Sam knelt before the altar of the small chapel, not really sure of what to do. He couldn't remember the last time he had been in a church, probably for Noah's.... He closed his eyes, forcing that memory away. Noah had finally gone back to the waiting room after watching him anxiously for several minutes leaving him alone to pray, to ask for one more miracle.
"Ummm, I know it's been a long time since you and I talked," Sam whispered, thinking in spite of himself at how angry he had been at everyone after thinking that Noah had been taken, earlier when his son... "Didn't really part on the best terms last time but.... Please, for Catherine...." Sam felt tears running down his face now, didn't even try to control them. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and the biggest one was letting things fall apart like they did with her. You gave us one miracle, gave Noah back." That had been wonderous, holding that boy in his arms, realizing that he was really there and fine. Had that taken all of the miracles the marshals could expect though? "Please. If someone has to go tonight, don't let it be Catherine. I'm ready. Take me. Not Catherine. Just not Catherine. It's not her time." He slowly sank against the altar, burying his face in the wood. He couldn't loose her.
*******
6:45 pm
Catherine slowly opened her eyes, looking around curiously at the room she was in, an operating room with people frantically working over a body on the table. Hers, she realized a moment later. She slowly walked over to the table, surprised that she didn't really care when she looked down into her own pale face, the medical staff injecting, pumping, shocking, trying to coax life back into the broken figure.
"Don't bother," Catherine murmured softly as she turned away, smiling when she saw a bright white light growing larger, forming a tunnel on the opposite side of the room. She eagerly peered into the light, seeing what looked like familiar figures. "Mama?" she whispered. Was her mother holding something in her arms, a baby? Catherine felt tears stinging in her eyes as she moved towards that light, eager now. To see her baby, to finally hold him in her arms....
From somewhere far off she thought she could hear Sam's voice, Sam sounding so lost and broken that she stopped for a moment, turning away, seeking the direction of the sound, listening a moment to Sam praying.
"Don't take Catherine," she thought she heard him beg. She turned toward the sound, and somehow saw him saw him, kneeling beside some heavy dark wooden table. "Please, not Catherine."
She watched him for a moment, her heart breaking at the expression on his face, before speaking. "Sam, it's going to be okay." If she could just kiss him, hold him one last time and let him know... "I love you and I promise I'll always watch over you but I just.... I'm tired, Sam. I'm so tired and I want to be with our baby. I just want to be able to hold him. We'll be right there waiting for you when it's your time, honey. I promise. I love you." Catherine turned towards the light once more, a warm feeling washing over her as she approached. "Mama's coming, sweetheart. Mama's coming."
*******
6:47 pm
"Sir?" a voice caused Noah to look up to find a nurse standing there with a concerned expression on her face.
"What? Is she out of surgery? When can we...." Noah started to get to his feet to go get Sam. He knew that he would want to be right there with Catherine as soon as possible. He glaced at the clock as he moved. Hadn't been as long as he worried it might take. That was a good sign, wasn't it? Maybe Cath wasn't hurt as seriously as they had feared?
"Sir, your mother isn't doing very well," the nurse said gently, hating to have to break news like this to such a sweet looking young man. This was always the part of her job that she hated. "She had a cardiac arrest just a couple of minutes ago. The doctors are working on her but you need to be prepared."
Noah lowered his head, burying his face in his hands as the nurse quietly moved away. No, this wasn't right. How could Catherine.... He had been hurt way worse and he had lived! She had to get better! How would he ever tell Sam if.... A family, they were a family, the only one that he had. 'Please, Cath, just hang on, okay? Don't leave us. Sam needs you.'