two Marines?”
Sandra’s face becomes serious. “We couldn’t save one. The other is hanging on but he has such massive internal injuries…”
“Marines are tough,” Ryker states quietly, and he can see Sandra’s face scrunch as she fights her tears.
“Yeah. But I don’t know if he is that tough. I hope you get the bastards that did this.”
“Don’t worry. We will.”
Sandra offers Ryker a half-hearted smile. “See that you do.” She pauses for a moment before adding, “I have to get back to the infirmary.”
“Thank you for letting me know,” he says. “I may be back around later for some more aspirin or something. I’m starting to feel that fall.”
Sandra offers him a weak grin. “If think you’re sore now, just wait until tomorrow.”
Sandra isn’t even out of sight when Ryker hears the door to Dr. Pate’s office open. Ronnie steps out, the doctor right behind her.
“Feel free to call on me anytime, my dear,” Doctor Pate says with a kindly smile.
“Thank you Doctor Pate…” Ronnie begins, but is interrupted by the doctor making an ah-ah-ah noise and giving her a meaningful look. “Sorry, Jim,” she amends. “I’ll be fine.”
“Yes. I know you will, Veronica. But if you need someone to talk to, you know where I am,” the doctor says, then looks at Ryker and smiles. “She’s still a little shaken up, but she’s tough. She’ll be fine.”
Ryker isn’t entirely sure he is able to keep his relief off his face. “That’s good news. Thank you, doctor.”
Jim smiles again and nods. “Go home. Get some sleep. You will feel much better in the morning,” he says, looking at Ronnie.
Ronnie smiles. Dr. Pate hadn’t told her anything earth shattering, but talking with him has made her feel a little better. She is exhausted and a good night’s sleep feels like just what she needs.
“How are you?” she asks. Ryker is still in the same dirty and torn clothes he has been wearing. “Why haven’t you changed?”
“I’ve been waiting on you. I wanted to make sure you are okay.”
What Ryker says hits her hard. She can feel the tears coming, and despite her best efforts to stop them, she can’t.
Ryker watches Ronnie’s face twist in anguish before she collapses into his chest, sobbing softly. He wraps her in his arms and holds her tight, one hand on her head, saying nothing, just allowing her to weep.
“I was so scared today,” she gasps out between sobs.
“I know. So was I.”
She gathers herself. “You? I thought you didn’t get scared.”
“I was afraid today.”
“Of what?”
“Of losing you. Of you being shot or killed.”
Ryker’s words start the tears all over again. She doesn’t know what to think. Twice Ryker has saved her. He had saved her in the parking garage almost a week ago. Today he had jumped off a three-story building to save her from being kidnapped.
He was going to run out into the open, to draw the gunman’s attention, so she could live. And die in the process. The only reason he is alive now is in her panic she had delayed him long enough for help to arrive. And even then, when all had seemed lost, he tried to protect her with his own body.
Why would he do that? Why would he throw his life away to save hers? To throw it away without even the guarantee that she would live. She has to know. “Why? Why were you going to throw your life away like that?”
“What?” Ryker asks, not understanding.
“Today. Behind the red car. You were going to run out there and get shot. Why?” she asks, after a shuddering breath, trying to control her tears.
He doesn’t know what to say. It’s a simple question, but he doesn’t have a simple answer. How can he explain the protectiveness he feels for her? He knows exactly why he did it… but can’t articulate it. “Because…you need to live,” he finally
Sandra’s face becomes serious. “We couldn’t save one. The other is hanging on but he has such massive internal injuries…”
“Marines are tough,” Ryker states quietly, and he can see Sandra’s face scrunch as she fights her tears.
“Yeah. But I don’t know if he is that tough. I hope you get the bastards that did this.”
“Don’t worry. We will.”
Sandra offers Ryker a half-hearted smile. “See that you do.” She pauses for a moment before adding, “I have to get back to the infirmary.”
“Thank you for letting me know,” he says. “I may be back around later for some more aspirin or something. I’m starting to feel that fall.”
Sandra offers him a weak grin. “If think you’re sore now, just wait until tomorrow.”
Sandra isn’t even out of sight when Ryker hears the door to Dr. Pate’s office open. Ronnie steps out, the doctor right behind her.
“Feel free to call on me anytime, my dear,” Doctor Pate says with a kindly smile.
“Thank you Doctor Pate…” Ronnie begins, but is interrupted by the doctor making an ah-ah-ah noise and giving her a meaningful look. “Sorry, Jim,” she amends. “I’ll be fine.”
“Yes. I know you will, Veronica. But if you need someone to talk to, you know where I am,” the doctor says, then looks at Ryker and smiles. “She’s still a little shaken up, but she’s tough. She’ll be fine.”
Ryker isn’t entirely sure he is able to keep his relief off his face. “That’s good news. Thank you, doctor.”
Jim smiles again and nods. “Go home. Get some sleep. You will feel much better in the morning,” he says, looking at Ronnie.
Ronnie smiles. Dr. Pate hadn’t told her anything earth shattering, but talking with him has made her feel a little better. She is exhausted and a good night’s sleep feels like just what she needs.
“How are you?” she asks. Ryker is still in the same dirty and torn clothes he has been wearing. “Why haven’t you changed?”
“I’ve been waiting on you. I wanted to make sure you are okay.”
What Ryker says hits her hard. She can feel the tears coming, and despite her best efforts to stop them, she can’t.
Ryker watches Ronnie’s face twist in anguish before she collapses into his chest, sobbing softly. He wraps her in his arms and holds her tight, one hand on her head, saying nothing, just allowing her to weep.
“I was so scared today,” she gasps out between sobs.
“I know. So was I.”
She gathers herself. “You? I thought you didn’t get scared.”
“I was afraid today.”
“Of what?”
“Of losing you. Of you being shot or killed.”
Ryker’s words start the tears all over again. She doesn’t know what to think. Twice Ryker has saved her. He had saved her in the parking garage almost a week ago. Today he had jumped off a three-story building to save her from being kidnapped.
He was going to run out into the open, to draw the gunman’s attention, so she could live. And die in the process. The only reason he is alive now is in her panic she had delayed him long enough for help to arrive. And even then, when all had seemed lost, he tried to protect her with his own body.
Why would he do that? Why would he throw his life away to save hers? To throw it away without even the guarantee that she would live. She has to know. “Why? Why were you going to throw your life away like that?”
“What?” Ryker asks, not understanding.
“Today. Behind the red car. You were going to run out there and get shot. Why?” she asks, after a shuddering breath, trying to control her tears.
He doesn’t know what to say. It’s a simple question, but he doesn’t have a simple answer. How can he explain the protectiveness he feels for her? He knows exactly why he did it… but can’t articulate it. “Because…you need to live,” he finally
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