Dead Men Can't Dance by Winnie

Hart, blond haired, green eyed, CIA agent, sometimes called a spook, led his tiny contingent of eight men into North Korea. Their mission was to destroy the newly operational nuclear plant in sector four. "Shooter, Northrop, you've got point. The rest of you keep quiet and stay low," he warned as he led them through an area that provided very little cover.

They'd entered North Korea and were approximately five hundred meters beyond the border when the trouble started. One of his men stepped on a landmine, throwing him ten yards killing him instantly and drawing the attention of a platoon of North Korean soldiers.

Hart watched as one of his men fell under a hail of bullets. His last conscious thought was for his men and their safety as he felt darkness well up and capture him in its thick blanket.

Hart opened his eyes and fought back the nausea that threatened to empty his stomach. He felt a trickle of blood from a cut just under the hairline over his right ear. His hands were secured behind his back and his arms had already begun to go numb.

Arms reached for him and pulled him to his knees. Four members of his team were to his left, he noticed Shooter was missing and wondered if he'd escaped detection.

His hair was grabbed and his head jerked viciously backwards. A North Korean Major stood behind him, the man's sour breath causing his stomach to churn once more.

"There should be one more of you. Where is he?" the major screamed as he pulled Hart's head further back, exposing the throbbing veins in his neck. The blond grunted but didn't answer.

"You Bastards, I'll kill you all if you don't talk!" the Korean screamed as he dropped Hart's head and hurried to the opposite end of the line. "Talk!"

Hart recognized the young man he'd so recently added to his team. "No!" he cried, coming to his feet as the Major placed his gun to the man's temple and deployed a bullet into his skull. Blood and gore spattered the man next to him and Hart felt a rifle butt connect with his own head. "Mother-fucker!" he shouted as he once more scrambled to his knees. This time the rifle struck him on the right side and he knew he'd received a couple of broken ribs for his efforts.

He lay on the ground trying to catch his breath and was stunned when the Korean soldier standing over him fell to the ground as a bullet ripped through his chest. Hart and his men kept their heads down, unable to help with their hands secured behind their backs.

The gunfire continued as he felt hands on his arms and his wrists were suddenly released. He turned over on his back and was shocked to come face to face with his girlfriend, a recent Ranger graduate. "Vick?" he asked surprised as he gained his feet, ignoring the shards of pain in his head. "Let's go," he said, not waiting for explanations.

Hart watched Northrop grab their bags and reached out to take one of them, ignoring the constant pain in his right side. He soon found himself surrounded by Victoria's Rangers as they hurried away from the dead soldiers.

"My recon map shows some old world war two tunnels about fifteen kilometres ahead," the blond told them, then turned to the dark haired girl running beside him. "Glad you showed up," he smiled as he placed a hand on Victoria's back. He knew she was shocked at losing one of her people but there was no time for grief right now. He'd lost a couple of his own people and he knew he'd also take the time to grieve when this was all over. "Let's move out," he ordered leading the group towards the tunnel.

Victoria wanted to ask if he was alright, worried about the blood dripping from the head wound. She knew he'd conditioned himself to move through anything and couldn't imagine how he always managed to do so.

They marched forward, Hart and Victoria in the lead. "What are you people doing so far north," he asked.

"We're in the Z..."

"You're five hundred meters into Communist North Korea," he informed her.

"What!" she gasped, running next to him. "Shit," she declared as she realized the danger her team now faced.

Hart stopped outside the entrance of the tunnel, waiting for the others to catch up to him, his arm held tightly to his injured ribs. "Let's get inside," he ordered, dropping the arm away from his side in order to hold his rifle properly.

Northrop waited for the other's to follow and was surprised as a small oriental woman refused to go any further. He listened as Victoria explained that she was afraid of tunnels because of something she'd experienced as a child. He nodded in sympathy and then clipped her chin, knocking her unconscious. He caught her before she hit the ground and carried her into the tunnel.

They made their way through the tunnel, losing one of Victoria's people along the way. Once again Hart didn't give her time to grieve. They had a high priority mission and he had to keep them focused. He was shocked when halfway through the tunnel he came across one of his missing men. Hart smiled as he was clasped in a bear hug, biting back the groan as his injured ribs were crushed. "It's good to see you," he told Shooter.

"Yeah, you too," Shooter declared with a grin.

"Thought you were dead," Hart hissed.

"Nearly was."

"Where you been?"

"Out dancin' the night away."

Hart overheard a conversation between Victoria and her Sergeant. She was trying to explain who they were and he hurried to stop her. "Vick, for their own sakes the less they know the better," he warned her. They moved on until they neared the exit of the tunnel before he called a halt.

He stepped over to Victoria, who sat apart from the others, a look of profound sadness on her face. He sat beside her as she wiped tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry about your ranger, Vick," he told her.

"Thanks," she said.

"It's tough to lose someone in your command. Sometimes it just can't be avoided," his voice laced with pain as he tried to console her.

"There is no control. You lose lives to save lives," she said as she looked into his green eyes. "That's what it is, isn't it?"

"That's the way it's been. You either let it take you down or you survive it."

"Your objective is the sector four plant isn't it?"

"Yes."

She sniffed and stood up. "Let's move out," she ordered.

They came out of the tunnel slowly. Min, the ranger who'd been afraid of the tunnel, was the first one out. She ran into the swampy area, her Sergeant following closely behind her as a chopper swooped in low. Two soldiers jumping out and hitting both women with their rifle butts. The sergeant and the oriental woman were pulled inside the helicopter and it immediately began to lift off. Min came to and jumped to the ground, her eyes wide with fear as she ran towards the safety of the heavy brush. Her body was thrown forward under a hail of bullets before she reached the edge of the clearing.

"Get Kang," Hart shouted to Shooter and was shocked when the man missed his shot. By the time the chopper took off another of Victoria's people was dead.

Hart sat beside Victoria and the two talked softly. "How did Kang know we were in the DMZ? How did he know how many operatives we had?" he asked holding his arm against his right side as his ribs throbbed unmercifully. "This is crazy. Somehow Kang's stayed one step ahead of us. I don't understand it," he gasped.

"Hart, you're hurt," Victoria hissed.

"I'm alright, Vick."

"No you're not. Let me take a look."

"Later, Vick, I've got a mission to complete and until it's finished there's no time to give into pain."

She knew he was right and forced the concern she had for him out of her mind. "All I need is a cell-link, and I can get us in that place," she told him, "What are we gonna do?"

"We're not gonna do anything. It's time for you to start heading back," he said firmly.

"I'm not going anyplace without my sergeant!" she said standing and moving away angrily.

"Vick," he called after her. He gasped as he climbed to his feet, hoping the broken ribs wouldn't cause any more damage. He finally caught up with her, gasping and holding his side as he reached out and grasped her arm. "Vick, when I get into the plant I'll find her and bring her out," he promised.

"I'm not leaving without Rhodes and that's final!" she shouted.

"Vick, listen to him. He's making sense," Shooter told her.

"I'm going in after my sergeant," she snarled, ignoring the pained look on Hart's handsome face.

"Okay," Hart whispered, turning away.

Shooter looked from Hart to Victoria to Northrop. Shaking his head he left them in the tiny hut and hurried outside.

The small contingent of men and women huddled inside the tiny hut making plans. "Alright, we wait till nightfall," Hart declared.

"I can't afford to wait that long," Victoria told him.

"We don't have a choice...Now, are you with me?"

"Yeah," Victoria whispered in answer.

Shooter lifted his rifle to his shoulder and stood up. "I'm going on a recon."

"Maybe you should wait till after dark," Hart told him.

"No, I'll be fine," Shooter assured him as he hurried off.

Hart couldn't believe what he was overhearing. Shooter sat a few feet away, hidden in the brush. At least I know how Kang kept ahead of us. God dammit, Shooter, how could you? he thought angrily. His anger grew as Shooter turned towards him. "I thought you lost the cell-link during the firefight," he said as the other man stood up, one hand snaking behind his back, "Let me see your hands," Hart snarled as he pointed his gun at the man he'd considered his best friend. "Let me see your hands!" he repeated a little more harshly.

Shooter pulled his hands to the front and started towards his friend. "How much did you hear?" he asked.

"Enough," Hart told him, his eyes or hands never wavering from the man coming up the hill.

"You lied to me, Shooter. Then you blew your shot on Kang." Hart said softly, shaking his head at his friend's betrayal. "It's not like you to blow a shot, is it, Shooter? Why? Why didn't you kill Kang?"

Shooter smiled as he reached for something with his right hand. "You wanna see?"

"No! Left hand!"

Switching hands and moving slowly, Shooter reached into one of the pockets on his utility vest. "The key to the lock, you might say. The fail-safe code to the detonators," he said as he put the tiny board back in his pocket. "Kang can't do shit without them."

"You've covered my back for the last ten years and you're responsible for this?"

"It wasn't supposed to go down like this!"

"No?"

"I didn't betray you."

"You betrayed yourself. Why?"

"Very large sums of cash, what else?"

"What about loyalty?" Hart asked, his hands dropping slightly.

"What about it?"

"Don't you have any?"

"There are no loyalties!" Shooter grinned. "Just targets. So what now? You gonna shoot me?"

The gun was back up, pointed directly at Shooters head. "No!" Hart whispered softly. "I'm not gonna shoot you," he said as he replaced his gun with a nine inch knife. "You deserve to die up close, Mother-fucker!"

"Okay then, let's dance," Shooter said as he pulled his own knife.

A deadly dance began as the two men circled each other. Blades glinting in the sunlight as they slashed towards flesh and bone. Hart gasped as Shooter's deadly aim sliced into his upper right thigh. Staying on his feet he launched a counter attack slicing a groove along Shooters left side. Their hands flew as they tried to get in a killing strike. Shooter managed to get in close enough to slash a furrow across the blond's left side, not deep but it bled heavily.

Hart cried out as he lunged to the right and came down hard on his broken ribs. As the blond struggled to his feet, Shooter lashed out with his boot, connecting with the already damaged side, a sickening grin on his face.

Hart rolled with the blow, forcing the pain out of his mind in his need to take down the man who'd betrayed him. He quickly climbed to his feet, just as Shooter's knife sliced into his right arm. Ignoring the burning agony he attacked, slamming his battered body into his friend's. The two men grappled for supremacy as their knives clinked together. Falling to the ground, Hart found himself at a disadvantage with Shooter lying over him. In a quick move, Hart used his feet and threw the man over his head, grinning as he heard a muffled grunt of surprise and pain.

Both men gained their feet at the same time, knives once again slashing viciously. Blood welled up from a gash on Hart's left forearm but he didn't relinquish his grasp on his knife, instead lashing out and catching Shooter's left shoulder.

Both men were breathing heavily as they grasped each other's shoulders and stumbled towards the small hut. They fell through the tiny opening, neither man willing to give up his hold on the other. Hart heard Victoria cry out and knew Northrop was holding her back. He couldn't take the time to speak as Shooter came at him again.

Shooter grinned as he brought his knife closer to Hart's neck. "Dead men can't dance," he laughed.

Hart knew he had to do something fast or his life would be forfeit. He kicked out with his left leg, connecting with Shooter's and driving him off. He jumped to his feet, ignoring the tremors from his body. Tremors he knew signalled he had lost a lot of blood and would soon have trouble staying on his own two feet.

Shooter lunged to attack again. Surprise registered on his face when Hart grabbed his arm and twisted it to the breaking point.

The blond twisted the arm viciously, bringing his own knife forward until it was embedded deep in the other man's chest. He watched as the face went slack, and death claimed another victim, a friend, who would be forever a haunting memory. A reminder of how friendship could turn on you when you least expected it.

Northrop released Victoria as Shooter fell to the ground. She rushed forward and found herself wrapped in the arms of the man she loved.

"No, Vick. It was him," he said as he lifted pain filled eyes to hers. "It was him all along."

She reached out and pulled his head down on her shoulder just as his eyes closed and his body collapsed. "Northrop!" she screamed.

Northrop helped her turn the injured man over. He opened the small first aid kit, grabbing compresses and tape. With Victoria's help he quickly cleaned and bandaged the wounds on Hart's body. "Vick, he's got some broken ribs on his right side."

"Shit! We have to get him out of here," she said as she watched the blond slowly open his eyes.

"No!" the word was low but filled with a strength that would not be denied. "H...have to complete the m...mission or he wins," he said his eyes roaming to the dead body.

"Hart, you're hurt!"

"Been hurt b... before, Vick. The f... first priority is the m... mission," he gasped as he lifted his head from her lap.

"Hart, you can't even stand up," she cried.

"Watch me," he grinned cockily as he made his way to shaky legs. "Get your people ready, Vick. Northrop, Shooter had the cell-link. It's in his pocket. He also has the key for the missiles. Bring it to me," he ordered, wrapping his arms around his injured ribs, breathing shallowly in an effort to lesson the burning pain in his side.

"Hart?"

"Don't, Vick, not now," he told her as he watched Northrop take the cell-link from Shooter's pocket. "Give it to Vick," he ordered as the other man handed him the cell-Link. "Get us in there, Vick! I'm not waiting for dark. We go in fast and we hit him hard."

She nodded her head and keyed in the access code to the uplink. She hacked into the buildings computer and set the alarm to de-activate in twenty minutes, giving them plenty of time to get into position.

"Hart," Victoria said as she watched the blond's painful movements.

"I'm okay, Vick, you just get your sergeant and get out of there," he ordered sharply. "Northrop, you and I have to set the charges and destroy this place. Kang can't be allowed the ability to launch missiles."

Northrop nodded and reached into the bag he carried.

Hart drew in a sharp breath, swearing softly at the other man. "What the hell was that?"

"Just a little morphine. Not enough to put you out but it'll take the edge off the pain," Northrop told him.

"Next time give me a little warning, will ya?" the blond hissed as he rubbed the tender spot on his shoulder.

"You move without protest with broken ribs and deep lacerations yet you complain about a little needle," Victoria couldn't suppress the smile broadening on her face.

"Well it hurt," he smiled back at her for a second, before turning serious once more. "Let's move out people. Vick, you and your team be careful and meet us at Kang's chopper in forty five minutes."

Victoria leaned over and kissed the blond before signalling for the members of her team to move out.

"Vick, be careful," he told her.

"You too, Hart," she whispered, as she led her team into the building.

"Stay safe, Vick," Hart whispered as he and Northrop headed into the opposite end of the building.

"You know what you have to do," Hart said as the two men headed into the building.

"Yeah, I'll set the detonators in the north sector."

"And I'll set the ones in the south. See you at the chopper in thirty five minutes," Hart said as he looked at his watch. The two men saluted each other before moving to the difficult task ahead. Hart's heart ached as he heard the haunting words of his dead friend, Dead men can't dance.

Dammit, Shooter, why? he thought as he moved deeper into the building.

Hart began placing his explosive along the outer perimeter of the command centre. He hadn't let on to the others just how badly he was hurt. His breathing grew more labored as he moved along the corridor, ducking whenever a North Korean soldier came near.

He opened the failsafe door and grabbed the detonators, shoving them into his bag, before setting and arming the explosives. In less than ten minutes he'd completed his mission and hurried towards the exit with fifteen minutes to spare.

He'd nearly made it outside when he heard an angry voice behind him. He turned, raising his gun as he did. His bullets quickly took down the two men racing towards him. He ran from the building smiling as he spotted Victoria and another Ranger supporting Rhodes between them. He looked to his left just as Northrop came out of the building. "All set?" he shouted.

"All set," Northrop answered as he ran to the chopper.

Hart hurried towards the chopper, his leg barely holding him, blood trickling from the wound and soaking into the bandages. He stumbled and fell heavily to the ground, keeping a firm grip on his gun as pain exploded in his ribs.

Victoria helped the sergeant into the chopper and climbed in behind her. She turned to see where Hart and Northrop were, screaming as she saw the blond fall to the ground, North Koreans running towards him "Hart!" she cried as she tried to go to him.

Northrop grabbed her and forced her back inside, "No, Vick, you can't help him," he shouted, turning his gun on the North Koreans, not really surprised to see Hart on his knees and firing at the advancing soldiers.

Hart stayed on his knees firing into the group of a dozen men coming towards him. He smiled as his gunfire sounded from behind him and more of the soldiers fell heavily to the ground.

Once more he gritted his teeth against the pain and stood on shaky legs. Turning away from the Koreans, he stumbled the last thirty feet to the chopper. He cried out as he felt something slam into his back, propelling him the final few feet into the waiting hands of the rangers.

Northrop climbed into the front of the chopper, quickly starting it up as Victoria and another of her Rangers pulled the wounded blond into the chopper.

Gunshots sounded around them as the chopper started up. Victoria screamed as Northrop's body was propelled backwards in his seat.

Hart ignored the pain from the new wound and pulled away from the tender hands holding him. He stood up and moved to the second seat, taking over the idling controls as another Ranger pushed the dead man from the co-pilots seat and climbed in.

The helicopter lifted off the ground and Hart heard cries of rage from the ranger unit behind him. He turned in time to see Kang climb in, a live grenade held securely in his hands as he screamed in Korean.

"Get him out of here!" Hart yelled as the chopper lifted higher into the sky.

Rhodes knew she had to do something or everyone would die. Without conscious thought she dove at the Korean major, her forward momentum carrying them both towards the opening and out.

An explosion rocked the chopper and Hart fought for control. He ignored the agony flaring from his wounds as he struggled to keep the chopper in the sky. He breathed a sigh of relief as he looked to the back and saw Victoria leaning back in her seat. "Are you guys alright?" he asked.

"We're fine, Hart," Victoria answered, moving to stand behind him. Her worried face took on a look of horror as she saw the blood staining the back of his shirt. "You were hit!" she gasped.

"I'm alright."

"Hart!"

"Vick, I have to fly us out of here. There's a carrier waiting just off the coast to take us home."

Victoria knew he was right. She looked at the ranger in the co-pilot's seat and knew Hart was the only one who could fly them out. She knew this would be the longest thirty minutes of her life.

Hart continued to fly the chopper, ignoring the flaring agony in his right shoulder as he pulled the levers to keep them in the air. His body was losing blood at an alarming rate but he couldn't take the time to worry about it. He bit back a groan as he felt Victoria's hands pull back on his shirt, pressing something against the wound high on his right shoulder.

Sunlight reflected off the ocean as he struggled to keep them on course. Staying conscious was becoming more and more difficult as his eyelids grew heavy and his mind became numb with pain.

"Talk to me, Vick," he ordered weakly.

Victoria knew Hart was in danger of losing consciousness and if he did they would crash into the ocean. She wasn't willing to lose anyone else on this mission, especially not the man she loved. "Just think about that nice warm bed waiting for you," she was startled when the blond laughed. "What?"

"Nice warm bed, Vick? On a carrier?"

"Well it could be," she told him. "Alright, the nice warm bed is out. How about I treat you to Pizza and beer as soon as you're ready."

"P... pizza and beer and your treat. I... I think I could h... handle that," he told her, fighting to keep his mind off the pain that continued to intensify.

"I though you'd like that idea. You want anchovies?"

"Those little fishies? God no, Vick. Cheese and pepperoni and maybe a little pineapple."

"Okay, no fishies," she laughed.

"G... good. Can't handle those things," he said as he banked to the right.

Victoria was surprised when she noticed the large aircraft carrier come into view.

Hart picked up the mic and began speaking weakly into it. He gave his personal code and heard a voice affirm that he could land. He watched the man on the deck as he waved the flags signalling for him to put the chopper down.

Victoria could see he was having trouble staying focused. His eyes had a glazed look and she knew he was close to slipping over the edge into unconsciousness. "We're almost there, Hart. Just a little longer," she told him, massaging his shoulder's gently.

"Almost there," he repeated blinking his eyes rapidly as the deck of the boat seemed to rise towards him. It took every last ounce of strength he had to get the chopper down. As he felt it hit the deck, a little harder than normal, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God," he said.

Victoria leaned out the door and screamed. "We need a medic over here!" She wasn't surprised to see several men running towards the chopper. "They're coming, Hart, just hang on," she told him as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"'K," he answered weakly.

"We got him, Ma'am," a grey haired man dressed in Naval uniform said as he opened the door beside Hart.

Victoria relinquished her hold on the blond, reluctantly turning him over to the strangers surrounding them.

"A... Admiral! Need to see A... Admiral Whitt!" Hart gasped as the newcomer gently prodded his wounds.

"The Admiral's on his way, Son," the older man assured the blond. "Just relax and let us take care of you."

"Not y... yet. Talk... A... Admiral first."

"I'm right here, son."

Hart opened his eyes and stared at the distinguished looking older man. He tried to swallow but found his mouth had suddenly gone dry.

"Mission completed, sir," he said as he reached into a secure pocket of his utility vest and pulled out the codes. Handing both them and the bag containing the detonators to the admiral. "The plant in sector four has been destroyed."

"Well done, son. I'll take care of these. It's time for you to let the medical team look after you," Whitt ordered. "Fine job, soldier," he snapped a crisp salute as he spoke the words.

Hart lifted his leaden arm and repeated the gesture. "Thank you, sir."

"Alright, son, we're gonna get you out of here and take care of those injuries. You just relax."

"Yes, sir," Hart groaned as he felt his tired, aching body lifted from the chopper and placed on a stretcher. He felt the jolt as it was lifted and he was rushed towards the fully equipped sickbay where he was once more lifted and placed on a narrow examination table.

"What's your name, son?"

"Hart."

"Well, Hart, I'm Dr. Mason and I'm going to take care of you. Mike is going to start an IV in your arm and then we'll give you something to help with the pain."

"'K," Hart gasped, finding even breathing had become a chore.

"Start him on oxygen," Mason ordered as he noticed the trouble his patient was having.

Hart breathed in the cooling mist as a mask was placed over his mouth and nose. The pain had gone from mind numbing to excruciating as he tried to catch his breath.

"Looks like we may have a collapsed lung on top of the other injuries," Mason said. "Hart," he waited for the green eyes to focus on him before continuing. "We're going to put you to sleep so we can do what we need to do to help you."

Hart swallowed, nodding his head slightly, moaning as the movement caused his head to explode. He felt hands cutting his clothes from his body, revealing the countless bruises and lacerations.

"Mike, start the antibiotic cocktail. Hang two points of plasma and cross and type. Start a central line and run the IV's wide open. Also want you to give him the versed. Come on people we need to work fast!" he snapped as he saw the continued breathing difficulties the injured man was having.

"Hart," Mike said and the green eyes turned towards him. "I'm putting the versed in your IV now. Just relax and let it take effect."

"K," the blond muttered, feeling the lethargy already creeping over his body.

"He's out," Mike announced.

"Jesus, what a mess," Mason said as he began inserting a long thin needle into the injured man's side.

He tried to swallow but something prevented him from doing so. His body seemed to be pain free for the first time in a long time and he fought to open his heavily laden eyes.

"Come on, son, open your eyes. You planning on sleeping all day again?"

Hart finally forced his eyes open, grimacing at the bright light over his head. He tried to speak but something in his throat prevented him from doing so.

"Easy now. You're gonna be just fine. You've had a rough time of it and you're on a ventilator to help you breath. Just relax and let it do its job."

Ventilator? Why? What happened? Where am I? Where's Victoria? he wanted the answers to all these questions but he couldn't ask them.

"You're probably wondering what's been happening. Well you're at the Bethesda Naval hospital. You were brought in here two days ago. You're probably feeling confused right now and that's to be expected after everything that's been done. It'll be quite some time before you're back on your feet but you'll get there. Dr. Gosling will be down to see you shortly. If he gives the okay we're going to take you off the ventilator this afternoon. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Hart nodded slowly, afraid of re-awakening the pain in his head. God, Vick, where are you? he thought as his eyes once more grew heavy. He kept them closed but didn't sleep. He couldn't help thinking of the friend he'd killed. A man he'd considered his best friend. A man who'd been with him through some of the worst missions. Shooter, how could I have been so wrong? How could I have been fooled so easily? Goddammit, Shooter, you betrayed us all for money! His mind drifted slowly towards sleep and he relaxed into its waiting arms.

"Hart?"

He heard her voice and slowly opened his tear filled eyes. 'Vick.'

"I'm here, Hart. I'll stay with you," she assured him, reaching down and taking his hand. "Are you in pain?" she asked when she saw the tears.

Yeah, Vick, but there's no medicine to relieve this kinda pain. This is the pain of betrayal, he thought, realizing as he thought it that he was also in physical pain. He watched as the man who'd been with him earlier, talking to him, soothing him, slipped a syringe into his IV.

"Ma'am, you're going to have to wait outside. Dr. Gosling is here and he's probably going to remove the ventilator."

She smiled down at the man on the bed. "Did you hear that, Hart?"

He nodded as she patted his shoulder and left the room. He relaxed against the pillows as a new face came into view.

"It's good to see you back with us, Hart. I'm Dr. Gosling and I've been looking after you. Would you like to get rid of this annoying tube?" He smiled as Hart's head bobbed and his eyes took on a warm glow. "I take it that's an affirmative. Just relax and let us take care of everything."

Half an hour later Hart was resting against the pillows, the chest tube was still in place but his lung was healing and he felt better without the tube invading his throat. He still had the NG tube and the IV in his arm but they'd removed the central line IV just after they finished removing the ventilator. He'd tried to speak but his throat hurt and his voice came out as a croaking gasp.

He'd been given a small amount of ice chips and was grateful when the attending nurse gave him more. His green eyes opened wide as he watched Victoria walk slowly up to his bed.

"That's better," she told him as she leaned over him and placed a kiss on his pale forehead.

"T...thanks," he mumbled painfully.

"No talking for a while, Hart," the nurse told him, shaking her head in exasperation.

"'K."

"Hart, she said no talking," Victoria told him.

He tried to shift upwards on the bed and moaned as the wounds to his body protested. Every part of him hurt but he was too stubborn to ask for anything. He would ride it out until it got to the point where he couldn't handle it anymore.

"I've got your pain meds here, son," the nurse said as she grabbed hold of the IV juncture.

"D... don't n..."

"You're not fooling anyone, Hart," Victoria said as she reached out and grasped the injured man's left hand, returning the smile he gave her as he closed his eyes.

"He'll probably sleep through the night, ma'am. You might as well go home and get some rest as well."

Victoria nodded as she walked out of the tiny room, her eyes filling with watery tears as she realized she'd almost lost him. I love you, Hart, she thought as she made her way out of the hospital.

"Now you just relax and let me take care of you," Victoria told the pale man sitting outside the home they shared. "Can I get you something?"

"A cold beer would be nice."

"Now, Hart, you know you're not allowed alcohol of any kind until you've finished all your medications," she said. "Which reminds me, you left these by your plate."

Hart smiled at her as he took the pills she handed him. He popped them into his mouth and followed them with the cold water she'd placed on the table before him. He smiled gratefully, knowing full well that he needed the pain medication. His wounds were healing but still caused him misery if he didn't take them. He slowly rested back against the softness of the swing cushions, closed his eyes and waited for the pain to ebb.

He felt her sit beside him and reached out to touch her. "I can't believe Shooter would turn traitor. I thought I knew him, Vick. I thought we were friends. God, I trusted him with my life. I trusted him and he betrayed everything we stand for," he muttered painfully.

"I know, Hart. I trusted him too."

"We were like brothers. I'd have done anything for him. If he needed money that bad all he had to do was ask. I would've helped him any way I could," he grated out as tears; he refused to let fall, came to his eyes.

Victoria reached out, careful of the bandages and pulled him closer to her. "Sometimes people just don't want help from their friends. Sometimes they just can't face asking for help."

Hart looked into her eyes, sadness and despair in his heart at the loss of a friendship he'd always treasured. "Vick, don't ever be afraid to ask."

"I won't, Hart," she assured him as she held him close. She felt the silent pain and held him tightly.

Hart felt the warmth of the sun on his face but it didn't come close to the warmth he felt emanating from the woman beside him. He felt her love even if she hadn't said the words. He knew she'd never turn away from him and he would always love her. Reaching out he pulled her face to his and their lips met in a passionate kiss. "I love you, Vick," he whispered.

"I love you too, Hart," she said.

Hart felt the pain meds take affect and closed his eyes, letting the relief flood through his body. Relief that some things would never change. He knew there'd be more missions for both him and Victoria but for now he was content to let his mind and body heal in her capable hands.

THE END