Timourous {Ky and Nolan}

[*]

Leaving Vy's room has to be the hardest thing in the world to do. Seeing her so beaten up and everything. Jeran had taken Brooklyn home to let her sleep and he had told her he'd be back in the morning. Again, I was alone. My bare feet padding across the hospital floor silently, hoping not to alert any of the nursing staff that one of their own was walking around where they weren't suppose to be. I had a mission and I was bent upon finding out how Brody was doing.

Gently, I kept my hand against my stomach, feeling tiny little knots forming the closer I got to the other side of the hospital. That's where the patients with life threatening injuries were kept for monitoring. Where I might have been if it wasn't for him. I could have even been dead or my baby, one. A flash of that memory comes to a head once again making me stumble and bump into the wall as the memory of shard of glass was glinting toward my stomach. I knew where the point was going to go if he'd gotten just one more second to himself. If Matthew had taken just two more seconds to fire that one shot... I would be the one laid up in bed or under a sheet.

Instead, here I am leaning up against this wall, fear still sticking me true of what could have happened. I hope he's okay. I hope that he's goign to live, because he has to know who he saved. He has to hear the words leave my mouth. I have to thank him for saving my baby's life and my own.

Would he even be awake to hear it?

Footsteps make me feel alarmed enough to finally start moving again down the hallway and push myself into a waiting room until those footsteps actually go off into the distance and disappear into the quiet hallway yet again.

I peek my head out and slowly make my way down the hallway again, following the signs to the intensive care area. Just as I turn the corner, there sits a man in one of the chairs outside of the door that Jeran had told me he was in. That man, looked so beaten and sad, arms folded up against himself. Is that... his dad?

My fingers tense up against my stomach as I use the handrail to come to the half-closed door where I fear to enter. I look to the man. He resembles the young man who saved my life so much. Only age is the only difference I see, along with the sleek build that my savior had. The man sitting in the chair outside the room looks like he's had years to train and build up muscle. Again, my eyes go back to the part of the room that I can see inside of. Only part of the bed is visible where his feet would be. The table at the end of the bed with the water pitcher on it and a few other items scattered about.

"Is Brody going to be okay?" I ask him in such a soft, gentle voice that it's almost like a whisper.

[Artemis]

Sleep tugged at the corners of Nolan's eyes. Worry wouldn't let them close for more than a moment.

Nolan and McKenna had been taking hours-long shifts sitting at Brody's bedside, despite knowing full well the doctors wouldn't allow him to wake up for another three days. Something about monitoring for infection, making sure the blood loss hadn't caused any residual damage, or something equally horrifying to imagine.

He sighed deeply, fingers running through his hair for the thousandth time trying to drive away the waking nightmares his imagination wasn't kind enough to stop throwing to the forefront of his attention. Nolan couldn't imagine what his life would be like if he lost his son --and Brody still wasn't altogether out of the woods yet--, but Brody coming away irreparably damaged was hardly a step up. His boy was so strong and vibrant and full of life, Nolan didn't want to imagine what Brody would be like if... whatever potential brain damage they were afraid of, did to his son.

By the time they tapered Brody off the drugs keeping him under, Nolan was going to be a gray old man.

It wasn't until a tiny voice spoke up that Nolan realized he was no longer alone in the waiting area outside the intensive care unit.

"Is Brody going to be okay?"

Nolan sat up, looking towards the doorway where someone had spoken; a girl several years younger than Brody, looking like the picture of femininity with her hand on her belly swollen with child and softened facial features. It wasn't enough, though, to conceal the dark lines under her bottle-brown eyes, which betrayed as much worry as Nolan and McKenna felt. He hadn't the foggiest idea who she was, and for the briefest moment he worried that Brody had kept him in the dark on more than one count seeing that she was pregnant.

"I hope so." He replied grimly, "Docs are keeping him sedated for a while, so he's not in the clear just yet."

He gestured to the seat next to him.

"Sit?"

c44462 - Kyanite Ruze
bb7d00 - Nolan O'Rourke

[*]

My voice comes out in so much of a quiet whisper that it's hard to even imagine that it is my own. I'm not the soft spoken one, if at all. I speak my mind and let others hear me, but to be outside the room that holds the man that might by dying, for once I feel I need to be quiet. Almost reserved around the doorway and the man sitting beside of it. My eyes never trail off from the open doorway as I ask if Brody will be okay to the blood relation that I'm sure of. His father has to be the one that I'm talking to. He has to be. Does he know what a brave man his son is? To protect someone he doesn't even know and keep them safe from harm? To save an unborn baby from suffering a fate such as death before its tiny little lungs can grasp the concept of air?

His son is nothing but a hero.

"I hope so. Docs are keeping him sedated for a while, so he's not in the clear just yet." That sounds absolutely horrible to have to come to terms with. To know that he might or might not make it at this point... then again, as much blood as I had to see and feel on my own fingers. I outwardly cringe at the thought of it even if this man don't know what I'm thinking. I'm just having a hard time swallowing the fate of what's happened to him. What he did because of me.

Then a pleasant gesture comes next. "Sit?"

I look to him, tearing my eyes away from the door finally to look where he's motioning and it's to the seat that is beside of him. I look at it like it's a monster. Almost fearful to sit down for fear that if I leave this doorway, then something bad will happen to the man inside. I'm guessing he's out here because he can't handle what's going on inside, that... or someone might be inside with him. His mom? Does he have a mom? Could he still be lucky enough to have both parents?

Finally, I give in. My legs feel weak against the emotions wanting to take over and the exhaustion from the days events. As I sit, I become silent and just kinda relax against the chair. The small round bump where my flat stomach used to be is gentle soothed by my thumb, rubbing up and down in one spot. The baby bump that's starting to really show now as the weeks turn to months.

"That's your son in there isn't it?" I voice out with the sound cracking as I do. My eyes are trained on my stomach the entire time. "Your son is very brave. I wouldn't be here without him. He saved our lives... protected me. I wish I could thank him. I want to let him know how sorry I am that he's hurting like this. I didn't know this would happen. I ..." Tears come to head and fall on the gown that I have to fashion. With as much grace as I can, I reach up to my eyes to pull away the tears finally falling.

[Artemis]

Whoever the girl was, it was apparent that Brody was as important to her as he was to his parents and to Matthew; Nolan knew, from pacing past that doorway many times over the past hours, that she wouldn't be able to see entirely inside but still looking like she'd seen a ghost. Nolan worried for his son's well-being, but not his safety; McKenna was sitting vigil at their son's bedside, both as a doctor and his mother, watching his breathing and his heart like a hawk.

He knew damn well that his wife was no less distressed than he was, but Nolan didn't have the advantage of years of military training to bottle it up and numb it down into something more manageable.

Nolan nearly stood, almost expecting the girl to faint from the look on her face; he offered his hand as she sat, and for a few moments they simply sat in sad, companionable silence. She never looked up from her visibly pregnant middle, one hand stroking it soothingly as if to temper the fear of the child she was carrying.

"That's your son in there isn't it?" She said finally, voice rough with exhaustion.

He sighed, nodding in turn.

"Yeah." He replied, equally tired but unable to sleep and equally unable to bear being far from Brody's side when it was McKenna's turn to sit with him, "My wife --his mother-- is with him now, if you want to see him... I'm guessing that's why you're here?"

"Your son is very brave. I wouldn't be here without him. He saved our lives... protected me."

Nolan was suddenly struck by the memory of Matthew's take on this messy turn of events: 'He was protecting Kyanite when he got shot.'

So, this had to be Kyanite. His son hadn't just protected just any civilian, he'd taken a bullet for a young, pregnant girl.

Nolan was sad. But he was so very, very proud of Brody; he was fearless, as he'd always known him.

"I wish I could thank him. I want to let him know how sorry I am that he's hurting like this. I didn't know this would happen. I ..."

Kyanite's eyes went glassy with tears until they were spilling down her cheeks, rife with guilt; Nolan had just one son, but it didn't for a moment hinder the sudden paternal urge to lay her head on his shoulder and soothe the tears away. But she wasn't his daughter, nor was Nolan presumptuous enough to simply act on his first instinct. Instead he settled for taking one of her hands in his, brushing the tears away with his knuckles.

"It's not your fault." Those weren't the first words he'd intended, but Nolan was oddly struck by how much more they meant than they expressed. "Knowing Brody, you couldn't have stopped him from protecting you even if you tried."

c44462 - Kyanite Ruze
bb7d00 - Nolan O'Rourke

[*]

"I..." I can't finish up any thoughts due to the flood of feelings and emotions running through my body. Here I am sitting outside of his room and I can't even go inside due to the fear of what he'd look like. I already saw what he looked like before... I don't want to see the mass of amount of tubes that might be running through his body. I really don't even want to remeber what he looked like when I was covered in his blood. That was horrible enough to deal with.

Instead of an accusing voice from his father when he found out who I was, he ony takes my hand in his and then a hand moves to my cheeks to wipe away the tears falling. The touch is so foreign to me. I've never had anyone take away the tears that falls from my eyes. Not even my own father did that for me. He always kept his distance. Never once has his hand touched my cheek to catch a falling tear. His hand has only done enough to harm me.

"It's not your fault. Knowing Brody, you couldn't have stopped him from protecting you even if you tried."

"It just isn't fair... he didn't deserve to get shot. He didn't deserve to be another person who tried to help me to be... be..." My voice catches in my throat and I squeeze his hand gently. It's a small comfort and considering that he didn't pull his hand away from mine, I can only guess he needs as much support. "I don't even know why he came to my house. Why was he even there? How did he know that I was in trouble? How?"

I look at him, practically begging him to answer me these questions that I can't possibly formulate an answer to. Why it was that he suddenly showed up at the house, unannounced and ready to save me from that monster lurking in the shadows. "He tried to lure him away from coming after me. I don't know why I screamed for help. If I had just stayed quiet... he never would have engaged him. He wouldn't be in there right now."

I lean forward, pulling my hand from his father's and bury my face in my hands. My elbows push against my knees as I keep this position before I sit back up. "Can I see him? Please...?"

[Artemis]

Nolan had soothed his son's tears many times over the years as Brody grew up. When he was very young, when he fell and scraped his knees; the first time he came home dirty and bruised when a couple of older children had gotten the jump on him; when the quarry had caved in, and Brody had found him wandering like a ghost through the relief site, shaken but alive.

And he'd always done the same thing; smoothed his blond hair back and held him tight, made sure Brody knew he wasn't going anywhere and that he was safe.

The gentleman in him thought it was too forward, but the father in him didn't give a damn.

He tugged gently on Kyanite's hand, pulling her into the same embrace he wished so badly he could give Brody, but didn't dare in his current condition.

"I don't know." Nolan replied helplessly.

Nolan didn't have the answers to Kyanite's questions, and really, there weren't any to be had. All he could tell was that the gunman had hurt other people in this poor girl's life, a time that --albeit rather early given her age-- was supposed to be one of the best and most profound of her life and had tarnished it with these memories of pain.

Jins whatshisname got more than he deserved by Matthew shooting him, for all the pain he had caused.

"You did what you had to," He reassured Kyanite, smoothing her dark hair back in the same manner he had always done for Brody, "You had yourself and a baby to think about, if you hadn't called to him that would be you and your child in there."

It seemed utterly impossible to him that anyone could blame themselves for the actions of one very disturbed man with a gun and a vengeance. And yet here it was in full force, much too heavy a burden on someone so young.

On that note, though... where on earth were Kyanite's parents? It was obvious she was several years younger than Brody, perhaps not yet an adult, but still much too young to be left alone in a hospital while she was heavy with child and incredibly distressed over the fate of her protector.

Nolan bit back a bitter laugh; here he was with his comatose son not 20 feet away from him, and he was worrying himself about someone else's neglectful parents.

"Can I see him? Please...?"

He pulled back, taking Kyanite's face in his hands and brushing the tears away with his thumbs.

"Sure."

True to form, he offered his arm (or his hand) to Kyanite, and they made their way slowly into Brody's room.

The lights were dimmed slightly, though it did nothing to disguise the dark lines under his wife's eyes; McKenna turned to them, her hand clasped around Brody's and offering a half-hearted smile seeing that he was with company.

"How is he?"

"Better..." McKenna sighed, stroking the back of their son's hand with her thumb, "He's gotten some color back."

Even under the oxygen mask, Nolan could see that she was right; Brody had been deathly pallid when they'd first been admitted to see him, and though he was still pale it was apparent that some of the color had returned to his face. For the first time in a while, he felt the faintest glimmer of hope.

Kyanite, though, wasn't so relieved; his grip on her hand tightened reassuringly, moving her to sit next to McKenna at Brody's bedside. McKenna didn't ask who she was; it didn't matter, really, anyone who wanted to offer their support was welcome as far as either of them was concerned.

"Your turn, Nolan?"

McKenna stood, and he bent to kiss his wife and hold her for a moment; she'd always been more stoic than her husband, but he knew everything she was feeling with just a look. Twenty years of marriage had made it effortless.

"Yeah. Why don't you go get some sleep, put something in your stomach. I'll be here."

c44462 - Kyanite Ruze
b60000 - McKenna O'Rourke
bb7d00 - Nolan O'Rourke

[*]

He couldn't answer my questions nor did I want him, too. It was just random words that spilled out way to fast for me to really understood why I said them in the first place. Why I said them to someone that truely had no clue what I was talking about and probably didn't want to hear what I had to say when it involved his own son. He even replied with a common 'I don't know' in response to the questions I knew he couldn't answer. It didn't help though. It only meant that those questions won't be answered and when, or if, Brody woke up, I'd have to ask them all over again.

"You did what you had to. You had yourself and a baby to think about, if you hadn't called to him that would be you and your child in there."

Is that really what would be happening? I would be enduring the suffering like Jins always wanted for some reason? Didn't matter what it was, he just needed to know that I was never happy. Then again, I nearly killed him. It was only suppose to be karma, right? I was suppose to be the one to suffer, even if I wasn't the one injured. A cold chill runs down my spine. This is what he wanted all along, wasn't it? My suffering... watching the people around me be hurt by his own doing. He was doing a mighty fine job even after death.

A request, however large and incredibly inappropriate, I ask to see him. I ask the father of the man that saved my life. The one that pushed me aside to take a bullet in order to keep me and the baby inside of me safe. I never expected him to agree to it, but I had to ask anyways. I needed something to go off of. If he didn't want me to go in there to let my gaze fall upon my dying hero, then I'm not sure that I would be able to leave this chair and no nurse would be able to tear me from this spot.

"Sure."

Flabbergasted, the look on my face must tell all. A hand is extended to me, and I reach up to lay my hand in his, then as I stand, I loop my arm in his and slowly we enter the hospital room.

The threshold of the room has a severe reaction to my mind. It keeps flashing back to the blood. To the sound of the shot as it rang out before I had to be the one to catch the young man from falling and ended up falling with him in the process. Every time I blink, it's like a horrible reminder of what I remember right before the medics got there and pulled me away. When Jins had pulled me away, leaving him stranded on the floor. That's what did this. That minute that my hand was off the wound and I was forced upon the ground by my enemy. That's the minute that could have spared him this fate. Why didn't Jins just kill me when he had the chance when we were young? It would have saved all these people so much grief.

Something about color passes between the two parents. Their voices get drowned out by the heartbeat thumping in my ears. An incredibly amount of bile wants to come up at the site of the man hooked up with various tubes and wires. The line on the monitor fluctuating up and down.

"He's alive..." I mutter under my breath as his father guides me to a chair and I sit. The two talk amongst themselves and I don't even notice the woman getting up to leave. I can't get over the site of Brody. 'That would be you and your child in there'. The hand that I've had trained on my stomach moves up to touch Brody's hand but the temperature is all wrong and I hate it. A hiccup of emotions push themselves through what I try to hide back.

"Thank you, Brody." I thank him! For everything that he did. For pretending to be the father of my child to get Jins away from me. For pulling me up when I had fallen with weak knees. For pushing me behind you when Jins aimed the barrel at me. For giving my child a chance that I didn't think would happen. "You have to get better. You have to fight this. Don't let him win, you hear me? Please don't let him win. Don't let him..."

Tears flood my eyes and I turn my head into my dressing gown to let it absorb the salty tears abstructing my vision. I turn to his father then let my head drop. I'm completely at a loss for words. What do I do now? Do I continue to sit vigil at his bedside or what? Do, I leave him to his ill son and walk back to my room? What do I do?

[Artemis]

Nolan's grip on Kyanite tightened as she went visibly pale at the sight of his son laying there, appearing lifeless if not for the beeping of the machine tracking his heartbeat. He sincerely doubted they --Nolan and McKenna-- had looked much better when Airmid had taken them to see him for the first time; Nolan didn't dare to think how Kyanite must have seen him, being there when Brody was shot.

"He's alive..." She breathed, though whether it was with distress at his condition or relief at the fact, Nolan couldn't tell.

"He's strong." Nolan replied as he smoothed back Brody's hair, both to reassure Kyanite and to remind himself; the thought of his son pulling through was one of the few things keeping him sane. "Gets it from his mother."

Hell, Brody had gotten all of their better parts as far as Nolan was concerned. He was at least as smart as McKenna and equally as willful, and there wasn't a member of the O'Rourke family that disagreed that he'd gotten Nolan's strength. Perhaps not so much physically, but like his father, when Brody had a finish line to cross there was nothing that would stand in his way.

It seemed so unfair it had to be him laid up in bed and attached to those many machines; Nolan would have given anything to take that bullet for him.

"Brody's better than he was yesterday." Nolan went on, hoping that Kyanite would understand that he was getting better. The recovery would be long, but he was better. He was regaining some of the color he had lost, his pulse was stronger, and in what he hoped was a good sign, the faint fluttering of his eyes meant Brody was dreaming.

Nolan hoped they weren't nightmares of what had gotten him there in the first place.

"McKenna and I have been talking to him. The doctor's been saying he can hear us, if there's anything you want to say to him."

The burden on her shoulders was so heavy, with Kyanite blaming herself for Brody's plight; she barely seemed to notice Nolan sitting next to her as she took Brody's hand in hers, murmuring thanks and telling him he had to come back from this. Not to let Jins win. It would seem, at least for the time being, that he had; Kyanite trailed off, welling up again and seemingly unable to speak. Nolan squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Gotta practice what you preach, dear." He said gently, "I don't know why that young man wanted to hurt you, but he'll never be able to do it again, as long as you don't let him."

c44462 - Kyanite Ruze
1979e6 - Matthew Dunham
b60000 - McKenna O'Rourke
bb7d00 - Nolan O'Rourke

[*]

No words can describe the emotions running through me just to be able tosee him laying her in front of me. Deathly pale, no matter what they say about his color. He still looks like death is coming after him. I will admit, he looks better just from the moment I saw him when the blood was draining from his system till now, but his eyes were open then. They aren't now. The only reason I know he's alive is the monitor beeping above his head like the beeping from Vy's room. That's the only sure fire way that I am able to say that I've not killed the man in front of me. My own troubles put him into this place and I'm going to be determinded to see him get out.

"Gotta practice what you preach, dear. I don't know why that young man wanted to hurt you, but he'll never be able to do it again, as long as you dont' let him."

The hand on my own, as well as the hand on Brody's feels like this impossible bond. I can't explain it. I feel like Nolan is pushing this power into me and I'm pushing it to Brody. If only he'd wake up. If only he could talk to me and help me understand these questions I want to know answers to.

"I don't want to let him, sir. I'm not going to, but as long as Brody is like this... as long as Brody and Vy are here... I can't let what happened just disappear. You understand, don't you? They were hurt because of something I did..." I look to him and then back to Brody before I feel this overwhelming sensation to just scream to release this pressure building up inside.

"I'm sorry... you don't need to hear me ramble..." I tell him and pull my hand away from Brody's to lay on my stomach as a weird sensation overtakes me for a moment. The same kind of symptoms from before, but very light compared to the pain I felt. "How long will Brody be in here?"

[Jack Lexington]

The hallway stretches in front of me like it simply doesn't want to end. The bright overhead lights illuminating every corner despite the darkness that has fallen outside increase the headache that's lingering behind my ears, mostly on the left side where Sam's fist caught me without defense. How long I ahd actually been passed out while the stranger was watching over me, I'm not sure. Only that I didn't deserve any nice treatment from him because I had been so aggressive letting all my anger and frustration out on a guy, whom I thought would be the perfect victim. Little did I know that he not only had one hell of a mean left hook but was also a peace keeper.

For now I have to push that to the back of my mind because I know I've fucked up. I walked away from Brody and Kyanite and even Vy.
The staff near the entrance informed me that Brody wasn't allowed to have any visitors yet. Neither did Vy but at least she was alive. The only one I could see was the girl who had shoed me away after one of the most exciting moments of my life. Both of us got to see our baby on the screen. I remember the fast flicker of the small beating heart so vividly, the excitement and hope. The knowledge that everything we went through had a reason.

But then I said the wrong thing, made a bad joke about the baby's sex and off she went. Kyanite was damn near ready to tear my head off and quetioned everything, even my love for her and our baby. After all that had happened!

All over I feel my own disappoinment rise and create a lump in my thoat when I reach Kyanites door.
My hand's on the door handle but what will I tell her? That I'm sorry? But why? I'm not, only that she got the wrong impression.I think she should be sorry, not me.She should apologize.
Yet I want to be with her so badly.

I wrap the fingers of my left hand around the handle while I hidemy left, busted one in the pocket of my hoodie. Somehow I can't bring myselfto go inside and most likely wake her up.

So I decide to sit out front of her room and mull over what happened that night, maybe check on the other two later when I'm allowed to. Maybe let my eyes close for a moment to escape the throbbing of my hand and head. I've decided not to ask anybpdy here for help because people who are as stupid as me don't really deserve that. the staff has better things to do. A little self punishment serves me right for walkinga way from my friends.

Once more I find a nurse and ask her whether she can tell me the stats of Vy Prize and Brody O'Rourke. She assures me to let me know when they cn have visitors, so I sit down and cross my arms over my chest with a heavy sigh while my gaze is fixed on Kaynites door.
Is she sleeping? Is she still angry? Will she forgive me? Will I forgive her?
My eyes close on me.

[Artemis]

"I don't want to let him, sir. I'm not going to, but as long as Brody is like this... as long as Brody and Vy are here... I can't let what happened just disappear. You understand, don't you? They were hurt because of something I did..."

Maybe it was the grief or the guilt talking, maybe it was the fact that Kyanite's connection to Brody was so different from the one Nolan had with his son, maybe it was the simple fact that Nolan wasn't there when the shooting had occurred. But to him, it seemed utterly inconceivable that Kyanite would blame herself for the state Brody was in now. Nolan didn't know how the shooting had played out, but he knew his son as well as he knew himself; there wouldn't have been anything Kyanite could have done to dissuade him from leaving her to fend for herself against an armed enemy.

"I'm sorry... you don't need to hear me ramble..."

She pulled her hand away from Brody's unresponsive one, though she didn't let go of Nolan's; he squeezed Kyanite's hand, looking at her intently.

"Kyanite." He said, his tone gentle but firm. "My son was hurt by something Jins did; he's the one who attacked you, and he's the one who shot Brody."

Nolan felt his voice catch in his throat actually, finally saying the words out loud.

Jins Revenue shot Brody. His son, his baby, his only child.

Jins Revenue. Not Kyanite.

"How long will Brody be in here?"

He sighed heavily, painfully aware of how little time had really passed; a single moment seemed like an eternity when Nolan and McKenna were counting them down until the doctors would taper their son off the drugs keeping him comatose... both hopeful and apprehensive to find out whether or not Brody's body was the only thing that had been damaged.

"Three days," Nolan replied finally, eyes settling on his son's face half obscured by the oxygen mask, "If all goes well."

Though he hadn't expected to see his wife back for several hours, McKenna leaned in through the doorway, prompting Nolan to look up as a flustered-looking nurse bustled into the room... and promptly breathed a sigh of relief.

"They've been looking for her." McKenna explained simply, "Do you want to walk her back, or stay with Brody?"

He only had to glance at Kyanite's pale face to make up his mind.

"I'll walk her back," Nolan said as he got up, offering his hand to Kyanite; the poor girl looked like she might fall over in a faint any moment now.

c44462 - Kyanite Ruze
1979e6 - Matthew Dunham
b60000 - McKenna O'Rourke
bb7d00 - Nolan O'Rourke

[*]

"Kyanite. My son was hurt by something Jins did; he's the one who attacked you, and he's the one who shot Brody." I hear his words ringing through my head. This stranger, with whom I have no idea what his name is, is telling me I'm not at fault here. I'm not sure why... whether it's his voice or words, but I feel the truth behind it all. I feel the power behind his words. He wouln't lie to me just to comfort me. He isn't one of my friends that are trying to comfort me. Maybe... he's right. Maybe they all are? Maybe, I've been holding on to this burden for so long that all it took was to hear it from someone I don't even know. Someone who can judge me truthfully... without consequence of losing anything. Matthew and Vy were right... why couldn't I see it before?

As my eyes settle, and with my hand on my stomach, I question this gentle man beside me when Brody will be out. I want nothing more than to be there for him when he wakes. Maybe, visit a few more times as I'm able to. I'd hate to just disappear after what he did to protect me.

"Three days. If all goes well."

I nod slowly so that his father will see it. Then from behind us the shuffling of feet alerted us and I turn around to see the woman again, Brody's mother, in the doorway and the nurse beside her. "I've been caught..." I whisper, a slight frown appearing on my face.

"They've been looking for her. Do you want to walk her back, or stay with Brody?"

I chime in quickly, just to let them know that they dont need to go with me. "I won't take you or your husband away from your son. Thank you for letting me see him." I get up from the chair, keeping this trained presence in front of them. Trying to protect my child and hide the bump if it was possible in the middle of the pregnancy. I give him a gentle smile, but the responce comes all too quickly and I"m not at liberty to reject his hidden offer.

"I could stand to have a walk around. Keeps me sane."

I look to the arm that he's offering and slip my arm into his as we make our way through the door and start the journey back to my room. All the while, a weird sensation starts running over my head, pushing and squeezing my sight to turn fuzzy for a moment, but a few blinks has it moving away.

"Would you please find a way to let me know how Brody is doing? I'll be home soon. I'll come back to visit if my brother let's me." I tell him.

"He's not supposed to get visitors besides myself and McKenna... but we'll be here, if you can make it.The doctors are supposed to taper him off the anesthesia in a couple days. I imagine you'll want to be there when he wakes up?"

"Thank you." We walk around corner, heading on the long stretch of hallway that goes to my room. He's actually goign to let me see Brody, and even offering to let me be there when he wakes up. Would he even remember me? Would he even remember what he did to save me? "I would like that very much. Only if it's okay with your wife..."

"I doubt she'd object. There are a lot of people who have been pulling for him, making it easier on us..." That's when I feel that spell coming on again. This time it feels more intense. A pounding headache and the world in front of me starts to spin. I stop in midstep and place a hand to my head, groaning suddenly and feeling my body sway.

"Kyanite?" I hear him call out to me. I shake my head slowly.

"I don't... feel good? Dizzy..." The pressure in my head starts to go away suddenly, but my vision darkening around the edges. Any muscles in my legs keeping me up go slowly and I feel myself slumping down, but not before a pair of hands are on me. The next few moments, I hear a muffled echo of a voice calling for a nurse. Time just seems to kinda drag on as I blink a few times then close my eyes. I keep hearing things around me though. I feel my body being held by someone as I lay on the ground. The cold floor making my skin feel like ice.

"Check her vitals. BP's low.... color's coming back. Syncopal episode." Tiny words echo through my mind. Who are they talking about? Who's getting color back? Is Brody okay? In the void of time, I feel my body being lifted up. Not much I can do, so I roll my head into the persons chest. I inhale this manly cologne scent and let my head swim and respond with a simple moan.

[Artemis]

Even if Brody wasn't supposed to receive visitors in the ICU, Nolan would be damned if his boy didn't have someone at his side the moment his eyes opened; not that he or McKenna would leave him alone for even an instant, but even if the worst came to worst the least he deserved was to be surrounded by the people that cared about him.

Brody especially deserved to know the fate of the girl he took the bullet for in the first place.

Nolan didn't doubt McKenna would agree with him either; stoic as she tended to be, she had a kind heart and was no more inclined to turn away the girl their son protected than her husband was.

They weren't far down the hall away from the ICU when he felt Kyanite's hand tighten on the crook of his arm as she stopped in her tracks, suddenly alarmingly pale as she leaned against him.

"Kyanite?"

"I don't... feel good? Dizzy..."

Her legs seemed to give out from under her; Nolan's arm wrapped firmly around her shoulders, lowering her to the floor and cradling her body against his. It had been a very long time since he'd spent any amount of time with a pregnant woman (his wife or any of his sisters), and a sense of panic set in wondering if something was terribly wrong.

Nolan looked around; great, what a time for there to be no hospital staff around-- or maybe not. What appeared to be a janitor turned the corner, and he raised an arm to flag him down.

"Hey!" His voice echoed down the hallway, "Get a nurse, I think she's fainted!"

The man in question only nodded, leaving his equipment to jog back the way he came and returning a moment later with the same nurse that had come to fetch Kyanite from Brody's room. Bustling and flustered as she was, the nurse was the picture of professionalism as she helped Nolan lay Kyanite on the ground and looked her over; Nolan dearly wished he had even a basic understanding of first aid, not understanding half the jargon that came out of the nurse's mouth.

"Check her vitals. BP's low.... color's coming back. Syncopal episode."

"... what in the hell is a syncopal episode?" Nolan asked, irritated that she wasn't using layman's terms and worried that he didn't know how much danger Kyanite was in.

"Fainting spell. Not unusual during pregnancy." She replied, nonplussed by Nolan's tone, "She'll come around in a few minutes."

He only had to take one look at Kyanite for that not to be good enough as a small shiver racked her body from laying on the cold floor, and he without a jacket to cover her with.

"Where is her room?"

The nurse pointed him in the direction of the maternity ward, and Nolan didn't wait around for protest as he gathered Kyanite up into his arms, her head rolling limply into his shoulder with a groan. She wasn't terribly heavy despite how far along in her pregnancy she was (but, then, Nolan could lift Brody if the need ever arose), and without much thought given to how odd they probably looked, started walking towards Kyanite's room.

What he didn't expect to find outside her door was Matthew.

"Matthew? What are you doing here?" He asked, taking another moment to take in his appearance, "... and why do you look like hell warmed over?"

He'd only seen Matthew a few hours ago, how in the hell had he managed to get into this shape in such little time?

c44462 - Kyanite Ruze
1979e6 - Matthew Dunham
b60000 - McKenna O'Rourke
bb7d00 - Nolan O'Rourke

[Jack Lexington]

"Matthew? What are you doing here?"
A loud voice tears me out of the light slumber I've fallen into on the uncomfortable plastic chair.
Slightly hunched over I have no idea where I am at first or who is talking to me. Only that my head is pounding awefully.
"... and why do you look like hell warmed over?"
"What?"
It takes me a moment to fully open my eyes to the bright lights of the hallway and look up at the person standing right in front of me.
As I blink the sleep away I recognise the man but he's holding somebody in his arms while a nurse comes rushing towards him.
She's asking exactly the question that comes to my mind next when I recognise the young woman in his arms and jump to my feet just to hold on to the wall in a very unbalanced way.
"What happened? Is she okay?"
It feels like somebody just tore the carpet out form underneath my feet and took all my stability and self esteem with it.
How can she be in trouble when this afternoon she was fine? What bout the baby?

My hand goes to her hair just to start blaming myself without even knowing the facts.
"I'm such a fucking idiot!"

Her eyes are open but she seems disoriented. Does she see me?

The nurse directs Nolan into the room that Kyanite has been assigned and tells him to place her on the bed but hold her legs up.
Quickly she feels her pulse and talks to her."Kyanite. Miss Ruze. Can you hear me?"

Completely shocked I follow them into the room on shaky legs.
What the hell happened? Where is she even coming from? Why is Nolan carrying her? My head refuses to piece the puzzle together because all I can do is stare at her state. It makes me want to scream and beg that she'll be okay but I only hold my breath and run my hands over my face.

[Artemis]

Hell warmed over was an understatement, apparently; Matthew leapt to his feet, only to lean against the wall a moment later almost as unsteadily as Kyanite had been moments before. Nolan started, uncertain if he could keep Matthew from falling over with Kyanite in his arms.

"What happened? Is she okay?"

The daze in Matthew's eyes is suddenly overpowered by worry as the nurse Nolan had summoned walked briskly past him to open the door to Kyanite's room, instructing him to lay her down and elevate her feet to get the blood back to her head.

"I'm such a fucking idiot!"

Nolan was about to ask what exactly Matthew had done (and find out why he looked like he'd managed to get the crap beaten out of him in the mere hours Nolan had seen him last), but Kyanite's head lolled against his shoulder; he and Matthew could have words later. At least after he was sure Kyanite would be alright.

He followed the nurse into Kyanite's room, laying her gently down on the bed and moving to support her feet while the nurse picked up her wrist for her pulse.

"Kyanite. Miss Ruze. Can you hear me?"

She got a faint moan in response; Kyanite's eyes fluttered, still distant but seeming to at least understand the nurse's words and that they were directed at her. Nolan looked back at Matthew as he entered; in spite of the bruising on his face (and, was that... blood?), he was pale as his eyes fell on Kyanite.

Nolan's brow furrowed; even if Matthew hadn't said a word out in the hall, that look told him everything he needed to know. Kyanite and Matthew were together, and Nolan would bet his right arm that he was the father too.

... and now, suddenly, many pieces fell into place. Why Matthew had left the Peacekeepers when he had seemed like such a promising recruit, and perhaps why there was an interrogation... Why Brody had apparently been 'too soft' on Matthew.

His eyebrows went up nearly to his hairline at the realization, but it was all moot at this point, nor was it any of his business to ask about it. Nolan felt Kyanite shift, though he didn't leave his place at the foot of her bed elevating her legs.

"She's awake." The nurse said after a few moments, "I'll be back. She might have low blood sugar."

The nurse got up, freeing up Kyanite's bedside for Nolan to kneel next to her; he took her hand again, rubbing his thumb over the back of it comfortingly.

"Hey," He greeted her with half a smile as her eyes seemed to come back into focus, "Welcome back. How're you doing?"

c44462 - Kyanite Ruze
1979e6 - Matthew Dunham
b60000 - McKenna O'Rourke
bb7d00 - Nolan O'Rourke
5d84ba - Nurse NPC