A/N: Hello again! Told you I'd be back with a sequel to Old Friends, New Friends! Enjoy and remember, I love hearing from you.
"Explain to me how we pulled the short straw for this shift?" Officer Chris Killian drove carefully over the icy streets. His eyes leaving the pavement for brief moments, on the lookout for stranded motorists, downed power lines, and fallen tree limbs.
"Man, you know the captain called all hands out for this storm. Besides, the extra cash will get us to Jamaica that much sooner." Officer Vince Ambrosi spoke as he sipped his coffee. His eyes were scanning the roads, as well.
"Yeah," Chris smiled, "Jamaica. That's gonna be great, beach, booze, and babes. Speaking of babes, how are your cousins?"
"Which ones?" Vince come from a large, Italian family.
"Nikki and Francie, duh."
It's no secret that Chris has an eye for the Mancini girls, but in his book it's never a good idea to date your buddy's sisters, and that's what those girls are like to Vince, sisters.
"They're good."
"I'll bet," Chris chuckled.
Vince looked sternly at his partner. "Hey! You're not even allowed to think about those two. I'll kick your ass."
"I'm gonna make it next Fourth of July to your parents' party, then I can see for myself just how good they are." Chris wiggled his eyebrows digging further under his friend's skin.
"Hell, they'll be married by then."
"That serious, huh?"
"Yeah, at least Mom and Aunt Sophia think so."
"Well, if things go south with their current relationships, you have them call me."
"Call you? Chris 'Ladykiller' Killian? Hell, no!" Vince laughed as Chris pouted.
After a moment of quiet, Chris grumbled, "I should be at home in bed."
"Why? You'd be alone." Vince teased his partner.
"Fuck you, man. I wouldn't be if you'd let me date one of the Mancini girls." Chris laughed.
"You'd be dead...keep your distance."
Vince and Chris have been friends since they entered the police academy, six years ago, and the truth of the matter was, Vince would approve of a relationship between one of his beloved cousins and Chris. He was a good man, a brave man, and his best friend.
The two officers continued driving through the ice storm. Vince pointed off to the left. "Is that another limb over there?"
"Looks like it. Call it in, Officer Ambrosi."
Vince grabbed for the radio to call dispatch with another cleanup job for City Services to add to their growing list. His fingers brushed the radio as it came to life.
"2B12, an 11-79." The dispatchers voice came through.
"2B12, go ahead," Vince replied
"Approximately Johnson Drive and Renner Road, OnStar reporting an accident, no response from passengers. Medical on the way."
"Shit, that's here!" Chris began searching for the car accident.
"2B12, copy," Vince replied looking around, as well.
"I don't see anything." Chris turned on the emergency lights and parked on the shoulder. They grabbed their coats and exited the vehicle to search on foot. Vince walked to the edge of the asphalt and looked down the hill. With the freezing rain, and wind, blowing in his face, he could barely see the dark SUV laying on its roof.
"Chris! Over here!"
Both men made their way, slipping and sliding, down the hill. As Vince got closer, he read the license plate and his heart leapt into his throat.
"NO!" Vince yelled, realizing that his cousin's crumpled SUV lay before him.
"What is it?"
"It's Francie!" Vince moved as fast as he could down the slippery hill.
"Are you sure?!" Worried for his partner, and Francie, panic began to rise in Chris.
"The plate, man...DOLCEZZA...sweetness! Oh God, it's Francie!"
Chris managed to keep up with Vince, as his pace quickened. Vince got to the SUV first and fell to his knees, looking in the driver's window. He gasped at the sight of his younger cousin, suspended in the air by her seatbelt, bleeding, and still.
"Francie?! Francie, it's Vinny, Angelo, I'm here." Vince checked for a pulse. Please, God, please, let her be alive!
Vince's prayers were answered. He turned to shout at Chris. "Got a pulse, it's weak, but it's there!"
Vince informed the OnStar operator that police were on the scene and thanked her for her help before she disconnected.
Chris was on his knees checking out the car for passengers. "She's the only one in the car!"
"Marley must be with Kendall. Thank God." Vince began to work the door open. At first it didn't budge, but Vince didn't give up, and after a brief struggle, it popped free.
Chris got on his radio and informed dispatch of the situation and asking on the ETA of an ambulance. The sirens they heard in the distance confirmed the information that dispatch had given him. Chris placed a hand on his friends shoulder.
"EMTs and rescue are on their way," Chris said as he kneeled beside Vince.
This is always a fear of every cop, answering a call and funding the victim is someone you know and love. Everything Chris learned at the academy, and in his career, told him that he should try to move Vince and take control of the situation, but Chris knew better. First of all, he'd have a hell of a fight on his hands trying to separate the cousins, and Vince was a man that Chris didn't want to tangle with. Second of all, Chris knew that Vince was a good cop, a smart man who could do the job he was trained to do.
"Help is coming, Angelo, stay with me. What in the hell were you doing out here, Francie?" He tried wiping some blood away but it proved futile. "Talk to me, Fay. Open your eyes."
Francie remained unresponsive.
How am I supposed to tell Aunt Sophia and Uncle Dom? Shit...
The EMTs made their way to the SUV, Vince stepped back to allow them to do their job. He stood by feeling helpless and scarred, watching the brace being placed around Francie's neck didn't help matters any.
The two EMTs, and the two officers, carefully unhooked Francie, got her out of the car, and on the stretcher. They piled blankets on the unconscious woman, attempting to warm her while they assessed the situation and continued to care for her. They quickly loaded her onto the gurney and into the ambulance.
"I'm going with her." Vince wasn't to be stopped.
"I'll met you," Chris said to his friend. Turning to the EMT, Chris asked, "Shawnee Mission Hospital, right?"
The EMT nodded, "They're all ready for us. We need to go, now."
The trip to the hospital seemed to take forever, even though the accident wasn't but a few miles away. Vince held Francie's blood stained hand, for his own comfort as much as hers.
What were you doing out there, Francie? What made you leave the house? What am I going to tell your parents? My parents? Marley? Oh, God, please, don't you let her die!
It's almost six-thirty, where is she?! I've got to call Nikki and tell her...shit, I can't. Then I'd have to explain what happened.
I'd have to tell her we thought James was sleeping with Amber. Tell her Francie and I got caught up in our emotions and needs. Tell her we had spine tingling sex...twice! Tell her we were wrong about James. Tell her that Francie lost it, and took off out into the storm...
Shit! That's even beyond my comprehension, how's Nikki going to grasp that?!
Kendall dropped his head into his hands. "Why did you have to go, Freckles? I told you we'd work it out! Dammit!"
The severity of the ice storm had caused numerous flights to be cancelled, and the earliest flight James could get was that evening. His bags were packed and he had it all figured out.
I'll head to the set, shoot what scenes I can shoot before my flight leaves, and schedule with production to shoot the rest in a day, or two, when I get back in town with Francie. I'm not leaving Kansas City without her. I'm NOT!
They EMTs rushed Francie into the ER, nurses scurried and they all started shouting directions, stats, and orders. It was controlled chaos. Vince could only watch, and pray, from a distance, as his little cousin lay motionless, unaware of the activity and the effort being put forth to save her life.
Chris stepped up next to Vince, having just arrived. "Hey, man, how is she?"
Vince shook his head. "Still unconscious, head trauma, broken left arm, and she lost a lot of blood." He turned to face his friend with genuine pain in his eyes. "I don't know what to tell her family...MY family."
"I'm sorry, Vince. Do you want me to do it?"
"No." Vince shook his head, "No, but thank you. I should be the one to tell them." Vince looked at his watch. "It's almost seven-thirty, my aunt and uncle should be up."
"You call them and stay with Francie. I'll head their way and pick them up."
"Thanks, man. I appreciate it."
After his phone call to Sophia and Dom, Vince called Nikki. He wasn't expecting his conversation to go any better with his cousin, than it did with his aunt and uncle.
"Hey, Vinny, what's up?" Nikki was surprised to be hearing from her cousin so early on a Saturday morning.
"Hey, Nik. Listen, I've got something to tell you."
Her cousin's voice was shaky causing dread to rise in Nikki's heart. "What's wrong, Vin?"
"It's Francie. She was in a car accident, she's in the hospital."
"What? Wh-when? Is she...is she alright? What happened?"
"Chris and I got the call a little after six. I'm guessing she lost control on the ice and rolled her SUV. She's unconscious and banged up. Broke her arm, too. They are running a CT and MRI to determine any injuries she may have suffered."
Nikki started to cry and it broke Vince's heart. "I'm so sorry, Nik."
"Do Mom and Dad know?" Nikki didn't know how to break the news to them.
"Yeah, Chris is picking them up."
"I'm on my way, you stay with her, you hear me, Vinny?"
"I'm not leaving her side, I promise. Why don't you wait and I'll have Chris come get you."
"No! I'm not waiting, I'll be okay."
"Alright, please be careful. Love you."
"I love you, too."
Nikki explained the situation to Logan as they got ready to go to the hospital. Logan held her as she cried.
"You take the girls to Mrs. Duncan's and I'll call Kendall, I'm sure he'll want to go with us." Logan stepped back from Nikki and looked down at her. He wiped the tears from her cheek, and shook his head. "Shit, Niks, it's his birthday. I'll bet this isn't how he thought he'd be spending it."
Kendall drained the remaining coffee into his cup and considered making another pot. He wanted to have a warm cup waiting for Francie when she came home. He fed the puppies and wandered back into the living room.
When Francie gets home she should have calmed down enough to talk about this. I can convince her that we can keep what happened between us a secret. Neither of us have to risk losing James.
I wanted Francie back, but not like this. I though James was messing around, too, if he was, he didn't deserve Francie...but he wasn't, he was faithful. I believed Amber, too. This wasn't Francie's fault. I wish she could see that.
Kendall sipped his coffee and looked at his watch.
"Seven fifty-five. That's it, I'm calling Nikki."
Kendall reached for his phone, thinking of what to say to Francie's sister. Before he had his speech formed in his head, his phone rang. Logan was calling him.
Maybe Francie is there, with Logan and Nikki. Thank God!
"Logan? Tell me Francie's with you."
"I wish I could, Kendall. Francie's been in an accident. She's in the hospital."
"What?!" Kendall jumped up, nearly spilt his coffee.
"She rolled the Navigator."
"Oh, God." Kendall was afraid to ask his next question but he had to know. "How is she, Logan?"
"Her arm's broken, she's cut up pretty badly, and unconscious. They're running tests right now. That's all we know."
Kendall envisioned the twisted metal with Francie inside. He began tearing up. Oh, Freckles...
"Which hospital is she in?" Kendall's voice cracked.
"Shawnee Mission. Nikki is taking the girls next door to Mrs. Duncan and we're heading over. We'll pick you up. Listen, DON'T drive yourself! We'll be right there."
Logan didn't want his friend driving in his emotional condition. That's all we need...two of you in he hospital.
"Okay," Kendall agreed. "I'm at Francie's, I'll be ready when you get here."
Francie's? What's he doing there?
"Be there soon, you okay?"
No...some birthday. It started out great then...
"I'll be okay."
"You want me to call James?"
"No! I mean, I'll call him when we know more."
"Are you sure? Don't you think-"
"I'll take care of it, Logan."
Logan wasn't sure it was a good idea to wait.
What if Francie...stop! Don't think that, Logan! She'll be fine. She will...
"Okay. Nikki's back we're leaving now."
"Thanks."
Kendall hung up the phone and walked, in a trance, up to Francie and James' bedroom. He went to James' closet and found a shirt to wear.
Can't show up at the hospital in this one with the buttons torn off. Kendall's mind replayed Francie ripping his shirt open. The desire between them, the passion they shared.
How did this turn so tragic? I should have stopped it. I should have known James wouldn't have hurt Francie like that.
Kendall dropped onto the bed and cried. Tears fell for the emotional hurt Francie endured over the last few hours, thinking she'd been the one who was betrayed, when in actuality, she was the betrayer. Kendall knew that tore her up inside.
He cried for the relationships that would never be the same. Francie and James, him and James, him and Francie, not to mention Tiff. It's hard to believe that one misunderstanding could screw up so many lives.
He cried fearing Francie's injuries, her life. They could lose her, at the very least, lose the Francie they know and love.
"All because I couldn't control myself! I'm so sorry, Freckles. I'm so sorry!"
Kendall allowed himself some time to cry, and finally pulling himself together, he waited for Logan and Nikki to pick him up.