Beauty and Rage (Leverage Fan Fiction)

19. But Please Just Listen

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Turn it off." Andy grumbled, her eyebrows crinkling together as she turned her head to the side.

"Is she awake?"

"Shut up, Hardison!"

"Boys, seriously?"

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"I'm not kidding, Eliot. Turn the stupid thing off." Andy reached out to push whatever was making the annoying beeping noise away but someone hastily grabbed her arm to stop her from moving it.

Her eyes flew open and she immediately found Eliot's gaze.

"Hey, beautiful." His soft, forced smile concerned her.

She looked around the room, finding herself in a hospital with Sophie, Eliot, Hardison, and Parker.

"What am I doing in a damn hospital?" She sat up using her right arm when she realized her left one was splinted and cradled to her chest.

"You were shot. Remember?" Parker spoke softly, her arms crossed as she chewed on her lips. "You scared us all."

"Can I get out of here?"

"Definitely not until the doctor clears you." Eliot put his hand on her stomach as she began to try to move. "Stay still, Andy."

"I'm fine, Eliot." She pushed his hand off of her and then started to attempt to take out her IV, but he grabbed her hand before she could do anything.

"I'm serious, Andy! Quit!"

Her eyes flickered up to meet his as she spoke.

"I want out of here now, Eliot." Her tone was firm and a little too harsh. "I want to go home."

His eyes searched hers for a few moments before he breathed heavily through his nose and left the room.

"He was just trying to keep you steady, Andy." Sophie said. "You've been asleep for quite a while. He's been pacing and doing that thing where he just stands like a bloody statue. He was worried like hell about you."

"I don't like hospitals."

"How are you feeling?" Parker asked, hands falling to her sides. "Does anything hurt?"

"I'm okay."

"Maybe we should all go." Hardison suggested as Eliot and a doctor walked into the room. "I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to be here when Andy gets the cops called on her for assaulting the staff."

Sophie smacked his arm while Parker gave her little sister a small smile.

Andy watched the doctor cautiously as he approached her in the bed.

"Alright, Ms. Kingstyn. I'm Dr. Manning...."

•*•*•

Just a few hours later, the team was at the airport, waiting to get home to Portland.

The first bullet hit Andy's bicep, missing her subclavian artery by just a fraction of an inch. The second bullet hit where her chest and shoulder met just below her collarbone. The bullet missed her lung and didn't cause any significant damage. She was extremely lucky.

Andy was silent while she sat in a chair away from everyone else, staring out the windows. She watched planes come and go, she watched families move about, and she even watched a boyfriend propose to his girlfriend.

She brushed the tears from her cheeks then blinked her eyes repeatedly as she brought her hand over to her arm that was in a sling and cradled close to her torso.