Death Of Innocence

Part 16

Age 15 Years 10 Months

Jack roused with a groan and mentally cursed Billy Watkins. Feeling cold, he wondered briefly if he'd been shut in the refrigerator again. No, his clothes were wet and he could breathe, opening his eyes, Jack pulled himself up to his knees and looked around. The widow's walk on top of the orphanage, not good, he thought. Crawling to the trapdoor, Jack wiped the snow from it and vainly tried to open the door. The final tug sent him sprawling backwards and Jack grabbed his head, in addition to hurting from the snow shovel, he felt very dizzy.

Shivering from the cold, Jack tried shouting and rapidly gave up, the widows walk on the roof was five stories up and no one in the house could possibly hear him. Standing up, Jack looked down and swallowed, the ground below was very far away. Dizziness swept over him and he sat down and wrapped his arms around himself. Teeth chattering, Jack tried to think of what to do. With Samantha gone, no one would miss him and come looking for him and he knew he'd never survive until she got back.

A hot aching feeling began to fill Jack's lungs and a rasping cough shook his frame. His earlier illness had left Jack's lungs slightly weakened and the time in the frigid air was rapidly making him sick again. Pins and needles shot through his body as it rebelled against the cold air, his jeans and t-shirt offered little protection against the icy night. Standing up Jack tried to move around the tiny widows walk to warm up but the dizziness nearly made him fall over the railing and he sat down resignedly.

Tonight he was going to die, Jack realized. Only a little more than a week away from taking Samantha away to start a new life and he wasn't going to live beyond a few more hours. Looking at his wedding ring, Jack smiled slightly. At least he'd gotten to marry his Samantha, nothing could take that away. Would he see her again in the afterlife? Heaven didn't sound very good without his Samantha. A cough shook his body and a loud crack seemed to echo in the night as Jack heard one of his ribs break.

Pain was starting to overtake him as the burning in his lungs seemed to increase and his side began to throb. Jack stretched out and looked up at the stars trying to distract himself. Was his Samantha looking out the window at the night sky? A bride for only a month as of yesterday and she was going to be widowed. Although he promised he would live when he was in the hospital, there was no way he would be able to keep his promise now. As snow covered his body, Jack closed his eyes against he swirling white, he felt so tired, maybe he would sleep for a little bit.

Samantha paced at the hotel in exasperation as she called the cab company for a second time, they had lost her pick-up on the list and it would be another hour at least. The clock was approaching the midnight hour and she wanted to see Christmas in with Jack. Right now he was probably in the attic listening to the very bad album by Konstantine's sons and missing her like she was missing him. Sighing at the clock the watched as it ticked slowly and hoped the cab would arrive soon, she missed Jack horribly and couldn't wait to be in his arms again. Their first Christmas, the first of many, she thought happily.

Lying in the snow, Jack's thoughts drifted in and out of consciousness. Samantha filled his mind and made him smile. Damn Billy Watkins for cutting his time with his Samantha short. He was fixated on Jack's Samantha and that was why he was here now. A horrific thought shot through Jack and he sat up quickly and painfully. If Billy got away with this, Samantha would be at his mercy without Jack to protect her or at least warn her. Standing up, Jack looked around frantically, his wife needed to be warned somehow. There had to be a way down, his Samantha was too important to abandon.

Staring at the Christmas lights that starred the house and surrounding trees, he felt irritated by their cheery presence, but at least they provided some much needed illumination. Some well meaning church had bought the decorations and paid to have them installed at the orphanage. An orange cord looped through the railing caught his attention and Jack followed it with his eyes. One end disappeared into a tall tree near the house and the other end connected to some lights on the next level down.

Carefully taking the end that extended into the tree, Jack tugged on it. It took several pulls but at last the cord released. The lights on the tree went out and Jack slid backwards and hit the railing as the cord snapped backwards. A groan of protest came from the railing and Jack took a deep breath before standing up. Around him the night sky was swimming and he fought to focus. Samantha needed him, he couldn't let her down.

Lying on his stomach he reached through the rail and tugged the end of the cord attached to the lights below, several lights got knocked loose as Jack struggled with the cord. As he struggled with the thick orange cord, it got scraped on an edge of the banister and Jack got a nasty shock just as the cord finally released from the lights below. The electric shock added to the tingling sensation from the cold and he felt so dizzy.

Jack turned over on his back and looked up at the sky and prayed, "Please. God I have to warn my Samantha. Do anything you like to me, but I have to get to my Samantha."

His only answer was the continuing blur of snow and he hoped that God had been listening, his Samantha needed him. Another cough tore through Jack and as the coughing fit went on for several moments, he heard another rib crack. A metallic taste rose up in his mouth and he spluttered a spray of crimson on the snow. Blood wasn't a good sign and Jack knew he had to move quickly if he was going to warn Samantha.

Sitting up, Jack unthreaded the orange cord from the banister and studied both the cord and the railing carefully. Moving his hand over each spindle of the rail, Jack tried to gauge which part was the most solid. Wrapping the cord around the railing, Jack began to knot it tightly, securing the cord. Standing up he looked downwards and fought a wave of nausea, Samantha needed him. He swore to protect her always and he would no matter what the risk. All that mattered was his wife, he swallowed and moved toward the railing.

Cautiously, Jack tied the end of the cord around his waist and moved one foot over the edge of the railing. Taking a deep breath, he swung his other foot over and stood on the narrow ledge facing the railing. Bending his knees slightly, Jack took a step backwards and spent several tense moments dangling on the edge before his feet found the side of the house. His breath came in shallow pants from nervousness and the effect of the cold on his lungs. Pausing his descent, Jack coughed hard and turned his head to spit the blood that filled his mouth over his shoulder.

Dizziness and nausea threatened to overwhelm Jack as he glanced at the drop. Closing his eyes he conjured Samantha's face and found the courage to continue. Each step was nerve-racking as Jack made his descent. Vainly he tried to open a window into the attic as he dangled at the fourth level. Bring his right hand backwards, he tried to smash the glass, but only succeeded in making a small crack in the glass and loud cracking sound in his hand. Although he attempted to grasp the cord with his injured hand, the pain was too great and so he had to proceed using only his left hand.

Nervously, Jack looked at the cord, there wasn't a great deal left, hopefully he could get as far as the second floor and make enough noise to wake someone. Descending to the top of the third floor, Jack could see the windows of his own set of rooms below. As he took another step down the side of the building, he paused as he heard a strange sound. Taking another step downwards, Jack stopped to take a breath. Coughing hard he spat more blood as he listened to the strange sound again. There was the sound of cracking wood and Jack's legs flailed in the air as the railing gave way and he began to fall.

Jack fell from the top of the third floor to the snow covered ground below with a sickening cacophony of breaking bone and a large piece of the rotted railing fell and splintered on top of him. His last thought before blackness claimed him was that the knots had held and the irony of it. Snow began to drift over Jack's unconscious form and the wooden banister. Although unconscious Jack struggled for breath and coughed spraying blood across the pristine snow.

"At last!" Samantha exclaimed with joy as the cab pulled up in front of the hotel.

Racing out to the cab, she fought an urge to scream at the driver. Even though it wasn't his fault, Samantha had been pacing furiously waiting for the taxi. The buses had stopped running about an hour before her father was called away, so she had to wait for the cab. If it hadn't have been snowing so hard, she would have walked despite the distance and the late hour because she was so anxious to see Jack.

Drumming her fingers on the window of the cab as it slowly made it's way through the snowy streets, Samantha smiled, Jack would be so surprised. Tomorrow while the other residents were distracted by the gifts various charities and churches brought, she and Jack could spend the whole day in his rooms, undisturbed. Humming I'll Be Home For Christmas, Samantha thought happily of all the delightful and wicked things they could do tomorrow. A blush stole over her face as she remembered the canister of whipped cream they smuggled into Jack's room once, maybe they could try something new in honor of the holiday.

Anticipation coursed through her as they drew nearer to the orphanage, they were still several blocks away, but Samantha could hardly wait. She would sneak in and climb into bed with Jack if he was asleep or grab the mistletoe and kiss him if he was still awake. This was the best Christmas of her life, she was going to be with the man she loved and they could make plans for their move in the next week or so. Closing her eyes, Samantha could practically feel Jack's arms already.

At one time her father's abandoning her for work would have ruined her holiday, this year it made her holiday. Jack had pointed out early in their relationship that since neither of them had families that were worth much, that they could be each others family. Now that she was married to Jack, they would always be a family and nothing and no one would ever change that. Her husband was all the family she would ever need, except for one day when they had children. Samantha looked down at her flat stomach and smiled at the thought of one day carrying Jack's child.

The cab turned onto the street where the sprawling Victorian house was that served as the orphanage. Smiling widely, Samantha paid the driver and grabbed her bag out of the cab. Stepping outside, Samantha smiled as she looked upwards and saw the glittering lights of their Christmas tree in the fourth floor window. Walking towards the house, she looked up at the attic window again with a smile. Her smile fell as she realized the railing on the widows walk was missing on one side.

Jack was always so careful, surely he hadn't- Samantha couldn't even bring herself to imagine it and walked closer to the house when she realized the lights were out in the one tree on the side of the house. Her gaze traveled to the ground and she noticed the small lump with the railing on top. Through the snow the orange electrical cord caught her eye and she dropped her bag and made her way over to the cord. Standing beside the strange pile, Samantha's face contorted in horror as she saw the gleam of Jack's wedding ring on his hand peeking out from the snow...







Part 17

Age 15 Years 10 Months

Falling to her knees, Samantha cleared the snow away from Jack and tried vainly to wake him. His skin was as pale as the falling snow in the darkness and she looked at the blood staining his shirt fearfully. Struggling with the railing, she pulled it off him and ran up to the house. Opening the door, she was greeted by a surprised staff member.

"Call the paramedics!" Samantha screamed.

"Sam what's-"

"Outside, Jack fell from God knows how high. Hurry!"

Samantha didn't wait for the staff member to comment and ran outside. Stripping her coat off as she ran, Samantha got on her knees and placed it over Jack. There would be little warmth from the coat, but she wanted desperately to do anything she could. Although she longed to hold him to her, Samantha didn't dare move him for fear of making his injuries worse. A rattling cough shook his body and he began to gasp desperately for air as flashing lights and a screaming siren moved towards them. Several staff members had come outside with blankets and stood worriedly as Jack convulsed and gasped.

"How long ago did this happen?" one of the paramedics asked.

"I don't know," Samantha answered. "I found him like this, the railing was on top of him and I pulled it off and they called you."

"Shit, he's aspirating blood," the older paramedic said. "Get a back board, I'm going to radio for them to expect us."

Samantha watched terrified as the young man ran to the ambulance and the older man spoke into his radio, "We have a male. Approximately 16 years of age, height 5'5, weight about 135. Appears to have fallen several stories. Is unconscious, but responsive. BP is 80 over 60 and appears to be falling. May have complications from exposure. We're going to brace his neck and bring him in. Note patient is aspirating and may need to be intubated."

After radioing the information in, the paramedic listened for instructions. The younger man came running with the back board and laid it on the ground beside Jack. Grabbing a neck brace from their medical case, the older man placed it around Jack's neck and the men carefully moved him onto the back board. Efficiently, the older man cut Jack's sleeve and started an IV as the younger man took Jack's blood pressure again.

"He's down to 74 over 53, we've gotta get him out of here before we lose him."

As the men picked up the board, Jack roused slightly and cried out for Samantha. Normally the men would never have allowed such a young girl to ride with a patient, but he calmed slightly when he heard her voice. They needed him calm if they were going to get him to the hospital alive. As Samantha moved towards the ambulance as the men told her to, she noticed on the lawn that most of the residents had come outside. Jack's accident was bad enough that several looked frightened and two of the younger girls were crying. Billy stood looking amused and Samantha knew in that instant what lead to Jack's accident.

The younger man shut the doors and got in to drive as Samantha sat back with the older paramedic and Jack. Jack coughed and blood ran from his mouth, despite his gagging, he attempted to apologize and the man ordered him to remain quiet assuring him it was all right. Gasping, Jack lay still as the man asked him questions. Although Jack tried to answer he couldn't form words around the blood. As the man threaded a plastic tube down Jack's throat he struggled.

"Easy son, I know it feels awful, but it's gonna help you breathe. I'm going to ask you questions and I want you to blink twice for yes and once for no. Can you do that for me?"

Jack blinked and the man said, "Excellent. Now Samantha what's his name?"

"Jack."

"Okay, Jack I'm going to squeeze your hand and I want you to tell me can you feel anything?"

Jack blinked twice and the paramedic repeat the process with both of Jack's feet. Darting his eyes towards Samantha, he longed to speak, but couldn't around the tube. Immobilized on the back board he couldn't even reach for her. The man asked if he knew his blood type and Jack answered yes.

"Is it type O?" the man inquired. When Jack answered, the paramedic proceeded to check if it was positive or negative. "You're type O negative? Are you really sure? This is very important Jack."

Once the man was satisfied about Jack's blood type he radioed the hospital again, "We're ETA 4 minutes. Patient is alert and has feeling in his appendages. Has aspirated a fair quantity of blood and is intubated. Think we should start running some plasma into this kid?"

After a response, the man grabbed a plastic bag that had red liquid in it and stuck a needle in Jack's other arm. Jack raise his left ring finger towards Samantha, trying to touch her. Looking at the paramedic enquiringly, Samantha got permission and cautiously brushed Jack's extended ring finger with her own. As he looked up at his wife, Jack smiled weakly and fell back into merciful unconsciousness. Samantha watched him nervously as they approached the hospital, Jack looked so fragile. Silently she swore Billy would suffer so horribly that death would be a blessing in comparison to what she would do to him.

"Oh no!" the nurse in the emergency room exclaimed when she recognized Jack from the refrigerator incident a couple months before. As a trauma team took Jack into the waiting ER bay, the nurse told Samantha, "Stick around sweetie, if this is anything like before the second he comes around, he'll be calling for you."

Samantha sank in a chair across from the curtained area where they were working on Jack. As she sat, she buried her face in her hands and wept quietly. From behind the current a barrage of commands were barked out and even to her untrained ears, Jack was in serious trouble. Carts and monitors were wheeled to where the doctors were working on Jack. Listening to the slow beeping sound of a heart monitor, she knew she stood a good chance of losing him and it felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest.

The nurse who recognized Sam earlier, came out and spoke to her, "Samantha, I'm Nurse Sara. They've got Jack stabilized enough they're going to take him to radiology and x-ray him. As soon as they're finished they're going to bring him back here."

"Is- Will he-"

"I can't say. He took a terrible fall and the cold has made him very sick again. If he survives it's going to take a long time for him to recover."

Samantha watched as they wheeled Jack away towards radiology. Because Jack was in such bad shape, a doctor and a pair of nurses wheeled him down the hall. Nurse Sara brought Samantha a foam cup of ice water and she sipped it as the older woman sat down beside her. The nurse informed her the orphanage was going to wait until Jack was more responsive before sending a representative and Jack's parents had been contacted. They were in Europe but would be returning late tomorrow.

Across the loudspeaker a voice called out, "Code Blue in Radiology. Radiology we have a Code Blue."

"What's a Code Blue?" Samantha asked the nurse.

A team with a crash cart went racing past them towards radiology and reluctantly, the nurse explained to her. "The trauma team was just called to resuscitate a patient."

"It's Jack isn't it?" Samantha demanded.

"Yes, but you can't go back there, they need room to work if they're going to help him."

Samantha looked up at a clock, it was just midnight, Christmas and Jack was fighting for his life. There was nothing she could do except wait and pray. Desperately she wished Sofia was here, she'd know what to say and do. In Samantha's ears, the ticking of the clock thundered in her ears as each second crept slowly and each minute seemed to last an eternity. Twenty minutes passed at a painful pace and the team with the cart came walking back to the emergency room.

Samantha tensed as Nurse Sara, inquired, "The Code, was it the boy that was brought in a little bit ago?"

"Yeah. Think it broke the rest of his ribs and if it wasn't collapsed already, one of his lungs is collapsed. But we got his heart started again," a male technician informed them.

Tears of relief fell from Samantha's eyes. But even as she felt relieved, it terrified her that Jack's heart stopped. If Jack's heart ever truly stopped beating, she didn't think she wanted to go on. Standing up, Samantha began to pace nervously waiting for Jack to return. She felt sick and dizzy as she pace around. Suddenly the room swam before her and Samantha collapsed to the ground. Nurse Sara, scooped her up and guided her to a chair. After checking Sam's pulse, she waited for her to come to.

"Samantha, you fainted dear. I'm sure it's just because you're upset about Jack, but I want you to sit here and put your head between your knees for me."

Leaning downwards helped the dizziness slightly, but the nausousness remained. Sam sat up and watched anxiously as Jack was wheeled back to the ER. Her glimpse was brief before they wheeled him behind the curtain and more medical personnel moved in and out from behind the curtain. There was a hideous gagging sound and Samantha fought the urge to run and pull them away from Jack, they were helping him however awful it sounded.

After several moments, a doctor came around the curtain and said, "Samantha?"

"Yes!" she stood up and rushed towards him.

Closing the curtain behind him, the doctor stepped out and ushered her over to the chairs and told her, "He's regained consciousness. Now he's asking for you and I promised him I would bring you to him. Samantha, I need you to help me, you want to help your friend right?"

"Of course. Just tell me how."

"I need you to get him to stay still and quiet for us. He's got a lot of broken bones that need to be set and casts applied. And he's getting quite sick so we need him not to talk and start coughing more. Could you help?"

Samantha followed the doctor back to Jack and she looked at him as he lay still. They had removed the neck brace so he was able to turn his head towards her. Lifting his left ring finger to her, she gently caressed it. As the Doctor began to set the bones in Jack's right foot and leg, Samantha flinched along with Jack, her heart aching for his pain. Several times Jack tried to talk, but Samantha gently begged him to stay silent. When the doctor had set the bones in Jack's foot and calf, he move to his hip bone and began to adjust it.

Involuntarily, Jack cried out in pain and Samantha fought tears as the doctor informed her, "Normally with this many bones to set we would sedate him but with his head injury we can't risk any anesthetics, sedatives or analgesics tonight."

"What's that mean?" Sam asked.

"Grin and bear it," Jack croaked in a strangled whisper.

Samantha spoke softly to Jack and caressed the fingers of his left hand which seemed to be the only safe place to touch. The Doctor explained Jack had broken, both arms and his right hand. Both legs and his right hip and quite a few ribs between the fall and his coughing. Watching Jack suffer, Samantha fought the urge to weep and tried to remain strong for her husband. Whatever happened, Billy Watkins was going to suffer as much as Jack and more before she was done with him...







Part 18

Age 15 Years 10 Months

When the doctor had finished setting Jack's bones and applying the casts, Jack resembled a mummy. Part way through Jack had mercifully passed out from the pain, but Samantha remained by his side and hurt for him as she heard the doctor manipulating Jack's bones. As the doctored labored over Jack, Samantha caressed his left upper arm and left fingers, the only parts that were unbroken save Jack's spine, skull and right hip. Around his ribs they tightly wrapped soft wrap bandages in case they had to resuscitate him again. Looking at the red marks from the paddle charge on Jack's chest, Samantha prayed for her husband.

Samantha felt dizzy and nauseated as she stood beside Jack and watched. Several times she left briefly for fresh air and sat with her head between her legs on a bench outside. It seemed like everything kept spinning around her, she felt so strange. Must be because she was so worried about Jack, she dismissed the feeling and went to rejoin her husband. When they were ready to take him up to ICU, Janet Fletcher showed up from the home to take Sam back to participate in Christmas with the other residents.

Whereas Samantha would have floundered at such a confrontation before, she had gained confidence from Jack. Coldly she informed Janet, "My father arranged leave for me until late Christmas afternoon, his plans may have changed, but I have no obligation to report to that dump before then. My Jack may not live through the night, I'll be damned if I leave his side."

Janet looked shocked, then snapped, "Look I don't know what the hell you think is so damn special about that little freak, but get over it! If the little bastard lives, he'll marry some society brat like himself, not some poor little girl whose daddy doesn't want her."

Samantha clenched her fists and turned around as Janet continued her tirade. Ignoring her comments, Samantha went to the elevator to go up to ICU. Janet was left spluttering as the elevator doors closed and Samantha headed upstairs. No one would take her away from Jack, he was her husband and she wouldn't leave his side. As the elevator climbed, Samantha grabbed the rail as the dizzy feeling returned.

When Samantha got off the elevator, she found Nurse Sara who told her, "This way dear, I'll take you to his room. Now try not to be too concerned, we had to give him some oxygen, he was struggling for breath and we've got him on a heart monitor since he isn't doing as well as we'd like. But he has woken up again."

"Is Jack going to-" Samantha trailed off, she couldn't say it.

"I can't honestly say, but right now you can help Jack by praying for him and by staying by his side. Everytime he rouses up he starts asking for you and it's straining him further. If you're by his side hopefully it will keep him quiet. We've given him plasma once tonight already and we don't want to give him more unless we have to."

Samantha walked into the room and looked at Jack. Ironically it was the same room he had been in before and terrifyingly he had looked radiant then compared to now. His skin was deathly pale and at the edges of the casts, his skin was bruised an angry black and purple. His lips were chapped and raw from his biting them in pain earlier and his eyes had a sunken look as he looked up at her.

"Jack," Samantha sighed and sat on a chair that was drawn up to the bed. "I'm sorry it took me a couple minutes, I ran into Janice Fletcher."

Looking up at Samantha, Jack's eyes narrowed at the mention of Janice. The woman had been rude to his Samantha before and he suspected she had dared to do so again. As he gazed at Samantha, Jack felt frustrated. There were so many things he wanted to tell her and he not only couldn't now, he might never get the chance to say them. Although he had suffered lots of injuries courtesy of his Gauchers Disease, he'd never hurt anywhere close to as badly as he did right now. Jack wanted to hold Samantha more than anything and all he could do was extend the fingers on his left hand a little.

Nurse Sara entered and took Jack's blood pressure. When he looked at her inquisitively, she told him, "67 over 49."

As soon as the words were out, she regretted them as a look of definite understanding crossed his face. Sara remembered he was terribly bright, but surely he didn't know just how bad the reading was. Through his oxygen mask Jack shot her a weak and ironic smile, there was no doubt he knew how bad it was. Looking from Jack to Samantha, Sara couldn't decide if she hoped Jack would live or die. While she hated to see a person die so young, she knew her patient was in an almost inhuman amount of pain and it would be hours before they could dare risk pain medicine.

Under his mask Jack fidgeted and the nurse lifted it for a moment, he whispered, "Water please."

"Sweetie you can't have a glass of water, but you may have a few ice chips. I'll go get them."

Sara disappeared and brought back a small foam cup and a plastic spoon, "Would you like to give him ice?"

Samantha nodded and when the nurse lifted the oxygen mask and left, got a few crystals on the spoon and brought it to Jack's lips. When he tried to speak, she stopped him, "No, don't darling. You need to stay quiet."

"Billy," Jack rasped.

"I know, I figured it out when I found you. Billy won't hurt me, but I can't promise not to hurt Billy."

Jack started to laugh and then coughed and grimaced as a small trickle of blood spilled from his mouth. Through the pain he felt embarrassed to have Samantha see him like this. Taking a tissue from the bedside table, she dabbed the blood gently and cautiously pushed his hair back. Opening his mouth to try and speak Samantha shushed him.

"I love you Jack," she assured him and fed him another spoon of ice. "I promised to be your comfort and companion. You're my husband and I'm your wife, a little blood is no big deal."

As Samantha spoke she was unaware that she was being watched by Janice Fletcher in the doorway. Married? They were far too young, but she had a feeling something had transpired and perhaps it would be something the Senator would pay to keep quiet. A vicious smile curled her lips as she turned away and headed for the orphanage, Janice wanted to check exactly when Prince Albert's parents would arrive.

Nurse Sara came back in and took Jack's blood pressure again, she didn't want to tell Jack but he gave her a determined look. "63 over 43. I think I'm going to get the doctor on the phone and see what he thinks."

Samantha looked terrified as Sara left and Jack rasped, forcing words out painfully and slowly, "He'll think I'm not going to last much longer. Samantha. I love you. Forgive me,: Jack gasped and panted. "Don't want to leave you."

"Jack," Samantha said fearfully.

"Love you," Jack told her then began to cough.

An inhuman tearing sound came from within his chest as he began to cough. The force of the coughing lifted his wounded torso from the bed and Samantha stood up. As she ran to fetch Sara, Jack continued to cough misting the white sheet with a red blood spray and he began to gasp. Sara ran into the room with Samantha on her heels and another nurse as well. The sight of Jack covered in blood sickened Samantha and she fought a wave of dizziness as Sara began barking orders at the other nurse.

"Get me a suction machine now, then get Dr. McClintock on the phone and call the trauma team."

Samantha stood back against the wall as she heard Jack fighting for air. There was a gurgling sound an it sounded as if he was drowning in his own blood. A moment later the other nurse appeared with a wheeled machine that Sara grabbed from her, she took a clear plastic tube and pushed it into Jack's mouth. Across the room Samantha could see as Sara flipped the switch that a wash of Jack's blood was going up inside.

The trauma team came running and Jack was given whole blood instead of just plasma as they worked to clean him up. When Sara retracted the suction tube from Jack's throat, a member of the trauma team took a sterile tube from their cart and intubated him to hopefully keep his throat clear even if he aspirated more blood. The heart monitor went berserk and sounded and alarm and a man on the trauma team cursed loudly.

"Shit, don't do this kid, your chest is little more than bloody pulp now!" The man exclaimed as he looked at another team member.

"We don't dare try chest compressions with his ribs like this and he already has a collapsed lung. Try the paddles, it's out best bet."

Around Jack the trauma team worked feverishly for over an hour as Samantha watched silently and prayed. Please God, don't take Jack. They finally had Jack stabilized although still in poor shape. While they worked on Jack he slipped into unconsciousness and although he was responsive, he remained asleep. As the trauma team left, Sara noticed Sam and walked to her.

"Samantha, you should have left, this was nothing for a little girl to see. Let's get you sat down," Sara lead her to the chair. "I'm going to get you a little something to drink. Jack won't be waking up for a while, he's exhausted from his body fighting so hard to live."

But I'm not a little girl, Sam thought. She was a married woman whose husband might not live. When Sara returned, Samantha politely accepted the glass of juice as the nurse changed the bloodied top sheet. Hour after hour passed. First it was daylight and then Samantha gradually fell asleep in her chair as Jack continued to sleep under the mass of tubes and machinery that were monitoring him and keeping him alive.

Samantha had roused and watched her husband worriedly for about an hour as the afternoon sun came streaming in when an elegantly dressed couple swept into the room.

Shooting Samantha a calculating look, the woman told her, "I'm Albert's mother. The nurses told me you spent all night looking after my son."

"Yes, I'm-"

"Samantha. I've been told by both the nurses and Ms. Fletcher from the orphanage. While it was very kind of you, you look exhausted. Ms Fletcher is going to take you home for just a couple hours and then she'll bring you back."

"Oh but I wanted to look after Jack-"

Miriam's eyes narrowed slightly and she smiled at Samantha, "My dear I understand and appreciate. You can come back later, after all it wouldn't be good if you were to get sick too now would it?"

"N-no," Samantha agreed reluctantly. For some reason she had a bad feeling and felt like she shouldn't leave. But these were Jack's parent's and they had come to look after him. Jack wouldn't like it if she got sick, maybe she would leave for just two hours to change clothes and give them a short time alone with him. Samantha wondered if she should tell them about their marriage. No, best leave that for later when Jack was awake.

"Who better to look after him in your absence than his own dear mother," she smiled at Samantha.

"Could I have just one minute alone with him before I go?"

"Of course my dear."

Samantha waited a moment until they left. Pressing a kiss to Jack's cheek she whispered, "I love you Jack. I'll see you very soon."

Giving Jack a final kiss, Samantha left the room and his parents descended...