Lost and Found

Chapter 41

A/N: Here we go again! Thank you everyone, for all your support! Enjoy!

Twelve hours after the incredible lifesaving surgery on Farouk, the boy was still unconcious.

Owen leaned uncomfortably in his chair, feeling his right leg go numb. But slowly, over the hours... Farouk's vitals increased; pulse, blood pressure, oxygen. His dull skin from blood loss had perked up, and his hands warm to the touch. With no signs of infection, everything was going well.

"Hey," Nathan entered, handing him a steaming styrofoam cup of coffee. The antagonism between them had long since bled away. They were both worried about the same people, and all too aware of the realities. Megan was still missing. Farouk could still die. Anger was pointless right now.

Nathan settled in the chair at the other side of Farouk's bed, no doubt coming to the same conclusions Owen had earlier as he gazed at the monitors. He sipped his coffee and sighed, reaching to clutch the boy's hand.

They'd been sort of taking shifts, one leaving shortly after the other came on... but Nathan had brought him coffee this time, and Owen took it as a peace offering and thought maybe he should stay. Besides, based on his experience, the medications and anesthesia should be wearing off, and he wanted to be there when Farouk woke up. So the two men remained there, in a strange awkward but not- silence.

Owen felt sleep upon him as his eyelids began to close. He breathed short, shallow breaths. He had barely slept since he arrived, and it was getting to him.

"So-," Nathan blurted, "anyone new in your life?"

"What?" his eyes fluttered open.

"You know, a girlfriend?"

Owen blinked, caught off-guard

"Uh-Forget I asked," Nathan dismissed.

He was about to do just that, but had second thoughts. Owen looked at Farouk and thought of his sister. She'd want them to get along. For the boy's sake at least.

"Amelia," he said, allowing a small smile come to his lips as he thought of her. "A surgeon I work with. We've been seeing each other..."

"Yeah? That's good," Nathan encouraged.

"It's nice... just to have someone to care for," he admitted. Though he had left her in a rough spot, he knew...

Bad timing he supposed. But there was nothing he could do about it.

Nathan gazed at Farouk, running a fatherly hand through his hair. "I know the feeling." He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry, mate. I messed up. Megan thought I was cheating, I never got to clear the air before she left in the chopper... I was gonna teach him baseball. Meg and I... but I broke her trust, and now..." He gestured futiley at the boy in the bed.

And now...

It seemed childish to hold anything more against Nathan. "You can still get that chance," he said. He was still angry and upset at Megan's disappearance, but the anger at Nathan... at himself... was fading.

The two delved into silence. Nathan leaned back in his chair, pulling his arms to his chest, and Owen took Farouk's small hand in his big one. His eyes closed as sleep called, and he felt himself dozing.

Until movement tickled his palm. Owen blinked and gazed into tired brown eyes.

"Nathan," he sat up in his chair, elated. "Nathan, he's awake."

xxx

The MRI imaging room was lit indigo with nearly every angle of Dr. Herman's tumor. Amelia stared, mesmerised and intimidated at the same time. She'd been so sure that she could do this before... but now? Not only had the tumor grown since she'd last looked, but... "Edwards... remember the part when I said I could do this?"