Skin Deep (Wounded Hero Series) (22 page)

Archer was back in what seemed like seconds. He led Daniel and Tina to a different bank of elevators. Zane and Butch stayed behind just in case Dillon came back. The ascent to the top floor was like walking to your death. No one said anything until they stepped off the elevator. Archer stopped them. “I want to prepare you, she’s was having trouble with her breathing so we had to give  her some help. I didn’t want you to be alarmed when you saw the ventilator.”  Tina reached out and took Daniel’s hand, he squeezed it. They entered a plain room, it was small and it seemed even smaller with all the big pieces of medical equipment. The smell took him back to a time he didn’t really want to think about. He could see his mother lying a hospital bed much like the one Camille was lying in. Daniel shook his head to ward off the old demons. As he stepped up to the bed, the noise from the
machines was deafening. He swallowed hard. Camille seemed so still and her skin was ashen. She was battered and broken. Blinking back tears he stood there taking her in. The anger rose up quickly and he wanted to kill everyone that had anything to do with putting her in that damn hospital bed. Tina was next to him, the warmth of her body gave him comfort and it grounded him.  Bringing him back from that dark place. Archer’s phone ringing brought Daniel out of the haze that was threatening to take him over.

“Archer, yes...yes it’s okay. I’ll handle it.” He was out of the room and striding down the corridor towards the private elevator. He waited for the doors to open. When they did. There was a very angry Dillon.  He came out the elevator and was about to run Archer down. Archer was bracing himself for contact as he stepped in Dillon’s path. Dillon pulled up short, only inches from making impact. “Zane and Butch said Camille’s up here, where is she?” As Dillon moved to the side, so did Archer mirroring his movement. “Just hold on a minute Dillon.” Dillon stopped and gave Archer a look that would make a lesser man shrink. Archer knew he was standing between Dillon and the woman he loved, under normal circumstances it would be dangerous. But now, it was
downright lethal. He liked living dangerously, he put his hand in the middle of Dillon’s chest. “Listen I know you want to see her but.”  Dillon narrowed his gaze as he looked down at Archer’s hand and then back up to meet Archer’s steady gaze. “Get your hand off me and get out of my way.” Archer shook his head. “I can’t let you go in there like this. Camille is my patient and her care and well being is my first and only concern. So back off and calm down.” Dillon stepped back just in time to see Daniel and Tina coming out of one of the rooms. He watched as Tina stopped Daniel and said something to him. Then she went back into the room they came out of. Archer moved aside and let Daniel take his place. “Danny what the hell is going on? I want to see Camille.”  Daniel got right in Dillon’s face. “You ran off, we didn’t think you were coming back.”  Dillon made a move to go around Daniel, but Daniel was right there. “You need to get out of my way Danny, I just want to see her.” he said sounding a little desperate. The two of them stood there for what seemed like hours. “I need to know why you want to see her.  Do you want to see her because you want to say goodbye or because you want be there when she wakes up?” Dillon looked as if the breath had been knocked out of him. He turned around and started to pace back and forth. That’s when he noticed that Archer had conveniently disappeared. He was grateful for that. He was still pacing with his head down and his hands on his hips. “It’s a simple question Dillon, I need to know where your head is.”  Dillon stopped pacing and turned to look at the man that was more than just a friend. “It may be a simple question, but there is no simple answer. I really wish there was. I thought about leaving, I thought about how that was going to play out. The simple truth is, It wouldn’t have. I love Camille more than I thought I could love anyone. Everything about her calls to that place deep inside of me. And no matter how much I try to deny it, I can’t. So I’m staying for as long as she’ll have me.”

Daniel stepped forward and put both of his large hands on Dillon’s board shoulders. I’m glad to hear that, I thought for a minute there I was going to have to beat you to a pulp.” he said with a big smile. In that moment Dillon felt relieved, but most of all he just wanted to see Camille. Daniel seemed to sense that and moved out of his way.

Dillon didn’t hesitate, he went to the room that he’d seem Daniel and Tina come out of. He paused at the door, before going in his heart was racing. Reaching out he turned the knob, opening the door slowly. The sounds of the machines seemed to drift slowly out and towards him. There in the dimly lit round, he saw Tina sitting next to the bed holding Camille’s hand. His eye’s drifted up to Camille’s face which looked so peaceful. Then down to her chest he watched it moved up then down in a steady rhythm with the help of the machine that was helping her breath. He walked up to the foot of the hospital bed. The ache in his chest grew stronger.

Tina stood up, giving Camille’s hand one last squeeze before placing it over her other hand. She touched his arm gently as she made her way to the door. Once she was gone, Dillon took her place sitting down in the chair.

“Cam, I know you can hear me. I need you to come back to me. I need you to fight like you’ve never fought before. I’m going to be right here when you wake up. I’m not going anywhere.” he said as he sat back and said a silent prayer, after everything they’d gone through in the last few weeks. He couldn’t lose her this way. That Damn bullet was meant for him. Leaning forward he brushed her hair away from her face. He lost his mother when he was young and that tragedy had stayed with him, it had made him the man he was today. Terrified of letting anyone get too close. Never wanting to feel that pain ever again. Tina was right without the pain of loss, you could never appreciate love. His missed his parents every day. Dillon sat back and watched Camille’s chest rise and fall with the help of the ventilator. He wasn’t leaving her.

Hours later Dillon woke up to find the hospital room dark, there was a shadowed figure standing near Camille’s bed. He jumped to his feet with his weapon drawn. “Take it easy my man it’s just me. Dillon knew the voice well but his head was fuzzy, from lack of sleep. He flipped the light switch that was on the wall next to the door. The room was bathed in bright fluorescent light. Zane stood still until Dillon’s brain came back online. He relaxed when Dillon lowered his weapon. Sorry, how long was I out he asked as he came to stand next the bed. “For about four hours. I’ve been in here for two since Butch relieved me.” Dillon, nodded as he scrubbed his hand over his face. “I can’t believe I was out that long. I’m supposed to be here for her, not sleeping.” Zane held his hand up. “You are dead on your feet. Besides we have your back. No one is getting past us. You’re not on guard now, your here for your woman.”  Dillon’s shoulders slumped as he relaxed a little. Thanks, I know you have my back he said as he pulled his chair closer to the bed and sat down. He looked at Camille for a long while before he said anything.  “I can’t lose her Zane.” he said. It was a quiet statement of fact, which spoke volumes. He didn’t look at Zane. He continued to look down at his hands. “You’re going to get a second chance with her, so don’t mess it up. I would give anything to have second chance.”  He didn’t finish, he didn’t have to Dillon knew and what he was talking about. The two of them stayed like that for what seemed like a lifetime. Just being there for each other. It was comforting on a level that neither of them wanted to contemplate.

Dillon was watching the nurse change Camille’s dressing when Archer walked in, he took over telling the nurse he would finish. He Didn’t acknowledge Dillon’s presence. Dillon watched silently as Archer examined Camille, checking her vital signs then making notes in her chart. When he was done he looked at Dillon for the first time since entering the room. “You look like hell, have you gotten any sleep since the last time I saw you?”  I’m fine, how is she doing he asked trying to keep his impatience out of his voice. Archer looked down at her chart one last time before answering Dillon’s question. “She is holding her own at this point, it’s only been twenty four hours. Her vitals look good and she had an uneventful night. I wish I could tell you more.” Dillon gazed at him through narrow eyes. there was something that he wasn’t saying. “What aren’t you saying, What’s wrong?” Archer knew he would have to lay all his cards out on the table. He wasn’t dealing with the average family member, who was too grief stricken to know what was going on. Before he could answer there was a knock at the door and Daniel and Tina stepped into the room. Daniel took in the grave looks on both men’s faces. “What’s going on.”  he asked. Dillon was the first to answer.  “I don’t know but there’s something Archer isn’t telling us.”  Daniel and Tina looked at Archer. He took a deep breath and began. “Her vital are good but I was hoping for more signs of improvement and there is none.  She is not getting any worst but she is also not getting any better. I think it has something to do with the drug they gave her.  I’ve just never seen anything like this.”  Dillon felt his heart drop, he wasn’t able to speak past the lump in his throat.

Tina spoke up first. “Is there anything you can do?”  Daniel squeezed her hand, he was also having a hard time wrapping his mind around what he was hearing. “At this point no; I have been consulting with a friend of mine in Russia, he knows more about this then me. I’m waiting to hear from him. Until then all I can do is wait. I’m Sorry I don’t have better news for you.” He looked at Dillon and then Daniel. For the first time in a long time he felt helpless.

Dillon walked over to the bed and brushed the hair from Camille’s face. He wanted to kill Xavier and Trace all over again.

Chapter Fourteen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Camille woke up feeling better than she had ever felt before, she stretched her arms and legs. Her body felt strong and healthy. But wait, there was something she was forgetting. What was it? Thinking, thinking suddenly she remembered everything. Trace, Xavier and Bordereau it was the hatred she remembered, it cut a path into her thoughts everything became crystal clear. Dillon standing in front of Trace who was aiming a gun at him. No, no she couldn’t let Dillon be hurt. Each memory rushed back to her. Then there was the loud pop of the gun being fired, then shearing pain, blackness. She opened her eyes and sat up. Looking down at her body, she was wearing a white gown. She pulled the gown up, running her hands over her chest and stomach. There was no wound or scar. Even the scar from being stabbed was gone. How could that be? Looking around at the room she was in. The floor, walls and ceiling were white. The bed she was in was white. What was this place and how did she get here? Taking a deep breath to calm her fears. She made quick work of the sheets, throwing them back and swinging her legs to the side of the bed. With her feet planted firmly on the cool white floor she stood up slowly, finding that she wasn’t weak or dizzy. In fact she felt great. It was as though there was a current flowing throw her. It made her feel strong. She needed to find Dillon and Danny. She headed for the white door as she got closer the door opened. As she walked through it she was faced with a long corridor the walls of which were black.  There was a bright light at the end of the corridor. It was almost blinding it was so bright. She began to walk in the direction of the light as if she were drawn to it. With each step, she needed to get closer. Everything good and right was in that light, the closer she got the more at peace she felt. When she was standing at the threshold, the light washed over her along with the most incredible feeling of joy and well being. With her foot poised to cross the threshold; she felt a presence. Turning around there was a beautiful woman standing there. She was wearing a long flowing white gown. Camille knew the woman. There was something familiar about her. Her eyes, those green eyes she’d seen those eyes before. The woman smiled. And Camille felt the most incredible feeling. It was hard to define. Suddenly the woman was standing in front of her. Camille reached out her hand. The woman touched her hand. The contact brought Camille to her knees. When she looked up into the face of the woman, She saw everything. A beautiful little boy with dark hair and the most beautiful green eyes. They were his mother’s eyes, this was Dillon’s mother and that feeling was love. It was a warm rush that wash over her, soothing her. Camille watched the little boy grow from a toddler to a seven year old. There was so much emotion, love, sadness and regret. Then suddenly there was a voice in her head. “You must go back, you do not belong here.”  Camille opened her eyes, looking up at Dillon’s mother. The woman helped her to her feet. Then she heard the words in her head again. “Go now child.” Camille didn’t know if she was speaking out loud or if it was all in her head, but she heard herself saying she wanted to stay, she needed to go into the light. The woman shook her head back and forth. “No child you must go back, He’s waiting for you. He is so sad without you, you are his light.  We will see each other again.”  Before Camille could protest, she was falling into the darkness again. But this time there was no fear, there was only love.

Chapter Fifteen

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Dillon was exhausted mentally and physically. He could only remember one time in his life that he prayed so hard for something. It was when his mother was dying.  His prayers hadn’t been answered then. Nevertheless, he continued to pray that Camille would fight her way back to him. The fatigue was pulling him down. He pulled the chair closer and laid his head on the bed. It didn’t take long before he was sound asleep.