Maggie:

The doctors instructed me to focus on breathing after they took the oxygen mask off, and I was happy to oblige them if it meant I could be rid of the thing. I felt it on my skin every time I took a breath, and it brought back memories I'd much rather avoid.

I sat up quickly and swung my legs over the edge of the hospital bed, the stiff gown they made me wear hanging from my shoulders. OA glanced up from the magazine he was flipping through and gave me a look. "The doctor said you're supposed to stay put."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." I just needed to be up. It wasn't long ago that I'd spent almost 3 months of my life in hospitals just like this one after the sarin gas attack. Even though the doctors had referred to it as "my exposure", or "the accident", I couldn't bring myself to describe it that way. The ordeal was nothing less than an attack, to call it anything else was to downplay what could've happened. Those people would've used the gas on the whole city if they hadn't been stopped. It's a miracle that I was the only one who came in contact with it.

"You're okay, Mags."

I looked over to find OA's attention still on the magazine. How did he always know what I was thinking? "I know," I replied. What else was there to say?

Then I saw what he was reading. I snorted. "Planning on taking a trip to…" I peered closer at the cover, "...the Amazon?"

He shot me another look. "Listen, it was either this or that." He gestured to another magazine, one with a barely-dressed woman featured on it.

I couldn't help it, I laughed. "Yeah, I don't think your girlfriend would appreciate you looking at that one."

"She most certainly would not." He grinned and put the travel magazine on the other chair as he stood. "But you're changing the subject."

I immediately sobered. "I'm fine."

"I know that." He took a deep breath. "But it was close."

"I was there, OA." The words came out sharper than I intended, but my partner didn't flinch. Instead he sat on the edge of the bed beside me and put his arm around my shoulders. His warmth spread into my chilled body, and I relaxed into the safe embrace of my best friend.

We didn't speak for a long time, until the doctor came back into the room. The woman had long, ginger-red hair and glasses with clear frames. She was tall, almost OA's height, with a teddy bear pin on her pristine white coat. "Alright, Agent Bell," she said, "you're free to go. I'd like you to see your doctor in a few weeks though, even if the concussion symptoms go away." She flipped the pages on her clipboard. "I recommend that you take it easy for a few days —"

I didn't let her finish. "I thought you were going to clear me for work."

"My colleagues and I decided against it. Your job isn't exactly risk-free." She smiled, like the situation was amusing. I didn't find it very amusing.

My temper began to stir. "If we can't catch the people who did this, they're going to blow up a very important target. Do you want that?"

Her smile faltered slightly, likely thinking of the casualties she would have to deal with if that happened. "I'm sure your team can handle it without you —"

"Sign those papers, Doctor."

All three of our heads whipped to the door. It was Isobel. OA and I exchanged a glance as she stepped into the room. When the doctor opened her mouth to protest, my boss flipped open her credentials and raised an eyebrow, as though she were daring the other woman to contradict her. "This is a matter of national security. Sign the papers."

The doctor set her jaw. "Understood. But I'll need your signature. For liability's sake."

"Not a problem."

The woman stalked out, then sent a nurse in to take out my IV. I was aware that both OA and Isobel were watching me carefully, but I still shuddered as she drew it out of my skin. I hated needles, always had. This one wasn't even that big, but…I shuddered again as I caught a glimpse of it on the sterile metal tray, coated in my blood.

Isobel waited for the nurse to leave, then nodded for OA to step out as well. Closing the door, she set my go bag from the office on the bed next to me. My clothes. "Thanks."

"Of course." She stepped back and looked up. "Maggie…"

"You haven't found them yet, have you?"

"No."

"Isobel, the plan is supposed to go down today!"

"Which is why I need you back in the office. You were with them for weeks, you know their moves." I nodded slowly. Maybe the group hadn't trusted me, but she was right in that I'd practically lived with them. At the very least I could predict what they wouldn't do.