Chapter 35

It had been almost two weeks since Nate had been brought into the hospital and he remained in ICU on life support and although he had been weaned from sedation, he remained unconscious. Maggie had contacted Peter Krige who had come to the hospital immediately on being called. He explained the visit from Nate and the instructions he had been under regarding his medical situation. Nate did not want to be kept alive via artificial means if there were no hope of recovery. The doctor had just finished briefing them on the afternoon of the fifth day telling them that the man's condition was deteriorating and that there was in essence nothing more they could do for him.

"Mr Krige we need to discuss the options here." He said turning to the lawyer as they all gathered in the family room that they had spent most of their time in during the last two weeks.

Peter looked at Sophie and could see the anger in her eyes that he was the one being asked to make these decisions and knowing that if he did give permission for them to turn off the machines, well he did not think Sophie or any of the others would take it very well.

"I think doctor that we need to give Nate a little more time to come back, he is a fighter." He said feeling Sophie's eyes on him and the tension in the room.

"Mr Krige I am sorry, his condition is deteriorating, and it has been two weeks and it is medical opinion that Mr Ford will not recover, although he can remain in this condition for a long period of time, it would not be what he wants or what is best for him." The doctor said. "I believe Mr Ford is a donor?"

"No you are not doing this." Sophie said angrily as she stood up and faced both doctor and lawyer. How dare the doctor presume to know what Nate wanted, he knew nothing about Nate or about his ability to fight and win.

"Mrs Ford, Mr Ford is completely unresponsive and there is nothing more we can do for him."

"Fine then you can let him slip away on his own if he is going to die, you are not God, you don't know, and you are not going to take away his chance of coming back." Sophie said her voice as cold as ice.

The others stood and watched the showdown with Maggie staring at them all tears in her eyes. Paul watched and a great sadness filled him as he saw the anguish on the faces of Nate's family. Sophie was right the doctor was not God, but if there was no hope, then maybe it would be best to let his friend go in peace.

Eliot, Parker and Hardison stood behind Sophie who stood firm cradling her son in her arms.

"You don't know Nate." Parker said her eyes cold and hard making the lawyer and doctor squirm slightly. "He is a survivor, and like Sophie said you are not taking away his chance."

"Ms I understand I do." The doctor said, this was not the first time he had had to tell a family that it was time to let their loved one go, and if they did, then the man could make a difference in other people's lives as a donor, he had to make them understand it was the best thing for his patient. "I believe Mr Ford is a fighter, but this is not a fight he can win, he may linger for another day, another week or even for months, but from our tests we have determined there is no brain activity, Mr Ford is no longer with us, but he can still make a difference."

"You don't know that for sure." Hardison said. "You can't say that for sure."

The doctor looked at the young man and shook his head slightly.

"No I cannot. But in my experience Mr Ford's condition is such that he will never wake, he will be on life support until his heart gives out and he passes naturally, or we can relieve his suffering, and in so doing he can help others."

"You just want us to kill him so that you can get his organs." Parker hissed out at him and the doctor looked at her a little taken aback by her tone and the implication of her words. He though suppressed his anger at her words and turned to Peter.

"Mr Krige I do believe that Mr Ford left instructions should this situation arise, and it is your obligation to carry out those instructions." He said, he was not going to get anywhere with the family, but they did not have the last say in this situation, that his patient had left to the man standing before him.

Peter looked from the doctor to Sophie and saw in her eyes and that of Eliot and the others that if he carried out Nate's wishes they would never forgive him and they would never forgive Nate for giving up on himself. He looked at Maggie who stood beside Father Paul fighting back the tears as she watched the scene unfold.

"Perhaps we can discuss this between us doctor." Father Paul said but kept his eyes on Peter. "We will let you know once a decision has been made."

Peter nodded and turned to the doctor asking him to leave them alone for a while and he would inform him of his decision as medical proxy shortly. The doctor wanted to say something but just shook his head and then retreated out of the room they were in and closed the door behind him.

"Sophie…"

"You are not doing this Peter, I don't care what he wanted, what he told you, you are not taking away his chance to fight." Sophie interrupted him locking eyes with him and challenging him to argue with her.

"Sophie I don't think that Peter wants to take away Nate's chance to come back to us, I think he wants to carry out Nate's last wishes." Paul said without flinching as Sophie's eyes settled on him. "Let's take a seat and then we can discuss this."

"There is nothing to discuss." Sophie said angrily. "How do we even know these are Nate's last wishes, how do we know this is what he wants, that he wants to allow himself to die?" She and Nate had never discussed this situation, he had never told her what he wanted, how did she know this is really what he had asked for and why had he asked for it.

"Nate left you all something and instructions for me when he came to see me." Peter said. He was not going to give them the envelopes unless Nate had died as per his instructions, but he thought, perhaps now was the time, perhaps it would make this easier on all of them.

"He knew this might happen…he knew…" Maggie said that was why he had gone to see Peter in the first place. "He knew."

"First let me read to you my instructions." Peter said as he opened his briefcase and pulled out the envelopes Nate had left with him. "He delivered these to me shortly before this incident took place, I assume because he knew that there was a possibility that this could happen."

"Sophie come sit down." Paul said nodding to Eliot to help the woman into a seat.

Peter waited until they were all seated and the pulled the letter out of the envelope and read the contents out to them.

"I Nathan Ford being of sound mind and body hereby grant Peter Krige authority over all medical decisions that may need to be made in regards myself and my health.

It is my express wish that I am not kept alive by artificial means if there be no hope of recovery. I hereby give permission for all my organs that can be used to save the lives of others bet taken and used as deemed fit."

"It is signed and dated as you can see by Nate. I am sorry Sophie, but these were his wishes." Peter said handing the paper to Eliot to verify.

"Why would he do this…why…" Sophie almost sobbed out. "I am his wife…"

"I think that was the point Sophie. He did not want you to have to make this decision, to bear the responsibility of it." Peter said his eyes softening as he looked at the woman who now had tears in her eyes and whose voice had softened to a near whisper and was ladened with sorrow.

Eliot looked at the man and knew he was right. Nate had not wanted Sophie to have to make the decision that would take him away from her. He had also probably made Peter his proxy because he knew that none of them, not himself, not Hardison or Parker would have been able to carry out his instructions against Sophie's will. He marvelled at Nate's ability to foresee what may happen and to plan for it even amid all that was happening, but then again, he would have been thinking only of Sophie and them. That is why he had gone to the cemetery as well, he had known that he was likely not to emerge from the confrontation with Moreau unscathed, and could possibly be killed. He had made his peace and all the arrangements to spare them, to spare Sophie.

"Now he also left me these." Peter said taking out the other envelopes. "There is one for Maggie, Paul and the three of you." He said looking at Eliot and the others. "And there is one for you Sophie and finally, one for Michael with instructions that it only be opened when he was old enough to understand."

Peter took the envelope meant for Maggie and held it out to her, she was about to take it when Sophie's voice stopped her.

"NO." She said loudly and stood up facing the woman. "No, Nate is not dead and those were meant for if he were, he is not dead and you…" She said turning towards Peter. "Are not going to kill him."

"Sophie."

"Enough. Enough of all of this. I don't care what Nate wrote, I don't care what you say, I don't care…" She said then drew a deep breath. "He is alive, he has a chance to come back to us, to come back to his son and you are not taking that away from him do you understand Peter. If he doesn't want to give himself a chance, if he wanted to give up on himself, well I won't allow that, I will fight for him!"

"We will fight for him." Parker whispered.

Maggie looked at her and the rest of Nate's team as she spoke and had to smile through her tears. That is what they had all done, from the beginning, fought for Nate, helped him find himself again, helped him live again. She turned to Paul and she could see he was thinking the same thing, these people would never give up on Nate no matter what, even if he gave up on himself and even though she knew it was not what Nate wanted she was glad they would not allow it.

Eliot drew himself up to stand tall beside Sophie his eyes telling the man that whatever Sophie wanted she would get, Parker and Hardison came to stand beside her as well and Peter got a cold shiver down his spine as he stared at them. Nate he thought to himself had underestimated the will of his wife and his family, they were not going to allow this to happen and he was not sure at that moment if he could carry out his wishes even if he wanted to.

"Ok, ok Sophie, it is not what Nate had wanted, and it is not what my instructions say but I will not do anything until you give your permission." Peter said. It may take time he thought but she would have to accept it and let Nate go, but until then he would honour her wishes, it would make no real difference to Nate, he was already gone if the doctors were right.