Chapter 24: We Had it All

The hands on the clock ticked ahead: seconds, minutes, hours passed by. But in the waiting area of Trinity General, time had frozen for Don as he waited, hoped, and prayed that Jess would pull through surgery. Don paced up and down the corridor replaying the day's events in his head. The image of Jess on the diner's floor wounded, bleeding, and looking so fragile ran through his mind. Don shook his head trying to get rid of that picture of her - that wasn't his Jess. He thought about the car ride to the hospital; her words-"I'm pregnant" rang through his ears. Putting two and two together he figured that was why Jess had wanted to talk. How can this be happening? he thought. It wasn't fair. Don slowed his pace and glanced at the evil clock on the wall; it read quarter after twelve. Two and half hours had passed since he arrived at the hospital, since he handed Jess to the doctors, since she was rushed into surgery. "Don," Alli called running up the hall towards him.

Don turned to face her hoping she would have some news for him. He had called her the moment Jess was taken into surgery. He didn't want to wait alone, but couldn't bring himself to call her dad or brothers or pick Emma up from school. "I haven't heard anything," Don declared desperation ringing through his voice.

"Did you call Cliff? Christopher?" Alli asked.

Don shook his head. "I'm waiting for her to get out of the woods," he explained.

"Call them," Alli insisted. "And get Emma here."

"What did you find out?" Don asked.

"Just make the call," Alli replied.

"Alli tell me," Don begged. "And don't sugarcoat it."

"I didn't get much from the nursing station other than Jess is still in surgery," Alli said and went on to tell Don the truth - he deserved that. "But she was shot in the stomach. I'm not a doctor, yet…but I know what that means: the bullet can puncture holes in her intestines, liver, or kidneys. Even if she makes it through surgery, there's risk of further bleeding, sepsis, respiratory problems, pneumonia, obstruction. Or we could have lucked out and the bullet lodged in fatty tissue which would cause little to no damage. Don, listen to me - we need to prepare for the worst because with that caliber and the trajectory of the bullet and her blood lost – the odds are stacked against her."

Don nodded, he knew the truth all along, he just couldn't admit it to himself until it was shoved in his face. Years of experience in law enforcement had given him a second sense about these things and if he had to be honest with himself, deep down he knew Jess wasn't going to make it.

"I'll make the necessary calls," Alli offered affectionately patting Don on the arm.

"I need to get Emma," Don said. "But I can't leave…if something were to happen whi…"

"I'll go get her," Alli cut in. "You need to be here."

Don nodded in agreement stepping forward giving Alli a hug. Don felt his shirt getting wet from the tears that had begun falling from Alli's eyes. He gripped her tighter for support and his composure went to hell too. "We're supposed to get married, we're supposed to be a family. Jess is pregnant. We're supposed to get it all," Don mumbled into Alli's ear.

"Dad," a voice in the distance called. It sounded like Emma, but that was impossible: she was in school plus he was Don to her not Dad. Yet, it was Emma who stood in front of him looking terrified. "You're crying," Emma stated. "Oh god that must mean…"

Don released Alli in order to take his daughter into his arms. "She's still surgery," he whispered into her ear. "She's still fighting."

Emma nodded as the tears ran down her cheeks. "Em, sweetie…how did you get here?" Alli asked.

"It's all over the news. No names just saying a female detective got shot: Mom didn't pick up," Emma said through her tears. "I called but she didn't pick up…she always picks up…no matter what. So I got on a bus and here I am."

Don lowered himself to the floor and held Emma tight not wanting to ever let her go again. Lost for words he hoped him being there would be enough to get her through this. Emma crumbled into his arms. "I want my mommy, I want my mommy," she repeated crying into his chest.

:-: :-: :-: :-: :-:-: :-: :-: :-: :-: :-:-: :-: :-: :-: :-: :-:-: :-: :-: :-: :-: :-:-:

The hands of the clock continued to move as her father and brothers arrived. As Benton, Martinez, O'Bryan, Lindsay and Danny arrived. As Mac and Stella arrived with news that they caught the bastards that did this. As the surgeon finally surfaced from the OR to announce that while Jess and Baby had pulled through surgery the bullet had done serious damage to her liver. As she was moved to ICU and they were advised that the next twelve hours would be crucial, the clock ticked on.

A/N: One more chapter for this story...I'm working on the eilogue hopefully it will be up by this weekend:)