Chapter 4:

After Math

"What?" Drake managed to spit out.

Launch Pad and Morgana walked up to him.

"Drake?" They asked.

"I'm sorry. I don't have any more information. All I know is that Gosalyn was in a bad car accident and you need to get down here right away." Olivia said.

"Okay, thanks. I'm on my way." He said.

He slowly hung up the phone and the others looked at him.

"D.W. what's wrong?" Launch Pad asked.

"There was a car accident." He replied.

"Oh, my god! It's Gosalyn. Is she okay?" Morgana asked.

Drake shrugged. "I don't know. All I do know is that I got to go to the hospital." Drake said.

Morgana and Launch Pad just stood there. "Oh my god! Come on let's go!" Morgana said.

The three of them headed out of the tower.

They arrived at the hospital, Drake ran to the nearest nurse.

"Nurse, can you help me, please?" He asked.

"Sure." She replied.

"My daughter was in a car accident." Drake said.

"What's her name?" The nurse asked.

"Gosalyn Mallard." Launch Pad replied.

"Do you know where she is? Can we see her? What's going on?" Drake asked.

"The doctors are with her right now." The nurse said.

"How serious is it?" Morgana asked.

"Well, all I know is she was unconscious when she was brought in, as was the young man. Excuse me." The nurse said.

The nurse picked some of the folders up and walked away.

Drake couldn't believe that he was hearing this.

"What young man!" Drake asked.

Dr. Olivia walked up to him.

"Drake," She said.

They looked at the doctor.

"Olivia, how's Gosalyn?" Morgana asked.

"They're checking her out. At present, she's still unconscious." Olivia said.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Drake asked.

"Well, apparently, she was thrown from the car on impact, and it appears that she has severe head trauma. More than that, I can't tell you. I mean, we're checking for broken bones, internal injuries. We're gonna send her for a cat scan soon." Olivia said.

Drake shook his head. "Oh god, can I see her?" He asked.

Olivia sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry Drake. You're going to have to wait and let the doctors do their job." Olivia said.

Olivia walked away from them and Drake just couldn't put all of this in his head.

"Oh, god! I knew that I shouldn't let her out tonight! I knew it! My baby girl." Drake cried.

"Darling, why don't you sit down?" Morgana asked.

Drake shook his head. "No, I can't sit down. Gosalyn could be dying in there." He cried.

"Drake, if it was that bad. I think they would tell us." Launch Pad said.

"All Olivia said was that she didn't know what's going on. They don't know how bad her injuries are or how badly she's hurt. Morg, how could this have happened?" Drake asked.

Morgana shrugged. "I don't know. But what I do know is. That freaking about it isn't going to help Gosalyn. You need to think positive thoughts." Morgana said.

"I want to know who this guy is. So I can put my hands on his neck." Drake said with anger.

"Yeah, I do too." Morgana said.

"You know she begged me to go. She begged me, and I let her. God, that was so stupid. She wasn't supposed to be in any car with any kid! She was supposed to get a parent to drive her. That was our agreement." Drake exclaimed.

"Drake, please.." Morgana said.

"I told her that I didn't trust her. And now this, oh god." Drake cried.

"Drake, this isn't the time or the place. We'll figure it all later." Morgana said.

"I just want to be with my little girl." Drake cried.

"I know, but I think you'll be in the way." Morgana said as she rubbed his back.

"No! I am her father! I should be in there holding her hand." Drake said.

Olivia walked back to them.

"As strange as it sounds, it appears that Gosalyn was lucky." Olivia said.

"Lucky?" Drake asked.

"Yeah, the car that was in drifted off the side of the road and struck a utility pole and rolled. I mean, the car was totaled, but both occupants were ejected." Olivia said.

"Oh my god. So there weren't wearing the seatbelts." Morgana pointed out.

Olivia shook her head. "Apparently not. But, luckily, they wore thrown into an open patch on the highway." Olivia said.

"And Gosalyn?" Drake asked.

Olivia sighed. "Well, she's pretty banged up. I mean, she's got abrasions and contusions, particularly in the chest area."

"What about the head injury?" Morgana asked.

"We've sent her down for a cat scan. Presently, we know there is head trauma. How severe? We won't know until we get the results back." Olivia said.

"She's still unconscious?" Drake asked.

Olivia nodded her head. "Yes." She replied.

"But if she doesn't…" Drake asked.

"Drake it's too early to tell. I mean, lets just hope that she comes out of it." Olivia said.

"And if she doesn't?" Drake asked again.

Olivia sighed. "It's best not to dwell on the negative. I mean if she regains consciousness soon, then there's every reason to believe she'll be fine."

Drake shook his head rapidly. "If, If ,If. No! No! No!" He exclaimed.

Drake walked to a seat and sat down when Detective Weber walked up to him.

"Mr. Mallard?" Weber asked.

Drake looked up. "Detective Weber?" He asked.

"Sorry to trouble you. I know this is terrible time." Weber said.

Drake sighed. "Yeah, it really is." He said.

"I'm here to investigate you're daughters car accident. There are some questions I need to ask you."

"Can't this wait?" Morgana asked.

Weber shook his head. "Sorry ma'am. We need to ask you what kind of a relationship you're daughter had with Max Duck." Weber asked.

Drake looked confused. "Why would you even ask that?" He asked.

Weber sighed. "I take it you haven't heard. Max Duck was in the car with you're daughter." Weber said.

Drake had anger in his eyes when he head that.

Just then two ducks walked up to the front desk.

"Can you tell me where our sonMax Duck is?" The one asked.

Drake got up and ran over to them.

"Damn you two! You're son did this to my daughter! How could you!" Drake exclaimed as he started to shake the man.

Launch Pad grabbed him and pulled him off.

"Drake, Drake Drake." Launch Pad said.

"Let go of me! How could you! How could you let this happen!" Drake exclaimed as Launch Pad pulled him away.

Max's parents just looked at each other not knowing what to say.

In Max's room his parents are right by his bed side.

Max is cut up a little bit other then thathe's fine.

He's starting to wake up.

"Hey." He said.

His parents smiled at him. "Hey you're self." His dad said.

"What's up?" Max asked.

"Oh, nothing much. We were just going to ask you the same thing." His dad asked.

Max shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I was in a wreck." He said.

"I guess so. We are so glad that you're not badly hurt." Mom said.

Max smiled and chuckled. "I'm glad you think so, cause I feel like hell. I'm not really sure what happened." He said.

"Uh, you drove into a utility pole." Mom said.

Max looked surprised by that. "A utility pole?" He asked.

"Mmm-hmmm, you don't remember that?" Dad asked.

"No, I don't." Max replied.

"What do you remember, Max?" Mom asked.

"I'm having a hard time putting in all together." Max said.

His parents looked at each other and back at him.

"I guess.. uh, you offered Gosalyn Mallard a ride home." Dad said.

Max blinked a few times. "Did you say Gosalyn Mallard?" He asked.

"Yup, Gosalyn Mallard was in the car with you." Dad said.

"She was?" Max asked.

"Yup, we're glad that you're okay. We just wish that.." Dad trailed on.

"You wish what?" Max asked.

"Gosalyn is pretty badly injured. She hasn't regained consciousness." Mom said.

"Is she going to be okay?" Max asked.

"I hope so. Uh, we're going to go talk to the doctors and see what's going on with you." Mom said.

"Okay." Max said.

Mom and Dad walked out of the room, Max just sat in his bed trying to think of what happened.

Olivia walked up to Drake and the others.

"They've finished Gosalyn's cat scan. They're bringing her up from nuclear medicine." Olivia said.

"Can I see her?" Drake asked.

Olivia nodded her head. "Yeah. She'll be up in a few minutes." Olivia said.

Olivia walked away from them.

"Everything is going to be fine." Morgana said.

Drake nodded his head. "I hope so." He replied.

Max's parents are sitting in an empty room. When Weber walked in.

"Mr. and Mrs. Duck?" He asked.

"Detective Weber, what are you doing here?" Mrs. Duck asked.

"I'm here to investigate you're sons accident." He said.

"Why are you investigating? There was only one car involved." Mr. Duck said.

"Yes, there was only one car. You better hope that little girl pulls through. If she doesn't, you're boy could be looking at some time. You're son was driving under the influence, Mr. Duck if the girl dies, it's vehicle homicide." Weber said.

They just looked at him shocked.

Drake is going around in circles waiting for them to bring up Gosalyn.

"Gosalyn said that she was going to the movies with her friends." He said.

Morgana nodded her head. "I know she did." She replied.

"She lied to me! She went to a party in the park! She was grounded." Drake cried.

"You did what you thought was best at the time." Morgana said.

Drake shook his head. "NO! If I'd kept her home, this wouldn't have happened. And I didn't think it was a good idea for her to go out. She got in a car with a boy who'd been drinking. Why would she do that, Morg? Why?" He asked.

Morgana shrugged. "I don't know darling." She said.

They bought Gosalyn to her room, Drake and Morgana and Launch Pad ran to the window.

Gosalyn was hooked up to a bunch ofmachines, she has a head wrap on, cuts all over her face.

Drake couldn't believe that his little girl was in there.

"She just looks so… so fragile hooked up to all those machines. There's got to be something the doctors can do." Drake said.

"I'm sure that they are doing everything they can." Morgana said.

With Max and his family at there home.

"Mom, I swear I don't remember anything." Max said.

"The doctors said that you don't have a concussion, so youmust have been pretty drunk to black out." She said.

"It wasn't that much. I only had a 6 pack." He said.

"Wait, wait a minute. Where'd you get a 6 pack of beer?" She asked.

"The liquor store." He replied.

"The liquor store sold you beer?" Dad asked.

"I asked a stranger to get it for me, I gave him the money." Max said.

"Amazing, you asked a stranger to get you beer and he did. That's incredible. Was anybody else drinking?" She asked.

"No." Max answered.

"No? So you were drinking alone? Maxwell! Why would you want to drink alone?" She asked.

Max shrugged. "I don't know, I don't know." He replied.

Just then there was a knock on the door.

Weber walked into the house.

"Mrs. Duck." He said.

"Detective Weber what brings you here?" She asked.

"I have some questions to ask you're son." He said.

"Detective, my son doesn't feel good right now." She said.

"I just want to get ask a few simple questions, that's all." Weber said.

"Can't this wait?" She asked.

"Why does Max have something to hide?" He asked.

"His attorney is going to be here soon. Until then, you don't say anything Max." His dad said.

"I don't mind waiting." Weber replied.

"Actually I do mind. So unless you have a warrant. I'd ask you to leave." His dad said.

"Do you have anything to say?" Weber asked Max.

"No, no! He's a minor! I'm speaking for him." His dad said.

He's attorney then walked into the house.

"Sorry I'm late." He said.

"Thank god you're here." His dad said.

"Is everything alright?" His attorney asked.

"It's certainly is not." His mom said.

"I'm glad you're here Mr. Beagle. Now Max doesn't have any more excuses not answer a few questions." He said.

"I'll give you permission to ask him a few questions. However, if I think that they go behind a point I wouldn't hesitate to stop it." She said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Okay, Max were you at the party last night at Carey Park?" He asked.

"Yes, I was." Max answered.

"Were you drinking alcohol and how much?" Weber asked.

"Don't answer that." Mr. Beagle said.

"It doesn't matter if he answers it or not. The alcohol blood test from last night will tell the story. Max, what exactly happened just before you crashed the car?" Weber asked.

"I don't remember." Max replied.

"Because you were drinking?" Weber asked.

"No because I don't remember." Max said.

"Why was Gosalyn in the car with you?" Weber asked.

"I don't know." He said.

"Where were you headed?" Weber asked.

"I don't know." Max said.

"Did you go to the party with her?" Weber asked.

Max shook his head. "No, I went alone." Max said.

"So, you picked her up at the party?" Weber asked.

"I don't know." Max said.

"Then what were you doing with her? Did you talk to her?" Weber asked.

"I can't remember." Max said.

"You know what? I think that's enough questions for now. I barely had a chat with my client." Mr. Beagle said.

Weber put his notepad back in his pocket.

"Okay, I'll stop. But instruct him not to leave town. I believe we'll be filing charges by the end of the day." Weber said.

"You're filing charges? What kind of charges?" His mom asked.

"His blood alcohol level was way over the legal limit. He got behind the wheel and crashed. A 14 year old girl was critically injured. That's known as aggravated driving under the influence." Weber said.

"That's a felony." His mom gasped.

Weber nodded his head. "Yes ma'am, it is. It's even more serious because of the age of the victim. Right now, she's lying comatose in a hospital bed. If Miss Mallard doesn't pull through, we're talking vehicular homicide. You could be looking at some prison time. You'd better hope that girl makes it." He said.

"There's no reason to intimidate my client." Mr. Beagle said.

"You heard me Max. Charges will be brought against you by the end of the day. Don't even think about leaving town. I'll see myself out." Weber said.

He walked out of the house.

"Is that the truth? Is he telling the truth?" Max asked.

"Max just try and relax." Mr. Beagle said.

"No, Derrick! Am I going to jail?" Max asked.

Olivia walked back to Drake..

"Gosalyn still hasn't regained consciousness. I'm not gonna lie to you. It's a major concern. The CAT scan showed a depressed skull fracture." Olivia said.

"Oh no!" Launch Pad said.

"That sounds serious." Morgana said.

Olivia nodded her head. "It is serious. We'll put her on antibiotics immediately. It's very important for this kind of injury. We want to make sure there's no risk of infection." Olivia said.

"Is there anything else they can do?" Morgana asked.

"We've scheduled surgery as soon as possible. Our top brain surgeon here at Memorial was on vacation, but we've contacted him. He's flying back. As soon as he gets here, we're gonna operate. In the meantime, we hope Cassie regains consciousness." Olivia said.

"And if she doesn't?" Drake asked.

"It's possible there could be brain damage." Olivia said.

"Oh, no." Morgana said.

Drake just couldn't believe that he heard this. "Can I see her?" He asked.

Olivia nodded her head.

"Yeah, come this way." Olivia said.

Morgana and Drake hugged, Launch Pad patted him on the back.

Drake then followed Olivia to Gosalyn's room.

She opened the door. "You can stay in here. If this is all too painful…" She trailed on.

Drake shook his head. "No, no, no, no. I'm not leaving my baby girl." He said.

Olivia nodded her head and walked out of the room.

Drake turned around and took a deep breath.

He then walked over to her bed and sat down next to her.

"Gosalyn, honey. It's me dad. I'm right here with you. You are in the hospital. You were in a car accident, but the doctors are taking really good of you. So don't you worry." He cried.

He then held her hand. "Gosalyn, honey I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can. Squeeze my hand, please. Squeeze daddy's hand. Don't worry we will get justice of what the kid did to you. I promise" He cried.

He then broke down crying.

Back with Max and his family.

"Max, I will do my best to keep you out of jail." Derrick said.

"I want to know what the hell happened?" His dad said.

"I don't have.." Max trailed on.

"Did you hear the man? You could be facing jail for a very long time." His dad said.

"I'm not lying! I can't remember anything." Max said.

"What do you remember?" His dad asked.

"I don't know." Max said.

"Do you remember talking to Gosalyn?" His mom asked.

"Yeah a little I guess." He said.

"What are we going to do Derrick? Are they really going to arrest Max?" His mom asked.

"They're not really gonna put me in prison, are they? I mean, Detective Weber was just saying that to scare me, right?" Max asked.

Derrick shrugged. "Depends on what all happens with Gosalyn. If she doesn't make it…" Derrick trailed on.

"Oh, she's going to make it." His dad said.

"But if she doesn't make it, Max is convicted, it will be difficult to avoid prison time." Derrick said.

With Drake in Gosalyn's room.

"Sweetheart, I'm right here, not leaving you're side. So you fight and stay strong. There are so many people here you love you. Launch Pad is rooting for you, so is Morgana. " Drake said.

Just then Gosalyn moaned and Drake's face lifted up.

"Gosalyn? Gosalyn, sweetie it's okay. I'm here." He said.

Gosalyn's eyes opened up and she blinked. She then looked at her dad confused.

"Dad? Where…Where am I? What happened?" She asked.

Drake got a big grin on his face. "I'll tell you everything later, okay. Oh god, it's just so good to hear you're voice. How do you feel?" Drake said.

"Okay, I guess. I'm alright, aren't I?" She asked.

Drake just sat there not saying anything.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Please, talk to me. Tell me I'm going to be alright." Gosalyn cried.

To Be Continued…