Chapter 10

14:45 Tuesday, June 25th, 1991
University of Arizona Medical Center
1501 N Campbell Ave Tucson, AZ

"Sandy?"

She woke up from a confused dream. Faceless people taunted her while chasing her through city streets, to a courthouse, where she was expected, and she was late. Feeling disoriented and flushed, sweaty, Sandy woke generally out of sorts.

"Sandy?" Ben repeated.

She stared at him for a moment while recent events snapped into place.

All the fear and doubt she'd been holding in came out in a rush. "Oh, Ben. I couldn't shoot fast enough. God, it's all my fault." She stood from the chair she slept in, and paused beside his bed, uncertainly. She wanted to hug him, but was afraid – to hurt him or be rejected, she wasn't sure.

But his warm, tired smile gave her hope, even if his voice was weak. "S'ok, babe. Was my fault, I couldn't get down fast enough. Stupid leg. You got him, though, right?" Sandy nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

A moment later, she threw herself at his head, showering his face with tiny kisses, holding the sides of his head with her hands, crying her relief and frustration, telling him she loved him and that he was never allowed to get hurt again.
Ben weathered the emotional storm with a strange mix of resignation, amusement, and no small amount of relief and love. He raised his left arm, and pulled her to him, roughly, and the raw emotion they shared crested.

"Oh, get a room, you two." Sandy looked up startled, her hair disheveled and stuck to her face by her tears, to see Lenore and Kate standing in the doorway. Lenore gasped, putting her right hand to her mouth, biting her knuckle, obviously in distress over the huge gaffe.

Lenore wore a stricken look on her face. Sandy, already emotional, reached out to her without letting go of Ben. Lenore stumbled forward, haltingly at first, but then closed the last steps and hugged Sandy and Ben both, fiercely.
Kate came over and sat on the small wheeled stool near the bed's right side. She gave Ben a kiss on the forehead. "How bad is it?" she asked gently.

"Better than it could have been," Sandy told her, "He has all his ribs and his leg has some muscle damage."

Ben grinned at her. "Like I was telling Sandy, I just couldn't get down fast enough."

Sandy nodded. "I was really worried until they moved him from the ICU to here, but since then they've said he'll probably leave tomorrow."

Kate noticed Lenore held one of Ben and Sandy's hands in each of hers. "Sandy, honey, this must have been terrible for you," she said, concern plain in her voice. "That bandage, you were injured, too?"

Sandy nodded. "It was a rock chip."

Kate nodded, indicating the room with her left hand. "Did you ask your family not to come?"

The air left Sandy slowly, and she stared woodenly at the bed. And then she felt Lenore's hand holding her left hand. She squeezed Ben's arm in her right arm. Defiantly, she lifted her chin. "All the family I have is right here, Kate."

Kate looked surprised, and then curious. Ben smiled at her, his heart in his eyes. Lenore hugged Sandy again, and whispered, "Tell me later."

Sandy nodded at her, and smiled bravely. "Somebody please change the subject," she said.

Sandy returned to Huachuca early in the morning. Kate suspected she and Lenore had a long chat about family and Sandy's history on the drive.

The chest surgeon examined him, then discharged Ben. The hospital staff gave him a preliminary physical therapy regimen, suggesting he get a follow-up opinion and an updated therapy regimen in a few days. They wheeled him to the door where Kate waited in a chair.

Kate maneuvered Ben into her big Buick with little difficulty, then drove down highway 90 to Huachuca. When they reached the gate, Kate had to fill out a form and show her driver's license. Ben wasn't in uniform, instead wearing shorts and a tee shirt Kate bought at K-Mart that morning, since the ambulance crew had cut off his BDUs and undershirt.

They arrived at building 102, and Ben climbed gingerly out of the car, limping pronouncedly. They'd offered to rent him a crutch at the University Medical Center, but he declined. Kate hovered anxiously behind, wanting to help, but caught by a strange sense of needing to let him accomplish this on his own in front of his peers. Ben smiled at her, while he paused on the top stair. He wiped the sweat beading on his forehead away. Kate knew it wasn't from the morning heat alone, yet she kept her thoughts to herself.

"Ah, the prodigal son returns!" Sergeant Hauptmann was the first to look up. The room exploded into comments and well wishes from the staff present, but Ben was looking for Sandy and paid it little attention. Kate drew some attention as Ben's mother, relieving Ben slightly.

Attracted by the noise, Captain Gammill exited his office, and stepped into the NCOs area. Ben noticed his arrival, and straightened, only to wince in pain as the hole in his side stretched.

"As you were, Soldier," Gammill breathed quietly. Ben couldn't help the grateful look that stole across his face, as Captain Gammill turned to meet Kate. Ben performed introductions briefly, then listened as Gammill gave brief praise and thanks to Kate for Ben's levelheadedness and toughness.

"Sergeant Hauptmann, would you keep Mrs. Collins company with a cup of coffee? I need to have a word with PFC Collins." Gammill indicated his office with a nod of his head. Kate acquiesced graciously, and Ben preceded Gammill to the office.

Shit, what does the Old Man want? Ben wondered. He stood in front of the desk, wondering if he should report formally. Fuck it, I can't be wrong if I do, can I? He waited until Gammill crossed behind his desk, then straightened as close to the position of Attention as he could, saluted, and crisply stated, "Sir. Private Collins reports as ordered, sir."

Gammill studied him seriously for a moment, and then returned the salute. "At Ease. I was going to talk with you about legal proceedings and making yourself scarce on your convalescent leave. But now I want to ask you about your plans for your future. How long do you think you'll stay in the Army?"

Ben met his eyes. "Sir, if the Army will pay for my education, then twenty years, sir. If not, I think I'll take the GI Bill and the Reserves while I'm in school. I'll be finished with the four active and four Reserve by the time I get into Law School."

Gammill nodded. "You'd have to reenlist for a Mustang program, or OCS. You might get an NCO grade if you did. You're about to go off to a few schools, and if we began the OCS paper while you were out on leave, we can probably get you into a school slot, but it'd be down the road a bit. Do you think you might be interested?"

Ben nodded slowly. "Yes, sir, I would be." His face clouded slightly. "Though I'd need to consult with my family a bit first."

Gammill read him well, and gave a tight smile. "I have another soldier I need to speak with also, for a similar opportunity. But, we're here to talk about your leave." Ben heard the emphasis on 'your'.

He picked up a set of orders, and handed them to Ben. "Thirty days' leave, you're to make use of any physical therapy facilities available at whatever installation you'll be near. You're authorized travel to your Home of Record. Now ... Agent Munoz knows the US Attorney that'll be handling the prosecution of those arrested last week. You figure in the trial as a witness. Munoz thinks you'd be better off if you weren't found on your leave, and that it won't hurt the trials any if you're not present. McFarlane, the Attorney, will probably try to subpoena you at your Home of Record, and will probably try for most of the thirty days. I'm not saying don't visit your family, Ben, but if you're not at home, you can't be served. I'll be telling Sparks the same thing, though I'd be surprised if he concludes she were a large enough part of this operation to put on the stand."

He paused at Ben's expression, and his voice softened a little. "We know differently. You two should get lost together for thirty days, and discuss your respective career goals." He paused to allow Ben to absorb this, then continued. "Both of you will have schools when you get back. She'll have PLDC, at Ft Benning, Georgia, and you'll have the Basic Airborne Course. You'll be at Benning also, but probably won't have the freedom to hang out with an old friend from back at your home unit." He waited for this to sink in, also.

"If you're serious about getting commissioned and having the Army put you through school at least until you've got a Bachelor's, after Jump School will be the place and time to reenlist and apply for whichever program you work it under. One such place would be the Seventy-fifth Ranger Battalion. They'll offer you a shot at Ranger Indoctrination Program when you finish Airborne. Having been wounded by gunfire while under orders is probably going to be something favorable on your application for both the Rangers and a leadership program, and I and the Battalion Commander would indorse your application."

Ben nodded, feeling lightheaded. Jump School? Rangers? What the hell? He had the presence of mind to remember how one concluded an audience with an officer. At this point, the audience is probably over. Well, I started this way, I should finish this way. He stood to attention again, and asked, "Will that be all, sir?"