Mark's face turned as white as sheet when he saw his only son lying
motionless on the stretcher that brought him in. His worst fear he had been
fearing the past ten years, and especially today had become a reality. This
guy had made himself known to Mark- and at his son's expense. But he wasn't
going to let him get away with it. His son didn't deserve that.
Jessie put his personal feelings aside, something he had gotten used to with Steve, and focused on helping his best friend. He ran him into the ER, and left Mark standing in awe, looking at his precious son battered and hanging on. He then felt a hand on his shoulder, but didn't move for fear that if he did, something worse could happen to Steve.
"Mark? What happened?"
Mark heard Amanda's gentle voice, but just stood there, his words frozen.
"Mark, don't worry, whatever happened, I'm sure Steve is going to pull through. He's a fighter. Just like you. And you and I both know that Jessie will do whatever it takes to make Steve better."
Suddenly something exploded in Mark, which triggered him to be anything but the gentle, sweet old man that Amanda had known and loved for many years. "Yeah, well I'm tired of this, Amanda! I'm tired of feeling scared! And that's how I've felt with this guy for the past ten years! And now he's gone and targeted my son! My precious son!"
Amanda was a bit taken aback. "Mark-"
"No, don't tell me it's going to be allright Amanda, because it's not. He's gone after someone he shouldn't have, and now he's going to pay. I put him away ten years ago, and now I'm going to put him away once and for all- if it's the last I do."
Amanda then watched as Mark walked over to the ER, and with a concerned look on his face watch them work on Steve. She knew he was going to make due on his promise. When Steve was shot a couple years back, he did the same thing- only he wound up on death row. She shuddered to think what was going to happen this time. She only hoped that he wouldn't wind up getting hurt himself. Because she couldn't bare the thought two of her best friends getting hurt. **
A couple hours later, a tired looking Jessie came out to Mark and Amanda, both of them standing up from the hard chairs they had anxiously been sitting in for the last couple of hours.
"How is he, Jessie?" Mark asked.
Jessie took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Well, he was hit by a car. Pretty hard. He had a few internal injuries, which we were able to fix, but he was also hemerging. Now he's stabilized, but since he was hit pretty hard, there's no telling when or if it could happen again. He also has three broken ribs, one of which punctured his lung. And he hit his head pretty hard. He could end up falling into a coma, but there's no telling right at the moment. We'll just have to keep a very close watch on him for the next twenty-four hours. He's still very much critical."
Amanda silently closed her eyes and let out a worried sigh. "Oh my god."
Mark stood there like a zombie, not wanting to believe Jessie. He couldn't have been hurt that badly, he didn't look that serious when he was brought in.
Jessie watched Mark as the color drained from his face and didn't say a word. "Mark?"
Mark just looked straight ahead in a trance, hardly moving. "I want to see him."
Jessie didn't really think Steve should have anyone in his room right at the moment, but he knew that there was no way on earth that he could convince Mark to stay away from it. "Uh, sure, he's in the ICU, in room 312."
Mark then solemnly walked away from a worried Jessie and Amanda, with only one concern on his mind- Steve. What seemed like hours later, he finally made it to Steve's room, but didn't expect what he saw. His once full of life son was now lying motionless on the bed. He could barely make out his face with all the cuts and bruises that covered it; he also had bandages and wraps on his arms and face, and a neck brace around his neck. And of course there were so many machines and needles...
Mark could barely move, but made his way over to his son's sleeping form, gently taking his cold lifeless hand into his. "You know, I believe I remember the last time we were in this situation. You were shot, and barely hanging on. Everyone told me to let you go, but I couldn't. I couldn't even believe what they were asking of me. How could they tell me to give up on my only son? My pride and joy? They didn't understand then and they don't understand now. You're going to make it. I know it. You're a fighter, just like your mother. She never gave up, even when she had cancer. She fought for the longest time. And she gave that to you. So you use it. Fight for everyone who cares about you. And... especially for me. I know it may sound selfish, but you're all I have. I already lost your mother and sister, and I don't want to lose you. I would rather die. Please don't give up. And I promise you I will get that Pearson guy back for doing this to you. He pushed the wrong buttons, and now he's going to pay. That's one thing I will make sure of."
And as Mark sat there, watching his only son sleep, a new wave of anger washed through him. He hated Mike Pearson for all he was worth- and he wanted to watch him suffer. He may be old, but he when someone messes with his son he knows how to fight back. He was going to put him back where he belonged but this time, on death row.
TBC...
Jessie put his personal feelings aside, something he had gotten used to with Steve, and focused on helping his best friend. He ran him into the ER, and left Mark standing in awe, looking at his precious son battered and hanging on. He then felt a hand on his shoulder, but didn't move for fear that if he did, something worse could happen to Steve.
"Mark? What happened?"
Mark heard Amanda's gentle voice, but just stood there, his words frozen.
"Mark, don't worry, whatever happened, I'm sure Steve is going to pull through. He's a fighter. Just like you. And you and I both know that Jessie will do whatever it takes to make Steve better."
Suddenly something exploded in Mark, which triggered him to be anything but the gentle, sweet old man that Amanda had known and loved for many years. "Yeah, well I'm tired of this, Amanda! I'm tired of feeling scared! And that's how I've felt with this guy for the past ten years! And now he's gone and targeted my son! My precious son!"
Amanda was a bit taken aback. "Mark-"
"No, don't tell me it's going to be allright Amanda, because it's not. He's gone after someone he shouldn't have, and now he's going to pay. I put him away ten years ago, and now I'm going to put him away once and for all- if it's the last I do."
Amanda then watched as Mark walked over to the ER, and with a concerned look on his face watch them work on Steve. She knew he was going to make due on his promise. When Steve was shot a couple years back, he did the same thing- only he wound up on death row. She shuddered to think what was going to happen this time. She only hoped that he wouldn't wind up getting hurt himself. Because she couldn't bare the thought two of her best friends getting hurt. **
A couple hours later, a tired looking Jessie came out to Mark and Amanda, both of them standing up from the hard chairs they had anxiously been sitting in for the last couple of hours.
"How is he, Jessie?" Mark asked.
Jessie took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Well, he was hit by a car. Pretty hard. He had a few internal injuries, which we were able to fix, but he was also hemerging. Now he's stabilized, but since he was hit pretty hard, there's no telling when or if it could happen again. He also has three broken ribs, one of which punctured his lung. And he hit his head pretty hard. He could end up falling into a coma, but there's no telling right at the moment. We'll just have to keep a very close watch on him for the next twenty-four hours. He's still very much critical."
Amanda silently closed her eyes and let out a worried sigh. "Oh my god."
Mark stood there like a zombie, not wanting to believe Jessie. He couldn't have been hurt that badly, he didn't look that serious when he was brought in.
Jessie watched Mark as the color drained from his face and didn't say a word. "Mark?"
Mark just looked straight ahead in a trance, hardly moving. "I want to see him."
Jessie didn't really think Steve should have anyone in his room right at the moment, but he knew that there was no way on earth that he could convince Mark to stay away from it. "Uh, sure, he's in the ICU, in room 312."
Mark then solemnly walked away from a worried Jessie and Amanda, with only one concern on his mind- Steve. What seemed like hours later, he finally made it to Steve's room, but didn't expect what he saw. His once full of life son was now lying motionless on the bed. He could barely make out his face with all the cuts and bruises that covered it; he also had bandages and wraps on his arms and face, and a neck brace around his neck. And of course there were so many machines and needles...
Mark could barely move, but made his way over to his son's sleeping form, gently taking his cold lifeless hand into his. "You know, I believe I remember the last time we were in this situation. You were shot, and barely hanging on. Everyone told me to let you go, but I couldn't. I couldn't even believe what they were asking of me. How could they tell me to give up on my only son? My pride and joy? They didn't understand then and they don't understand now. You're going to make it. I know it. You're a fighter, just like your mother. She never gave up, even when she had cancer. She fought for the longest time. And she gave that to you. So you use it. Fight for everyone who cares about you. And... especially for me. I know it may sound selfish, but you're all I have. I already lost your mother and sister, and I don't want to lose you. I would rather die. Please don't give up. And I promise you I will get that Pearson guy back for doing this to you. He pushed the wrong buttons, and now he's going to pay. That's one thing I will make sure of."
And as Mark sat there, watching his only son sleep, a new wave of anger washed through him. He hated Mike Pearson for all he was worth- and he wanted to watch him suffer. He may be old, but he when someone messes with his son he knows how to fight back. He was going to put him back where he belonged but this time, on death row.
TBC...
