Page 54 of Jack

The paramedic nodded. “But only two and you need to move.”

As they rushed to the chopper, Jack gave Zack and his team orders on what he needed from them and issued a request they inform Fitz what had happened.

Astrid climbed in beside her sister, who was pale with her oxygen saturations dropping. The aircraft lifted off, and she held tight as a headset was placed on her head by Jack, who was still bolstering her, his arm around her as she watched, helpless to help.

They were nearly at the hospital when her sister coded.

“She’s hypoxic, and her blood pressure is dropping. We’re losing her.”

The paramedic placed paddles on Adeline’s chest, and Astrid began to cry, the thought of her sister dying more than she could bear. “Don’t die, Addie. I need you.”

Jack held her tighter, and she let him take the weight of her pain, knowing he could take it.

Hoursafter her sister had been rushed through to surgery, Astrid was still waiting for the doctor to come and find her. The waiting room was full of people who cared about her. Bebe had shown up the second she’d heard, her arms going around her friend and holding tight, along with all the available men from Eidolon and Fortis.

“She’ll be okay, Astrid. I know it.”

Bebe hadn’t left her side except to get coffee for them all. Jack had been a constant presence, not leaving her alone for a moment. Waggs had shown up with Lopez, who’d immediately sat down, taken out his laptop, and got to work.

Kanan had come too, and she knew it was because of Roz. His big arms wrapped around her as he kissed her head. “Whatever happens, Astrid, we’ve got you, okay? You’re family, and we’re here for you.”

“Thanks, K.”

She curled back up next to Jack, her head on his chest, not sleeping, just waiting and remembering all the things she could about Adeline. The way Addie hated having her hair cut, the fact she’d spend hours reading when Astrid wanted to play outside. She’d missed her so much, but in the middle of all her anguish, she found solace in the fact that she had people around her who would hold her up when she was down and a man who would catch her when she fell.

She lifted her head to look at him handsome in full tactical gear, with scruff on his strong jawline but softness in his eyes which held hers. “Thank you, Jack.”

“You don’t have to ever thank me for being here for you, firefly. There’s nowhere else I would be.”

“I love you, Jack.”

A small grin tipped his lips. “I know you do, and I love you too.”

A commotion had her turning as a doctor in scrubs came towards her. “Are you the family of Victoria George?”

Astrid hadn’t given Adeline’s name and instead used the fake ID the paramedics had found in her pocket, and Astrid prayed it held up. The last thing she wanted was for whoever Adeline was hiding from to find her. “Yes. I’m her sister.”

The doctor looked her up and down and then must have decided to believe her because he sat down beside her. “Your sister has suffered some very grave injuries indeed. We have repaired the bullet wound but it damaged her spleen, so we removed that. She has a broken jaw, three broken ribs, a fractured femur, and a dislocated shoulder. She’ll require further surgeries, but the biggest worry is the bleed on her brain. We think a blunt instrument caused it and we’ve placed her in an induced coma to allow her time to heal.”

Astrid pulled her lip between her teeth to try and control the sob forming and gripped Jack tighter. “Will she be okay?”

The doctor patted her shoulder gently. “We’ll do our very best. We have a neurosurgeon on route who is the best in the world. Right now she’s stable, and that’s the best we can hope for.”

Astrid heard every word he didn’t say, and that was that Adeline probably wouldn’t survive, but she was alive for now, and Astrid had to have hope. “Can I see her?”

“In a little while. The nurses need to get her settled in the ICU and then you can but only two at a time. She needs rest.”

“Thank you.” Taking a deep breath, she slowly blew it out, trying to hold on to her composure for a minute longer. “I need some air.”

Jack nodded and steered her towards the doors that led out to the cool early afternoon air of Montreal in October. The sun shone brightly despite the cold and Astrid tipped her face to it, trying to absorb it and the hope it represented to her. Adeline had a battle on her hands, but she was a fighter, and so was Astrid. They’d get through this together.