something to her. A moment later the elevator doors slid closed and Savard was gone. Stark's shoulders slumped and she leaned heavily against the wall. When Mac began to move toward her, Blair stopped him.
'Just a minute, Mac. Let me talk to her.'
He nodded. 'I'll go find someone who can tell me what's going on.'
Blair stepped forward and put both hands on Stark's shoulders. She looked intently into her face. 'Paula,' she said gently, 'are you hurt? You're covered in blood.'
'It's hers,' Stark said, her voice choked and low. Her gaze met Blair's, a world of agony swimming below the surface of her dark eyes. 'There was so much of it. I tried - the best I could. It wouldn't seem to stop.'
'Where is Cam, Paula?' Blair asked, trying hard to keep calm.Let her be here. Just let her be all right. 'Agent Stark?'
Stark was clearly in shock, but if someone didn't tell her something soon, Blair was afraid that she might start running up and down the halls screaming out Cam's name. She was about to come apart and she was scared to death that she would never get the pieces together again. 'Stark,' she whispered desperately, 'please.'
'I think-I think,' Paula Stark began, then lost her thread. She was having trouble thinking about anything except how pale Renee had looked and how much blood there had been on the ground and on her clothes and how cold she felt when Stark had put her arms around her and held her until the evac team arrived. She hesitated and swallowed and tried to get control of her racing heart and her shaking legs. Finally, she cleared her throat and forced herself to straighten up. 'I didn't see Grant or the Commander, but to the best of my knowledge they were transported here, too. Grant went to the OR right away, I think. I'm not sure about the Commander.'
Blair closed her eyes.She must be alive. They wouldn't bring her here if she weren't. Would they?
'Thank you,' Blair said quietly after a moment. She looked over her shoulder and motioned to the two agents behind her. 'Agent Davis, would you please take Agent Stark somewhere where she can lie down for a few minutes?'
'I'll do that,' Lindsey Ryan said quickly. She thought it best that a Secret Service Agent stay with the President's daughter until they had some idea of what had happened. As Lindsey put her arm around the unresisting dark-haired agent, Mac returned.
'All I can find out is that Savard is listed as critical with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Hit just where her vest stopped. Goddamned lucky shot,' he added bitterly. 'Grant has a skull fracture and a collapsed lung. The commander is -' He stopped and Blair's heart stopped, too.
Don't say it, Mac. Don't say it. Don't sa-
Then from behind them came one word. 'Blair.'
Blair spun around, her heart leaping. Cam stood just a few feet away. She didn't think about anything - not the federal agents, not the reporters, not the public - she just reached for her.
Cam opened her arms and pulled Blair close, holding her tightly. Blair was trembling. She lowered her head, brushing her lips against her ear, and said quietly, 'I'm all right. Do you hear me? I'm all right.'
Blair nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She pressed her lips to Cam's shoulder, wanting her mouth, but knowing she couldn't. Not right there, not with everyone right there. She hadn't lost that much of her mind, and the solid reassurance of Cam's body instantly calmed her. Blair stepped away, although letting Cam go was the hardest thing she had ever done in her life. Her entire body ached for the feel of her lover in her arms. Blair's hands shook she wanted to touch her so badly, just to be sure that she was still there. Just to be sure that she hadn't lost her.
'Are you hurt?' Blair's eyes darted over her, trying to reassure herself that Cam was in one piece. Blair's gaze narrowed as she studied her. Cam's face was white and her usually sharp, clear eyes were dull. She had shed her jacket and protective vest and her shirt was soaked with sweat and grime and patches of something that looked a lot like blood. A hot flash of anger flared in Blair's depths. Not with the woman, not even with the job, but with the relentless maniac that had tried to take Cam from her. She wanted to kill him herself. 'Cam?Are you hurt? '
Cam was careful not to shake her head, because she was dizzy and the ringing in her ears affected her balance and she was afraid too much motion would make her vomit. 'Not much. Scrapes and bruises. A bump on the head. I won't be hearing the high notes for a while.'
Blair was instantly suspicious. 'Just what exactly happened to you?'
Cam got that evasive look she thought Blair didn't recognize, and before she could answer, Blair added, 'And if you don't tell me the whole thing right now, I'll find the doctors and ask myself.'
'A minor concussion,' Cam admitted with a sigh. She ran her fingers lightly down Blair's arm. 'Nothing time won't take care of.'
'And they released you?' Blair persisted.
'Well, not exactly,' Cam confessed. She didn't blame Blair for being angry with her. She was only grateful that Blair hadn't been there to witness the doctors trying to convince her to be admitted overnight for observation. Nowthat would have been messy. 'I'm kind of on my own recognizance at the moment.'
'Damn it, Cam,' Blair seethed, keeping her voice low, aware that there were others nearby. 'Don't do this to me.'
'I have things I need to take care of,' Cam continued urgently, taking her hand. 'I have two people upstairs in the operating room, Blair. I have families to contact, supervisors to inform. I have my agents to see to. Ihave to be here.'
As much as she didn't want to, Blair let go of Cam's hand. She took a deep breath and counted to ten. 'Will you promise me that if you start to feel ill you'll let the doctors look at you? Promise me that.'
'I will,' Cam said, her expression grateful. 'I swear, Blair.'
Blair nodded, relenting because that was the best she could get at the moment. And she knew that Cam would not lie to her. 'And the minute that you hear about them you'll get some rest?'
'Agreed,' Cam said with a faint smile. 'Will you let Mac take you home?'
