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"I'm not sure whether to smile or shudder," Naomie said. "It's an honor to meet you, Gunner. May I call you, Gunner?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Naomie, please," she said. "Thank you for your service, Gunner. And on a very personal note, thank you for saving Riggs." She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I'm forever in your debt, and there's nothing you could ask of me I wouldn't do. It's important you know that."
"Thank you, ma, –Naomie."
"Can you tell us what happened?"
"No, ma'am."
"I understand. Do you know when a doctor will return to check on him?"
"Should be any time now."
"Has he been awake much?"
"Off and on."
"And does he know?"
"That I'm going to be a one-legged man?"
Naomie was the first to reach Riggs' bedside. "Riggs!" She kissed his forehead cheeks and lifted his hand to kiss it. "Your dad's here."
"Dad?"
"I'm here, son," Russell stepped over beside Naomie and put his hand on Rigg's shoulder. "What can I do?"
"Don't let them take my leg."
Russell looked at Naomie in a silent plea. "Riggs, listen to me," she said. "If the specialists don't think they can save your leg, we'll get you a new one."
"A new leg. Yeah, right. You're going to fix me."
"That's exactly what we're going to do."
"I was kidding, girl. I know how things stand; no pun intended."
"No, I don't think you do."
"Always gotta argue, eh? Look, the doctors have already told me I'm lucky. If they have to take my leg, I can be fitted for a prosthesis, learn to walk, and live..." His voice broke, and for a moment, he closed his eyes and breathed irregularly.
Finally, he opened his eyes again. "Goddamn it, Naomie, I don't want to be reduced to a cripple, to living some fucking boring life, sitting on my ass, unable to do – to be me. I'd have been better off dead than going through life not being whole."
"Son, there's no reason you can't live a full and productive–" Russell said.
"Didn't you fucking hear me, Dad? I don't want to be a cripple!"
"Riggs, man–" Gunner tried to speak, but Riggs snarled at him as well.
"Don't say it, not you."
"Fine," Gunner held up his hands and stepped back.
Riggs glared at everyone in the room. Naomie looked at Russell. "Could you find his doctor and ask him to meet us here? I'd like a few minutes with Riggs if that's okay."
"Sure, honey," Russell kissed her and glanced at Gunner. "Walk with me?"