Ch. 30

Heartbeat

"Oh my God, Babe no. Don't stop breathing!" Tad yelled, placing his ear over her stopped heart.

Jesse had gotten the knife away from Paul after much struggling. He tossed it aside, and then aimed a fist for the corner of Paul's jaw. It hit, and Paul went down. Bad move, since he landed right next to the knife. Jesse grunted and jumped on top of Paul, wrestling for the knife. He grabbed in, and he heard a gasp from Paul as it entered his stomach. Jesse jumped up and stepped back with the bloody knife in his hand, looking at the whole that was now in the middle of Paul's stomach. He threw the knife towards the back wall and called for help.

"Derek, Reynolds, get us some help NOW!" Jesse yelled, running to Babe to inspect her wound.

There was a small entrance hole in her shoulder.

"I think it went straight through." Jesse told Tad.

"She isn't breathing and her heart isn't beating!" Tad cried.

"We need help NOW!" Jesse yelled again, and this time the cops succeeded in opening the door and paramedics with stretchers came through and ran up next to Babe.

"How bad?" Paramedic #1 asked, while Paramedic #2 kneeled next to her.

"Gun shot wound, upper chest. She isn't breathing. We need to start CPR!" he said.

JR rushed in and saw Babe lying in a bloody heap on the floor, "Oh my God!" He cried, and Jesse walked up to him and held him back and they watched the paramedics perform CPR.

"Still don't have a heartbeat!" Paramedic #1 said, and tried again.

Tad was made to sit on a stretcher, but he wouldn't leave until he knew Babe was breathing again. Everyone stood there and watched the paramedics try to revive Babe. JR felt the warm salty tears flow down his face.

"We got a heartbeat! Let's get her on a stretcher." Paramedic #2 said and she was lifted onto a stretcher and pushed to an ambulance.

JR glanced and Tad but Tad shook his head, "I'm fine, now GO!" he ordered.

Outside, Jamie had pulled up and got out when he saw Babe covered in blood being pushed on a stretcher.

"Oh God!" He yelled, running up to her. "What happened?" he asked.

"Get out of our way or she isn't going to make it!" One of the paramedics yelled at him.

Jamie stepped back and was stopped from arguing by JR who ran up to them as they lifted her into an ambulance, "I'm coming with you." JR demanded.

"No, I don't think so." Paramedic #1 said.

"You dot understand!" JR started but was interrupted.

"You can meet us there, but for now let us work!" Paramedic #2 said.

"Come on JR, I'll take you there." He pulled JR back as the paramedics shut the door, blocking JR's view of Babe.

"Jamie…" JR started but Jamie pulled him to his car.

"We gotta go." Jamie jumped in his car, and JR followed suit. They headed off to the hospital right behind Babe's ambulance.

"What happened?" Jamie asked.

"Paul shot her in the chest… her heart stopped beating in there Jamie!" JR cried.

"But she is breathing now JR, Babe is strong, she can make it." Jamie tried to calm JR.

"Just hurry up, I have to be there for Babe." JR ordered, and Jamie nodded, pressing on the gas.

"Where is my Dad, is he OK?" Jamie asked.

"From what I saw. He has a couple bloody bandages on, but he was fine enough to tell me to stay with Babe." JR informed him.

"And Paul?" Jamie wondered.

"I saw him in the corner… I think he's dead." JR said coldly.

"Good." Jamie clenched his teeth.

"Jamie, Amanda's dead." JR said, looking at Jamie.

JR knew Jamie was the closet with Amanda, probably even since childhood. Even after all the crap Amanda pulled, Jamie would still be hurt by her death.

Jamie breathed in heavily and gripped the steering wheel tighter, speeding up even more. JR watched the mixture of emotions on his face, but then turned his eyes to the road wondering how Babe was fairing, not knowing it wasn't going well for her.