Waves

f o r t y - n i n e

~PRESENT~

"Mr. McKenna, sir, listen. I know that you don't approve, and I'm sorry that-" JJ started to say as Amelia's father barged through the door, Nolan following closely behind him.

"You're damn right I don't approve. You took my little girl away from me. And now look at her. Fighting for her life." Greg said, before glancing over to his daughter laying lifeless in the hospital bed, the color instantly fading from his face. He sat down slowly into the chair beside the bed, his head falling forward into his hands. Through a muffled voice he asked, "How could you let this happen to her?"

JJ glanced to Amelia before letting out a sigh, his eyes fixing on Greg. He knew how worried and upset he had to be right now, knowing that his one and only daughter, the light of his life, was laying in a bed in a hospital not knowing if she was going to make it or not. JJ knew that he felt the same exact way that he did right now.

"Greg, I'm sorry. I really am. But you have to understand. I love her. And I know that I might not be the perfect fit for her in your eyes, and I get that. I come from nothing." JJ sighed before speaking again. "But maybe, just maybe, the love that I have for her and the way that we are together, is more important than materialistic things." JJ felt the nerves build up inside of him as Greg lifted his head from his hands to meet JJ's eyes.

"You think I don't know that? That's why I've had such a hard time approving of your relationship with her." Greg stood, stepping closer to JJ. JJ could feel his heartbeat quickening. "Because I see the way that she looks at you. And I see the way that you look at her. And I know that you two are in love. And that's why I've been so hard on you. Because I don't want to see my daughter leave me and her brother and move on with her life."

"Sir, I swear she's in good hands with me. I love her with everything in me and I can't let you take her away from me."

"I know, JJ. I know. I guess I owe you an apology, for the way I've treated you this entire time. I know you're right for my daughter, I just never wanted to admit it."

JJ couldn't help but smile a soft smile, feeling instant relief that maybe things were finally going to be okay between him and Amelia's father.

JJ watched as the tears began to form in Greg's eyes. "JJ... what happened yesterday? Please tell me what happened."

Nolan stepped closer to Greg, and JJ glanced between them both, taking a deep breath. He really didn't want to speak of what happened again. He was still trying to recover from the emotion that he felt. Ever since Amelia was shot, JJ hadn't been able to stop worrying. He felt nauseous all the time and could barely eat. He hadn't slept at all. He had never been more worried sick about anything in his life. He couldn't imagine losing Amelia. But he knew that Greg and Nolan needed to know exactly what happened to her, and JJ wanted more than anything for them to know that it was Rafe who shot her.

"Well. We were at my dad's boat, getting ready to take it out." He sighed, running his hands back through his hair. "That's when Rafe and Topper showed up. They had been after us before, because Rafe had shot the Sheriff and blamed it on John B. And John B ran off and we haven't seen him since." JJ looked up to see the reactions of Greg and Nolan. "That's why they showed up. Because Rafe used a gun that belonged to me, to shoot the Sheriff. He wanted the gun back. He had another gun on him and started going crazy. He just started shooting with really no aim, because he was mad, but he just so happened to shoot Amelia."

"Wh-what? WHAT?!" Greg shouted, his hands finding his hair as he glanced over to Amelia again, the anger becoming prominent on his face. Nolan stepped over to his father, resting his hand on his shoulder before giving it a calming squeeze. Greg took a deep breath, wiping the tears from his cheeks that had fallen. "Rafe did this to her?"