Disclaimer: We do not own these characters; just the drama they're in.
Remember: Thoughts are in italics.
Chapter 10
"Ryo, why don't you go take a bath? I'll finish the dishes and meet you in the bedroom to help you get in the bed," Dee suggests. "Okay," Ryo replies as he waddles toward the door. Ryo stops at the table, grabs his abdomen, and breaths deeply. "Does your stomach and back hurt?" Dee asks. "Yes. Since they're getting bigger and heavier it is putting strain on my lower back and stomach," Ryo states. "Then go take a bath and let the jets massage your muscles for a while. It will help you relax and get some sleep," Dee says. "Okay," Ryo replies. Dee turns to the sink and begins doing the dishes as Ryo waddles to the bathroom. Ryo and Dee have gotten a tub that has a door in order to prevent Ryo from falling into or out of the tub. The tub also has jets to massage you as you take a bath. As Ryo takes his bath Dee finishes the dishes, straightens the kitchen, and heads to the bedroom to get ready for bed. Dee lies down on the bed to wait for Ryo to get done.
"Aaaah! Dee!" Ryo shouts from the bathroom. Dee jumps up and runs to the bathroom to find Ryo standing outside the tub clutching his abdomen. "What's wrong?" Dee asks in panic. "I don't know. I'm having sharp pains in my lower back and stomach. I think…I think the babies are coming," Ryo explains. "What?! Ohmygod! Ohmygod! What should I do?" Dee asks as he hands Ryo his towel robe and sits him on the stool by the mirror. "Get my suitcase, call , and calm down enough to take me to the hospital," Ryo instructs Dee as he paces the bathroom. "Okay. Okay," Dee says as he helps Ryo to the living room chair by the front door. Dee then goes to the bedroom to get Ryo's suitcase, his cell phone, his car keys, and his wallet. Dee gets Ryo into the car and heads to the hospital.
Dee calls Dr.X on the way over there to inform her of Ryo's situation. "It's too early. I'm only 7 months along Dee they're early." Ryo states with a stressful tone. "The doctor said this could happen but she also said that the babies could survive this early. So stop worrying, concentrate on your breathing, and let me drive so we don't get into a wreck." Dee says in anxious voice. I hope for both our sakes that the doctor was right, Dee thought. As they travel to the hospital Dee calls Bikky at Carol's house and Berkley as well to tell them about Ryo's condition. Bikky had been staying at Carol's house due to Ryo's irritability.
Dee pulls up to the hospital emergency entrance and Dr.X comes out with a wheelchair for Ryo to get into. Dee steps out the car to help Dr.X get Ryo in the wheelchair. "Hey Doc! You got everything ready?" Dee asks. "Yes I have everything being prepared as we speak. Nurse Emiry will be here to take you to the 7th floor and prep you for the procedure. Go ahead and park your car so it doesn't get towed," Dr.X instructs Dee as she wheels Ryo in the hospital. "Okay. I'll be there in a minute Ryo." Dee says as he gets back in the car to park it. "Owww! Doc, can we hurry up so I can get some pain meds? It's killing me," Ryo asks with a pained voice. "Sorry dear but until we get the babies out we cannot give you pain medication. Just breathe and you'll be fine." Dr.X states. They come out on the 7th floor and Ryo is transferred to a gurney and put into the pre-op room to be prepped for the procedure. Two doctors come in the room and Dr.X says, "Ryo this is ," pointing to the male doctor, "and this is ," pointing to the female doctor, "They will be in the delivery room with me tending to your babies while I take your ovary and uterus out. will take care of baby A and will take care of baby B. They are the best pediatric doctors on the floor besides me." "Nice to meet you," says. "I'll take good care of your young one," states. "Nice to meet you both," Ryo pants as another wave of pain hits him.
-Down in the lobby-
Dee comes in the hospital, heads toward the elevators and goes up. It's too early for them to be born. But Dr.X says it will be okay. She better be right because I don't know if I could stand losing any of them, Dee thought. Dee steps off the elevator and Nurse Emiry is there to greet him. "Hello Dee. Let me have Ryo's suitcase so I can put it in patient's lockers and get you ready for the procedure. Now I have put a trash can right where you are standing so that if you get sick you can puke in that. I will also be in there to help you if you pass out." Nurse Emiry instructs. "I am not going to puke. Is Ryo okay?" Dee asks. "Yes he is fine. Ryo is being hooked to monitors and an IV as we speak. Also there will be two pediatric doctors in there to take care of the children when Dr.X pulls them out." Emiry explains. "Are they good doctors?" Dee asks nervously. "Yes. trusts them and say they are as good as she is. You will meet them in a little while." Emiry replies. They get Dee in scrubs; put booties on his shoes, a hat to go over his head, and gloves and a mask to go on his face and hands. Dee goes into Ryo's pre-op room just in time to meet the other doctors and to wheel him into the delivery room.
-In other news-
Bikky and Carol are 5 minutes away from the hospital and have promised to call Berkley with an update if they hear anything before he and Diana get there. Berkley has called the chief, the precinct, and the Ryo brigade to inform them of Ryo's situation. They are all coming to witness this unique situation and to give their support to a fellow officer.
-In the delivery room-
"Okay Ryo here comes the pain medication and a local anesthetic. You will only be put completely under when the babies come out. You may be somewhat lucid but I doubt you will remember anything after this point." Dr.X states. "Thank God! I can't take much more of this," Ryo exclaims. Dee stands there with Ryo's hand in his and says, "It will be over soon." "You ready everyone? You ready you two?" Dr.X asks the room and then Ryo and Dee. "Yes doctor. Yes mam. Let's do it." The other doctors and nurses say. "Yeah let's get to it." Dee says anxiously. "Suuurre," Ryo slurs as the drugs start taking affect.
Dr.X starts the procedure by making an incision in Ryo's stomach. She pulls back the layer of skin to reveal the stomach wall. She then makes an incision into the stomach wall and retracts both in order to reach the uterus. "Here we go people. Be ready," Dr.X instructs them. Dr.X cuts into the uterus and pulls back the walls to get to the babies. "Here comes baby A, which is a boy, but his umbilical cord is stuck around his neck and he is turning blue. get to work on him!" Dr.X shouts.
walks up, takes the baby boy to the baby A station, and begins his work to try and help the baby. "What does that mean? What does that mean?!" Dee yells at the doctors for an answer. "It means your boy cannot breathe properly. Now let me work so I can try and save him," explains over his shoulder. While this is going on Dr.X has taken baby B out and says, "Here comes baby B, it's a girl, but she isn't breathing. get that baby breathing now." "Why isn't she breathing? Why isn't my baby girl breathing?" Dee shouts with the start of tears in his eyes. "I don't know but I will try everything in my power to get her breathing again," states. "This can't be happening. This can't happen. No. No!" Dee rants as he squeezes Ryo's hand hoping that he doesn't know what's happening.
Dr.X has now begun the process of removing Ryo's ovary and his uterus which means he is completely under anesthetic and won't be waking up until after the procedure. "Come on baby girl, breathe." states as she shocks the baby with the baby paddles of the crash cart. "She's not responding. Give her a dose of epi," commands. Dee comes over to the station to watch what is going on but Nurse Emiry stops him so he will give the doctor and nurses room to work. "Please. Please save my baby," Dee pleas with tears streaking down his face. stops because she has been working for 30 minutes with no results. "Time of death 10:13 pm. I'm so sorry sir. I did everything I could," states as she looks at Dee with defeat on her face. "Nooooo! No! You get back to work. There has to be something else you can do. No please don't do this. Don't give up." Dee commands as he grabs 's coat and shakes her. "I'm sorry but I've done everything." says as Dee lets her go.
As was working on the baby girl; was working on the baby boy. "Give me the paddles and charge to 200. Clear!" says as everyone backs away from the boy. He shocks him once but no response. has gotten the umbilical cord off the baby boy but the baby has yet to breathe. "Charge to 250. Clear!" says as he gives the baby another shock. He does this for 30 minutes also but to no avail. At the same time says the time of death for the girl so does . "Time of death 10:13 pm." states. By this time Dee has noticed that they are not working on his baby boy and is coming over to see why because he did not hear over his sobbing and .
"Why aren't you working?" Dee asks in outrage. "I'm sorry the boy is dead as well." states. "Noooooo! Not both my babies. This can't be happening. What am I going to tell Ryo? How can I tell him that all his hard work was for nothing? That he went through all this just to have them die." Dee rants as he starts to sob harder and ends up wailing. Nurse Emiry leads him back to Ryo's side and says, "At least you still have Ryo."
By this time Dr.X is done and says, "It is finished. Nurse Emiry take Dee to the recovery room with Ryo." Ryo is rolled out to room 12 in the recovery ward and Dee is given a chair by his side. "All your friends and family are in the waiting room. Would you like to tell them the news or would you like me too?" Nurse Emiry asks. "You do it because I'm not leaving Ryo's side until he wakes up," Dee says softly as he sobs into his hands.
As Dee and Ryo went into the operating room Bikky and Carol arrived to wait in the waiting room on the 7th floor. Berkley and Diana came 5 minutes later and called everyone else to tell them the floor to get off of. All of them have been waiting for 30 minutes as the doctors' work on Ryo and the babies. Other cops have been arriving during this time. Now Nurse Emiry is coming out to give them the news about the children. "What's going on?" Bikky asks rudely. "You are the young man Dee and Ryo have adopted?" Emiry asks. "Yeah. So?" Bikky retorts. "I'm afraid to inform you that the children have died. Ryo is out of surgery and in recovery room 12. But I think Dee wants to be alone with Ryo for the time being." Emiry states with compassion in her eyes. "The babies have died? How?" Berkley asks as he comforts Diana. Both Diana and Carol have started sobbing while Berkley and Bikky hold them. Bikky has started crying as well but wipes them away with his sleeve to try and hide it. "The baby boy was choked by his own umbilical cord and could not save him. The baby girl was not breathing when she was taken out of the uterus and could not revive her either. Both of the babies died but Dr.X was successful in removing Ryo's ovary and uterus." Emiry explains. "Poor Ryo," Carol sobs. "Poor Dee," Diana says as well. "Nurse!" Dee shouts.
As Nurse Emiry is talking to everyone Dee is ranting to Ryo. "It shouldn't be this way. We should be celebrating our children's birth and not mourning their death. Bikky was looking forward to being a big brother. I didn't even realize how much I wanted to be father. Now I will never know how that will feel. It isn't fair Ryo! I wish you would wake up soon because I don't know what to do." Dee rants. As Dee is talking to Ryo, Ryo's heart rate monitor starts beeping less and less until it goes to flat tone. Dee looks up from his and Ryo's combined hands to look at the monitor. "No, No, No! I will not lose you too. Ryo? Ryo! Nurse!" Dee shouts as he shakes Ryo then yells out the door.
Nurse Emiry runs into the room as Dee says, "He's not breathing. His heart rate flat lined." Emiry checked Ryo's pulse and then pressed the button to sound a Code Blue. "Is he going to be okay?" Dee asks clutching Ryo's hand. Emiry says, "I don't know but you can't be in here while the doctors work so wait outside and I'll come and tell you what is going on." Emiry shoves Dee out the door as Dr.X and the crash team with their crash cart comes in. Emiry pulls the curtains and goes to help Dr.X. Dee stands outside the door and paces the floor while he waits for the news.
"What happened?" Dr.X shouts. "I don't know. One moment he's breathing the next he is crashing." Emiry retorts. "Give me the paddles. Charge to 300. Clear!" Dr.X commands as she shocks Ryo. "Charge to 360. Clear!" Dr.X says as she shocks Ryo again. She works on him for 30 minutes but nothing seems to work. Finally she says, "Time of death 11:13pm." Emiry covers Ryo's body with a sheet as she says, "I'll inform ."
Emiry steps outside the room behind everyone else as Dee asks, "What's going on? Is Ryo alright?" "I'm sorry but Ryo did not make it. He's dead." Emiry says as she catches Dee and guides him to the floor. "No! No! I can't live without him. What am I going to do? Nooooo! Ryo!" Dee shouts as he clings to Emiry's legs. Dee's shout brings Bikky, Berkley, Carol, and Diana down the hall to see what's going on. "Why is he on the floor?" Berkley asks. At the same time Bikky asks, "Is Ryo okay?" Nurse Emiry shakes her head as she says, "Ryo is dead. I'm so sorry to give you this news. I just told which is why he is on the floor." "Oh no. No! Ryo's dead? How?" Bikky asks as he too starts to sob. Berkley by this time has Dee off the floor but is comforting him as he sobs uncontrollably. Emiry says, "I don't know the autopsy will determine that but if you like you may go and pay your respects." "Okay," Berkley states. "I'll go inform the rest of them about Ryo," Diana states as she goes down the hall toward the waiting room with tears running down her face. Berkley sits Dee down in a chair next to Ryo so he can be near Ryo. Everyone comes down from the waiting room and gives Dee and the rest of them their condolences.
After everyone but Dee leaves Dr.X comes back and says, "We need to take him down to the morgue." "This is all your fault. You let him die. How could you take my entire life away from me in one night? What am I supposed to do without him? He's my entire life." Dee accuses. "I am sorry for your lose but I did everything I could," Dr.X retorts. "Let's get you home Dee," Berkley says as he takes Dee by the arm and escorts him out of the room. "Thank you," Dr.X states. Berkley takes Dee home as Diana picks up Ryo's things and goes over to the apartment as well. Bikky went to Carol's house because he did not want to be alone. When Dee got to the apartment he asks, "Can I be alone please? I need time to myself." "I'll be a phone call away when you need anything," Berkley says. "Thank you," Dee says as he lets Diana and Berkley out. As soon as Dee closes the door he goes into the bedroom, removes one of Ryo's shirts from the closet, and lies down on the bed to cry.
The next day Dr.X called to say, "The autopsy on both your children and Ryo are done. The baby boy was choked by his umbilical cord, the baby girl drowned on her own amniotic fluid. Ryo died by bleeding internally when some of the stitches I put in ruptured. Again I am so sorry for your lose . Their bodies have been released to the funeral home along with their stuff." "Thank you Dr.X," Dee says.
-2 days later-
Dee is at the funeral watching as the preacher resides over the funeral. When the preacher finishes the police shooters start the 21 gun salute and the band plays 'Taps'. Dee breaks down when they start to play and sobs. He starts pounding the ground with his fist screaming, "Why? Why? Why?" Berkley tries to stop Dee from hurting himself as he yells, "Dee! Dee! Dee…"
Berkley's voice morphs into Ryo's as Ryo yells, "Dee! Dee, wake up damnit. Dee! You're dreaming." Dee sits straight up in bed and looks at Ryo. "What? You're here. You're alive. And Pregnant!" Dee shouts as he looks at Ryo and then his stomach. Dee then grabs Ryo and hugs him close. "Yes. I'm still alive. You were dreaming and started screaming. Bad dream?" Ryo asks. "The worst. I dreamt that the babies died and then you died. I dreamt I was all alone. I even dreamed Berkley was comforting me." Dee explains as he shivers at the last statement. "Well as you can see we are all fine and well." Ryo replies as he scoots into bed. Dee spoons Ryo and holds him and the babies all night to prove to himself that it was just a dream. I vow I am never going to lose you or the kids, Dee thought.