Okay, I know this took a while. Longer than I hoped. But it just wouldn't write the way I wanted it to until now - I think, I finally got it there. So hope you enjoy!?
Its a final cocktail of everything - Danger, emotional, angst, hurt. With some comfort and love and a little cross-over of fic (that was just an 'in' thing for me!)
Let's get the Helo outta here!
Kat can't move. Frozen by fear she pushes herself against the wall at the back of the room. Her hands clamped over her ears as the place fills with movement and noise. Loud sounds, doors banging and well-built, military men - with guns, rushing around.
With the indistinguishable sound of voices, shouting and yelling, outside, she opens her eyes. And lifting her head she watches across the room as the camo-clad man tends to Sonny - medical kit strewn on the floor around him. She stays silent, continuing to watch as he preps the fluid line, tapping at Sonny's arm, raising the vein, Clay sitting beside them watching on.
Glancing around, all the sudden movements are making her head spin and she feels dizzy, sick with anxiety. Her view now blocked by the tall, well-built man in front of her.
He's facing away towards the wall opposite, talking to no one - a radio in his ear she can't see. "Jason..." He spins around as 'Metal' grabs at his arm, diverting his attention from the sit-rep update he's relaying over the comms. " a word." He pulls him to one side, hushing his voice. "One of the HVTs... she didn't make it."
"Shit... we get anything' from her before..."
"No, no nothin'," he sighs rubbing his head "Geez... Jace, you didn't see the injuries. She was in a hell of a state, and we just couldn't save her." Alpha-One glances over, looking at Kat then turns his back, so she doesn't overhear. "We know who the female is..." he gestures towards her "this one, with Sonny and Clay? She's not on the HVT list, we get an ID on her yet?"
"No ..." Jason turns on his heels to stare, "no we've not had time to process her yet. I need to speak with Clay, get a sit-rep on this whole thing. I'm gonna call it in, see if we can get somethin' back from Mandy. Clay said she's a doctor - we need to check it out. How we doin' out there?"
"Yeah, we're getting them rounded up. Called up that evac helo but it's taking time to get the choppers out to us. I'll let you know when they come back with an ETA. We're about to process the tango's outside, see if anyone gives anything up. Some intel or somethin' on Maynor would be good, right?."
"Okay, I'll leave it with you, I'm gonna check on Sonny. Trent's looking at him now. Hey... see if you have any luck locating Clay's pants. I'm sure he could do with losing this catwalk look he got goin' on." he laughs. Clay looks up hearing him and smiles.
"Alright I'm gonna check on my medic first, then I'll get on with these assholes outside."
"Juan... and Estuardo, that's the two you should look at more closely. They've been in charge. They both speak good English so don't let them give you bullshit!" Clay grins.
"They do this?" Jason frowns looking at Clay's injuries.
"Yeah um... mainly Juan. He's a loose cannon - dangerous, so watch him!"
"You can ID him? Cos we got quite a few bodies out there,"
"Yeah sure, give me a minute, I wanna check on Sonny. Oh, and he's right, some pants would be good!" he smiles.
"You gonna be okay?" Jason frowns concerned as Clay eases himself to his feet. He's unsteady and his legs are shaking so much that Trent makes him sit down. "Maybe I'll give it a minute. "
"Yeah take your time, we got no rush. They're goin' nowhere." Jason smiles staring at the pair of them. The absolute relief on his face that they're both okay. "Hang in there. Look, I'm just gonna go outside -check the sit-rep but I do need to talk to you, about ... " he nods towards Kat, "a few questions when you're ready."
"Sure." Clay sighs then he turns and looking at Kat, he smiles. She's sat on the floor, gripping her knees tight, eyes closed. "Hey, you okay?" he frowns as she doesn't answer. "Kat, just hold in there. We're gonna get you outta here soon, everything's gonna be alright."
"Mmmm..." she nods, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I'm fine, it's just... Clay I um, I need to talk to you..."
"Just hold on. It will be okay. Let's just get Sonny sorted then we'll talk" he's still frowning he can see the scared anguish in her face. He takes a breath then looking at Trent, he smiles. "So, how's he doin'?"
"Clay for god' sake man, can you just sit back and relax. Give yourself a break. I've got this in hand. I need to get this line in, then I'm gonna check you over, alright?"
"I'm fine, I just need to know he's okay. His leg, it's good, yeah? I mean he's not gonna... Trent, he is gonna be okay, right?"
"We'll have to wait 'n' see." Trent sighs " Clay this... this is a serious injury but just relax, I'm gonna take good care of him, you know that."
"Yeah, sorry I just... " he sighs "You know if it hadn't been for her, Kat, well he might not be here at all. That goes for both of us."
"She did a good job. She's a doctor, you say?" He's about to answer when Sonny groans.
Turning his head, Sonny stares at him "Hey Calvin," he smiles "will you quit flappin' your lips there and give a man some peace, I'm gonna be fine. You know I gotta say, I don't think much of the vacation resort you picked out for us... sure not leavin' five stars on their trip-advisor review, that's for sure."
Clay laughs. That's his Sonny - back. "Hey there buddy, you okay?"
"Yeah I'm good man, I had me some great Medicare... but you know, I can't wait till we gettin' the helo outta here. How's she holdin' up?"
Clay frowns looking over a Kat her head between her knees, he can hear her crying. "Kat... please just hold in there" he calls reassuring her "Look at me, it's gonna be fine. No one's gonna hurt you now. Kat can you hear me."
She nods, frowning concerned. "Did they make it? The others, the um... CIA people were they okay? "
"Um... I don't know yet, but the medics are with them." He frowns, "But you did great, you kept them alive." He smiles again trying to be reassuring. "Look, Kat, they're gonna ask you about them. Like, did they ever tell you anything? Any words... just anything? Any kinda information when you were treating them?"
"No... no, nothing. I swear I heard nothing. Clay, who's gonna ask?"
"When we get back, someone from the intell ... well some people, they'll just ask you a few questions. About what you remember or anything you know. So just think about that, about what you might have heard. But I promise you're gonna be fine."
She nods but he can tell by her mannerisms she's unconvinced - scared. "Oh, God! Clay I need..."
"Hey, kid..." Jason's back at the door and he interrupts them. "we found these... " he grins, throwing the khaki combat pants at him. "you good with that or you need a hand?"
"No, I think I'm good" he smiles.
"I'll help him." Kat offers and Jason nods.
"Well, get'em on, we need to talk." He turns again looking at Kat but he doesn't say a word - just smiles, then leaves - banging the door shut. Trent having gone to help Alpha's medic, the room goes quiet again - just Kat, Clay, and Sonny.
Clay looks down at himself, the state of his legs, his dirty underpants covered in blood and grime. He sighs loudly. Kat joins him to help as he staggers to his feet, supporting himself with the wall as she pulls his pants over each foot, before hoisting them up his legs.
"Thanks. You know it's gonna be okay, we're getting out. They're just waiting on the helo evac."
Bending down she checks on Sonny's pulse. He's sleeping, much more comfortable now. She nods "I know." Then exhausted she slumps down watching as Clay pulls the door open - peering into the corridor. "Wait! Are you going?"
"It's fine, stay here. I'm just gonna see what's going on out there." Grimacing with pain, he staggers, slowly, along the corridor.
"Hey ... " Jason nods acknowledging him as he heads out into the bright, hot sunshine.
Metal nods, smiling he's pleased to see Clay up on his feet, as he finishes up his conversation on the radio. "Okay, I have an update. It's not good news. One of the helos has tech issues, so there's a delay in their ETA. They're twenty mics out. And Jason, there's somethin' else..."
Jason rubs his hand over his face. He can do without more issues and he sighs loudly. "What's goin' on?"
Alpha One taking a breath frowns as he looks at Clay. "That doctor, in there, she say much?"
"Say much?" he's puzzled "About what?"
"I mean about her situation, how she wound up here."
"Yeah, a little... " Clay winces in pain and Jason helps him to sit. The pile of crates stacked to the side making a resting place for his weary, tired body. "She um ... she was working at the village hospital when they brought Maynor's brother in, a gunshot wound. After she treated him, they took her back to the compound - to look after him, kept her there. That's about all I know... aahhhhh ... oh hell... " he rubs the pain, holding his ribs. Both Jason and Metal hope those helos arrive soon so they can get out of this place, and get some proper medical treatment. Clay sighs loudly, he frowns. "She said they moved her from the compound to here... and we worked out she's probably been here about a year!"
" A year?! Jeez..." Metal frowns. "So, she say anythin' about that, the compound, about staying there? Did she see anything?"
"No... no, she said they kept them in a locked room."
"Them?" Jason frowns " Wait, there were others with her?"
"One other guy. He worked with her at the hospital, Lopez, he was here when we arrived. He was in a bad way though, he had a fever - didn't make it."
"Lopez... wait, this Lopez, you talk to him? Did he say anything?"
"No. He was pretty much unconscious the whole time, so we didn't talk." Clay frowns watching the exchange of looks back and forward between Metal and Jason "Why? Wait, is something going on, something I should know?"
"We don't know yet. Could you ID him - this Lopez?"
Clay sighs rubbing his head, "I don't know, maybe. I'm not sure I could, but obviously, she can.."
"No, it needs to be someone independent. Not her."
"Okay, so tell me what the hell's goin on? There something I should know about this?"
"Yeah, there is something." Metal sighs both Clay and Jason, frown staring.
"Alright, so what's the SP with this?"
"Intel came back. Maynor's brother... Lopez Ramero... Havoc is sayin' he had a girlfriend, at the compound with him. She disappeared and so did Lopez. They think if we can get to the brother or girlfriend, they might flip on Maynor. Turn evidence."
"Wait, so what they think that doctor in there is her - the girlfriend?"
"No... ," Clay frowns "that's ridiculous, why would she be here if she was his brother's girlfriend? That makes no sense. That intel can't be right. " he frowns thinking "oh... oh but wait, she mentioned something about his brother. Said something about what Maynor he did to him."
Jason looks up, surveying the surrounding situation. Watching the team moving people around, "Okay just a thought here, that Lopez that died, could he have been Maynor's brother?"
Clay shakes his head trying "No! No, Kat would have told us, why would she cover that. Look at the situation and anyway Lopez is such a common name around here, it's gotta be a coincidence, right?"
"Right!" Jason sighs loudly he's not so sure. "Look we're gonna have to question her, see what she knows. The spooks, they're gonna wanna talk to her when we get back."
"No, she's not involved in this. Jason, without her Sonny and me we wouldn't be here!" As Clay rubs his head trying to think, trying to understand what's happened, there's a whoosh of wind and Something zips over their heads followed by a loud bang. Then there are lots of sounds. Banging - gunfire.
"Heads up... " Jason gets on the comms ".. we got incoming fire..." He drops down on the ground, behind the crates next to Clay who's struggling to move with his injuries.
There's a lot of movement as the teams get set in, searching and surveying to find out where the spray of bullets is coming from. They're pinned down, Metal and Jason both barking orders at their respective teams. "Clay... MOVE!" he shoves him toward the building entrance. He can hardly get to his feet, his rib injuries slowing him down. "CLAY, I said... MOVE! MOVE... NOW!"
Clay runs, to the next available cover; he lifts his head trying to pinpoint the source of the shooter.
"Bravo Two this is Bravo One, you still go over-watch on our position, copy?"
"Bravo One copy... "Ray stops where he is. He and Alpha Seven en-route back to the compound, climbing down the bank from their ridge position. "we're headin' back now!"
"We got incoming fire... we need a location on that shooter, ASAP, copy."
"Copy that!" Ray scrambles back up to the ridge where they were positioned trying to find the source of the gunfire. He and Seven hurriedly setting up their weapons, resuming the positions they left only moments before. Scanning and scouring the ground below as the rain now starts to fall. "Shit..." Ray sighs, trying to find a position on something. Then he spots it, the vehicle the one that was headed towards them, and there he can see two... no three, FOUR! Four shooters! "BRAVO One this is BRAVO Two. We got eyes on. Shooters to the left of your position - West Fifteen degrees, Copy?"
Jason's head swivels around, his eyes quickly scanning the terrain. There's a flash and a whizz of shots being fired in his direction as he locates their position.
Clay gasps, watching. Blood now splatters his face and chest as a bullet rips at Jason's flesh and he drops to the ground. There's a lull in the shots, everything goes quiet and no one moves. Clay reaching out with Metal grabbing Jason's arm, pulling him to them.
~ ## ~
Kat sits quietly, all she can hear is the steady pace of Sonny's unconscious snoring. The meds that Trent gave him, still having a pain-relieving effect and keeping him still.
She smiles as she watches him when she's suddenly disturbed from her thoughts, the peace is shattered by the sound of loud bangs. "What the ... " she frowns, as the noise. The sounds continue. It's deafening after all of the silence. People are moving, rushing around in the corridor. Men shouting and gunfire - it's chaos.
She takes a breath not sure what to do. Sonny groans, the sounds disturbing even him. "Shh... stay quiet!" she frowns brushing her hand on his forehead "It's okay. Is it okay" she doesn't know if it is, she has no clue what's going on.
Then Standing herself up, she leans against the door listening. It's now silent in the corridor and she doesn't move. Then taking a breath, timidly, she opens the door. Creaking it an inch or so just to peer out. Her eyes scan around in the emptiness then she turns back, Sonny groaning again.
"What you doin'?" he frowns.
"Nothing. Just be quiet, I don't know what, but something's going on."
"Kat, wait come back..." Sonny's head fogs he can't get his words out as he tries to stop her.
"It'll be fine I'm just going to the corridor to look."
"Kat don'..." Sonny's words fade into nothing as she slips past the door, and he slumps back into the dazed sleep of pain relief.
Careful not to make a sound, she slides along the wall. Her hands are shaking, as she checks, glancing every way, her heart beating so loud in her chest. Now she stops and frowning she sees something she realized she missed earlier. Luis...The small boy crouched on the floor by the doorway.
In the turmoil and chaos, she hadn't noticed he'd gone from the room. "Luis..." she calls him. He sits, unmoving, his head buried between his knees. "Luis... u ma'alob!" she tries to reassure him that it will be okay. As he looks up. Tears are streaking in lines down his dirty cheeks and She smiles, reaching her hand towards him. "Ko'oten aca..."
She wills him towards her, but he won't move. Ridged and still, he's nervously scared and she quietly inches tentatively towards him, her outstretched hand feeling its way - trying to take a hold on him. The last few steps he looks up wide-eyed shaking his head.
"It's okay... " she smiles, hushing her voice afraid they might be heard. Slowly she crouches to be near him then without warning, she cries out. "arghhhhfffff..." Her cry is muffled by the large strong hand that grabs around her neck and covers her mouth. The hard metal of a gun is shoved up under her ribcage as she struggles to get free.
"Kaajila'... Kaajila'" The hoarse whisper in her ear, the pungent smell of stale marijuana and the bloodied fingers gripping, grimy on her mouth. Mmmm... She gulps - scared. It's Juan and he now has a tight hold of her.
Shoving her forward he pushes her toward the tin door - exit. "Move! ... Quiet... kaajila! You understand?"
She nods that she does and he now grabs at Luis' arm too. Dragging him up from the floor. "Please..." she begs but her muffled plea only succeeds in him gripping her more firmly as he shoves her outside, into the air. The hot sun on her face she tries to take some breaths. His hand stifles her breathing as she's trying not to panic. "Please... aarrgh!"
"Shut up!" Anxiously he scans the area and with the American soldier's attention distracted - coming under fire at the front of the building, he searches for a way out.
He smiles the truck - Estuardo's truck, standing waiting. In the teams' takeover, Estuardo was pulled from it, just as he was getting ready to move them out on the trek to the hospital.
His blood is still wet on the ground where he took a round in the crossfire.
Juan checks inside the open door and smiles. The keys still in the ignition he grins, crossing himself. Looking up he thanks God for this blessing and Still holding Kat he pins her against the side of the vehicle, indicating for Luis to climb inside. "Luis wokol... BEJLA'E'!" He screams at him.
The small boy is dazed, scared he looks around desperately trying to find his older brother. The fear is obvious as he stares at Kat. She nods acknowledging him, her eyes wide, trying to tell him to do as he's told. He doesn't move and panicked by the noise of gunfire, not too far from them, frightens him and he thinks to make a run for it.
Juan's frustrated and waving the gun he calls him back, gesturing him into the truck. Luis still hesitates, wavering. Juan grabs at his arm but the small boy ducks his grip and in his fear runs away. Fuck... Juan swears, watching as the small boy, runs, heading toward the gunfire. Juan knows him alerting the soldiers may impede his escape and he sighs, shaking his head in regret.
And lifting his weapon Kat squeals under the gag of his hand. Her eyes widen - begging him, not to do this. He aims. "Please..." she shakes her head rapidly "don't! He's just a boy." she mumbles.
Juan just looks at her and smiles, and then without an ounce of compassion, he fires. "You know, better for him this way... at hands of Romero, not Americans."
She can feel her stomach lurch, she wants to throw up watching as the small boy drops to the ground. Crying she closes her eyes tight, as he drags the weapon over her body, silently warning her of the consequences of trying to escape. "Get in!" He forces her into the cab of the truck and starts the engine.
She sits still, petrified by him, closing her eyes. The tears forced down her cheeks. "Please..." she begs. He just grins as he holds the weapon towards her. And Putting the truck into gear he drives. The orange dirt trailing up like smoke as the wheels spin behind them and he speeds off down the unmade roadway, Ignoring the sound of shots being fired.
Kat puts her hand to her head in despair as they roar out of the compound and away from safety.
Alpha team spins around, firing shots towards them.
But as Clay looks up at the sound of the vehicles and he spots the female passenger inside. "WAIT ... Jason WAIT! They've got KAT ... "
There's a dilemma here for Jason. The shots continue to ring out while the bullets, from the road above, keep them pinned in position.
"Oh my God... Sonny!" Clay suddenly panics making a break from his cover, leaving Jason with Brock. The fear that Juan not only took Kat but took his brother too or worse, now his only concern.
"SONNY..." He calls screaming down the empty corridor. The panic in his chest at the open door "SONNY! ... Sonn... " He breaths, relieved. "Thank god!" he pushes himself back to the wall, catching his breath. The pain wracking his body. The sight of Sonny passed out on the floor. Clay checks him - he's still breathing. "Oh thank God!"
Clay doubles up in pain. The seriousness of his injuries taking their toll on his body, hitting him with force. Where his concern for Sonny meant he'd managed to ignore and override, he now slumps, next to his best friend.
In agony, he can do nothing, physically, except cry. Listening in the quiet of the room, all he can hear is gunfire outside and lots of shouting. There is nothing he can do to help. Kat's gone and he sits silent, holding his head in his hands. He'd promised her she'd be okay and now she wasn't. "Fuck..." he shakes his head, trying to rid himself of this awful feeling of hopelessness.
Sonny opens his eyes. "Hey..." he reaches his hand to Clay's, gripping it tight before closing his eyes again. Clay leans forward, his head rested against Sonny's arm, sobbing. All the emotions of his pain merge with the loss of Kat, now hit him like a hammer blow.
~ # # ~
"HOLD FIRE ..." Jason screams over the noise. "he's got a hostage!"
They watch as the truck speeds along the open dirt track. "Jace we can't let him get away!" 'Metal' frowns. He's still trying, if he'll only keep still, to bandage the wound of torn flesh on Jason's arm, where the bullet struck his bicep. It hurts but it's not serious, well certainly nothing that will keep him out of the action.
"We'll kill the hostage if we open fire!"
"And how do we know she's not one of them? We didn't get time to question her."
Jason debates that scenario and he frowns. "Cos... well cos Clay told me, and I trust his judgment."
They both sigh loudly, watching as the vehicle stops along the top road. The men who had been emptying the bullets on them, now scrambling to get into the truck – and escape.
Both teams feel helpless.
"Jay... Maynor's gonna getaway, again!"
The dilemma do they sacrifice the hostage - they obviously can't rescue her, Jason sighs. Then his thoughts are distracted by the deafening noise of whump and whurr as the extract helos arrive overhead. The noise of the rota and swirl of dust, hiding everything from their view. "C'mon get everyone together, we need to get outta here" he looks wistfully at the speeding vehicle as it disappears "There's nothing we can do now!"
Metal frowns. Resigned to the fact they have to let them go, he helps Jason to his feet, gently patting the dressing on his arm. "That should hold you for now. But you'll need to get it looked, ASAP!"
"Yeah will do... " Jason nods reluctantly as he returns to the comms. "Bravo Two, this is Bravo One ... head to extol, copy."
"Copy that Bravo One. Heading to exfil now. Two out!" Ray frowns, gesturing to Alpha Seven that they need to head back. Collecting up their weapons, they quickly slide down the ridge toward the compound.
"I need to get Sonny and Clay ready for ex-fil." Jason nods. The blood from the bullet wound is already seeping through the clean dressing. He holds it grimacing, the pain starting to make it ache. He again looks up to the ridge, the vehicle is gone. "Fuck..." He sighs angrily.
The helo medics jump from the open door, rapidly unloading their medical kit, dropping the stretchers on to the ground. "Sir.." the chief medic salutes "Ready to extract the casualties."
"This way..." Jason leads them into the building his head low - helmet in hand. His arm now covered in blood – he ignores it. They push the door open to find both of his team, heaped together unconscious.
Trent's with them triaging the pair. He nods to acknowledge the medical crew. They get a fresh line into Clay's arm, between them lifting him onto the stretcher then repeating the same actions with Sonny before hurriedly heading back outside - loading them onto the aircraft bay.
The one remaining CIA agent already strapped a ready to go. As are two of Alpha Team, wounded by shots in the firefight earlier, now being tended to by their medic and the emergency helo crew.
"Sir, we're ready to go, when you are."
Jason nods rubbing his head. Ray beside him. "Everyone ready to go?"
Ray nods "What the hell happened?"
"I don't know, Ray, really I don't know. Just get everyone on the helo. Let's get the hell outta this place!" he sighs, watching as they bring Clay outside.
He opens his eyes, they're filled with fearful tears. "Jace... we have to get her back."
Jason shakes his head. Wishing he could tell him what it is he wants to hear - but he can't. He looks at his arm, the teams, the injuries. Even if he did contemplate a rescue, right now, he doesn't have the manpower to make it happen. They're weakened and exhausted and any attempt, even if it was authorized – doubtful, would be at risk to the rest of his team. And if he sent in the helo's by the time they were on top of them - she'd be dead anyway. "Sorry Clay!" he frowns "Get him outta here..."
~ # # ~
After the flight back to Virginia Beach, Sonny and Clay are both take immediately to the Naval hospital facilities. Sonny still unconscious, being kept that way by the pain relief. Rushed into surgery on his leg.
Clay also heavily sedated for the pain. Having been scanned for the broken ribs, he's now resting, back in his room. Comfortable in his bed he leans back, watching the TV on the wall above his head. The news channel a constant reminder of what just happened.
BREAKING NEWS:
The body of Doctor Katrina Adams, found today, at a village just outside the Guatemala capital. Sources confirm the American Doctor went missing over a year ago after working at a nearby local field hospital for five years. The source also believed, although not confirmed, that she was a former girlfriend of the notorious cartel leader Lopez Romero, Brother of Maynor Romero - who we are told, evaded capture during a firefight with local drug enforcement agents. Doctor Adams's body is due to be returned to the States later this week. Her family declined an interview at this time.
Clay sighs closing his eyes. "I'm so sorry..." He gulps back the emotions choking his throat.
"Hey..." Kelsey smiles at him as she enters the room "Oh, my god you're okay" she puts her hand to her mouth the tears streaming down her face "Thank God! Jeez, you gave me such a fright." She gently punches his arm "Don't do that again, Mr. Spenser!"
He smiles brushing her hair back from her face. Staring her in the eyes, so happy to see her. "I know, I'm sorry," he whispers his voice cracking under the emotional strain.
She's looking him over, his badly bruised body, his ribs all now bandaged up. "So, how are you, really? I mean, they said you're doing well?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Hurts - a lot, but according to the doctor, I'm gonna be okay."
"Hmmm... " she smiles leaning forward, kissing him. Frowning as she notices him constantly glancing as the TV. She also looks up at the news feed, she can see the frown and the raw emotion filling his expression. "That something to do with you?" she questions, knowing she won't get a direct answer.
And as expected he looks at her blank - no emotion, no response. "Kelsey you know I can't..."
"You can't tell me, I know," she smiles, wrapping her arms around his head holding him tight against her. "It doesn't matter, you're back that's all I care. Oh, and by the way, I checked in on Sonny, while they had you in surgery. He's doing great. They said his leg should heal, given time, but that for now, they have the infection under control. So that's good right?" she smiles "He's pretty out of it on morphine and rambling a lot of nonsense. Complaining that he doesn't like the jungle or something? You know what he's talking about?"
"Yeah... yeah, and trust me that's a good sign!" he laughs "Hopefully, they'll get me down there later, to see him."
"Listen, Clay, I'm gonna go... I'll be back later with Casey, he's desperate to see you. I'm just so glad you're safe and home,"
"Yeah... well, things might have been different if it weren't' for ..." he smiles "doesn't matter. I'm glad to be back too."
He kisses her so passionately as a sudden and loud round of applause and cheering erupts around the room - the both of them blush, as the guys all standing in the doorway watching them.
"Glad to see you're back functioning, kid!" Jason smiles.
"Hmmm..." he grins "hey guys!" he relaxes, closing his eyes, the painkillers starting to take over.
"I'm gonna go. Not too long guys, he's tired!"
"Yes Ma'am!" Jason salutes as she smiles, kissing his cheek.
"Thanks for bringing him home to us!"
"Always..." He nods, so glad he can't tell how very close they came to nearly losing him. "Hey... so Clay, we have a surprise for you." The guys all smile, moving forward from the doorway "We liberated a hostage!"
The frown on Clay's face rapidly changes to one of happy relief when they push the wheelchair, seating Sonny, into the room "Hey there Poster Boy... how you doin'?"
"Oh my God... "he beams at the sight of his best friend. "yeah, yeah I'm good. And you?"
"Yeah, I'm not so bad. Gonna be off my feet for a while but..."
"Yeah well, nothing new there then. You're used to sittin' it out while the rest of us do the heavy lifting, right?"
Sonny nods smiling, so happy - if only a little worried. It's not until now that he's fully aware, just how many injuries Clay had. "So, I um... I gotta Lil somethin'... a toast. For a certain brave Doctor."
Clay nods as Sonny hands the bottle of whiskey to Jason, who then pours out small measures into the plastic cups, Brock handing them around to the team.
"To Doctor Katrina Adams!" Sonny toasts "Without her help, we wouldn't be here doing this today."
Clay sighs looking into the glass, he frowns with sadness. "To Kat...Thank you!"
Jason holds his up "And to all those missing in action!"
"To those missing in action!"
They raise their glasses in one final toast. But as Clay's about to drink Trent snatches his away, Ray doing the same with Sonny's. "Sorry guys..." Trent smiles. "you can't be drinkin' that. Remember, you're still on the meds!"
Clay laughs. And relaxing back into his pillow Sonny takes hold of his hand as he closes his eyes, ready for sleep. He sighs - happy to be home and safe at long last. " You know Sonny... I think you're were right not to like the jungle."
"And I just wan' y'all ta remember, I was damn right 'bout that!"