DISCLAIMER: JQ belongs to HB I am only borrowing them for fun ARCHIVERS: I'd be honored CATAGORY: Angst, Adventure AUTHOR'S NOTE: AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! BLOOD AND JADE: PART 4 BY SHENSA swndc@sprintmail.com American Military Hospital Livorno, Italy July, 19 Jonny wound his way through the maze of hospital corridors his feet carrying him back to the familiar world of the ICU. "Here I am in the pasta capital of the world and the only thing I can get is some over-done Top-Ramen and two day old garlic bread" he muttered. Deciding that the words military, hospital and food should always be kept as far apart as possible. He guessed that there was one bright side to Race's condidtion, at least being unconscious *he* didn't have to eat the food. He yawned tiredly and wondered what time it was. He had left Hadji and Jessie sleeping in the doctor's lounge. He had awakened from his place by her chair to see his dad carefully lift Jessie in his arms and carry her to a cot used by the staff on long nights such as these. Deciding that a bed and a blanket were better then a hard floor and rough carpet he and Hadji had trailed sleepily after the pair. He paused and waited patiently to be let in and made his way down the hall to Race's room. Nothing had changed, he wondered how that could be so when two days felt more like twenty. He still hadn't been allowed in the room. He was tired of standing on the outside looking in, when Race was like a second father to him. He looked quickly around and found the hallway empty. A single nurse sat at the station, her brow furrowed in concentration as she looked over several charts. Without a second thought he slipped quickly through the door and into the room. He was taken aback by the sterile ugliness of the place. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out two postcards, their edges bent and crumpled, one showed the Tower of Pisa, the other a photograph of the Italian coastline ending in the deep blue of the Mediterranian. He propped them carefully against a glass sitting on the small tray by the bed. "I know, it's not much" he apologized "but I figured you'd like it more then a stuffed bear and a stupid balloon." He slumped into the chair and reached out to touch Race's arm. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner" he whispered "but they wouldn't let me and Hadj' see you. So I kinda invited myself. I knew you wouldn't mind." He sat in silence for awhile, not knowing what to say or do. "This isn't supposed to happen" he whispered at last "not to you. But then I guess it's too late for that..." He took a deep breath. "We're all doing okay I guess but we'd feel better if you'd wake-up. It's been rough for dad, him being the only grown-up; trying to take care of us and worrying about you. Jess' is taking it pretty good, you'd be real proud of her. She's pretty angry though, I think she's gonna ground you for life. At least that's what I'd do if my father went running off with some woman he knew he couldn't trust." Jonny lowered his head. "Sorry" he muttered "I guess that was pretty low, it's probably a good thing you can't hear me." He looked away, eyes scanning the room, for a time watching the lines dart steadily across the screen with each beat of Race's heart. His eyes went to the bandage there, and he shuddered. He had heard the doctor tell his father that an inch lower and the bullet would have struck the heart. Jonny couldn't imagine life without Race but then years ago a little boy had never dreamed of growing-up without his mom. "I wish I knew what happened. The police told dad that they think it was a sniper who did this. I'd call him nothing more then a stinking coward!" snarled Jonny. Suddenly the door opened, Jonny looked-up his face set in sullen defiance. It was his father. Jonny waited for the angry reprimand; was more then a little surprised when it never came. Instead his dad came to stand quietly by the bed. "I was tired of looking through the glass" he said simply, somehow knowing that his dad would understand. "I know, I'm sorry that you and Hadji have been kept away for so long. The doctor's are just trying to do what's best for Race. Sometimes they forget" finished Benten. Staring down at the still form of his friend. "Dad, he's gonna be okay isn't he? I guess...I guess I didn't realize how serious it was until now. I know he's hurt bad but it's Race. I just thought everything was going to be okay, now I'm not so sure. He hasn't even opened his eyes." Benten Quest took a deep breath. "He needs time to heal son. You have to understand what he's been through. Any one of those bullets could have been enough to kill him." "But they *didn't*" retorted Jonny. "I've already lost my mom! Race is like another dad to me, I don't want to lose him too." He swiped angrily at the tears with the back of his hand. "This whole place is the same" he spoke, throwing out each word. "The lights, the doctor's, the nurses even that stupid hospital smell!" "You have every right to be angry Jonny, we all do. But anger won't bring her back, it won't take away what happened to Race. It has no power to change anything. Trust your old man" his dad's voice was distant; lost to the past its happiness and its grief. He turned to look at his father. "I just miss her" he whispered brokenly. Benten Quest felt his heart wrench. "So do I son...so do I." END BLOOD AND JADE: PART 4