Chris awoke disoriented and in pain. He didn’t know where he was and couldn’t remember why he felt as if his body was on fire. He tried to swallow, but again felt something down his throat. Panic settled in and he tried to reach for the obstruction. Sounds reached his ears, but he couldn’t distinguish what they were. Terror raged inside him as he fought to move his hands and legs. Nothing mattered anymore except getting free of whatever was happening to him.
“Chris, come on, Son, it’s time for you to wake up. You’re in the hospital and you’re gonna be just fine. You know my voice, Brother, just listen to it and find your way home.”
The sounds were starting to clear, but the intrusions into his body continued. His chest hurt, his throat felt blocked off, his head pounded and he couldn’t move. ‘Christ!’he thought as he shifted his body slightly and felt the pain in his hip intensify.
“Mr. Larabee, we’re all here for you,” Standish said softly. He saw the lines of strain on Larabee’s face and knew there wasn’t much they could do about it, except make him realize he was among friends and not trapped with old enemies.
“Chris, we know you hate being in the hospital, but right now it’s the best place for you. Those tubes won’t be there much longer and you’ll be good as new before long,” Sanchez soothed.
The sound of Standish’ and Sanchez’ voices got through and Chris felt a slight tremble run through his body as he realized he wasn’t alone. His eyes fluttered until the lids slowly opened to reveal glazed eyes and he turned a solemn gaze on the two men beside his bed. ‘God, Josiah, tell them to take it out!’ he thought as he fought against the ventilator.
The ex-preacher could read the plea in those eyes and he placed a hand on the blond’s shoulder. He looked towards the door as Derrick Barrett walked towards them. “He’s awake,” Sanchez told him and moved out of the way.
Barrett moved into Larabee’s field of vision and smiled at his patient. “Chris, the surgery on your hip went well, but you’ve got pleurisy and that’s why you were having trouble breathing.”
‘Surgery? Pleurisy?’he frowned as he tried to remember the last time he’d been awake. He thought he remembered this man telling him he needed to be put back on the ventilator and also remembered his arms and legs being restrained. ‘What the hell is going on?’he thought as his memories refused to clear.
Barrett could see the confusion and pain written on Larabee’s face and he turned to the nurse and ordered a shot of painkiller.
Anne nodded and readied the injection. She cleaned the juncture in the IV line with an alcohol swab and injected the ordered medication as Sanchez and Standish continued to talk to the patient.
“Chris that’ll help with the pain and I want you to try to rest. Hopefully we’ll be able to take you off the ventilator the day after tomorrow. You’re still restrained because of the injury to your hip. I don’t want you moving around right now. Do you understand?” The blond head dipped once and he saw some of the fear leave the green eyes. “Good, just relax now. Your friends are here to talk to you and you’re safe.”
Larabee closed his eyes as the doctor left. ‘Safe?’ he thought. ‘Safe from who?’ he drifted off to sleep, wondering who had done this to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vin leaned heavily in the chair, his eyes closed as he pictured the chamber where they’d found Chris. He knew it was late, well past two am, and he was alone for the first time since the ordeal had begun. He’d told the others to get some rest, especially once he’d got a good look at the haggard faces of his friends. He knew Travis had rented rooms at the hotel in Washoe and was making sure the men took advantage of them. If things continued for him he’d be taking advantage of one of those rooms in two days. For now his thoughts were wondering about Chris’ fate and how long he’d be spending in the hospital. He knew the blond had a ways to go, especially with the second surgery and the pleurisy, but the worst would be the mental stress he’d be under.
Barrett had been in to see them and warned them about PTSD. The doctor didn’t seem surprised when the members of The Firm informed him that Larabee had suffered from it before. They’d been there for their friend then and they’d make damn sure they’d be there for him now. Vin rubbed at his head as he looked out the window before forcing his body upwards. He knew sleep would continue to elude him until he put his fears at rest. Something had been nagging at him since he woke at 1:30 and he was unable to put it to rest. He leaned heavily on the IV pole as he walked to the door. He searched the darkened hallway and was pleased when nothing moved.
Vin walked to the elevator unaware someone was watching him. Someone from another time, dressed completely in black and smiling at him. If he’d turned around he would’ve caught a shadowy image as the dull light glinted off a familiar set of worried green eyes, as it was the image was gone by the time the door opened and Vin stepped inside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne moved to the bed and gently checked her patient. So far the night had been calm, with Chris Larabee sleeping under the after effects of the anaesthesia and pain medication. Now he seemed to be waking up, but there seemed to be a lot of warring emotions crossing the man’s face. She knew he was fighting the endotracheal tube in his throat and unable to respond to her soft, yet firm, words.
“Hello, Chris,” she said as the eyelids fluttered and opened to reveal confused green eyes.
Chris struggled with the memories as the sedative effects wore off. His head turned towards the nurse and his eyes pleaded for her to help him. He didn’t understand what was happening as creatures only his eyes could see formed on his body. Little animals with wide razor sharp teeth that bit into his soft flesh, tearing into it until a burning pain radiated outwards from each new wound.
‘God! No!’he struggled against the pain, but couldn’t get away from it. ‘Fuck! Vin, Somebody? Anybody? Get them off me!’ He tried to scream, but something impeded his breathing, locking off his voice. Making the LSD induced hallucinations and nightmares seem even more real. His mind sank into a tiny world where the only thing he saw were millions of the little creatures attacking him from all angles. He felt his body lifted and once more screamed in fear and rage as he saw Robert Maguire standing before. The man didn’t speak, but his mouth opened and more of the creatures slid from the dark maw. Chris looked down at his own body and watched as blood flowed from his torso in a dark crimson tide. ‘NO!’ he screamed, but the word died in his throat.
“Chris, Come on, Son, it’s a dream. That’s all! Just a dream! Look at me!” Sanchez pleaded as his own heart seemed to keep pace with the wildly beating rhythm coming from the overhead monitors. He knew Anne had already put in a call for one of Larabee’s doctors and that one would probably come rushing through the doors at any second. Right now his mind was focused on stopping Larabee’s wildly thrashing body.
“What’s wrong?” Tanner hurried into the room and made his way to the bed.
“Thought it was a nightmare, Vin, but he’s not waking up!” Sanchez explained as he placed a calming hand on both Larabee and Tanner. He felt the shaking in both lean forms and closed his eyes in prayer.
Vin reached out and took Larabee hand in his own and looked at Sanchez, then at the nurse. “Where’s the damn doctor?”
“He’s on his way,” Anne said as she watched the blond’s face for any reaction.
‘Bastard!’ Chris screamed as his tormentor came towards him. The smile on Maguire’s face sent tremors of rage through the blond. His body was being eaten alive by the creatures and still he fought Maguire.
‘I am your Lord and Master, Christopher!’ Each word was punctuated by the slithering little spiders dropping from Maguire’s mouth.
‘Never!’
“Chris! Open your eyes and look at me, Cowboy!”
Larabee stared at Maguire as a soft voice and the touch of a hand sent a new strength into him. He looked behind the cause of the nightmare and saw seven figures standing there. He recognised them from the chamber and knew his friends and their ancestors were still protecting him from the aftermath of his time in the clutches of Robert Maguire.
“Keep talking to him!” Anne exclaimed as she watched the change in the monitors. His racing heartbeat was returning to normal, but the blond was still reacting to whatever he was seeing.
“Chris, me and Josiah got your back. The others aren’t far away and you just gotta remember that! You’re not alone, never was and never will be, Cowboy! Whatever you’re seeing ain’t real!”
‘Not real! Vin, not real!’he smiled as the creatures slowly disappeared back into his tormentors mouth and Maguire simply vanished before his eyes. He swallowed as the seven figures seemed to solidify for a few seconds. They smiled at him and turned away, but unlike the instant disappearance of his tormentor, these men faded and left him with a feeling of warmth.
Four men hurried into the room. None of them had any explanation as to why they met in the lobby of the hotel, hailed a cab and ordered the driver to take them to Washoe Medical Center. They sat in silence during the trip, knowing there was still something unexplainable happening around them. They didn’t question this knowledge, knowing it had led them to their missing member, and that he was alive because of a group of seven men from the past.
“Chris, it’s all right. You’re safe!” Sanchez assured the younger man, his own hands still touching both injured men. He smiled as they were joined by Nathan, Buck, JD and Ezra, making their number complete once more.
‘All right. Safe!’ Larabee heard the words and knew he was back. The nightmare had ended, but his body was in more pain than ever. His chest hurt, his hip throbbed and the wounds covering his body seemed to be waking up. He forced his eyes open and focused his eyes on the two men standing beside his bed.
“Hey, Cowboy,” Tanner grinned tiredly. “Ya look like shit!”
‘You too,’ Larabee sent through the silent signal and saw the smile broaden on the pale face.
“What’s going on, Anne,” a silver haired man asked as he stepped into the room. He frowned as he saw the six men standing around the bed. “You men shouldn’t be here!”
“Yeah, we should, Doc,” Wilmington smiled as the blond gazed at each one of them. There was pain in the sea green orbs, but there was also recognition and for that the ladies’ man was grateful. He smiled at his long time friend. “Ain’t that right, Pard?” He saw the blond head dip once, but his smile quickly vanished in the wake of Larabee’s pain filled gaze.
“Mr. Larabee.”
Chris turned to face the newcomer and frowned at the older man before turning to Vin Tanner.
“Put away the scowl, Chris. He’s a doctor.”
“Chris, this is Dr. Frobisher,” Anne explained as she got Larabee’s attention once more.
“If you gentlemen would leave for a few minutes I’d like to examine the patient,” Frobisher said.
“Chris, we’ll be right outside the door,” Jackson said. Larabee’s blond head bobbed once as the six men left him in the care of the doctor and nurse.
Frobisher checked the readouts on the monitor and frowned at what he saw. “Do you know what caused the increased heart rate, Anne?” he asked as he took the stethoscope and listened to the patient’s breathing.
“He’s been having nightmares about what happened to him,” the nurse explained.
“Chris, I’m going to have Anne give you something for pain.” He saw the head bob once and smiled at the injured man. “I know you feel pretty bad, but I assure you it will get better.” He watched as the nurse fed the morphine into Larabee’s IV line and then stood back from the bed. “Anne, his temperature is still quite high. I’m making a note of it on his chart, but make sure Dr. Barrett knows this. Have me paged if there’s any more problems.”
“I will Dr. Frobisher.” Anne picked up the cloth from the basin and washed her patient’s face as the doctor left the room. She smiled at the green eyes looking up at her. “That shot should make you feel more comfortable, Chris. You’re friends are coming back in.” She watched as his eyes turned towards the door. “I’ll let them stay for a couple of minutes, then I must insist they let you get some rest. Gentlemen, you have five minutes, then I want Mr. Tanner back in his room and all of you to go get some rest. Understood?” She placed her hands on her hips and forced a stern look on her face. “Understood?” she repeated.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Sanchez laughed as he snapped a quick salute, that brought a smile to every face in the room.
Chris heard the laughter and smiled inwardly. Somehow that sound always soothed his ravaged nerves, whether he was in pain or just needed a lift, these men would see that he got it. He knew it was the same for all of them and was grateful he’d found the six men he called family. He smiled inwardly as each man bid him goodnight and assured him they’d be there first thing in the morning. Finally he was left with one man, one brother, who seemed to know when he was needed and for that, Chris Larabee would be forever grateful.
“Chris, if you need me I’ll be here,” Tanner said as he placed his hand over Larabee’s heart and was glad to see understanding in the green eyes. “Sleep well, Pard,” he said as the green eyes closed. ‘I’ll be here, Chris, I always will,’ he silently vowed.
Larabee opened his eyes and watched as the younger man left the room. ‘I think you always have been. All of you,’ he thought. He closed his eyes and saw thirteen men as he drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“All right, Vin,” Milano said as she finished examining her patient. “I think we can dispense with the IV and put you on a solid diet again.”
“That’s great, Doc...”
“Not so fast, Vin,” she smiled as he tried to get out of bed. “This doesn’t mean you’re cured, you know? You haven’t been discharged and won’t be for a day or so. I want to make sure you’re keeping things down. You also have to realize the headaches are from the concussion and could come on at any time. If that happens you need to heed the warnings and lie down. A head injury like yours is nothing to mess around with.”
“I know, Doc, believe me there ain’t much I can do when I get one of ‘em.”
“Good,” Milano told him as she closed his chart. “I’ll send in a nurse to take out the IV. Any problems or pain you let them know and they’ll give you something to help you.”
“So when do I get out of here?” Tanner smiled at the older woman.
Milano laughed as she looked into the blue eyes. She knew this young man could probably melt hearts when he wanted to. “Ask me again tomorrow, Vin,” she flashed him a smile of her own.
“So I can get out of here tomorrow?”
“No, I said ask me again tomorrow. We’ll see how you’re doing then. I know you’re anxious to go visit Mr. Larabee so I’ll just say this once. Don’t overdo things!”
“I won’t,” Tanner said as she walked to the door.
“I’ll believe that when I see it, Vin,” she said as she left him alone.
Vin stood up, wincing as his shoulder protested the movement. He steadied himself and walked towards the window. He sat in the chair and waited for the nurse to come in. He smiled as an elderly woman with brown hair streaked with silver came towards him.
“Hi, Vin, Dr. Milano says I can get rid of the IV for you,” she said in a singsong voice.
“Yeah,” Tanner smiled as she started removing the tape. It didn’t take long for her to remove the tape and the IV and she quickly put pressure on the tiny puncture wound.
“There, that should hold you,” she said as she placed a bandage over the tiny puncture wound.
“Thanks, Bernice,” Vin said as he stood up.
“You’re welcome, Vin,” the nurse said as she left the room with the IV pole in her hand.
The tracker stood and walked to the bed. He picked up the extra gown and wrapped it around his shoulders. ‘Have to get the boys to bring me in some real clothes,’ he thought as he tied up the strings with one hand. He reached for the hospital issued paper slippers and sat back in the chair to pull them on. He looked at the wall clock and saw it was a little after 7:30am. He hurried from the room and across to the elevator. He pressed the button and entered as soon as the door was open. He knew Chris was probably still sleeping, but the urge to see him was strong. He waited for the door to open on the next floor and hurried out. He frowned as he noticed the drapes were pulled across and he couldn’t see into the room. He saw Buck Wilmington pacing back and forth in front of the room.
“Buck, what’s wrong?”
“Vin, hey ya got rid of the IV!” Wilmington said as he walked towards the younger man.
“Buck?”
“Oh, Sorry, Vin, they’re suctioning the damn tube in his throat.”
“Damn!” Tanner swore as he looked at the closed door. “How much longer?”
“They just started. The doctor’s in there too, says he wants to check Chris’ hip and all the other stuff.”
“How’s he doing this morning?”
“He looks like shit, Vin. I can tell he’s still hurting, but he can’t do much more than move his eyes and hands. Yeah, they still got him restrained.”
“Did the doc say how much longer they’ll keep him tied down?”
“Not yet, but I aim to find out as soon as he comes outta that room. He’s also worried about the fever Chris has. He figures it should be going down by now.”
“What’s he gonna do about it?”
“Not much more they can do, Vin. He’s on one of the strongest antibiotic cocktails they got.”
“Dammit, there’s got to be more they can do.” He swore as he leaned against the wall. He knew the encroaching headache had more to do with stress and worry than with the concussion, but it didn’t make it any less painful.
Buck watched as Tanner’s face paled even further and he grabbed a wheelchair from the nursing station. He hurried back to his friend and touched his shoulder.
“Sit down before you fall down, Vin.”
The sharpshooter tried to argue, but one look from the ladies’ man had him easing into the chair. “Thanks, Buck,” he said gratefully.
Buck nodded once and leaned heavily against the glass enclosed room.
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