FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Blackness. My eyes began to open. Everything was blurry. I blinked a couple of times. There was a red haired figure standing over me. I blinked again and they were gone. The world went fuzzy again. Blackness.

"I was running. An explosion through me forward. I found my feet and then kept running. My leg collapsed and I hit the ground, knocking myself out."

I opened my eyes again. This time the world became clear much faster. I was laying on my back in a white room. I moved my right arm and felt a strange sensation. Looking down, I saw the end of an I.V. sticking into me. A voice came from my left.

"Ah, you're awake."

I looked to see who was talking. There was a middle aged mouse looking at me. He wore a white coat and glasses. His nose twitched as he gazed at a clipboard."

"What happened to me doc?"

"You were shot in the leg. Five times. You passed out from blood loss and a minor concussion. You might have died, but some one knew what they were doing when they patched you up in the chopper."

I felt my leg, there were cloth wrappings going from my hip down almost to my knee.

"What's the damage?"

"Not much. We were able to get you put back together well enough. You may have troubles walking for a while, but with a couple months of therapy, you should be good as new."

Two months? There was no way I was going to be away from the team for two months. The doctor set the clipboard on a desk.

"I'll have a nurse bring you some food. Try not to move around too much."

I sat back into my pillows. That shouldn't be too difficult. They had the sheets tight enough on the bed I really couldn't move anywhere. There was a knock on the door. I turned to see Jessica standing there.

"You're awake!"

"Yes, how long have I been out?"

"A day or so."

"What have you guys been up too?"

"Just a little R & R. You know." She winked at me.

"I get it, you guys go out and have fun while I'm stuck in this stupid bed." I laughed with her.

"How are you?"

"Don't worry about me. How's the rest of the squad?"

"Their fine, mostly thanks to you. You've always worried more about us than your own safety."

"Yeah, it's been that way ever since you were shot. I figure since I have the four of you to watch my back, I can focus more on the mission and the wellbeing of the squad."

She leaned forward and picked something off of my forehead. When she did that, I noticed she was wearing a necklace I had never seen before. It was a simple chain and on the end was what looked like a mangled bullet.

"What's that? I don't remember seeing it before."

"Oh, nothing."

She blushed as she tucked the ornament back into her shirt. A rabbit walked in carrying a covered tray.

"I'd better leave you alone."

Jessica walked out of the room hurriedly. The nurse set the tray across my legs. As she left, tank slid past her in the door.

"Hey! Sleeping beauty."

"Ha, ha."

"You talk to Jess?"

"Yeah."

"She's rarely been out of this room since we got here. She only left when the doctor kicked her out."

"A bit of motherly affection?"

"Something like that. Did she tell you what happened?"

"When?"

"After you decided to take your nap."

"No, why?"

"I was about to check on you when Jessica ran past me and singlehandedly carried you back to the chopper. Back in the air she managed to stop the bleeding and apply a field dressing."

"Really," so it had been Jessica who saved my life out there. "Look Tank, you got to talk to the mountain and get me out of here."

"No can do. The doctor said at least a month."

"I know that, but Doctor Hall can pull a few strings around here. She can get her hands on way better than what this place can offer, assuming she's not trained in metical herself, and I'd be surprised if she's not."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do, but no promises."

"Fine. Oh, tell Jessica I said thanks."

"I'm sure she'll be back Mr. poor victim." He winked at me and left the room.

What was that supposed to mean? I ate my lunch in silence. Well, this sucks. Stuck in some military hospital with nothing to do. I looked around the room. On the desk next to my bed was a tray with two objects which looked as if they may have been bullets. If they were, why were their only two? Hadn't the doctor said I had been shot five times?

I woke the next morning and the mouse came in to check on me.

"How we felling today?"

"Good. Did you pull any rounds from my leg?"

"Yes, three to be exact. Two passed all the way through. Those are some leg muscles you've got to be able to stop bullets. That's weird. One seems to be missing. Well, you can have these two as souvenirs."

The doctor handed me the two pieces of metal on the tray. I slipped them into the pocket of my uniform which was folded on a chair next to the bed. I looked at the pants and saw the leg was torn. He checked a few things on me declaring I was in a good enough condition to be taken off the I.V. Then he changed the dressing on my leg. I got the first look at my injury. Five holes were being stitched up along my lower thigh.

"I'm not entirely sure with your completion how those will look once healed. Normally scars grow white fur over them, but that won't really matter with you if they do."

The doctor then helped me out of bed and handed me a set of kaki scrubs to pull on. He gave me a pair of crutches so I could get out of the room every once in a while. I slowly got to my feet. My right leg was stiff but other than that, it wasn't bad. I put my weight onto the supports and walked out of the room. I went out to the lobby to find the squad waiting for me.

"Hey! It's the war hero."

"Screw you Teague."

"I'm not sure if you're in any condition for that right now, but after you get better..." he gave me a suggestive look. The others laughed.

"Tank, what did you find out?"

"Dr. Hall's working on it. She said she should be able to get you out in a couple days."

"Good. This place smells funny. I want to get back to the mountain."

"We all do."

Center seventeen had become home for us. Unless we were on a mission, it was always strange being away from the enclosed corridors and vast training grounds. I felt bad that I was the only reason the squad was staying on fort.

"Hey, if you guys want to go back,"

"We all go or we all stay. Don't be stupid Harper."

We went to the food court for lunch. We sat eating and talking happily, it was as if nothing had happened. I wished nothing had happened. Now I would just have to deal with therapy. It shouldn't be too big of a hassle. Knowing Dr. Hall, she'd be able to cut the time in half.

Jessica would be the bigger problem. I knew she had been back in my room last night. A certain level of affection for each other was needed in our position. We had to be able to coordinate and work together flawlessly and watch each other's back. It seemed however, in the time since my rescue, Jessica had become more attracted to me than was healthy for the team. I had already had to talk to Teague about this during our first year of training. Now I would have to talk to Jess. It wasn't that I didn't like her; it was just that if any of us became too fond of another squad member, it could jeopardize our mission. As the leader, I needed to know that if I gave an order, even if it risked my life, it would be executed to the rule.

"Harper, what's up?"

"Nothing."

The doctor found me and told me I had to come take more antibiotics. I really hated hospitals. I pulled myself onto my crutches and walked back to my room. I climbed into the bed at the doctors directing. He said I needed to keep the leg relaxed. I fell asleep shortly after that from some drug the doctor had given me. Asshole.

I woke suddenly to someone touching my head. My combat reflexes took over. I reached up and grabbed the wrist. I twisted it, pinning my assailant to the bed with my forearm claws digging into the mattress. They struggled but I fought to resist their skillful attempts to wrench their arm free. At the same time I reached over the side of the bed with my right hand and grabbed the handgun I had hiding there. I swung the weapon through the air and pressed it against my attacker's head. Then I realized who I was looking at. It was Jessica. I relaxed, releasing her arm and slid the gun back into its makeshift holster.

"What the hell was that for?"

"Sorry, waking me is a bad idea under most circumstances."

"I'd say."

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here."

"I, I just wanted to see you and make sure you were okay."

"That's the doctor's job."

"Fine, then I just wanted to see you. You look so at ease when you sleep."

"Look, Jessica, I know you have feelings for me, and you need to clarify what those are, because I'm not sure even you understand."

"Yes, I do, and why does it matter?"

I let out a deep sigh. This was harder than I had planned "Because, we put our lives on the line every day. Every time we go on a mission, we're up against odds impossible for other units. When were in a life or death situation, I need to be able to trust that each one of you will perform their job, and follow orders without mistake or influence."

"Kirian, if you don't like me, you could just say so. You don't have to justify it."

"It's nothing like that. I love you Jessica. The same way I love Teague, and Trestan, and Tank. When I decided to take this assignment, I had no idea what I was getting into. Now that I'm here, I know my responsibilities, and I know that you know yours. I admire you greatly. You're an exceptional soldier, and an amazing individual. I don't know what the task force would do if we ever lost what you bring to the squad both in combat and out. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for having put you in that position. I understand."

I was about to say something when she bent down and kissed me on the lips. Rather than stopping her, I returned it. We stayed there for a moment before Jessica straightened herself. I saw a tear glistening in her eye.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Better than ever, thanks to you. You've always worried too much about the rest of us."

"I could never worry too much about any of you."

"Goodnight Harper."

She smiled and left the room. I watched her go, staring at the door for a while after she was gone. I put my ear piece in and keyed Teague.

"Kirian, what the hell, its 1:24?"

"I need to ask a favor of you. Can you keep an eye on Jess tomorrow? I'm sure she'll be fine, but just make sure."

"Did she get the speech?"

"Slightly different, but yes."

"Alright."

Yes, I told myself, everything would be just fine. Another successful mission, we'd be getting out of here, and the squad was on the verge of perfection. I grinned, remembering Jessica's kiss as I fell asleep.