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Alexis’s pale face was imprinted on the backs of Kate’s eyelids. They’d both come so close to death, with Alexis’ wounds and Kate almost running into the patrol of trucks when trying to create the diversion. Tossing the flares had been a good idea, but Kate hadn’t expected to nearly round the corner into the trucks they’d been hiding from. She’d never been so close to dying. Watching as Alexis bled out in the helicopter had taken years off Kate’s life. She’d been so afraid of letting Alexis in, but Kate couldn’t imagine losing Alexis after so much had happened and not being able to tell her how she really felt.
She knew she and Alexis had built what they had in the most extreme of situations. But it felt real. So very very real.
The general fear, anxiety, and pressure of the previous days condensed in on her, and she bent forward, put her head between her knees and sobbed. The pain wrenched out of her, washed down her face, and soaked the fabric of her pants at the knee as she wiped them away, trying to stop the tears all together.
Kate had been saved, rescued and brought back in one piece all due to Alexis’s navigation, ideas, and guidance. Yet, Alexis was the one lying in an operating room fighting for her life. The pressure was overwhelming, and Kate just took deep breaths, letting it all out, feeling the fear and guilt leave her in waves. She’d done all she could and had gotten Alexis into the helicopter. All she could do now was wait until the doctors came out to update her.
So she sat, steeped in anticipation, and waited. Her nerves clawed at her. Eventually, a nurse came out and Kate jumped to her feet, wringing her hands.
“She’s touch and go. We have her stabilized enough to fly her back to Palstein. She’ll need to be taken directly to their intensive care unit, but I think we’re out of the woods, as long as nothing surprising happens.”
Kate couldn’t believe her ears. Alexis was most likely going to be okay. Any strength she had left fled her, and Kate collapsed down into her chair. Sobs rose and Kate felt relief spread through her.
“Can I take the same bird home with her?”
The nurse nodded. “Of course, dear. We had one waiting for your return. The flight crew is checking its status now, making sure it’s all fueled up and ready to go. Shouldn’t be long now.”
Overwhelmed, Kate just let the tears roll down her face and stayed silent, waiting for the medical transport team to bring Alexis out so they could board the plane. The nurse left and returned sometime later in total silence to set a box of tissues next to Kate’s left foot before retreating once again.
Kate snatched up a few tissues and hid her face in them, blotting the tears and hoping to stop any more from falling.
The medic from earlier came up and extended an orange soda to her. “Drink this and stop crying. I spent all that time rehydrating you. You wouldn’t want to just cry it all out again.”
Laughter bubbled up in her throat, and Kate burst into a mixture of hysterical laughter and tears. They’d survived, Alexis was stable enough to fly, and they’d be on a flight back home within the next few hours. The emotional rollercoaster was just too much for her, and she took the soda and drank it down. Resting her head back on the wall again, Kate thanked the medic for making her laugh, then promptly passed out from sheer exhaustion and relief.
Doors banging open woke Kate from her restorative sleep. Alexis was being wheeled out on a stretcher, and Kate got her first look at her since they’d been separated. Wires poked out from underneath her gown and hooked to the heart monitor that beeped steadily, if a little slowly for Kate’s liking. Several different bags of meds hung from Alexis’ IV pole, and Kate could see a large bandage that went from her elbow, and disappearedunderneath her gown, reappearing at the neckline, and the rest was hidden under the fabric. The damage appeared extensive, but she looked much more stable than she had when they’d been in the helicopter.
Face drawn in exhaustion and slack in slumber, Alexis eyes were closed, and she was completely immobile. The doc waved at Kate, indicating she should walk with them.
“She’s stable. I’ve got her knocked out with meds. Should last most of the trip, and if she starts to wake up, they’ll put her back to sleep until she gets into the operating room in Palstein.”
The doc wiped his brow and continued. “As I said, she’s stable, but the pain will be miserable in the air. It’s better that she sleep through the flight.”
Kate nodded in understanding. She couldn’t imagine how intense the pain must be.
“Any major arterial damage or muscle loss?”
He shook his head. “Nothing I couldn’t tie off for repair later. Shouldn’t be any substantial damage long term as long as the repairs hold until she gets to surgery. All right, that’s all I have for you. Get out of here. They're waiting to load you two up.”
“Thank you for saving her!” Kate yelled as she turned and jogged to catch up with Alexis’s stretcher, dragging her IV pole along with her. Her two medics from earlier were waiting at the plane for them.
The medic pointed at her stretcher, tucked in a rack on the plane by itself. “You don’t have to lie down the entire way, but you at least have to sit in your rack. If you’re going to sit, wear the belt harness. You won’t be falling down on this aircraft while you’re undermycare.”
Kate gave the girl a smile. “Yes ma’am. I’ll be good, I promise.”
She promptly sat on her rack and belted in, pleased that she had a view of Alexis rack, which hung one down from her, withspace for her nurses on either side. It was soothing to listen to the nurses chatter about Alexis's stable vitals, and Kate fell asleep sitting up before the plane even took off.
Alexis didn’t wake up before they reached Palstein. She had stirred once, and her nurse had administered more medication, immediately putting her back to rest. Kate was grateful they weren’t making her remain awake and in pain.
When they landed on the tarmac with a jolt, Kate waited anxiously as they taxied, then the door of the plane lowered. The transport bus arrived, and Alexis’s team immediately began unloading her stretcher and hustling her toward the bus. Kate tagged along behind them with her medics. They’d stopped trying to tell Kate what to do and had just taken to monitoring her in silence.
They arrived at the hospital, and Alexis was taken off again, wheeled away for the final stages of her repair surgery. Kate was hopeful that they’d be able to fully restore the circulation in Alexis’s arm. Before she could follow Alexis and wait for her to get out of surgery, her medics stepped in front of her. Kate sighed, knowing that they weren’t going to let her off the hook anymore.
“Okay. Tell me what you want, and then I’ll tell you what I need.”
With a smile on her face, her medic shook her head in exasperation. “I already talked to Colonel Williams. They’re going to put her in a double. You’re under a forty-eight hour observation period. So in order to get you to cooperate, I’ve had them put you in the same room. As long as Lieutenant Cole isokay with that when she wakes up from surgery, you’ll be able to remain there.”
Kate was astonished and struck silent. She was so grateful.
