Title: The Devil Wears Vengeance
Chapter 5 – The Last Laugh?
At the last moment, Donna feels Shelly jerking the wheel, her own hands helping to steer the vehicle in the opposite direction so her body wouldn't bear the full brunt of the impact; Donna's police instincts taking over before maternal and wanting to keep Shelly safe and put herself in harms way. It was only at the very last second when her mind yelled 'The baby!' did she finally comply and act.
The large dark sedan plows into the backside of the Ford Flex, rippling the doors on the drivers side and forcing Donna's body to slam to the right, her right temple striking the overhead console and her ribs connecting painfully with the hard plastic middle arm rest; Shelly's body also shifting right and her head striking the passenger side window.
The sound of scraping metal, breaking plastic lights and tinkering glass from the back shattered window and drivers side mirror is heard in addition to some soft moans and an angry curse as the offending sedan quickly backs away, people rushing to the aid of the two trapped women.
"Someone call 9-11!" Someone shouts as a young bystander pulls out his smart phone and snaps a few pictures of the sedan as it peels away.
"Ed…" Donna softly whispers as she hears someone outside trying in vain to open the dented driver's side door; to no avail – the jaws of life would be needed to pry it open and get her out safely. "Baby…" she whispers in agony, her face crunching in pain as she tries to move. "My baby…"
"Oh damn did she say she's pregnant?" Someone outside asks in a panic. "Just hold on. Are they both alive?" "Check her friend." "I feel a pulse." "The ambulance is on its way."
Donna's mind tries to process all the unfamiliar voices not to far away, her mind spiraling further into dark oblivion as she mumbles Ed's name over and over.
"Ed…our…baby…I lost our baby…" she utters in tormented misery as tears escape her closed eyes and pour down her flushed face.
XXXXXXXX
"Not bad…" Ed finishes off the last brush stroke in the baby's room and then stands back to examine his handiwork. Once the baby was born, the room would then be decorated with either baby pink accents for a girl or robin's egg blue for a boy; Ed insisting they keep a few strong colors rather than go down the too traditional route of an all pink or all blue room.
"Girls can like green," he muses. "Course a baby boy won't care either way," he continues as he hammers down the lid on the paint can, his ears picking up the phone ringing in the other room. He offers himself a curse that he didn't bring it with him, for just as he reaches it it stops ringing and all goes silent. Not waiting for a message, he looks at the unfamiliar number and then dials back to see who had called.
"Toronto General? What the hell?" Ed utters in haste as he quickly calls back. "Hi I got a call from this number. My name's Ed Lane," he offers, his heart racing now that something had happened to Donna.
"This is just a general number Sir…do you have a name of a patient that might have called you?"
"Wha…patient? No…my wife…she's Donna Lane and…"
"Hold on let me check that name. Yes we have a Donna Marine Lane here as a patient."
"What? What the hell do you mean patient? Sorry…that's my wife…can you tell me what's going on? What happened? Is she okay? Is the baby?"
"Sir I'm only the clerk, I'm sorry I don't know. I can transfer you down to the Emergency unit if you'd like."
Emergency? What the hell? Ed's core temperature starts to soar as he paces in place, a few seconds later he finds himself in his bedroom, but his free hand too shaky to text Wordy.
"Emergency."
"Hi. I'm uh…my wife Donna Lane is there and I was just called…is she okay?"
"There has been an accident. Are you able to come down?"
"Accident?" Ed questions numbly as the cell phone escapes his grasp and sails toward the floor, landing on the carpet face up, an incoming message from his best friend. "I'm on my way there," he hangs up in haste and then answers his cell. "Wordy."
"I just heard. I'm on my way there now. Ed can you take a cab?"
"Yeah I can. Are they okay?"
"Apparently they are but…"
"But what?" Ed asks in haste as he hurries down the hall, not caring about his paint speckled appearance; shoving his wallet and apartment keys into his pocket and grabbing his jacket, slamming the door shut behind him. "Is the baby okay?"
"They wouldn't tell Shelly."
"What happened?"
"Car ran the light and broadsided them."
"Damn it!" Ed curses as he literally steps into traffic and is nearly hit by an oncoming taxi cab. "Toronto General and hurry," he flashes his badge, hoping to give the driver unspoken permission to speed and not worry about it. Accident…car broad sided them…your wife has been in an accident…the baby…wouldn't tell me about the baby…Ed's mind frantically ponders one tormented thought after another. Please God….please let them both be okay… let the baby be okay…please, he earnestly begs in silence, his heart sick and his eyes watering at the thought that they'd be forced to relive another hellish nightmare.
Ed numbly pays the taxi driver and races for the ER entrance, Wordy and his girls pulling into the parking lot about five minutes later.
"My wife…Donna Lane…where is she?" Ed demands in haste, his eyes frantically scanning the busy ER area around him for any signs of his beloved wife.
"She's in bed 3B."
Muttering a small thank you and not waiting for directions, Ed pulls away and then starts to search the ER bed bays, rounding the corner and then watching a doctor enter a curtained off area labeled 3B. He hurries toward it, his stomach tight and core enflamed, his mind not prepared to hear the worst but telling him to expect it just in case.
"Ed…" Donna utters with a gasp she watches her husband emerge, fresh tears oncoming.
"I'll give you two a moment and be right back."
In two large strides, Ed's at her side, gently gathering her into his arms and holding her close. "Donna…what happened? Are you okay? Is the baby?"
"A car…it ran the red and…and it hit us," she recalls as Ed helps her lie back down. His eyes start to examine her outward appearance, some blood and dirt matting the hair around her face, a cut on her left cheek from a piece of flying glass and a small dark circle forming under her right eye and a cut above her right eyebrow where her head hit the ceiling console; her dried blood from a small forehead wound just above her right eye; the rest of her injuries were unseen at the moment. "I'm so sorry…"
"No…for what?"
"The brakes…I shoulda pulled over and…"
"No, this isn't your fault…I shouldn't have let you take it…is the baby okay?"
"The doctor is going to schedule an immediate ultrasound," she informs him with a frustrated tone. "I didn't feel…I don't feel like I've…I think we're okay."
"I'm so sorry," Ed whispers as he leans in and kisses the top of her head, his hand squeezing hers just as the doctor returns. "Doctor…my wife…she's pregnant."
"I know Mr. Lane," the doctor replies with a kind tone. "Our first exam revealed two strong heart beats, mothers and baby's but we are going to take an ultrasound just to be sure that everything in there is as it should be."
"Can I stay?" Ed asks in haste.
"Of course."
Ed's hand gently goes to her belly, his soft voice telling the little one inside that everything would be okay, Donna's eyes freshly watering at his loving concern. "I love you," he whispers as the technician enters with the machine.
"I love you too," she replies in kind, her hand squeezing his a bit harder. "And we'll know right away if…if something is wrong right?"
"We will. But from what I was told and reading the accident notes from the paramedic I think you should be fine. Some swelling and cramping will be normal," the doctor relates as he stands back.
Ed's hand remains attached to Donna's as the technician prepares to set up for the ultrasound, Donna doing her best to tell Ed about what happened and Ed's mind cursing himself for allowing her to take the car instead of opting for a cab. If she had lost the baby, this time it would have been my fault and my fault alone.
"You are not to blame," Donna whispers as she looks at Ed's face fixed firmly on the ultrasound machine as it warms up. "The drunk driver is."
"Drunk? They found him?"
"No but I'm assuming…it was broad daylight and…or speeding…whatever he's to blame Ed…he's to blame."
"I knew the brakes were…we all set?" Ed asks impatiently.
"We are. Okay Mrs. Lane… a few deep breaths and…"
"Donna? What is it?" Ed asks in haste as he notices the look of misery on her face as she slowly exhales.
"My ribs are sore…I'm fine," she tries to assures him with a strained tone as she takes another deep breath. As it wasn't a regular pre-natal exam, Donna resists the inner urge to inquire about the baby's sex. But as she looks up at Ed's anxious expression she knows it's best just to wait as they had planned and concentrate on knowing that everything inside was still safe and there were no dangers to her or the baby's development.
"Okay there is some minor bruising up here…" the technician points out. "And down here, but otherwise there are no tears, nothing looks out of place so I'd say we're fine. After any kind of sudden impact though I'm sure your doctor will recommend a few days bed rest so that you can recover properly."
Both of them thank the technician, Donna wanting to grumble about bed rest but holding back. She looks at Ed's slightly shaking fingers as he gently cleans the warm gel off her belly and reaches out and stops his actions. "We're both fine."
"I know," he replies with a tight lipped smile, his eyes brimming with tears again. "Just when I got that call…and they said there was an accident but that was all they could tell me…"
"It was just the clerk…Ed I tried to call. I wanted you to know we were okay."
"I know," he utters again as he leans in and plants a tender kiss on her forehead, a stray tear escaping and bouncing off her warm skin.
"Ed…"
"I'm okay," he tries to assure her. "Lets get you cleaned up and then…I finished painting."
"I see that," she nods to his dark work jeans lightly speckled with green paint and smiles. "Ed…"
"No…don't be sorry. This…this isn't your fault. I…" he stops and shakes his head. "I shouldn't have let you."
"Let me?" She playfully retorts.
"I shoulda insisted on the cab."
"I'm partly to blame for this Ed," she sighs as her hands slowly pull down her dirty sweater, covering her belly once more. "Just shows you how fast things happen though."
"I don't want us to go through that again."
"Me either," she whispers as they hear a slight shuffling and look up to see the doctor reappear. He gives Donna her over all prognosis, telling her she could go home but was sending care instructions along with her and telling her bed rest for the next few days was strongly recommended and that at the first sign of 'abnormal' discomfort to come back immediately.
"Hey…how is she?" Ed asks Wordy as he leaves Donna with the doctor for a few last things and does in search of a wheelchair to help her out.
"Stiff and sore, has some cuts and bruises but is worried about Donna and the baby."
"Both are um fine…Wordy this is my fault."
"What? Ed, Shelly told me…"
"No….the brakes have been sluggish and…and I shouldn't have let her."
"Let her?"
"Yeah she said the same thing," Ed groans as he mutters under his breath. "Wordy…if I had caused the death of our second child…I…" his voice dies out as he looks away, his eyes instantly watering once more. He feels Wordy's hand on his shoulder and then turns back. "I hate feeling helpless."
"I know you do. They are both going to be fine."
"I know…I just…I know…" Ed resigns as the doctor pulls back the curtain and Donna slowly hops off the bed; Ed leaving Wordy's side and hurrying to help his wife. "I was supposed to find a wheelchair…"
"Ed, I am more than capable of walking out of here on…"
"I know but…"
"I'm walking out of here on my own," she grumbles as she takes a deep breath and then offers him a small frown. "I'm sorry…I'm just tired and….sore and I want to go home and lie down."
Shelly soon joins them with the girls flanked at their mother's side, Donna and Shelly hugging and ensuring the other is okay before they all slowly head toward the ER entrance, the two women promising to have a rain check on their spa outing.
"Shelly…I'm so sorry," Donna whispers as they offer each other one last hug in the parking lot.
"It's not your fault," Shelly assures her. "I'm okay and I'm glad you both are okay," she whispers tenderly. "Promise me you'll just rest."
"Trust me Ed is going to ensure that happens," she slightly smirks. "I'm glad you're okay too."
Knowing it would be very cramped in the Wordsworth mini-van, Ed hails down a nearby cab and tells his best friend he'd see him Monday.
"They better find that guy…I want a word or two alone when they do," Ed mutters not realizing that a narrowed set of eyes was watching them intently from a few car lengths back.
"Idiot!" Ida hisses into her temporary phone. "You promised me a fatal or near fatal head on collision! I am following behind a very alive Mr. and Mrs. Lane; both of who walked out of there on their own merit!"
"The broad got lucky at the last minute," the voice grumbles on the other end.
"Something you won't be," Ida vows in contempt after she hangs up in a heated fit. But having put into practice something her husband had taught her long ago – to not just get mad, but even as well – she pulls up to the curb opposite the Lane apartment and looks for a new patsy.
"How many of those Tylenol am I allowed to take?" Donna grumbles as she dumps her coat onto the kitchen table and heads for the bedroom, wanting to lie down on her bed and just close her eyes and relax.
"I'll check," Ed answers softly as he leans on the doorframe watching her; his expression one of guilt mixed with remorse.
"Ed, this isn't your fault."
Ed finally removes himself from place and wanders over to her, easing himself down at her side and gently pushing back a stray tendril. "You have blood in your hair."
"I need a shower," she utters in a soft tone as her right hand rests on his thigh; her body on its left side, the side that hurts the least. "I tried…Ed when I saw the car coming…part me wanted to protect Shelly…the SRU part and…the mother part…I tried to keep us all safe…" her voice breaks as she tries to brush away some tears. "Sorry."
"Don't be sorry," he tells her in haste as his fingers wipe away some warm salty droplets, his fingers lingering on her face and her eyes closing briefly at the soothing feel of his touch on her skin. "And how uh…do you feel sore…you know here…" he asks as he tenderly rubs her belly. "You're okay little one," he whispers as she opens her eyes and smiles.
"Some cramping but the doctor said that was normal and mostly due to stress from the trauma of the accident. I'm just gonna rest for the whole weekend and then Monday…we'll see. As much as I don't want to resign myself to desk duty yet…I might for a few more days. Just have to avoid tension and stress right?"
"Okay," is all he can muster, his brain pleading with him to refrain from giving her a verbal browbeating if she was even thinking about going into the field on an active hot call. "So dinner…"
"Ed I'm fine."
"Donna…I knew the brakes weren't good okay…I knew that and I…"
"It could have been a lot worse," she urges, her brain feeling the same sense of angry frustration as him but her heart wanting to downplay for both their sakes. "We are fine."
"Okay," he gives her a tight lipped smile. She can only smile back, knowing that a tense discussion or even a small argument is the last thing both their nerves need right now.
"Come lie down with me."
"What about supper?"
"It can wait. I'm tired and I want you to hold me. Please?"
Powerless to say no, and in truth not wanting to, Ed spoons up behind her, gently wrapping his arms around her as he pulls a blanket over them, covering them from the waist down. He listens to her offer up a few more details, his heart rate increasing as he pictures the reckless driver, speeding down the hill, jumping the light and barreling into them before he displayed the ultimate act of cowardice and fled the scene. I hope I find him first…Ed's mind ponders in anger.
About twenty minutes later, Donna finally falls asleep, her body in sore need of some solid rest after her trying ordeal and Ed reaching for the phone and sending a text to Wordy to check on how his friend was faring.
'Shel's sore but okay. Resting. I'm ordering in. Chef Wordy isn't up to par tonight. Hope you guys are resting also. W'
'Donna's resting also. Good plan about dinner. Am worried she's not telling me everything. Shelly say anything more? Did she see the driver? E'
'She didn't either. Said it happened too fast. Am sure if something was wrong Donna would say. Shelly said pregnant women are still strong. I don't argue anymore :) W'
'Okay thanks. Yeah still learning about the arguing thing. I just want to wrap her in a bubble until the baby is born. With my luck she'd put me there instead lol okay gotta run c u Monday. E'
Ed puts his phone on his side of the bed and gently pulls away from his sleeping wife and carefully heads into the kitchen, pausing at the baby's room to admire his handiwork from earlier. His eyes briefly close and he's instantly whisked back in time to that fateful night, Donna calling out his name as the floor of the bathroom is stained crimson. He's then zoomed ahead in time, rushing into the ER only to be told that mother and unborn child did not survive the accident.
"Oh damn…" Ed's watery eyes snap open with a sharp gasp as he shakes his head, praying for the morbid images to fade. They do and he's finally able to move from place, his fists curling into tight balls of fury as he pictures the fuzzy image of the driver in the dark sedan; a man…but no discernable features. He had briefly talked to the medic who said that some witnesses had snapped pictures; his mind making a mental note to check with the attending officer on Monday for any leads.
He looks at the time and knows that while Donna might not feel very hungry after her ordeal, she has to eat to keep herself and the baby healthy and strong. As they were going to have a Greek themed dinner, Donna having told him that garlic was okay, it was Thai they had to be careful of for spices; he pulls open the small drawer beside the stove and grabs the take out menu for their favorite Greek take out place.
Ed heads over to the living room curtains, staring out into the inky night sky and not even guessing he was being watched; a set of dark narrowed eye trained on him from within an empty apartment from across the street.
"Hell Constable Lane. So your wife survived this round…but I am not finished with you two yet," Ida hisses as Ed closes the heavy curtains, blocking her view for the rest of the night.
About half hour later, Donna awakens to a rapt knock on their apartment door, pulling herself from her sleepy stupor and allowing a smile to play across her face as her senses pick up the tempting aroma.
"Greek," she says as she slowly gets out of bed and heads down the hallway. "Smells amazing," she praises as he turns to her with a smile. "Did you spend an hour making it?"
"I did," he smiles in return. "I didn't feel like cooking."
"This is great. Table?"
"You okay to sit?" He asks with an uncertain frown.
"I'm okay," she nods firmly as she leans in and kisses him on the mouth. "I love you."
"I love you so much," he tells her in truth as he holds her a few seconds longer. They finally break apart, getting some water as Donna carries the food to the table. They both sit down to enjoy the hot meal, talking about the baby's room and what other things would need painting if there was any paint left over.
After supper Donna heads into the bathroom and starts to slowly disrobe, looking at the purplish bruises on her creamy skin and frowning. She traces the outline of the side console on her ribcage, thankful that it stops just above her baby bump. Her mind flashes images of the car plowing into them, the sickening sound of metal on metal; her eyes watering as she called out Ed's name at the last minute before everything came to a dead standstill, her ears picking up the screeching tires and what sounded like mocking laughter.
She turns on the hot water, leaving her hair loose so she can wash away the days horrifying reminders; a call that was literally too close. But as she thinks of the week ahead she knows sidelining herself and missing the thick of the action wouldn't be easy. But you wanted this…wanted this family and now you hafta make the sacrifices, her brain correctly reminds her. You know you hafta be extra careful now. Not having the strength or the proper comeback to argue with herself, Donna starts her shower, her mind still anxiously wondering about the identity of the hit and run driver.
The night ahead is restless for each of them, as panic from the accident forced both of them back to that night to relive the horrors of the fateful miscarriage all over again; neither one of them giving a moments pause to consider the motive behind their current trauma. To the Ida Logan was in jail serving a life sentence – in Northern Ireland, she was moot.
Donna feels a slight bit of cramping but remembers the doctor saying that it would be normal to have some painful aftermath of the trauma to her body from being hit without impact or being able to really brace herself. Down playing her feeling to Ed, she climbs into bed and smiles as he reads to her a bit more from their what to expect when you're expecting book before they both call it a night.
Sunday is spent mostly resting, Ed going to the dealership early in the morning to get a loaner while their car is in the shop being fixed; a brief stop for groceries and then back home to just relax. While Ed is out, Donna calls Shelly and talks to her to see how she was faring the next day, both women agreeing they were tired, sore but nothing to be overly concerned about and certainly nothing worrying enough to take them back to the ER. Sunday comes to a restful close as both of them call it an early night, curling in each other's arms and falling into a somewhat restful slumber; at least a bit more restful than the night before.
Monday, however, would bring its own new set of problems for the week.
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"Nice shiner," Tom gently teases Donna as they enter the SRU early Monday morning. "You okay?"
"Stiff and sore this morning," she groans. "And yes before you ask, I am resigning myself to desk duty."
"Was almost afraid to ask," Tom retorts with a wry smile. "But are you really okay?"
"We…" she pauses as her hand rests on her belly and she smiles, "are both fine. How was your weekend?"
"Hey…" Ed catches up to Wordy. "Shelly okay?"
"Yeah. She was more worried about Donna though," Wordy replies as they enter the quiet locker room.
"She just rested all weekend and is gonna take it easy this week. I'm glad for that. They have any info on the guy who did this?" Ed wonders.
"Check with Spike," Wordy suggests with a small shrug. "I think he's in already and checking on that."
"Okay," Ed whispers as he finishes dressing in his SRU gear and then goes in search of his friend. "Spike, got a sec."
"Hey Ed…sure what's up?"
"You able to get a look at those traffic camera recordings from the weekend?"
"I have…is Donna okay?"
"Yeah, she's fine thanks," Ed replies with a soft smile. "So the traffic recordings?"
"I was able to run the license plate and get a name and address," Spike hands him a small slip as Greg approaches.
"Boss…Spike found the guy who hit Donna and Shelly and took off."
"Course he did," Greg praises as he lands a friendly pat on Spike's back. "And lemme guess you wanna go see him right now?"
"Spike and I are ready," Ed suggests; knowing that Wordy was still in the locker room.
"Okay but Ed…tread lightly."
"Boss?"
"Just sayin'…this man, hits your pregnant wife and her friend…flees the scene. Just bring him in and let the process do the rest."
"Copy that," Ed nods as he taps Spike on the arm and the two of them hurry toward the elevator, forgoing the before shift workout in favor of bringing to justice the man that had caused them grief over the weekend. "Think he's still there?" Ed wonders almost rhetorically as they near the neighbourhood the suspect was located.
They both get out of the black SUV now parked in front of the small home, in the middle of the quiet suburban street; the neighbourhood more on the side of the lower income housing bracket.
"Spike…take the back," Ed directs in a low tone as they both push past the rickety wooden gate. Spike nods and heads for the back, Ed making his way toward the front stairs, his right hand now reaching down for his sidearm. "You in position?"
"In position," Spike replies. "Looks quiet inside."
"Carl Hernandez!" Ed bangs on the front door. "SRU! Open the door!"
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"Donna this just arrived for you," Winnie holds out a federal courier envelope, Tom looking at it in wonder. But when she's slow to open it, he questions her on it.
"What's wrong? You know what it's about?" Tom wonders, as Greg overhears and walks up to them.
"No, it just that last time I got one of these…I was told my citizenship was revoked," she utters with a small nervous whisper. "Doubt it's that."
Her fingers pull open the tab and then gingerly pull out the expertly folded document. She looks at Tom and Greg's expression before she dares to unfold it, her eyes narrowing at the subject line.
"Donna? what's it about?"
"Ida Logan."
"What?"
XXXXXXXX
"Spike, we're going in. On three…" Ed directs.
"Copy that."
Ed kicks in the front door, Spike doing the same with the back, both of them rushing in with their guns drawn. The small house that greets them, smells like stale food and has a musty odor that their rushing actions stir up.
"Checking the back," Spike nods to Ed as Ed agrees and then hurries toward the basement door.
"Carl…living room clear!"
"Ed, I found him!" Spike's anxious voice is heard over his headset; Greg also patched in and listening.
Ed rushes toward the backroom, pausing in the doorway just as Spike stands up and shakes his head.
"Damn it," Ed curses.
"Eddie? What's going on there? Who two okay?" Greg inquires, making Donna look up in wonder.
But at the same time Greg asks his team lead what's going on, Tom asks Donna what the letter pertaining to Ida Logan is about. "What's it say about her?"
"Boss…Carl Hernandez is dead."
"Ida Logan…is dead."
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At the same time a low evil laugh is felt on the other side of the city, neatly manicured fingers reaching for a small, sharp knife, fondling the silver handle before picking it up and with hated force driving it down into the face of her next target.
"And by the time they realize who's targeting them, it'll be too late."
A/N: Okay so what else will Ed and Spike find at Carls? Anything to tie him to Ida? What will Donna think about Ida's death? And will Ed escape Ida's radar or will he end up the next casualty? You knew the tension and peril were coming right? Muwhahaha so please do review before you go as I would love your thoughts on what might happen next and how this chappy played out and thanks so much!