Authors Note: This work of fiction is the sequel to 'Without Regret' and
is intended to entertain the reader. I hope the hard chore 'M*A*S*H' and
'Pride & Prejudice' fans will forgive the liberties I have taken with the
use of the characters. This is rated R, please do not read if you are under
18. Thank you.
Part 3
Chapter IIV
Elizabeth was rushed to Boston General and immediately taken into surgery. Charles was not allowed in the O.R., he found himself alone in the empty corridors of the hospital, and it was eerily quiet. He could not remember the last time he was so completely alone, all he could do was wait and pray. Charles sat in a chair and tried to be patient while he waited. His thoughts were heavy with worry for Elizabeth and he wondered what he was going to tell their children. After several hours Dr. Chandler came out of surgery, his face was grave and Charles feared the worst.
"John how is Elizabeth," Charles questioned him immediately.
"We were able to stabilize her and stop her internal bleeding. She has a broken left arm and two cracked ribs. . ."
". . .and. . ."
". . . she had a miscarriage due to the fall, I'm sorry Charles."
It was almost too much for him, he had no idea that Elizabeth was pregnant again, and to be fair, she did not know either. Charles ground his teeth and clenched his fists in silent rage, 'Damn you Caroline Bingley,' he thought. If Caroline had been there in front of him again he would have surely wrung her neck.
"I'm afraid that's not all. Elizabeth has a sever concussion and we won't know the extent of the damage to her brain for another 48 hours until the swelling subsides."
"Thank you John, you're an excellent surgeon and I know that you've done all that you can. I want to see Elizabeth now, please."
"Charles, you know that we can't let family into the post-op room. . ."
"Damn it Chandler! That's my wife in there! I'm the HEAD of thoracic surgery in this hospital not some one who just walked in off the street and has no clue about what's going on. . . I'm going to see my wife now!" Charles walked off towards the post-op rooms with a determined look on his face that none of the staff felt they should oppose.
Charles did not leave Elizabeths side for the next forty-eight hours. He barely ate, hardly slept and was not ever aware that still wearing his tuxedo from the party. Jane and Bingley stopped by to check on him and Elizabeth, Charles asked them to stop by his house and explain what happened to his staff.
He asked Jane to speak with the children, "I don't know what to say and until I know Elizabeth is safe I don't want to frighten the children. Delia and Charlie are just too smart for their own good and would know just by looking at me that something was really wrong," he said with a bitter smile mixed with pride over his children. Jane agreed to speak with his staff, to tell the children that Lizzy was sick and that Charles was staying in the hospital to take care of her. Jane returned with a change of clothes for Charles as well as several notes and pictures the children had drawn for him and Elizabeth.
"Delia, Charlie, Rick and Vicky want to come see Elizabeth, I told them that she was still unwell enough to have visitors. The younger children don't really understand but they all miss you and Elizabeth."
"Thank you Jane."
"How are you holding up Charles?"
"Other than almost losing my wife and wanting to kill the woman that did this to her, I'd say I was holding up admirably well."
"You need some rest Charles. . . Why don't I stay with Lizzy and you try to get some sleep. I am certain you know of some quite place here to take a nap."
"I couldn't sleep Jane, not until I know that she is going to be all right."
Jane and Charles stayed by Lizzy's side. Charles eventually fell asleep in his chair and Jane covered him with a blanket. She sat by her sisters bed and held her hand, "Oh Lizzy, you must come back to us, we need so you so much." Jane too was exhausted and soon fell asleep with her head on her sisters lap. Jane felt the hand holding hers squeeze, she opened her eyes and saw Lizzy looking at her.
"Oh mother. . . I've had the strangest dream," Lizzy whispered, her eyes were having trouble focusing, she did not know where she was but every part of her body hurt. Jane was excitedly calling for Charles and the doctor as Lizzy closed her eyes again and drifted back to sleep.
"Lizzy was awake, she squeezed my hand and spoke to me," Jane exclaimed excitedly to Charles and Dr. Chandler.
"What did she say Mrs. Bingley," asked Dr. Chandler.
"She said that she had the strangest dream."
"Did she recognize you Jane" asked Charles.
"Oh dear. . . she called me 'Mother'" Jane said sadly.
Chapter VI
The next several weeks were hard for Charles. Elizabeth would sometimes remember him and their children, but the times she confused Jane for her mother and asked who that strange man was, broke his heart.
Dr. Chandler assured them that it was perfectly normal for people with head trauma to at first have a faulty memory, he was confident in the fact that Elizabeth was awake and at times did remember her husband and children was a good sign for her recovery.
Charles returned home to his children with Jane by his side, he did not trust himself to be alone with them. He was afraid that he would inadvertently say something to frighten them.
"Father! Aunt Jane," the children all exclaimed, rushing the pair and almost knocking them over with their excitement.
"Father we missed you, how is mother," questioned Delia.
"Can we go to the hospital with you and Aunt Jane," asked Charlie
"When is mother coming home father, doesn't she love us anymore," asked a tearful Rick.
"Of course mother loves all of you," Charles said hugging his small sensitive son. "I know it's hard not having her here every day, once she is feeling better I will take all of you to see her."
"Yes, she missed all of you and wanted me to make sure that you all keeping up with your studies," Jane said with a smile and a kiss for each child.
Jane went with the children to the nursery and gave Charles some time to collect a few things for Elizabeth. He was pulling her suitcase from the back of her closet when his foot collided with something hard. He pulled a small box from under her shoe rack, it was unusual for his wife to keep anything hidden from him and wondered what it was.
He sat down on the floor of the closet and opened the box. Inside he found Elizabeth's dog tags, a pair of ivory hair sticks, the copy of "Romeo & Juliet" and the note he had given her when she left the 4077 and an old photograph of them from the war. The back of the picture said, "Dr. Winchester and Lizzy, 1953." He did not know who had taken the photo and he did not recognize the handwriting, but he remembered the picture.
Charles closed his eyes and let the memory take him, it was New Years Eve 1952, the sign that hung in the tent said "PEACE IN 1953" everyone was wearing silly hats and blowing noise makers. He remembered Elizabeth and every detail of how she looked, how she wore her hair lose, it hung in soft curls about her shoulders and that she smelled of roses. He remember how he thought that the drab olive green clothing they all wore did nothing to take away from her beauty. With a sigh he remembered kissing her at midnight and how something flashed and caught his eye, it must have been their picture, the one he now held in his hand. It showed them in an embrace, their kiss had just broken and the look on their faces was utter love. Charles knew that look on her face well and felt that he would go back and live in a hut in Korea if it meant that Elizabeth would remember him again. Charles didn't even realize he was crying until he felt small arms hug him, "Don't cry father," said Delia softly.
He hugged his daughter close and quickly composed himself, "I wanted to bring Mother a few of her favorite things so that she would feel better about having to say in the hospital."
"I've never seen that box before father, is that a picture of you and mother from the war?"
"Yes, this was taken on New Years Eve, you can sort of see Uncle Hawkeye and Aunt Margaret behind us," Charles looked thoughtfully at the picture and wondered if he should call the Pierces and the Hunnicutts.
"Father, do Uncle Hawkeye and Aunt Margaret know about mother being sick?"
"The do not. Perhaps we should call them, it might be good to see all of our old friends again."
As the telephone rang Charles wondered what he would say to his old friends, he knew that Elizabeth was an excellent correspondent and still kept in close contact with both families, but Charles had not spoken with them in years. A small voice answered and said very importantly, "Hullo, Pierce residence. This is Benny Pierce speaking."
"Hello Benny, this is Doctor Winchester, may I please speak with your mother or father?"
Charles heard the phone rattle as it was dropped and the pounding of small feet as they ran, the little voice called "Mom there's a Dr. Chestnut on the phone!" Charles chuckled to himself, he knew that young Benny Pierce was about five, which put him right between Vickie and Eddy. He heard more footsteps and Hawkeye's voice called out "I've got it dear -- Hello this is Dr. Pierce, may I help you?"
"Hawkeye its Charles."
"Charles! It's so good to hear from you - Hey, Margaret, pick up the extension, its Charles!!"
"Oh hello, Charles, I was wondering who Benny thought 'Dr. Chestnut' was! How are things in Boston, how is Elizabeth and your new baby," Margaret asked.
"The children are fine, but I'm afraid that Elizabeth is unwell," Charles said. He explained to them what had happened. Both Margaret and Hawkeye were understandably upset.
"Is there anything we can do Charles," Margaret asked.
"Actually there is, I was hoping that all of you could come for a visit. I'm hoping that seeing old friends will help Elizabeth recover her memory."
Both Margaret and Hawkeye agreed to come visit, but were uncertain about what to do with young Benny. Charles laughed out loud and reminded them that he was the father of seven children and that more were always welcomed into the Winchester house. "You must bring Benny with you, I am certain that he would enjoy having the other children to play with," he said feeling a happy relief that his friends would be able to help him and help Elizabeth. The process was repeated with a call to the Hunnicutts and the too agreed to visit.
. . . to be continued . . .
Part 3
Chapter IIV
Elizabeth was rushed to Boston General and immediately taken into surgery. Charles was not allowed in the O.R., he found himself alone in the empty corridors of the hospital, and it was eerily quiet. He could not remember the last time he was so completely alone, all he could do was wait and pray. Charles sat in a chair and tried to be patient while he waited. His thoughts were heavy with worry for Elizabeth and he wondered what he was going to tell their children. After several hours Dr. Chandler came out of surgery, his face was grave and Charles feared the worst.
"John how is Elizabeth," Charles questioned him immediately.
"We were able to stabilize her and stop her internal bleeding. She has a broken left arm and two cracked ribs. . ."
". . .and. . ."
". . . she had a miscarriage due to the fall, I'm sorry Charles."
It was almost too much for him, he had no idea that Elizabeth was pregnant again, and to be fair, she did not know either. Charles ground his teeth and clenched his fists in silent rage, 'Damn you Caroline Bingley,' he thought. If Caroline had been there in front of him again he would have surely wrung her neck.
"I'm afraid that's not all. Elizabeth has a sever concussion and we won't know the extent of the damage to her brain for another 48 hours until the swelling subsides."
"Thank you John, you're an excellent surgeon and I know that you've done all that you can. I want to see Elizabeth now, please."
"Charles, you know that we can't let family into the post-op room. . ."
"Damn it Chandler! That's my wife in there! I'm the HEAD of thoracic surgery in this hospital not some one who just walked in off the street and has no clue about what's going on. . . I'm going to see my wife now!" Charles walked off towards the post-op rooms with a determined look on his face that none of the staff felt they should oppose.
Charles did not leave Elizabeths side for the next forty-eight hours. He barely ate, hardly slept and was not ever aware that still wearing his tuxedo from the party. Jane and Bingley stopped by to check on him and Elizabeth, Charles asked them to stop by his house and explain what happened to his staff.
He asked Jane to speak with the children, "I don't know what to say and until I know Elizabeth is safe I don't want to frighten the children. Delia and Charlie are just too smart for their own good and would know just by looking at me that something was really wrong," he said with a bitter smile mixed with pride over his children. Jane agreed to speak with his staff, to tell the children that Lizzy was sick and that Charles was staying in the hospital to take care of her. Jane returned with a change of clothes for Charles as well as several notes and pictures the children had drawn for him and Elizabeth.
"Delia, Charlie, Rick and Vicky want to come see Elizabeth, I told them that she was still unwell enough to have visitors. The younger children don't really understand but they all miss you and Elizabeth."
"Thank you Jane."
"How are you holding up Charles?"
"Other than almost losing my wife and wanting to kill the woman that did this to her, I'd say I was holding up admirably well."
"You need some rest Charles. . . Why don't I stay with Lizzy and you try to get some sleep. I am certain you know of some quite place here to take a nap."
"I couldn't sleep Jane, not until I know that she is going to be all right."
Jane and Charles stayed by Lizzy's side. Charles eventually fell asleep in his chair and Jane covered him with a blanket. She sat by her sisters bed and held her hand, "Oh Lizzy, you must come back to us, we need so you so much." Jane too was exhausted and soon fell asleep with her head on her sisters lap. Jane felt the hand holding hers squeeze, she opened her eyes and saw Lizzy looking at her.
"Oh mother. . . I've had the strangest dream," Lizzy whispered, her eyes were having trouble focusing, she did not know where she was but every part of her body hurt. Jane was excitedly calling for Charles and the doctor as Lizzy closed her eyes again and drifted back to sleep.
"Lizzy was awake, she squeezed my hand and spoke to me," Jane exclaimed excitedly to Charles and Dr. Chandler.
"What did she say Mrs. Bingley," asked Dr. Chandler.
"She said that she had the strangest dream."
"Did she recognize you Jane" asked Charles.
"Oh dear. . . she called me 'Mother'" Jane said sadly.
Chapter VI
The next several weeks were hard for Charles. Elizabeth would sometimes remember him and their children, but the times she confused Jane for her mother and asked who that strange man was, broke his heart.
Dr. Chandler assured them that it was perfectly normal for people with head trauma to at first have a faulty memory, he was confident in the fact that Elizabeth was awake and at times did remember her husband and children was a good sign for her recovery.
Charles returned home to his children with Jane by his side, he did not trust himself to be alone with them. He was afraid that he would inadvertently say something to frighten them.
"Father! Aunt Jane," the children all exclaimed, rushing the pair and almost knocking them over with their excitement.
"Father we missed you, how is mother," questioned Delia.
"Can we go to the hospital with you and Aunt Jane," asked Charlie
"When is mother coming home father, doesn't she love us anymore," asked a tearful Rick.
"Of course mother loves all of you," Charles said hugging his small sensitive son. "I know it's hard not having her here every day, once she is feeling better I will take all of you to see her."
"Yes, she missed all of you and wanted me to make sure that you all keeping up with your studies," Jane said with a smile and a kiss for each child.
Jane went with the children to the nursery and gave Charles some time to collect a few things for Elizabeth. He was pulling her suitcase from the back of her closet when his foot collided with something hard. He pulled a small box from under her shoe rack, it was unusual for his wife to keep anything hidden from him and wondered what it was.
He sat down on the floor of the closet and opened the box. Inside he found Elizabeth's dog tags, a pair of ivory hair sticks, the copy of "Romeo & Juliet" and the note he had given her when she left the 4077 and an old photograph of them from the war. The back of the picture said, "Dr. Winchester and Lizzy, 1953." He did not know who had taken the photo and he did not recognize the handwriting, but he remembered the picture.
Charles closed his eyes and let the memory take him, it was New Years Eve 1952, the sign that hung in the tent said "PEACE IN 1953" everyone was wearing silly hats and blowing noise makers. He remembered Elizabeth and every detail of how she looked, how she wore her hair lose, it hung in soft curls about her shoulders and that she smelled of roses. He remember how he thought that the drab olive green clothing they all wore did nothing to take away from her beauty. With a sigh he remembered kissing her at midnight and how something flashed and caught his eye, it must have been their picture, the one he now held in his hand. It showed them in an embrace, their kiss had just broken and the look on their faces was utter love. Charles knew that look on her face well and felt that he would go back and live in a hut in Korea if it meant that Elizabeth would remember him again. Charles didn't even realize he was crying until he felt small arms hug him, "Don't cry father," said Delia softly.
He hugged his daughter close and quickly composed himself, "I wanted to bring Mother a few of her favorite things so that she would feel better about having to say in the hospital."
"I've never seen that box before father, is that a picture of you and mother from the war?"
"Yes, this was taken on New Years Eve, you can sort of see Uncle Hawkeye and Aunt Margaret behind us," Charles looked thoughtfully at the picture and wondered if he should call the Pierces and the Hunnicutts.
"Father, do Uncle Hawkeye and Aunt Margaret know about mother being sick?"
"The do not. Perhaps we should call them, it might be good to see all of our old friends again."
As the telephone rang Charles wondered what he would say to his old friends, he knew that Elizabeth was an excellent correspondent and still kept in close contact with both families, but Charles had not spoken with them in years. A small voice answered and said very importantly, "Hullo, Pierce residence. This is Benny Pierce speaking."
"Hello Benny, this is Doctor Winchester, may I please speak with your mother or father?"
Charles heard the phone rattle as it was dropped and the pounding of small feet as they ran, the little voice called "Mom there's a Dr. Chestnut on the phone!" Charles chuckled to himself, he knew that young Benny Pierce was about five, which put him right between Vickie and Eddy. He heard more footsteps and Hawkeye's voice called out "I've got it dear -- Hello this is Dr. Pierce, may I help you?"
"Hawkeye its Charles."
"Charles! It's so good to hear from you - Hey, Margaret, pick up the extension, its Charles!!"
"Oh hello, Charles, I was wondering who Benny thought 'Dr. Chestnut' was! How are things in Boston, how is Elizabeth and your new baby," Margaret asked.
"The children are fine, but I'm afraid that Elizabeth is unwell," Charles said. He explained to them what had happened. Both Margaret and Hawkeye were understandably upset.
"Is there anything we can do Charles," Margaret asked.
"Actually there is, I was hoping that all of you could come for a visit. I'm hoping that seeing old friends will help Elizabeth recover her memory."
Both Margaret and Hawkeye agreed to come visit, but were uncertain about what to do with young Benny. Charles laughed out loud and reminded them that he was the father of seven children and that more were always welcomed into the Winchester house. "You must bring Benny with you, I am certain that he would enjoy having the other children to play with," he said feeling a happy relief that his friends would be able to help him and help Elizabeth. The process was repeated with a call to the Hunnicutts and the too agreed to visit.
. . . to be continued . . .