Lady in Red Pt. 02 Ch. 21

Then she saw her mother hovering over her. Mallory patted her shoulder and smiled proudly down at Sybil. Jordan came to her as soon as she saw Sybil's eyes open. "You made the difference for our guy this morning! Hiring your group was one of the best things we've ever done!"

With that said Jordan hugged the surprised woman warmly and then stepped back so the other members of the family could do the same. Paula was very emotional as she embraced Sybil.

"It was all on TV. We saw how hard you ran to get in a position to be able to help Steve. You saved him for Gwen and the rest of us!"

After everyone finished thanking her, Sybil had time for a few private words with Janice. "Gwen is Steve's girlfriend, lover, and probably future wife, but the rest of the women in the group, including Gwen's mother, aunt, and sisters don't even try to hide the fact that they're in love with him. From what I've seen, Gwen's the only one that sleeps with Steve, but it wouldn't take much for him to get the others in his bed."

"Well, duh!" exclaimed Janice. "The guy's built like a Greek God, talented, wealthy, generous, ...well you get the idea. I'd be flat on my back for the guy in a New York minute, except there are a dozen beautiful women ahead of me."

"Yeah, but you're single, and on your back a lot any way. These women are married or in serious relationships, but they're all in love with him. It just seems unusual for so many women to feel that way and still get along so well. I have yet to see any jealousy, even among the men."

"It's pretty obvious that Gwen has Steve's full attention," responded Janice. "She doesn't seem to mind that the others are so attracted to him. Lisa warned us that we'd fall in love with a guy or two if we were around them very much. I sure get all wet and tingly when he's around me. I'm beginning to think that you've finally found a guy that piques your interest."

"My interest? Of course! I've never seen his equal. I just wish I'd been paying closer attention and shot that miserable prick before he put a bullet into Steve," replied a subdued Sybil.

"Are you kidding? You ran your ass off just to get there. Then you popped that bastard off as soon as he stood up," pointed out Janice. "You did everything you could. No one blames you for Steve being shot."

"Well, I know the truth," answered Sybil. "I just pray that he recovers."

A short time later, Gwen stepped into the waiting room. She looked at her family and friends and managed a small smile. "He's out of surgery, but not out of danger. The bleeding has been stopped and the bullet removed. The worry right now is infection. Septicemia is extremely serious. He's on antibiotics. We all know how tough he is, so I expect him to recover, but I'm going to watch him like a hawk. It'll be touch and go for a day or two as far as any infection is concerned."

Paula grabbed Gwen and hugged her tightly. Soon the others were following suit. Waiting until everyone else had spoken to her, Sybil moved closer to Gwen, but before she could say anything, Gwen wrapped her in a warm embrace.

"You saved my guy!" whispered Gwen into the other woman's ear. "We'll never forget what you've done for our family."

"Gwen, I was too slow! I screwed up. That's why Steve's in the hospital right now," sobbed Sybil quietly.

Gwen pushed Sybil back, held her at arm's length, and studied her face closely. "Lisa, will you walk with Sybil and me for a minute?"

Gwen took Sybil's hand and led her from the room as Lisa rushed to catch up. They came upon an empty meeting room and went inside and closed the door.

"Sybil seems to have some sort of guilt about her role in Steve being hurt today. Does it sound familiar to you, Lisa?" asked Gwen as she held Sybil's hand.

"Boy, does it!" answered Lisa immediately. "I had that guilt big time a few years ago when a terrorist made me call Steve so he wouldn't kill me. Steve came out and was abducted by the man. He was beaten, in a car crash, an explosion, and then forced to survive a fierce snow storm for a few days.

"When he was rescued and treated in the hospital, I was the first person he asked to speak to. He had already heard about my guilt. He explained just how it was. He wanted me to rely on his strength and skill. I should never feel bad about asking for his help, and he was extremely proud that I thought well enough of him to call him in my time of need. If I continued to blame myself, we'd never return to where we were before the incident, and the terrorist would have won."

"My situation is different," reasoned Sybil. "I'm supposed to be a professional, recognize dangerous situations, and respond accordingly."

"I saw the whole thing on TV and that's exactly what you did," stated Lisa. "You were amazing, but that's not even the issue. If Steve thinks that you feel you failed, he'll think that he failed or you'd never feel that way. He needs you to be proud of your role today and to be proud of him. There was no failure! You supported him, and together you saved those kids.

"We all love the guy and we know how he thinks. He's appointed himself as the protector of all of us, especially us females. It's like we're all his women, and in a way we are. He absolutely loves each of us dearly. He hurts when we hurt," added Lisa.

"I can see that he loves all of you, and all of you love him. Aren't you upset that I didn't stop that man before he shot Steve?"asked a puzzled Sybil.

"Hardly! We're all delighted that you ran like an Olympic sprinter to reach a point where you could stop that horrible man from ending Steve's life. Steve doesn't mind when a woman saves him, but he really hates it when they have feelings of guilt and it involves him," explained Lisa.

"I'll tell you something else. You've moved into that circle of women that Steve loves and protects, don't you think, Gwen?"

"Absolutely! Steve has been telling me how alert and professional you are. He feels very emotional when he thinks about what would have happened to Mom, Diane, Billy, and Theresa, if you and your people hadn't been there that day to save them. Your beauty, skill, confidence, and professionalism were impressing him before. Now he's going to love you. It's what he does."

"I'm not beautiful like you and your friends. I'm not voluptuous like the rest of you. I'm just a skinny girl with a gun," joked Sybil weakly.

"You've badly misjudged Steve if you think the size of your boobs makes any difference to him. You've done a disservice to yourself if you think you're not beautiful," replied Gwen. "I guess I need to sum this up and get back with everyone.

"I want you to believe that you saved Steve. I want you to believe that you did nothing wrong and everything right. I need you to accept and respond to the way Steve will begin treating you now. I need you to love him back. That shouldn't be too difficult, should it?" asked Gwen gently.

"Love him? You're his girlfriend! How can you ask me to love him?" wondered Sybil.

"I didn't ask you to sleep with him, and you won't be," smiled Gwen. "All I'm saying is that he will be treating you extremely well when he recovers. Please accept it and be nice back. Do not ever let him think that you feel that you failed him. That will upset him, which in turn, will upset the rest of us. Wouldn't it be better to be one of us than someone we all dislike for upsetting Steve as he recovers?"

"When you put it like that, of course," blushed Sybil. "I just don't know how you want me to love him without making a fool of myself."

"Don't worry about that," chuckled Lisa. "We all do that all of the time with Steve. It's pretty much expected."

Mallory Burke had been concerned when Gwen and Lisa led her daughter out of the room. Was it possible that they did blame her for Steve being shot? Did they believe that her reaction time was too slow? Mallory had come to greatly enjoy the association her company had forged with Lady in Red and the possibility of breaking that relationship worried her.

When Gwen, Lisa, and Sybil stepped back into the room, Mallory knew immediately that everything was going to be fine with her daughter. She was smiling and laughing as she stood between Lisa and Gwen, who were also smiling as much as they could under the circumstances.

Gwen circulated among her friends and family to discuss Steve's situation while Janice pulled Sybil off to the side. Mallory followed closely.

"What happened? I thought we might be getting the boot, but you walked back into the room with a big grin plastered on your face. Is everything okay?" demanded Janice.

"Very much so," responded Sybil. "Lisa and Gwen just explained the facts of life to me as they pertain to this group of amazing people. I'm to never even hint to Steve that I failed him this afternoon. They think I did pretty damn good and they insist that Steve will, too. I'm just supposed to keep doing a good job and be upbeat. Oh, and I have to love Steve because he's going to love me."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" worried Janice. "Is the shooting bothering you? Is that it? You're acting pretty strange."

"You think I'm bothered by killing that bastard before he could shoot Steve again?" scoffed Sybil. "Those two just told me that Steve is going to be acting very appreciative toward me and I'd damn well better reciprocate his feelings."

"They want you to sleep with Steve?" asked an incredulous Mallory. "That's sexual harassment to the maximum!"

"Mother! Love and sex don't always have to be linked. You're old enough to realize that. Everything is fine, but don't be surprised if Steve treats me a little special, like he does about a dozen other women, but not as special as Gwen, damn it!" laughed Sybil. "It's all cool. I just hope he gets better real fast!"

Gwen's family decided to check into their hotel and get some rest since it was very unlikely that they'd be able to see Steve until the danger of infection was past. Gwen was given a cot in an unused supply room to catch naps in while she waited for Steve to awaken.

It was Saturday when Steve was allowed visitors. Paula and Diane used their seniority to be the first ones in. Gwen was seated next to Steve and beamed as Paula and Diane fawned over him for about five minutes. Then Kate and Lisa made their appearance, followed by Jordan and Charlie and then Naomi and Stephanie.

Steve kept insisting that he'd only done what he had to do and it was nothing special, but it was obvious that he greatly appreciated the love and attention of his friends. He soon became tired, so the procession stopped after Becky and Ashley had their time with Steve.

That afternoon, the guys came through in pairs. Billy accused Steve of faking injuries for the sake of sympathy. Just before he left, he told Steve, "I know how it feels to be shot in the gut. I hope I never go through that again. I can still remember how bad it hurt. Take care, My Friend!"

When Janice and Sybil stopped in, Steve insisted on a gentle hug from both women. "You two were amazing that morning. I knew that guy was to my left, but I couldn't even think about him until I took out the bitch that had Senator Chatham's daughter. I was trying to bring my gun up when I saw the guy go over. I knew I wasn't going to be in time, but you were, Sybil. I owe you big time and I always try to pay my debts."

Remembering what Gwen had said, Sybil smiled and replied, "I'm just glad I was able to help. You did all of the heavy lifting, but I'm really pleased that you feel I did so well. It means a lot to me. You've come to mean a great deal to me and I want you to get well as fast as you can."

"I heard you ask those Marines to carry me to the helicopter, Janice. You guys really think fast on your feet. I'm glad that you're the ones watching over Gwen. I know she's safe when she's with you," concluded Steve.

Later that evening, Gwen was surprised when President and Mrs. Hanson were ushered into Steve's room. She quickly stood and embraced the president. Then he carefully shook Steve's hand.

"I had to let you know how much all of us in government appreciate your actions the other day when you saved all of those school kids and chaperones. I'm sorry to say that our track record against terrorists isn't very good. At least not until we factor in the situations you've been involved in. Then the stats improve dramatically. We have an appointment to keep, but I thank you Steve, as does your country."

Steve was feeling stronger Sunday morning. Gwen wheeled him around the floor and he visited with other patients and took the time to thank the nurses for their kindnesses.

"Are you kidding?" asked a middle-aged and somewhat plump nurse when Steve thanked her. "My daughter has been driving me crazy asking me about you. It's the most we've talked in years. She's one of your biggest fans, except maybe for her mother."

Gwen suggested that she pose for a few pictures with Steve and soon all of the nurses were lined up to have a picture taken with Steve. The male nurses asked if Gwen could be in the photo and she quickly agreed.

Senator Chatham, her husband and daughter, Grace, visited that morning. Steve was embarrassed by the praise heaped on him by his boss. He had never seen her so emotional. She kissed him on the lips before she left. Then her daughter did the same, while her husband grinned and offered his hand.

Representative Daniels and his wife were the next ones to visit. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate what you've done for our daughter. My wife and I both feel badly about some of the things we've said about you two. We can't change the past, but you can be certain that we'll be two of your biggest supporters in the future. If we can ever help you in any way, please let us know."

Finally, Vice President Pearson and his wife entered the room with their daughter and her husband. "I was never quite able to understand President Hanson's unusually high regard for you two until this dreadful situation. Now I'm able to see why he's been so high on you both all of these years. I've never seen a couple like you in all of my years in Washington. You've managed to capture the hearts of the American people by good deeds and speaking the truth. It's rare in this day and age. The country is far better for it. Thank you both for what you risked and for what you've suffered to help my granddaughter."

Gwen spent the afternoon with Steve before flying back to Stanford later in the day. She had missed several days of classes and had to return. Monday morning, Sybil and Janice walked into his room smiling.

"Gwen insisted that we keep an eye on you this week. Don't worry; we have some very good agents watching over her at Stanford. We're going to help you get around and watch your back while you're recovering," promised Sybil.

The next afternoon Steve was feeling much better, so Janice and Sybil were pushing him down the hall in a wheel chair when an incredibly beautiful blonde woman approached Steve with a huge smile on her face. She bent over to hug Steve before he could attempt to stand. Because he was still seated, the blonde's ample bosom was pushed into Steve's face as she held his head against her chest.

Sybil and Janice exchanged glances before Janice spoke. "Lady, we're responsible for this guy's safety and it looks like he's suffocating. Could you back up and allow him to breathe?"

The blonde pulled back slightly and grinned at Janice. "He does not appear to be suffering. Leave the two of us alone for an hour and I will have him nursed back to health."

"That will not be happening," assured Sybil. "We work for Gwen and I'm quite sure that she would not want us leaving Steve alone with you for even a minute. It looks like you have the equipment to nurse him, but we can't allow that. He's on strong antibiotics and isn't able to make difficult decisions on his own."

"I think he's already reached a hard decision," laughed the blonde. "I keep telling Gwen he's always like that when he's around me, but she insists he's like that when he's around any woman. Tell me, is that true?"

"Nadiya!" groaned Steve. "It's great to see you, but these ladies don't know your sense of humor. They might think you're serious."

"And you think I'm not?" asked Nadiya as she ran her hand along Steve's cheek. "I was so worried when I heard that you had been shot again. You have to be more careful. It breaks my heart when you are hurt in any way."

Sybil's phone chirped and she quickly answered it. "Hello, Gwen. She's here right now. Do you want us to shoot her? Okay, I'll just give the phone to her."

Sybil handed her phone to Nadiya. "Hello, Gwen. I was just making certain that Steve was recovering properly. They sent you a picture just now? I wasn't trying to smother him, except maybe in love. I'm so glad that he's doing well, but what were you thinking when you left these two lovely women with him? You trust them? But you don't trust me?

"I'm still seeing Hans. He's very understanding about Steve. I'm glad you like him. For some reason, he thinks you are absolutely gorgeous. He likes Steve, even though he's heard about our romance in New York. Maybe it was only for a day, but I still have the photos and the memories. I'll be in Washington for a few weeks, so maybe we can get together. Hans will be coming in tomorrow. I would hope we could all enjoy an evening out together. Okay, good bye."

As Nadiya handed Sybil her phone she told her, "Gwen wants me to make passionate love to Steve to aid in his recovery and lift his spirits, so please excuse us. I'll take him from here."

Nadiya barely managed to reach for the handles of Steve's wheelchair before Janice pulled it back and away from the beautiful Ukrainian. "We're in charge of his safety and well being. If it becomes necessary for him to,.. to seek release, we'll be in charge of that, too. Gwen was very specific in her instructions, right, Sybil?"

"Yes, you're absolutely right, Janice. He has to gradually get into the swing of things. No big breasted, sexual dynamos will be allowed too close until Gwen gets back together with him."

"Wait," protested Janice. "I'm sure that I heard Gwen say red headed, big breasted sexual dynamos would be okay."

"Ladies, in case you've forgotten, I'm sitting right here," chuckled Steve. "I think I should have a say in what sort of dynamos I interact with. As tempting as the offers are, I'm under orders from my personal 'almost' physician to get plenty of rest and to avoid undue temptation tossed my way by beautiful blondes, red heads, or brunettes. In case you haven't noticed, that eliminates each of you."

"You have such a nice way of letting me down," smiled Nadiya as she leaned in and gave Steve a lingering kiss on the lips. "I have to go, but we'll get together when Hans and Gwen are there to prevent any 'undue temptation' as you call it. Ladies, keep your hands off this man. He belongs to my very good friend. If anyone steals him away from her it will be me!"

"There you are, Steve!" boomed a familiar voice. Steve and the women with him turned to see Vincent and Cynthia Rosen.

"Nadiya! It's so good to see you," greeted Vince. "This is my wife, Cynthia. Nadiya is the daughter of the new Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister. She and Steve are good friends from years ago."

"Not that good, I'm afraid," joked Nadiya as she briefly hugged the Rosens. "I blame Gwen that Steve and I are not much closer friends than we are."

"You and every other woman on the planet," laughed Cynthia Rosen. "It's so good to see you getting around, Steve. We were worried about you when we heard what happened. We just wanted you to know that we care and we wish you the best."

"You don't have to look for reporters," stated Vince Rosen as he saw Steve scan the hallway. "This is a private, unannounced visit. We're not here to campaign or draw attention to ourselves. We're learning from you and Gwen. We know that real friends don't take advantage of that friendship for personal gain. The two men at the end of the hall are Secret Service."