Chapter 2

With the night being chilly Alex decided to make hot chocolate for her and Erika Trivette, her closest friend. She went to the stove, turned it off then took off a whistling kettle. As she started to mix powdered cocoa into the water a strange sensation swept over her body.

Erika quickly went to Alex, a look of concern on her face. "Are you okay?"

Alex gave her friend a slow nod. "Yeah, just worried. Walker should have been home three hours ago." She sat down with a heavy sigh. "I'm just hoping he's caught up with work."

Erika's phone began to chirp and she quickly answered. "Jimmy, everything okay?" She was silent a few seconds then hung up. "He found Walker. He was taken to Methodist in critical condition."

Alex's mind reeled over the news and all she could do was nod. "Can you watch Angela for me?"

Erika nodded as she gave Alex a hug. "Sure thing. Trivette is coming to pick you up."

XXXX

Three hours later at the hospital Alex found herself sitting in a family waiting room with Trivette. When they arrived at Methodist a nurse led them here telling them to wait. This troubled Alex since this has never happened before in all the times Walker has been to the hospital.

Alex leaned into Trivette who wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She let out a shaky breath as tears fell onto her shirt.

Trivette rubbed her shoulder as he took another glance at the door. "I'm sure everything will be all right."

It was another thirty minutes before the door to the waiting room finally opened. An older gentleman in scrubs came in and closed the door behind him.

He slowly sat down with a heavy sigh. "My name is Doctor Abboud. I'm terribly sorry for the wait but we just finished surgery." He took off his paper cap as he shook his head. "I'm not going to sugar coat anything. Mr. Walker is in critical condition and if he makes it pass twenty-four hours it'll be a miracle."

"What happened?" Alex's voice shook and was barely audible. "Why wouldn't he make it?"

Doctor Abboud leaned forward, a look of concern on his face. "He suffered some serious injuries from what appears to be a mugging. I'm really concerned about his head trauma."

Alex could feel Trivette take a deep, shaky breath as he pulled her in closer.

"How bad, doctor?" He asked.

"The attack was mostly centered to his head causing several fractures and bruising. Along with putting him on several medications to reduce swelling on the brain I also did a cranioplasty. It's removing a piece of his skull to allow his brain room in case it swells more." He saw the horror on Alex's face and quickly put a hand up. "It's common to do this, especially in severe cases like his. In fifteen days I'll put a titanium plate where I removed the bone."

Alex began to cry harder, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. "If he makes it, will he have any lasting effects?"

"Not sure, but with injuries like what he has, more than likely." Dr. Abboud straightened up, concern on his face. "Again, I'm amazed he made it through surgery. It was definitely touch and go." A thin smile spread across his face. "I'll let you two briefly see him before the CSI takes evidence. I just have to say that you don't touch him."

In a few minutes Alex found herself walking down a wide hallway with Dr. Abboud in the lead. He was telling her something but all Alex could think about was what Trivette had told her when he picked her up earlier that night. Apparently a gang of teenagers had attacked Walker. But why? How did they manage to take him down?

They eventually stopped at a room with a strange man laying on a bed. No matter how hard she tried Alex could not tell the man was her husband. Surely Dr. Abboud was mistaken. There was no way this was her husband.

Doctor Abboud took a deep breath, his attention on the man in the bed. "Mr. Walker is currently in a drug induced coma in the hopes it'll allow his body to heal. If the swelling goes down in his brain we can start waking him up in five days."

Alex slowly went to the bed still not believing the man was Walker. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder as Trivette made his way to her side.

"It doesn't even look like him." Whispered Trivette. "My God."

"There's a considerable amount of swelling and bruising due to all the fractures in his face. And don't worry about the caved in area above his right ear, that is where we removed the piece of skull." Doctor Abboud adjusted a thick bandage over Walker's right eye. "Once he gets stronger we can began surgery to reconstruct his face." He gave Alex a comforting smile. "I'll give you two ten minutes."

"Thank you, Doctor Abboud." She desperately wanted to touch Walker but knew at this time it was impossible to do so. "How did this happen? How many teens attacked him?"

Trivette shook his head. "Had to be a lot." He gave Alex a tight hug. "But you know he'll pull through this. He always does."

Alex stared at Walker hoping to see some resemblance of the man she loved. His whole head was shaved with line of stitches and staples showing where he had surgery. The area above his right ear was the most disturbing of all. Not only was his head caved in on that side but his ear was also severely swollen. If he recovers will he have issues with hearing and sight?

"Gangs don't ever target lawmen like this." Trivette went to Walker's left side, sadness on his face. "They took everything. His badge, wallet, wedding band and gun." He wiped away tears as he took a deep shaky breath. "Why didn't he let me know where he was going? Why wasn't I there?"

Alex shook her head. "He didn't tell me either. I just hope we can figure it out."

After ten minutes were up Trivette and Alex made their way back to the family waiting room. When Trivette opened the door he was greeted by Gage and Sydney.

Gage who was seated quickly got up, concern on his face. "How is he? Is he okay?"

Trivette shook his head as he sat down. "He was beaten up pretty bad." His voice began to crack and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. "He's in a drug induced coma…has a severe head injury...It doesn't look good."

"Oh no!" Sydney got up to give Alex a tight hug. "I'm so sorry."

Alex nodded, tears falling from her face. "Thank you." She pulled away to look at her close friends, glad they were in her life. "It's going to be touch and go for awhile. But knowing Walker he will pull through."

"How did he even get here? It's pretty nasty out there." Said Gage.

Trivette dug into his front pocket and pulled out a slip of paper.

"Twin brothers commandeered a pick-up to get Walker here since an ambulance wouldn't arrive in time." Trivette unfolded the paper to read the names. "John Norris, a Marine combat medic and his brother Michael Garrison, a sniper for the Marines."

Alex smiled knowing thanks to these two men her husband was alive.

"Trivette, I would love to meet these men. Can you try to find them for me?"

Trivette gave her a big hug as he allowed his own tears to fall. "I can definitely do that."