One Heart

"You're so very welcome," Brian said, hugging her. He knew how she felt. He'd been in her shoes more times than she knew, waiting for days while Khaat had been barely alive from one skirmish or another.

He wasn't surprised by a one of her questions. He'd heard himself ask them more than once himself when he'd been in her shoes.

"I don't think Robert's had time to consider where Angus should be next," Brian said. "Normally, for people that don't already live in the same house as Robert, its a no-brainer that they'd need to be in St. Mungos. However, you're not in that situation. There are options to consider. We'll help you look at that. The only thing I know that's a given at this point is that Robert will want to be close to him for awhile, just as a precaution. And, for awhile, he's going to want him kept quiet so we don't borrow any trouble. He's done very well, and we'd like to keep it that way. Generally, so long as you're taking care of yourself too, Robert won't take issue with your staying."

"Brian, Edward's here. Can he see Angus for just a moment?" Kate asked.

"Of course," Brian said. "Whether he's awake or not at that point is up to Robert."  Kate went to get Edward, and Brian opened the procedure room door slightly to make sure that the room was cleaned up and that Robert was ready to let Bella in. The ugliness was gone, and one of the nurses was adding a blanket over the white sheet to keep Angus warm.

"She can come in," Robert said, "I've got a few things to do yet, but she can come in." He had applied a healing ointment to the dressing and covered the incision with a thickly padded sterile surgical dressing. He taped it lightly to keep it in place, but he didn't want it taped heavily yet. He checked Angus's vital signs again, and then cast another wandless magic spell by making a counterclockwise circle with his hand that started slowly and finished very quickly. A light breeze began to circulate around Angus.

"Oxygen spell," Brian said to Bella. "Less strain on his system. Entirely normal at this stage. Robert, I think she's got some questions."

"Of course," Robert said. "As well you should, Bella. I can wake him for a moment, but no longer than that. I can't promise you how oriented he'll be. This can be incredibly confusing for a bit. If he is confused, that will decrease in the next few hours as he continues to stabilize. But he's fooled me before and been entirely oriented, so it depends on how stubborn a Donohue he can be."

"Pfft," Brian rolled his eyes. "Then you won't have a problem."

"Probably right," Robert smiled slightly, amused. He laid his hand on Angus's forehead to lift the sedation spell a bit--only as much as he believed was safe. It took a long moment before Angus was able to open his eyes.

When Angus's vision cleared at all, all he saw was white. White walls, white ceilings, bright white lights.  And it wasn't familiar. He wasn't sure at first what he remembered. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be remembering about where he was or what had happened.  It was disorienting. Before he could get restless, he heard a familiar voice.

"Angus," Robert said gently, "it's alright. We've got you..."

"Gun..." he remembered. "There was a gun..."

"Yes," Robert said, reassuring him. "It's over. Its okay..." He wasn't surprised when Angus made one, half-hearted, feeble try to sit up. Robert had seen it before as a part of some patients' reactions to trauma. It only took Robert laying his fingers very lightly on Angus's shoulder to signal him to give it up, though, and that told Robert that he was thinking pretty clearly, all things considered. "No, no. Not your turn yet," Robert said. "I'll let you know when."

"Still your turn?..." he sighed. It seemed like it was always Robert's turn, in all things, to the point where it had almost become a running joke between him and Robert.

"Yes," Robert laughed. "Afraid so. You want to see Bella for a minute? If you behave yourself?" Angus nodded slightly. Robert looked at Bella. "He's a lot less confused that I thought he'd be, and he's kept his sense of humor, it seems. I'll get back to my work, but you can visit while I finish."

Bella had a feeling that everyone in the family knew how she was feeling right now and she was glad that she wasn't alone. If she knew if she were alone, she would be crying her eyes out because of worry for Angus.

"That's fine," She said softly knowing that they wouldn't have had time to think ahead yet. She nodded understanding that she might not be able to be at St Mungos with Angus. She would look at her options when they told them to her and consider them very carefully. She understood that Angus would need to be sedated to allow his body to heal up. "I understand." She said softly at this point all she wanted to do is see Angus and make sure that he was okay with her own eyes.

She waited until she was allowed to go in to see him, her nerves were shot and she felt scared. She was also anxious to see him and look at him with her own eyes that he was okay.

She heard Robert say that she could come in and walked in slowly. She saw Angus laying there and was even more close to tears. She slowly approached him and saw the dressing where it was covering where he was hit with the bullet. She watched Robert work around Angus then saw Angus's hair move slightly as if there were a breeze in the room.
She looked at Brian when he said it was a oxygen spell. She nodded at his words as she closed the final inches that separated her from him. She touched his arm softly not wanting to disturb anything but wanting to touch him to let him know she was there.

"That's ok Robert I understand." She said listening to him explain that Angus could be disoriented and confused. She only hoped she could tell him that she loved him before Robert had to put him back under. "Well he's always been stubborn." She said with a small laugh.

She watched as Robert laid his hand on Angus' forehead but she didn't know what he was doing. She watched and saw after a while Angus opened his eyes.

She looked at him when he opened his eyes and felt relieved that he opened his eyes. Then say something about a gun and knew he was remembering what happened.

She looked at him while Robert reassured him then was surprised when Angus tried to get up. She saw Robert gently touched his shoulder telling him to not try to sit up. She felt like crying but she knew that it wouldn't be helpful for Angus.

She waited until Robert said it was okay and went closer to his side. She nodded at Robert's words and looked down at Angus. "Hey baby." She said softly as she brushed a strand of hair off his forehead.

He heard her voice, and that was a relief. He automatically reached for her hand, not willing to be separated from her for a moment. If Robert was there, then Angus had to rely that, if Bella needed it, Robert would come through for her with anything that she might need help with.

"Hi," Angus managed. He felt like he was more asleep than awake. He was far too accustomed to being sharp witted and alert not to know the feel of a heavy sedation spell. That had to be impossible for Bella to have to watch, he knew. He ached for her far beyond anything that he had ever felt. This wasn't right, it wasn't fair, and it was the opposite of what he wanted for her, for them.

"You okay?" he asked. He felt he really needed to know if she truly was alright. The last thing he wanted was to know that perhaps she wasn't any better than he was, but he surely didn't want a lie either. He could feel Robert starting to bind the dressing a bit to keep it from shifting, wrapping some sort of dressing around his shoulder, but when he passed the roll of gauze under Angus's arm, it had made Angus hitch his breath. Unable to breathe for a moment, he winced and cussed before he realized it.

"Damnit," he'd sworn softly, waiting til the pain passed to exhale while trying not to squeeze Bella's fingers. Robert immediately quit, and Angus relaxed a bit, his chest throbbing where, Angus could only guess, Robert had been at it. The man was quick to extract little bits, like bullets, that ended up where they didn't belong. Angus didn't figure he'd left this business alone either.

"Oh, sorry," Robert apologized quickly. "Sorry. Felt that, did you? I'll draw it off right now." He laid his hand on his shoulder and drew the pain off. "Its just referral pain..."

"Thanks, Sherlock," he sighed, smart enough to figure out the obvious. Brian got a soft ice pack and laid it gently on the area to soothe the aching.

"Breathe," Brian coached slowly. "Breathe through it. Let it go. It's what you were trained for."

"Training sucks," Angus managed, agitated. He felt Robert literally wresting the pain right out of his chest. It was an odd sensation, but he managed to exhale, feeling pain relief finally.

"That's it," Brian said. "Much better. You know, if he's pissed with us enough to swear at us, then I think we're good," Brian said, only about half teasing. Brian never worried about sailors that could still cuss. He was far more worried about the sailors who could not and who had faded beyond it. It was a comment Angus overlooked. With the distraction gone, Angus' thoughts immediately went back to Bella. He could see this whole business had rattled her. She was scared, and he didn't blame her. He'd been afraid more for her than anything else.

"I don't know what I'd have done if they'd hurt you," he said to her. "It s not supposed to be like this. I'll make it up to you, I swear."  He had to pause a moment before he could finish his thought. The ink was barely dry on their marriage certificate, and already he wasn't measuring up the way he'd wanted to. There were things he needed her to know, things he wasn't legally allowed to put into place before they were married, but things she needed to know, all the same.  "I want you to know how to find what you'll need so you can access the money and..."

"Stop," Brian said firmly. "Just stop with the money thing. Good grief. I'll take care of all of that for now until you can make your own arrangements in a couple of days."  Brian looked at Bella.  "This is still largely shock. It'll wear off in the next few hours." Angus was his best friend, and Brian had enough money he and Khaat never truly needed to work again if they chose not to. Money was not something Bella needed to concern herself with. Changing bank account access and those things really could wait, Brian believed. This wasn't the time.

"I'm okay if you stay with him," Robert said to Bella,"but we'll talk more about that shortly. This obviously isn't the place to leave him, but there are several options to look at." Robert just didn't want to discuss it in front of Angus when there really was very little he could do about it. Any arrangements or decisions that needed to be made now were ultimately Bella's choice. Robert could give her suggestions, but he didn't want to do that right now.

"Give me a bit," Angus said. "We're still on our trip. I'll be okay to...."

"No, you won't," Robert scowled, shaking his head. Clearly Angus didn't understand how serious this had been. "That's the one choice I'm not giving you." Besides, they'd shot up the resort. It wasn't going to be likely to be receiving guests for a few days. "These are my top two. First, taking you home. We have a houseful of healers and we certainly could manage. You'd do alright there, and it would be better for Bella than sitting in a hospital room by the hour. Or, we could do St. Mungos. But that's your wife's choice right now, not yours." His third option was taking him to Edward's, but that was difficult for Robert because, after all, he did hold down two full time jobs, and it would be incredibly hard for him to suddenly be gone from both. Angus paused for a moment, taking it in what Robert wasn't coming right out with. This really had almost been final.

"I'm sorry, Babe," he sighed, feeling like this wasn't how their honeymoon should have been at all. It had been hopelessly screwed up. Much as he certainly didn't want her hovering or taking care of him, he couldn't prevent that if that was what she chose. However, at home, there were enough supports and familiar faces, and Rose, that it wouldn't be nearly as much of a strain for her than all the empty hours she'd surely spend at St. Mungos. Besides, he didn't relish St. Mungos either. "Let's go home," he said to her sadly, hoping to voice an opinion to help make her decision a bit easier. He was disappointed in where this was all going, but he was starting to know too where Robert's thoughts were headed now.

She took his hand when he reached for her holding it close to her careful to not hurt him.

"Hey," She said rubbing his hand with both of hers. "I'm fine, I was just grazed but it's not anything serious. Don't even think a minute on it." She said her voice serious about not wanting him to think too long on her wounds. They throbbed but it wasn't anything big and she knew that he probably was in worse pain than her. She saw Robert start to bind the dressing to Angus and then saw Angus wince as it passed under his arm.

"Squeeze my hand if it hurts baby." She said softly. She knew that it had to be really painful but she wanted him to know that he could lean on her if needed. She looked over to see what Robert was doing and didn't know what it was he was pulling out. She would venture to guess it was fragments from the bullet that hit Angus.

She watched Robert touch Angus' shoulder and what she assumed was drawing the pain away from it.

She shook her head at Angus' comment and laughed softly at Brian's tease towards him. She simply stood there thankful that she still had him with her.

"Angus, I'm fine." She said touching his face. "I knew what I was getting into if I married you Angus." She knew that trying to talk him out of wanting to make it up to her wasn't gonna happen. Right now the only thing that mattered to her was that he was still with them. She kissed his hand that she held softly then shook her head at his next words.

She was about to say something when she heard Brian interrupt him. "I understand." She said to Brian about Angus still being in shock. She sighed softly knowing that Angus was just worried about what would happen to her and Rose if he died. She squeezed his hand to reassure him so that he wouldn't talk much more about it.

"Okay," She said to Robert. "Alright. Whenever you want to talk about options let me know." She said knowing that it was something that Robert didn't talk about in front of Angus. She bent down and kissed Angus' forehead softly making sure that she didn't disrupt anything.

She heard Angus' next words and looking at him shocked.

She looked at Robert allowing him to talk to Angus. She listened to him talk to about the choices he was giving Angus right now. She waited until he was finished before she looked back at Angus and said, "We're gonna go home Angus." She said softly choosing a place that was comfortable and where there were a house full of healers. She didn't relish the thought of St. Mungos at the moment, she always thought it smelled too sterile but of course it had to be with all the people that came and went from there. She looked at Angus when she said him thinking through what Robert said.

"Don't be," She said softly kissing his hand once again. She thought that having him home would be best and he would have healers there looking out for him. She knew that once she healed she needed to get training in as soon as possible. She wanted to be ready the next time, if there were to be one, that she was ready for it. She wanted to be better than she was so that something like this doesn't happen again. Hearing his words she smiled softly, "Okay." She said nodding.

Edward had been standing in the doorway, not unhappy at all that he was not legally anymore Angus's next of kin. Advanced enough in age, he was pleased to see Angus finally with a family of his own who would be with him long after Edward himself was gone. His grandson, he believed, was a good man who didn't deserve to be alone. Bella was very good for him.

"Edward," Robert looked at him, feeling that Bella and Angus both were decided on what they wanted the next stops to be. However, Angus was tiring, and Robert wasn't going to let him stay awake much longer. "Come see him. Let him know you're here."

Edward went in, touching Bella's shoulder, to reassure her. Then he went over to the opposite side of the bed to see Angus. For Edward, he could never get the picture out of his head of the little boy that he'd loved so much and had raised from such an early age. He laid his hand on Angus's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Angus said. "I messed up..."

"You didn't mess up anything," Edward was quick to reassure him. "Now, listen. How many times have I said that 'staying alive is the best win'? Remember? Besides, you didn't lose. Burke was arrested, and the child is safe. Its a huge win."

"We lost Gelding," he sighed.

"We always lose Gelding," Brian snorted. "That's pretty standard."

"You set the bar too high today for yourself," Edward said. "The only one who expects all these things is you. Give it up. Shift your thinking. Now, you've decided to come home, right?" Angus nodded slightly. "Good choice. I'll take the keys to your room, and your brothers and I will go get your things and bring them home."

"And the car."

"Pfft. Oh, trust me, I won't lose the car," Edward laughed, never losing a chance to drive the thing himself. Angus smiled a little. "I'll get your things, and then I'll catch up with you back in England. I'll be there when you wake up, but you need to sleep now." Angus had to admit, he didn't think he had a cell in his body that wasn't screaming to sleep. Edward was right about that, as much as Angus felt like he had so much to do.

Edward leaned down and kissed Angus's forehead, as he had done so many times when Angus had been small. "I love you, Boy," he said affectionately. "Do you remember? That poem we liked so much?" He began to recite a poem in fluent French that he and Angus had recited together every night when Edward tucked him into bed. Before Edward finished the first stanza, Angus had drifted off.

Robert checked Angus, saw that he was still stable, and put the sleeping spell back in place, heavier this time than before. He wanted no possible chance that Angus would wake while they moved him.

"He's doing better than I thought he would be at this stage," Robert said. "But I can't have him awake while we move him. I just can't risk it."

"How'd you do that?" Brian frowned at Edward. "Sleep spell?"

"No. When he was little, we'd start the poem when I tucked him into bed, but he never made it, ever, to finish," Edward laughed.

"Not once?" Brian laughed.

"Not one time," Edward laughed. "Worked like a charm. Apparently still does. Do you need me to help you move him before I go get their things?"

"No," Robert said. "We've got plenty of people here to help." Robert finished immobilizing Angus's shoulder for the move home and wrote a few notes in the necessary documentation for the clinic. He was preparing to move Angus home as soon as possible.

"Bella, when we took his clothes, I took what few things he brought with him," Brian said. "I've got them--everything but his wedding ring. That, we taped to his hand so he doesn't lose it. There wasn't much, though. He's obviously left pretty much everything at the hotel." Brian had Angus's copy of the villa key in his pocket, and he handed it over to Edward.

"Right, then. Best I get on with it," Edward said.

"Edward," Brian said. "Find out, will you, what was the draw for Gelding to this muggle child? Talk to the father and the child and see what you can find out? We need to be sure they stay safe. If we need to move them, we will."

"Will do," Edward said. He looked at Bella. " Shouldn't take me more than perhaps a couple of hours to get you both checked out and to get your things. Anything you need before I go, Dear?"