Chapter 3

Arriving at the hospital, Rick made sure Robbie was made comfortable before going to call Laurie.

Just then he felt his wife's thoughts with him. "Rick, has something happened to Robbie?"

Rick turned on his transmitter, then heard Laurie say "I just got a frantic call from Ramona."

"Sweetheart", he replied, "Robbie was wounded by a sniper, he's going to be all right. Where are you?"

"On my way with Rudy, are you at Phoenix General?" She asked.

"Yes, darlin', now you call Ramona and tell everything's going to be fine. I'll see you in a little while." he told her, seeing a couple of familiar cars were pulling into the emergency room parking.

Within minutes Chief Ron was ranting over the escape tactics of the second sniper, as he waited A.J. and Rick in the hospital lobby.

"Calm down, Ron, as soon as Robbie's been seen we can see if he remembers the angle he was at when he got shot." Rick calmly told his friend.

"I AM CALM!" Ron said loudly, then took a deep breath as the reception desk stared. "Sorry, Rick. You're the one who has every right to go off. Is Laurie on her way?"

"I'm right here, Ron." Rick saw his wife come through the door, pale but composed. She stopped long enough to pat their friend on the arm, then went into her husband's arms as he stood up. Rudy followed in a moment, greeting both men, then heading into the treatment rooms.

"Thank God you weren't hurt too, darling. I saw the footage on TV, that was awful!" she breathed, not wanting to let go.

"Laurie, I'm all right, not a scratch. Robbie's going to be fine, he just got winged, that's all." Rick tried to reassure her as his emotions started to get the best of him.

Laurie felt a shudder go through her husband, and rubbed his back as she told him, "I know our son's going to be all right, after all you protected him like you take care of all of us, my love."

Rick looked into her eyes, then smiled as he realized how well she knew what he was feeling.

"Rick, just in case, I brought your "Rough Rider" pistol with me, I can't stand the thought of you being unarmed." she added.

"Thank you, sweetheart, just keep it in your bag until we leave." he grinned at the thought of that heavy pistol in her favorite shoulder bag. "now let's go see Robbie." he said, then looked over at Ron and A.J, who had quietly turned away to give them some privacy.

"Come on, Chief, Robbie's going to want to make a full report to you, and I don't get paid to do it for him, you know." Rick razzed him. A.J. smiled. "I'll wait here for Ramona; tell my nephew he still owes me a ride-along."

The chief looked at husband and wife, then gave a small grin. "I should put you on the payroll, only you'd end up paying most of it in fines with the stunts you and A.J. pull!"

As the trio made their way to the treatment area, Rudy Wells met them in the hallway.

"I talked to Allen, son, about Robbie's gunshot wound." their friend put a hand on Rick's shoulder then smiled at Laurie.

"Robbie's going to be fine, the bullet went all the way through, and I don't think he'll have any permanent damage. Your son's going to be off the street for at least three weeks, and I don't think he should start physical therapy for at least a week until the wound itself has healed."

Rick let out a sigh of relief as Laurie hugged him, "Thanks, Rudy. I know he's not going to be happy to be on a desk, but I'm sure Ron and Rob will be able to keep him busy, not to mention Ramona."

"Can we see him now?" Rick found he was still anxious, and Laurie squeezed his hand as Rudy chuckled and said "Go ahead, I'll go meet Ramona and bring her back here. We'll want to keep Robbie overnight, so I'll get him admitted."

As his parents entered the room, they found Ron writing down the last of Robbie's statement. Their son immediately brightened up as Laurie came and gave him a hug. "Mom, I'm okay." he gulped, hearing a sniff out of her as she kissed his cheek.

"I know, son. I'm so proud of you and your father stopping those robberies. I'm just a worry wart." she managed, then released him so Rick could put an arm around him.

"How do you feel, Robbie?" Rick had a hard time seeing him with an i.v. and bandages around his arm, he knew his son's work was dangerous, but it didn't make it any easier to see him hurt.

"I feel better now that my arm doesn't hurt so much." he grinned, then laughed as his father answered "that's because of Dr. Allen's magic jungle juice."

At once the doctor of the same name walked in, and Laurie got the hiccups from laughing at his expression. "Jungle juice? You're a million laughs, Rick, good thing you have a cute wife who appreciates bad humor!" the chief of staff groused.

"Cute? Thank you, Allen, just for that you can come for fish tacos anytime you're in the neighborhood!" Laurie tossed her head at her husband's hangdog look, then smoothed Robbie's hair.

"I'm going to see if Ramona's here, Robbie, you keep your father and our friends in line, okay?"

"Okay, Mom, see you later." her son smiled at her, then grabbed her with his good hand "I love you, Mama, I'll be fine." he whispered.

"I know." she murmured, then hugged him and left the room.

Within a few minutes, Ramona was in her husband's room, as Laurie entertained a wide-awake Andy in the waiting area. Satisfied he was all right, Ramona relaxed as her father-in-law teased Robbie for his acrobatic dive behind the trash can in the store parking lot.

"Pop, I did not leave my butt in the air, otherwise I wouldn't be able to sit now!" Robbie protested, to his wife's amusement.

Just then Rudy stuck his head in the door. "All set, Robbie, we're going to move you to the overnight rooms upstairs, that way Ramona and Andy can sleep next to you."

As Rudy helped her son upstairs, Laurie brought her grandson to his mother, then excused herself. Rick noticed the quick exit.

He found Laurie standing in the hallway, trying to wipe her eyes. "I'm sorry, Rick, he could have been killed, what if you and him were killed by that, that sick creep?" Laurie gazed up at him, then Rick pulled her into his embrace.

"Darlin', we weren't, I'm all right and Robbie will be too, sweetheart. We'll catch Bear. Nothing's going to happen to our boy, not if I can help it." he reassured his wife.

"I know. I love you, Rick. You are my strength. I'm a very lucky woman, you know." she smiled up at him. "My angel, I'm the lucky one. I'm married to a cute wife!" he teased, cuddling her against his chest.

"Rick, you do say the nicest things." she snuggled under his chin. "What nice things?" he asked as he kissed her.

"Wife." she replied.

Just then Oscar found them, and immediately he hugged Laurie.

He looked over her shoulder at Rick, letting him know with a look that security was in place.

"Honey, Rudy's going to settle Robbie in his room, do you want to go up with him while Officer Simon and I talk over what he saw?" he grinned.

"Yes, thanks Dad." she beamed at him, then dropping a kiss on her husband's cheek, went to catch up with her son and friend.

As she arrived at the in-patient ward, she noticed a nervous-looking guard outside her son's room, and as she started to go in, he stood up, almost blocking her way.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Simon, the doctor's in with Officer Simon right now." he told her, hesitantly.

"Yes, I know, they're expecting me." she replied, a sudden cold feeling in her stomach.

"They are?" the guard looked surprised, then yelped when Laurie pushed past him, knowing something was wrong. As she opened the door, she saw a white-coated man, a bad curly wig and mustache on his face, holding a gun on Rudy and her son.

Instinctively she "called" Rick, then pulled Rick's pistol as the man turned, and fired, causing the criminal to drop the gun.

"Mrs. Simon, it's a pleasure to see you again. I told you I'd be here for you when Mr. Simon and Robbie are gone!" Andrew Bear stared her in the face.