Tempered by Love

Chapter 31 Everyone has to Leave Home Sometime

Excellent reflexes made following the ambulance easy. If Daniel only had that kind of control over the terror sitting in his chest, he might be able to breathe. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly, his knuckles blanched. It wasn't just the uncertainty of what was happening with Katherine, but strangers had his babies. As Rose called Marcus, he repeatedly hit the mobile phone send button on his steering wheel, attempting to connect to Torchwood. On the fourth try, a familiar voice filled the car. "Harry," Daniel yelled into the speaker, "Katherine has had a heart attack. I need you to get the twins from the church nursery. Fergus is on his way to the hospital, and find Don and Shawna. They have Robbie at a match."

"I'll find 'em, Boss. Is Katherine gonna be okay?"

"I don't know. Rose is calling Marcus. Just take care of the kids -- please. And don't scare Robbie, just tell him -- tell him his Gran wasn't feeling well."

He thanked whatever powers that be at Torchwood for accepting the design changes he made in their vehicles during his first weeks on the planet. Thanks to the changes, the tires protested but the SUV stayed on the road as he careened around a corner. She'd looked so pale and fragile as the EMT's slid her into the ambulance. He fought the crush of memories trying to surface. Without a word, Rose reached and laid a hand on his legs. Just as he thought his head would explode, the ambulance made one last turn and pulled into the ambulance bay of the Port Clyde Hospital.

Daniel parked, and clutching Rose's hand, raced to follow Katherine, only to be shunted off to a waiting room. The sound of his name snapped Daniel's head around ten minutes later when Fergus rushed through the door. "Marcus called a friend; he met us here," Daniel answered the man's unasked question.

"She'll be fine," Fergus said. "She will be," he repeated. "My Katherine is strong. You'll see."

"Fergus, sit down, I'll get you a cuppa," Rose said.

It felt strange to be the one in control of the situation for a change. Daniel eased his father-in-law into a chair. "Marcus says Doctor Choudri is the best," he told the terrified man as they began the wait. Minutes ticked by. Daniel alternately paced and sat in the miserably uncomfortable seats next to Rose. He made sure never to stray further than three feet from Fergus. He loved Rose for clutching the older man's hand, anchoring him in the here and now while the strength of their bond kept the dread in the pit of his own stomach at bay. Forty-five minutes after their arrival, he looked up to see Don rushing through the waiting room doors. "Where are they?" he asked when no one followed Don.

"Shawna and one of the ladies from the church are watching them at the house. Bryce and Harry are with them. What happened, Cuz?" he asked when he reached their side.

"She's had a heart attack," Daniel answered.

"Damn," Don said as he scrubbed the back of his head.

Fergus flashed a terrified look at his Daniel and then to Don, "I can't lose her, boys; I just can't."

"You're not going to; Dr. Choudri is the best the hospital has," Rose squeezed his hand.

"Mr. McGregor?"

Fergus stood up and reached for Daniel's hand, "Yes, my wife?"

"I'm Doctor Choudri, if you'll come with me, we'll talk."

Even after Nora and the trial, he'd always been strong, but now Fergus aged in front of Daniel. The older man's shoulders sagged. Rose's voice came from behind them, snapping him back from that same feeling he had when the doctor told him about Nora. He felt her hand take his. "Is my mother-in-law alive?" he rasped.

"Yes, she is and I think she'll be fine. Please, all of you come with me."

It was surreal to be going through this again. The doctor led them to a simple conference room. It's only accommodation came in the  form of  a small sofa. and two chairs.  A light box hung on the far wall. Daniel hesitated, forcing himself to breathe before he walked in.  All eyes went to the x-ray film clipped in place. The doctor flipped a switch to illuminate a heart and pointed to an artery. "Mrs. McGregor has a single occlusion here. We've stopped the attack, and she is resting, but we will need to place a stent to keep it from occluding again. Did she tell you that she's been having chest pain for several months?"