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“That sounds about right,” Santini agreed.

“I’ve had a run-in or two with the blasted metal in my life.

It weakens us for a time, but as long as you clear it all, our natural healing abilities kick in relatively quickly.

” Santini dropped lower and put his hand on his granddaughter’s cheek in a show of affection.

“Let’s get you inside, pumpkin. You need to rest and recover. ”

“All right,” she replied and tried to push herself upward, but she was too weak. Zeke lifted her in his arms, and she allowed it, probably realizing she was just too tired to try to walk the distance herself.

“Where to?” Zeke asked Santini, who was watching him with a speculative look in his eyes. He said nothing, though, for which Zeke was grateful.

Zeke couldn’t let Celine go. Not yet. Not when he’d come so close to losing her.

If that bullet had been just a few inches to the right, she could have died.

As it was, if he hadn’t managed to find her in the ocean, she might have lost consciousness out there in the water, unable to shift.

Even if she could have shifted, she wasn’t a fish.

Seals needed to come up for air at some point.

She could have drowned, and none of that sat well with Zeke. Not at all.

“Put her in my Jeep,” Santini said quietly, leading Zeke to the side of the barracks building where a few vehicles were parked. “I’ll take her back to her quarters and make sure someone checks on her the rest of today and throughout the night.”

Zeke didn’t like that she’d be in another building on another part of the base, but he didn’t have a right to demand that she stay in his unit’s building.

She wasn’t his wife, or even his girlfriend.

She had her own room on another part of the base that was devoted to shifters.

She’d rest there, and the best he could hope for was to see her again as soon as she’d recovered enough to get around.

He didn’t like that either but couldn’t really find a way around it.

Although… He looked around, catching Rick’s eye. Hopefully, Rick would understand his pleading expression.

“I’d like to keep an eye on her as well, Master Chief,” Rick said, stepping up as they made careful progress toward the cars.

“As you saw, we don’t have a problem handling silver, and I have some diagnostic abilities that will allow me to sense right away if there are any further complications.

I’d like to check on her in the morning, if that’s all right with you.

Sooner, if she’s in any sort of discomfort.

I’m available at all hours, so please don’t hesitate to call. ”

“I appreciate it, Doc,” Santini said, genuine respect on his face if Zeke was any judge. “And I’m grateful for your care of my granddaughter. Both of you.” The master chief included Zeke in his gaze. “You’ve gone above and beyond for my family, and I owe you.”

“No, sir,” Zeke said gently, shaking his head.

“There is no debt. We take care of our own, and you and Celine are part of our family now.” He didn’t know where the words were coming from, but they felt right.

He noticed Rick was nodding his own agreement, for which Zeke was grateful.

“You both look after us every day. This is just us returning the favor.” Zeke tried to soften his declaration, lifting the corner of his mouth in a friendly half-smile, but Santini didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, he looked consideringly at Zeke, then to Rick, but settling back on Zeke and the silent girl in his arms as they stopped beside the off-road vehicle.

Then, Santini opened the door of the Jeep, and Zeke stooped a bit to settle Celine on the passenger seat.

She went, clearly fatigued, her eyes drifting closed as he gazed at her beautiful face.

If they hadn’t had an audience, he would have kissed her gently on the forehead, but he couldn’t.

It wasn’t his right. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

But the impulse was there. He cared for this brave woman and hurt for all the trauma she’d suffered.

She’d been shot, for heaven’s sake! But she seemed to be handling it well.

Zeke dared to caress her cheek just once before stepping back and letting her go.

She would be in good hands with her grandfather, though Zeke wished he could hold her all night while she slept, just to be certain she was okay.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t. But there were other things he could do to help her, even while she recovered elsewhere.

He stepped back from the vehicle and turned to find the master chief watching him carefully. The older man stepped up and offered his hand, which Zeke took for a firm shake.

“Thank you for diving in after her,” Santini said, his voice gruff, as usual.

“You did good work tonight, son, and I’m grateful for every bit of it, but especially for your skills in the water which meant my baby girl didn’t drown out there in the dark.

As you saw, silver is no laughing matter for any of us, but at least the soldiers are trained, somewhat, to handle it. ”

“I’m just glad I found her,” Zeke said, releasing the older man’s hand. Relief flooded him as thoughts of all that could have happened zipped through his brain before he could shut down that avenue of thought.

“So am I,” Santini agreed, clearly relieved. “Don’t worry. We’ll keep watch over her, and she’ll probably be back on her feet in a day or two. Come over with the doc in the morning to visit, if you like.”

Now that was a big concession, and Zeke knew it. The master chief was giving him an invitation to visit Celine, which wasn’t something given lightly.

Zeke straightened and nodded. “Thank you, sir. I’ll be there.”

The master chief drove away with Celine a moment later, leaving Zeke standing with Rick as the Jeep pulled out of the small parking area.

He felt a little bereft, watching the tail lights of the vehicle as she was whisked away.

Rick put a hand on his shoulder, and Zeke shook himself. There was work to do.

“I want to read that bullet,” he ground out, determination filling him as he turned to his friend.

“I think that’s a good idea.”