Chapter 17

"Hey pop." Tad said softly. He and Ruth sat to his sides and Jake and Jeff stood at the end of the bed.

"Tad?" he said opening his eyes to the voice and looking around.

"Do you know where you are?" Jake asked.

"The hospital. Is it PVH?"

"Yes, it's PVH dad. What's the last thing you remember?" Jeff answered.

"We were at Tad's. There was arguing and I don't, I don't remember anything after that." Joe said still trying to remember.

"You had chest pains and collapsed. We brought you here." Tad said

"The tests showed triple-vessel coronary artery disease led to your episode. We immediately sent you up to the OR and surgery." Jake told him

"The coronary artery bypass graft was successful. You'll just need another ultrasound and chest x-ray to make sure there weren't any complications." Jeff added.

"The cardiologist, can I talk to him?"

"Yeah he should be here any minute. We paged him."

"It wasn't Dr. Hunt was it?"

"Nope it wasn't Dr. Hunt, Joe." David said as he walked in and heard the end of their conversation.

"David?" Joe half asked, half said.

"Yes, Jake, Jeff and I all pitched in to help repair that mess in your chest."

"That's the Hayward I don't like." Tad said rolling his eyes.

"But you aren't on the active OR roster."

"Well your sons wanted the best, and Jake here has been shadowing me and remembered about the new non-invasive robotic CABG, I've been developing. You're one for the record books, Dr. Martin."

"I can't believe all of this."

"Joe, honey, you had us all scared, but your boys, they came together and they saved you." Ruth told him holding his hand tight.

"Well thank you, all of you." Joe said smiling at his boys, all of them.

"Jeff and Jake are going to take care of your tests and paperwork. I'll take a look at the results and consult with them about meds and follow-ups. Now if you'll excuse me I have a son I haven't seen in over a day to get home to."

"Oh Dylan, is he okay?" Joe asked concerned, remembering they were watching him when this whole thing happened.

"Yes he's fine. Erica picked him up earlier. You just concentrate on getting better alright Joe?" David said and Joe nodded before he left the room.

"Now that all the excitement is over with, why don't we let dad get some rest." Jake suggested.

"Okay, I'll be back in the morning, honey." Ruth said giving him a quick kiss before moving to hug the boys.

"Dix and I will be in tomorrow too. You get your rest." Tad said hugging his father.

"I'm staying the night shift, and Jeff is going to be back in the morning since he's on call tomorrow." Jake said, taking the closest chair and planting it next to the bed. "You need anything and you tell me. You scared the shit out of us dad. You can bet on watch dogs now." Jake said staring him down. He really had nothing to say to that. Nothing he said would change their minds. He would probably have a watchdog on him at all times for years to come. "Yes Jake." He said with a sigh.

She heard him come in a few minutes ago, but she didn't go down to meet him. Instead she waited in bed for him. He didn't come directly to their room, instead she heard him walk down the hall and open the door to Dylan's room. She heard him talking but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Then she heard him walk out and back down the hall. "Hey, you awake?" He said softly as he entered the room.

"Yes, I was waiting for you." She said as she rolled over.

"You didn't have to wait up." He said taking off his shirt and pants before crawling in bed.

"Well I heard you come in the door. And then I heard you make a stop in Dylan's room."

"I had to see him. Kiss him good night. Tel him I love him. I haven't seen him in days."

"I know, I must have held him tight for almost 2 hours before I put him down. I'm not sure I'll make it when we send him to college."

"I hear you. I don't think he'll ever be allowed on any sleepovers. I might have to chaperone."

"So everything's good with Joe?"

"Yeah everyone was in there. Tad, Ruth, Jake and Jeff."

"And you?"

"Yes, I explained the surgery and those kind of things. I only stayed in doctor capacity."

"Was it that uncomfortable to be in there with the rest of them?"

"It's not my place to sit vigil with them. I did my job. Now I'm here with my family."

"I know you try to tell yourself you shouldn't have a right to be in there with them. That you couldn't possibly care what happens to the man. But you told me, that this whole thing affected you. No matter how much you tell yourself that he's nothing to you, just connected by DNA, you still care."

"I always said how I don't like feelings. They're just too complicated. Well what I feel for Joe is so complicated." He said with a sigh. The last day was full of feelings he didn't like.

"It doesn't matter, they're yours and you're allowed to have them. Now move over here." She said directing him to turn his back to her, so she could wrap her arms around him. "You did what you needed to today. I'm proud of you. Now you just sleep because everything is fine. You can go back to fighting with Jake and Tad. Maybe even give Joe a little hell when he's better." It all sounded so good to him. His feud with the Martin's was one of the reasons he got up in the morning. What would he do if they were all, well…nice, to each other?