CHAPTER 12:

Daniel found himself in the intensive care unit with Alexis waiting in silence for doctors to tell them anything about their father's condition. Alexis filled him in on what happened- Bradford had a heart attack at the Meade home and the maid called 911. He was scared out of his mind. He was still a teenager when his father had his first heart attack and ever since then his dad never got sick. And now he had a heart attack and it could go either way. He couldn't help but think how could such a beautiful day have such a crappy ending, just three hours ago he was having a romantic weekend with his girlfriend and now he's waiting to be told about his father's fate. The unbearable silence was broken by Alexis

"I'm going to get myself some water. Uh…do you want anything?"

"No." Replied Daniel and Alexis walked away. A few moments later he was interrupted from his thoughts by a familiar voice.

"Daniel?" He looked up

"Wils? What are you doing here?" Wilhelmina pulled him in for a hug and Daniel hugged her right back. As a few eyes were on them Daniel didn't care if everybody was looking at them, all that mattered at the moment was that his father is in the hospital and the people he cared about especially the woman who was currently in his arms were there.

"I told you I couldn't stay back there without you." After they pulled apart from that comforting hug Daniel found his voice again

"Thanks for coming."

"I'm so sorry, Daniel. Is he going to be okay?"

"He's still unconscious. It was a serious heart attack and we still haven't heard anything from the medical team just yet. I'm really glad you're here."

"So am I. I'm here for you if you need…"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE DOING HERE?!" Alexis yelled

"Alexis calm down people are starring." Daniel reasoned with his sister

"I don't care. What is she doing here?"

"Alexis I just came here because I heard about Bradford and…"

"No! I want you to get the hell out of here!"

"Alexis, you're making a scene in the intensive care, in the presence of the hospital staff and family members."

"Exactly! Intensive care is for family members. And since you never married my father, you're not part of the family. Stay the hell out!"

"Listen, Alexis…"

"Alexis, leave her… just leave Wilhelmina alone!" Tried to defend

"Daniel why are you protecting her?"

"I'm here to offer my support. Since when has that been a crime?" Wilhelmina replied

"I don't know…maybe since you probably feel guilty or maybe the fact that you're only here for publicity?"

"Guilty? Guilty About what?"

"That you may have caused Dad's heart attack?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? How the hell did I cause Bradford's heart att-…"

"How about seducing him? Breaking a 38 year marriage from the only woman who ever truly loved him? Or better yet how about dumping him and moving on with your life as if nothing happened?"

"FUCK YOU, ALEXIS." With that she stormed off

"Was that really necessary?" Daniel questioned Alexis who didn't respond instead she simply walked away.

Wilhelmina found Daniel banging on the vending machine downstairs

"Hey, easy, easy. Are you okay?"

"Hey I thought you left."

"No I didn't. I needed to cool off."

"Look, about what Alexis said…"

"Forget about it, Danny. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. My father is upstairs fighting for his life. I'm taking it out on this vending machine." She took Daniel's hand and led him to the nearby table.

"You have to believe that he's going to be okay, Danny. You told everyone that yourself."

"Come on, Wils. What was I supposed to say?" He looked down "It's just…you always think you're gonna have more time with someone. I never told him I loved him."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes. We were just never one of those families. We never said it."

"You and I come from similar families, Daniel. You may never have gotten his approval but the man loves you. He's not gone, he's just a few floors away and you can still go tell him anything you want to. Go." He gave her weak smile and then got up.

Daniel emerged from his father's room after attempting to tell him that he loves him. He spotted Alexis in the waiting room and went to sit next to her on the uncomfortable chair.

"Hey"

"Hey. Uh…He's awake. He seems to be…well it looks like he's going to be…okay."

"Dad is strong, Daniel. He wiil…"

"Mr. and Ms. Meade?" Both Daniel and Alexis looked up at the doctor as he approached them

"Yes" They replied in unison

"Can we talk?"

"Of course"

"Your father had a massive heart attack. However he is showing signs of improvement. He is conscious at the moment and his condition does provide some hope."

"What does that all mean?"

"It means that if your father continues to improve through the night, we may be able to perform surgery in the morning."

"Thank you, doctor." Daniel said with a smile

Moments later Daniel found Wilhelmina

"Hey. You're still here."

"Yeah. How is he?"

"Actually, he's awake right now. We talked. I told him…some things… how I felt."

"That's great."

"If you want to go in and see him…"

"Yeah, I will." He took her hands in his

"But before you go…look uh…After our talk you made me realize that …you should tell people how you feel about them and what they mean to you. Wilhelmina I know that this isn't supposed to be the time or place but I …I just wanna tell you that…I…"

"I'M NOT FIGHTING YOU! DANIEL! ALEXIS!" Claire's shouts interrupted him and he turned around and saw his mother between two policemen.

"Look I have to… Just go in and talk to my dad. I'll be right back." He ran down the hallway to catch up with Claire and the police who were now joined by Alexis. "MOM!"

Wilhelmina sat in a chair a few feet away from Bradford's bed, watching him.

"Claire?"

"Uh…No it's me, Wilhelmina. Claire left."

"Willie, come closer please."

"Do you need a doctor, a nurse or something? Are you alright?"

"I need you to do something for me."

"Anything"

"Take care of Daniel."

"What?"

"I won't be here…"

"No, Bradford you're going to be fine." He smiled weakly

"I remember when I asked you to mentor him, you weren't very pleased with the idea but you went through with it anyway. I didn't think you two were gonna last a week but then I walked by your office one evening and I saw you two working together like a team which was my desire from the start. I had a feeling about you two". Wilhelmina lifted a brow and gave him a questioning look while he smiled and looked her in the eye and gave her the look that said 'I know you fell in love with my son.'

"Bradford"

"For almost a year that boy has been been doing everything he can to prove that he can do the job, trying to prove himself to you. With that I realize that…you're the only one who's been able to keep Daniel on his path." Wilhelmina nodded "He'd be lost without you." Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "Take care of him."

"I promise."

When Wilhelmina finally settled in her bed she heard a distinctive knock on her door and knew it was Daniel. She quickly went to open it and a distraught Daniel was standing on the other side of the door.

"Daniel?" She opened the door wider to let him in

"I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to wake you. I just didn't know where else to g-…"

"Daniel, what's wrong, baby?"

"He's gone"

"What?"

"My dad is…he died."

"No. God, Daniel I'm so sorry. When did he?...I thought they said he was pulling through."

"Almost an hour ago. I just can't…I can't believe it."

"But I thought he was going to be okay. He was awake, he was talking. What went wrong?"

"I don't know. His condition just…worsened, I guess."

"Oh, my God, Daniel." She hugged him tight and they remained in the same position for what seemed like an eternity.

Moments later they were cuddled up on the couch with Daniel resting his head on Wilhelmina's chest while she was stroking his hair. Willie finally spoke

"Daniel?"

'Yeah?"

"Does Claire know yet?"

"Yeah, Alexis and I have already been to the station. We asked the guards to break it to her. They wouldn't even let us see her."

"Jesus…Do you want something to drink? Maybe some tea?"

"Tea? What are you? British?"

"As a matter of fact I am… I'm half British but that's a conversation for another time. You know tea tends lower anxiety and stress."

"Really?"

" Really Danny, have a cup of tea…I'll mix it with whisky." That seemed to peak Daniel's interest

"Okay." He said a little too excitedly as he jumped up and followed her to the kitchen

When they went to bed that night, Willie fell asleep almost immediately as it had been a long day for both of them. He just lay awake watching her sleeping form while stroking her body lovingly. He wasn't sure if it was the tea, the dose of hard liquor in it or the intimate conversation he had with her while they were drinking the tea but he somewhat felt better.

He didn't care if it sounded bizarre that he sought comfort from Wilhelmina Slater after his father died. The man he loved and didn't get the chance to tell, just died; his mother was in custody and would be sent to prison by dawn; he and Alexis weren't seeing eye to eye. Now what was so wrong about seeking comfort from the woman he loves? And then he had an epiphany…'woman I love?' and then it hit him that this could be it… that this is it. He moved closer and kissed her on her forehead and the mouthed the words "I love you."