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Unsung Heroes: Mission Two	By : RavenLadies Category: +G through L > G.I. Joe Views: 1326 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the cartoon(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
Chapter One

Shielding his eyes from the sun, Edwin Steen watched the chopper as it landed. Waiting until the blades died down a bit, Lifeline moved forward, the white lab coat he was wearing whipping in the wind. In deference to his visitor, the medic had decided to forgo his usual red and white uniform for a set of regular olive green fatigues. Reaching for the door of the helicopter, Edwin pulled it open and stepped back a bit.

After a few moments, the slight figure of a young woman appeared in the doorway. Pausing momentarily, she took a quick glance around before her green eyes fell on the man holding the door. Flashing the soldier a small smile, she took his offered hand as she lithely jumped down from the chopper.

Lifeline blinked as he looked at the woman, wondering if maybe he had met the wrong helicopter. The woman – no, girl, for that's what she looked like – had light brown hair that had been pulled back into a ponytail, strands of which were being pulled loose by the wind kicked up by the copter’s blades. She was rather petite, not much over five feet tall, with a slim figure that in more trendy circles might be called waifish. If Edwin had been called upon to guess, he would have put her age at seventeen or eighteen at the most.

“You must be Lifeline,” she said, her voice rising to be heard over the chopper.

The medic nodded, even more puzzled. “And you are...?” He asked, his voice also rising to be heard over the whirling blades.

“Rebecca Chambers,” came the reply, as the young woman offered Edwin a faint smile.

“Doctor Chambers?” Lifeline blinked again. “From the CDC?”

“Yes, that's right.” The young woman nodded. “I appreciate you arranging transportation for me so quickly.”

“No problem.” The medic replied as he started to move away from the chopper.

“If you don't mind too much, I'd like to take a look at that body you sent me the pictures of,” Rebecca said. “As soon as possible.”

“Body?” Edwin asked as he paused to open the door that led inside the main complex building.

The question seemed to catch Rebecca off-guard, and she regarded him a moment before speaking again. "Weren't the photos and that file you sent me from another corpse?”

“No,” Lifeline replied, a slight frown between his dark brows. “They’re from a patient.”

A frown touched Rebecca's features; clearly that wasn't the answer she'd been expecting. As they stepped into the building, she reflexively smoothed her hair out of her eyes, ignoring the few stubborn wisps that fell back into her face. Her expression was grave as she looked over at Edwin again. “Are those the only marks on the patient?”

Letting the door close behind them, Lifeline stepped inside after Rebecca. “He has the same marks on his back and also on the tops of his thighs, but so far that’s all.”

“How severe are they on his back?” she asked, an urgent tone in her voice.

Edwin thought for a moment. “Worse than those on his abdomen. That’s where they first appeared.”

“Shit.” The word slipped from Rebecca's lips before she could catch herself and she blushed a bit. “Er... sorry.”

The medic smiled a bit, the expression only momentary before it slipped away. “So what is it? From your reaction, I’m guessing you have some idea.”

“I have an idea, but I'd rather wait until I've checked the patient over myself before I say anything.”

“Of course,” Lifeline said, altogether not too happy by the response as he motioned towards the short flight of stairs that led down, indicating that Rebecca should precede him. Rebecca's expression became thoughtful as she descended, her hands sliding into the pockets of her own lab coat as she walked.

After reaching the bottom of the stairs, the pair quietly walked a short distance down the hallway to an elevator, the door sliding opening within a few moments of the medic pressing the call button.

"Is there anything else I should know about the patient? Anything that wasn't in your report?" Rebecca asked once they were inside the elevator car. "Anything that may have cropped up in the last few hours? Anything?"

Edwin pushed the button for the infirmary floor and shook his dark head. “Other than the extreme pain he’s in...” the medic said. “I gave him an epidural; it seems to have helped but...”

“But nothing you've tried is killing the pain, is it?”

Once again Lifeline shook his head. “The only thing I haven’t tried yet is morphine. I’d rather not have to do that, except as a last resort.”

"I'm inclined to agree," Rebecca said with a nod, and then sighed softly.

The pair fell into silence as the car continued its slow descent. They were only a couple of floors above their stop before Edwin spoke again. “It’s the T-Virus, isn’t it – or an off shoot of it?”

"Yes... and no."

Edwin closed his eyes, his hand unconsciously clenching into a fist. “God, you don’t know how much I wanted to hear you say I was wrong,” he said softly.

“You may be, and you may not be,” Rebecca said. “I won't know more until I've seen our patient.”

The elevator slowed and came to a stop, the door sliding open a few seconds later, Lifeline and Rebecca stepping out into another hallway. “The infirmary is this way,” the medic indicated before starting down the hallway. Rebecca's steps were all but silent in the corridor as she fell into step behind Lifeline, resisting the urge to pick up the pace.

The pair only had to walk a short distance before the hallway segued into the main reception area of the infirmary. Several of the nurses and orderlies currently on duty stopped to glance at Lifeline and his guest before returning nervously to their work. Since Billy Coen’s admittance, the chief field medic’s near legendary patience had eroded into to shadow of its former self, with Edwin occasionally snapping at the staff for various infractions that he would normally have let go before. It made for an atmosphere that was often very quiet and tense.

Leading Rebecca through the main area, they passed into another short hallway towards the critical care ward. Just outside the door however, Lifeline stopped and looked at the young woman. “Just to warn you... he doesn’t know.”

“You haven't told him yet?” Rebecca asked, an eyebrow raised curiously.

Edwin shook his head. “I thought it was better to wait until I could get a second opinion, in case by some miracle I was wrong.”

Rebecca nodded and gave Edwin a reassuring smile. “Of course. I'd rather get a good look before we say anything, just in case I've misinterpreted the information you sent me.” The medic nodded in agreement before opening the door for the young woman.

Rebecca stepped into the room, blinking at the lower light, nearly blinded after being out in the bright sunlight and under equally bright fluorescents. As her eyes adjusted, she caught sight of the figure, obviously male, lying on the bed. He was perfectly still, save the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, and an occasional twitch of pain.

Softly closing the door behind him, Edwin stepped in after Rebecca. Moving past the young woman, he went to the bed, his dark eyes flicking over it’s occupant before going to the monitor next to the bed which tracked the man’s vital signs. As Edwin halted in front of the monitor, the male in the bed shifted slightly, head turning to face the medic. Just as it did every other time that he came into the room and looked down at Billy Coen, Lifeline felt his heart clench. If it had not of been for Rebecca’s presence, the medic would have reached out and touched the Marine's sleeping face.

Rebecca followed Lifeline quietly and stopped beside the bed, gazing down at the figure. "Will it disturb him if we turn the light up just a bit?"

“It shouldn’t,” Edwin replied as he moved away back towards the door and turned up the dimmer switch, brightening the room a bit.

Rebecca blinked as the lights brightened, and she laid eyes on a man who'd been nothing more than "the corpse" or "the patient" up until that precise moment. A hand lifted to cover her mouth and she stared at Billy in disbelief. Watching the young woman’s reaction from across the room, Edwin felt a sense of dread and rushed forward. “What is it? What’s wrong?” The medic’s dark eyes immediately fell on the man in the bed, looking for whatever had caused Rebecca to react so.

"Billy," she whispered, letting her hand drop away from her mouth again. It hung limply at her side as the Marine stirred at the sound of his name. "Lieutenant Coen..."

Lifeline looked at Rebecca, an expression of puzzlement on his face. How...?

The words that floated up from the bed were so soft, they were almost inaudible, as heavily laced with pain as they were slurred from the painkillers. "... still... fantasizing about me... are you?"

Edwin’s puzzlement deepened even more, as he looked from Billy and then back to Rebecca as she moved closer to the bed, looking down at the Marine. She wore a fond smile on her face as she reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair from his face, shaking her head as the stubborn tendril fell forward again. "I should have known it was you..." she said softly.

"You know me... always getting by... by the skin of my teeth..."

“You two know each other?” Edwin asked, his dark eyes once again shifting from one to the other.

Rebecca nodded, and looked up at the medic. "Billy saved my life more times than I can count..."

"... and that was just in one night," Billy chimed in.

The medic’s eyes widened a bit as realization finally dawned on him. “Rebecca... you’re that Rebecca?”

The surprise on Edwin's face made Rebecca chuckle. "Rebecca Chambers, former Raccoon City P.D., S.T.A.R.S. unit, Bravo Team."

"What are you doing here, Becca?" Billy murmured.

"I work for the CDC now," she replied quietly. "They called me down here to check you out."

“Why?” Billy frowned. "What do they think I've got?"

"Honestly, we're not quite sure yet."

“Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out and have you back on your feet in no time,” Edwin said as he looked at the Marine, giving Billy a small smile that he really didn’t feel.

Rebecca nodded her agreement. “In the meantime, I need to give you a once over. That okay?”

Billy mustered a weak smile. “I guess I can give you permission to play doctor for awhile.”

In spite of the soft flush that lit Rebecca's cheeks, she managed to keep her tone even as she replied, “I actually am a doctor now, wise guy, so be nice.”

“I'm always nice.”

Lifeline watched the pair, listening to the playful banter between Billy and Rebecca. The medic had heard all about the young woman and how she and Billy had first met on the outskirts of Raccoon City when the Marine had been on his way to Regarthon military prison to face execution after being wrongly convicted of the murder of twenty-three people. From what Billy had told Edwin, he and Rebecca had spent a harrowing night trapped inside a hidden Umbrella facility fighting off flesh eating zombies, mutated baboons, leeches, and a Tyrant – the Marine’s first encounter with one of the nearly unstoppable psychopathic juggernauts. When the two of them had managed to break free and reach safety, Rebecca had chosen to let Billy go rather than apprehend him and turn him over to the authorities.

It had started as an unwilling alliance, but had quickly turned into a hard and fast friendship, and it was easy to see that in the way they spoke to one another. Billy clearly had a soft spot for the young woman, his gaze softening slightly when their eyes chanced to meet. Rebecca, for the most part, seemed almost embarrassed as she checked Billy over, fingers gliding lightly over the bruises striping the Marine's skin. Edwin was relatively quiet as he watched Rebecca, offering up his stethoscope or other instruments as needed; or answering questions when asked. Despite her youthful appearance, the green-eyed young woman seemed to know what she was doing, her exam brief yet thorough. By the time she was done, her expression was pensive, her hand resting on Billy's shoulder. The Marine was looking up at her, a frown on his face. It wasn't hard for him to read Rebecca's expressions, and Billy had learned all too quickly just what that look meant. "Clue me in?" he asked.

Rebecca shook her head. "Not yet," she replied, then smiled a bit. "I've still got some things I need to poke through."

"I think you've poked through everything there is to poke through without offending your delicate sensibilities."

"Billy, after spending a night with you dodging leeches, zombies and monsters, I have no sensibilities left, delicate or otherwise."

Lifeline couldn’t help smiling a bit at that, having had his “sensibilities” tried by the Marine over the past few months. The medic couldn’t help but feel that Billy got some kind of perverse entertainment out of pulling a blush from him.

Billy chuckled softly, then winced as another wave of pain went through him. Rebecca's expression sobered in response and she looked at Edwin. "I'd like to take a look at Billy's medical records, if it's not too much trouble."

“Of course,” the medic said with a slight nod of his head. “I’ll get them for you.” His eyes lingered on Billy for a moment before Edwin turned away from the bed and headed towards the door.

"I'll come with you. He should get some rest, anyway," Rebecca said, stepping quickly to join him.

Slightly surprised, Edwin nodded his head once again. Pulling the door open, he motioned for the young woman to go ahead of him. Rebecca was silent as they headed for Edwin's office, and didn't seem inclined to speak until they had arrived. As soon as they had entered, she indicated for Edwin to shut the door, and sank into a chair wearily. Lifeline looked at Rebecca, his expression grim. “It’s hopeless isn’t it?”

"I don't know about hopeless, but it's bad..."

Edwin squeezed his dark eyes shut for a moment before dropping into his desk chair. Rebecca was silent for a few moments, before sitting up a little straighter in her chair. "I'm sorry. I wish I could put it more delicately."

“It’s alright,” the medic said quietly. “I... I knew, I just... I just wanted so much to be wrong.”

"Well, it's not the T-Virus, like you were thinking," Rebecca offered after a brief hesitation. "This is something a little different."

Lifeline looked at the young woman. “But the blood samples... I know they weren’t an exact match, but...”

"They're similar, I know. They also match the make-up of another Umbrella bio-weapon, one that was nicknamed a Nemesis. But the Nemesis isn't a virus. It's a parasite."

A slight frown wrinkled Edwin’s forehead. “A parasite?”

Rebecca nodded. “Although I doubt this is a Nemesis parasite. Only about one in sixty million people are compatible with the it. As to what it actually is, I'm not sure yet. Possibly some kind of variation on the Nemesis, maybe something altogether new?”

“How do we find out?”

"Seeing his records will help... I'll also need to do another battery of tests, including a sample of his cerebro-spinal fluid. That'll tell me for sure if I'm right or not."

“A spinal tap?” the medic asked.

Rebecca nodded. Lifeline closed his dark eyes for a moment before opening them and reaching for a thick manila folder on his desk and offering it to Rebecca. “Billy’s file.”

Taking the file and laying it across her lap, Rebecca regarded the medic quietly for a few minutes. "You know there's no way you could have prevented this, right?"

“That still doesn’t make me feel any better.”

"I know..."

“Here I thought capturing those vials of the T-Virus along with that disc would put an end to all of it.” Edwin’s voice held a slightly bitter tone as he spoke.

"Unfortunately, Lifeline, the T-Virus was just one small part of Umbrella's research. It just happens to be the most versatile and deadly one of the lot. Coincidentally, it also seems to be the one Umbrella handles with the least care."

The medic felt bile rising in his throat and he took a deep breath. Before he had a chance to say anything further, there was a strong rap on the closed door. Lifeline’s dark brows quirked together as he rose from his seat and reached to open it. “Duke...” Pulling the door wider, Edwin stood to aside to allow the Joe’s big blonde commander to enter. As he stepped into the room, Duke’s icy blue gaze took in the small room before settling on the young woman seated next to Lifeline’s desk.

In spite of her fatigue, Rebecca stood. She was silent, waiting for the large blonde to address her before she said anything. It was Lifeline who spoke first however. “Duke, this is Doctor Rebecca Chambers from the CDC,” the dark-haired man said motioning to Rebecca. “Doctor Chambers, this is Duke, the Joes' field commander.”

Rebecca inclined her head slightly. "It's a pleasure."

“Doctor Chambers,” Duke said as he motioned for the young woman to resume her seat while Lifeline closed the door. “Let’s not beat around the bush, what have we got on our hands?”

"I haven't got anything concrete yet," Rebecca replied honestly. "But if you want a lot of theories, I can give you those."

“Is it related to this T-Virus that Cobra had?”

"Yes and no." One of Duke's golden blonde eyebrows rose slightly. Rebecca sighed. "Look, I need to do a few more tests on the patient before I can say for certain just what he's infected with. The test results I was sent suggest something T-Virus based, but there are enough differences to suggest it may be an off-shoot of the virus, or a variation on some kind of genetically-created parasites. I just don't have enough information yet to say anything for certain."

The young woman’s answer only slightly mollified Duke, “Fair enough.” The blonde’s blue eyes flicked over to Lifeline for a moment before turning back to Rebecca. “Is it contagious?”

Rebecca considered that for several moments before she shook her head. "I don't think so. The T-Virus is usually spread through blood or blood mixed in saliva. So unless the patient has a habit of gnawing on the orderlies, I don't think there's a risk of a full-blown outbreak. If there was a risk, it would have happened already."

Duke fell into silent thought for a few moments before turning his attention to Lifeline. “Just to be on the safe side, I want Devil Dog moved to one of the containment units until we know for sure just what we’re dealing with. No use taking any chances if we don’t have to.”

The medic nodded his head. “I’ll see to it today.”

“I want you to keep me informed every step of the way,” the big blonde ordered, his gaze swinging between Lifeline and Rebecca.

"Of course," Rebecca said with a nod.

Edwin nodded as well, “Yes, Sir.”

“Doctor Chambers,” Duke said with a slight nod of his head before turning to leave. Since he was the closest to the door, Edwin opened it for his commanding officer, his expression a bit grim as the big blonde passed through the frame. Sighing softly, the medic closed the door and turned back to Rebecca. She was frowning slightly, looking thoughtfully at the file in her hand.

“Did you want me to leave you alone while you look through that?” Edwin asked, indicating Billy’s medical record.

Nodding, the young woman sighed softly. "Do you mind if I stay in here?"

The medic shook his head. “No not at all. Take your time. If you need anything, just ask one of the nurses to page me.”

"Thank you."

“No problem,” Edwin said quietly, his dark eyes lingering on Rebecca for a moment before he reached for the door. “I guess I better go see about getting Devil Dog moved...”

Rebecca nodded, then reached down to open the file, slumping a little in her chair as she settled in for a long read.

# # #

After leaving Rebecca, Edwin stopped at the main desk to make arrangements to have one of the containment labs cleared out so that Billy could be moved into it per Duke’s orders. Before the medic could make it to the Marine’s room to oversee the transfer, he was called away to deal with a small emergency at the motor pool, leaving Billy’s transfer to Lieutenant Sorenson and a pair of orderlies.
After bandaging up the minor injuries, Edwin returned to the infirmary to find that Rebecca had been escorted to the guest quarters by Sorenson, taking Billy’s file with her. And before he could make his way down to see Devil Dog, he was once again called away on yet another emergency, this time in the mess hall. It was only several hours later after Billy had been moved down to the containment lab that Lifeline managed to make his way down there.

Entering the outer room, Edwin paused for a moment to look through the observation glass at his lover’s prone form. From what he could see, the Marine appeared to be sleeping again. Stepping towards the door that led into the inner chamber, Edwin pressed the electronic control that opened the door, the reinforced steel sliding opening moments later.

Billy woke at the soft hissing, turning blurry eyes toward the medic. The transfer into the other room hadn't been an easy one; the pain unceasing even in spite of the epidural. So he had been given a dose of pain medication by Lieutenant Sorenson, and left to rest. The pain had dulled to a low throb, but not quite enough to let him sleep.

Quietly, Edwin made his way over to the bed, not wanting to disturb Billy. As he looked down at the Marine, he was a bit surprised to find the other man awake. "... What's...going on?" Billy asked quietly. Lifeline tilted his head a bit as he looked at the Marine curiously, and Billy fought back a spike of irritation. "Why'd they move me?" He pressed.

“So you could rest better,” Edwin lied. “People wandering in and out of the infirmary at all hours...” As he spoke, the medic’s hands moved to settle on the safety railing which was still up on the side of Billy’s bed.

"... Can't sleep anyway..." One of Billy's shoulders pulled up into a shrug, a small spike of pain keeping him from calling Edwin on what he knew was a half-truth at best. Edwin was a lousy liar, but Billy simply didn't have the energy to fight him for the answers he wanted.

Lifeline’s gaze softened as he looked at the other brunette. “I wish there was something else I could give you.”

Billy shook his head. "Don't worry about it... I've survived worse." He offered his lover a weak smile.

The medic returned the smile with a small one of his own before reaching down to take Billy’s hand in his, the first skin on skin contact that he had made with the Marine since Billy had been brought into the infirmary after collapsing on the practice range.

Billy's hand squeezed Edwin's tightly for a fraction of a second, the grip almost desperate. Because of the threat of infection, everyone who handled him for any reason since his collapse had been wearing latex gloves. While he understood the precaution, Billy couldn't help but feel like this rare skin on skin contact was a kind of blessing. Lifeline felt something clench in his chest and he squeezed Billy’s hand in return as he struggled to keep the faint smile. “Hang in there for me,” the medic said softly.

"I'm trying..." Billy said, his tone also soft. "This has just been... a little creepy, y'know? People are treating me like I'm a fucking leper..."

"I know. It's not intentional." The medic said, his hand still gripping the Marine's. "But it should be okay now. Doctor Cham -- Rebecca doesn't believe that you're contagious."

"... Then just what exactly does Rebecca think I have?" The faintest of frowns creased Billy's forehead.

“She wants to run a few tests first before we start narrowing down the possibilities.” Edwin replied, hoping that it didn’t sound too evasive.

Billy's frown deepened at the reply, the Marine's hand beginning to tremble as another wave of pain washed over him, and in its aftermath, left an unsettling thought. “... T-Virus?” Good god, was this what every one of those people went through? But if it's the virus, shouldn't I already be showing other signs? Lifeline covered their joined hands with his other one, as the Marine involuntarily squeezed a bit harder as the spasm went through him. If he'd heard Billy's question, he didn't answer it.

Once the pain passed completely, and Billy remembered how to breathe, he repeated his question. "Isn't the T-Virus... is it?" He murmured softly, closing his eyes.

“She said no,” Edwin replied after a few beats, the words just barely above a whisper.

"Thank god..." Billy whispered, almost going limp with relief.

While he had managed not to lie in answering Billy’s question, still the medic couldn’t help but feel guilty for keeping the rest of Rebecca’s observations to himself. Edwin knew that the Marine deserved to know just what the woman suspected, but he just couldn’t bring himself to tell Billy. After all, how did you go about breaking the news to your lover that he might be carrying around a parasitic life-form?

Their hands still tightly clasped together, Edwin stood at Billy’s bedside silently, his eyes troubled as he looked at the dark-haired man, the Marine eventually drifting off into a light, restless and painkiller-fueled sleep.

# # #

Rebecca was pleased to see Billy was awake when she came into the room. Knowing he was in what had to be excruciating pain, she'd promised herself that if he was asleep, she wouldn't disturb him. Rest was most likely something that didn't come easily to him at that point, and Rebecca didn't want to be responsible for disrupting whatever rest he managed to find.

Luckily for her, that didn't seem to be a concern this time. Billy was not only awake, but alert, his eyes swinging over to Rebecca as she entered the containment lab. She summoned a smile that he returned warmly. “How are you feeling?” she asked, walking over to his bed and setting her testing supplies on the small tray nearby.

“Been worse,” Billy replied.

“Think you can roll over on your side for me?”

The Marine was still for several moments, considering that, before he finally nodded. “Yeah, I think so,” he said. “Gonna poke some holes of your own in me, then?”

“Only a few,” Rebecca promised, reaching out to help keep him balanced as the Marine rolled over onto his side, wincing in pain as he did. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Nothing but a twinge,” Billy promised.

“If you're sure.” Rebecca started setting out her supplies in a little more organized manner, labeling each of the vials she was going to be using and laying out both syringes and latex gloves. “So tell me,” she said, once she was ready, “how did you end up here of all places?”

“Would you believe it started when I almost got run over?”

At Rebecca's shocked and perplexed look, Billy chuckled softly and began to tell her about his first meeting with Edwin, which led into the story about his first adventure with Cobra. As he spoke, Rebecca listened attentively, circling around behind Billy and pulling on the latex gloves as she went. She untied the middle tie of his hospital gown, exposing the epidural. “Gimme just a little warning before you do that, huh?” Billy asked, jumping a little when his back was exposed.

“Sorry,” Rebecca said. “I'm just about ready to get started. But please, go on. They disguised themselves as MPs?”

Billy nodded, picking up the thread of his tale again. Rebecca gave him a few moments to relax into the tale before she took the spinal fluid sample she needed, as well as a few fresh blood samples amidst giving him a more thorough examination. When Billy's unease at what she was doing seemed to be too much, she would pause if she could, ask him a few questions to get him talking again, and wait for him to relax before resuming her work. By the time she was finished with the exam and the sample-taking, Billy had told her pretty much the whole story, only omitting the part about he and Edwin becoming a couple. It wasn't that he didn't trust Rebecca with the information, only that one never could be sure who else might be listening at any given time. When it came down to it, the Pit's rumor mill worked a little too quickly for Billy's taste, and he'd rather omit details than risk others getting wind of the real relationship between himself and the Joes' chief field medic.

“Well,” Rebecca said as she slipped the last vial into its carrying case and stripping off her gloves. “That's a hell of a story.”

“Believe me, Becca, I'd have a hard time believing it if I hadn't actually lived it.”

“I'm just glad you survived it,” she replied. “I was scared for you, after we got back in contact. I knew what kind of a risk it was...if we could find you, so could they, after all...”

Billy made a dismissive gesture as he got settled more comfortably into the bed again, gritting his teeth as a twinge of pain shot through him. “It's okay,” He said. “I have a couple new scars from it, but it all worked out.”

“That's true,” She conceded with a nod. “And...I'm glad you were finally able to clear your name, Billy.”

The Marine smiled. “Me, too. Thanks.”

Rebecca grinned back, and then looked more critically at Billy. “I've gotta get back to the lab,” she said. “Did you need anything before I go?”

“How bout a hug? I've missed you.”

Rebecca beamed at that, lowering the safety rail on the bed and leaning over to give Billy the requested hug. Their embrace was a long one, something both comforting and familiar, and it was only with reluctance that Rebecca pulled away again. She pressed a warm kiss to his cheek, smoothing down his sheet and putting the safety rail back up again. “We'll get you patched up in no time,” she promised.

Billy nodded. “I know you will.”

# # #

Edwin stood next to Rebecca, the woman’s green eyes on the MRI console in front of her as she double checked the settings. Meeting the medic in the infirmary just after breakfast, Rebecca had inquired about performing the scan and seemed a bit surprised to find that the Joes had an MRI on the premises. With just a few phone calls on his part, Lifeline had arranged to have Billy brought up to the MRI room where he and Rebecca then met the Marine and his escorts. It had been necessary to remove the epidural from Billy’s lower back, but not before the ill man had been given another heavy dose of painkillers in the hopes that it would make things easier while the scan was being performed.

Once the Marine had been loaded on the table, Lifeline had explained to him the necessity of remaining still while the machine was operating in order for them to get the best possible image of his torso. The medic had also warned Billy of the close quarters once he was inside and told him – more than once – to just try and relax as much as possible. Edwin had given his lover a small and hopefully encouraging smile as the Marine slid into the circular chamber.

At first, Billy seemed all right. However, the further into the machine he went, he couldn't quite seem to calm the tiny tremors that went through him. He closed his eyes, in an attempt to make the space more bearable, but it didn't help. He had been expecting close, but the machine felt more like some kind of futuristic coffin than anything, and it was hard to ignore that fact, and even harder to ignore the pangs of panic that brought a metallic taste to his mouth.

Reaching out to the console, Edwin bent down to speak into a microphone attached to it. “Just relax,” he intoned to the Marine through the small speaker inside the chamber before glancing at Rebecca to see if she was ready.

"I'm trying..."

Rebecca looked up and nodded. "The machine's ready to go. We just need to get the guest of honor calmed down."

Lifeline nodded, although he could feel for Billy, too, having been through an MRI before himself and not liking the experience all that much as he recalled. “Just take a couple good deep breaths, Devil Dog,” he offered up via the microphone once again.

In reply to the words, Billy took a slow, shuddering breath. He wanted a cigarette, he decided. Very, very badly. Next to Edwin, Rebecca frowned a little. "After that dose of medication, we can't really sedate him, can we?"

“It was one or the other,” the medic said as he looked at the woman. “He should be pretty doped up as it is. He’s got enough painkillers in him to put down a race horse.”

The woman's frown deepened. "Then technically, he shouldn't be able to shake like that at all..."

“Technically, he should be almost comatose.”

"Shit..."

During this conversation, Billy finally gave up his struggle, feeling panic starting to rise up in him like a live thing. Lifeline glanced at the monitor before he spoke into the microphone. “C’mon, Soldier boy, don’t lose it. Just a little bit longer and we can get this done and pull you out of there.”

"I'm... trying... not to..." Billy hissed. After several long moments, he seemed to calm down some, forcing himself to relax.

“You better get a move on before he freaks out,” the medic said as he looked at Rebecca.

Rebecca nodded wordlessly, starting the scan before letting her eyes drift back up to study the man within the machine. The sound of the MRI machine at work did nothing to calm the already agitated Marine, and although he had quit trembling somewhat, presumably from the medication, it was easy to see the sheen of sweat on his skin. "You really think he's gonna last out the thirty to forty-five minutes this is going to take?"

“Hopefully,” came the reply, Edwin’s eyes also on Billy’s prone form.

Five minutes passed into ten, ten into fifteen, and they'd managed to make it to almost a full twenty minutes before it became clear Billy was not going to be able to endure nearly an hour in the machine. Rebecca watched as long as she could in good conscience, before finally shutting down the scanner. "We're going to have to find another way of checking him out," she said firmly. "He's going half out of his mind in there."

Lifeline was out from behind the console before the words left Rebecca's lips, his long legs crossing the distance to the MRI in mere moments to remove the exam table from the scanning chamber.

Rebecca was right on his heels, reaching out to help steady the table as it slid out. Her green eyes took in Billy's too-pale skin, the sheen of sweat nearly dripping from his skin, and his sightless eyes. She swore; had they triggered something? She had seen him go into a state like this just once, back in the Umbrella training facility. She never had found out what caused it, or just where Billy went when his eyes glazed over. She had been afraid to ask then, and was no less uneasy now.

Edwin cursed under his breath as he looked at the Marine. Reaching over, he pressed his fingers to the side of Billy’s neck to check his pulse, which was racing. Sliding his hand away from the other man’s pale throat, the medic reached for his hand and laced their fingers together. “C’mon Billy, time to come back, its okay.” There was no reply for a few moments, until Billy's eyes widened in what could have been surprise or pain, and he opened his mouth to gasp in a breath as a shudder passed through him. Lifeline winced a bit as the spasm caused the Marine to involuntarily squeeze his hand in an iron-like grip. “It’s okay... we’re right here...”

As suddenly as he had tensed up, Billy relaxed abruptly, gasping rapidly for breath as he blinked, his eyes focusing slowly. Reaching over with is free hand, Edwin pressed his fingers to the side of the other man’s neck to check Billy’s pulse, finding that it was still racing. “Take some deep breaths,” he instructed as he looked down at the Marine. Billy's eyes locked with the medic's as he gasped in a few more breaths, each one a little longer than the one before, struggling to slow his breathing down to a level where he wouldn't hyperventilate. “That’s right,” Lifeline’s voice was encouraging as he nodded his head. “Slow and deep.”

It took several minutes before the Marine was calm enough to breathe normally, and he was able to loosen his death grip on Edwin's hand. As he did so, Rebecca stepped closer to Billy, reaching out and touching his arm gently. Billy jumped at the touch; up until she had brought attention to herself, the Marine had been unaware of her presence. You're slipping, Coen, he thought to himself as he turned his eyes from Rebecca and toward Edwin again.

The medic met Billy’s dark blue gaze, trying to muster up a faint smile for the other man as he did so. Billy forced a smile to his own lips, although the expression didn't touch his eyes. "We... should move him back to his room," Rebecca suggested softly to Edwin.

Lifeline pulled his eyes away from Billy’s with some effort at the sound of the young woman’s voice. “Uh, yes... let him get some rest...”

"Why don't you do that, while I see if we've got anything salvageable from the scan?"

Edwin nodded his dark head in agreement. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

With a nod of her own, Rebecca returned to the MRI console to look at what images had been captured by the machine before she had been forced to shut it down. With a bit of effort, Lifeline got Billy transferred to a waiting gurney, making sure that the Marine was settled and secured before turning to look in Rebecca’s direction, the young woman’s attention focused on the MRI monitor screen. From his vantage point, it was impossible for the medic to see anything and he could only hope that the machine had been able to pick up something in the short time that Billy had been inside of it. Turning his dark gaze away, he glanced down at Billy for a moment before pushing the gurney towards the door.

Billy was very quiet during their trip, closing his eyes. "... Sorry if I scared you," he finally said softly.

Edwin pushed the button to open the automatic outer door before wheeling the gurney into the makeshift room in the containment lab. “It’s okay,” he said as he looked down at Billy. “You only took about five years off my life. Any more than that and I might really be pissed, though.”

That drew a weak chuckle from the Marine, before his expression sobered. "Guess I should've warned you I was claustrophobic..."

Lifeline stopped the gurney next to Billy’s bed. “Yeah, that might have been a good idea.”

"Usually isn't that bad..." Billy said quietly, as the gurney came to a stop.

“MRIs can make people who aren’t claustrophobic freak out.” Edwin undid the straps that were crossed over the Marine to hold him securely before reaching to maneuver the ill man back into his hospital bed. “Although if we had known up front we could’ve tried something else, a CAT scan maybe.”

Once Billy was settled, he nodded and sighed softly, settling back. The medic pushed the gurney off to the side next to the wall and returned to Billy’s bedside, pulling the covers up over the prone man before perching on the side of the bed, having left the safety rail down. “What happened in there?”

"What do you mean?"

“It was more than just getting hit with claustrophobia.” Edwin said gently.

Billy nodded. “Like I said, it usually isn't that bad. I'm used to getting uncomfortable, but I don't know where that panic attack came from. I just felt like I was stuck in a coffin or something and I had to get out.”

Since they were alone at the moment, the medic reached down and covered the Marine’s hand with his. “I know what you mean. I had the same kind of feeling when I was inside one.” Lifeline’s eyes were gentle as they looked Billy. “You’re as white as a sheet.”

"Guess I freaked out worse than I thought," Billy replied quietly, smiling as Edwin's hand settled on his. "I'll be okay."

Lifeline fell silent for a few moments, his dark eyes dropping to their hands. “I won’t give up,” he said quietly, raising his gaze. “Whatever this is, I’ll fight it every inch of the way. I won’t give you up to it Billy. Not without a fight.”

Billy nodded at that, reaching over with his free hand to lay it on Edwin's. "You'll figure it all out, I know you will."
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Unsung Heroes: Mission Two