AN: I'd love some feedback.
i left this where I did for purely dramatic purposes.
Chapter 8
"I should probably go and check on Jeannie," Roger mused, eyes on Tony's still frame.
Dr. Bellows nodded. He needed to go check his messages and he was expecting Amanda's arrival at any moment.
"What terrible timing all of this is," Dr. Bellows started through a sigh.
NASA would bare full responsibility for the accident, and its aftermath. They would support Major Nelson and Major Healey in whatever way was needed.
And if needed, they would do help raise the child.
He had to believe that wouldn't be necessary, though it wasn't looking promising.
Roger opened his mouth to reply, when he caught sight of slight movement over Dr. Bellows shoulder.
"Major Healey?" Dr. Bellows started, watching confused as Roger moved toward the bed.
"Tony," Roger breathed, forgetting Dr. Bellows presence in the room.
Forgetting everything except the fact that his best friend was waking up after the worst five hours of their lives.
He stopped at the side of the bed, watching closely as Tony's eyes fluttered. "Sir, he's waking up."
Dr. Bellows hurried to his side.
Tony was opening his eyes just as Dr. Bellows approached.
Tony blinked, face twisted as he struggled to reconcile what was happening.
Was he still in his other life? Still in a world where Jeannie didn't exist?
Should he just close his eyes and try again to get back to her?
"Tony?" Roger said softly, a small smile tilting his lips.
His eyes opened quickly and he looked up at his best friend, and then at Dr. Bellows. "Jeannie? Where's Jeannie?"
"Easy, Major Nelson. You've been in an accident and suffered a head injury, which you are just regaining consciousness from."
He nodded slowly, but didn't care about of that. He didn't care about anything other than Jeannie. "Rog…Jeannie, where is she?"
"Stay calm and don't move to much," Roger reminded him. "Jeannie's fine. She just…" He caught the words before they came up his throat.
This wasn't his news to share.
Roger smiled at him, "She's fine. She'll be right back."
Tony nodded, a hard breath escaping from his lungs.
Wherever he had ended up. Whatever life he'd been thrust into, it was over and he was back.
He was home.
"I'll go find her. Get your doctor," Dr. Bellows added, his voice filled with relief. "Stay as still as possible and please take it easy until we come back."
Dr. Bellows left quickly, and Roger pulled up a chair. "We've been so worried."
He nodded, headed tilted toward Roger. "What's going on, Rog?" He motioned to Roger's sling. "What happened?"
"There was an explosion right at the end of our simulation, and we weren't wearing our safety belts. We went flying into the sides of the capsule. I dislocated my shoulder. You hit your head."
Tony nodded, mind racing back.
The capsule. The explosion.
Their conversation about Jeannie.
Tony's eyes went wide and he looked nervously at Roger. "What did Haji say? She's alright, isn't she?"
Alright? That probably wasn't the right word. She was currently quite miserable.
Quite pregnant.
"Oh," Roger smiled, "She's fine. She'll be here in a minute. She's going to be so happy to see you."
Five minutes ago he'd convinced himself that Tony wasn't going to wake up. That he was going to have to find a way to he a better, stronger man than he had ever been.
Now Tony was awake, and he could take over. Be the husband and father he had always planned to be.
He could fade off into the back, and be fun Uncle Roger.
Uncle Roger.
They both heard the door being thrown open before they saw anyone emerge.
Roger watched Tony's face as Jeannie appeared in the doorway.
The confusion. The fear. The unease washed away instantly.
His eyes went wide and the brightest smile he had ever seen, spread across his best friends face.
"Anthony," Jeannie cried already halfway in the room.
Tony's doctor and Dr. Bellows followed behind her at a distance, intent to allow them time together.
TBC