Page 114 of Lucky Charm

“Getting leave. I’ll make that work, or I’ll get out. She’s what’s important here.”

“You’re not getting out.” Cait’s soft, slurred voice snapped him upright.

He leaned in to gently kiss her fingers. “Cait, honey. You in there?”

She groaned, eyes flickering. “I hurt. So bad. What happened?” Her words were shaky, slurred, and uncertain.

“Explosion. You got caught in the edge, honey.”

Duncan leaned over her. “Don’t try to move too much. A bunch of you is broken. We’re shipping you to Germany.”

She licked her lips. “What parts?”

“Nope, I get to be the doctor.”

Hunt let Duncan assess her while he held her hand.

Finished, Duncan straightened. “You’re stable, Cait. I know you’re in pain. We’ll get that managed right now.” He left the room.

Cait tried to lick her lips again, and he shifted to feed her some water. She swallowed and whispered. “Tell me the truth. How bad?”

“Concussion, TBI possible. From experience, don’t wiggle your head. It’ll only make it worse.Don’t try to move your left arm either. It’s taped down. Broken clavicle, shoulder socket, arm, fingers. Then four cracked ribs, and a hip hairline fracture. You had a collapsed lung and internal injuries. Duncan took care of all that.”

“Jesus, God, no wonder I hurt. Hunt?” Tears filled her eyes, deep pain in the lines and bruises on her face.

He set the water aside and leaned in, placing his lips on hers in a light kiss. “I’m here for the duration. I’ll help you.”

“You’ll have to stay. Deployment rules.”

“Special Warfare runs that a bit different. The team is heading home. We nailed our objective.” Her eyes dropped closed, and he cursed himself for getting too in-depth with the explanations. “I have it covered, honey. I’m going with you. I won’t be far away.”

“I love you, Hunt,” she mumbled, on the edge of sleep.

“I love you, too.” The words, never uttered before, felt right spoken aloud.

∞∞∞∞∞

December 4, 2019

Day 30

They’d sedated her for the flight.

If she wasn’t hurting so bad with a dose of both nausea and scrambled time thrown in, she never would have stood for the drugs. She had no orderfor how things had happened, what had happened, or where she was.

A nurse came to the side of the stretcher. “Time for more meds.”

“Where am I?”

“On a plane to Germany, Doctor.”

That part she remembered. “Hunt? The lieutenant?”

The nurse looked to the opposite side of the plane. “He’s across in one of the seats. He’s asleep. He’s been by your side constantly until one of the doctors made him sit. He hadn’t slept.”

She couldn’t see him. Needed to see him. The warmth of his hand wasn’t there. She turned her head and was sorry. Her brain sloshed like a too full pitcher of water, the pain excruciating. Opening her eyes a crack, she tried to focus. All she saw was a big hulk sitting in the seat with dark hair and beige camo clothing.

“See, he’s asleep.”