Alex And Cassidy: Betrayal Part 23

"Yes?"

"Take care of yourself too."

Ca.s.sidy nodded as she disconnected their brief call. She had only been gone a few minutes but the time apart felt like an eternity. The short trek back to Alex's room was filled with overwhelming emotion. Knowing that Alex would be back to herself should have been a relief, but in some ways it seemed to terrify Ca.s.sidy. She took a deep breath and opened the door. "Hey," a grumbled voice called.

"You're awake," Ca.s.sidy said almost to herself.

"Looks like."

"I'm sorry...I needed to..."

Jane smiled and squeezed Alex's hand. "I'm going to leave you two alone," she winked at the teacher as she pa.s.sed. "I'm going to go find that brother of mine."

"Thanks, Jane," Ca.s.sidy smiled.

"Don't thank me," she whispered. "You're going to have your hands full with that one."

"Hey!" Alex tried to yell after her friend but her voice cracked.

Ca.s.sidy raised an eyebrow. "You starting trouble already?" she asked as she made her way to Alex.

"Me? Never." Alex coughed out as she reached for her lover's hand.

"Mm...How are you feeling?" Ca.s.sidy asked, stroking the agent's forehead.

"Kinda like a truck hit me, backed over me and then hit me again." The teacher nodded. She was finding it difficult to look in the agent's eyes, fearing her emotions would get the best of her again. "Ca.s.s? Hey, I'm okay." Ca.s.sidy nodded again. "Ca.s.s, look at me."

"I can't," Ca.s.sidy whispered.

Alex closed her eyes. She understood. When she had seen Ca.s.sidy for the first time after the incident with Carl Fischer, Alex thought she might literally fall over. It was overpowering; the relief, the guilt, the fear, most of all the love she felt running through every inch of her. "I'm sorry, Ca.s.s. I'm okay, really."

"I know."

"Hey, don't cry."

"I can't help it, Alex."

"Listen, it's not that bad."

"Alex, someone shot you. I'd say that qualifies as bad." Things were still fuzzy for the agent. She could remember pieces, but between the painkillers and the pain itself it was still difficult to see anything clearly. "Alex, what happened?"

"It's still cloudy. I remember this voice...deep voice...I thought it was Brady, but..."

"You mean you thought Agent Brady shot you?" Ca.s.sidy was confused.

"No, got me out of there. I can't remember how I...just that voice. Must have been a dream."

"What did this voice say, Alex?" Ca.s.sidy asked, finally looking at her lover.

"Something...I was calling for you. I remember that." Ca.s.sidy smiled and ran her thumb gently over Alex's hand as she held it. "Said to tell you Pip brought me." The breath instantly left Ca.s.sidy's body and she covered her mouth with her hand. It confirmed what Jane had told her. "Ca.s.s, what? I'm sure it was just a dream."

"I don't think so, Alex."

"What?"

"Pip....Pip is an old friend of mine," she looked into the agent's eyes and sighed. "Alex, Pip...that was Jon's nickname. It's all I ever called him when we were in France."

It took a moment, but then the pieces began to fit together in Alex's brain. "Krause.....it was Krause."

"Alex, I swear I have no idea why he..."

"No, it's okay Ca.s.s, I think I do. Doesn't matter right now."

"Jane told me he helped you, but...What if he shot you, Alex? What if it was Jon..."

The pieces were moving about in Alex's brain and she closed her eyes to allow them to come together. "It wasn't Krause, Ca.s.s."

"Alex, I know you can't tell me....I just....I...." Ca.s.sidy's tears seemed to have a mind of their own.

"Shhh, not now. Doesn't matter now...Okay?"

"I'm sorry, you are the one in the bed and I am...."

"You are perfect. I'm the idiot who got shot."

"Alex, don't joke about..."

"I'm sorry." Alex kissed the teacher's hand. "Just get me home."

"You just woke up."

"I know. I hate these places."

"Alex...."

"Come on, Ca.s.s."

The door opened and a short dark haired woman entered. Alex smiled. "Captain Toles, I did not think I would be seeing you back in a military hospital."

"I'd say I missed you, Major, but...."

The woman laughed and shook her head. "I see the painkillers didn't help much with keeping you quiet."

"Yeah....so when can I go home?"

"Alex," Ca.s.sidy cautioned.

"You must by Ca.s.sidy," the other woman smiled. "She hasn't stopped talking about you since she got here. Even in her sleep. I give you credit. Takes a tough woman to handle the ornery Captain, here."

Alex shot the woman a look of playful disgust. "Ca.s.sidy, meet Major Jennifer Garrison. You can thank her for that scar on my back."

"Actually, you can thank the shrapnel for the scar on your back, Captain. You can thank me for the fact that you are still able to be so annoying."

"Funny," Alex said.

Ca.s.sidy was perplexed by the interaction. The two women seemed like much more than casual friends but she did not get the feeling that they had been lovers. Sensing both her emotional stress and her understandable curiosity, the major offered an explanation. "Captain Toles and I, we go way back. She was the most difficult patient I had my first year as an active surgeon. Prepared me for anything that would follow. I guess I should thank you for that."

"Yes, you should. So let me go home."

"Alex," Ca.s.sidy cautioned again and Alex let out a sigh.

"OOO....She's good, Alex."

"So, Major...when can Alex..."

"All right. You can go home tomorrow; if your vitals stay within the appropriate range tonight," Alex started to perk up slightly. "Uh-uh...and if there are no signs of any infection."

"No problem," Alex said definitively.

"Hold on," the Major cautioned. "Alex, you have to take it easy." Seeing the glint in her friend's eye Jennifer Garrison held up a finger. "First of all, that bullet was no joke. You lost a lot of blood. If that agent who brought you in hadn't been so thorough, you might not have been so lucky." Alex sighed. "And, when that medication wears off, I suspect you are going to find there is more pain in your back than in your shoulder."

"Why?" Alex asked, vaguely recalling connecting with the ground.

"You have four broken ribs along with, what I am sure is substantial inflammation. I mean it, Alex. You go home. You rest. You read. You watch TV. You do a puzzle."

"I got it. I got it."

Ca.s.sidy shook her head. "Major? Is there..."

The Major smiled. "I wish I could give you something for the att.i.tude, Ca.s.sidy." Ca.s.sidy tried not to laugh. The brief interaction with the surgeon had helped to relieve some of her tension. Although she knew Alex would be difficult to keep down, she had to admit that selfishly she wanted the agent home. "What I will give you is some antibiotics, pain reliever, strict instructions...and I'll make certain that you have some anxiety medication."

"What do I need that for?" Alex asked.

"That's not for you, Captain. That's for her." Alex frowned and Ca.s.sidy offered the Major a smirk of appreciation.

"Thank you," Ca.s.sidy said.

"I'm not sure I'd be thanking me, but you are welcome. She'll be back on her feet in a couple of weeks."

"What about work?" Alex asked.

"I said a couple of weeks. Do I need to check your hearing now too? Maybe you hit your head," the Major leaned over her patient and pulled on Alex's ear.

"Hey!"

"You, behave, Captain. No offense, I'd like to not see you again anytime soon."

"None taken," Alex shot back. "Hey," she called after the major. "Thanks, Jen." The major smiled and winked as she left.

"Alex, you have to ..."

"I promise, Ca.s.s. I just want to go home." Alex was drained and being in a hospital bed unsettled her.

"I know. I want you home."

"Yeah? Does that mean I get my tacos?"

Ca.s.sidy smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Alex, as long as you are safe you can have tacos every night of the week."

The agent touched the teacher's cheek. "I'm sorry, Ca.s.s. I know..."

Ca.s.sidy shook her head. "No...stop...I just can't help it. I just found you...I..."

"Don't let Jen scare you, I promise I will behave."

Ca.s.sidy chuckled but then grew serious. "I love you, Alex. More than I think you know."

"I know."

"You do?"

Alex nodded. "What time is it?"

"Why? It's 3:30. Oh my..."

"Good, then I can call Speed," Alex said. "At least I can keep my promise. I'll be home tomorrow."

Ca.s.sidy smiled. Alex amazed her sometimes. She could see the agent wincing at the slightest movement, but the mere thought of talking to Dylan lit her from within. Ca.s.sidy wondered what they would tell him. "Alex, he is going to want to...."

"We're going to tell him it was an accident."

"Alex...."

"Ca.s.sidy, he doesn't need to know....not this."

Ca.s.sidy looked to the ceiling and pursed her lips. There was a fine line between protecting Dylan and lying to him. There was already one enormous secret that would need revealing. "No, Alex. We aren't. We are going to tell him that you were smart and that is why you were not badly hurt."

"Ca.s.sidy..."

"Alex, no. I understand, I do. You are the one who said no more secrets. No more secrets, Alex. Not in our family, please."

"All right. You're right." Ca.s.sidy was right, trust mattered. "So...can we call him?"

Ca.s.sidy laughed. "Yes."

"Okay," Alex put out her hand for the phone.

"As long as you promise to call you mother afterward."