I only got one review on the last chapter so does that mean people don't care how it ends anymore? The show's pretty much destroyed this relationship and I'm not holding out much hope for the new season. I've been working on a new story, but I'm not sure if I'll post it here. I've really enjoyed writing this and I hope that a few of you have gotten some enjoyment out of reading it. I really appreciate all the people who took the time to review and I hope I didn't disappoint. Thanks again.
50
"Mary, look at me. Are you alright? Are you in a lot of pain?" Danny used both hands to gently pull her away from his chest so he could get a better idea of her condition. Her face was dirty and tear-streaked and blood was seeping from her mouth and nose, but a ghost of a smile was playing at her lips and that somehow gave him hope that she was going to be alright.
"I'm okay," she replied.
He gently touched his lips to hers, pulling back after only a moment so he could speak, "Do you think you can help me? I don't think I can walk yet."
"Tell me what to do."
"There should be life jackets in one of these benches and hopefully some kind of raft."
Mary struggled to her feet with minimal assistance from Danny and started going through every bench. "I found the raft, Danny!"
"Good," Danny tried to sound encouraging and positive, but the whole time he was keeping one eye on the growing inferno in the cabin. "Any life jackets?"
"Yeah, they're in here too."
"Okay, pull them out and then see what else you can find that we might need."
"What about the raft?"
"I'll get it," he told her, pulling himself across the deck using his gradually returning upper body strength.
"Danny? Are you sure?"
"Just keep looking, Mary. We need to hurry."
As Danny reached the bench and began maneuvering the rubber raft out of its compartment and onto the deck, Mary moved to another bench where she managed to locate some rope and a pocket knife. She added them to the pile before noticing the large ice chest–it was right outside the cabin and flames were already shooting from below the deck. Taking a deep breath she ran for it, grabbing the handle and trying desperately to drag it away from the flames.
"Mary!" Danny screamed when he noticed her so close to the fire.
Realizing that there was no way she could move the heavy cooler she decided to pull open the lid and see what was inside. Jackpot. It was loaded with water and Mary filled her arms with the plastic bottles before making her way back to Danny who was still struggling with the raft. Half way across the deck, pain gripped her like a vice and she stumbled, dropping to her knees while the water bottles went rolling across the deck.
"Mary! Mary?" Danny frantically called to her, but she couldn't answer him, she was in too much pain and she breathed in and out waiting for it to pass.
"Damnit, Mary! Answer me right now!"
Hearing the desperation in his words, Mary finally looked up and met Danny's frightened gaze. Crawling slowly on her hands and knees again, she collected the bottles one by one and made her way back to her husband. He reached for her, but she shifted from his touch. She knew he was scared--probably just as scared as she was, but she couldn't let him comfort her now. If she did, she may never be able to let go. Danny seemed to understand as he met her pleading look with a slight nod of his head. They needed to get off of this boat and then they could worry about what to do next.
Working together they managed to get the life raft unrolled and Danny looped the rope through one of the hooks and secured it to the back of the boat before releasing the valve that instantly inflated it with air. Grabbing the oar that had been wrapped inside, he tossed everything else into the raft before turning back to Mary who was struggling to fit the life jacket around her.
"You ready?" He asked, reaching to help her tie it as best that he could.
"Ready," she assured him, leaning in to give him one more kiss before climbing down the back ladder and into the raft. Finally able to use his legs Danny followed her, untying the rope that secured the small vessel and pushing them away from the sinking boat-- paddling with as much strength as he could muster.
They'd only moved about 20 feet when another explosion rocked the otherwise calm sea around them and Danny threw his body across Mary's, trying to shield her from the falling debris.
When the smoke cleared he looked back to see that the vessel they'd been aboard only moments before was all but destroyed. Turning his attention back to his wife, Danny noticed that her eyes were shut tightly as deep lines of pain and tension formed along her forehead and he softly caressed her cheek in an effort to soothe them away.
"Do you know how far apart they are, baby?"
She shook her head from side to side as she exhaled the breath she'd been holding, opening her eyes to look at Danny who was still hovering over her.
"Let's try to time them, okay?" He said in what he hoped was a calm and reassuring tone.
Mary nodded her head, but despite her husband's efforts her last threads of calm were slipping and she felt the tears starting to fall. She didn't want to lose control again--she knew that trying to relax was the most important thing right now, but somehow being in labor while stranded in a life raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean was not an environment that lent itself to relaxation.
"Mary, sweetie, it's going to be okay. Between the flare earlier and the explosion someone's bound to have seen us."
"What if they don't get here in time, Danny? What if…"
"We'll worry about that if it happens. Right now I just want to concentrate on keeping you comfortable, okay?"
"Okay."
Danny kissed her forehead and then reached for one of the bottles of water. Handing it to her so she could drink, he ripped off a piece of his t-shirt and soaked it so he could wipe some of the blood and grime from Mary's face, his other hand holding hers tightly.
"Tell me how you feel."
"Dizzy."
"What do you mean?" That wasn't what he was expecting to hear.
"I…my head seems like it's spinning right now."
"Stay with me, sweetie." Danny looked around frantically and his eyes immediately noticed something in the distance. He hoped the sun wasn't playing tricks on him because it definitely looked like a boat headed their way. "Someone's coming, Mary."
"Okay," her voice sounded weak and Danny looked back to see her closing her eyes.
"Don't close your eyes. Just a little bit longer, baby," he yelled, looking back out to sea.
Danny felt Mary's hand go limp in his and he turned back to his wife, but she'd slipped into unconsciousness.
"Mary?"
"Mary, can you hear me?"
"MARY!"
"Where the hell are they, Mike?"
"A neighbor saw a white van parked in front of the house, but he didn't get a look at the plates. I figured they'd be headed out of Vegas so I checked every air strip in a 200 mile radius. A jet took off from a private airport in Laughlin at 3:56 this morning--no flight plan. The guy working the tower said they headed west and they left a white van behind."
"So you're telling me they're somewhere in California? How the hell does that help, Mike?"
"I've got the tail number and I'm talking to ground controllers all over the state to see where they landed. Do you think they'll request another ransom?"
"No. This isn't about a ransom anymore," Ed responded grimly.
"Mr. D….you don't think. I mean, they wouldn't…what about the baby?"
Not wanting to think about Mike's question, Ed continued, "I've still got another six hours before we land. You've gotta take this one, Mike."
"I'm on it. I'll find them."
Mary felt like she was floating. She could hear voices in the distance, but she couldn't quite make out what they were saying. One sound she did recognize was the cry of a baby. It was loud and piercing, but Mary thought it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard. Struggling back to consciousness she opened her eyes, immediately closing them again at the onslaught of harsh fluorescent light.
"Hey, there you are," she heard someone say.
Was that Danny? It sounded like him, but her brain was still muddled.
"Mary, open your eyes. Everything is alright …just open your eyes and look at me."
Following his command, she opened her eyes again, this time to a softer light and the beautiful, but fuzzy face of her husband. "Hey," he said, unable to control the huge grin that spread across his face.
As she became more aware of her surroundings Mary immediately reached for her stomach, but Danny's hands quickly stopped her. "Don't," he said firmly.
Mistaking his tone, her voice broke as she asked, "Did I lose the baby?"
"Oh no, sweetie. She's right here," he told her, turning around to take the baby from the nurse, "but you've got stitches and I didn't want you to hurt yourself."
"Stitches?"
Danny laid the tiny bundle across her chest, helping her move her arms underneath their daughter.
"They had to do a caesarean, but everything's fine."
"Okay," Mary said quietly, unable to think about anything but the perfect little person she held in her arms.
"I'll leave you two alone," the nurse told them with a smile. "But I think you've got some pretty anxious visitors out here in the hallway."
"Yeah, will you tell them to give us a few more minutes?"
"Sure."
"So, tell me what happened," Mary asked, finally looking up at her husband.
"Well, you passed out right about the time a nice old man in his boat came along–the doctor said it was probably a combination of your blood pressure and exhaustion. Anyway, the man, Mr. Thornton, had seen the explosion and radioed the Coast Guard, but he helped us on board until the rescue chopper showed up and brought you to San Diego where this little one made her appearance."
"And she's okay?" After everything they'd been through, Mary just needed to know that everything really was okay.
"Perfect," was her husband's response as he placed a kiss on first Mary's forehead and then their daughter's.
Danny was able to keep the vultures at bay for about fifteen minutes before they loudly insisted on seeing Mary and the baby. Mike was the first to enter. He'd actually been waiting for them in San Diego when the Coast Guard helicopter arrived and had been with Danny while they waited for news on Mary and the baby.
Jillian, Delinda and Sam followed closely behind while Ed brought up the rear, having ordered the pilot to divert to San Diego instead of Las Vegas so that he could see for himself that his kids were okay.
"She's beautiful, Mary," Jillian gushed as Mary handed her the baby.
"Thank you."
"Yeah, thank God she doesn't look like Danny," Sam snorted, earning a glare from the proud papa himself.
"Oh, I don't know about that," Jillian told her. "I can already see little dimples, just like her Daddy."
"But she's definitely got Mary's pout," Ed added, peering over Jillian's shoulder.
"You're in big trouble man," Mike slapped Danny on the back and the entire group broke out into laughter, causing the baby to stir a bit in Jillian's arms.
A soft knock at the door silenced the group's laughter and they turned to notice a weathered looking man peek his head through the door.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize your family was here. I'll come back."
"No…please come in," Danny insisted, moving towards the older gentleman and ushering him into the room.
"I won't take up too much time. I just wanted to check on the young lady and the little one."
"Everyone this is Mr. Thornton. He's the one who rescued us."
"Well, I don't know about that. I was just in the right place at the right time."
Mr. Thornton moved across the room as Jillian handed the baby back to Mary.
"She sure is a pretty one," he commented, laying a small pink teddy bear on the bed next to them.
"Thank you….for everything. My husband and I are so grateful to you for your help."
"It was nothing," the man told her, looking down at the floor bashfully.
"Were you fishing, Mr. Thornton," Ed asked, curious as to what had brought this man into Danny and Mary's path.
"Not today," he replied, looking up at Ed. "Just out for some air. Don't usually go out that far, but something about the weather today just kept me heading south."
"Luckily for us."
"Yeah, I guess so. It's kinda funny. My Evie always said that boat was a lifesaver. She made me buy it after I retired. Said I was home all the time and in her hair–driving her crazy. She insisted I needed a hobby. So when I bought the boat, she called it her lifesaver. I thought it was funny so I named it after her–Evelyn's Lifesaver."
"Your wife's name is Evelyn?"
"Was. She died last year–cancer… so I guess it didn't really live up to its name."
Danny and Mary exchanged a knowing look, each of them realizing the irony and significance of his words.
"I don't know about that," Danny said, sitting down on the bed and putting his arm around his wife and child. "It certainly saved this Evelyn's life."
"Oh, that's awful sweet of you, but really…I'm sure you've got a perfectly fine name picked out for this little one."
"Actually, it was already one of the names on their list," Mike said, still in disbelief at this turn of events.
"And if being rescued from the middle of the ocean by a boat named 'Evelyn's Lifesaver' isn't a sign then I don't know what is," Sam chimed in.
"What do you think of that, Evie? Does that sound like a good name?" Mary cooed at the baby in her arms.
The baby gurgled and opened her eyes at the sound of her mother's voice and everyone in the room smiled.
"Sounds like she likes it too," Delinda noted.
"Well then, welcome to the world Evelyn Margaret McCoy."
"You're getting pretty good at that," Mary commented as Danny finished securing the diaper and moved the baby to the bed to swaddle her again.
"I told you I could do this. Did you doubt my ability, Mrs. McCoy?"
"Maybe just a little," Mary teased as she took the baby back from him.
Danny adjusted the lights in the room and then curled up beside Mary in the bed. The last of their visitors had left and the two of them were hoping to get a little bit of peace and quiet before Evie needed to be fed again. Neither one of them could take their eyes off the baby as she lay sleeping on the pillow across Mary's lap. Danny had always imagined this moment--watching Mary with their child, but the reality was so much better than anything his mind could have conjured up. Turning his gaze from Evie's face back to Mary's he noticed that tears were welling up in her eyes.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, reaching up to stop the drop from making its way down her cheek.
"Everything she went through to get here….everything we all went through."
"It has been quite a roller coaster ride, but it's all over, Mary. None of them can hurt us anymore."
"I know. It still feels just a little bit unreal though. I still feel like someone's going to take her from me."
"Not as long as I'm breathing. I've got both of you and I'm never going to let you go."
Touched by her husband's sweet words, Mary leaned in so they could share a deep and passionate kiss. "I'm never going to let you go either, Danny. If this whole ordeal has taught me anything it's that there is nothing we can't survive as long as we have each other."
"Damn straight," he agreed with a smile, leaning in for another kiss as the baby slept on.
