Absolute Fire-FIGHTER ~ Chapter 2

DK let out a long breath when he spotted an athletically built figure, in blue jeans and a black sweater walking rapidly in his direction. He could hear her black boots clacking, as she continued up the sidewalk towards him. When Bridgette saw DK waiting for her, her rapid walk became a jog as she took off towards him.

"Is he ok?!" She cried, as she ran the last few steps into his embrace.

DK squeezed her tightly, "He's hanging on kiddo."

"Oh God, what happened?!" Bridgette exclaimed pulling away, and wiping away the mix of tears and mascara, that was trickling down her cheeks.

DK sighed, recalling the events of the last few hours. A fellow fire fighter dying, and his lieutenant being critically injured, "There was a really bad car accident, and one of the cars exploded."

"How bad is he?" Bridgette asked.

DK shook his head, "I don't know, everyone's upstairs in the Burn Unit. We'll find out more once we get up there."

"Was everyone else ok?" Bridgette asked.

DK looked down for a second, and then back up to her and shook his head, "Alex Taylor."

Bridgette's jaw dropped, "Oh my God, is she here too, or...."

Bridgette stopped, seeing the look on DK's face, and then knew, "Oh God. Oh my God."

"Bridge, it's a horrible, terrible thing that happened, and it's in God's hands now. You've gotta concentrate on your dad and getting him better, ok?" DK said.

She nodded, wiping her eyes and trying to straighten herself up.

"Come on, let's get upstairs ok?" DK asked.

Bridgette nodded. DK put his arm around her, and they walked into Mercy hospital. Bridgette looked around while they headed over towards the elevator. A few of the nurses saw her, and whispered to another nurse or a doctor. She knew that they knew who she was, and where she was going. The looks of sympathy from them ate through her body and made her feel nauseous. A feeling that she wanted to vanish, right then and there.

~*~

Walking out of the elevator, Bridgette spotted her mother in the waiting room.

"Mom?" She asked, walking in with DK behind her.

Ruth literally jumped out of her chair, when she heard the sound of her daughter's voice. Walking over, she wrapped her in a hug while Bridgette asked, "Is he gonna be ok?"

Ruth pulled away, "He got burned really bad sweetie. On his face, his chest his hands and arm. They said he broke his leg and he has a concussion too. They have him on a machine to help him breathe and he's gotta stay in the ICU up here for a while."

"How long?" Bridgette asked, as Walsh walked over to them.

"Sweetie, we don't know." Ruth replied sadly.

"Is he going to be ok?" Bridgette asked again.

"We don't know just yet, we won't know for a little while." Ruth answered.

Bridgette stood quietly for a moment, as the anger began to rise in her, "How did he get burned like that with his jacket on and everything?!"

Walsh spoke up, "He gave his jacket to....."

"He gave his jacket to someone?!" Bridgette exclaimed.

"Bridge, let him finish." DK stated.

Bridgette sighed, and looked back to Walsh who continued, "A patient that was hurt really bad, he was really cold, and going into shock, so your dad gave him his jacket."

Bridgette sighed again, rubbing her forehead.

"I see she still has the old man's temper." Walsh commented.

Bridgette gave him a blank look, while Walsh gave her an innocent smile back.

"Sweetie where were you before now?" Ruth asked.

"CVS, getting hair dye." She replied.

"Yeah, I was gonna ask about these streaky things." DK said, referring to the highlights in Bridgette's hair, while he held out a strand.

"They're called highlights DK." Bridgette replied.

"Yeah, and your dad hasn't shut up about how he can't believe you got them." Walsh stated.

Bridgette sighed, "I know, that's why I was getting the hair dye so I could fix them."

"You went and spent that money to get the hightlights, and you're going to dye it back?!" Ruth exclaimed.

"Dad doesn't like them!" Bridgette exclaimed back.

Ruth threw her hands in the air, and let out a frustrated upset sigh, "Whatever."

Before Bridgette could say anything back, a doctor emerged into the waiting room, "Mrs. Johnson?"

Ruth grabbed her daughter's hand, and turned to the doctor that was walking over to them.

"I'm Doctor Hanson, I'll be taking over your husbands care." He said, introducing himself.

"I'm Ruth, this is my daughter Bridgette." She replied.

Doctor Hanson nodded then began to explain, "Dr. Fields informed you of the procedures that took place in the ER, to stabilize your husband. We're going to continue to administer the pain medication, antibiotics, and IV Fluids. The burns take up most of the right side of his face, the top of his chest, all of his right arm and both of his hands....."

Swallowing hard, Bridgette spoke up before the doctor finished his sentence, "How long does he have to stay here?.....I mean......he's gonna be ok right?"

"It's hard to say right now. He is stabilized or we wouldn't have him up here, we just have to see how his body reacts to the medication. We'll know more in the morning." Dr. Hanson replied.

Bridgette closed her eyes for a second, letting the tears flood down and began to speak again before her mother could get a word out, "How long will he have to stay here?"

"A few months." Dr. Hanson answered.

"Months?" Bridgette whispered in disbelief.

Dr. Hanson nodded, "In those months there's quite a bit of rehabilitation that he'll have to go through. But we'll discuss that more once we get to that stage."

Ruth nodded, while she wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to keep her composure straight, "Thank you doctor."

"If there's anything else I can do for you, or if you have any more questions, please let me know, I'm here for the rest of the night." Dr. Hanson replied.

"Can we see him?" Bridgette spoke up, above her tears.

"Bridgette..." DK started.

"Not tonight I'm afraid, maybe tomorrow." Dr. Hanson replied.

Bridgette gritted her teeth, to keep herself from bursting into hysterics, "I wanna see my dad."

Dr. Hanson looked at her solemly, "I'm sorry. Maybe in the morning."

"I don't wanna wait until the morning, I wanna see him now!" Bridgette exclaimed.

"Bridge, Bridge, come on calm down." DK said, slowly pulling her away so that the doctor leave.

Bridgette took a deep breath, while the tears flew down her flushed cheeks. She looked to her mother, and saw the nervous breakdown that was waiting to happen written across her face. Not wanting her mother to lose control, she tried desperately to calm herself down so at least she could be of some support. That idea lasted in Bridgette's head for about two seconds. She looked up at DK, knowing that at any second she was going to explode into hysterics.

DK picked up on it, and put his arm around her, "Let's take a walk."

Bridgette nodded slowly. As soon as her back was to her mother, her hands came to her face, and her posture slumped as she began to sob hysterically. Closing the door of the waiting room, DK wrapped her up in a hug, and rubbed her back while she sobbed.

"I wanna see my dad!" Bridgette cried, into his shoulder.

"Bridgette you heard the doctor ok? Your dad's asleep, and if you see him right now it'll just make you more upset. Let's just wait until the morning, it'll be a better time." DK said, running his hand down her hair.

"DK he can't die! My dad's my best friend, I don't know what I'm gonna do!" She sobbed.

"I know, I know Bridge. Just relax, we don't know anything for sure yet, don't get all worked up until we know for sure." DK soothed, "Just try and relax."

Bridgette nodded into his shoulder, still crying and now choking on her tears. Across the hall, the elevator doors opened, and Doc, Kim and Carlos appeared.

"Over here." DK said, getting their attention.

Bridgette pulled away from DK, to see the three walking over to them. Kim immediatley opened her arms to Bridgette, who grasped onto her.

"Kimmy I'm so sorry about Alex." Bridgette cried.

Kim closed her eyes, "Me too honey, me too."

"How is he?" Doc asked DK.

"Holding on. We'll know more in the morning." DK replied.

"How's your mom holding up?" Kim asked, pulling away and wiping the tears from Bridgette's face with her thumbs.

Bridgette sniffled, "She looks like she's ok, but inside I know she's a mess."

Kim nodded, "It'll be ok. It will." she then kissed Bridgette's forehead, and gave her another tight squeeze.

When Kim let her go again, Carlos reached over and tugged on a small strand of her hair, "What is this?!"

Bridgette let out a very small grin while she wiped her tears. Doc then put his hands on her shoulders, "You hang in there ok? Your dad needs you to be tough ok?"

Bridgette nodded, "I know."

"Good." Doc replied.

"Are you guys staying for awhile?" Bridgette asked.

"Not tonight sweetie. There's too much going on, we just wanted to check on him, but we'll come back." Kim replied.

Bridgette nodded, "I understand."

"We're gonna go say hi to your mom though, ok?" Doc asked.

"Oh, yeah of course." Bridgette replied, "Come on." She turned and opened the waiting room door, and they all filed in. After speaking with Ruth for a few minutes, the three paramedics said goodnight, and that they would be in touch.

~*~

The hours spent in the waiting room felt endless. Ruth sat silently on the couch, resting her head in her hand, trying not to become consumed by her nerves. Both Chiefs excused themselves, once Ruth reasurred them that she would be ok. Walsh and DK took turns going back to the firehouse, to gather their belongings, call their families and check on things.

Bridgette sighed, from where she layed on the floor reading a magazine, trying everything she could to keep emotions at bay.

"What are you reading?" DK asked, sliding on the floor next to her.

"The World's Richest Kids," she replied, "The Olsen Twins are worth 74 million dollars."

DK's eyes widened, as he examined the magazine, "Wow."

Bridgette rolled her eyes, "Ya know what though? You couldn't pay me enough to be them, not even for a day. I'd hate that, to have everyone know everything about me, and to be on the front of everything. I think it would drive me insane."

"It's not like you're Michael Jackson." DK joked.

"That's grounds for suicide." Bridgette replied smirking.

DK snickered to himself, trying not to burst out laughing right then and there. Shaking his head, he remembered who he was talking to, and realized he should have seen that one coming.