Unpolished

Trial By Fire

Chapter Five

Trial By Fire

(Playlist - The Light by Adam Lambert )

I need to thank SilasAggeleMou for being my beta throughout this project. Her encouragement helps me move ahead every day. Thank you!! Also thank you again to KatyDid and all my other friends who keep me going and make me smile. I wouldn't be able to do this without every single one of you.

Marco's POV:

"Well, Vance. Judging by the fresh blood on your face, and on Marco's hands, it looks like either you or he reset your broken nose before we got here. Care to explain?" Sean said as he examined the alignment on Vance's nose.

Vance could do nothing but shrug his shoulders and smile. I had helped him and would do so again. "Bad, Vance. Letting someone other than the doctor reset your nose." I shook my finger at him.

His eyes shifted to me in a look of mock warning. "Ouch, Sean. Be careful. That hurt."

"Letting her get the drop on you not only once, but twice. You know I can't let this go." Sean was starting to laugh.

"She was hopped up on three different kinds of drugs!" His accent was really coming through now. If Isaac would hurry and show up, I am sure we would have a running joke going. Even better if Raven happened by.

"Yes, she was. Knowing she was even on one, you should have called for backup. Especially if she had already gotten sick. What were you thinking, Vance?" I could see Vance was struggling to find the words he needed. Hell, even I hated it when Sean disappeared and Doctor Green showed up. At least in moments like this.

"She was. I mean. Madre stronzo!" He went to wipe his hand across my jaw line, which happened to brush the end of his very sore nose. I couldn't help but laugh as he roared in pain, standing up, knocking the pan with the gauze and other tools about the small curtained space.

I started picking up the items while Vance calmed down. Sean was shooting daggers at him. "Both of us know it was the pain. The rest of it hadn't been the gauze's fault." That got Sean laughing again, and even Vance wasn't quite as angry at himself. Problem solved.

"So, when can we go and see the babe again? I want to see who took down Rocky Balboa close up." I was anxious for this job. They both looked at me as we left the room. "Hey, we might have a prize fighter in our midst."

"Shut up, Marco." They both said in unison.

We were all quiet as we entered her room. She was strapped down to the bed, not moving except for the visible shiver under the blankets. The sweat beaded on her brow. "Hey, Sean. I think she's too hot."

"No, believe it or not, she is cold. Her heartrate and blood pressure is still up. Her brother will be coming to the hospital. I will talk to him, but someone will have to find out where she is keeping her drugs." Before he left the room, he turned back towards us. "Welcome to Ashley Waters. Trial by fire, eh?"

I looked at Vance once the door closed. "What the hell did he mean by that?"

"I have no idea. I hope he doesn't mean for us to attend that school."

"I dunno, Vance. We'd never get the girls off of you. You look too old anyways. I mean, I could pass for a senior. You could pass for a teacher. Isaac. Uh..."