Ministrations

Bekkah woke in Thunderbird 2's sick bay. A new experience, she thought hard to discern what brought her there. Then she remembered the slide, the dust, the dark, and the bad air. She also had a fleeting memory of Gordon telling her that John was breathing and his foot was badly broken. She looked at her arms, still covered in cement dust. The ache in her head now clamored for attention and she put her hand up to feel a bandage on her forehead. Concussion, Gordon had said. She hoped they hadn't closed the wound with staples. She closed her eyes again. A memory surfaced.

She was dreaming about being in her old house with her late husband. He was about to leave her again, so she could go back to the real world. Terrence held her close. "You have two young men there who care about you deeply. Let them help you conquer your fear. You have helped one already, and soon he will need your help again. A time will come when the other will also need your help. You must be there for them."

This was the time, she thought. When John needed my help. She fell back to sleep, satisfied.

Alan and Scott both had wanted to stay at the hospital with their brother, while Gordon was torn between going with John and staying with Bekkah. But they knew that there still were lives back at the garage counting on them. So Gordon went in the ambulance with John, while Scott and Alan got back to work. Their father was sending Tin-Tin out with Brains to help them. Tin-Tin would go on to the hospital and send Gordon back to the Danger Zone, while Brains helped out in Bekkah's stead. Bekkah would be all right where she was; they were constantly monitoring her both through her watch, which was patched through to Alan's telecomm, and through John's, which was still in contact with Jeff at base and also sat on her wrist. If there was a turn for the worse, they would know.

John woke, disoriented, in a recovery room. His uniform had been taken away and he was dressed in a standard issue hospital gown. His right foot was covered in bandages and was in traction. He looked around. Tin-Tin sat by the bed, in her work coverall, looking at a fashion magazine.

"Tin-Tin?" he whispered.

She looked up.

"Oh, John. We're so glad that you're going to be okay. The doctors have performed surgery on your foot to correct the broken bones. When the swelling goes down, they will set it. You'll be moved to a regular room for a few days, then you can come home.

"Where's Bekkah? And the guys?"

"Bekkah is in Thunderbird 2's sickbay. She is recovering from a mild concussion. The others are back at the garage. Brains is helping them."

He reached up to his cheek and found a bandage there. Tin-Tin, watching him, spoke up.

"They had a plastic surgeon in to fix that gash. You'll still be your handsome self."

John put his head back and closed his eyes again. It felt good to just breathe.