Title: Seeing Me Through-chapter 1
Disclaimer: Really, truly honestly, don't own Third Watch.
Author's Note: I had to take a break from my other story to write this. It's been rattling around my head for the last couple weeks. Ahhh, sweet relief. Hope you enjoy!
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Kim sat in the darkened nurse's lounge room with Mrs. Taylor. She didn't want to be the object of everyone's pity before she felt a little stronger. Kim sat next to her on the couch and had her arms wrapped around the crying woman.
Mrs. Taylor pulled away slightly and looked up. "After Alex's father died, I just didn't even think it was possible for something like this to happen again. You never expect to have to bury your children," she cried.
Kim felt the tears stinging her eyes, but knew she had to be strong for her, "I can't imagine what you're feeling. If anything ever happened to Joey, I don't know what I'd do," Kim held her hand tight in hers.
"I don't know what to do either. This was my baby girl. She was supposed to get married and have kids and life a long and full life. I'm not supposed to be burying my daughter," she broke down again.
Kim pulled her back into her embrace and rubbed her back soothingly. After a while, she pulled back and looked at her, "You have to know that she was so brave. The only thing she was worried about was you. She wasn't in pain and she wasn't afraid. She just wanted you to know that she loved you. You were her last thought," Kim squeezed her hand, forcing herself to remain in control. She had to do this. For Alex.
Mrs. Taylor smiled through her tears, "I already miss her and it's only been a few hours. How am I supposed to go without her for the rest of my life?"
Kim didn't know how to answer, but drew her sobbing form back into her arms. There was nothing more to say. Nothing that could change what happened and nothing that could comfort. All she could do is be there and hold her.
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Jimmy burst through the hospital doors looking panicked and disheveled. He ran to the front desk frantically, scaring the nurse at the desk. "I need to see Kim Zambrano. Where is she?"
The nurse looked at the computer and frowned, "Sir, there's no one here by that name."
Jimmy slammed his fist on the desk, "You're wrong! I know she's here. You have to tell me where she is!"
The nurse looked frightened and scooted away from the desk, "I'm sorry, sir, but there is no one in the computer by that name."
Jimmy was about to jump over the desk and wring the nurse's neck when D.K. ran over and pulled Jimmy away from the desk to look at him. "Jimmy! Calm down! What's going on?"
Jimmy jerked away from D.K.'s hold, "Where is she? I saw what happened and they won't tell me where she is."
D.K. looked down sadly, "Jimmy, she died at the scene. There was nothing anyone could do."
"Where is she?! I'm not gonna ask you again!" Jimmy yelled and pulled D.K. by the lapels of his coat. His eyes were wide and the tears were dripping off his face. His entire body shook.
D.K. roughly pulled him off, "It's done, man!" he yelled, but quickly calmed and held him by the shoulders, "It's over. You don't want to see her. There's nothing to be done. Her mom is in the nurse's lounge. They're waiting for her to fill out some papers."
Jimmy's grip on D.K.'s wrists clenched and unclenched. He tried desperately to calm his breathing down. He closed his eyes in confusion, "How can her mom be here? She's at home with Joey."
D.K. frowned in bewilderment, "Joey? Why would Alex's mom be with Joey? She's been here for the past hour and a half."
Jimmy's heart skipped a beat. "Alex's mom? You mean, Alex is the paramedic that was killed in the accident?" he asked, shaking.
D.K.'s jaw dropped in understanding, "You thought it was Kim."
"I saw it on t.v. It said a female paramedic from the 55 was killed in the line of duty. I don't understand. Alex was the one who died?" he asked in confusion.
"Yeah, man. The new medic never showed up today and they were short. Doc made Alex ride today," he explained.
Jimmy felt like his legs were gonna give out. He was overwhelmed with emotions. Words couldn't express the utter joy he felt in knowing that Kim was alive, but at the same time a new wave of grief hit him for the loss of a fellow firefighter and friend. "Oh my god," he whispered. He looked in the direction of the lounge, "I have to see her," he said, referring to Kim.
D.K. hugged him briefly then pulled back, "She's is in the lounge with Mrs. Taylor. She went with Davis to pick her up and is trying to calm her down."
Jimmy gave a grateful hug to D.K. and quickly walked down the hall to the nurse's lounge.
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Kim was still holding Mrs. Taylor in her arms when she saw Jimmy hovering at the window trying to get her attention. She pulled away and looked at her, "I'll be back in a few minutes, ok?"
Alex's mom nodded and let her go, "Take your time. I need to be alone for a while."
Kim walked closed the door behind her quietly. She turned around and met Jimmy's stricken gaze, "Hey. I was gonna call you to let you know, but I had to stay with her."
Jimmy nodded and glanced in the room through the blinds, "How is she?"
"Devastated," Kim replied. She looked around to see what was going on. "Did one of the guys call you?"
"No. I saw it on the news and came as soon as I heard," he answered sadly.
"Where's Joey?" she asked in concern. "You didn't bring him here, did you?"
"No. Your mom is at my apartment with him," he said.
"Have you heard anything new with, Lieu?" she asked, scared to hear the answer.
Jimmy shook his head, "No. I just got here a few minutes ago and wanted to find you. Did he get hurt too?" he asked in horror.
Kim sighed and leaned back against the wall, suddenly feeling drained. "Yeah. When the car exploded, he was burnt really bad. They don't know if he's gonna make it or not."
Jimmy couldn't process all this new information. He looked at Kim's exhausted features. "Kim, you need to call your mom."
"I'll talk to her later," she rubbed her hands over her face.
"No. You have to call her right now. Kim....we thought it was you," Jimmy choked out, feeling the tears well up again at the memory.
Kim looked at him in confusion, "You thought what was me?"
"We both saw it on the news. The only thing they said was that a female paramedic from the 55 was killed at the sight. I didn't know Alex was riding today." Jimmy couldn't stop the tears from spilling over, "Kimmy, I thought it was you." He pulled her forward and wrapped her in his arms tightly.
Kim hugged him back in shock. Both he and her mother thought she had died. She felt an intense wave of guilt rush over her. She should have called. "Jimmy, I'm ok. I'm right here," she whispered.
He pulled back, but didn't let her go, "I've never been so scared in my life. I thought I would never see you again. I thought I lost you," he whispered hoarsely.
"Hey guys," D.K. walked up to them, fighting tears of his own.
Kim pulled away from Jimmy. "What? What happened?"
He cleared his throat, "Lieu just passed. They said the damage was to extensive and he couldn't fight any longer. Said it was a miracle he lasted as long as he did. We're all with his family now if you wanna come," he said and walked away sadly. Kim looked towards the large group of firefighters and medics that were surrounding the family. She had never seen the men of her station look so lost.
Kim wiped away the tears that had fallen and looked at Jimmy. "I'm gonna call my mom and let her know I'm alright. I'll be there in a minute."
Before Jimmy could respond, walked away and he watched her go. He felt like he never would let her out of his sights again
Disclaimer: Really, truly honestly, don't own Third Watch.
Author's Note: I had to take a break from my other story to write this. It's been rattling around my head for the last couple weeks. Ahhh, sweet relief. Hope you enjoy!
@@@@@@@
Kim sat in the darkened nurse's lounge room with Mrs. Taylor. She didn't want to be the object of everyone's pity before she felt a little stronger. Kim sat next to her on the couch and had her arms wrapped around the crying woman.
Mrs. Taylor pulled away slightly and looked up. "After Alex's father died, I just didn't even think it was possible for something like this to happen again. You never expect to have to bury your children," she cried.
Kim felt the tears stinging her eyes, but knew she had to be strong for her, "I can't imagine what you're feeling. If anything ever happened to Joey, I don't know what I'd do," Kim held her hand tight in hers.
"I don't know what to do either. This was my baby girl. She was supposed to get married and have kids and life a long and full life. I'm not supposed to be burying my daughter," she broke down again.
Kim pulled her back into her embrace and rubbed her back soothingly. After a while, she pulled back and looked at her, "You have to know that she was so brave. The only thing she was worried about was you. She wasn't in pain and she wasn't afraid. She just wanted you to know that she loved you. You were her last thought," Kim squeezed her hand, forcing herself to remain in control. She had to do this. For Alex.
Mrs. Taylor smiled through her tears, "I already miss her and it's only been a few hours. How am I supposed to go without her for the rest of my life?"
Kim didn't know how to answer, but drew her sobbing form back into her arms. There was nothing more to say. Nothing that could change what happened and nothing that could comfort. All she could do is be there and hold her.
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Jimmy burst through the hospital doors looking panicked and disheveled. He ran to the front desk frantically, scaring the nurse at the desk. "I need to see Kim Zambrano. Where is she?"
The nurse looked at the computer and frowned, "Sir, there's no one here by that name."
Jimmy slammed his fist on the desk, "You're wrong! I know she's here. You have to tell me where she is!"
The nurse looked frightened and scooted away from the desk, "I'm sorry, sir, but there is no one in the computer by that name."
Jimmy was about to jump over the desk and wring the nurse's neck when D.K. ran over and pulled Jimmy away from the desk to look at him. "Jimmy! Calm down! What's going on?"
Jimmy jerked away from D.K.'s hold, "Where is she? I saw what happened and they won't tell me where she is."
D.K. looked down sadly, "Jimmy, she died at the scene. There was nothing anyone could do."
"Where is she?! I'm not gonna ask you again!" Jimmy yelled and pulled D.K. by the lapels of his coat. His eyes were wide and the tears were dripping off his face. His entire body shook.
D.K. roughly pulled him off, "It's done, man!" he yelled, but quickly calmed and held him by the shoulders, "It's over. You don't want to see her. There's nothing to be done. Her mom is in the nurse's lounge. They're waiting for her to fill out some papers."
Jimmy's grip on D.K.'s wrists clenched and unclenched. He tried desperately to calm his breathing down. He closed his eyes in confusion, "How can her mom be here? She's at home with Joey."
D.K. frowned in bewilderment, "Joey? Why would Alex's mom be with Joey? She's been here for the past hour and a half."
Jimmy's heart skipped a beat. "Alex's mom? You mean, Alex is the paramedic that was killed in the accident?" he asked, shaking.
D.K.'s jaw dropped in understanding, "You thought it was Kim."
"I saw it on t.v. It said a female paramedic from the 55 was killed in the line of duty. I don't understand. Alex was the one who died?" he asked in confusion.
"Yeah, man. The new medic never showed up today and they were short. Doc made Alex ride today," he explained.
Jimmy felt like his legs were gonna give out. He was overwhelmed with emotions. Words couldn't express the utter joy he felt in knowing that Kim was alive, but at the same time a new wave of grief hit him for the loss of a fellow firefighter and friend. "Oh my god," he whispered. He looked in the direction of the lounge, "I have to see her," he said, referring to Kim.
D.K. hugged him briefly then pulled back, "She's is in the lounge with Mrs. Taylor. She went with Davis to pick her up and is trying to calm her down."
Jimmy gave a grateful hug to D.K. and quickly walked down the hall to the nurse's lounge.
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Kim was still holding Mrs. Taylor in her arms when she saw Jimmy hovering at the window trying to get her attention. She pulled away and looked at her, "I'll be back in a few minutes, ok?"
Alex's mom nodded and let her go, "Take your time. I need to be alone for a while."
Kim walked closed the door behind her quietly. She turned around and met Jimmy's stricken gaze, "Hey. I was gonna call you to let you know, but I had to stay with her."
Jimmy nodded and glanced in the room through the blinds, "How is she?"
"Devastated," Kim replied. She looked around to see what was going on. "Did one of the guys call you?"
"No. I saw it on the news and came as soon as I heard," he answered sadly.
"Where's Joey?" she asked in concern. "You didn't bring him here, did you?"
"No. Your mom is at my apartment with him," he said.
"Have you heard anything new with, Lieu?" she asked, scared to hear the answer.
Jimmy shook his head, "No. I just got here a few minutes ago and wanted to find you. Did he get hurt too?" he asked in horror.
Kim sighed and leaned back against the wall, suddenly feeling drained. "Yeah. When the car exploded, he was burnt really bad. They don't know if he's gonna make it or not."
Jimmy couldn't process all this new information. He looked at Kim's exhausted features. "Kim, you need to call your mom."
"I'll talk to her later," she rubbed her hands over her face.
"No. You have to call her right now. Kim....we thought it was you," Jimmy choked out, feeling the tears well up again at the memory.
Kim looked at him in confusion, "You thought what was me?"
"We both saw it on the news. The only thing they said was that a female paramedic from the 55 was killed at the sight. I didn't know Alex was riding today." Jimmy couldn't stop the tears from spilling over, "Kimmy, I thought it was you." He pulled her forward and wrapped her in his arms tightly.
Kim hugged him back in shock. Both he and her mother thought she had died. She felt an intense wave of guilt rush over her. She should have called. "Jimmy, I'm ok. I'm right here," she whispered.
He pulled back, but didn't let her go, "I've never been so scared in my life. I thought I would never see you again. I thought I lost you," he whispered hoarsely.
"Hey guys," D.K. walked up to them, fighting tears of his own.
Kim pulled away from Jimmy. "What? What happened?"
He cleared his throat, "Lieu just passed. They said the damage was to extensive and he couldn't fight any longer. Said it was a miracle he lasted as long as he did. We're all with his family now if you wanna come," he said and walked away sadly. Kim looked towards the large group of firefighters and medics that were surrounding the family. She had never seen the men of her station look so lost.
Kim wiped away the tears that had fallen and looked at Jimmy. "I'm gonna call my mom and let her know I'm alright. I'll be there in a minute."
Before Jimmy could respond, walked away and he watched her go. He felt like he never would let her out of his sights again