Nicki's Protector: Part One

Nicki had always thought that Uncle Jamie's presence would cause some kind of a disturbance, the positive kind of course, but she never thought that her female classmates would be blushing and fluttering and giggling when they were in his presence. They were playing with their hair, crossing and uncrossing their legs, chewing their lips, seemingly all in rapt attention of the little speech Uncle Jamie was making. Not to mention Mrs. Stalinski who was twirling her wedding ring on her fingers. The teacher had taken off her glasses at first. But she decided to put them on back again so, Nicki assumed, she would get a better look at Uncle Jamie. Nicki always loved to observe how people act around each other. And putting Uncle Jamie in her Social Studies class was the best social and behavioural experiment.

After Uncle Jamie finished his 'Career Day' presentation, Mrs. Stalinski sighed like a lovelorn teenager and announced that it was time for questions.

"You must be hot," a classmate with long dark blue hair quipped. The class let out a giggle. Nicki didn't know what the guys in her class think, but Uncle Jamie might be causing a life-changing decision right now.

"The uniform? It is. And normally I've got the vest on, so today I don't feel as hot as I would when I'm on patrol duty."

"Have you ever had an accident when you're on duty?" Finally a male classmate asked.

"A few times."

"How do you not fear the moment you step out into the streets?"

"Like every other job or life itself – you have to stay positive, and only cross the bridge when you get there."

Nicki smiled at that answer. There was that far away look in Uncle Jamie's eyes, but also a small twist at the end of his lips that told her that he believes in what he said, without a shadow of doubt.

The class ended three minutes after the bell rang. Students waiting for their friends from Mrs. Stalinski's class were already converging in front of the door. gave Uncle Jamie a small token of appreciation – the photo of Uncle Jamie and the class that they took at the end of the Q & A. Mrs. Stalinski had a wireless printer in the classroom and the photo was ready in a few seconds.

"Wow. This is wonderful. I really appreciate it, Mrs. Stalinski," Uncle Jamie said, looking at the framed photo.

"Thank you very much, Officer Reagan. I think I will be calling you again next year even though Nicki will no longer be in my class."

"It'll be my pleasure, ma'am."

"I wish you all the best with your career."

"Thank you."

Nicki was all smiles as she escorted Mrs. Stalinski and her Uncle Jamie out of the classroom. The girls waiting outside sucked their breath when they saw Uncle Jamie. Nicki was very proud of her uncle. She was glad that they are related by blood or else she would be like them too – hearts all a flutter at the sight of the man with wavy, brown hair. She didn't quite place it with Uncle Jamie. He wasn't a beefcake calendar material. He was not imposingly tall. But he had that streamlined form that make him ordinary looking enough to be every girl's crush but the twinkle in the sad eyes and the generous smile and way he opens his mouth as if he balks rather than grinding his jaws when he was really pissed off makes him adorably, irresistibly mysterious as if only she could understand him. Thank God her schoolmates did not know what Uncle Jamie would do to save anyone's live if the situation called for it. Or else, they would be asking for autographs. Nicki remembered how she twirled when her mom told her that Uncle Jamie will be the one teaching her to drive. Uncle Jamie had that effect on people.

"How did I do?" Uncle Jamie asked, adrenaline wearing off after his speech.

"You did great. You were wonderful."

"I was nervous."

"No way. It didn't show. Anyway you were toastmaster in Harvard,"

"It's different when I'm talking to your friends."

"You don't want to disappoint me, I know. And I'm eternally grateful."

"Anything for my favourite niece."

"Uncle Jamie, I'm your only niece," Nicki rolled her eyes.

"Ha ha."

"Do you want to join me at the cafeteria?"

"Are you sure? Having lunch at the school cafeteria with your police officer uncle will not go down well in your high school social life record. You'll be shunned like a pariah."

"I don't care. And you know that is not true. And even if I care about social cred, I would still have you at the cafeteria anyway."

"Um…" Uncle Jamie mulled.

"C'mon. Lunch is on me," Nicki said.

"Oh yeah? That'll be the first."

Nicki laughed and slipped her hand into the crook of Uncle Jamie's arm. Oblivious to the envious stares, the two walked down the hallway heading to the cafeteria, Uncle Jamie totally in his niece's charge.

Their light and easy steps were stopped by the sight of six students in full sprint towards them.

"No running in the hallway!" Mrs. Stalinski issued a warning yell. It went unheeded.

Uncle Jamie let go of Nicki's arm. He caught one of the students charging towards them. The girl's eyes were wild.

"Hey, hey, it's OK," Uncle Jamie placated the student. "What happened?"

"It's Gordon. He has a gun," the girl said.

"Where is he?"

"Near the gym."

"It's OK …"

"It's Holly," Nicki helped with the girl's name.

"It's OK, Holly. You just follow your teacher's instructions, OK?" Uncle Jamie said and gently led Holly into the arms of Mrs. Stalinski.

"Lead the students out. No one will go back this way up to the gym," Uncle Jamie told Mrs. Stalinski. The woman nodded with fear.

"What are you gonna do, Uncle Jamie?" Nicki asked.

"I'm going to talk to Gordon."

"But you're off duty."

"That's why you have to follow your teacher's instructions and call Uncle Danny as soon as you're outside."

Uncle Jamie's warm hand made a gentle push and Nicki nodded. Uncle Jamie saw Nicki under Mrs. Stalinski's radar before he went off into to the other direction. Nicki followed Mrs. Stalinski, but the teacher was busy placating her large group of students, including the visibly traumatized Holly. Nicki decided that she couldn't leave Uncle Jamie alone. If something bad happened to Uncle Jamie it was all on her. She asked Uncle Jamie to come to her school. And Uncle Jamie went along on his off day, where he should be resting in his apartment, waking up late and watching TV. Instead, he was at her school, with a kid going berserk with a gun, without his radio, without his bulletproof vest. There was no version of this that Nicki would just stand in the school compound doing nothing hoping that fate would bring her uncle back to her, just like that.

Nicki made sure that Mrs. Stalinski wasn't looking and she slipped into a janitor's nook that led to the supplies' closet. She took out her phone and called Uncle Danny.

"Hey Nic. What's going on?" Uncle Danny was audibly surprised at her calling him in the middle of the day.

"There's a kid with a gun at my school."

"Are you safe?"

"I'm safe. I'm hidden."

There was a pause before Uncle Danny spoke again.

"Uncle Jamie-"

"He's going to talk to him."

"Son of a-"

"I'm going to help him. I know the student,"

"Nic, stay out of this. Help is coming-"

Nicki disconnected the call. She went out of the nook and moved by placing her back close to the wall. After a few metres, she got the courage to go faster. There was no one in sight. The hallway was deserted. She came to the door of the gymnasium. She peered into the small glass window. As she had guessed, she saw Uncle Jamie with his back to the door, she couldn't his face, but she was fine. Gordon was facing Uncle Jamie. He had his gun to his own face like he was trying to wipe off the tears off his face with the same hand that held his gun. Gordon looked distraught. But Uncle Jamie's jaws were moving, showing that he was talking to him.

Gordon was in her English class. At one point, which was recently, Gordon had a heated with Mr. Hernandez on whether Shakespeare's Hamlet was a coward or not. As much as Nicki loved English Literature especially the Bard's works, she couldn't see the point of arguing about it with a faculty member until he was warranted a detention. Unless, Gordon had taken the play personally for some twisted reason, which in the end most probably had manifested in this moment. She knew that Gordon didn't mean to hurt anyone. Nicki prayed that someone will come right now because she was so scared. Scared for herself who had ignored everyone's instructions and scared that she was alone. Scared that she was the only one who was with Uncle Jamie and right now, and everything was really going to be on her. Because there was no one else here but the three of them.

Nicki was starting to think that Gordon is going to be OK when his face seemed to relax. He was listening to Uncle Jamie.

But in a split second, Gordon raised his gun again, pointing at the level to Uncle Jamie's chest. They were only five feet apart. Like she was being pushed by an invisible force, Nicki opened the door and slid her small frame into the little gap and rested her back on the now closed door.

"What are you doing here?" Gordon asked angrily, pointing the gun at her now.

Uncle Jamie turned, his face crumbled when he saw her. It was like she had stabbed him herself in the chest.

"Gordon, please. You have done nothing wrong. We can go back out there and none of this has happened," Nicki said. She slowly moved towards her uncle.

"You don't know what I've done. You don't know me!"

"I know you're in my English class. I know you didn't deserve that detention from Mr. Hernandez. I know you don't think Hamlet is not a coward."

"Well, yeah… " Gordon became unsure. He seemed to be taken to another place.

"Nicki, get out of here," Uncle Jamie said, looking more alarmed than ever.

"I can help you," Nicki said.

"You know each other?" Gordon said, waving his gun at both of them.

"Officer Reagan is my uncle," Nicki blurted, realizing too late that the information could be detrimental.

"Didn't do much good for Hamlet," Gordon said.

"That's just a story, Gordon," Nicki said.

"Not to me."

Nicki came closer to both of them. Gordon was distracted by her movement. Nicki saw Uncle Jamie took the opportunity. He lunged forward; his arm expertly pushing Gordon's gunned hand upwards.

"Nicki, get out!" Uncle Jamie yelled.

"Uncle Jamie!"

Nicki saw Gordon slipped and fell to the floor, taking the gun and Uncle Jamie with him. It was like was one of those wrestling moves where one was locked to his opponent and no one saw what happened to their hands.

A shot rang out, like a very loud cannon because of the bad acoustic of the gym. Nicki's heartbeat skipped a beat. The bullet could be anywhere. She finally saw Uncle Jamie got Gordon's hand in an arm lock. The boy was on the floor, on his stomach. Uncle Jamie got his cuff and secured the boy's hands. Uncle Jamie kicked the gun lying neatly on the floor to the far corner, out of reach.

There was a loud burst as the door was kicked in.

"Police!" It was Uncle Danny's voice. Nicki cried tears of relief. She saw the two strongest and most determined men she had ever known in a room and she knew everything is OK.

"Nicki, are you hurt?" Danny asked, heading straight to Gordon and pulling him to his feet.

"No," Nicki said.

"You?" Uncle Danny eyed Uncle Jamie, angry and brows furrowed.

" 'm fine."

"Good. I will talk to you later. You will not escape this so easily."

Nicki ran to Uncle Jamie and hugged him at his waist. He was not a very tall man but she still had her head at his chest.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Nicki was surprised that Uncle Jamie pushed her away, something that someone very disappointed at her would do. She wouldn't really know because he had never done that to her.

"Go away, Nicki… Just go."

"Hey, you OK?" Detective Baez asked his partner's kid brother.

" 'm a gonna sit down for a while… take a breather…" Uncle Jamie said, walking away from the shocked Nicki. Nicki fell like the biggest failure in the world. She let her uncle down. She was a fool for going against his instructions.

"Uncle Jamie…" Nicki said, tears running down her face.

"Just go away, Nicki," Uncle Jamie said, sounding very tired.

"Something's wrong," Detective Baez said, giving Uncle Danny's arm a brief squeeze.

"Damn right something 's wrong. Starsky and Hutch here thought they are bulletproof!" Uncle Danny said as he pushed Gordon to the officers in charge for further action.

"No…"Nicki said, looking down at her jacket. She touched her chest. There was blood on it.

"What?" Uncle Danny, his face crumbling. Nicki looked at Uncle Danny and shook her head.

"No, no, no –"

They both ran towards Uncle Jamie. He was aiming to land on the bleachers but he completely missed them. Instead Uncle Jamie just slid down to the floor.

"Jamie!" Uncle Danny called out to him. Uncle Jamie's face contorted in pain.

"Kid's got me-," Uncle Jamie said in difficulty. His hat had fallen off, revealing Uncle Joe's photo. Uncle Danny saw it but kept focusing on his kid brother's face.

"Let me see the wound," Uncle Danny said and pried away his brother's hand from under his chest. There was a bullet hole under his breast pocket, and blood was soaking the fabric through and through.

Uncle Danny eased his kid brother on to the floor.

"Put pressure on the wound, Nicki."

Once Uncle Jamie was flat in his back, Nicki held both her hands on his diaphragm. Her tears had stopped. There was only fear now.

"I don't want her to see me like this, Danny," Uncle Jamie said.

"Help is coming," Detective Baez announced, her face tight.

"Shut up, kiddo. Save your strength," Uncle Danny said.

"Because you gonna need it when I give you that talk on how not to be an idiot."

Uncle Danny was actually in tears when he said that. And Uncle Jamie actually laughed, which sent him into a coughing fit. Blood thinly flowed from the corner of his lips.

"Baez! Where is the damn bus?" Uncle Danny yelled, panicking like he never did before.

"Are you OK, Nicks?" Uncle Jamie asked.

The question took Nicki by surprise. Nicki just nodded. Tears sprung from her like she had just begun crying.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jamie."

"It's gonna be OK, Nicki…" Uncle Jamie said, his chest heaving up and down in his desperate need for oxygen and reprieve from pain.

"Take it easy, Jamie. I'm right here. I'm right here," Uncle Danny said holding his hand in a vice-like grip.

"EMTs coming through!" Detective Baez announced.

"Miss, you have to let go so we can help Officer Reagan," a firm voice told her.

"It's OK, Nicks," Uncle Jamie whispered. He was smiling. His eyes were closing but Nicki was sure he was looking at her. Uncle Danny also let go off Uncle Jamie's hand and he rested the younger man's hand on his stomach.

They carried him away.

Uncle Danny held his head with both hands and let out a stifled groan. He pinched the bridge of his nose in a gesture as if he was stopping his tears.

Then, he pulled Nicki into a tight embrace.

"I did this, Uncle Danny."

"No, the boy with the gun did this."

"It's my fault."

"No, no, no. Don't ever think that. Ever."

Uncle Danny kissed the top of her head as she soaked the shirt on his chest with tears of regret and fear.

To be continued in the Second Chapter.