AN: Here you go gang. Thinking one, maybe two more chapters on this one. Not sure how I want to wrap it up, but yes it is coming to an end. Again thanks to all who are reading. dark rolling sea.
Chapter Fifteen
Flack arrived in Grahamsville an hour after the cops knocked the door down. He flashed his badge and found the local sheriff. He filled the sheriff in on who he was and then the sheriff led him to a room in the station where the three kids were being held.
"These are the children, Detective Flack. Pretty scared when we found them. Haven't said a word yet," the sheriff said. Flack thanked him and then walked up to the older child. He sat down across from her at the table and smiled. She watched him cautiously.
"Hi, my name is Detective Don Flack. I'm a cop from New York City. I'm going to take you and your brother and sister home to your mother," he said gently. She stared at him a moment then nodded.
"Is my dad…dead?" she asked, the last word in a just barely audible whisper. Flack watched her, and wet his lips. He looked at the other two children then back to her. He nodded.
"Yes," he replied softly. She had tears in her eyes and she looked over at the twins. They were holding hands, sitting close together, staring at the table. They all just wanted to go home.
"Is my mom ok?"
"Your mom and your older brother are fine. I'm going to take you to them now," Flack said standing up and motioning for another police officer to help him. They gathered the three children up and got them securely into the helicopter and started the return to the city.
It was a long quiet flight as the children sat together in silence. Kady was watching out the window as the other two stared at the flooring. Finally the long ride was over and they were nearing the city. Flack instructed the pilot to land on the helicopter pad on the hospital and they were cleared for arrival.
Once the bird was down and the rotors were shut off, Flack undid the buckles on the children and got them down one at a time. Stella met him on the roof and they took them into the building together.
Mac was asleep and had been for a while. Mady watched the clock, her heart racing with each minute, anticipating the return of her children. Kolby James was in a fitful sleep in the chair and Mady had thought of waking him to end whatever dream he was in, but decided he needed the rest.
Her attention continually came back to rest on Mac. Their hands were still tangled, even after he fell asleep. She watched his chest rise and fall with each breath, his eyes dart from side to side, up and down, as he entered REM sleep. His right arm heavily strapped to his body to keep it from moving, the gauze padding covering his right shoulder. She reached out with her free hand and brushed the damp hair off his forehead. He leaned into her hand in his sleep.
Stella had been in a couple times to check on him, but she never stayed. Mady was grateful for that. Mady knew she was the one 'intruding' in their lives, but Stella knew that it was a time to let Mac be. Mady knew there was a deep seeded friendship between the two of them.
Time seemed to slow, then stop, and then move backwards, as she waited for the helicopter to return. Finally she heard the whirl of the engine as it came to a halt on the top of the building.
She didn't want to leave the room. She wanted to greet her children but she didn't want to leave Kolby James…or Mac for that matter. Finally she knew she had too. She stood up and gently pulled her hand free of Mac's. He stirred briefly in his sleep, his eyes opening for a second before they rolled shut. She ran her hand gently down his face then went over to Kolby James.
She shook his shoulder gently. The boy sprang forward in the chair and she did her best to console him and let him know everything was alright. The boy blinked a few times, getting his bearings. Then he looked at Mac in the bed. He took a deep breath and then looked at his mother.
"They're here," she said gently with a smile and then got up and walked from the room. Kolby James slowly got up and watched his mother leave. He thought about following her, but then his attention rested on Mac in the bed. He took a step closer and stood just off the railing of the bed, looking down at his right side.
This man was alive because of him, yet he felt an almost overwhelming amount of guilt for the action that saved his life. His brain ran with an internal debate on the matter, taking a life to save a life. Maybe he wasn't cut out to be a marine. The thought pained him.
He was still watching when Mac stirred. The first thing Mac noticed was Mady was gone. He looked around the room and only Kolby James was there. The boy was watching him and Mac could see the guilt and pain in his eyes. There was no veil, the boy was exposed.
"You ok?" Mac asked with effort. Kolby James considered him a moment. He wet his lips and cocked his head, but no words came out. He shook his head no and felt the tears stinging in his eyes. "It's ok," Mac said gently.
"I killed a man," Kolby James said, the tears falling now, first from the left eye, then the right. A steady flow followed.
"That is the hardest thing to do. It's the hardest thing to live with," he replied softly. He wished Kolby James was on his left side instead of his right. He wanted to reach out and physically touch the boy, to give him human contact. His right arm was uselessly strapped to his chest.
"He was going to kill you," the boy whispered. "His gun was aimed at your head. He was going to kill you. He was going to kill you," Kolby James said, his voice drifting softer and softer with each sentence. The tears were constant now and he made no effort to wipe them away or hide it. He had found the release switch and finally was going to let out some of the pressure in his head.
Mac didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. Kolby James felt weak. He felt his knees giving out again. He reached out and steadied himself on the railing of the bed. Mac tried to sit up, tried desperately to move towards the boy, but all that happened was sharp excruciating pain ripping through his body. He took a sharp breath and winced, shutting his eyes tightly and gritting his teeth to contain the scream.
Kolby James moved to the other side of the room. He was going to leave, find somewhere with no people. He was going to hide. He looked back at Mac. Mac saw the fear, and the guilt, and the pain in Kolby James and it was as sharp as a knife.
"Stay, please, don't run from this," Mac said. Kolby James watched him trying to decide whether to run or to face it. It was all overwhelming and he felt like he was going to explode. He took a step back towards Mac using a shoulder to wipe at the tears on his cheek. It didn't stop the torrential down pour; it only made them come out faster.
He walked up to the bedside on Mac's left side and stumbled. He reached out with his hands and caught himself on the mattress. Mac reached out then and put his left arm around the boy's neck.
"What you did was hard, but we'll get through this. It's not something you'll forget, it's not something that was easy. I'll help you if you'll let me," Mac said in a whisper. Kolby James only nodded. He let the last barrier down and he sobbed. Mac pulled him down even more and the boy leaned into the bed with him.
Kolby James let Mac embrace him as he cried. He let the emotions of his life explode in a colorful display of fireworks as the pressure finally reached the boiling point. Finally Kolby James pulled back in Mac's embrace and Mac's grip loosened. Kolby James first wiped his right sleeve across his face, and then used his left shoulder to finish the job. The tears had stopped. He looked Mac in the eye, Mac returned it.
"You can help," Kolby James said in a whisper and Mac reached out with his left hand and squeezed the boy's right hand. Kolby James nodded. It was then that Kolby James heard his sister Kady.
Mady was down the hallway before she realized Kolby James hadn't followed her. She though about going back for him but then thought better of it. He would be there when they returned. She hurried up to the top floor and was waiting inside the building when Stella and Flack brought her children in.
"Momma!" Kady screamed and broke from Flack's hand. The twins both whimpered and charged away from Stella. Stella watched as the three collided with their mother and she embraced them.
All four were in tears and there was a happiness surrounding them. It only lasted a few moments before Kady pulled back from her mother. The twins huddled close, each gripping a leg.
"Momma, is it true? Is Daddy dead?" Kady asked.
"Yes, Sweetie, your father is dead," Mady replied biting at her lip.
"Kolby James is ok?"
"Your brother is ok. He was hurt, but he's ok now."
"Daddy didn't kill him?"
"No, Sweetie, he didn't," Mady replied. She didn't dare tell them that Kolby James had killed their father, not yet anyway. She saw the relief in her daughter's eyes and realized how agonizing it must have been for her to sit and not know if her big brother was alive or not. She pulled her daughter to her tightly and squeezed.
"They need to be looked over by the staff," Stella said after a moment, not wanting to intrude on the reunion. Mady looked up at her and nodded. They took the three children, who refused to be separated, or separated from their mother, into the same exam room. They were all three checked over and released, after minor scrapes and bruises were tended too.
"Thank you so much," Mady said to Stella.
"Our pleasure, Ma'am. I'm glad it all ended for the better," Stella said.
"I'm terribly sorry about your partner," Mady said pursing her lips.
"Take good care of him, and I won't hold a grudge," Stella said with a smile. Mady looked at her a moment, then smiled back. She nodded.
They then made their way down to the room. Mady told the children to wait in the hallway and she would get Kolby James. Kady didn't wait. She rushed around the corner and into the doorway.
"Kolby James?" she said in a whisper, as if speaking normally would shatter the dream and send her back to hell.
Kolby James turned from Mac, and went to his sister. He squatted down to her level and wrapped his arms around her. He held her tight, knowing it was her that had saved his life, and enabled him to in turn save Mac's. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and held on for dear life.
Finally Kolby James pealed her back. "Thank you," he said in a whisper. She only nodded. "If you ever come out of hiding again," he said, but then a smile graced his lips and she smiled back.
Kolby James then stood and went into the hallway and found the twins. The two wrapped themselves around him and he returned the embrace. Mady came over and the five of them stood in an embrace in the hallway.
TBC…