When she got close to the nurse’s station, Cathy looked up and then did a double take. To her credit she didn’t say anything, but she shot out of her chair and rushed around to meet P.J. in the hall.
She quickly drew P.J. into the family room where it was just the two of them and then lit into P.J. with both barrels.
“What the f**k are you doing up?” she demanded. “You should have your ass in bed. I was just preparing to bring you some pain medication.”
“I need out of here,” P.J. said in a low voice. “I can’t stay here another day. I need your help.”
Cathy’s eyes widened. “You want to do what?”
“Your shift is almost over, right? Give me a ride out of here.”
“And where the hell are you going to go? What you need is to stay your ass in bed and let me and the others take care of you for a while. It won’t kill you to depend on others for once.”
P.J. very much wanted to hug the older woman but wouldn’t allow herself the weakness. “I have to do this, Cathy. I don’t expect you to understand.”
Her expression softened. “Honey, you’re not just physically injured. You’ve got a lot to deal with that has nothing to do with stitches or a broken hand. You need to be surrounded by people who care for you right now. Not off on your own with whatever harebrained scheme you’ve concocted.”
“I need to go,” P.J. said in a quiet, determined voice. “Will you help me or do I have to go myself?”
Cathy made a sound of disgust. “You’ll get that pretty ass of yourself shot up by the night guard. For the love of God, P.J., you’re on a military base. You can’t just waltz around like you own the place.”
P.J. gave her a crooked grin. “I’m just a civilian, remember? I can’t be expected to keep up with all those military rules.”
“You’re going to try sneaking out if I don’t help you, aren’t you?”
P.J. nodded, her expression growing somber.
“Fuck me,” Cathy muttered. “Do you have any idea what those men of yours are going to do if they find out I was the one who aided and abetted you?”
“Just throw a hooyah in Cole and Dolphin’s direction. It’ll all be all right then.”
“You’re so damn irreverent,” Cathy said in exasperation. “Navy sticks together, you know. I ought to turn your ass in and then cuff that good arm to the bed.”
P.J. glanced down at the awkward cast. Her shooting hand. She needed those fingers steady.
“How long until this heals?” she asked seriously.
“Few weeks in that cast, and you should be good. Hairline fractures of three fingers. Once the swelling and bruising goes down, they should heal quickly, but only if you don’t try to rush things. Give yourself the time you need and don’t try anything stupid or you’ll be sorry. I’m only going to help you if you swear to me that you’ll take care of yourself and give yourself time to heal. Do we have a deal?”
P.J. slowly nodded. “Thanks, Cathy. I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me a damn thing,” Cathy said, her voice thick with emotion. “I have a twelve-year-old niece. Those girls you saved. They could have been my niece. Any one of them. You did a good thing, P.J. You sacrificed too much, but you saved them.”
P.J. blinked away the betraying moisture in her eyes. “How much longer until you get off?”
Cathy checked her watch. “Well now that I don’t have to give you meds and take your vitals, give me five minutes and I’ll be clocking out. Stay put and I’ll come get you when it’s time to go. We’ll take the stairs down and hope to hell no one looks at us too closely.”
She studied P.J. a little closer and then rubbed her chin. “Tell you what. I’ll bring you some scrubs. It’ll draw less attention than you walking down looking like some street urchin in those clothes.”
P.J. smiled. “Thanks.”
“Now sit and rest until I come get you,” Cathy said with a scowl.
P.J. gratefully sank into a chair as she cemented her next course of action. The very first thing she needed was to go back to Denver and take care of a few things there and then take the time to heal. As much as it pained her, she knew Cathy was right. There was absolutely nothing she could do in her present state. And she needed the time alone to come to terms with what had happened. Without the smothering presence of her team members. They all had jobs to do, and as long as she was a weak link, they weren’t going to be able to perform.
By the time Cathy made it back, P.J. knew exactly what she was going to do. With Cathy’s help she changed into scrubs and the two took the stairs and ducked out of one of the personnel entrances.
The checkpoints were more challenging. But Cathy told the truth. Sort of. She dropped KGI’s name, said that P.J. was being discharged and that she was giving her a ride out.
“You can drop me anywhere in Clarksville,” P.J. said. “I can get a ride to the airport.”
“Fuck you,” Cathy said rudely. “I’ll take you to the airport.”
“But you just worked an entire shift. The airport is over two hours away.”
“I can run you up to Paducah. Might take you a little longer to get where you’re going, but you know the minute the guys figure out you flew the coop, they’re going to look at Nashville and Memphis.”
P.J. sighed. “You’re probably right. Paducah it is.”