RATING: PG-13 for language (working very hard to keep the rating)
SUMMARY: Saved the best for last? Tyrone tells his story, we all know Ty and Taylor turned out, what about this Tyrone and Alex?
AUTHORS NOTES: this one picks up where we left off, tyrone waking up in a hosptial bed after being shot, hmm does this story line sound familar? how will this tyrone and alex work out, a nail biter, i tell you... i grew up watching soaps, and most of my fics end up with the cliche "hosptial scene" this one's very much updated from my early atempts, so i hope you like it! my muse seems to have found her voice once again, so i have the next part (alex again) done, i need some more reasearch for emily, half of kylie part two, and most of tyrone part two written, aren't i on a roll!
I woke up, it took me a while before I was completely aware of where I was. The last thing I remembered was following Dylan after going after the drug dealer. I remembered hearing a gunshot, so I knew I was either dead, or in the hospital. I looked around, and heard the noises, and knew I was in the hospital. Had I only imagined Alex telling me that everything was going to be all right?
I stared up at the ceiling, not able to think of anything else but her. She was the last person I had thought of before I blacked out. Had it really just been a very real dream that she was holding my hand after? She could not have been the person who had brought me in, could she?
I listened to the beeping, and saw the nurse peak in on me. I looked at her straight in the eyes, and she nearly dropped her clipboard.
"I'll get your doctor for you," she said, before disappearing.
I laid there only a few minutes longer before the doctor came in.
"Good morning mister Davis," he said.
"Is it really morning?"
"No, it's about ten o'clock at night."
I laughed. "Last time I was out it was daytime."
He nodded. "Do you even care about your injuries?"
"Should I be worried?"
"Not really, one bullet just missed your neck. There was some blood, and possibly some scaring, but nothing really to worry about. You're a very luck man. The second bullet got you in the arm, and did quiet a lot of damage. We had to operate to get the bullet out. You will have to wear a sling for a few weeks, and as soon as I feel you've healed enough you'll start physiotherapy, and you should get all the strength in your arm back."
"All right. So how long before I can work again?"
"At least three months."
"All right."
"You're currently in a recovery room, but we'll be moving you to a semi private room soon, and anyone who comes to visit will be directed up here."
I didn't respond, really feel the need to respond. The doctor left, and a few minutes later two nurses came in, and wheeled me down the hall to a different room. Again, I just laid there looking at the ceiling, think about her, the most amazing girl in the world, Alex Doherty. The nurse came back to check on me.
"Would you like me to turn on the television?" she asked me.
"It's all right, I'm just thinking," I replied.
"If there's anything I can do, just ask."
I thought for a moment. "Would you tell me who brought me in?"
She picked up my file. "The report was signed by an Emily Yokas."
"Shit!"
"Is there a problem?"
"Her partner is my girlfriend."
She replaced my file. "I'm sure that it was the one that signed the report that did the work."
"Yeah."
She left me alone again, with my thoughts. Was it possible that not only had I not dreamed Alex was telling me it was going to be fine, but she was actually the EMT who worked on me at the scene? I didn't even want to think about it, I could only imagine what she must have gone through when she realized that I was her patient. The nurse was probably right, Emily was probably the one who had worked on me.
I was a little surprised that no one, not even Dylan had come to see me. I started to doze off when I heard the door open and close.
"You're awake!" Alex exclaimed, making me wake up fully. "I was so worried about you." She was standing next to the bed, and kissed me lightly on the lips.
"I'm fine, it was just a bullet," I tried to make light of the situation. I took her hand, rubbing the inside by her palm.
"Just a bullet? So they were redesigned not to kill people?"
I shook my head. "All right, I understand. I'm fine, it's just part of the job."
She nodded. "I just needed to see for myself that you were all right."
"I understand."
"No, you don't, Tyrone! You didn't see yourself laying there, in a pool of blood. I thought it had hit you in the back of the head, and that's why you were down." She began to cry.
"I wear a bullet proof vest." Then it hit me, she had been the first medic to see me. "Oh, Alex, you –" I didn't even have to finish the sentence, we both knew that the other knew she had been the person who had worked on me at the scene.
"Yeah, you were just lying there, and I had to treat you just like anyone else."
I looked up at her. "I'm sorry."
"It's your job. I just wasn't ready to see you hurt."
"If it makes you fell any better, I won't be working for a while."
"I guess that helps."
"If I could have dodged the bullet, I would have done it for you."
She smiled. "Stop that."
"It's true, and don't you go thinking that this worry thing isn't a two way street."
"It's totally different, the chances of me getting hit by a bullet are a lot less then yours. The chances of you seeing me right after I was injured are far less."
"You're right." I needed to lighten the mood a little bit "So you came all the way up here just for me?"
It worked, she couldn't help but chuckle. "My job brings me here more then most people could imagine. I've been checking in on you between runs, making sure that everything really was fine. All my training said you were-"
Just then the door opened again, what bad timing. My father had just walked in, how awkward was this? I was in the middle of a moment with my girl and my old man walks in. She let go of my hand, and looked up at him.
"Hi," he said. "Am interrupting anything?"
"No," I replied. "Just chatting with the beautiful medic who saved my life."
She was blushing, she shook her head. She then hit me playfully. "Is that who I am?" My father looked puzzled, not getting our little joke, especially when I took her hand.
"Of course you're not!" I kissed her hand lightly. "Dad, I want you to meet my girl, Alex Doherty. Alex, I'd like you to meet my dad, Tyrone Davis Junior."
"It's nice to finally put a face to a name. I was hoping it would be under better circumstances," he replied.
She smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mister Davis," she said, taking her hand from mine, and out for a hand shake.
"Please call me, Ty." He hugged her.
She pulled away, politely, turning a darker shade of red "I should get back to the house to get my paper work done. I'll see you when I'm done, all right?"
"Sounds good," I replied, as she went to leave. "I don't get some sugar for taking a bullet?"
She laughed, she had taken a few steps toward the door. She came back, and leaned in to kiss me. I knew she had been aiming for my cheek, but I moved so that she had to give me an, admittedly awkward, kiss on the lips. Her face was more red then I had ever seen
"Be good, I heard what all the nurses whispering about you."
"Nurses have nothing on medics, love you."
She got even more red, it was possible. "Love 'ya!"
I'm surprised she didn't walk into the door she looked so disoriented. I didn't mean to put her on the spot like that. I heard the door shut, leaving me alone with my father.
Although we had been dating for almost three months I had failed to mention that Alex was a white girl. He didn't seem overly upset with it though, I was very relieved. I wondered what he thought when he walked into the room. Seeing us hand in hand, her in her uniform.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"The drugs they have here keep the pain down to a dull roar, but it's going to be a while before I can work," I replied.
"I'm starting to know how my mother felt having her son as a cop."
"I didn't mean to make everyone worry."
"I know, it's just part of the job. It's just really hard to know that you could be hurt every single day."
"I guess so."
"Where's Mom?" Pretty much knowing the answer, my mother will not set foot in a hospital, unless you've got one foot in death's door.
"You know how she feels about hospitals. She said that I could come see you, and make sure you're doing all right."
"Report back, that's it's not a big deal."
He nodded. "Always."
We always down played our injuries when my mother was involved. It had had started when I was about fifteen, and my dad had gotten hit. I knew she hated hospitals, so I offered to go see if Dad was all right. When I got there he told me that he was hurting, but to tell my mother that everything was fine, and not to worry. That was all she wanted to hear, she didn't need nor want all the details. Since then that's what we always said to the other. I was just glad we never had to report back anything worse.
"So that was Alex?" he asked.
"Yeah," I couldn't stop the stupid grin from crossing my face. .
"She's cute. You never mentioned how serious you were."
I blushed. "She's special. She was the medic that brought me in, it was kind of a kick in the ass about how real this is."
"She worked on you at the scene?"
"Yeah," I needed to change the subject. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you she was a white girl."
"It's all right." He paused for a minute, thinking about something. "You're more of a man then me."
I had not been expecting that. "Why would you say that?"
"I went out with a white girl named Alex, back when Moby Dick was a minnow. I was shot on duty while I was dating her, just like you. She was in the room with me when my mother came in, I introduced her as one of the guys. I didn't even have the balls to introduce her to my mother, and tell the truth. We just stopped talking after that. She was killed in an explosion a while later, and I never did go right and tell my mother the truth as to why I felt the need to go to her funeral." He looked away, I could tell it had brought up some hard memories for him.
"You never told me that."
"She's never really come up in conversation before. Strange how sometimes the past almost seems to repeat itself."
"Here's hoping my Alex works out better then yours." I laughed.
"She looks really familiar for some reason."
I shrugged. "Maybe you knew her mother, from pictures I've seen they look almost identical."
"How would I know her mother?"
"She was a medic at the firehouse back when you were working at the station. Her name was Kim Doherty." I thought a moment. "That's her married name."
He nodded. "Zambrano, when I knew her. She must have married Jimmy. Those are some names I haven't thought of in a long while."
I laughed. "It really is a small world."
"Now that you say the name I really see it. The resemblance is uncanny."
"I've only seen pictures, but they are really alike. I actually thought that a picture of her parents was her and an ex."
He laughed. "Kim and Alex were good friends, I wonder if that's where the name came from."
"I don't know."
"Maybe I can ask her myself."
"Maybe."
"You realize that when you're feeling better your mother is going to want to have her over for supper right? She's already going to be mad enough I met her first."
"I know, I'll have to ask her when she comes back."
The door opened and closed again. I looked up to see someone who could easily have passed for a mall Santa, I knew right away it was my godfather.
"Uncle Sully, what are you doing here?" I asked.
He chuckled. "It's not okay to make sure the closest thing I have to a son is okay after he gets shot?"
"I'm fine, really. Do you think I'd let a something as silly bullet stop me?"
"I would hope not. You've still a got a lot living to do!."
"Especially with a certain paramedic," Dad chimed in.
"You're sweet for one of the medics?" Uncle Sully asked.
"Her name is Alex, and we've been dating about three months. She was in here when Dad came in."
"Your Dad proved that the whole cop and medic thing doesn't always work out. Add the fact that her name is Alex, and fate's working against you kid" He chuckled.
"She kicked me to the curb when I didn't introduce her to my mother, Sul." Dad reminded his friend. "But he actually introduced me, so there must be something there."
Uncle Sully laughed. "Must be love. What's she look like?"
"Remember Kim Zambrano?"
"The medic from when we worked together?"
"Yeah, she looks like her, a dead ringer. Alex is her daughter."
"Good job Tyrone!"
I shook my head. "Does this mean you want to meet her too?"
"Of course I want to meet her."
Dad must have known I was uncomfortable with what was going on. "What happened anyway?" he asked.
"We were just watching a house, where we were going to do a raid. Dylan saw someone leaving, and he took off after them. I'm not really sure why but I followed him, I heard a gunshot, next thing I remember I'm here," I explained.
"That kid is an idiot," Uncle Sully muttered.
"When he actually listens he's not such a bad guy to work with."
"You can't say you never did anything stupid in your day, Sul." Dad reminded him.
"I know, but that kid has been through more then his share of stupid things."
"He just needs to grow up a little more. He didn't force me to follow him, so you can't really blame him for me getting shot. I'm sure though, that he's been blamed for ruining the operation though." They both agreed, and we talked for a while longer. I always liked it when Dad and Uncle Sully got together, I always heard a couple of good stories about when they worked together. They were arguing about something, when I heard the door open again. I looked up and saw Alex, I smiled at her.
"Hi," she said, looking uncomfortable. "Should I come back later?"
"No," I assured her. "You met my dad, and the other guy is my godfather."
"John Sullivan," he said, putting out his hand. "Everyone calls me Sully."
"Nice to meet you, Sully," she said, shyly.
An awkward silence began to over take the room, I decided to get them talking, somehow. "Alex is trying to find out more about her mother, you guys have anything to add?"
"You both knew her?" she asked.
"Yeah," Dad replied. "She was a good paramedic. I didn't know her that well, but I do know she was friends with Alex Taylor, is that who you're named after?"
Her eyes light up. "Yes! You knew her?"
He nodded, Uncle Sully added, "they used to date."
"What was she like?"
Dad thought for a moment. "She was one of the strongest, and bravest people I've ever met in my life." They talked for a while longer, I knew she was thrilled that she had finally found someone who had really known her namesake. I was starting get tired, and the only person I really wanted to see was her.
"Look, all these drugs are making me tired, mind giving me some space?"
"No problem," they all said.
They all went to leave. I took Alex's hand. "Not you," I whispered.
The two men left, leaving me with the girl I loved. I knew then more then ever that I was really in love with her. We said it a lot, but after what had happened I knew that I wasn't just paying lip service. She was really special, and I wanted to keep her in my life.
"Hey," I said, glad to be alone with her.
"Hey, yourself." She leaned down and kissed me, carefully. "How are you feeling?"
"Getting better, they say I should be able to go home tomorrow, but I'll have to take a couple of weeks off." I kissed her again but, she refused to deepen the kiss.
"I was so worried, about you earlier today."
"If I could have dodged it to make you not feel this pain, I would have."
She began to tear up. "I know, it's just. I really thought you were dead. All my training said you'd be just fine, but I was so worried about you."
"That's love, Alex."
"I know."
"Can you move that bar?"
"Yeah." She fidgeted with the safety bar, and got it down.
"Sit down?" I asked.
She sat down next to me, and I sat up. It was hard to pull myself up using one arm, but I managed to do it. She leaned over, and we kissed again. This time more deeply. My good hand was playing with the hair on her forehead. She pulled away a few minutes later.
"What a day," she sighed.
"I know the feeling," I laughed. "So now that you know you must love me after what you had to go through today." She smiled. "I can't believe I was able to do it."
"Maybe you're more like your mother and namesake then you think." She nodded, and leaned in to kiss me again. "I should probably warn you that my mother will want to meet you. She likes to cook so she'll be inviting us to supper."
"Okay."
"I'll meet your family one day, I promise. When are you off?"
She nodded. "My day off is this Thursday coming. I work that weekend, but I'm off weekend after."
I nodded.. "I'll be off then, I'm sure, I'll see what my parents say." She had laid her head on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry you had to see me like that."
"It wasn't your fault."
I kissed her head. "You were the last person I thought about before I went down. I was worried about how you'd react if, I –" "Don't say it."
"And you were the first person I thought about when I woke up. I love you so much, I wish I could make it so that I'd never hurt you." I could tell she was getting tired.
"But, getting hurt is just one of the perks of our jobs."
"I wouldn't call it a perk. It's just part and parcel of it." Her eyes were getting heavy. "How about you lay down with me?"
I moved over, and soon we were spooned together in the small hospital bed. I began to run my hand through her hair "I just wish I could make it so that we would never have to see each other in danger," I said, a little sleepy, myself. "I love you so much –"
"Love you too."
I took her hand, she moved her hand so our interlocked hands were around her stomach.
"I never thought I'd feel like this about anyone, but I'm glad I do. You were the reason I fought, and why I'll continue to fight through this damn recovery."
I could tell by her breathing, she was either asleep on nearly there, I caressed her hand a little, and she just sighed sleepily. All the drugs were really starting to kick in, and I knew it wouldn't be long before we were both sleeping.
"One day, I'm gonna marry you Alex Doherty," I whispered, before I feel asleep. I wasn't sure but I thought I felt her hand squeeze mine tighter.
My parents decided that it would be better for them to meet Alex on the Saturday of her weekend off. I knew she was really nervous, even as we just lounged around her apartment that afternoon. I had hardly been at my own place since the accident, and it really seemed to be working for us both.
I was off work until my arm was fully recovered. I had lost some strength in it, and was going to be starting physiotherapy as soon as the doctor approved it being out of the sling for an extended amount of time. I was lucky that one of bullets narrowly missed my neck. I had just come out of the bathroom, and Alex was sitting on the couch. I sat on her legs, and she started giggling.
"You're stuck now," I told her. "You're not gonna wrestle an injured guy are you?"
Instead of a response I felt the lightest kiss on the back of my neck. I shuddered at the sensation.
"You're going to have a permanent scar," she informed me.
I stood up and sat down next to her, taking her hand. "It's part of the job."
"I know, I just haven't looked at it since-" She stopped.
"Yeah."
I kissed her lightly. "Let's try to keep positive."
We tried to talk about that day as little as possible. It still amazed me that she had been able to keep her cool all the way through the ordeal. Everyone on the scene said that they would never known that she had had any personal going on while she was working on me. I knew that I would never be to do anything like. If I was ever called to somewhere where she had been hurt, I knew I'd fall apart.
She was tougher then a lot of guys I knew, and I was glad she was. She snuggled up next to me.
"You nervous about tonight?" I asked.
"Yeah," she replied.
"I'd probably die if I had to meet your dad."
"It would be my brother you'd really have to worry about."
I laughed. "You really don't have much to worry about. My dad really liked you."
"We hardly said anything to each other."
"I know, but he did like you. After all, you did save his son's life."
She shook her head. "I'm sure I'm not the first medic who's worked on you, and I'm certain I won't be the last." I kissed her lightly. "You're right. But you're the only one who stole my heart."
She laughed. "Always the charmer."
I smiled at her. "Have you noticed I've been spending a lot of time here since I've been hurt?"
"Yeah, I thought you liked my company."
I laughed. "You know I do."
"So what's your point?"
"Wouldn't it make more sense to just pay one rent every month?"
She looked at me, shocked. "Are you asking…?"
"Yes, it's been a few weeks since I've been to my own place. If I haven't gotten on your nerves yet I probably won't."
She shrugged. "It would be nice having help paying the rent."
"So, you want to live together?"
She kissed me. "Absolutely!"
A lot of logistics would have to be sorted out, but I knew that I would not regret the decision. We curled up on the couch, and watched a movie to kill time before we had to be at my parents. We left just after the movie started, and I could tell that was getting more and more nervous as we got closer.
"She's going to like you," I assured her.
She nodded. "You keep telling that, but I'm still going to be nervous until I know for sure."
We pulled up to the house, and got out of the car. I took her hand as we walked up the pathway. I got to the doorstep, and rang the doorbell. My dad was the one who answered the door. I could smell something good cooking, probably a roast.
"Nice to see you again, Alex," my dad said, as we walked in.
"You too," she smiled.
"How are you, Tyrone?"
"I'm great, the doctor says I'm healing well."
"Good, your mother is in the kitchen."
I took Alex's hand, and we went into the kitchen. It smelled really good in there. I could tell Alex was really nervous. Mom was stirring something on the stove.
"Mom?" I asked, she turned around. "Meet Alex Doherty, Alex meet my mom, Tonia Davis."
"Nice to meet you," Alex said, shaking her hand.
"Nice to finally meet you."
She smiled. "It smells so good in here, I miss home cooked meals."
"It's a lost art. Where do your parents live?"
"Boston, but my dad doesn't cook very well."
She laughed. "Where's your mother?"
I was a little angry at my mother for asking. "Mom!" I exclaimed.
"It's all right, Tyrone," Alex assured me. "My mother died when I was twelve."
My mom looked embarrassed. "Sorry."
"I'm a big girl, I've made my peace with what happened."
My dad appeared in the doorway. "How about we go into the living room till super's ready?" he suggested.
"I'll stay here, if you need help Mrs. Davis."
My mother laughed. "Mrs. Davis is my mother in law! Call my Tonia, and you're welcome to keep me company." I went into the living room with my dad. We shared work stories, as we often did when got to spend time together. Before we knew it supper had been served. After we all finished eating, we just sat at the table and talked.
"So what's new?" my mother asked me.
I shrugged. "Alex and I decided we were going to move in together today."
"What made you decide that?"
"I've pretty much been a permanent fixture there since the accident, so I figured it would be a lot easier to just pay one rent. I'm not in a lease right now, so it works out well."
She nodded. "That makes sense then."
Alex smiled. "I won't let him get into too much trouble."
My mom laughed. "I'm sure."
"She did save my life once, after all," I reminded my mother.
Alex blushed. "I was just doing my job."
"Ty mentioned you were a paramedic. You were there when he was hurt?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I guess I could have asked my partner to do it, but, I guess I didn't realize till after it was all said and done what had really happened. I mean when I got there he was just like anyone else who was shot, I just did what I had to do to get him to the hospital."
"I could never do that."
"It's not for everyone."
"What made you become a paramedic?" she queried.
"My mother was a paramedic before I was born, my dad was a firefighter. I always wanted to be a paramedic like my mother."
"Her parents worked at the same firehouse she now works at," I added.
"Ty did you know them?" my mother asked.
"Yeah, I did. Her mother was great at what she did. I would guess it runs in the family." Alex laughed, and I decided to change the subject. Everything had gone well, and I was glad that both my parents liked her. She seemed to have liked my mother enough, which was good, cause she could be difficult to get along with sometimes. I was her only child, and sometimes she got very protective when I brought someone by.
Though I think most of her reservations were because she knew my dad's history as a bit of player in his younger days. I had no intention on doing that, it just seemed a little cliché to me. I was very content to be moving in with one my first really serious girlfriends. Who would have thought that Tyrone Davis the third might want to settle down so young, but that seemed to be where I was heading.
end end notes: can you say "fluff" say it with me now kids "fl-uff" it seems that trista is back at long last, my muse is making up for lost time, but she's not so keen on the editing thing... next we go back thru the ranks, however in slightly different order (carter and dylan will do a switch-a-roo you'll see why) next up we have alex's POV on tyrone metting her father and brother, stay tuned... reviews get you updates faster... hehe