Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Without a Trace characters, however, I do own Lacey Smith, Mally Jones and any other characters not from the show.
Authors Note: Ok so here's chapter six … as always please R&R! Thanks. (this chapter will have a story soon)
Rescue Mission
Lacey kept trying to release her seat belt but it wouldn't budge. The heat was surrounding her. Lacey started coughing the smoke was making her feel drowsy. She tried to keep her eyes open ready to call for help but she couldn't it was too hot and she couldn't breathe through the smoke.
Jack and Martin had stopped at the only garage they had seen asking the employees about Carla and Lacey.
The employees had seen Carla and Lacey but as they told Jack and Martin it had been some time ago and who knows where they could have gone.
"Jack we've got to find them," Martin said, "who knows what could have happened."
"We'll find her, try to stay calm," Jack replied keeping his eyes on the road.
Back at the office Sam, Danny and Vivian hoped Lacey was ok.
"How are you feeling Sam?" Vivian asked.
"Ok actually, heaps better, I told the father today so a weight's been lifted," she whispered in reply.
"Hey! Include me," Danny said feeling left out.
"Ok it cant hurt for you to know…" Sam paused as he eagerly looked at her, "…I'm nine weeks pregnant."
"You're what?" Danny asked shocked, "I mean, wow, congratulations." He said kissing her cheek.
"Thank you," she replied smiling, seeing Danny about to open his mouth she cut him off, "and no I'm not telling you who the father is."
"How did you know I was even going to ask that?"
"Because Viv asked me the same thing," Sam replied taking a sip of her water.
"You knew?" Danny asked accusingly looking at Vivian.
"Yeah," she replied looking at something interesting on the floor.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I asked her not to," Sam interjected stopping the argument.
"Does Jack know?" Danny asked seeing the look on Sam's face.
"No not yet and don't tell him either."
Danny nodded; he wondered if Martin knew, those two had always been close, since he started in fact. Danny pushed the thought train out of his head as his cell rung. He headed outside to take his personal call.
"You sure you're ok Sam?" Vivian asked looking at her friend concerned.
"Not really, what Martin's going through I guess I'm really feeling it, now I know what it feels like to be a mother," she replied, "I sound stupid right?"
"No not at all. I'm the same with Reggie. Doesn't matter how old they are you never sop worrying," Vivian replied looking at her sons picture on her desk.
Sam smiled soon that would be here looking at a picture of her child…she couldn't wait. Her thoughts drifted back to Martin, she just wanted to hug and comfort him, but he was God knows where with Jack rescuing his daughter. She couldn't help but worry…
Jack and Martin sat in silence keeping their eyes peeled. Martin just wanted his girl safe and sound and back home with him and Sam.
Lacey was in a dazed state and couldn't breathe as she struggled to keep her eyes open, the heat of the flames was surrounding her body and the smoke had reached her lungs. Praying one last time for her daddy t rescue her she let the darkness claim her.
"Jack stop the car!" Martin shouted causing Jack to jump and hit the breaks.
Martin jumped out of the car and rushed towards the burning car.
"Martin! Martin! Come back!" Jack called opening his cell and calling the emergency services, "ambulance and fire rescue please," he said giving them details.
"Lacey!" Martin called putting his hand over his mouth trying to stop the smoke entering his lungs.
Lacey stirred hearing her name being called and two male voices but she couldn't open her eyes.
"Martin!" Jack called again getting closer.
"I'm not leaving her Jack!" he called back.
"Martin it could blow up!"
"Exactly and my daughter is not going to be in there!"
Martin managed to smash the rear window out towards himself through the open front window.
"Lacey I'm here!" he said pulling all the loose glass away from the frame with the sleeve of his jacket.
Martin climbed through the window and reached for his young daughter. He tried lifting her out, realising that the belt was stuck he placed her back down and tried releasing it.
"Jack!" he called, "the belt's stuck, and I need help!"
In a flash Jack was by his side both of them trying to get the belt off the young girl.
Martin climbed into the car and tried releasing the belt from a different angle, finally Lacey was freed and Martin lifted her from the seat and passed her to Jack.
Jack rushed Lacey to the side of his car and placed on the floor kneeling beside her.
Martin climbed across the seats and over to the window, he got one leg through and noticed a blanket and teddy resting on the seat, he reached back in and then proceeded out the window. Jack watched wondering what he was doing.
Sirens filled the silent night; Martin looked at the flames and held the blanket and teddy close as he ran.
Almost suddenly he car exploded and Martin was catapulted forwards landing face down on the concrete. The noisy sirens surrounded him as well as unfamiliar voices, before his world also fell into darkness.
As Jack walked through the office doors they all looked up at him. Sam's face went pale fearing the worst.
"What happened?" Danny asked.
"Carla Smith is dead, she died in the accident they had," Jack replied.
"What about Lacey?" Vivian asked her arm supporting Sam.
"I don't know they took her in the ambulance, her pulse was weak when Martin and I managed to pull her out of the wreckage.
"And Martin?" Sam finally asked needing to know; she hoped he was just at the hospital by his daughter's side.
"He also went to hospital, as the car exploded he was thrown forward. That's all I know."
Sam's hand covered her face, "I need to go see him."
"Of course, we'll all go," he replied.
Vivian placed her arm round Sam's shoulder and Danny did the same on her other side.
The car ride was silent and as Jack parked his car she jumped from the back seat and practically ran through the hospital doors straight to the reception desk.
"I need to see Martin Fitzgerald!" Sam almost shouted.
"No need to shout, are you next of kin?" the receptionist asked.
"Well no," Sam deadpanned, damn it!
"Then I'm afraid I can't let you see him."
Sam looked liked she was about to cry, damn hormones, "look lady, we're his work colleagues, he'd want to see us," Sam tried to tell her calmly.
"Well I'm sorry only next of kin may enter at this time," she replied turning to another lady who was waiting behind the four F.B.I agents.
Sam had had enough, she slammed both hands on the counter catching the receptionists attention, "ok, I've tried to be polite now I'm annoyed!" she shouted as patients started to look in her direction, "I need to go to see Mr Fitzgerald, I don't care that I'm not his next of kin. Listen I'm pregnant with his child, add that to my raging hormones and you really don want to see where this is going to end up!" she concluded as the receptionist looked at her scared.
Danny, Jack and Vivian kept quiet as Sam ranted, and Jack decided that he would discuss her behaviour later.
"What seems to be the problem here?" asked a male doctor heading over to the group.
"Your receptionist here wont let me see my boyfriend," Sam said cutting the poor lady off before she was able to speak.
"Are you his next of kin?" the doctor asked.
"Look ok, I just had this conversation with her," Sam said pointing at the receptionist, 'I just need to know that he's ok, please."
"What's your partners name?" the doctor asked again.
"Martin, Martin Fitzgerald."
"Ah," he replied, "you must be Sam, he's been asking for you."
"Yes I'm Sam," she clarified.
"Ok, if you'd like to follow me," he said looking at the group, he lead them through the quiet corridors, Sam felt quite embarrassed about her little outburst, but also satisfied that she was going to see Martin.
"Ok," the doctor said stopping, "he looks worse than what he is."
"Thank you doctor," Jack said speaking his first words since arriving at the hospital.
Sam pushed the heavy door open and her eyes automatically found Martin's.
"Sam," he said groggily smiling.
"Don't ever do that again, they wouldn't let me see you," she said walking over to him crying tears of happiness.
"Why are you crying?" he asked moving to sit up.
"Hormones," she replied, "I'm an emotional wreck, don't worry they all know," Sam said noticing the look on Martin's face.
"So does the whole reception area," Danny commented.
"I got a little annoyed," Sam said justifying her actions.
"Jack how's Lacey?" Martin asked.
"I don't know they wont tell us anything," Jack answered.
Martin nodded already knowing that they wouldn't have told them any details at all as they weren't family.
The hospital door opened and Martin's doctor walked in.
"Martin how are you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm ok. I'm more worried about a young girl who came in with me, Lacey Smith," he replied watching the doctor's expression.
Doctor Monroe thought about who Martin was talking about, "ah yes, Miss Smith, we're currently trying to get hold of her parents."
"Her parents, well adoptive parents are both dead, I'm her father, I need to know is she ok?" Martin asked extremely worried.
"Miss Smith is doing a lot better than when she came in, at the moment she is still unconscious and her breathing is still not as good as we'd hoped," Doctor Monroe replied.
Martin nodded, "can I go sit with her?" he asked.
"I'm afraid not at the moment Mr Fitzgerald, we're monitoring her closely and you're still not one hundred percent ready to leave that bed," Doctor Monroe replied honestly.
Martin nodded again understanding, "you'll keep me informed though wont you?"
"Of course."
"Excuse me doctor, Martin we have to get back to the office, Sam take as much time as you need off, nurse Martin back to health," Jack said smiling.
"Thanks Jack," Sam replied smiling back.
Jack, Danny and Vivian headed out of the hospital and back to the office.
Doctor Monroe also left the room to check on his other patients as well as Lacey.
"Don't ever do that to me again," Sam said sitting next to Martin on the hospital bed.
"I'm sorry, my instinct was to save Lacey, the fire brigade would never have made it in time," he replied.
"You're just too brave," she said smiling and kissing him on the head, "I'm sorry I told everyone about us before I spoke to you about it."
"It's ok I don't mind, I just want to see Lacey and see how she's doing."
"I know, but she's strong like you she'll be fine," Sam said seeing Martin defeated.
"I hope you're right," he replied.
Sam sat next to Martin on the bed he placed his arm round her shoulder pulling her close.
"In all this commotion I totally forgot to ask how you are," Marin said twirling her long blonde hair between his fingers.
"I'm ok thank you," he replied smiling.
They sat together in silence each thinking about the other, their future and Lacey.
Lacey had her eyes closed as she lay in a hospital bed down the corridor from her dad. There were tubes everywhere helping her breathe, he chest slowly rose and fell steadily.