Episode Twenty

The Bowen-Harris House

Jamie stood in the livingroom, shivering. He knew it shouldn't be this cold in the middle of the house, but it was. He slowly walked further into the dark room, waiting for his eyes to adjust. His foot bumped into something and he jumped back, banging into a table with a lamp. He turned and flicked on the light before turning back. What he saw made his heart freeze in his chest and he sank to the ground, reaching out with one hand toward's his father's body...

The Garage Apartment

Jamie jerked awake, letting out a sob as he did. He didn't know why he had woken up, usually that dream continued on for what seemed like enternity, him sitting by his dad's body as he had his mother's. Of course, before the dream had always been in the livingroom of he and his dad's apartment, rather than the new house, but other than that it was the same.

Another knock sounded on the door, making Jamie realize it was that which had awakened him. He got out of bed, shaking slightly from the images of the dream, and padded barefoot across the floor. When he reached the door her peeked out the curtain and frowned when he saw Malcolm. He slowly opened the door.

"What's wrong?" Jamie asked as he let Malcolm inside.

Malcolm shifted from foot to foot, not meeting the teenager's gaze. "What makes you think something's wrong?"

"Because it's..." Jamie paused to look at the clock, "One in the morning?"

Malcolm sighed. "Jamie, you should sit down..."

"What happened?" Jamie said, remaining on his feet. "Is it my dad?"

"There was an accident,"Malcolm said slowly. "Mike and Rebecca had just crossed the border... The jeep went off the road, Jamie. There was a steep embankment, and... it went off the road."

"Are they okay?" Jamie asked.

"Rebecca was going straight into surgey, last I checked, and Mike..."

"He's okay, right?" Jamie asked, panic creeping into his voice. "Right?"

"He's in bad shape, Jamie. There's nothing..."

"No," Jamie said, shaking his head. "No. My dad's fine... he's gotta be fine..."

"They don't think he's going to make it," Malcolm said.

"It shouldn't have taken more than 2 hours for them to get to the border.... it's been almost 8 hours sicne they left..." Jamie said. "Are you sure it's them? Maybe it's.. maybe it's someone else?"

"It's them. I checked. I made sure."

"But..."

"The highway wasn't busy. No one saw them, or reported it for a long time," Malcolm explained.

"Where... where are they?"

"Medcenter was the closest hospital with proper facilities and doctors to treat Rebecca," Malcolm replied.

"Okay, okay, just... just take me there, okay?"

"Jamie, you need to get dressed," Malcolm said.

Jamie slipped his feet into his sneakers, which rested by the door and grabbed his jacket. "Let's go," he repeated. 'Did you... do Jenny and David know?"

"Not yet. David's car isn't there, and I didn't think I should tell Jenny when she's by herself..."

"I'll tell her after I see them at Med Center," Jamie decided as he went downstairs, taking them two at a time.

Med Center

"Damn it, there's gotta be something!" Sarah said, looking at Drew.

"His injuries are too severe," Drew replied sadly. "It's a miracle he isn't dead yet."

"He's really not gonna be okay?" a quiet, and pained, voice said from behind them.

Sarah turned and saw Jamie standing nearby. "Oh Jamie," she said. "He was hurt really bad..."

"Malcolm said that," Jamie interrupted. "He's going to die?"

Sarah nodded slowly. "Yes."

"I want to see him."

"Jamie, that's not..."

"Please, I need to see him," Jamie repeated. "I need to... I was in shock when my mom died, I couldn't say goodbye. I have to... I have to tell my dad goodbye..."

Sarah nodded and put an arm around Jamie's shoulders to lead him to the trauma room Mike was in.

When they entered the room, Jamie took a step backwards at the sight of Mike. There was blood all over him, and an oxygen maks covered his face. "I know, honey," Sarah said softly.

Jamie slowly walked towards the bed and tentively reached for his dad's hand. "Is it okay if I...?"

"Go ahead," Sarah replied.

Jamie picked up Mike's hand and held it tightly. "Can you leave us alone?" he asked Sarah.

Sarah nodded again. "I'll be right outside," she said as she left the room and closed the door.

Jamie held onto Mike's hand, trying to stay calm. "Dad?" he whispered. "Your hand feels so cold. Dad, please don't leave me. I need you, okay? I can't... I can't lose you," he said. "You can't leave me, okay Dad? You just can't." He let out a painful breath and pulled a chair up alongside the bed so he could sit down. "After mom died, you promised me you'd never leave me like that, remember? You said that I'd be all grown up and wouldn't need you anymore by the time you died. Well, Dad, I'm not all grown up yet. Not even close. So, you can't die yet, okay?" Jamie stopped talking and bowed his head as he kept a firm hold of Mike's hand. "Please, Dad."

"Shorty?"

Jamie's head jerked up at the raspy whisper. "Dad?"

Outside The Trauma Room

Sarah sat on the floor, her head in her hands. She wasn't crying, yet, but she knew she would later. She had known Mike for almost 10 years, every since the first fourth of July after she had started dating Julian. She had gone to the annual Police Picnic with Julian and met the Bowens when Mike had come over with 7 year-old Jamie tucked under one arm. She had liked him instantly, and had jokingly said she wished she'd met Mike first.

"Sarah?"

Sarah looked up and met her husband's gaze. She got to her feet and leaned against him, letting him hold her. "He's going to die, Julian," she said.

"I know, Drew Sanchez told me," Julian replied. "He said Jamie was down here."

"He's in there, he wanted to be alone with Mike," Sarah said.

Julian shook his head. "We can't let him be in there when... he can't handle it, Sarah. Not again."

"He's not going to leave," Sarah said. "He won't."

"We can't let him be in there."

The Trauma Room

"Dad?" Jamie repeated.

"Hey, shorty," Mike said.

"Dad, you're... you're awake. You're okay."

"Not so much," Mike said. "Can't breathe."

"I'll go get somebody... Sarah said she'd be outside..." Jamie said.

"No, stay," Mike replied, gripping his son's hand. "Is Rebecca...?"

"She's hurt, too. I think they said she'd be okay, though," Jamie said quietly.

"And me?"

"They said..." Jamie started, tears starting to fall down hsi cheeks. "They said you're gonna die. But you can't, Dad."

"Don't cry, okay? Don't cry."

"But.... I can't lose you, Dad."

"You won't. I always said your mom was still here, watching over you. I will too," Mike said. "And I'll be with her."

"Please, Dad," Jamie said.

"You'll be okay," Mike said, his eyes drifting closed briefly. "Love you, shorty," he said, his eyes closing again, but not opening again.

"Dad?" Jamie whispered.

Outside The Trauma Room

Sarah jerked away from Julian when she heard the alarm going off in the trauma room. "Oh God," she said as she ran in. Jamie was still sitting next to the bed, grasping Mike's hand. "Jamie, honey, you have to move so we can..."

"No," Jamie said. "You said he was gonna die. Just let him die. Don't... don't make him stay when he's gonna die anyway."

"Jamie, let them try," Julian said.

"No!" Jamie repeated. "No."

Sarah nodded and switched off the alarm as Drew ran in with a nurse. "What are you doing?" Drew asked.

"We're not going to try," Sarah explained, gesturing at Jamie. "We shouldn't keep him alive when he won't survive the long run."

Drew opened his mouth to argue, but stopped as he watched Jamie just sit by the bed, looking at Mike's face. Finally, he nodded. "All right, do you wanna... handle the paperwork or should I?" he asked Sarah.

"I'll do it," Sarah said as she walked back towards the door, pulling Julian, Drew, and the nurse with her. "We need to... give him some time, I think," she said.

"We need to call someone," Julian said. "Laurence."

"No," Drew said. "I mean, yeah, we need to call him. But, we need to call someone to judt be here for Jamie. He needs that, I think. Like my niece, Maria."

"Yeah," Sarah agreed. "You're right."

"No," Jamie said as he walked out of the room, shaking slightly. "No, don't call Maria. Don't call, anyone."

"We have to," Sarah said.

"Then just call my Uncle Laurence, no one else, okay? Let them sleep," Jamie said. "They'll find out soon enough. I have to... I have to go home. I need to find out about Rebeca and tell Jenny. And David if he ever gets home," he continued, his voice calm. "They need to know..."

Sarah put her arms around Jamie, thinking he was about to start crying, but instead he shrugged her arms off. "Jamie, honey, you need to sit down and..."

"No, I need to go find out how Rebecca is, then go tell Jenny what happened," he repeated, starting towards the elevator. "That's what I need to do."

End Of Episode Twenty