He woke up to the annoyingly familiar, steady blipping of a heart monitor. Hazel eyes blinked open, immediately scanning his surroundings and confirming that he was, indeed, in a hospital room. Seconds later, as if unconsciously summoned in silence, his father appeared at his bedside, flanked by Paul.
"How are you feeling, my son?"
"Tired, sore, and really glad to be away from that psycho, Pop." He leaned his face into the safety of the hand reaching down to caress his cheek. At the same time, he turned his gaze up to the man he had thought to be a pain-induced dream.
"Paul?" he croaked. "You really are back, huh?"
Paul moved closer to his son and brushed a hand across his Peter's forehead.
"Yeah, son, I'm really back. I came home as soon as Kermit told me what was going on." He sighed and closed his eyes against the images of what his son had endured. He felt a warm hand close on his, summoning him back to the present. Grey eyes flicked open to be met by gentle understanding. Peter broke eye contact first, settling deeper into the blankets as his father pulled them closer around him.
"Is Kermit all right?"
"That's Uncle Kermit to you, kid, and I am just fine."
The ever-present green tinted shades were nowhere to be seen. Instead, Peter found himself staring into yet another pair of worry-wearied eyes.
"I'll be better when you are out of here and we can put this nightmare completely out of mind, though." He settled himself on the edge of his nephew's bed.
"That makes two of us," Peter grumbled. Hospitals were not high on his list of favorite places to be. 'Although,' he thought grimly, 'this is most definitely an improvement over my previous accommodations.'
He looked up to find his fathers and uncle watching him with concern. His attempted smile was of little comfort. Before he could say anything further, the door swished open to admit his partner and his mother.
"Thank God, baby," Annie rushed unerringly to his side. Paul and Kermit moved as one to allow her closer to her child.
"Welcome back, Partner." Mary Margaret stayed back, allowing Annie the uninterrupted contact with her son that was the unwritten right of all mothers. Instead, she edged closer to Caine, entwining her arm with his and offering him the support and comfort she knew, without words, that he needed.
Peter grinned, eyes slowly drifting closed in response to the comfort and security of his mother's touch. "Hail, hail, the gang's all here."
As sleep overtook him, he missed the look that passed between his family at his words. Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow as she, Kermit, Caine, and Paul moved out into the hallway.
"You didn't tell him?"
"There is nothing to tell, Mary Margaret. We do not know for certain that anything is wrong."
"Caine, your father disappeared from the station. Gone, poof, without a trace. That is usually an indication of something being wrong."
Kermit winced and threw her a warning glance, indicating the still-open door behind them. "Skalany, you're being overly dramatic. He did not just disappear. Several officers saw him walk out of the precinct on his own. Hell, the Captain herself watched him leave. She didn't see or sense anything wrong, nor does Caine sense anything out of the ordinary in their link."
Caine nodded in confirmation, but could not hide his own concern.
"I agree that something is not right with the situation. Father would be here with Peter if there were any way he could be. Still, without any hard evidence of trouble, I do not want to worry my son."
Three heads bobbed in agreement. Looking back through the open door, the four of them watched in silence as Annie hummed softly, soothing the sleeping figure into an even deeper slumber.
The End (for now)
