Jaxx never
made it to Germany. The Commander called and notified him that Javier
would be transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
as soon as he was stable enough. He'd had to undergo surgery to
remove as much of the shrapnel in his torso as possible. Jaxx tried
to tune out all the medical knowledge he'd gained over the years. He
wasn't a nurse here. He was a loved one waiting for news, just like
everyone else. It made it worse to know the medical implications of
everything. The flare of hope was dimmed by the suffocation of
reality.
For days, he had plenty of time to
think while waiting in the room at the Naval Lodge for Javier to
arrive from Germany. He thought of all the things unsaid between him
and Javier. All the covert looks, and the steamy emails they sent to
each other.Not to mention the “old friend” staying over visits.
Over the last 4 years, since he'd left the military, they'd become
close. Jaxx knew Javier was IT for him. He was the ONE. Javier wasn't
there yet, and with the military being the way that it was, he wasn't
sure that Javier would ever be in the same head space. It seemed
pretty shitty that he'd have to wait another six years to really be
with the man he loved. The man, if he was honest with himself, that
he'd been in love with for the last 14 years.He just wanted to see
him. He just wanted to tell him how much he meant. He couldn't lose
him, not now.
No amount of preparation could have
truly prepared him for what met him at the hospital. He barely
recognized his friend. Under layers of bandages, Javier's pain glazed
eyes blinked up at him. Javier's mouth pulled into a semblance of a
smile, despite his obvious discomfort.
“So Jesus, I have to get blown up,
for you to visit?”
Jaxx frowned, “Jesus?”
Javier let out a coughing laugh,
followed by a groan, “the hair. You look like Jesus. Good thing I'm
not closer to dead, that might be enough to send me over.” The
talking caused Javier to start coughing again, bringing Jaxx to his
side to clasp an undamaged hand. Carefully Jaxx brushed the tears off
of Javier's face. “If you wanted to see me, you just had to say so.
You didn't have to go to so much trouble to get me here.”
By this time, Jaxx could feel his own
tears leaking down his face. He wanted to bury his head in Javier's
neck and hold him close, but he couldn't. He feared hurting him.
Javier's hand tightened around his. “Shhh. I'm lucky. It will be
okay, querido.”
At that moment a nurse came in and
pursed her lips at the men. “I'm sorry, sir, but we need to run
some tests, so you'll have to leave. May I ask what your relationship
to Sgt First Class, Jimenez is?”
Jaxx's back stiffened and he was about
to snarl at the nurse when Javier squeezed his hand harder, and said,
to both Jaxx and the nurses surprise, “He's my partner. He has my
medical power of attorney.” Jaxx lifted an eyebrow at Javier, that
indicated they'd be discussing this later. Then he leaned forward and
brushed a soft kiss over Javier's battered face, before letting
Javier's hand go, and stepping outside the room.
