Bridging the Generation Gap

Meanwhile, Khaat had turned down countless meals and countless offeres of water and coffee or juice from her hostage taker. She had managed to get up, on occasion, very briefly, in order to refresh herself in the bathroom, to wash up. But she had not been offered clean clotes. She was not growing stronger without food and water. She was finding her clothes were getting bigger, and she only wanted to sleep. She was starting to chill, and she wasn't sure why.

Somewhere there were some very basic hygiene items placed in the bathroom for her--soap, a hand towel, a toothbrush, toothpaste, deoderant, a very cheap hairbrush. but that was about it. She had been sparing in her use of them. She didn't like the masculine scent of the soap, but it was better than the alternative. And the deoderant was about the same way. She had no desire to wash out her father's blood from her clothing. In some way, it made her feel closer to him. She wanted to be near him. Near someone she loved, so she had left it. Besides, she had nothing to change to. Every so often, when she brushed her teeth, a couple of precious drops of water slipped down her parched throat and it was heavenly. It tempted her to take a drink from the spicket, but she resisted.

Instead, she returned to the bunk, not uttering a sound. She resorted, finally, to take the plain blue blanket, unfold it and wrap it around herself. She alternated between sitting up, leaning weakly against the wall,or just laying on the bunk and fading into a weakened sleep. She wasn't afraid to die here, but the thoughts of starving to death were a bit uncomfortable for her. She knew that was not a pleasant way to die. And she worried for her parents, for Brian, and for her babies.

steven stood watching as Ronata busied herself cleaning and wetting roberts lips as she tended to him . Steven watched glancing down the corridor.

"I'll fetch some lunch for you, you can't stand there all day with out eating" she said and moved to a small room away from Roberts room returning sevral minets later with sandwiches for all the men, handing them out she gave them acold can of cola too then moved to Steven smiling as she gave him his food. she moved to sit with Robert "I hope he'll be allright and Khaat "she said softly as she gently brushed some of his gray hair from his face.

"I'll let you know in a moment, "Brian said, passing through them into the room. He laid his hand on Robert's forehead as Robert slept. Robert never stirred. He paused a moment, checking his vital signs. He pulled back the blankets a little and moved the gown out of the way to check Robert's chest wounds. Robet was still very muscular for a man his age. The wounds were closing nicely. He assessed the wounds again, more to reassure himself that they were not werewolf inflicted than not. He could feel the cool of steel against his hand. This had not been a werewolf. This had been a blade. His healer's skills allowed him to detect the difference. And he had seen some were just plain old ordinary sectumsempras. He had nearly bled to death before Khaat had even gotten to him.

It had been her offering her own life energies that had allowed him to live long enough for Brian and Ronata to repair the damage. What Brian also feared though was that because he had to carry her from the operating room that she had nearly given all the life energies she had. If she had been here....well, who was he kidding? Even if she had been here, it would be no different. She would be bedfast until some other healer with their skills replaced those energies or until Khaat's own bodily systems and Robert's revived them both.

"He's going to be alright," Brian said softly. "He just needs sleep now. YOu two take a break. I need to be here right now anyway. With Khaat and Kate and my girls all gone, well, Robert is all the family I have left. I don't think I can be anywhere else. Why don't you two go either stretch your legs or go up the the healers lounge up on the fifth floor and get a little sleep. I will need you if I get too tired."

steven stood up as Brian walked in he'd not been expecting him both stood bated breath as he checked him over . Ronata held to Steven as she watche Brian move around Robert she breathed out when he said he was going to be allright. Steven noded when Brian sugested they take a break.
"no Im alright " Ronatta said stepping towards Robert only to be stoped by Stevens hand holding her back.

"Ow no break time we've been orderd" he said and moved with her out to the corridor " well be in the nurses lounge" he said to Brian Ronata looked some what put out but she smiled and shook her head turning to go with Steven "we won't be long " she said but Steven spoke again.

"About 10 minets " he said looking at Ronata.

"Five " she said steven shook his head as they walked .

"Seven and no arguments" he said

Ronatta laughed "ok ok you win" she said smiling again.

Brian paced the room for awhile, not wanting to let his fear get to him. He hated that he wasn't as objective this time as he wanted to be. He thrust his hand in his jeans pocket and pulled forth a diamond and emerald ring. One he had bought with much deliberation. But it had been the right ring. It had just felt right. There was no othr ring for her. No other ring to spell so correctly how deeply he cared or how permanent that caring was for her. He'd said the precious words to her in the privacy of their room in the deep of the night when they were completely alone. But this, this was a screaming publici announcement of something he swore he would never allow in his life. Right now, he feared that he would never have the chance to put it on her finger.

"Brian," Robert's voice called softly. "Let me see it." Brian turned around and saw Robert had been watching him staring at the ring in his fingers.

"You should be resting," he said

"And could you sleep more than a moment at a time yourself?" Robert asked.

"If that," Brian sighed, agreeing with him and understanding. He took the ring to him and put it in Robert's hand. Robert lifted the ring to the light and flicked his glasses from the nightstand over to him so he could put them on. He put on the glasses and then looked at the ring closely. He finally looked up at Brian.

"It's perfect. She'll love it. You have my blessings. Does she want to be divorced officially yet?"

"She hasn't said so."

"She will. Be patient. Let her wear it awhile. That will dissolve any lasting ties she feels towards him."

"And the bond between them?"

"She'll learn to love you far far more, my boy. Ask yourself, does she dream of him anymore?"

"I dont' know."

"I do. She dreams of you. Entirely of you."

"Robert, what if I'm not up to getting her back?"

"We'll get her back. Do me a favor. When they get back, could you get me a decent cup of coffee, please?"

"My pleasure," he smiled at Robert. He looked out at one of his men and sent them upstairs with a note for Steven asking to bring back 2 mugs of French Roast coffee when they returned, saying Robert was awake and feeling a bit better.

Steven recived anote and smiled "ok hes awake and asking for coffee " he said to Ronata who smiled and moved to a coffee machine and took two cup and started to walked back to the room where she handed one to brian and another to Robert as she gently sat him up aohe could take a sip of the cool coffee. Finishing she placed it beside the bed and move to Streven standing with his arms around her.

" hope its ok its only from a machine , its passable i guess" she said watching Robert closely

"It's fine," Robert said. He saw Brian still had the ring, rather absently in his hand. "Put it in your pockeet, Brian. You'll have time for it. Don't worry. If she were dead, I would know it. I swear." Brian forgot he had had the ring with him and he put it in his pocket.

Brian took the coffee an drank it quietly. He felt a strong need to just be with Robert tonight. He didn't have a clueas to where Khaat was, and he didn't want his fear ot get the better of him.

"Brian," Robert said in a soft fatherly tone, "You really do have to sleep tonight, Lad. You know you need to be ready when you have what you need to go get her and once you have her, the last thought you will have will be of sleep. Stay here tonight. It'll be safe here. You'll be able to close your eyes a bit if you stay here."

"Maybe so," Brian said softly.

"Steven, does Michael have a night guard in place here tonight?" Robert asked, knowing it would already be arranged. He wanted Brian to hear he was safe.

steven nodded "yes he does ..me " he said holding Ronata close to his chest "we're staying to watch him tonight then burke is taking over tomorrow morning " he moved forward leaving Ronata at the door "he will be fine im not sleeping till im relived tomorrw" hje said siting down in the chair Ronata had been in.

Ronata moved to stand behind Seven "I'll keep him awake if he starts to waver " she said "you know hes a stuborn one and will keep his word" she said rubbing Stevens shoulders slightly as she could feel his tenshion in them. She looked at Robert and nodded to him "if you order him to go you know he will " she said .

"No," Robert said. "I will not order him to go. I will, though, ask...merely ask, Brian,..." Robert said, his voice very gentle and affectionate, "that you stretch out in the other bed and get some sleep. Please. Khaat needs you. And, damnit, boy, I need you. If not for me, then do it for her."

Brian nodded, exhausted. He agreed, and stretched out in the bed that Khaat had been in last. When he laid his head on the pillow, he could still smell her scent. It was like a ray of hope. Of life still left in her. He closed his eyes, wanting to shut out everything else but her smell, her sent. Her. Everything the scent reminded him of. he drank it in like air for a long moment, finding it was as essential to feel her now, to smell her perfume, as the very air itself.

And her face was the last he saw in front of his eyes before he fell into an exhausted sleep.

"Leave him here," Robert told Steven and Ronata softly. "He's looking...for me..tonight." He didn't want to say he needed his father, which realy was the truth, but that was enough of an explanation.

steven watched as Brian settled down to sleep ,he sighed ans settled back in the chair himself " Ro could you get me a coffee please " he asked Ronata stood and taped her foot "Im going only because i want one " she said and left to gwt it returning several minets later.

She looked at Robert then brian asleep on the second bed and sighed "he worries over her too much , she will be found" she said sitting next to Steven.