266Hey, everyone!
I wish I could give you a really great reason for the EXTREME lateness of this update, like a four-month-long tour of Europe or alien abduction, but honestly I've just been very, very busy. I want to thank each and every person who has read this story, and a very special thank you to those who reviewed. You are all beyond amazing. I hope this chapter does not disappoint.
That being said,
1) I do NOT own National Treasure. I'd never make the release date.
2) Only one more chapter to go after this one!
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ben
"I hate to tell you this, Mr. Gates, but visiting hours are over, and—"
"No."
The nurse, in her tidy purple scrubs, looked torn. "I wish I could let you and your wife in, but it's against hospital policy. I'm really sorry."
I could tell she truly meant it, but there was no way that something as inconsequential as hospital policy was going to keep me from being there if Riley woke up. When, I told myself fiercely. WHEN. "You don't understand . . ." I said, nearly choking on the words.
Abigail put a comforting hand on my shoulder, but she looked upset, too. Angry, actually. I was surprised at how calm her voice sounded when she spoke. "There's got to be some sort of exception. Ben was just discharged a half hour ago. He hasn't seen Riley at all."
The nurse shook her head helplessly, her reddish curls bouncing. "I'm sorry. I'm not suppos—"
"What's going on here?" a booming voice interrupted, and Abigail visibly relaxed as a white-haired police officer came to stand with us in the hallway.
"Cliff!" she said, sounding relieved. "My husband and I were trying to check up on Riley, but . . ." She gestured at the nurse.
"It's against policy!" the nurse said, sounding terribly upset. "Nurse Geils will have my head."
"Can't you give 'em just a moment, Kelly?" Cliff asked, giving her a kind smile.
"I really wish I could," Kelly began, "but—"
Cliff interrupted her with a wink. "I'll tell Ruth that it was my idea."
The nurse's anxious expression relaxed a little, but she was still twisting her hands. "I . . ."
"You know Ruthie and I go way back. It'll be fine, Kel."
Kelly finally relented. "Oh, all right. But just for a few minutes. Come with me, Mr. and Mrs. Gates."
Feeling incredibly relieved, I got up gingerly from the waiting room chair, trying not to put too much weight on my bad leg. Abigail watched me from the corner of her eye while she thanked Cliff.
Nurse Kelly gave us a moment, and then said, "This way." She turned and started down the hall, walking very slowly to accommodate me and my bulky cast. Abigail placed a hand on the small of my back, unobtrusively steadying me.
It seemed like a very long walk down the hall, both because my leg was throbbing and because I was dreading seeing Riley's injuries. The doctor had informed us of his condition, of course, but it had just been meaningless words: grade three concussion, increased intracranial pressure, coma.
I needed to see him.
Abigail must have seen my face, because she reached down to take my hand as Kelly opened the door to Riley's room. "They said he's going to be okay, Ben."
"How do you know?" I said, a little more sharply than I intended.
"Because he's Riley. He'll wake up soon, just so he can complain to you about ruining his . . . h-his Converse."
I stopped, hearing the tremor in her voice. It only just then struck me that she had been the calm one throughout this entire ordeal, comforting me and keeping me informed of Riley's condition, running back and forth between the two of us to make sure we were both all right. She had to have been exhausted and worried, and yet this was the first time she was showing any sign of the strain.
It had to have been so much worse for her when the cave collapsed, not knowing if we were even alive.
Without explanation, I pulled her into my arms, and she buried her face in my neck. I could feel wetness trickling onto the collar of my shirt, and held her tighter, whispering the only words of comfort I knew. "Abigail . . . I love you." I stroked her hair softly.
She pulled back a moment later, wiping at her eyes. "I'm just so glad you're okay," she said hoarsely. "We'll get through this, Ben. We always do."
I wanted to believe her, but I still hesitated at the threshold of Riley's room.
Abigail gave me a wan smile. "Go ahead, Ben. I'll be right here, if you need me."
Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the room.
"Ten minutes," Nurse Kelly warned, shutting the door behind me. I barely heard her, all of my attention focused on the person in the bed.
Riley was lying perfectly still, which was frightening in itself. His face was bruised on the left side, and white bandages wound around his head. Hooked up to a worrisome number of monitors and machines, he looked even younger than he actually was.
The entire situation was surreal.
I hobbled over to a chair beside his bed and collapsed into it, only belatedly realizing that I was shaking.
Wanting to touch him, to confirm that it was really Riley lying there, that it wasn't all just a terrible nightmare, I reached for him. His hands were heavily bandaged, so I settled for resting my hand on his shoulder instead. "Riley?" I whispered.
There was no answer, just the steady beeping of the heart monitor, and I lowered my head, fighting back the urge to either hit something or tear up. Things were out of my control now, which I had never been good at dealing with.
"Please be okay, kid."
I sat for the next few minutes in silence, my head bowed, my hand on Riley's shoulder, until there was suddenly a soft sound.
"Riley?" I asked, surprised. I raised my eyes.
He made another indiscriminate noise, and moved his head a little. Then I saw the pain enter his face, and realized he was waking up. "Come on, kid. Open your eyes," I said, trying to make my voice both calm and compelling.
Finally, I saw a glint of blue between his eyelids, and one of his hands moved up to his face. I gently grabbed his wrist, pulling it back down to the bed. "Hey, can you hear me, Riley?"
"Ben?" His voice was confused, slurred.
"Yeah," I said.
"Where . . .?" he whispered, closing his eyes.
This was the moment I'd been dreading. "The hospital."
He didn't react at all like I expected: there was no sudden tension in his features or panicky waver to his voice. "Oh."
Thinking that the pain might be overwhelming him, I said, "Do you want me to get the doctor?"
Riley opened his eyes. "Ben?" he asked again, sounding dazed. "Where are . . . we?"
Fear coiled in my stomach. "We're at the hospital in Ajo. Do you remember what happened?"
"Cave. Dark . . . Cibola . . ." he whispered.
I swallowed. Though I could understand how the two events had gotten confused in his mind, it was still frightening to think that he might have memory loss. "That was months ago, Ri," I said quietly.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
I rubbed his shoulder. "Don't be sorry. It's okay. I'm going to go get the doctor, all right? I'll be right back."
For the first time, Riley looked upset. "No. Your leg . . ."
I nearly smiled, realizing that he was piecing events together. "I'm okay. It was just a fracture and a pinched nerve."
"Don't go," he whispered, clearly fighting sleep.
"Okay. I'll be right here," I promised, pushing the call button instead. "Just stay awake for a few more minutes."
"Feel like you're always saying that . . ." he murmured.
I finally smiled. "That's because I am. It would be nice if you could just stay out of trouble for once."
"Impossible, when your best friend's . . . Ben Gates," he said tiredly.
I sobered immediately at his words. "Listen, Riley, I just . . . I mean, I wanted . . . I'm so sorr—"
He interrupted me. "Didn't say it wasn't worth it."
"Riley . . ."
"Ben?"
"Thank you."
"For . . . what?" Riley's eyes closed again as Nurse Kelly and an older woman in yellow scrubs opened the door.
"For sticking with me."
Riley smiled tightly.
"Always," he said.
A/N: I hope this installment was worth the wait! Please let me know what you thought! Only one more chapter to go.