“What the hell are you doing here?”
His reaction is full of shock and surprise and she’s got one chance. One shot at this. She’s literally shaking in her boots, but no one can know. She doesn’t even glance at Tex, before she’s rushing Tom, pressing her mouth to his, her hand coming up around his neck. She’s got to pass the note, she has to. What she hadn’t anticipated was the raging emotions that flew through her, the shivers his lips gave her, the salt left on his skin. The way he kissed her back–regardless of the note–his tongue sliding against hers. There’s panic and passion and she knows they can only go on like this for mere seconds. But pull back? How? It’s like she’s lost all ability to think–the world is silent. The separation is painful and she wonders how she’ll ever forget that kiss because it’s like it opened a whole new side of her that she can’t lock away.
Rachel feels herself being moved, shifted, but she’s still not fully aware. She doesn’t care really, there’s so much pain and cold and she’s so tired, she’d giving up. And these memories, these dreams, are far more welcoming than the harsh reality of blood and pain and distress. Her heart feels heavy. Is this it? She keeps wondering.
Her thoughts travel back to him. She wants to live for him. She doesn’t want her blood on his hands. She doesn’t want her death to consume him. He was vengeful of his wife’s death, would he avenge hers the same? She wants to console him, tell him that it’s all right, that she’ll be fine, that he’ll be fine, but she can’t speak, can’t open her eyes.
She wants the time to rush by and to wake up fine, with him still holding her hand? Can she? Will she? She thinks about his kids, his father, the people he has left. They’re so important. He’ll be fine, right? If she doesn’t make it?
She feels his eyes, stops at the hanger door, turning back momentarily. There was no goodbye said, no words exchanged. He didn’t even tell her himself that she was going on land, that he was staying behind. So much fear fills her, for herself, for him, for words left unsaid. Their eyes lock and they’re standing there, staring. For what seems like hours, is purely moments. Will he say something? Anything? Her mind screams words like “Be safe”, “Take care”, “I love you, Tom” but nothing comes out. When he doesn’t speak, she memorizes the look in his eyes that she can’t decipher and she walks away. Because she has to, not because she wants to. She wants to run to him. She can’t.
What she doesn’t realize is words she couldn’t express then, slip from her lips now, an “I love you, Tom” falling into the space between them, her own world lost in her subconscious.
From the second he has her in his arms, he can’t look at her. There was so much blood. More then before. He’ll have to give her more, he’s positive of it. She’s so pale. Paler then his own skin. And that’s saying a lot. She had the most beautiful olive skin. You wouldn’t even be able to recognize this person in his arms. Come on, Chandler. It’s almost here. He moves as fast as he possibility can.
Once they were on the roof, he can see the Helo. Clutching her closer, afraid he was crushing her. She finally has a stretcher, people are flying out orders. Telling him he needs to let her go. There was no way. How can they expect him to just -- let go? Gritting his jaw, blinking rapidly, he can’t. It’s impossible.
Tom finally does it. He’s by her feet, hand clasped around her ankle. He promised he wouldn’t leave. Wouldn’t dare.
“ You gotta pull through, Scott. That’s an order. ”
& Damn it, she has to do it. She has to pull through. It felt like he was on the Russians ship all over again. The moment he saw her, she lunged for him. For two whole seconds, he had been furious and terrified that they had done something to her. He couldn’t do a damn thing to protect her. He can’t do a damn thing for her right now.
They land, he’s by her side the entire time. Hues won’t leave her face. Her lips are moving, and he knows exactly what shes mouthing. I love you Tom. Rage is circling the drain, and all he can see is RED. Fist is balling, and his tongue flickers out to his lower lip-- trying to keep CONTROL. Beatrice is asking a thousand questions, he can’t answer them. Damn it. His head is out of control, his feelings are a mess.
Tom, this part isn’t going to be pretty. You can leave. We’ve got this. Like hell, eyes are stern against Rios. He shakes his head at them, swallowing thickly. Pulling up a chair, he’s at her head, hand against her hair. Unable to look away of what they’re doing. Drugs are getting pumped into her, cutting, tearing at her skin, tools going into her body. Assuming, looking for the bullet. It hit an artery. We’re gonna have to patch it.
Hours pass, everyone gone successfully. They assure the rest is up to her, if she’ll wake up. They have full hope that she will. It could be hours, could be days, or weeks. The thought of not seeing her hazel hues for weeks? Unbearable. Slattery tells him they’ve captured the shooter. He was running with the rest of the rebelled immunes. He’s in holding, right now. Thank god. Everyone gives him a chance to change, to go sleep for awhile, to eat. He can’t. Tom didn’t know how. Didn’t know how to leave leave her be. Terrified with the thought, would she ever wake up?