Racing Hearts
AU. When Sarah's father returns to her life years later claiming he wants to make amends she struggles a bit with the decision of letting the man who once betrayed her into her heart again. Will her family make her see there's forgiveness after all? And how will she and Connor deal with tragedy as it strikes?
Sara remembered she'd taken Ollie home, her little fighter had come through against all odds.
And he would defy them again after surgery, she was sure of it. A transplant could mean he would never have to be admitted into the Pediatrics wing again. She and Connor made their way downstairs with Natalie and the others, Sarah began to feel the pressure of meeting the parents of the child whose heart would save her son's life.
"Sarah?" Connor asked her softly. She had taken a minute to compose herself in Ms. Goodwin's office as she learned the news but tears were again becoming imminent in her eyes. She felt Connor's hand slip into hers as he gave her a light squeeze. "Nat? Huh, could we have a minute?"
Their friend smiled. "Of course." The others continued their way downstairs to the ED to find the Collins family as they stayed behind.
"Baby, it's just us right now, look at me." He told her softly. He had pulled her into an empty room.
"I've thought about this so many times that now I cannot imagine having someone lose their child so Ollie can live. How can I face those parents?" Her emotions were high, as a doctor and in her early days in the ED, Sarah had, of course, learned just how fragile life was and just how cruel fate seemed to be, now how in the world would she be able to look that mother in the eye and thank her for her son's death?
"Sarah…" Connor forced her to sit on a chair as her legs began to tremble, he knelt in front of her and took her hands in his as he kissed them softly. "This is a good thing, my love, it's a blessing."
Sarah could have laughed in his face if he wasn't so sweet. "I know it's hard, it's the hardest thing when a recipient's loved ones make that request, I've seen it, but when it happens, it's the most wonderful feeling there is. The person that they lost can somehow keep on living." He pulled a strand of loose hair from her face as he lifted his face to kiss her softly.
Sarah welcomed his kiss as she touched his face, their relationship had always taken two roads, there could be a lot of talking or none of it as they just took comfort in one another. Connor was right, she couldn't possibly be ungrateful for the fact that someone was willing to give up their child's heart so her sweet boy could live.
"I love you." She told him between tears as she leaned her forehead against his.
"I love you so much." He told her. "Are you ready for this?"
Sarah bit her lip. "I don't know if I'll ever be ready." She admitted.
"Okay," Connor said softly. "Then we'll take it one day at a time."
Sarah nodded as he helped her up and they both headed downstairs. Connor never letting go of her hand.
"I've made the arrangements with the team," Ava told Natalie and Ethan as they reached the room where the Collins parents were resting. "Connor already called on ahead and Ollie should arrive soon."
"Good." Natalie smiled. "Thank you, Ava, I know you and Connor haven't always seen eye to eye but it's amazing that you are here supporting him and Sarah like this."
"Of course." The blonde woman smiled. "Mr and Mrs. Collins, I'm Dr. Bekker," Ava said softly as they opened the door. "I'll be on the cardiac team for the transplant."
"Hi," Jennifer said softly. "Is it time?"
"Not yet," Nat said. "Have the girls seen Shane yet? It would be good for them to get a chance to say goodbye."
"We're not sure if we want to put them through that," Mark said as they both looked over at their son who lay there in the corner of the room, Jennifer was already able to get out of bed but Mark remained confined to his own. "Do you think we should?" He asked them.
"It could be easier for them to understand what's happening if they see him," Natalie told them. "Kids are resilient."
Mark and Jennifer nodded. "Okay, can we...could you be here Dr. Manning?" Jennifer asked.
"Yes, of course."
"I'll page Peds, ask them to send the girls down." April smiled as she took her leave. She saw Connor and Sarah as she left the room.
Natalie spotted her friends and turned to the young parents. "Mark, Jennifer, these are…"
"Dr. Reese and Dr. Rhodes, your boy is getting Shane's heart," Mark said. Connor glanced over at Sarah who could barely nod as she noticed the little boy on the respirator. "It's wonderful to meet you, your friends speak wonders of you."
"Thank you," Connor said, emotion full in his voice. "We know just how hard this must be for you…"
"I can imagine it must have so been hard for you all these years, knowing your little boy was so sick," Jennifer said, tears in her eyes. "And you being doctors…"
"I can't imagine, you know it's funny, we all want our children to do great things in life and now Shane is doing something amazing…."
Sarah couldn't hold her feelings bottled up any longer.
"Can I? Could I hug you?" She said in a low voice. Jennifer who was in tears too smiled. Ethan helped her from the bed to the wheelchair. "Thank you…"
Sarah held onto the woman for a minute as she cried. "It's okay, sweetie, I know…"
Connor was starting to crack as well and he left the room, with Natalie following closely behind. "Hey… Connor…"
"I can't…. I can't just thank them, How's that even okay?" He laughed bitterly.
"Listen, you can't be strong all the time, you're only human, it's okay to show weakness and as far as what you can do for them? You can honor their child by raising an amazing human being." Natalie said, wrapping him in a hug as he cried.
"Babe?" He heard Sarah call a minute later as he broke Natalie's embrace. "It's okay…"
And at that moment, Connor's walls came down as he sobbed into Sarah's neck, she rubbed circles on the back of his head softly.
"Dr. Rhodes? Connor?" Jennifer had come out from the room as Ethan pushed her. "I just want to say… I feel honored to have Shane be a part of your family in a way, even if that makes very little sense…"
Jennifer stood up with Ethan's help to wrap her arms around Connor, "I can see just how wonderful people you are and God couldn't have chosen anyone better…"
Ollie arrived into the Peds wing a few hours later. He was more than used to hospitals and specially Ava, which was of much relief to Sarah.
"Hey, big guy." Dr. Fisch smiled as she and Ava admitted him. "Let's see here."
"How are you?" She asked Sarah who stood beside her son on the bed.
"Okay. How much longer until they have to take Shane?"
"An hour or so," Ava said. "Where's Connor?"
"He went to talk to Ms. Goodwin. He probably wants to be in the OR during surgery."
"That sounds like him" She smiled. Ollie called for Sarah's attention. "And how about this one? Are we ready little one?"
"As ready as we'll ever be," Sarah said. "Ava, I... I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for my family these last few years, I know Connor and I don't say it enough but…"
"No, I should be thanking the two of you, working with Ollie has made me realize I want more in my life than just a career. I might specialize in pediatrics…"
Sarah seemed utterly surprised. "Will that mean leaving Med?"
"Perhaps but, not just yet, first I need to make sure Ollie gets the best care he can, isn't that right?"
Ollie smiled up at her. "Are we ready Dr. Bekker?" Maia asked.
"We're ready," Ava said turning to Sarah who nodded.
Connor got called down to the Peds wing just as they were taking Ollie to the OR. "Everything okay?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah." He said kissing her cheek as he watched Ollie on the bed, he saw his daddy and tried to reach for him.
"Hey buddy," Connor reached for his hand.
"Daddy," He mumbled the best he could. "Daddy sad."
Connor smiled. "Daddy's going to be really happy once you get out of surgery." Sarah held on to Connor from behind. "Mommy and Daddy love you so much."
"Love you too!" He smiled. "Hospital again…"
"Yeah, I know buddy, but not for long okay?" Sarah smiled. "We'll take you home soon."
"Guys, we have to take him up now." Sarah's grip on Connor's hand tightened. "You can come up with us."
Connor held onto the rail on the bed as he followed the team with Sarah on the other side.
"Are you going in?" Sarah asked as they walked. Connor shook his head. "But I thought you'd talked to Ms. Goodwin…."
"I'm staying right here with you. Ava's there, it will be okay." He told her.
Reese smiled as they came to a stop. "Okay buddy, you'll be going to sleep and when you wake up Mommy and Daddy will be right here…"
Ollie didn't seem scared but he did shoot them a puzzled look. "We love you so much, Ollie." Sarah kissed her baby's forehead as Connor did the same a moment later.
Just as the bed was pulling away, Sarah heard her son call for them desperately and she had to bury her face in Connor's chest to muffle the sounds.
Sarah felt her heart shatter into a million pieces as Connor held her close.
"We'll get trough this Sarah." He whispered into her hair.
"How?"
"Together."
"You sure you guys don't need anything?" Natalie asked as she sat beside Sarah once more. She could see Connor was extremely anxious as he was not used to be on the other side of the waiting room.
"We're fine, you guys should go home…" Sarah told her and Will who'd come join her.
"No, it's fine, Helen's got, Owen…" Will said. "Connor, buddy, why don't you sit? You'll make a hole in the floor man."
Connor sighed, glancing over at Will. "No, I'm good."
" Well, I'm gonna get you some coffee," Natalie said, dragging Will along, leaving the anguished parents alone.
"Connor, come here…" Sarah said softly, he took a seat next to her after running his fingers trough his hair frustrated.
"I called Amy, she's staying with the boys for the night." Sarah nodded.
Silence took over them for a while. "I talked to Maggie, she told me you paid the Collins' medical bills."
Connor sighed. "I was going to tell you…"
"It's okay." She smiled softly taking his hand in hers. "I mean we can't possibly pay them back for what they are doing for Ollie but we can certainly help them in any way we can…"
"Nat told me Jennifer's baby is a boy, she'll be able to carry him to term," Connor said.
Reese leaned her head on his shoulder as he leaned to kiss her forehead. "This is really happening huh?"
He smiled, his pager buzzed as he looked up. It was the cardiac wing. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure." He told her.
"Dr. Rhodes…" Lucy, the nurse in charge of Robert came running across the hallway."I can't find an attending…."
"Breathe Lucy…" Connor said, breaking contact with Sarah.
"Dr. Haywood is going into cardiac arrest."
So it might be up to Connor to save Robert! And we can't all be strong all the time Connor!
This story also is reaching an end. What did you think of this en guys? Please review and thanks for reading :)
