Shadow Men – 60 – Anders and Grant

Grant woke up feeling confused and dopey. Confused that there was sunlight streaming through the window in a room he knew he'd never seen before. Dopey because, well, he wasn't sure why, at least until he realized he couldn't bend his wrist since there was a cast on it that went from his elbow to the base of his fingers. "Holy shit," he muttered.

"Damn, we're rubbing off on you," came laughing words from beside the bed.

Grant turned his head to see Anders standing there. "Where are we, and how doped up am I?"

"Some place safe, and very." Anders pulled a chair over, spun it around and sat, his arms resting on the back.

"That tells me a lot. Are we at least still in the city? I mean, I hope I wasn't out for so long that we've moved on." Grant frowned. "How long have I been out?"

"A day and a half. We lost you, well, not literally, as we were leaving the park. And yeah, we're still in the city, though we're leaving now that you're awake."

"For where?" Grant closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again things that had gone blurry for a second came back into focus again. So did his thoughts. "Can I call Nicky? Let him know I'm all right."

"He knows, though Steele said he was unhappy because it wasn't you calling."

"Damn it."

Anders cocked an eyebrow. "Now what?"

"He didn't tell him what happened, I hope."

"No. Just said you and I were off doing things and he'd called to find out how Rafe was doing." Anders chuckled then sobered, causing Grant to look curiously at him. "Just…your kid's something else. Steele said when he told him we were off doing something Nicky wanted to know if I was going to be his 'new papa'."

Grant winced. "Oh God, sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about. To him, it was a legit question."

"He misses Martin. I do too, but…"

"Time to move on now?"

Grant nodded. "I figured that out while I was waiting for us to all get dead. I'm just not sure… Well, yeah, I am. I can't keep living in the 'what if', if that makes sense."

"Yeah, it does. Sometimes being close to death makes you realize what's important in life."

"How often...?"

"Think you can finish a question, not make me guess what you're trying to ask?" Anders said with a chuckle. "It's happened a couple of times to me. Not as many times as I've been in a position to die, that happens a lot to some degree or another, but I've had my epiphanies a time or two."

"How do you stand living on the edge the way you do?"

Anders shrugged. "It's a rush, gives me something to keep me busy, makes me feel like I'm of some use in the world."

Grant nodded slowly. "More than I am by a lot."

"Don't put yourself down, even a…hell, what is it you do anyway?"

"I'm a claims adjuster," Grant told him with a snort.

"Could be worse, you could be a burger-flipper."

Grant laughed. "So I'm one step above that, huh?"

Anders grinned. "Eh, maybe three."

"'Bout time you woke up," Steele said, leaning against the edge of the doorframe as he looked at Grant. His eyes flicked to Anders then back to Grant again. "Sounded like a party in here when I came in."

"It's nice to be able to laugh for a bit," Grant replied defensively.

"That wasn't a put-down, just a comment." Now Steele turned his full attention to Anders. "Got a vehicle."

"Good. As soon as Grant's up and dressed we can leave."

"Where to?" Grant asked, wondering if he'd get an answer this time.

"Chicago," Anders told him.

Grant sighed. "With a side trip to drop me and Nicky off home, I'd be willing to bet."

Anders looked at Steele then they both shook their heads. "First off, until we get that information into the right hands you're still not safe. The Senator's got to be one pissed off bastard right now. All his work just went down the tubes if he can't find a replacement for the Colonel."

"Understood. I don't suppose we can…" He looked hopefully at Anders.

"You're doing it again, Grant." Anders sounded amused. "Yes, we're going to stop by the house. Steele would kill me if we didn't."