Title: No Requiem
P O V: Hank Voight
"Erin"
I held her lifeless body in my hands as she fell into my arms "We need to move Alvin now she's not responding" "What about the body?" Scooping her up in my arms I turned to J-Lu. "Is there anything connecting you two to this?" She looked at me scared Alvin helping her up. "My DNA is all over him" "Take Erin officer I'll take care of this mess it's my fault, please help her"
"Listen I can't leave you"
"Erin is bleeding badly she needs help I'll be fine"
"Yes you will because your coming with me Alvin"
"I got this Hank take care of Erin"
I didn't need to be told twice I hurried out of the bathroom checking to make sure no one was around before hurrying her over to the cruiser. J-Lu got in the back I handed her Erin's body which was still. She had a pulse but was barely there.
"Will she be okay Officer?"
"Will make sure she is J-Lu"
Turning on the sirens and lights I sped through the streets there was no way to make it to Chicago not with the state she was in. "Keep pressure on the wound J it doesn't look like it hit anything major however it's deep she's bleeding profusely"
"How far away are we?"
"I have no idea"
Typing while driving was not easy but my GPS was updated regularly so within minutes I had a local hospital up on the screen. I saw how pale she was through the rear view mirror. Please hang on Erin please hang on.
Speeding up to the entrance I jumped out as two of the nurses came out with a stretcher. "14 y. o female GSW to the stomach self inflicted please help her"
They scooped her up laying her on the stretcher I saw the blood pooling out of her as they whisked her off. J-Lu was covered in her blood shaking as I lead her inside she moved slowly wrapping my arm over her shoulders I pointed to the bathroom.
"Why don't you go wash up I'll grab us some coffee and something to eat"
"I can't eat"
"Maybe not now but you'll get hungry go on"
Leaning my head against the coffee machine I prayed she would be okay but I knew the truth that bullet had gone deep into her stomach. She had already lost a great deal of blood.
Hours passed J-Lu fell asleep on one of the plastic chairs I paced cursing myself for running out without my cell phone. I had Camille's but that did me no good. I tried the house but she wasn't answering. She would not be happy with me but I had to do this. Erin is a good kid she needed someone to be by her side.
"Mr. Voight"
My head snapped up as a doctor came inside the waiting room I didn't have to wake J she shot up. "That's me Sir'" "I'm Dr. Sophia Lancaster are you related to Miss. Lindsay?" "Yes I'm her father"
The lie slipped out of my mouth before I even knew it was there. Why did I say it? I barely knew this kid. "In that case lets discuss her condition I am so sorry this happened, I understand how scared you must be how angry, you got her quickly though, unfortunately we were not able to save her baby we rushed her to surgery and managed to get out the bullet, she's a very lucky girl it didn't hit any major vessels"
Lucky is not a word I would ever use to describe her life. In this case though I guess it fit. "We except her to make a full recovery" "May I see her?" "You may she's out cold though will be till morning, she's stable for now when she's stronger we need to talk about getting her help" "Yes of course" "Mr. Voight I am sorry about your grandchild"
Grandchild my heart ached I would of loved to be a granddad someday but not today she is so young. She's not yours Hank don't get attached to her. The doctor lead me down a long hallway which was filled with beeping and squeals from monitors. I hated hospitals I don't know how my wife works in them all day they remind me of illness death.
Erin lay on the bed god she looked so small pale her hair lay scattered across the pillow, eyes closed. Her breathing eased moving closer to her I gently took her hand. How did it get this bad that suicide was her only answer? Her hand was so cold she shouldn't be this cold. When was the last time she had a real home a real bed? Blankets to curl up with?
Sitting down by her I held her hand to my lips "Erin I promise you darling that that if you keep fighting I will fight beside you, you'll get through this"
I stayed by her side all night till she woke up late the next morning the minute I saw her gorgeous eyes open I sighed in relief. Moving closer I brushed her hair back as she moaned, I wish I could take away her pain all of it.
"What happened?"
"Do you remember anything about yesterday?"
"Yesterday?"
"Yeah sweetheart you've been out for awhile"
"Am I?"
"Your alive Erin you'll be fine" She turned away I swear I saw a few tears in her eyes her fingers curled up into a tight ball. She was angry her breathing now growing heavier. "I'm such a screwup, I can't even off myself right" "Your not a screwup Erin someone is watching out for you, it's not your time to leave this world" "Why the hell not this world sure as hell doesn't give a damn about me" "Maybe you just don't see it Erin maybe the world hasn't been kind to you, not everything in life comes easy, maybe us meeting is the worlds way of saying it has your back"
"Your dreaming no one has my back except me"
"Your wrong Erin I have your back so does my wife she cares about you"
"She cares about this baby it's innocent, no one cares about me I'm damaged property"
Baby my heart squeezed she didn't know yet I hated hearing her talk about herself like she was land that could be sold and brought. She was so use to being used so accustomed to having a price on her head she had never known what it was like to be free to belong to no one except herself.
"Erin"
"It's Queen my name is Queen not Erin"
"Erin it's about your baby"
She didn't look at me her left arm across her chest protectively her right hand still in mine. "What about the demon seed?" Sighing I laid my hand down on her stomach gently she whimpered. Looking down it seemed to come back to her now. "I shot myself didn't I?"
"Yes darling you did" "My baby didn't make it did it?" I shock my head slowly she turned her head away. "I really am a murder"
"No Erin your a scared teenager who made a horrible choice but you'll make it through"
"What if I don't want to make it through? Don't I have that right?"
"No Erin you don't your 14, your not old enough to decide anything regarding yourself not yet, someday when your 18 you can make that choice but I hope that you'll let me take care of you over the next three years, by than I will show you that there's so much beauty in this world, you won't even consider taking your precious life, you'll let me show you how amazing you are"
"I'm not believe me in three years you'll be taking the damn gun to my head yourself"
"Not going to happen Erin"
"Will see"
"So does that mean you'll let me help you?"
"It means I'll give you the chance but I know how this will end"
