stirred at the contact; her eyes fluttering open in confusion before her head turned to see Snake Eyes standing above her.
"Snake?" she spoke; her voice sounding stronger than she felt. "...the heck?"
The ninja smiled behind his mask before he raised a finger up to his lips in a gesture that told her not to speak. He then turned around and went back into the bathroom for a few moments more.
Isabella heard the sink come on briefly before shutting off; and then Snake Eyes immerged, bringing with him a small glass of water.
Taking a knee once again beside the bed, the Black clad ninja held the glass out for Isabella to take.
She eyed it wearily for a second or so before she shifted softly and tried sitting up. She was able to prop herself up on her elbows before she felt Snake Eyes' free arm slide behind her lower back for extra support. The gesture was very thoughtful and she couldn't help but stare over into his masked face in wonder.
"Thank you." she murmured softly as she reached out to take the glass and bring it up to her lips.
She sipped the water slowly, in small amounts too while Snake Eyes busied himself with measuring out a dose of NyQuil.
When the Black ninja held out the small plastic cup filled with dark green liquid for her to take as well, Isabella crinkled her nose and softly shook her head.
"I'll pass..." she stated, "...that stuff tastes disgusting."
Though Snake Eyes had to agree, he still pushed for her to take the medicine by raising it up to her mouth.
She stubbornly turned her head away, "I don't need that." Isabella insisted firmly; secretly wishing that she felt as steady as her voice sounded. But truth was her head throbbed and her skin felt uncomfortably warm.
Snake Eyes sighed and shook his dark head slowly.
The black ninja shifted slightly, drawing his arm away from around the young woman's lower back only to bring his hand up and gently cup Isabella's chin to turn it back towards him.
Her heart leaped in her chest when she found herself staring back into Snake Eyes masked face; though she couldn't see his eyes, she felt their intensity and knew his resolve. Isabella's eyes flickered down to the cup of medicine he was still holding, a tiny frown tugging at her lips,
"You're not gonna budge on this, huh?" she asked him, her eyes coming back up to gaze into visor.
His mouth lifted in a tiny smile before he shook his head.
Isabella sighed, shaking her head in defeat before she brought a hand up from her side to grasp the tiny, plastic cup of dark green liquid that Snake Eyes held.
"You're impossible, Ninja-boy." she declared as she raised the cup to her lips, dropped her head back and took the full dose of medicine in one swig.
A nauseating shudder shook her body as the bittersweet, thick syrupy liquid ran down her throat. Her nose crinkled with repulse and she shook her head distastefully while she swiftly reached for the glass of water and washed the medicine down.
"Ugh..." she groaned as she drained the glass before she settled back against the pillows. "I hate that stuff..."
Snake Eyes nodded once in satisfaction, taking both cups away from Isabella to set them back down on the nightstand .
She watched him with puzzlement as the Ninja then reached for the small drawer on the stand, pulling it open before taking out a tiny pad of paper and pen.
He took a few seconds to scribble down some words which he then turned for Isabella to read.
"You should rest now."
Isabella frowned softly, her eyes rereading the message. "Not you too, Snake..." she grumbled, "...why is everyone babying me?" she proclaimed irritably as she let her head drop back to pillows behind her with a huffed sigh.
Once again, the notepad was in front of her face,
"Isabella...please, rest. You need to regroup your strength."
"What do I look like? A frail flower?"
Snake Eyes paused for a silent moment and then, he wrote down a final word.
"...Please?"
Isabella brought her eyes back up to his masked face, ready to pick a fight with the black ninja, but the second she found herself staring up into his visor, feeling the beseechingly way he appeared to be staring back, she just couldn't do it.
Sighing, Isabella shook her head softly, "Alright..." she answered, "...I'll take it easy." the young woman promised. "But you must swear that if something comes up, you'll keep me informed!"
Snake Eyes smiled behind his mask.
This woman was always on the job...
Nodding his head once, he reached out and lightly grasped Isabella's hand with his own before giving it a firm but gentle squeeze. The gesture was almost affectionate and it brought a new kind of heat to Isabella's cheeks.
With those words exchanged, Snake Eyes rose to his feet. Then, he turned on his heel and crossed her room; opening her bedroom door easily before closing it shut behind him.
Isabella stared after him, even after he was long gone.
That man amazed her sometimes; she couldn't deny that.
With the way he was always looking out for her, focusing on her almost every move no matter what she was doing...
...if one didn't know any better, Isabella just might think that he had something for her.
The young woman laughed softly at the thought, her face flushing even more with quiet embarrassment before she settled back on the bed comfortably, closing her eyes, "Yeah right..."
There was no way Snake Eyes could be interested in her...
...could he?
"Snake Eyes..." she breathed out softly; secretly enjoying the way his name seemed to come so naturally to her now.
But before she could ponder the thought anymore, the drowsiness of the medicine started kicking in. Unable to fight off the growing cry for rest, Isabella succumbed to her body's need and was soon fast asleep.
