by Jeff Uribe
[NRPG : Just another tidbit from Leo's past and furthering along what Sau Woon started some time back.
Sydnie/Krister : Where are Zenya and Martin, anyway? :) ]
[Brooklyn Memorial Hospital]
Leo and Jordan stepped out of the cab and went into the Emergency room looking for Vanessa and Jim. As Jordan talked to the nurse on duty, Leo saw Jim come out of one of the hospital rooms.
"How is she?" Leo asked as Jim approached.
Jim managed a weak grin. "She's seen better days, but she'll be fine."
"Can I see her?"
Jim nodded, "Go ahead. I need to talk to Jordan."
Leo nodded and entered the room that he had seen Jim exit from, only to see Vanessa looking at him, almost expectantly.
"Hey." Leo said, with a half-grin on his face. "How're ya doin?"
Vanessa managed a small smile as she said, "I'm doing fine, just need some rest. That's all."
Leo sat down in the chair by her bed and said, "Are you sure? It's never easy losing a child. I should know."
Vanessa shot him a sharp look. Leo just stared back at her calmly.
"Don't worry, Jim didn't say anything to me." Leo said with a heavy sigh. "I have seen this before. Before Jenn and I moved to Durham, we lived in D.C. for a while. We were going to celebrate our first anniversary and she got carried away with the decorations. While trying to hang a banner from above a doorway, she slipped and fell off of the chair she was on. She bled as you did and we lost our first child."
Vanessa reached out and took one of Leo's hands in hers. "I'm sorry."
Leo patted her hand and shrugged. "She was crushed for quite some time, but then, six months later, she found out she was pregnant with Andrea. I just want you to know that we are all here for you if you need us."
Vanessa gave Leo's hand a squeeze and said, "Thanks, Leo. That means a lot to me."
Leo squeezed back and said, "No problem." He then withdrew his hand from Vanessa's and winked. "Before Zenya walks in and gets the wrong impression about this."
Vanessa laughed and said, "where is Zenya and Martin anyway?"
[Washington D.C.]
He stepped out of the cab and looked at the building in front of him. A sudden falling sensation gripped him and he held out his arms to steady himself, and then it passed. Taking out his keyring, he walked to the front door of the complex. He opened the outer door without a problem and looked at the row of mailboxes. He scanned each name on it until he found the one he was looking for.... "V. Lee". Taking out his wallet, he took out the picture of himself and... and... flipping the picture around he saw in a decidedly feminine scrawl on the bottom, "Chris, Love ya... Vanessa".
He headed towards the elevators, going more by instinct than by memory. He decided that it would probably be best to wait for her in her apartment.