I don't own "The Rockford Files" or "Emergency", I'm just borrowing the characters. I'm not making any money from this story. I do own the story and the character of Lt. Shawna Williams. Any characters not mentioned on either show are pulled from thin air and belong solely to me. I would love feedback and crave it, so I know whether to keep working on this story.

Thanks, Karen

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Chapter 3

Jim and Rocky drove to County General in silence, each saying a silent prayer Shawna would be all right. Jim was sitting at a red light and noticed his cheek was wet so he ran his hand over his face to wipe away the tears that had begun to fall.

"Please Lord let Shawna survive. I can't lose her," Jim said softly, then he noticed the light change and raced toward the hospital. He pulled into the parking lot and noticed the squad pulling in right behind them.

"You know Jimmy, I get the feeling those two young paramedics know Shawna," Rocky said as they were walking into the Emergency Room entrance.

"I got the same feeling dad. Especially the dark haired one," Jim nodded toward the two paramedics standing by the nurse's station. "Let's go see what the doctor can tell us." They walked over to the nurse's station.

"Look Johnny, we're still waiting on X-ray to come down," the nurse told Gage and DeSoto.

"Excuse me," Jim interrupted the nurse and the paramedics.

"Yes sir," the nurse replied with a smile.

"My name is Jim Rockford and I'd like to know if you can tell me the condition of Shawna Williams?"

"I was just telling the two paramedics we are still waiting for X-ray to come down. She is still unconscious but holding her own."

"Excuse me but how do you know Sgt. Williams?" Johnny asked thinking he would trip Jim up.

"Lt. Williams and I are friends. Smart move trying to trip me up. Oh God," Jim replied and then he went pale in a second when he noticed the spirit of his deceased mother standing outside of the exam room. Roy and Johnny noticed him going pale each grabbing an arm and leading Jim into one of the treatment rooms with Rocky right behind them.

"What's wrong with him?" Rocky asked as they put an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, started taking his vitals, and hooking him up to an EKG monitor. The doctor walked into the room just as Johnny finished getting Jim's BP.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked.

"We were waiting on news about a friend from the explosion when he suddenly started having trouble breathing," Johnny replied.

"Are you talking about Shawna?"

"Yes!" All four men answered.

"How is she?" Jim asked when he pulled the mask off his face.

"Keep that on," Roy told him as he put the mask back on to help Jim breath easier.

"We're waiting for X-ray to come down but for the moment she is holding her own. Her vitals are climbing, her color is coming back, and she is breathing on her own. We still have an oxygen mask on her but it's just to help her breath easier."

"So then she's going to be all right?" Rocky asked.

"I think so. Shawna is a tough lady. How do you all know her?" he asked as he looked at the EKG monitor when Jim's heart rate began to spike.

"Oh God," he replied as he saw his mother's spirit standing at the end of his bed.

"What's wrong sir? Are you having chest pains?" Jim shook his head no but he felt like someone was squeezing the air out of his lungs. He just kept staring at his mother and couldn't believe that Rocky didn't see her.

"Oh God, please."

"Jimmy you need to relax," his mother Katie told him. "I'm not here for Shawna." Then he looked toward his dad and panic set in again. "No, I'm not here for Rocky either," she said with a smile.

"Jim, I want you to relax," Roy told him.

"Come on Jimmy," he heard his dad's voice, then looked up and saw both Roy and Johnny standing next to him.

"Jim, listen to me," Roy spoke softly to get Jim's attention, "Jim, I need you relax."

"His BP is 140/100. He needs to calm down," Johnny told his partner.

"Jim, listen to me. If you don't relax, you're going to have a heart attack or stroke. Your blood pressure is climbing and it's not good. Now, just relax and start taking some deep breaths." Jim looked at Roy with panic in his eyes and then Roy grasped his hand.

"Jim, listen to the man," his mother replied. "You need to relax sweetheart. Your friend is going to be just fine. It's not her time Jim and it's not Rocky's either. Now do what he says." Jim looked at Roy and began to take slow deep breaths.

"There you go, Jim." Roy encouraged as Jim began taking slow breaths.

"BP is now 130/90." Johnny replied.

"There you go Jim. Keep taking deep breaths," Roy kept encouraging the man lying on the exam room table.

"BP is 120/80," Johnny announced after about 20 minutes of trying to get the stranger to calm down. Jim was finally able to breathe a little easier but to him it seemed like forever.

"OK, Mr. Rockford, now I just want you to lie there and relax. I want to make sure you don't relapse on us. Now I'm going to go check on Shawna and then I'll be back. Everyone, let's leave so he can relax," the doctor told everyone including Rocky.

"I'll be right outside, Jimmy."

"I'm OK dad," Jim told his dad as he took his hand and gently squeezed it.

"Keep that oxygen on," Roy replied as he turned to leave. Once everyone had left the room, Jim let out the last breath he'd been holding and felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

"Why are you here?" he asked his mother.

"I'm here for you sweetheart."

"WHAT?" he asked as he started having trouble breathing again and his BP started going back up.

"Relax, Jimmy. I'm here because you need me. It's been a long time since you've been to visit my grave. I see Rocky once a week," she told him as she moved to his side. He'd swear he could feel her hand on his cheek.

"I'm sorry mom, but when I was sent to prison, I was ashamed to come visit your grave when I got out," he told her and felt a tear fall from the corner of his eye.

"Sweetheart, you have nothing to ever be ashamed about. I watched over you in prison just like Shawna's mother is watching over her.

"But they were doing CPR on her," he responded with a shaky voice.

"I know they were. Trust me when I tell you both of you are going to grow very old before either one of you dies."

"Really?"

"Really," she replied with a smile. "Now, just relax. When you wake up in a little while, she will be in a room resting comfortably. Now close your eyes and rest," she encouraged Jim. Roy gently opened the door to the treatment room, poked his head inside, and noticed Jim was resting comfortably.

"How is he?" Johnny asked as he noticed how nervous Rocky was as they were in the waiting room.

"He seems to be resting comfortably. I think it just hit him he could've lost Shawna and he panicked."

"Not Jimmy. He's not easily shaken," Rocky defended his son.

"Why's not, Mr. Rockford?" Johnny asked.

"Because Jim is a private investigator. He doesn't get easily shaken."

"Gentlemen," the doctor spoke to them.

"Yes, sir."

"Shawna has a concussion, a couple of cracked ribs, and a broken wrist. We're going to be moving her up to a private room on the fourth floor. Once we have her settled, then I'll wake Mr. Rockford and let him know where she is at."

"Thanks, doctor. I'll call the station and let the sheriff know." Roy replied as he headed toward the telephone. Rocky went to check on Jim and Johnny went to check on Shawna.