Resting his hand on his son's shoulder, Ollie tried to force himself to focus--to listen and push aside the crippling pain and sorrow that threatened to overwhelm him as the doctor quietly and gently explained what tests had led to the horrifying diagnoses his son had been given.

"Do you understand everything I've explained to you?" the doctor asked compassionately. "If you have any questions, no matter what they are, please just ask and I'll answer as best I can."

There was a moment of silence as Ollie gazed down at his sons face. Trying hard not to focus on the bruising that marred his boy's features. "No…." he closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "No, I understand."

"He…he's still so warm and…But…".Dinah choked back a sob as she held Roy's hand. "He's gone. I can feel it…I…" she gave in to the sorrow that forced painful heart wrenching sobs to be ripped from her, turning and burying her face against Ollie's chest as the archer moved to embrace her.

"I know. Pretty bird, I know." He held her close, eyes squeezed tightly shut. Drawing deep breaths in an effort to stay strong and force his own tears away.

"You understand what I'm saying when I tell you there is no brain activity?" the doctor asked quietly.

Ollie's eyes snapped open and his body stiffened as an angry retort formed on his lips. "I…" he paused as his eyes settled for a moment on the machines keeping his sons body alive--then his gaze drifted back to Roy's pale face. He drew another deep breath as a heavy feeling of defeat blanketed him, and he sagged. "Yes" he said softly, his voice breaking painfully. "Wha…What happens next?"

"The next decision has to be yours to make Oliver."

Dinah pulled back from the embrace, wiping her eyes as she turned back to the bed--reclaiming the young man's hand in her own. There was a long moment where only the whoosh of the ventilator could be heard before she finally choked out what they both knew to be true. "Ollie…He wouldn't want…." she broke off, unable to say more.

His heart breaking and feeling like his whole world was crashing in on him, Ollie looked back towards the doctor, "We…we need to let him go." he murmured painfully before glancing again at the still body on the bed. He couldn't bring himself to look at Roy's face, focusing instead on the rhythmic movements of his son's chest as the ventilator breathed air into lungs that could no longer function by themselves.

Doctor Weldon nodded gently. "There are some papers you need to sign. When you're ready…"

"Uh…" Ollie forced himself to look away from his son, knowing he needed to do this while he still had the strength to do what was right. "Now. I should sign wha..whatever I have to now."

"Okay…" The doctor looked sadly at his young patient before beginning to turn away. "If you'd like to follow me, we'll organize that." he said as he led the grieving couple towards a small, private room set aside specifically for times such as this.

He opened the door and stood to one side, gesturing to the comfortably padded chairs that sat inside the room. "Have a seat and Tracey will be here with you in a minute."

"Tracey? Who's…." the shrill beep of the doctor being paged interrupted the rest of Ollie's question.

Doctor Weldon stared at his pager and frowned for a moment before looking up. "I'm sorry. Emergency, I have to go. Tracey will only be a moment." he said apologetically as he turned away, quietly closing the door behind himself and leaving Ollie and Dinah alone in their grief.

A short time later there was a soft knock, and the door opened. "Mr Queen? Miss Lance?" A middle aged woman with grey streaked, auburn hair asked--looking sympathetically at the couple as she approached them. "I'm Tracey Fendersten, the Transplant Coordinator for…"

"Sorry. What?" Ollie asked, confused. Watching as the woman pulled up a chair and sat down in front of them.

"First of all I just want to tell you how sorry I am for your loss." she said gently, her eyes sincere as she spoke. She watched sadly as the couple nodded, before continuing in a soft voice." Your son's drivers license and former medical records both show a constant desire to be an organ donor and…."

"What…what are you talking about?" Ollie pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment as he tried to make sense of the woman's words. "

Tracey grew quiet for a moment, suddenly realizing that Roy had obviously never discussed with Ollie what she was now asking. "Your son never spoke with you about his wishes in the event of his death?"

"No. He…we…" Ollie sighed as Dinah squeezed his arm, " We never talked about this sort of thing…" He placed his hand over Dinah's and returned the squeeze, glancing at her for a moment in confusion and sorrow before looking back at Tracey. "We never…What…What wishes?"

Tracey stared sadly into the archers red-rimmed emerald eyes--knowing that what she was about to explain was so much more painful for everyone when the patients wishes had not been disclosed to family members. "Your son had indicated that he had a desire to help others in the event of his death. He had registered as an organ donor through the drivers license program and…."

"What?! No--I mean…you want to… No! Absolutely not! What the hell is wrong with you people?! My boy's still alive for crying-out-loud--still got air goin' in his lungs and blood's still flowing in his veins. I haven't even told him goodbye properly yet…and you're talking to me about carving him up and taking out his organs?!" Ollie jumped up from his seat and paced back and forth a couple of times in a tight line before turning to Dinah with an exasperated gesture, "Can you believe this crap Dinah?"

"Ollie…"

"We can refuse this right?" he turned back to Tracey, "Right? We can refuse it…I mean, just because it says so on his license doesn't mean we have to accept this."

"No one is going to force you to do anything you don't want to Oliver. We can certainly understand you might need a moment to…"

"Then the answers no. I'm not going to give permission for my son to be…to be cut up…"

Dinah moved quickly to her feet and reached out to Ollie, taking his hand and squeezing it firmly before looking back at Tracey. "Do you mind if we have a moment to think…"

"There's nothing to think about Dinah." Ollie stated, pulling his hand away and beginning to pace once more.

Tracey nodded, and stood. "Of course, I'll be just down the corridor if you need me." she said as she moved towards the door--quietly exiting the room.

There was silence for a moment. Dinah watched the archer as he stood with his back to her--having stopped his agitated pacing--his hands now clenching and unclenching at his side as he stared at the floor. She moved closer and placed a hand on his back, rubbing gently. "Ollie he wanted this.."

"We don't know that Dinah…."

"We do know that, Ollie. He obviously thought about it or he wouldn't have agreed to it." she moved to stand in front of him, her heart breaking a little more as she saw the pain he was trying to control. She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. "Ollie, I…You've agreed to this for yourself. Didn't you tell me you wanted to don…"

"That's different Dinah.." the archer snapped, attempting to turn away, but stopping as Dinah caught both his hands up in hers.

"How Ollie? How is it different?"

"I…This isn't me we're talking about. This is Roy…"

"Ollie…"

"The Navajo…He's Navajo, don't they have some beliefs….? He…he had this thing about death, something to do with the way they taught him.." the archer frowned, hating the fact that he was feeling as though he was simply grasping at straws--stalling what he knew was the inevitable decision he had to make--but hating the fact that he could not remember ever taking the time to talk to Roy in any truly meaningful way about his sons earlier life, his Navajo upbringing and his beliefs, far more.

"The older ones maybe Ollie--the traditional ones. Many of the young ones understand the importance of organ donation." she paused, swallowing hard as more tears burned her eyes, she couldn't break down now, not when Ollie needed her--not when she needed to make sure Roy's final wish was carried out. "You taught him to help people. He's a hero at heart Ollie, you could see that from the very first moment you met him. Let him help people one last time. He can save more lives…Y..you know he would want this. You kn…know he deserves this." the last words were lost in a sob she couldn't control, and she dropped one of Ollie's hands to brush roughly at the tears that spilled.

"Di…." Ollie's face contorted with a surge of conflicting emotion, he reached out to draw her close, but at the last moment he pushed her away. "Oh god…Pretty Bird….I can't! I just can't!" he cried, spinning on his heel and hurriedly striding out of the room.

Ollie?! Ollie please…"

His heart pounding in his chest--unable to hear Dinah's cry over the sound of the blood roaring in his head--Ollie stormed down the corridor attempting to flee from the emotional turmoil that engulfed him. He couldn't think straight, couldn't breathe and he had no idea where he was going--or how he found himself sometime later standing beside Roy's bed.

He stood silently for a long while, staring at his son's still form--trying desperately to gather his thoughts and gain some control over his emotions. Hesitantly, he reached down to take Roy's hand in his, trembling as he placed his other hand on the young man's forehead. The heavy lump of pain in his heart was almost too much to bare and he squeezed his eyes shut to stop the tears that he still refused to let fall.

"I don't know what to do, son. What do I do?" The hoarse whisper escaped before he realized he had even spoken and once those first few desperate words broke free, others followed quickly, easily--as if his son were right there, listening.

"They... well, I'm sure you know what they want to do, since you're a smart boy and you've already figured out that leaving this shitty earth is too good to pass by and... See, son they-- they're telling me that you agreed to this program... this…this organ donation thing, but– " he choked softly and paused for a moment, needing some time to calm down before continuing.

"God help me, I can't... I just can't stand the thought of them– for them to– Shit, son, I can't even put into decent words what I'm tryin' to say," Ollie closed his eyes and, taking a deep breath, used whatever strength he had left to pull together the words his heart was wanting him to speak.

"I wish you could just tell me– tell me what to do, son. Please? I--I need you to guide me on this one, cuz I feel like I'm sitting in a rowboat with just one ore, paddlin' around in one big circle," Ollie begged, gently brushing his thumb across Roy's forehead a couple times. "Tell me what you want me to do? Ple–?" His voice broke and the tears he had so far held at bay began to spill down his cheeks. His breath caught in his throat and, no longer able to be strong, was overcome with anguished sobs.

He felt Dinah beside him and didn't resist when she pulled him into an embrace, holding him tight as he buried his face against her neck. It wasn't until then that he was finally able to regain some of the control he had surrendered.

"Okay…Okay…" he choked, still clinging to her. "He…he wanted it. I'll do it. I'll sign whatever permission they need."

To be continued