Disclaimer: Same as chapter 1
"Nick, Nick, Nick can you hear me? Nick!" Burton screamed at the limp body of his son. Nick had collapsed and Burton had caught him but he didn't think Nick was breathing anymore. Burton laid Nick gently on the ground and checked hid pulse. Nothing. Burton knelt beside Nick in a state of shock. Nick couldn't be dead, he just couldn't not his only child, not his son.
"Anyone, know CPR?" Burton asked detached.
"I do sir," said a man, Burton looked at him and noticed he was a paramedic, it was about time they'd got here. He was a young man probably only in his mid-twenties. Burton hoped he was qualified as the man knelt down beside Burton and checked Nick's pulse.
"No pulse," the man said loudly, "I'm starting chest compressions," and with that the man did. He sounded so matter of fact. Didn't he realize Nick's life was at stake? Burton's heart lurched at the thought and he felt sick. Nick's life.
Another paramedic knelt by Nick's other side and put a mask thing on his mouth with a big bubble thing on it and started squeezing it. Burton just watched feeling terrified looking at his lifeless body, but there is still a chance, he thought to himself, the paramedics were helping him. Silent tears streamed unashamed down his face.
"Come on Nick, you can't give up, you can't. Fight Nick, you have to fight this," Burton whispered tearfully. His thoughts turned to what Nick had said.
"I..I love you Dad and...and I'm sorry that I'm such...such a disappointment to you..."
Had Nick really thought he was a disappointment to him?
"He's not responding, get the paddles," the second older man said. Burton gasped, it wasn't working! He was gonna lose him, forever this time.
The first man removed the mask thing while the second man pulled open Nick's shirt. He got out the paddles while the other man put some wires on Nick. He them held the paddles over Nick's body and rubbed them together.
"Charging, clear," the second man said, there was a loud high pitched bleep and the man put the paddles on Nick, his whole body leaped, followed by a flatline.
"Still nothing, again,"
Had he really been angry at Nick earlier for being late to pick up a goddam car? How could he have thought it mattered at all?
The paddles came down again, Nick's body jerked again. Flatline.
"Still nothing, again,"
He was so proud of Nick, he always had been. He wasn't disappointed, how could Nick think that he was? Did he really treat him that badly? His mind refused to answer.
Flatline.
"Still nothing, again,"
This wasn't fair, less than an hour ago Nick had been fine and now he was fighting for his life and why? Because he'd wanted to help people. Nick shouldn't have to forfit his life for doing good, it wasn't fair.
Flatline.
"Still nothing, again,"
Nick looked so helpless lying there, like when he'd been born, so helpless and small. He'd swore to look after him but he hadn't, he'd sent him away because he didn't want to deal with Nick and so Nick had used drugs. It was all his fault.
Flatline.
"He's gone,"
"No, No, NO! He can't not my son, not now, not like this! You have to save, please, please try again! Just try again please," Burton pleaded desperately, he couldn't lose Nick.
"I'm sorry sir, but listen..." the first man began but Burton cut him off.
"No, you listen. He's a good person, he..he just save like...nine people, he has two small children. He's my only child. Please just once more please, I'm begging you. One more try," Burton sobbed. Reluctantly the first man nodded.
"Once more, okay?" he said. Burton nodded.
"Charging, clear,"
Burton squeezed his eyes shut, please Nick he prayed with all his heart, please live. Nick had to live, he hadn't even said goodbye, he hadn't apologized for snapping at him in the car or anything else. Nick had died thinking his father was ashamed of him. He'd never know how much Burton loved him. He'd never see Anne or AJ grow up; talking, walking, first day of school. They'd never know their father, would'nt even remember him, they were too young, so young. You can't be dead Nick, you can't be selfish, I need you, your children need you, your work, even Lulu. Wake up Nick, please wake up, Burton begged in his mind.
There was a sudden beep. Burton opened his eyes.
"We have a pulse! It's weak but there is a pulse. Get him into the bus," the second man yelled.
"Thank you," Burton gasped as Nick was put onto a stretcher and loaded into the ambulance, "where are you taking him, can I come with him?" Burton asked, his heart soaring.
"We're taking him to Allegheny General, but you can't come with us. When you get there ask for Anthony Richards and I'll tell you what I can," said the first man.
"Thank you, I really appreciate all you've done for my son,"
Anthony nodded smiling and got into the ambulance. Burton watched the ambulance drive away, he felt so relieved as he went to Nick's car, the keys were still in the ignition so he drove straight to the hospital. Nick was alive, he was alive. Nothing else seemed to matter to him at that moment, his son was alive...
