Hour Game

Chapter 19

The hospital room was colder than any morgue Sean had ever been to. The shades were drawn, plunging the room in semi darkness.

His eyes never left her, lying like a pale corpse on the bed. He'd stopped counting the hours after the first couple of days. He held on to her cold hand, trying to anchor himself in the harsh reality.

The doctors said she'd been lucky they got there in time. But only time would tell if she would wake up.

The ventilator made a swishing and hissing noise. Kate's lungs had stopped doing their job. The enormous mask on her face fogged as her breath hit them. It meant she was alive.

She had stopped breathing, going into cardiac arrest thrice. Once in the ambulance, once on the operating table. The third time it was in the recovery. He'd been holding her hand when her heart had almost bailed. The code blue crashed through the hallways and he'd been thrown out, standing there helplessly.

The doctor had been frank, not though very reassuring. The poison in her system was still in the process of being flushed out. Although crude, it had very serious consequences especially during surgery. A potent mixture of blood thinner and a hallucinogenic weed that reacted like a positive affecter with the Warfarin. The knife wound had been more damaging; it had been an arterial hit. Right after her third episode, she'd slipped into a coma. The doctors had said it was normal for a trauma induced body to shut down so that it could heal itself.

The doors opened and Callen walked in. He looked as bad as Sean himself. None of them had touched a razor in the last four days. He came to stand beside him, eyes on the still figure.

"Get some shut eye, Sean. Kate's gonna be pissed if she wakes up and sees you resembling something from a B grade horror flick."

Sean ran his hands down his face, fingers catching the stubble. He was exhausted but his head won't let him sleep. He had caught twenty minutes catnaps when his mind shut down, every time.

Callen pulled out a keychain. "Take a shower at my place. I'll stay here. Sean."

He looked at the other man, contemplating. Then he took the bunch of keys. Standing up, he leaned over the woman and lightly kissed her cheek. He hated how cold her skin felt.

"Car's out at front. Take it."

"Thanks, Gray." Callen nodded; a smile on his lips. It still amazed him how easily the name came from the two people he'd known for less than a week.

As he looked back at his sister, he prayed it wouldn't be the last time. He wasn't ready to lose yet another sister.

When Sean walked in through the hallways three hours later, he looked somewhat human. He'd shaved, showered and dressed in a new set of clothes. Just past the lobby, he caught sight of the gift shop. A small smile found its way on his lips at thought of a previous time when they'd both been in the hospital after her last house had blown up sky high. Bishop and Painter had deliberately bought some of the cheesiest get-well gifts for them. It had worked.

Changing directions he quickly made his way to the obscenely colorful little place looking like a flashy mall in the middle of pirate invested desert.

He scanned the items before finding what he was looking for.

He paid with credit and made his way back to the private room when Kate was. He slowed his pace when he found Callen outside talking a dark haired doctor, which he identified the lead surgeon. Increasing his pace he reached them in five long strides.

"Mr. Winchester," the doctor nearly jumped when Sean suddenly appeared at his shoulder. Callen however looked at Sean and Said, "She woke up a few minutes ago, just after you called. She's awake-" Sean was already pushing open the door.

Kate was sitting up, scowling at the door. Her expression changed when she the newest visitor, a tired smile lit up her face, despite the fact she looked and felt like crap.

When he placed his gift on the cabinet, she arched an eyebrow. It was already overflowing with flowers; left by various members of both the teams.

He pulled his chair right up to the bed and lowered the bedrail on the right side. He didn't hesitate as he gripped her hand in both of his.

"What's the verdict? Am I dying or something?" she asked, tapping his hand with her thumb.

"Not yet, no," he replied, and gently squeezed her hand. "Although you look like death warmed over."

"Gee, thanks, partner. They don't offer hairstyling in here." He chuckled; before the smile faded, a frown replacing it. It didn't go unnoticed by her.

"What is it? Everyone's okay? Gray didn't tell me-"

"Everybody's fine. I was just worried. About you," he added. Sighing he shook his head. "I'm not very good at this."

"Good at what? You look like you're trying to come up with a eulogy."

"You're not exactly making it easy," he complained, rolling his eyes. He looked slightly nervous.

"Alright, go ahead. I'll shut up," she said, making a motion of zipping up her mouth and throwing the key behind.

"Kate, I was thinking-"

The door opened and a blond head peeked in. Emma's eyes lit up when she saw Kate sitting up. She pulled her head back and a second later the entire Sigma team flooded in, carrying flowers. Sean quietly yet gently let go of her hand. When she looked at him, she found him deliberately avoiding her gaze.

Slightly hurt she tried smiling as the rest of them took turns in hugging her. They were joined by the NCIS agents, including Hetty, Nell and Eric. She couldn't help but smile when she saw Nell beside Callen, who had an arm draped across her shoulders, tucking her against his taller frame.

It was turning up to be pretty good get-well party when a nurse turned up tell them it was past visiting hours. Groaning and grumbling, they left one by one. Callen was one of the last ones to go. He kissed her cheek, hugging her.

"Asked her out yet?" she asked mischievously. Callen rolled his eyes. Then he nodded, looking sheepish. As she watched him leave, she smiled. At least someone got their happy ending.