Crash Chapter 3

Dr. Jonathan Taylor Weiss' POV

I'm just beginning the autopsy on the car crash vic when our receptionist comes bursting through the doors. (Don't ask me why we have to do an autopsy on someone who's died in a car crash, but we do. I mean, it's like the morgues weren't overworked enough the way it is).

'Stop Jonathan!!' shouts Erica, the receptionist.

'Why?' I demand, placing my scalpel back on the chrome tray.

'That body hasn't been identified yet!' she shouts right back.

'Could you stop shouting now that I've dropped the scalpel?' I ask half sarcastic, half serious.

'Why? It's not as if my shouting sounds any worse than that God awful music' Erica retorts.

'Hey! Don't mock Hootie. Their first album has gone platinum sixteen times!' I warn.

'Anyways, that body you're about to carve up has yet to be identified. The guy's parents and girlfriend will be here in ten minutes' Erica says, all business now.

Jill's POV

'God Tim, I wish I didn't have to do this. You know, I mean, I just had to do this a year and a half ago when my mom got shot. I never thought I have to do this for my own child' I say on the car ride over.

'I didn't know your mother was shot' Lauren says from the backseat.

'Yeah, remember, Lauren' Tim pipes up so I don't completely lose it having to tell the story 'That guy that was all over the local and national news. He shot eleven people in that bank hold up. Her mom was one of those eleven, and since Jill and her sister Robin are the nearest relatives, they had to go in and identify the body'.

'I'm so sorry about that. I'll have to get you a card' Lauren says, her condolences only worsening my current emotional state.

'It's just going to be so odd to see him lying there lifeless' I say.

That statement instantly triggers a horrible memory from when Randy was 3 1/2. It was when he had his first asthma attack.

Tim was at work, and it was just me, Brad, and Randy at home.

Brad and Randy were in the living room playing, and I was upstairs taking a shower.

I guess all of a sudden Randy started gasping for air, and it scared Brad (and rightfully so!), and he came running upstairs, hollering "Randy's dying! Randy's dying!".

I didn't know what on earth he was talking about, so I jumped out of the shower, put my robe on, and ran down the stairs, following Brad. When I got there, Randy was laying on the floor, heaving in and out, taking the biggest breath his little lungs could muster. I didn't know what was happening, other than the fact that he couldn't breathe. I didn't know if he was choking on something, or what had happened. I grabbed him up, and carried him outside to see if Wilson knew what was going on.

Luckily he was outside, and he somewhat surprisingly (at the time) knew what was happening. He ran inside, dialed 9-1-1, and waited with me, Brad, and Randy for the paramedics to arrive.

I remember on the ambulance ride over looking at Randy, seeing his lifeless body, seeing his slightly blue lips, and thinking that this is the most horrible thing that could ever happen to him. Boy was I ever wrong.

'Jill, will you be joining us inside?' Tim inquires, snapping me back to reality, in all of its sheer ugliness. I look up, and see Lauren and Tim waiting outisde my partially open window.

'Sorry, I just kind of got lost in my thoughts' I apologize while unbuckling and opening the door.

Once inside, things get even worse. When the receptionist says she's going to take us to the body, I start sobbing hysterically.

As we make our way through the halls, my sobbing becomes even more hysterical, reaching their peak right on cue as we walk into a cold, sanitary looking, airy feeling room.

And there, in the center of the room, lies a body. Randy's body. It isn't mangled or bloody (except for a gash on his head which looks a little fatal). No, in fact, except for the aforementioned gash, Randy looks just like he has for the past nine or ten years.

Tim has started crying as well, which is really unlike him.

'I'll assume from this reaction that this is your son' a doctor says, walking in.

'Yes' Lauren answers for Tim and I, through her own sobs.

'I'll give you a moment alone with the body' the doctor, who looks an awful lot like Randy, says.

'Doctor, excuse me, but you could show a little compassion, rather than just calling someone "the body". This was not "the body" to my wife and I for 25 years, this was our son, dammit' Tim says.

'Sorry' the doctor says simply, walking into an adjoining room.

'Oh my God, what the hell is all this?' I screech when I see a metal tray containing several maniacal, evil, cruel, sharp, and painful looking tools of the medical examiner trade.

'Ma'am, those are just tools that have to be used for the autopsy' a female doctor says, stepping into the room.

'I'm sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything' she adds.

'No, no. It's that other SOB that's interrupting' Tim says.

'Oh, you mean Jonathan? Yeah, he can be a little abrasive at times. But, let me warn you not to let him hear you call him a son of a bitch here. See, he's the head M.E. In other words, he has the power to kick you all out' the doctor says.

'Oh, by the way, my name's Jordan Cavanaugh' she adds.

'He runs the place? He looks like he's about fifteen' Lauren says.

'No, he's thirty nine, and has been head M.E. for thirteen years' Jordan explains.

'I just have one question' I speak for the first time. 'Why do you all have to do an autopsy on Randy when he just died in a car accident?'

'To tell you the truth, I don't really know. It's state policy. I guess they think that all medical examiners do is sit around and drink coffee all day' Jordan replies with a smile.

'Oh' I say.

TO BE CONTINUED

A/N: Right off the bat, I want to say, this chapter is going to be broken up into two parts. I'll have Tim, Lauren, and Randy's POV in the next chapter, and maybe even Brad and Mark's (depending on how long it takes for the rest of the POVs).

And yes, I'm aware of the fact that nobody (including Randy or you) knows what's going on with Randy. For all you know, he might be dead. He could be alive. He could be in some third state of existance. I promise that I'll reveal what's up with Randy in the next chapter.

Also, the character of Jordan Cavanaugh does not belong to me. She belongs to Tim Kring and the other producers of the (former) hit TV show Crossing Jordan.

Please R&R if you want to know what's up with Randy.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for reviewing. I appreciate them both.

-Yours truly, Randy Taylor