"The First Visit"

"I'm sorry the news is depressing, but I would rather tell the truth up front then have you be heartbroken at the end," Dr. Jorgensen said.

"It's not that. We're mostly worried about her," Uncle Jesse said pointing at KK. "She has autism and Luke is her rock. We have to some how explained to her that there's a chance that Luke may not be the same person that she has come to know and love and hope to God that she can adjust to that idea."

"Although it might be difficult, she needs to be told. She needs to know what's going on and not feel that you're trying to keep something from her," Dr. Jorgensen suggested.

"Will we be able to see them tonight?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"I don't know how much longer their surgeries will take, but I am sure I can arrange something to see them. I can't promise you'll be able to stay for long, but I can assure that all of you can at least see them for a few minutes."

"That's including KK, right?" Daisy asked.

"Yes, including her. She's the talk of the floor. She was the one that stood up to Dr. Grey earlier today. No one particularly likes him and we're sick of his bedside manner, if you understand what I mean. But for a seven year old to say that to him, sure made him think about how he treats people. Anyways, let me see what's going on and I'll come back later for y'all," Dr. Jorgensen said and left them standing there.

A few moments later Dr. Jorgensen came back in a rush. He had told Uncle Jesse, away from earshot of the gang that the boys needed emergency surgery. He said he couldn't go into much detail at the moment because he was needed in surgery, but he would explain everything afterwards. Uncle Jesse gave him his blessing and any other prayers that he could think of and hoped for the best. He decided that he wouldn't tell the others; just keep it to the point that test were still being run if anyone asked.

It was almost 11:00 p.m. and they were the only ones left in the waiting room. Visiting hours would be over soon and everyone else in the room had gone home. There was an eerie silence that swept across the waiting room. So much to say, but no one wanted to face reality. How to tell a shaky, emotional child that her beloved Luke may not be the man that he once was. Everyone understood it would be difficult thing to do but that it needed to be done.

Uncle Jesse was so deep in thought that when Steve approached him it scared him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Do you need me to stay?"

"No, Steve. Thanks for coming. I know that you have to get up in the morning and go and teach. I'm not too sure if KK will be there. I'll let her decide. I'll try and encourage her to go, but she may still be in shock from today's events."

"I'll take Matt home with me as well. I know that his mom is probably not there and if she isn't then he'll stay with me. Matt's also worried about KK emotional state as well. He hates to see her in pain like this."

"Don't we all Steve."

Suddenly KK threw herself off the couch. She was caught up in some type of nightmare. She began to violently cry and throw her legs and arms around, but was still sleeping. Steve picked her up spoke her name in her ear so that she would wake up.

"KK, come on wake up. It's only a nightmare," he said rubbing her back.

It took a few minutes, which were the scariest few minutes for the Duke clan, for her to wake up from the dream that held her so. When she did, she quickly threw her head around the room, making Steve whiplash his head back so she wouldn't hit his. After she did a full 360 degree check of the room, she put her arms around Steve's neck, buried her head in his right shoulder and balled her eyes out. Steve rubbed, with his left hand, her back and slowly walked around the room in hopes of calming her down. Ever so often he would tell her comforting words so that she would feel safe in his arms as well.

Once she calm down, Steve tried to put her on the couch but she would let go. All she could do was scream "No."

"Okay, little one. I won't put you down."

She moved her head to his left shoulder. Her entire face was beet red from all the crying she had done. Daisy wanted to walk over where Steve had KK but Uncle Jesse held her back.

"Daisy, hold on for a moment. I don't know if KK is quite awake or is lost somewhere in thought. I know you're trying to help, but I don't know what kind of state KK is in right now.

Steve sat down on the couch and put KK in his lap. "Hey, kiddo," Steve said brushing her hair of her face. "Are you okay?"

What ever the dream was it had really spooked KK. Steve could feel her small fingers working the back of his collar of his shirt. It was like she was giving his shirt a massage. She continued to look around the room, like it was all a dream. She wasn't too sure where she was at, but she knew that the people around her cared for her. It took her a few minutes to actually recognize where she was at. Steve could tell that she was becoming more calmer because her breathing slowed and her fingers soon ceased the massaging of his collar.

"Walk up to her slowly Daisy and just comfort her." Uncle Jesse had been through this before with her. When something happens to her that upsets her emotionally she has violent nightmares. Both he and Luke had burned the midnight oil with her in order to calm her down and bring her back to reality. At the moment Steve seemed to be able to calm her down.

After assuring herself that everything was fine, the tears subsided and KK rested her head on Steve's right shoulder. Daisy sat to the left of Steve so that KK could see her. Slowly reaching across Daisy gently rubbed her left hand across KK's red-beaten face. "You okay, now?" Daisy asked. KK nodded. "That must have been some nightmare that you have." KK nodded and then fell back asleep on his shoulder, exhausted from the wranglings of the nightmare.

Steve wanted to make sure that all the ghost and goblins in her dreams were gone for the night. He put his head on top of hers and rubbed her back. Knowing full well that this wouldn't necessarily prevent the nightmares from coming back but at least it made him feel better that if they came back soon, he could protect her from them.

No one knew but Steve had shed a tear for KK. He couldn't believe what she must go through to live day-to-day. He only got such a small sampling from what he witnessed in class. She had her good and bad days, but he never got to see the whole KK. She was fighter and definitely a Duke.

Startling Steve, Uncle Jesse said, "I think she'll be okay, if you still want to go home." Uncle Jesse could tell by Steve's fierce grip on KK that she could rely on him if need be. "I hate to put her down, but I do need to get home and to bed. The color in her face seems to be draining, so I think she'll be fine," Steve said hating that he had to leave her. "Listen, if anything changes let me know right away."

"Sure, no problem," Daisy said.

"Why don't you and Matt come over for dinner tomorrow, after school?"

"That's fine with me. I'll ask Matt on the way home," Steve said and turned his attention towards KK.

Whispering in her ear, Steve told KK that he was leaving and would see her tomorrow. KK woke-up and lifted her head. "I don't want you to go," KK said

"I know sweetie, but I have to go to work tomorrow."

"Okay."

Steve gave KK one last hug and handed her to Uncle Jesse. He and Matt and went home.

It wasn't until 1:00 a.m. when Dr. Jorgensen returned to the waiting room. Cooter had alsoleft when Steve and Matt did leaving Daisy, KK and Uncle Jesse in the waiting room. Daisy and KK were asleep, but Uncle Jesse was afraid to. He felt that something might happen to the boys if he did. He watched KK fall into a peaceful, deep sleep and hope she would stay in that state. He couldn't resist not holding her. He felt that it was a way to keep her calm and help prevent the violent nightmares from returning. He often wondered, as did Luke, if KK had a form of post traumatic syndrome. Not that she could remember anything of her life back in Michigan, but the subconscious had a way to meddle into dreams. They wonder if the violent nightmares that she sometimes had was from the abuse that she had as an infant.

"Mr. Duke," Mr. Jorgensen interrupted Uncle Jesse's train of thought. "I'm sorry, but there was emergency surgery that that was preformed to help stabilize the boys and there was more damage then expected. They are both critical, but stable at this time. They're in the Intensive Care Unit so that they can be watch for the next few days. If everything goes well, then we can move them into their own room."

"Can we go and see them?"

"Only for a few minutes. I need to tell you that there are several I.V. lines hooked into them and their bodies are swollen from the surgery and the trauma. They also have breathing tubes in them and other tubes in order to keep them alive. They're pretty banged up. It will be difficult at first; you may not even recognize them. You need to prepared yourself and your nieces for what you're about to see."

"Prepare us for what?" Daisy asked, waking up.

"When we see Bo and Luke."

"I'll give you a few minutes so that you can explain the situation, Mr. Duke," Dr. Jorgensen said and left the waiting room.

"I don't know if I really want to take her in there, Daisy," talking about KK.

"Uncle Jesse, she would be heartbroken."

"I know that, but I don't need her to scream her head off because she gets scared. There in pretty bad shape, Daisy. The Doc said that their bodies are swollen from the surgery and trauma and they have several tubes in them, including one to help them breathe."

"Uncle Jesse, she's a pretty smart kid. Prepare her for what she's about to see and pray for her to understand and be able to cope with it."

Uncle Jesse knew that KK would forever be hurt if she wasn't allowed to go and see them. But he was also afraid of her reaction to what the boys looked like. He didn't want her to scream her head off and disturb the other patients.

"KK, wake up."

Slowly, KK woke up. She rubbed her eyes in a feeble attempt to adjust to the bright lighting of the waiting room.

"What?"

"Hey, we can go see Bo and Luke."

"We can?" she said excitedly.

KK sat up on the couch and swung her legs over the edge. Uncle Jesse crouched down on his knees and grab KK's arms so that he would have her full attention. "KK, you need to listen very carefully to me, okay?"

KK nodded her yes.

"I want you to fully understand what's going on here. I know it must be scary for you to comprehend all of this, but you need to know as well. Some of this news you will not like. You may even be terrified, but you have a right to know as much as the rest of us. Okay?" Uncle Jesse could see KK trying to be brave, but the wiggle of her chin and the silent tears that fell showed him that she understand the severity of the situation. "It's okay sweetheart," Uncle Jesse commented, while brushing tears from her eyes. "I know you're frightened about all of this and so are we. What you need to know is that there are many machines that are keeping them alive. There's a machine that helps them breathe as well. Their bodies are pretty swollen up to from the surgery that they had and also from the blunt trauma."

Uncle Jesse paused for a moment to allow KK to get her breath. This was a lot of news to digest at one time and he wanted to make sure that she had a moment to realize what was going on.

"We're gonna take it very slowly in there. We're all really nervous, but it is important for the boys to know that we're there for them."

"Just like Luke is when I need him, right?" KK asked.

"That's right, KK. Remember you need to be calm when you go in there. You can not be loud. There in a place called the ICU - short for Intensive Care Unit. This is a place where people who are really sick stay. That way they can be monitored and helped if necessary. You need to understand that they probably look different then your used to. If something happens and doctors or nurses ask us to leave, then we leave. No if, ands, or buts."

"Okay. Can we do something when we're in there?" KK asked.

Uncle Jesse was a bit confused. He wasn't sure what KK's intentions were. "What?"

"Luke told me once that if I ever needed something and he wasn't able to be there is to ask God. Do you think God would mind if I woke him up and asked for Bo and Luke to be okay?"

Uncle Jesse was thrown for a loop. KK didn't quite understand the ritual about going to church every Sunday. She couldn't understand why people just didn't pray privately in their own homes. He wasn't even sure if she understood who God was. It wasn't that she was against going to church; it was just that she was a very inquisitive child and wanted to know the whys of everything. Apparently Luke had done some explaining to her about what faith was all about. "No hun, I don't think God would mind. After all that is what he's there for. To hear our prayers or concerns in time of need."

Uncle Jesse stood straight up and KK got off the couch and held his hand very tightly. Dr. Jorgensen had come back and crouched down to KK's level. A little nervous about whom this man was KK instinctively hid behind Uncle Jesse. Knowing that she was a bit fearful, Uncle Jesse said, "Its okay KK. This is Dr. Jorgensen. He has helped take care of the boys." Even after the reassurance, KK stayed behind Uncle Jesse. She still didn't trust this guy even if Uncle Jesse said that he was helping the boys.

Understanding that she was fearful of him, Dr. Jorgensen gave up trying to talk to KK and stood back up. "Follow me," he commanded and the trio followed him.

As they went farther and farther down the hall, Uncle Jesse could feel KK's grip tighten and her palm become more and more sweaty. Or was that his grip and his palm?

Dr. Jorgensen stopped at the entrance of the ICU. KK now wasn't really sure if she wanted to go through with this. She had an awful feeling at the pit of her stomach and it felt like she was going to become sick. She knew she had to go through with this, to be strong for Luke. This was her moment to shine and let the world know that she could be counted on when the chips were done. Breaking her trance, "Are you sure you want to go through with this, KK?" Uncle Jesse asked.

It took a few moments for her to regain her composure. "I have to Uncle Jesse. Let's go."

Uncle Jesse looked at Daisy who shrugged her shoulders. Uncle Jesse knew that she may have autism, but when she put her mind to do something, she did it. And in her mind, this was something that she had to do.

End of Part 3