A/N – Well, here you go! Enjoy!
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Chapter Twelve – When it rains…
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"Brige, you don't mean that," Tom muttered, his heart breaking at the sound of hatred in her voice.
"Get away from my daughter," Portia ordered, marching over to them.
Tom whipped his head around and met his ex wife's icy gaze. "Portia, I…"
"No. Tom, I'm tired of your excuses. Brigitte, we're going home." She reached over and grabbed her daughter by the wrist. The little girl looked at Tom one last time, her face soaked with fresh tears and her features contorted to show every emotion she felt.
Tom hung his head, sighing in defeat. Who was he kidding? There was no way he was capable of being a father. He hadn't even figured out his own life. How could he figure out someone else's? It just wasn't possible.
Did this mean he could never be a father? Because he always thought he would be. He just needed Jude. She made him want to be better. She made him feel like he could be a good dad. But now she was hanging between life and death and it was all his fault.
Jude needed to wake up. She needed to get better. Tom needed her to. Because without Jude, he couldn't do it. He couldn't do anything.
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Doctor Simons, the resident doctor at Wolf Point Hospital, pushed Jude's still body, strapped to a gurney, into the elevator. Pressing the button for the roof, he waited patiently as they were lifted slowly to the top.
"Jude," he said, looking down at her. "Once we get you home, you need to wake up. Your sister and her friend really need you to wake up. And that young man who kept sneaking in to see you? Yeah, we knew about him. He needs you to wake up even more. So, once we get you safe to Toronto, you gotta wake up for us, okay?"
The elevator dinged to announce their arrival at the roof before the doors slid open. The helicopter's blade spun around and the decibel level was deafening. But the sound only fell on one pair of ears as the doctor rolled the gurney over to the landing pad.
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Portia collapsed into the driver's seat of her car, alone. Brigitte was going home with her parents. Portia needed the alone time. Badly.
"Tommy, how can you do this?" she moaned, pounding her fists against the steering wheel. "I counted on you with the biggest thing in my life and you ruined it. And now it's not just me. It's Brige too. She's gotta deal with losing her dad the same week she found out she had one. She's not even three, Tommy! She's can't deal with that!
"What have you done?" she whispered, resting her forehead on the wheel.
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Sadie and Kwest were sitting side by side on the airplane, waiting for it to land in Toronto. According to the hospital in Wolf Point, Jude should already be checked in and ready for visitors by the time they got home.
Sadie stole a look at Kwest, who had his headphones on and was absentmindedly watching the flight movie. She smiled, truly glad she had him around. "Kwest?"
"Hmm?" he responded, tugging his headphones off one ear.
"Thanks. For everything." She leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. "I want this to be something. Us, I mean. When Jude gets better."
He smiled to himself, resting his head on top of hers. "Okay."
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Tom stepped into G Major, taking a deep breath. He was never very good at kissing ass, especially when it came to Darius. But this time, it was his job on the line. And when Jude got better, working with her was on the line.
He reached out and knocked on the closed door, waiting for a reply. "Come in," a low voice barked from inside. Sending up a quick prayer, he opened the door and slipped in. Darius' eyes widened from behind his desk and a slow smile spread across his face. "Well, if it isn't long lost Tom Quincy."
"Darius, I'm sorry," he muttered, grimacing.
"Sorry doesn't really cut it, T. You left without so much as a word and left me to pick up the pieces with Jude—just like I had to do with Portia a few years back." Tom's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her name.
"D, I know I screwed up, but—"
"Where is she, Tom?" he asked suddenly.
Two women flashed through his mind. "Who?"
"Jude, who else!" Darius fumed. "Don't beat around this bush. She hasn't been in for days and you know where she is. Now, if you don't tell me—"
"She's in the hospital!"
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A/N – Woot! 2 updates! Leave me a review!