He Needs Me
"No, I forbid it. It's too dangerous."
"I appreciate your concern, but as your father, I am not obliged to take your advice. I feel I must pursue this case, no matter how dangerous it may be."
Abe threw his hands up. His words were falling on deaf ears. No matter how much he tried to protect his father from the evils of the world, he was still an obstinate man and made his own decisions. But thankfully, no matter how much peril Henry faced, Abe knew his father couldn't die. For the past two hundred years, he had embraced this lifestyle of using his immortality to help others. This time would be no different. There was nothing for Abe to worry about. Then why did he feel so uneasy?
#
As Henry sank through the water, a strange sensation burned through his entire being. And it wasn't just the bullet hole in his chest. It was as if the waters had strange powers, filling his body and leaving him a tingling in his fingers. As soon as the feeling came it went; instead, Henry felt as if his wound had been healed. He glanced down and noticed the steady stream of blood had ceased. Startled, Henry began pushing up through the water, eager to get out of this strange place. After several minutes of struggling, he finally reached the surface, the bright light blinding him temporarily. He gasped for air and his oxygen-deprived lungs struggled to replace the air they had lost. Henry heaved himself to the shore, thankful to be alive but not sure how he was. Wait, why am I on a shore, he thought. I was in the middle of the ocean.
As he looked around, Henry could tell that this was definitely nineteenth century London. The carriages rolling past, the men in suits and the girls in long dresses, the dirtiness of the street. All of it reminded him of the life he had left when he decided to go on the slave ship. But how could this be?
#
"Henry, it's good to see you," Detective Jo Martinez said as he walked into the New York precinct where they both worked. "Are you ready for this case?"
"Most definitely. What are we dealing with here?"
"A psychotic serial killer. This is the third body he's dropped this week and we need to stop him."
"I couldn't agree more. Let's go catch him!"
Henry rode with Detective Martinez in her car as they raced towards where their killer had last been spotted.
"I hope you don't try to do anything stupid today," Jo said. "I don't need you dying on me."
"I will do my best, Detective," Henry said with a smile.
"I'm serious, Henry," she insisted. "If I lost you, I don't know what I would do."
"I promise. Nothing stupid."
"Good. You're not immortal, you know."
They arrived at the scene, Jo pulling her gun and Henry simply following her. He didn't believe in carrying guns. They were violent weapons and he didn't believe in hurting anyone.
#
Henry climbed out of the Thames, shivering to the bone. If he could only get back to Nora, maybe he would find some answers.
"You there!" a copper called out to him. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm just on my way home. I've been out at sea and I have returned home." It wasn't a lie, but Henry felt bad for not telling the copper everything.
"Do you usually go to sea and forget your clothes?"
"I beg your pardon?" Henry asked. He looked down and discovered that he was not wearing any clothes. He had certainly had them on when he was in the ocean water, so where were they now?
"I'm terribly sorry about this sir. I don't know how this happened."
"You're coming with me. You can explain your actions to the constable."
#
"Remember, I do the police work and you do the medical work. That means no talking and no trying to stop the criminal at risk of your own life."
"I understand perfectly, Detective. I won't do anything stupid."
"Good. You're too… special to me. If you died, I'm not sure what I would do."
Henry's cheeks grew warm. No one had complimented him like that since Abigail. "Shouldn't we focus on the job?"
Jo coughed then agreed. "Keep your eyes sharp."
Henry followed Jo through the abandoned building, keeping his eyes peeled for any activity. Even though he had promised Jo countless times that he wouldn't do anything stupid, if the situation arose, he probably would. It didn't matter if he died; he would come back and Jo would not.
They continued searching the building, but they couldn't find their man.
"Are you sure this is where the coordinates led?" Henry asked.
"Yes, he has to be here. Let's circle the perimeter one more time and if he's not here, we'll call it quits."
"Whatever you say, Detective."
Henry and Jo searched the building one last time and right as they were about to leave, they heard a door close behind him. Tensing up, Jo motioned for Henry to follow her and they went through the door.
"Keep on guard," Jo whispered.
"Yes ma'am."
Quietly, they searched for their killer, knowing that he had to be close. Within a few minutes, they found him and Detective Martinez shouted for him to put his hands where she could see them. Shakily, he put them up.
"Turn around!"
He obeyed and in the light of Jo's flashlight, Henry could see his face. Henry's jaw dropped and he almost threw up when he saw who it was. Was he dreaming? This couldn't be happening. He would wake up soon and all this would be over. He had trusted this man; how could he do this? In shock, he breathed the offender's name.
Lucas.
#
Henry was thrown into one of the jail cells and given a change of clothes. He sat there in silence, manacled to the wall, with only his thoughts of how he survived to keep him company. He could clearly remember being on the slave ship, being shot, and falling into the water. In the Atlantic Ocean. There was no logical reason why he should be in London. Maybe he had fallen ill and sent back to London and he didn't remember anything else but being shot. Whatever the answer was, he needed to discover it.
"Dr. Morgan, your wife has been summoned and she is on her way," the constable said. "Would you like to explain your actions?"
"I-I'm not sure," he answered. "I was on my father's slave ship and suddenly I was in the Thames. Honestly, that's all I know."
"I believe you, Dr. Morgan. I will let you go this one time. But if this action is repeated, I will have to take more serious action. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir. Thank you constable. I promise it won't happen again."
"Very well." He unlocked the door and Henry followed him to the common area where Nora would collect him. But Henry did not know how well he would be able to keep his promise to the constable. He had no idea what was happening to him; how could he promise that these strange happenings would never happen again?
#
"Lucas, what the heck are you doing here?" Jo asked.
"I'm sorry, Jo. Dr. Morgan. But I had to do this."
"I don't know what this whole game is, but we can talk about it at the station. Get on the ground and put your hands on your head."
"I can't do that."
"Lucas, I think it would be in your best interest-" Henry started.
"Shut up, Henry! I didn't want to do this, honestly, but I have no choice.
"Lucas, please."
"I'm sorry, Dr. Morgan."
Henry saw Lucas quickly reach into his pocket and pull out a gun. He cocked it and prepared to shoot.
No! Henry thought. I have to protect Jo!
He pushed her to the side, just as the gun went off. Henry felt the bullet go through him, straight into his chest. He crumpled to the ground, his vision starting to blur.
"H-Henry," he could hear Lucas stutter. "I-I didn't mean for that to happen."
"Stay there!" Jo shouted. "I swear, if you take one step, I will shoot."
Henry could see Lucas kneel to the ground, his hands shaking. Henry wanted to reassure him that everything would be okay. He would come back just like always and they could get on with their lives.
Jo next down next to him, tears spilling down. "I-I told you not to do anything stupid. Why do you never listen to me?"
"Jo, I can explain," Henry whispered through the pain in his chest.
"Just be quiet, okay? Let me talk for a minute."
Henry nodded.
"I-I wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed working with you," she said through her sobs.
"Jo, this isn't the end."
"Of course it is. Henry, I wanted to solve crimes with you for a long time. I wanted-"
"Jo, I love you."
"Oh, Henry, I do too. I just never knew how to say it. And now it's too late."
"Jo, listen to me. Call Abe. He'll know what to do."
"Okay, I will. Henry, please don't leave me. I'm not ready."
"I'll never leave you." Henry closed his eyes and breathed his last. But he wasn't scared. He knew what would happen next.
#
Within the hour, Nora rushed into the police station and embraced Henry.
"I was so worried about you! Were you out of your mind? What do you think you were doing? How did you get back so quickly?"
"One question at a time, please. And I will answer them all when we get home."
"I'm terribly sorry, dear. Let me take you home."
When Henry and Nora arrived home, he filled his wife in all the details, obviously making up most of them.
"That ship wore you out too much. You must rest for several days until you have recovered. Do you understand?
"Certainly dear. Whatever you say."
"Please don't leave me."
"I will never leave you," Henry said and he hoped he could keep that promise.
#
When Abe's phone rang and the display read "Detective Martinez" his stomach dropped. She would never call him unless…
"Hello?"
"Abe, something's happened." Her voice was shaky.
"Henry. It he okay?"
Silence.
"Detective Martinez, is he okay?"
"He-he's dead."
No. How is this possible? This can't be happening. "Is the body still there?"
"Yes. The ambulance is on their way."
"But it didn't disappear?"
"Disappear? No, why would it do that? Abe, are you okay? Are you going into shock?"
"I-I'm fine. I just need some time to process."
"I understand. As soon as I get all this stuff taken care of, I'll come over to the shop."
"That's fine. I'll be here," Abe said.
"I'm so sorry Abe."
"I know." Abe hung up and sank onto a chair. How was Henry dead? After over two hundred years of cheating death, how was he suddenly dead and not by Adam's hands? Abe had always known that his father would outlive him and he was terrified of the loneliness that would consume his father. But now he was, alive when Henry was not. How was he supposed to go on? How was he supposed to move on from this?
#
For the next few months, Henry and Nora lived happily, and Henry nearly forgot about his strange incident. Almost. In the back of his mind was the thought of what had happened to him. He knew something supernatural had caused him to survive that gunshot, he just needed to figure out what.
Nora had finally released Henry to return to his medical practice and Henry enjoyed the distraction. When he had been trapped in the house, he could only think and theorize about his occurrence. Now that he was back in the world, he could focus on other things and set that worry in the back of his mind.
He arrived at his office and began to see his patients for the day. Henry was glad he was given a second change to continue his work. He had too much work to do. If he had died, what would have happened to his patients? Although he was uncertain why he had been allowed to live, he was grateful for the opportunity. Life was too precious and he planned on living it to the fullest.
At six o'clock, he locked the doors, ready to return to Nora and a hot meal. But fate had other plans for him.
#
"We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Dr. Henry Morgan. Henry was a medical examiner for our great city and loved by all his friends. He will be dearly missed but let us be comforted by the knowledge that he will be reunited with him one day. Go in peace and let not your hearts be troubled."
Abe took Detective Martinez's arm as she led him to the car that was waiting for them. It had been a rough few days for them and Abe was having a hard time coping with Henry's death. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Henry was actually gone. Every time Henry had died before, there was a small fear in the back of his mind that Henry wouldn't return, but he always did. What was different about this time?
And when Abe found out it was Lucas who had killed his father, he withdrew deeper into his grief. Lucas had been sentenced to life in prison for all his murders, but somehow it didn't seem enough to Abe. Henry had done so much for him that it didn't seem fair that he should die in this cruel way. But Abe didn't plan on seeing these people much longer. He was going far away, where any prying eyes wouldn't dare follow.
#
Henry walked briskly down the street, eager to get home. That's why he never saw the out of control carriage barreling towards him. But he did feel the crunch as the wheels ran over his midsection, compressing his organs. He knew enough about medical situations to know that he was about to die. So soon after he had been given a second chance at life. Why did fate have to be so cruel? He closed his eyes and let death take him, wishing that things could be different.
His head emerged from the water and Henry took a gasping breath. What was he doing in the water? He had escaped death again! But how? Once could have been a strange coincidence but twice was definitely troubling.
He looked down and realized that he was naked again. Cheating death was nice, but it came with terrible consequences. There was no possible way that he would be able to escape notice. How would he explain this to the constable and Nora?
Fearing the worst, Henry emerged from the waters and within minutes, he was apprehended. Soon after he arrived at the police station, the constable visited him, shaking his head.
"Dr. Morgan, what happened to our promise?"
"I'm not sure. I'm very sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
"You're right about that. Dr. Morgan, I'm sending you to a mental institution. You'll be safe there."
"What? I won't stand for this! And neither will Nora."
"Nora has already agreed. We talked about this a couple weeks after your return."
"Constable, how could you? I am not sure what is ailing me, but I don't think locking me up in an asylum will fix the problem."
"I don't know what to do," the constable sighed. "Dr. Morgan, I can't have you running around the streets of London naked whenever you please. I don't know what happened on that ship, but you are not the same person that left."
"Please, I'll manage it. I promise!"
"I'm sorry. I can't trust your promises."
#
Abe knew just what he had to do. He had no other choice. He knew that Henry would not approve, but Henry wasn't here to tell him no. Besides, Abe was a man and could make his own decisions. He dreaded doing what he was about to do, but Abe didn't see any other way. There was no changing his mind.
"Abe, it's good to hear from you," Jo said over the phone. "How are you doing?"
"I have some of Henry's things that I thought you might like to see. Can you come to the shop?"
"Of course. I'll be there in a few minutes."
Abe hung up and placed the phone on the desk. It would be best if Jo was the one to find him. She was the closest thing to a friend he had left. He would rest well knowing that she would handle the case.
He opened his drawer and pulled out a beautiful revolver, almost as old as Henry. He handled it for a second before resting it against his temple. This was not the way he had planned to go, but he had no other choice. Henry was his life and without him, there was no reason to carry on.
"Henry needs me. He always has and he always will. And now I can be with him. Forever."