Chapter 2

"This isn't your fault, you know," Abbey said, replacing the pillow she'd just fluffed. "I won't let you blame yourself for Josh being shot."

Jed was ready to argue with his wife, but then he saw the worn look on her face. Sometimes he forgot how much she worried about him. The hell of what she had been through the last twelve hours hit him. He reached out and took her hand. "Okay." Abbey broke away and started to fuss with his IV machine. She felt like if she didn't stay busy, she'd fall apart. She was so concerned with Jed and his recovery, she didn't want anything to impede it, including her own emotions. It tore her up that Jed might be blaming himself for Josh's situation.

"Hey," he said gently. "Come here." He tugged on her arm to get her to sit down next to him on his bed.

"Lie down next to me. I want to hold you." He could tell Abbey was about to fall apart.

Abbey complied, careful to arrange herself on the side where Jed wasn't wounded. She laid her head on his chest and began to sob. The hours of stress had finally taken their toll on her. She couldn't contain her emotions any longer.

"Shh, it's okay, Abbey," Jed whispered into her hair. He patted her back rhythmically and let her cry herself to sleep.

—-

Later, Abbey was awakened by Jed muttering loudly at the television. "Do they just take any person off the street to be on Jeopardy these days?!" He looked slightly startled when he saw Abbey stirring.

"I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to wake you," he said.

"It's okay. How are you feeling?" Abbey asked, sitting up.

"Ready to get out of this damn place. I hate hospitals. How did you stand working in one of these?"

Abbey rubbed her eyes, trying to think of a witty retort. "The other doctors constantly ogling my ass certainly helped."

"I wouldn't blame them. Hey, Lizzie and Ellie came while you were asleep. They're down in the cafeteria now getting some coffee."

"Isn't that the first thing you should have said when I woke up?"

"Hey, you're the one who tried antagonizing a gunshot victim with talk of other men lusting after you. Notice also, how I deftly ignored your goading."

Abbey chuckled. They loved flirting and teasing one another, especially to lighten the mood. "Just trying to test how well you'll make it the next three months with no sex."

"Don't remind me," Jed groaned.

"Remind you of what?" Lizzie asked, entering the room with Ellie.

"Nothing. Your mother's just trying to provoke me, as usual," Jed said, winking at his daughters. They rolled their eyes as his corniness.

"Are you comfortable, Daddy?" Ellie asked. As a future doctor herself, she wanted to make sure that her father was completely pain-free. Ellie was very sensitive at heart, and though she and her dad didn't always see eye to eye, she loved him very much. And she was terrified that the remaining shooter would come back to finish the job.

"Yes, sweet pea. I promise. They have me on plenty of pain medication."

"And are they upping your security? I only saw two guards outside your room."

Jed and Abbey looked at each other. "Dad wasn't the target," Abbey said softly. "They were after Charlie."

Liz and Ellie both looked shocked. "Does he know? Does Zoey know?" Liz asked.

"Yeah," her father replied sadly. Charlie was like a son to Jed. And Jed felt like it was his fault, that he hadn't protected Charlie enough. He'd been so focused on Zoey that he'd neglected to protect Charlie.

"I should go talk to Zo," Ellie said. "Can I get you anything before I go?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you, El."

Ellie exited to go find her younger sister.

"Do you think it's safe to have Charlie be your personal aide anymore?" Liz questioned.

This infuriated Jed. "Charlie Young is the most loyal, hardest working, smartest staffer I could ask for. He is like my son, and there is no way on God's green Earth that I am going to get rid of him. Those bigots can stuff it. Do you understand me?" He was practically shaking with anger.

"Okay, Dad. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry," Liz said. She hadn't realized how much Charlie meant to her dad. Elizabeth had only met Charlie once herself. She patted her pregnant stomach. Maybe now was a good time to share some happy news with her dad.

"Hey," she said. "I have some news for you and Mom."

"What? Is everything okay with the baby?" Jed asked, now regretting that he'd been so harsh with his eldest daughter.

"Everything is great. We're having a boy!"

Jed and Abbey beamed at each other. "That's wonderful, Lizzie Bee. We're so happy for you and Doug," Abbey said for both of them. Jed was too overcome with emotion to reply immediately. He loved his daughters more than life itself, and truthfully he'd always been scared to have a son. But there'd always been a part of him that wanted to experience having a boy in the family.

This was some much needed good news at a time when Jed felt like God was testing him.