Chapter Twelve – Injuries To The Heart Are Forgiven

Mark sat reading the rough draft of the article that was scheduled to appear in tomorrow's LA Times.  He found one line particularly disturbing because it was so unlike his son.

Lieutenant Sloan, cast further doubt on his assailants courage.  "Any individual who would ambush someone in a dark alley has to be a coward."

They weren't even sure that whoever shot Steve was the killer they were looking for.  If that was the case he could now have two people after him.  Mark had argued this point tirelessly with his son and the Chief to no avail.  He had known from the moment he walked into the room and saw the look on Steve's face that it was a lost cause, but he had to try.  He had stood by while a story was fabricated and watched while Steve was positioned in the bed for a picture.  He had finally interceded when the pain reflected on Steve's face became more than he could bear.  He had cleared the room and ordered pain medication for his son.  Steve was so exhausted that it had taken very little time for him to fall asleep.  Mark had stood by the bed and watched as slumber overtook him.  As the medication entered his system his face relaxed and in Mark's mind he transformed into a tousled haired boy with freckles spreading across his nose.  Mark could see the toothless smile that completed the picture.  With that remembrance guiding his actions he leaned down and gently ruffled Steve's hair before he placed a kiss on his forehead.

………………..

Two days had passed since Steve had been ambushed in the alley.  Jesse had decided that as long as he limited his activities he could go home.  The decision had been made for the sake of the hospital staff as much as Steve.  His inability to work on the case had made him a less than agreeable patient.  He argued over medication that would knock him out and in an effort to protect him, Mark had set visitation limits that the nurses had been instructed to enforce.  Much to Mark's dismay, Jesse had made the decision to release him.  As Jesse approached Steve's room he heard raised voices.  He quickened his pace and pushed the door open and his mouth dropped open at the sight that greeted him.  Madge Donovan a longtime nurse's aide stood with her hands on her rather ample hips.

"Now look here young man, I was sent here to help you with your bath.  I am not like the other aides that you have been able to shoo out of here.  A charming smile and pretty eyes have no affect on me.  We can do this the easy way, but believe me I am perfectly capable of doing this the hard way."

Jesse nearly laughed out loud.  Steve had backed himself into the furthest corner of the narrow hospital bed and held his pillow in front of him like a shield, a look of total fear rested on his face.

"Well, what's it going to be?" Madge Donovan asked.

Steve looked up and saw Jesse.  "Jesse?"

"Hey, buddy don't look at me, I can't interfere with another member of the hospital staff doing their job.  Ms Donovan is twenty minutes long enough?"

Madge Donovan looked at her bath buddy appraisingly.  "There's not much to him, I'd say fifteen minutes would be more than enough."

The look that Steve gave Jesse promised a painful revenge, but Jesse smiled an angelic smile and walked out of the room and down the hall laughing the entire way.

………………..

Mark entered the room and found his son sitting up in the bed, arms folded across his broad chest and a petulant look residing on his face.

"Good morning, Son."

"Dad, I'm ready to go home."

"Yes, and that's why I'm here, has Jesse released you yet?"

The mention of Jesse's name caused a scowl to appear on Steve's face.  "The nurse said he has, after a brief visit this morning, I haven't seen him."

Mark could sense that there was more going on, but he didn't push the issue.  "Let me go check with your nurse and I'll be right back."

"Fine, Detective Dunbar is meeting me at the house in a couple of hours to work on the case."

Mark opened his mouth to argue but decided to wait until they were home.  "Let me go check on your discharge papers."

………………..

The trip home had been strained.  Steve seemed to feel the need to fight him over everything.  From riding in a wheelchair to the car, to stopping to have his pain medication filled.  It was with great relief that Mark pulled into the driveway at the beach house.  He opened his door and turned to climb out of the car when the sound of the passenger door being closed caught him by surprise.  Shaking his head in exasperation he exited the car and headed up the stairs after his currently annoying son.  He entered the house and stopped in the foyer and listened for sounds that would tell him where said annoying son had gone.  He heard noises coming from Steve's unit and heaved an exasperated sigh.  Steve had already thrown caution to the wind on Jesse's do's and don'ts list.  He had been told to avoid rapid movements and steps when possible.  His flight from the car and immediate descent into his living area had been in direct disregard of those instructions.  Something had happened and Mark didn't know what it was.  He decided that putting it off was not an option and feeling much like David entering the lion's den he walked down the stairs.  He stopped at the door and peered in.  Steve was nowhere in sight.  He moved on into the room and noticed that the patio door was open.  As he got closer he saw Steve sitting at the table, nursing a beer.  Ok, another item on the do's and don'ts list bites the dust.  "Steve?"

He received a curt grunt in response.

"You know, you really shouldn't be drinking with the medication you're on."

"I haven't taken any medication."

"No, I realize that, but it's still in your system from the hospital."

"I feel fine, just leave it, ok?"

Mark sighed heavily.  "Steve, what's wrong?  You've been impossible to deal with since I first got to the hospital this morning."

Steve stared out at the beach and gave no indication that he had heard his father.  He didn't know how to put into words what he was feeling.  After he had been 'cleaned and polished' as she put it by Madge Donovan, Alex had dropped by.  Their conversation had been difficult.  She was suffering from a severe case of guilt and he was suffering from a severe case of anger.  He could not seem to get over what she had done.  He wasn't one to normally hold grudges, and he knew deep down that what she had done was out of character.  He should forgive her, but he just couldn't seem to do it.

After a lengthy silence during, which Mark contemplated slapping his son upside his already damaged head, Steve finally responded.

"Alex came by."

"Ahh, ok, that explains so much," Mark stated as he moved and sat down at the table.

"I know she didn't mean to hurt me, Dad, but I just can't seem to get beyond it.  When we first started talking I thought it was going to be ok, then the doubts resurface and I start analyzing everything she says, and then we end up in a big argument."

"Steve, she's not my favorite person right now either, but you have to find a way to deal with this.  There is too much at stake for you to have your mind preoccupied with her."

Steve turned to look at his father.  "I know that, Dad, three men are dead, and I'm worrying about something this trivial, but I just can't help it."

"Do you have feelings for her?"

Once again a stretch of silence before Steve answered.  "Maybe, I do." 

"Do you think, that's why you're having such a hard time forgiving her?"

"Probably, maybe I blame her for the first break-up."

"But, Steve, you initiated it."

"I know but maybe she should have fought me a little harder."

Mark smiled.  "You do realize how ridiculous that sounds."

Steve smiled in return.  "Yes, I guess maybe I needed to hear it from someone else."

"Are you going to be able to deal with this now?"

"I think so, how do you do it?"

"Do what?" Mark asked.

"Say so much while saying very little."

Mark smiled and his eyes twinkled.  "Father's secret."

………………..

Three days had passed since Steve had been released from the hospital.  Against Jesse's advice he had gone back to work.  Though he was grateful he was also puzzled that there had been no other murders.  They had been unable to come up with any evidence that linked his shooting with the murders.  He was reading through the report that Aaron Dunbar had filed after his visit to the coffee shop.  It was about as informative as reading a grocery list.  No one was standing out as a suspect.  Steve decided that it was time to pay Cathy Jewell, Gwen Sterling and Jamey Coleman another visit.  He was fresh out of ideas and though he didn't really suspect them maybe they would remember something that would help the investigation.  Though he would never admit it he was exhausted.  He probably shouldn't have come back to work his head hurt and his side throbbed.  He was contemplating calling it a day when a visitor stopped in front of his desk.  He looked up to find Alex smiling at him tentatively.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hello, Alex, what brings you down here?"

"Steve, I need for us to resolve our differences, I can't keep on like this, I, have apologized, but please don't make me beg."

Steve gazed at her a moment before responding.  "Are you hungry?"

Alex, still unsure of herself, smiled slightly.  "Yes, I am."

Steve stood up from his desk and grabbed his coat off the back of his chair.  "I know a place that serves great BBQ, are you interested?" Steve said as he offered her his arm.

She gladly slipped her arm through his and smiled at him gratefully.

As they exited the precinct they were both unaware of the figure hidden in the shadows across the street who watched their every move.