CHAPTER EIGHT

With his hand on the door Bill hesitates a long moment, afraid of what he'll find on the other side. After taking several deep breaths and forces himself to be strong as he finally pushes it open and steps inside. His steps falter as he sees her lying on the bed looking frail and weak. Her arm is in a traction cast with bandages and wires attached to the pins protruding from her upper arm. She also has a heavy bandage covering her right shoulder. The IV and oxygen lines seem to be holding her prisoner. Bill's heart skips a beat as he sees all the cuts and abrasions. He slowly approaches and tentatively touches her hand as he fights back his tears. He takes her hand in his gently, afraid of causing her more pain. She stirs and wakes up slowly, looking around in a groggy haze as pain flashes through her.

Bill sees her grimace as she tries to move and tenderly cautions, "Easy, baby. Don't try to move."

She hears his voice through the haze of pain and forces her eyes to focus on the location of the sound. When she sees his face she smiles weakly and tries to speak, but her mind is too foggy. Bill lightly squeezes her hand and whispers, "Ssshhh, just lie quiet, I'm here."

She faintly grips his hand and fights off the enveloping darkness as she forces out the words, "Don't… leave… me…"

"I'm right here, honey… just rest."

Again he squeezes her hand and fights back the tears as she slips into unconsciousness. He stays with her, holding her hand, as the nurse comes in frequently to check on her. He only leaves briefly to speak with Captain Clayton and the others in the waiting room. The room is full of officers who knew her and others who just came to show support for the fellow officers injured today. He bypasses the TV crews in the outer hallway and enters the waiting room. Everyone falls silent as he enters. They can see the worry in his eyes.

He takes a deep breath and announces, "Pepper is out of surgery now. They repaired her right arm with pins and reconstruction of the artery. She may have some motion limitations, but other than that she'll be fine. There were no internal injuries since the other shot went through her right shoulder cleanly. Apparently the car missed her by inches and she just has a few cuts and bruises from the falling debris."

Bill sees all three chiefs, Bob Harrison, Steve Griffin and Harry Cline among the group. They step forward in unison and Cline quietly asks, "Bill, is there anything you need? Anything we can do?"

"I know this is a touchy situation for you two. Joe told us about your engagement and we understand you want to keep it quiet. No one will mention it, okay?"

Bill knows it's too late to try and deny that he and Pepper are in a relationship and he doesn't want to. He just nods his agreement as he silently hopes Pepper isn't too mad about this getting out. He is more concerned with getting her well again.

Chief Griffin, Bill's long time friend, pats him on the shoulder and teases, "You always could pick 'em, couldn't you? Not only is she the most beautiful woman on the department, but she's also a damned hero."

"Yea. I keep telling myself that, but what I'd really like to do is chain her to a desk so she'll stay out of trouble."

They laugh and the tension eases a bit. Jack Taylor, another close friend walks up and offers his assistance to the group of men.

"Do you want me to handle the media? I pretty much know the routine and the whole story. I can give them a few details."

"Sure Jack, but remember not a word about personal lives."

"Sure. What about the hero stuff? Should I play it up or let it go as routine police work?"

"Damned right we're gonna play up the hero bit. It's not often we get to praise officers like this."

"Pepper's gonna be madder than hops over this when she sees her face all over the news, boss."

"Maybe, but she'll get over it. She was the acting Street Crimes Unit sergeant when this happened, wasn't she?"

"Yea. I told Captain Clayton she'd show me up and take my job." They all laugh and then Bill glances at his watch as he tiredly says, "I better get back in there. I don't want her to wake up alone."

"You go on. We'll take care of this mob."

He turns to announce to the others that Pepper will be ok. As he is explaining the situation to them Bill motions to Joe and they step out into the hallway where they can speak in private.

"She's gonna be okay, Joe. She woke up for a minute and was able to speak to me a little."

"Thank God, I've been so worried. Give her my best? Tell her…"

"I know, I'll tell her. Go on home to Harriett before she worries to death wondering what's going on."

"I'll stop back tomorrow. Maybe Pepper can have visitors by then."

"Sure, Joe. … and thanks."

He firmly shakes Joe's hand and then turns to head back to Pepper's room. He hears Jack Taylor speaking with the media crews and is glad he doesn't have to deal with them.

Bill stays at Pepper's side all night and watches as she wakes for a few moments off and on, still groggy under the haze of anesthesia. In the early hours of the morning he finally drifts off to sleep with his head resting on the edge of her bed. Pepper's eyes open slowly, for the first time without the haziness. She looks around slowly in the faint glow from the monitors and winces as pain flashes through her right shoulder when she tries to turn her head. She looks at her right arm and is flooded by memories of how it occurred. Unsure how seriously she is injured she looks to her left side and smiles when she sees a dark head resting on the bed beside her hand. She gently strokes his hair with her good hand for several minutes while he sleeps. Bill suddenly wakes and sit's up quickly, instantly alert. Her hand is still on his shoulder and she smiles tiredly.

"Hi."

"Hi, how do you feel?"

"Very thirsty… water?"

He pours a small glass of water for her and helps her sip it through a straw until it is all gone.

"Are you in any pain?"

"Only when I move. I'm okay."

There is a long moment of silence as their eyes meet, sending unspoken messages of love. Bill finally takes her good hand in his and kisses it gently. "You scared the hell out of me today, lady."

"Sorry. Guess I should have listened to you, huh?"

"You couldn't have done anything different, but I should have blown off that committee meeting."

Again there is a long silence as she smiles, knowing he is blaming himself for this. She squeezes his hand, "Hey, you're always with me… don't you know that?"

"But I…"

"Bill, it wouldn't have changed anything, except there would be three officers down now. How's that young kid, Smith?"

"He's fine. He took it in the vest. God, I hate to see you hurting…"

"Come here."

Bill stands up to lean over so he can hug her carefully. She wraps her good arm around him as she holds him close and kisses his temple. She speaks her heart without doubt now, "I love you, Bill."

"I love you too... but honey?" He pulls back to look down into her eyes as he seriously scolds, "Don't ever do this to me again!"

She tries not to laugh then grimaces as the pain flares up again. "Don't make me laugh… it hurts…"

Bill taps her nose and sits on the edge of her bed grinning as she complains about the pain. "Good. It serves you right for scaring me out of ten years of my life."

"You're too mean to die young. You'll outlive me for sure."

"Today I realized how short life is, baby. I can see now how time is wasting away and I don't want to waste another minute. I think we better get married right away."

She thinks he is kidding, but when she looks up at him she sees the determination in his eyes again. She lays her hand on his arm and studies him a long moment before she hesitantly asks, "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am… about getting married, but I intend to live a long time. Long enough to see us old and happy with our grandkids running around the house."

"Bill, don't you think this is kind of sudden?"

"No. I came close to losing you today. Pepper, I don't want to waste another minute without you."

She doesn't know what to say and her mind is swirling from the implications. She has never considered their life that far in the future and it makes her nervous. Bill realizes he has scared her and gently kisses her fingers to calm her fears.

"Relax, sweetheart, I'm not asking for a commitment right now. I've just been sitting here for hours thinking about us… about what my life would be like without you and I didn't like the answer. All you need to know right now is that I love you. I'll be here waiting when you're ready, ok? I'm not trying to rush you."

She is afraid to look into his eyes, knowing he can convince her of anything when she does. He studies her for a long moment before he gently lifts her chin so their eyes meet. He leans down and kisses her with such sweet tenderness that her breath catches in her throat. When he releases her lips he smiles happily and she just sighs in defeat. She knows she is too groggy to debate this with him. They sit in silence for a while until she looks down at her arm.

"What happened out there… after I got hit?"

"Well, from what Joe told me you killed the bad guy about the same time he shot you. Then you managed to barely avoid getting run over when his car crashed into the wall beside you. Then they had to dig you out from under the debris from the wall. You were bleeding pretty good and poor Joe thought you were dead. I think he aged ten years too."

"I feel like a brick wall fell on me. My whole body aches."

"You'll feel better in the morning. Right now I'm going to get the nurse to give you something for the pain so you can sleep."

He presses the button to summon the nurse and a moment later she appears. She asks Pepper some questions and when she is satisfied with her condition she gives her something for the pain. Bill sit's with her until the medicine takes effect, her eyes become droopy and she finally drifts into a peaceful sleep. When he is certain she is asleep he quietly slips from the room to get some coffee.