Hey guys, I hope you had a good week! Just a warning, there will be another F-bomb in this chapter and the next few chapters will be quite medical, with detailed descriptions of medical diseases and treatments. I've italicized the medical parts, so you can skip them if you'd prefer. Read on to find out if Jamie will be okay…

Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much for the love and to everyone who reviewed!

Guest: Happy belated birthday, I hope that chapter made for a decent birthday present! And yeah, it was quite the adventure, especially with me being evil and putting Jamie on the brink of death :P

Tessa Jane: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter and thought the diner scene was done well! Read on to find out if Jamie will be alright…

alilcutea: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! Admittedly, I enjoy weaving my medical knowledge into my writing :P But I'm glad you're enjoying the medical content because these next few chapters will be quite medical!

Guest: Thank you, I'm glad you've been enjoying the story so far and my interpretation of Alexei's character! I try my best to pay attention to the little details, especially since there will be quite a few Easter eggs (of little details from Falling for You and On the Run) popping up throughout Unlocking the Key…

Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.

The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally Take the Key and Lock Her Up but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone driving while using your phone.

Additionally, the medical recommendations made in this chapter are based off my own medical knowledge and clinical experiences and may differ from clinical practice guidelines in other parts of the world. They are also evidence-based to my knowledge but may not reflect the latest updates to evidence-based medical practices. Please consult your local medical association for the most up-to-date, evidence-based medical practices in your jurisdiction.

Content warning: moderate
This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains moderate language, near-death descriptions, and detailed descriptions of medical pathophysiology, investigations, and treatments. Please read at your own discretion.

Chapter Four: Hospitality

Dominic immediately sprung into action, grabbing his bag of medical supplies from the trunk. He pulled out a bag of IV fluids, connecting the tubing together before tossing it at me.

"Hang it up," Dominic ordered, as he grabbed the IV supplies. I diligently hung the bag on the hook just above the backseat window.

Dominic frantically flicked the back of Jamie's hand, before attempting to insert the IV needle. However, he had to withdraw it, as the needle had gone crooked, running outside Jamie's vein. He cursed as he ripped open a new needle to try again. The sweat beading on his forehead and the desperate look on his face as he furrowed his brows in concentration didn't look good either.

This was concerning. Dominic was supposed to be our foundation, the backbone and pillar holding together three unruly teenagers. He usually worked extraordinarily well under pressure, given the way he had performed emergency surgery on Jamie without blinking an eye in the American embassy. But here he was, barely able to insert a much simpler IV, a walk in the park compared to emergency heart surgery. I feared that the cracks were starting to show and that this was finally, truly starting to get to Dominic. I wasn't sure what it was that undid him but I had a feeling it was Jamie's life on the line, with no help out in the middle of nowhere and no one to rely on but himself, in addition to everything else that had already gone wrong in the past few days.

"Can I get a light?" Dominic asked, his voice quavering. I turned on the car light, its faint, tinny glow not proving all that helpful. Dominic handed me his iPhone, which I opened to the flashlight app and shone directly over Jamie's hand.

"Thanks," Dominic said, cleaning Jamie's hand with an alcohol wipe for a second try. I felt powerless as Dominic attempted to insert the IV needle again, his hands shaking. He took a deep breath as he forced them to still, wringing them out before pushing the needle in further. Finally, the needle was in successfully and Dominic motioned for me to start the IV drip.

"Stay there." With that, he hopped back into the driver's seat, speeding down the road without a second thought, all while yelling into his phone in Spanish. I met his eyes in the rearview, starting to ask if there was anything I could to help. But a death glare from Dominic silenced me, relegating me to my position as Jamie's caretaker.

I wasn't sure where we were headed anymore, thanks to Jamie's dire condition. But I didn't dare ask. Instead, I simply held Jamie's hand tightly, softly saying encouraging things, even though I knew he likely wasn't hearing me. This was like the helicopter ride to the German military base, except this was much worse. Then, Jamie had already been somewhat stabilized and I knew he'd be getting good medical care. Now, Jamie's condition was precarious at best and he could worsen at any second. Besides, I didn't know how good the health care was in Mexico. I really feared for Jamie, knowing that he could tank at any moment and not recover. I wasn't ready to lose my best friend, my oldest friend, not after everything we had gone through together. Having gone through that near-death experience once was already harrowing. Going through it a second time would be an absolute nightmare, one that I was unfortunately living right now.

I stared out the window as Dominic careened down the dark roads, dimly lit by tiny streetlamps. Everything passed by as a blur, a stark reminder of how fast and fragile life could be. Especially now, as I looked over at Jamie, whose breathing had become shallower with each passing moment. Were we racing to save him? Or trying to outpace death before it finally caught up to him?

After driving for what felt like an eternity, Dominic pulled up to the back of a nondescript building. Not a moment after Dominic killed the engine did a door open, revealing medical workers carrying a stretcher.

"Private hospital," Dominic said, meeting my eyes through the rearview. "Help me carry James out." I nodded as Dominic got out and opened the car door, taking Jamie's legs. I shifted so I was holding his arms. On the count of three, we maneuvered Jamie out of the car and onto the stretcher. The workers took Jamie inside, leaving Dominic and I to follow.

I walked inside, finding myself in a surprisingly modern-looking hospital, with bright, fluorescent lights, stark, white walls, nurses in scrubs, and doctors with their distinctive white coats and stethoscopes. It amazed me how something that looked so American could exist in a country where poverty was rampant. Would the quality of care be the same as that of an American or European hospital? However, I didn't have time to question that further, as the doctors started assessing Jamie, running through similar things that I had seen the doctors at the German military base do. Even with the language difference, it looked like medicine was the same around the world.

After finishing their exam, the doctors immediately began shouting what I presumed were orders as they wheeled Jamie out of the emergency room. We followed them to the imaging room, where Jamie's stretcher was wheeled in and out of various machines. Then, Jamie was wheeled up to the ICU, where he was ushered towards a private room.

I stood out of the way, in the corner of the room, as a flurry of medical staff swarmed around Jamie. Some took blood samples while others attached him to IV bags containing various fluids and drugs. An oxygen mask was placed on his face and a catheter was inserted. The ICU doctors did their thorough exam on Jamie, listening and feeling all the parts of his body. At one point, he was rolled onto his side and a needle was methodically placed in his back, collecting several tubes of yellow-ish fluid. There were so many conversations happening around me that I found it pointless to try to keep up. Besides, the language barrier made that difficult. It didn't seem to faze Dominic though, as he spoke effortlessly with several of the staff.

I looked at Jamie, the centre of everyone's attention. Once again, it was unsettling to see Jamie so vulnerable. I hoped that he recovered, although I feared the worst. If everything that had happened thus far had been enough to make Grace run, then surely, losing Jamie would keep her away forever. But I couldn't take off to find her yet, no matter how much I wanted to, because Jamie's recovery was the first priority. After spending six weeks in the States, we had rekindled our friendship, making us closer than ever before. I didn't want to lose all that now, especially when I felt so powerless to help him. All I could really do was stand there and watch, praying that he'd make it through. I hated feeling this way, when I itched to do something, anything, that would be of meaningful help. But the power laid in the hands of the medical staff doing their best to stabilize Jamie in these crucial moments.

Eventually, the medical staff slowly trickled out of the room, leaving one doctor and one nurse, both of whom were having a long conversation with Dominic. I stayed out of the way as I watched them intently, wondering what they were talking about. After a long while, the doctor left. At that point, Dominic turned to me, addressing me for the first time since we got here.

"Alexei, this is Maria, my contact and a nurse at this hospital," Dominic said in English. "Maria, this is Alexei, James' oldest friend."

Maria gave me a friendly smile. She was petite and middle-aged, with kind eyes. She addressed me in English. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, ma'am," I replied politely.

"Maria and I have been able to secure this hospital, at least temporarily," Dominic continued, focusing his attention back on me. "This is a secure, private room and very few people will have access to James' chart. We're hoping to enact more security measures in the next day or two."

"What's going on with Jamie?" I asked.

"He went into shock," Maria explained. "We have given him fluids to stabilize him, as well as norepinephrine, a common vasopressor. Those types of medications constrict blood vessels to bring more oxygen to the tissues."

I nodded, trying my best to comprehend everything. Despite that, the frightening moments in the car wouldn't leave my mind. "Is that why he turned purple? Not getting enough oxygen throughout his body?"

Dominic nodded. "That's the principle behind shock. For whatever reason, his body wasn't getting enough blood flow, and thus oxygen flow. Because of that, his body started shutting down, as you witnessed in the car. His blood pressure dropped, his heart rate went up. The fluids will help increase his blood pressure back to normal levels, but only temporarily. That's why I ran the bag of IV fluids in the car right away and rushed here for the vasopressors, which will bring his blood pressure up and keep it up, so that the blood and oxygen will flow through his body better. They're already helping a bit." Dominic looked over at the monitor showing Jamie's vitals. I didn't know what all the numbers meant but I hoped they were good. Based on the calm look on Dominic's face, I was going to trust that Jamie was slowly recovering.

"Okay. So the fluids are helping to stabilize him now. But what made Jamie go into shock in the first place?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Maria said. "The most common type of shock is septic shock, or sepsis. You may have heard of it before. It's commonly due to an infection. My colleagues have taken samples of his blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid, and will send those for tests, to see if there's any signs of infection. We had also done imaging of his whole body, looking for any sources of infection or other processes that could cause his body to shut down. We'll put all those together to figure out what happened to him. Because infection is such a common cause of shock, we often give powerful antibiotics right away, as a preventative measure against any underlying infections."

"There are other causes of shock," Dominic added. "Because of how he was stabbed in the chest earlier this summer, there could still be underlying issues with his heart, causing it not to pump properly. He could also have been bleeding inside his body or from the stab wound. Both of those could lead to shock, but by different mechanisms. Once the imaging reports are back, that will tell us if that is the case." This was way too much to take in and my head was starting to hurt from the information overload.

"But what else can we do in the meantime?" I asked, trying not to sound desperate. Both Maria and Dominic's faces softened, although I wasn't sure if it was because of pity or sympathy.

"There's not much we can do at the moment," Dominic said. "We wait for James to stabilize with the fluids, norepinephrine, and the antibiotics. Once the underlying cause of his shock is determined, we can take better measures to treat that." I nodded, still feeling frustrated. It looked like it was just a waiting game for now.

"I know this is a lot to take in," Maria said, sympathetically. "You must be concerned about James."

"He's my oldest friend. I've been friends with him for as long as I can remember," I managed to get out, trying not to get too overcome with emotion. This had been a long, stressful day and it was finally starting to get to me. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying hard to keep the tears form falling.

Maria nodded. "We are doing everything that we can for James."

"He is in good hands here. James will be alright," Dominic said. Although he sounded confident, there was a hint of doubt in his eyes. I wondered if he was just as concerned, if not more, than I was.

A silence fell between the three of us, permeated only by the sounds of the IV bags dripping fluids and medications into Jamie and the constant beep of the vitals monitor. I gave Jamie a long, forlorn look. He didn't exactly look alright, not with so many tubes and wires attached to him. He looked like he was just barely holding onto life. Although his colour had started to return, he still looked far paler than was healthy. Would he ever be able to return to the boy that I had run laps, scaled the wall, and play-fought with?

Maria quickly checked over the IV bags and Jamie's vitals before turning to us. "Everything looks okay for now. I'll come back in an hour to see how he's doing and give him more fluids and medications as needed. The two of you can have a moment together." Dominic and I nodded, as Maria walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. A quiet moment lapsed before Dominic sat down. He looked distressed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Is everything okay?" I asked tentatively.

"God, does anything look like it's going okay?" Dominic sighed. He stared up at the ceiling, as if looking for some sign from above, for some higher power to guide him. "James is on the brink of death, Grace Olivia is god knows where, and your body is still wanted by law enforcement around the world. So yes, everything is going absolutely peachy, thank you." I nodded, staying silent. What was I supposed to say to that? Here was the man, who was supposed to be the strong one guiding the three of us teenagers through this ridiculous mess, now on the verge of a mental breakdown. If Dominic lost it, we were essentially finished.

"I'm sorry everything turned out this way," I said, finally finding some words, even though I didn't know how much they'd serve Dominic.

Dominic just shook his head. "Don't be. It's my fault everything turned out this way." I looked at him in surprise. Was he really going to pin the blame for everything on himself? As noble as it was, I didn't think that was the case.

"Should we have stayed longer at the German military base? Should we have stopped when Grace Olivia asked me to? Should we have kept moving, despite James' worsening condition?" Dominic continued, his voice thick with emotion. "I knew what Grace Olivia wanted. I knew James wasn't recovering as he should have been. But what do you do in that scenario? Do you keep moving, keep running, to hide your trail and prevent being caught? Or do you stop and wait, making sure everyone is healthy and risk being caught? What would you prioritize, safety or health?" Dominic looked at me intently. I opened my mouth to answer but closed it when I realized I wouldn't even know where to start.

"Exactly," Dominic said. "It's a complex, ever-changing situation. You have to make do with what you have in the moment and hope you made the right decision. You'll never know if it was right until you look back on it once it's all over. It's a matter of attempting to choose the lesser of two evils when the stakes are constantly changing and the rules of the game are weighed against you. It's a losing battle and I fear we've really hit the deep end."

"You met one of your goals. You got us to Mexico," I stated, hoping to help Dominic focus on the positives.

"But at what cost? James' health has deteriorated. Grace Olivia has disappeared. And well, nothing has changed in terms of your wanted status. So was the end goal really worth it?" That was a tough call. Yes, we had made it but with tons of speedbumps along the way. Was it really worth it to be here in Mexico, when one quarter of our party had disappeared and another quarter was in critical condition? Considering the journey we had undertaken to get here, it seemed like we hadn't fared so well after all.

Dominic looked at me. "I can see in your face. Coming here wasn't the best idea after all."

"But what other choice did we have? Stop at a random small-town hospital that might not have had the resources to help Jamie? Search the town for any signs of Grace? Based on your reasoning, we didn't have much of a choice but to keep running."

Dominic sadly shook his head. "It didn't matter what choice we made. There would be consequences regardless. Admittedly, I had prioritized our safety over James' health, fearing that James wouldn't be able to recover if we never escaped the reach of the Society."

"But the Society is everywhere, no?"

"Unfortunately. They have less of a presence in Mexico, which is why I was so desperate to get here. Only I thought James wouldn't be crashing."

"You did the best that you could," I said, doing my best to sound comforting.

Dominic just stared at the floor, looking distressed. "I failed James. I failed Grace Olivia. Fuck, I failed Caroline." His face was hidden in profile by the dark shadows cast by the night sky outside the window. Yet, a lone tear rolled down his cheek, following the curve of his scar, reflected by the dim lighting of the room and the full moon outside. Dominic rubbed at his cheek furiously.

"I always promised that I'd keep her children safe," Dominic said quietly, his voice cracking. "Even with the mess that Grace Olivia got herself into this summer, I tried my damned hardest to keep her out of harm's way. But look where I am now. One of her children is facing an uncertain death. And the other is gone, potentially anywhere in the world, and could very well be facing an uncertain death too. I can't imagine what she'd think of me if she knew what had happened to James and Grace Olivia." I didn't know what I could possibly do or say to make him feel better. He looked so lost and desperate, like he had reached his wits' end. Here was a broken man who had been forced to stay strong for far too long. And now, he was paying the price.

I knew it was my turn now, to man up and be the strong one for him. "Well, I'm sure we can still fix this, in some way. There's not much else we can do for Jamie other than sitting and waiting. Why don't we try finding Grace?" However, that was a bad question to ask because Dominic's face morphed in an instant.

"You don't think I want to find Grace Olivia too?" Dominic exclaimed, practically shouting. He was angry, but it was rooted in desperation, in fear, which made it so much more terrifying. "You don't think I'd drop everything this second and leave if I knew where she was?" The scary thing was, I knew Dominic would do just that. His devotion to Grace ran far and I knew he'd leave everything behind at the drop of a hat and run to her aid halfway across the world if she called his name. I knew because I would do the same too.

Dominic let out an angry huff, wringing his hands in front of him. "We can't leave yet, not without knowing where Grace is. We'd be chasing a dead end if we went out in search of her now."

"You seem certain that she'll turn up," I commented.

"She has to," Dominic argued, desperation in his voice. "She can't go far without someone spotting her. People are watching for her. Any sign of her and it'll be all over international news. The Society wants control of the rightful heirs of the Adrian throne and won't stop at anything to get them where they want them. They have contacts in all the world's major cities, looking for any sign of the lost princess of Adria."

"But this is Grace. She won't stop running until she reaches the ends of the Earth, and then some." Sure, the Society had tons of power and influence but I knew Grace and I knew that she was a runner. When it came to fight or flight, she was flight all the way, running from anything and anyone that threatened her.

"That is true. But we can't run now, not when we don't know where we're chasing her to." That made sense. I had tried chasing Grace before and knew she'd only let me catch up if she wanted me to. Regardless of how Dominic and I went about chasing Grace, we'd have to be careful and deliberate about it. One wrong move and we could potentially lose her forever. The thought made my stomach churn. How many times had I thought I lost her, only to lose her for real this time?

"So for now, we wait for James to recover and for any signs of Grace resurfacing," Dominic said, sounding more like the self-assured, strict military man I knew. It seemed like he had put that mental breakdown behind him, locking up his emotions again so he could continue planning and acting like a proper military man.

"And if they don't?" I asked tentatively, almost fearing Dominic's answer.

Dominic looked me right in the eye, his hard gaze unnerving. "Then I'm afraid that's how this Adrian fairy tale will end."

Song Inspiration: Funeral for a Friend – 'Hospitality'
Genre/ Subgenre: Rock/ Post Hardcore

This song inspired the title of the chapter, as I wanted something related to hospitals, to fit what's happening with Jamie. Naturally, my all-time favourite band, Funeral for a Friend, popped into my head, as they have a few songs with hospital-related titles.

This song fits with the desperation of Jamie going into shock and the uncertainty of not knowing if he'll make it out alive, as well as Alexei and Dominic's tense conversation, with its dark, medical-themed lyrics about death and turning off machines and heavy, mournful instrumentals. If you're a fan of rock, feel free to give it a listen!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Nov. 25 and Dec. 6.

Also, don't take my medical knowledge as 100% truth since I made last-minute deliberations on how to best treat septic shock but ultimately just decided to leave everything as it was (unsurprisingly). As well, there are variations in local practice guidelines so please follow the recommendations of your local medical association.