Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Third Watch characters, and I never will. They are the creation of the producer. I think. Also, the Times magazine noted about was not printed by the actual Times magazine creators. And I don't own Times magazine. Various information: Alex and Bobby are still alive, Joey is now seven, Kim and Jimmy aren't real big fans of each other, and Bobby has feelings for Kim that he has been trying to hide ever since she broke up with him (though I can't see why she would date Jimmy and not Bobby). Also, this is the continuation of MEMORIES AND PRESENT THOUGHTS. It occurs about three months after that one.
*************************** The tall, slim female was standing outside the coffee shop trying to decide whether or not to get coffee. It was a cold, wet, windy, snowy December day. Kim was shivering, maybe because of the coat, or lack thereof since she had none on. She wasn't shivering because of the cold though. She was shivering because she couldn't get the images of Bobby's surgery, because he had been shot, out of her head. It wasn't that it was the anniversary of that day or anything. No, he had just had to go to the hospital again. For a check up, or so they said. Kim had never trusted hospitals very much. That was really why she was a paramedic, because she wanted to help people as much as she could before they got to the hospital. Hospitals were sometimes the reason that people got killed. Then, after about ten more minutes of her just standing there, a man came out of the coffee shop, looking shocked to see someone outside without a coat on. "Ma'am, can I help you? Are you lost or something?" At that last comment, Kim let out a rather spine shivering, quiet laugh. "Well, I am lost in a form. Lost in thought. But thank you anyway." Then Kim walked off, towards a newsstand. She went through the usual routine of buying a Times News newspaper, and a Times magazine. She didn't look at the front, she never did. Then she walked to her car while shivering, now because of the cold.

When she got to work, the first thing that greeted Kim was Jimmy, who looked up and did an evil grin. "Oh great." Kim muttered darkly. "I have a day of torture to look forward to." "Hi, Kimmy. How much do you wanna bet that the old Bobby ain't gonna show up at all today?" "I'll take that bet. What do you say to.. oh, I don't know.. one hundred?" "Sure. Will you be paying that in cash or with a check?" Said Jimmy.

"Oh, I'm not the one that's going to be paying it. You are." At the last statement, Kim put a finger on Jimmy's throat. "What makes you so confident that he will show up?" "Because I'm the one that's picking him up." Replied Kim, with a half-grin. "So, will that be paid in cash or with a check?" "None, because the rules obviously say you must state knowledge before the bet is placed." "oh, whatever. Pay up, bucko." "No. I kind of can't." said Jimmy nervously. "ha, I knew it. You're broke." "No, I owe some guys three hundred and I only have two hundred. And I have to pay them tomorrow." "Oh, fine. Hang on." Kim dug in her purse before pulling out two fifty- dollar bills that looked almost starched. Then, our dear Kim walked upstairs to read her magazine and newspaper. After glancing at the title of her magazine, Kim knew she wouldn't like it. It had a picture of three people, two women, and one man. The women were on either side of the man, tugging on his arms and the title said, "THE TRUE DEFENSE SYSTEM OF THE FEMALE HOMO SAPIENS". Obviously, they needed some ideas. Then she scanned the newspaper, muttering at various spots things like "Sounds interesting" or "Stupid". Finally, it was time to go pick up Bobby. For this, Kim was grateful, because it meant she could stop looking at her watch and she would soon not have that knot in her stomach. She walked down into the parking area and hopped into her car, put her keys in the ignition, and drove away. Bobby had always said she never looked back so it was like she never wanted to go back there again. He was right about both things. She never looked back, and she sometimes never wanted to come back. But then she thought of how she needed money to support Joey and that thought forced her back the next day. Now, she drove on and on until she reached the Angel of Mercy hospital. As she walked inside, she realized how much she hated hospitals. She walked over to the front desk and saw no one was there. "Oh, Great. I have no idea where he is." Just then, a rather ruffled nurse came out of the back supply room closely followed by a middle-aged doctor. "Can I help you, ma'am?" "Yes, you can actually. I am trying to find Bobby Caffey. Do you know where I could find him?" "Oh, yes. He is in room 48. That's down the hall to the left." "Thank you very much." Said Kim with a smile that implied that she was happy, though she wasn't.

As she walked down the halls, she stared at all the occupants, and marveled at how they got down the hospital food without puking. It looked like the mystery meat that Joeys school served. "Hey Kim. I'm glad you came to pick me up sooner. Well, I suppose I would rather if you had picked me up BEFORE this thing, but hey. I can't complain."

"Yeah, sure you can't. How did it go?"

"I'll tell you later. So how was your day?"

And thus was the topic all the way to the car. ************************************************************************

Once they were in her automobile, Kim started bugging Bobby about how his checkup had gone, but he kept saying that he would tell her later. Conversations went somewhat like this: "So, what do you think of the weather?" "Oh, It's fine. Speaking of fine, how did your checkup go?" When they got to work, Kim said, "So, will you tell me NOW?"

"Yeah, I guess. Just wait till we get in there."

As soon as they were one step inside, Kim grabbed Bobby's arm and
twisted. "Tell me right now or I break it like a twig." She said
grinning.

"Ok, everyone. Um... About my appointment."

Everyone looked anxious.

"It was good. I have to have one more surgery then everything will be
okay." His mile seemed a little to fake to Kim, so as soon as everyone
was done congratulated him, she took him aside.

"Bobby, what else is there? I know there is something, so just tell
me."

Bobby leaded her upstairs and leaned down to her ear. He slowly,
hesitantly whispered, "Kim, this surgery hasn't really been tried that
much. It's kind of new, but they have tested it on animals. It has a
few side effects, some temporary, some permanent."

"Like what?"

"Like they could make me temporarily blind, have sudden nausea, things
like that. Also, they could permanently make me loose muscle or loose.
Other things."

"Do they think it could kill you?"

"Well, Kim, there is a small chance. About 30%."

Kim was suddenly anxiously aware of the fact that Bobby, who had
finished talking, and had talked in a normal voice for a while, was
still leaning in very close. A little too close. Close enough to make
her even more fidgety.

"Bobby, could you not move in so close?" She whispered so low that she
was inaudible to her own ears. She found that for some reason, whereas
she was about to cry, he looked perfectly calm. Then, Kim almost felt
Bobby's inner-walls come crashing down. It was as if she heard them
crumbling right beside her. Amazing enough to her, she heard this
above the pounding of his heart. She trembled, trying her hardest to
gulp down oxygen, without much success. She felt like she was
suffocating but somehow still alive. Her heart had stopped, yet the
rest kept going.

"Bobby, could you please-"

He started to cry. Just, out of nowhere, his tears came running like
rapids in once calm water. It was like an electric guitar during
Mozart. She heard him whisper, "Actually Kim, um... There's a 75% chance
that after that surgery I'll never see you again."

Kim's tears came flooding down her cheeks, but then Bobby wrapped his
arms around her and just held her, trying to reassure her that this
wouldn't happen.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hey, is
this completely stupid or what? Anyway, I don't care what you people
say (well, I sorta do, but that won't stop me) I'm still writing this
story, as in completing it. It may stink, but I like it. Mwahahaha.