Chapter 5



Renee woke with a start. The images from the dream wouldn't fade. Burgess's face shifted to Patrick Fairbanks's. She could feel him, smell him, on her. The dream was that real. She turned her head and looked at Gabriel. He still slept. Renee laid back down and nestled closer to him, closing her eyes again.

Danny stood outside the door. No one was in the hall. He stepped away from the wall and walked to the drinking fountain around the corner. He returned a moment later and stopped. "I know that door was closed when I left," he muttered.

Drawing his gun, he approached the door. He heard the cocking of a gun from inside the room and stepped through the doorway. Seeing Orlinsky pointing a gun at the couple on the bed, he raised his own gun and took a step forward.

"Orlinsky, don't."

Orlinsky turned his head, keeping the gun trained on the bed. "Woo, mind your own business."

"This is my business. They are friends of mine." Hey, any friends of Pez's were friends of his. "If you kill them, I will take you down for murder."

Their voices pulled Renee out of her light doze. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. Seeing the two men, her eyes opened in shock. A whimper of fear escaped her mouth as she sat up and pulled the sheet up to her chin. Orlinsky glanced at her and grinned.

"At least one will see what happens to those who aid fugitives."

"Orlinsky." Danny's voice held a threatening note. "Do not kill them. Detective Pezzeni is not a fugitive and you know it. the captain just wants to get rid of her because she knows what he's up to. And even if that was the case, arrest him, don't kill him."

"Why waste that money on him?" Orlinsky asked as his finger moved to the trigger. "If you shoot me, he'll be dead as well."

Danny felt torn. He didn't want to get them killed, but he knew if he put his gun down, they'd all be dead. Before he could make a decision, they heard a door on the side of the room open, and someone step through. Danny didn't dare turn his head to look, but the voice told him who it was.

"Looks like a good old-fashioned Mexican stand-off, now doesn't it?"

"McCarty, what the hell are you doing here?" Orlinsky asked, shocked at seeing the former rookie.

"Heard what was going on. Thought the least I could do was finish my job."

"Your job?"

"Yeah. Bringing down you, your boss, and the rest of your cronies."

"Get me, and I'll get them."

"Kill them, and you'll be committing a federal crime. They are now under my protection, therefore under the protection of the federal government."

"No difference," Orlinsky said as his finger tightened on the trigger.

The other two men triggered their weapons as well, and Orlinsky fell to the floor before he could finish squeezing off his shot. Danny just stared at Jake. "F.B.I.?"

"Yep. Sent to take down the White Bulls."

Danny just shook his head. "Dofus rookie a Fed. Can't believe it."

"Well, believe it, Danny. I've been on desk duty for the past almost four years." His face held a pained expression when he faced Renee. "Guess that's my just reward for being such a fool."

She swung her feet to the floor and walked over to him. "Jake, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known."

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

They all turned at the young girl's voice. Renee lifted her daughter in her arms as she ran into the room. "Amie, he's sleeping."

"Wake up, Daddy."

"No, Amie. We have to let him sleep."

Her bottom lip moved out in a pout, and all the adults smiled. "Is she-?"

Renee interrupted Jake. "She's my husband's daughter. And even if she wasn't-"

"I would still love her like she was."

They all looked at Gabriel. None of them had realized he'd woken up. He started to struggle to a sitting position, but Renee stopped him. "The doctor said you have to stay there. He doesn't want you moving at all until he can repair your shoulder."

Gabriel relaxed again, but his eyes stayed on Jake. "What are you doing here, McCarty? Thought you were back in California."

"He's saving our lives," Renee told him.

For the first time, Gabriel noticed the body on the floor. "Was he going to-"

Renee answered his question before he had time to finish asking it. "Yes."

Amie was getting impatient. "Mommy, me wanna see Daddy. He wake now."

Renee laughed and sat her daughter on the bed beside Gabriel. "Hey, Angel," he said, ruffling her hair with his good hand. "Did you miss me?"

"Uh-huh," she said. "You come home now?"

"No, sweetie. I'm sorry. I have to stay here a bit longer."

"I want you come home."

"I will as soon as the doctor says I can. I promise."

"The doctor says you need to get some rest."

They all looked up at Dr. Granur. "I'll have somebody get that body out of here. The rest of you need to let my patient rest." Once Danny and Jake left the room, he turned to Renee and Gabriel. "Your grandfather brought the kids back. Seems the youngest one is sick again. Maybe you should go see him while I check him over."

Renee nodded and left the room.

*******

"Burgess, you are under arrest."

"You can't arrest me, Pezzeni. You're on the run from the law."

"No, only from your dirty group."

He pulled out of her grip and swung at her. She ducked the blow and brought her gauntleted fist up into his stomach. "That's for Gabe."

He doubled over then lunged for her. Sara sidestepped his attack. When he came at her again, she held the top of a sword at his neck. "You are under arrest."

He took a step back then turned and ran. Before he got far, Ian stepped out in front of him. Burgess turned around and faced Sara. She raised her knee into his groin, then hit him flush on the chin. He crumpled to the floor and laid still.

"And that's for Renee."

The sound of sirens penetrated the air. Sara saw her former boss, Joe Siri, striding toward them. "If we can get him to testify, Dante is done for, Sara. Your dad would be proud."

Sara smiled at her foster father. "Thank you, Joe. Hold on a sec." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her ringing phone. "Pez." A minute later she flipped it closed and said, "Orlinsky's dead. I'd better get to the hospital. Have someone I need to see."

"All right. You be careful. Dante is still out there. He might still come after you."

"I will be. Don't worry."

Sara hurried to the hospital. "Jake, what are you doing here?" she asked once she was in the waiting room.

He showed her his badge and explained everything. Once he finished, she asked, "Gabe and Renee are okay though?"

"Yeah. They're fine. Their daughter sure is adorable."

"Which one?" Sara asked with a laugh.

"How many do they have?"

"Well, let's see." Sara started counting on her fingers quietly. At Jake's shocked expression, she laughed again. "I'm just kidding, Jake. With Meghan, they have five."

"What about that boy?"

"He was killed. About a year after you left."

Jake nodded his head sadly. "They've been through a lot it seems."

"Yeah. But they're still going. They haven't let it break them up."

Jake nodded his head again. "So they have four kids."

"Yeah. Two girls and two boys."

"I have a little girl." He laughed at their shocked expressions. "It's true." He opened his wallet and showed them a picture of a little girl almost the mirror image of him except for a red tint to her hair. "Her name's Niamh. Met her mother in Ireland."

"When were you there?" Sara questioned.

"Right after I left here. I met Orla there in Dublin. I brought her back to California and we got married. Our daughter's about three."

"Guess you'll want to be getting back to them as soon as possible."

"I'm staying til this is over, Sara. My family's staying in a hotel in the city."

Renee walked into the waiting room with Amie in her arms. Seth carried the twins. "Parker's got a respiratory infection again. Dr. Cavu said he should be fine, but he wants to keep him here for a day or two."

"How's Gabe?" Sara asked.

Renee shook her head. "He was awake when I left him. Dr. Granur wanted to check him over."

"Speak of the devil," Seth said.

Renee turned to face the doctor. "Don't worry, Renee, he's fine," the doctor assured her. "We can probably operate on his shoulder in a few days. I just want to wait until he gets some more strength back. Why don't you go back and see him for a bit then go home and get some rest?"

She smiled at him before hurrying down the hallway. When she entered the room, Gabriel opened his eyes and grinned at her. She sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand in hers.

"How's Parker?" He asked.

"He's got a respiratory infection. Doctor wants to keep him here to see if he can find the cause of it."

"Our poor baby."

"He's going to be fine. And so are you. You need to get some rest. Jaime's gonna be kicking me out again. He insists I need to go home and get some sleep."

"You do that then."

Renee smiled at him then leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll be back in the morning."

She waited until he closed his eyes then left the room.

*******

"I've been in here for a week. I'm strong enough now."

"Gabe, they haven't even operated on your shoulder yet. You can't leave until they do."

Dr. Granur grinned at his patient from the doorway. He walked over to the bed and said, "If you're strong enough to go home, then I think you're strong enough for surgery."

Gabriel sighed. "At least someone thinks I'm strong enough."

Dr. Granur laughed. "I'll get the operating room ready and someone will be here in a few minutes to bring you in."

Renee waited by his bed until a nurse came to take him away. Then she walked out to the waiting room. Seth looked up at her. "How is he?"

"They just took him in for surgery. How long has Parker been asleep?" She asked, indicating her youngest son.

"Since we got here. Almost an hour ago."

"He'll probably be awake soon then."

"He still isn't sleeping?"

"Sometimes, sometimes not. It all depends."

"You look tired, Renee. Have you been sleeping at all."

She nodded her head. "Some. Can't really. Parker doesn't sleep for long, so I can't."

"Everything's gonna be fine."

Renee smiled at Seth then relaxed in the chair. She didn't realize she'd fallen asleep until the doctor woke her up almost an hour later. "How is he?"

"We set his shoulder blade with a plate and some screws. His arm's in a sling right now, and he needs to keep it immobile for the next month. Then, he can probably start with physical therapy. We'll have to see how his recovery goes."

"Can I see him?"

"He's still sleeping off the anesthetic, but yes, you can sit with him for a while. He can probably go home in the morning."

Renee turned to Seth and told him, "Take the kids home. I'll get a ride home later."

She walked back to Gabriel's room and pulled a chair up beside the bed. She sat there watching him until he woke up a half hour later. "I'm still alive," he said drowsily.

"Yes, you are. And you're going to stay that way."

"Can I go home now?"

"Not yet. Barring any complications, Jaime said you can in the morning."

"Is it morning yet?"

Renee laughed. "Not yet."

"Tell me when it is," he said and fell asleep.

Renee laughed to herself. She brushed his hair away from his face then walked around to the other side of the bed. She curled up beside her husband and, with one arm over his chest, fell asleep. Dr. Granur watched them from the doorway and just shook his head.

In the morning, Renee woke up when the curtains were opened and sunlight penetrated the room. She rubbed her eyes then looked up to see Dakota grinning at her. "Did you have to do that?" She asked, still trying to wake up fully.

"Yep. Couldn't just let you sleep the day away."

The doctor stepped into the room and smiled at them. "Need to examine my patient before I release him." He woke Gabriel up and fifteen minutes later said, "He seems to have come out of the surgery fine, and if he's ready, you can take him home."

"If I'm ready, he says," Gabriel muttered.

Dr. Granur and Dakota left the room while Renee helped her husband get dressed. Before they left, the doctor gave Renee a bottle of pills. "Make sure he takes these. And try to keep him in bed as much as you can."

A grin passed over Renee's face before she could suppress it. The doctor just shook his head. "That is not what I meant."

Renee smiled at him. "I know. I'd better get him home."

When they arrived at the house, Amie barely gave him time to step through the front door. "Daddy!" She cried, launching herself at him.

He grabbed her with his good arm, groaning when her momentum hit him in the ribs. "Let me go sit down," he told her. Once he was on the couch, she crawled onto his lap. "Love you, Daddy," she said, putting her head against his chest.

"I love you too, Angel."