Chapter Five

Civilization

The Major found himself amazed at the goings on around him every time he opened his eyes. After falling asleep beside the Earl, he had awaked to a bright day and the sensation of floating, the world moving beneath him. He heard water and what sounded like someone sloshing through it. He scarcely had time to register the fact that he was lying in the raft before the world changed in the matter of a blink. He opened his eyes to find someone fixing a strap over his chest. He could hear the rotor blades of a helicopter, the Earl talking loudly to someone over the noise.  The person standing over him was telling him he was in good hands and not to worry. Odd.  Was he worried?

A blink later and the Major found himself indoors, in a room full of people, a bright light overhead.  The part of his brain still able to process logically told him he was in a hospital. Someone was speaking to him, but he could not quite make out what they were saying. Not even what language they were speaking. He felt like he was lying at the bottom of a deep well, looking up at the activity on the surface. He wondered abstractly why he wasn't in pain any longer, and decided it must be because he was dead. As before, Klaus found this thought strangely comforting. He closed his eyes, blissfully sinking back into unconsciousness for the next several hours.

Eventually, the Major learned that  he was not dead. Nor was the pain miraculously gone, although he soon learned of the miracle of pain killers. He also learned the full extent of his injuries, which included a broken left forearm, four broken and three cracked ribs, a severe concussion, a very deep laceration in his left thigh, and innumerable cuts and bruises. His left leg had not been broken in the fall, but the doctors suspected that he had done some damage to one or both of his legs. His one ankle was very certainly sprained, having been badly discolored and swollen by the time medical assistance arrived. The rest of the assessment would have to wait until the officer was strong enough to get back on his feet.

Eroica had been placed in the same room with him, which made sense since they were found together. Once in the city, the Earl had been able to used the Major's cell phone to contact his men, but they had yet to arrive. Because of this, Eroica said that he had continued to use their cover story, seeing as he had no idea if they were "safe." He also said that he had retained possession of the backpack containing the vital information from the mission. He had gone so far as to play the part of traumatized hiker in order to keep the staff from taking it away from him.

Klaus found himself very impressed as Eroica explained everything calmly, concisely, and without excessive embellishment. Normally, he was the one to lead in a mission, everyone else following his orders. Now it was Eroica taking the lead. And effortlessly, too. Then again, once he thought about it, it made perfect sense. Eroica led his own gang, his own operations, his own leadership role. He would have to be used to making snap decisions.

The Major was further impressed when he learned what Eroica had done to get them out of the middle of nowhere. The Earl hen forgone rowing, choosing instead to bodily pull the raft upstream. He had any idea how far he walked before stumbling upon a group of sightseers. One thing was for certain, though, Eroica had used every bit of his super strength--and stamina--to get the Major the medical help that he desperately needed. Eroica had not just been checked in to the hospital with the Major for observation, he had completely exhausted himself.

Days later, the Major in the hospital safely back in Germany. His men had arrived within a day of the Earl making contact. Klaus had not seen nor heard from the Earl after his release from the hospital. He learned from his men that Eroica had delivered the pack that containing the spoils of the mission to NATO headquarters, making it mission accomplished. After that, no one knew where he was and suspected that he had simply flown back to England.

Flown back.

On his own.

Under his own power.

He really had superpowers after all.

* * *

There were days when the Major could not turn his mind off, and this was one of them. He shifted in bed, trying and failing to find a comfortable position. It was no use. He could not stop thinking. Well, he hurt too much to sleep anyway, even with the pain killers that, as one nurse put it, made him "loopy," whatever the hell that was supposed to mean.

There was a dim light on near the bed and he looked at it, wondering if he should try turning it off. He drew a deep breath and winced, a hand going to his side with the broken ribs. I'll leave it on, he thought, going on to wonder, When the hell are they gonna let me go home? He tried adjusting the head of the bed, raising himself up more, which did not help at all. Finally, he closed his eyes and settled back on his pillows. Perhaps if he just lay still for a while...

Only a minute after Klaus closed his eyes, the door to his room opened and closed. The Major did not even have to look to know the identity of his visitor as the thief stole over to his bedside. He continued in his pretense of sleep and waited. A moment later, a hand gently moved the hair from his face. He opened his eyes in time to see Eroica standing over him, his eyes closed and on the verge of planting a kiss on his...cheek?

"Eroica," Klaus said quietly, his tone sounding as if he were just saying hello rather than having caught the man in the act of stealing a kiss.

Dorian's eyes sprang open and he found himself staring into two very intense green eyes. "Major!" he gasped, jerking his head back. "I...um, hello." He suddenly realized he still had a hand in the Major's hair and quickly pulled it away, putting it behind his back as if to hide it. "I came to see you," he stammered, taking a step away from the bed at the same time. "Well, obviously I came to see you. I mean, I've wanted to see you." He waved a hand toward the door. "I don't mean, well, yes, I do mean... Your men wouldn't let me visit you... During the day, that is..."

The Major did not reply, his face an emotionless mask. He watched as the Earl nervously paced back and forth and continued to babble.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing and...and..." Dorian's voice trailed off as he suddenly realized the Major had yet to utter a word. He stopped his pacing and gave him a questioning look. "And why aren't you screaming your head off at me?"

"It's much more interesting listening to you trying to justify sneaking into my room in the middle of the night," Klaus replied calmly.

"I am not trying to justify..."

The Major folded his arms as best he could with broken ribs and a cast on one arm, a challenging look on his face. "Try again."

The look caused the Earl to accept defeat and he sighed heavily. "Okay, I did want to see you, Major," he admitted quietly. "And I didn't think you'd let me after..." He waved a hand in the air, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Klaus's eyes narrowed. "After...what? You saved my life?"

"I've done that before," Dorian countered. "It never changed anything. Why would I think it would now?"

This was indeed true now that the Major thought about it.

"I was hoping that...that...you'd remembered...something."

"I see."

"Obviously you haven't, so I'll just...go now." Dorian said dejectedly, turning toward the door.

"You're very keen on my getting my memory back," Klaus said, causing the Earl to stop and turn back to look at him. "Why?"

"Why?  You actually have to ask why?"

"You didn't tell me about what happened to the other M.E.'s when you told me that...story."

"No. I..."

"Considering what I did to you," Klaus went on startlingly. "I should think my not remembering would be an easy way of...ending it."

Dorian stood with his mouth hanging open, not quite able to take it in. "My God, you remember," he said at last.

Klaus shook his head. "Not everything. Not the mission. Just before--" The Earl started towards him, and he held out his good hand. "I don't have any roses!"

"I don't care!"

"I do! I have enough broken bones!"

Dorian stopped short when the Major's hand made contact with his chest. Was that fear in the man's eyes? Christ, does he think I'm gonna hurt him?

Dorian carefully moved the hand from his chest, took Klaus's face in his hands, and kissed him very gently on the mouth. To his elation, the kiss was returned. He wanted to hug the man for all he was worth, but knew if he did, he would indeed break some bones. He leaned back to look Klaus in the eyes. The fear had been replaced with a searching look. "I'm still angry with you, you know, Major!" he said, although his words held no malice.

Klaus nodded and struggled to come up with an appropriate reply. To put all of the conflicting emotions into words that the Earl would understand. After several attempts, he said simply, "I'm sorry."

This time Dorian did hug him. "God, Klaus, I thought I was gonna lose you!"

"And now you're gonna crush me!"

Dorian jumped and immediately released his grip. "Did I hurt you?"

"Not permanently," Klaus replied, wincing as he shifted in bed. Dorian started to pull away and he put a hand on his arm to stop him. "And you?"

"What?"

"You're still hurt. Is it permanent?"

Dorian put a hand to his head. "Klaus..."

"I was a damned fool not telling you up front."

This admission actually caused Dorian to laugh. "You're actually sounding reasonable. You still must be concussed."

"Yeah, maybe," Klaus said evasively. Or maybe I'm just loopy from all the pain meds they've got me on. He leaned back on his pillows and closed his eyes, suddenly feeling very tired. Dammit, now I get sleepy!

"I should go," Dorian said mildly.

Klaus opened his eyes. "Will you be back?"

Dorian shook his head and was surprised to see disappointment move like a dark cloud over the Major's face. "I'm only in town to collect my payment from NATO."

"That's the only reason?"

Amusement briefly flashed across the Earl's face. "Well, one of the reasons. You don't think I'd drop everything just to visit a hospital in the middle of the night, do you?"

Klaus closed his eyes again. Obviously it had been too much to hope that the Earl would forgive him just because he had almost died. He felt a soft kiss on his lips and opened his eyes to see two bright blue eyes sparkling back at him.

"I'll come back once you're out of this dreary place," Dorian said quietly. "When you're stronger."

Klaus was surprised when his heart jumped upon hearing this. He had never felt this way about a meeting with the Earl. Not even after--

Before he could complete the thought, Dorian was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts and several very confused emotions.

* * *