Chapter 26

It was 4:45pm, Tim and Jack where standing behind a shrubbed alcove at George Lane Memorial Park, the winter snow enveloped the birch trees that stood like sentinels throughout the park way.

Jack rubbed his gloved hands together, steam from his breathing drifting on the breeze.

"the gazebo is just over there" Tim pointed towards the large pink roofed structure.

"I Know, Tim" Jack retorted, he was starting to think this idea may not have been the best, especially with Tim involved.

"so, when he arrives, we go and…" Tim was eager, a little too eager for Jacks patience,

"we go and make him see that this needs to stop, and then well, it's up to the police" Jack replied.

"pfft, and they will slap his wrist and let him go, you know this is up to us Jack!"

Jack rolled his eyes and continued to watch the gazebo, they were not visible from where they stood, a small embankment and retainer wall blocking the view.

When Jeremy arrived, he would not see them until they approached the gazebo from the rear side. This would give them the element of surprise.

Jack phone rang, and he quickly answered it, Tim looking at him in disbelief that he had not turned the ringer of.

"hello?" he whispered,

"Jack?" Officer Parker said clearly.

"oh, hello Officer Parker, thanks for getting back to me, "he looked at Tim, reassurance on his face, "yes Jeremy will be at the park in an hour, "he lied "we arranged to meet him, at the gazebo, if you set your guys up around the George Lane park grounds, you should be able to nab him "

Jack listened to the officer and nodded his head,

"yes yes, I understand, and no I'm not telling you how to do your job, I understand, you're in charge" He rolled his eyes.

"where am I?" Jack stumbled, "oh Tim and I are at …"

"Maggie's "Tim whispered,

"Maggie's, yes, we are at Maggie's, "Jack looked very concerned, he hated lying, especially to a police officer.

"yes, we will stay here, out of your way, and leave this all to you" He nodded some more to the instructions that Officer Parker in stowed on him and then said his good byes, closing the call.

"ok we have about an hour at best to lock this up, otherwise you and I will be in the same cell as Jeremy for the night"

Tim nodded and looked back towards the Gazebo then at his watch,

"It's nearly 5pm, he should be here soon."

Jack nodded, at his x son in law, apprehension with a hint of determination on his face.

TY drifted in and out of fit full sleep, his mind was still cloudy from the left-over drugs in his system but parts of the events from the past few days where constantly replaying in his mind.

He opened his eyes to see Amy dozing in the chair next to him, he smiled, she looked so pretty when she slept.

He swallowed, and winced, his throat still sore from the respirator, the doctor had told him they had pumped his stomach and given him charcoal which would explain the dryness in his mouth and the bitter taste.

Ty gently rubbed his chest, he still had the bandage around his midsection, but the pain in his chest had subsided significantly. His stomach muscles where sore to the touch and he cringed as he rubbed across them.

Amy stirred in her chair and slowly opened her eyes to see Ty watching her.

"how long have you been awake?" she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes like a child,

Ty smiled, he had been caught watching her sleep before, it was something he loved doing, she looked so endearing when she was in slumber, and her beauty was spell binding.

"not long "he whispered, his voice still crackly.

"how do you feel?" she enquired, moving forward in the chair touching his hand.

"happy to be awake," he replied and cleared his throat again, grimacing with pain.

"I'm happy your awake too, you gave us quite a scare" she paused a serious note coming over her features. "do you remember anything?"

TY shut his eyes and exhaled softly,

"what happened to me?" he asked, looking at Amy for answers.

Amy went silent and lowered her head, he wasn't sure if she should tell him about what had happened, she had promised him she would never keep secrets again , but in his present state maybe this was something he was better off not knowing.

"Amy," he touched her hand, "please, what happened, I don't understand "

"you were in a coma, I found you this morning and you wouldn't wake up" She said quickly, looking away,

"how, what …. what… happened, was it from the surgery?" he asked concern over his face,

Amy reached forward and touched his cheek, trying to reassure him.

"you had to many painkillers, you overdosed, "Amy watched him carefully as his eyes registered what she said,

"I., I "Ty lost his words, confusion on his face, he tried to recall the last time he had taken medication, but it was still a blur, images and memories where muddled.

He rubbed his face and exhaled again, trying to recall the last few hours.

"do you remember any one coming into your room?" Amy asked, "any one at all?"

Ty watched her, pulling himself up further in his bed, so he could look her straight in the eyes.

"I remember Sister Bennet "he croaked, "she woke me early, it was still dark, did my orbs,"

"ok, did she give you pain meds?" Amy inquired,

He shook his head, "no… no…. she said she would come back and give them to me later"

He tried to remember, the fog still making it hard to piece the pieces together,

"my chest was hurting, "he finally continued," the other one gave me the cup with some water"

Amy looked at him confused, "the other one?"

"the other nurse, she came in not long after the sister, with the meds for my chest" Ty said,

Amy stood up and walked to the end of Ty s bed and took his chart, she flipped it open to see the records of his medication.

At 4am, there was an entry from Sister Bennett, numbers for his orbs, pulse, blood pressure, temperature. The next note said 7am, Administration of 2x diazepam 2.5ml.

"are you sure it wasn't later in the morning?" Amy asked,

He nodded, "no, it was still dark, "

"Sister Bennet gave you medication at 7am, she notes here that you where unstable on your feet and disorientated. "

"I ,,,,,I don't remember that" Ty said softly, "I remember the young one, pretty one, giving me the pills, "

"pretty one?" Amy raised an eye brow,

Ty signed, "she was the one who came in just before, when you were hugging me. when I woke up"

Ty picked up the cup of water on the bedside and sipped it down, all this talking was irritating his already inflamed throat.

Amy contemplated what Ty had said, and returned to sit next to him.

"I'm sorry for all the questions, it's just," She paused, she couldn't hold it inside anymore, "I got a call from Jeremy, saying that he was going to hurt you, and to show me that he could get at you easily if I didn't pay him." Tears welled up into her eyes, "then you had the overdose and he said he did it, and I didn't know what to do, I should have never told grandpa or the police, then maybe he wouldn't have hurt you"

Ty watched Amy in stunned silence, he listened to her explain the full story about the call and how Jeremy had asked for money, threatened him as a way to control Amy and was now supposedly still out there holding all the cards.

"this is all because of Jeremy? He never came in here Amy, I never saw him, "he finally said softly, "I only remember Tash coming in to see me "

"Tash?" Amy questioned "the other nurse,"

Ty nodded, and sipped his water again,

"what are the police going to do?" he asked, taking her hands in his and pulling her close to him.

"they said they will handle it and that I'm not to let Jeremy know that they are involved, the will be there tomorrow when he asked me to meet him, I won't be, "

Amy kissed Ty gently, breaking the kiss with a weird look on her face, she wiped her mouth, as if the kiss had repulsed her,

"you taste horrible" she said with a slight smile, "that charcoal had made your mouth all black and gritty"

Ty chuckled, "help me get up?"

Amy stood up and watched as Ty slowly pulled himself upright and turned to sit on the side of the bed, she could see there was still in discomfort, but he seemed stronger and steadier now than he had been the day before,

Slowly he slid his feet the ground and leaned against the bed while he got his balance.

he smiled at Her, proud of himself

"see, piece of cake" he breathed and Amy quickly slid under his arm and placed it around his waist,

They slowly walked to the on suite and Amy guided Ty to the shower chair, he sat down, rubbing his chest and breathing deeply.

Amy grabbed his toothbrush and put some toothpaste on it, then handed it to Ty who preceded to brush his teeth.

Once done, and after a quick bathroom break Amy helped him back to his bed, where he re positioned himself on the side. With Am standing between his legs in front to f him.

"that's better," he breathed worn out by the exertion, placing his hands on her hips, "you want to try that kiss again?"

Amy smiled and kissed him gently, tasting the freshness from the toothpaste as his tongue touched hers.

"minty!" she giggled touching her forehead to his. Their eyes locking.

"you should try to get some sleep, "Amy concluded, gently pushing his chest back, Ty reluctantly obliged and laid back down.

"stay with me" he asked, taking a deep breath, "please"

Amy looked into his deep green eyes, she could see his need for her to be close to him, so she nodded and climbed up next to him. Ty moved over so Amy could lay beside him, his head nestled into her neck, his arm around her shoulders.

TY could smell her skin, and feel her warmth, he felt so loved and safe when she was cuddled up next to him. Within moments he had drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Amy kissed him on the fore head and shut her eyes, smiling and she felt his breathing sync up to hers,

She yawned and decided that she would give him some time to drift off then go, but sleep now also engulfed her, seducing her into its grip and it wasn't long before she too had joined Ty in peaceful slumber.