Filling your Daddy's Shoes

Chapter 23: Life before Death

Will did another MRI and CT scan on Grayson to find out why she wasn't staying stable.

"Nat! She's got internal bleeding." Nat walked over to Will and looked at the papers.

"How does she have internal bleeding?" Natalie was confused as to why she had it.

"We are going to need to do surgery to fix the bleeding but let's tell Jay and Erin first."
Will and Natalie wheeled her back into the room then walked to the waiting room where everyone was waiting for news.

"Mr. and Mrs. Halstead? We have some news."

Jay and Erin got up from their seats and walked towards Will.
"Grayson has internal bleeding in her left liver. We have to do surgery to fix it now whether or not she is going to need a transplant I do not know at the moment."

"Will, you better fix her." Jay said then walked back to his chair helping Erin back to hers.

"Is she going to be okay?" Shane stood up

Will and Natalie turned around "Shane, We don't know yet. We are wheeling her back into surgery."

Shane felt a big of regret and guilt. He felt as if He should've said something before anything worse happened which it did. Something bad happened. He didn't understand why Reese was doing this but people are mean and cruel.

"I'm leaving. I'll be back soon!" Shane got up and started walking towards the door. Morgan, Mikey and Grant followed him out.

"Shane, don't do this to yourself."

"Grant, Mikey! What if that was your sister in there? Clinging to life! You know you would do something.

"Disappoint anyone. Hell  disappoint everyone but don't ever disappoint yourself."

Kelly followed Shane out of the hospital. He followed him until he stopped him.
"Shane,stop!"

"Uncle Kelly! No! I'm going for a walk."

Kelly grabbed his shoulder. "My dad had this quote and I live by it. 'Disappoint anyone. Hell Disappoint everyone but don't ever disappoint yourself.' Shane don't disappoint yourself. I don't want you going through a path that isn't meant for you. I know you are planning on going into the Army. Go for it kid. But don't disappoint yourself please. Don't do it because you are going to regret it."

"Uncle Kelly, how can I not disappoint myself? My mom wants custody of me my dad is dead and My uncle is mad at me."

Shane started walking away. "Shane? Don't go disappointing yourself or your uncle." Kelly walked back into the hospital. Shane started walking he put his headphones in and walked. He put on "Hall of Fame by The Script."

"Do it for your country
Do it for your name
'Cause there's gonna be a day...

When you're standing in the hall of fame (yeah)
And the world's gonna know your name (yeah)
'Cause you burn with the brightest flame (yeah)
And the world's gonna know your name (yeah)
And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame

Be a champion, be a champion, be a champion, be a champion
On the walls of the hall of fame"

"Jay, I'm gonna go ask the nurse if anything has changed." Erin got up from her seat and walked to the desk.

"Is there any news on Grayson Halstead?"

"No. I am not allowed to disclose any of that information."
Erin rolled her eyes
"Excuse me? My brother in law is the head resident. My father in law is the head of the hospital. You give me that information right now or I will have you fired."

"She's still in surgery. I have nothing else to say." Erin turned around and grabbed her stomach.

"Erin! Are you okay?" asked Jay

Jay ran towards her and held her back.
"Jay get the doctor! Ow!" April and Maggie walked over to Erin and put her in a wheelchair.

"Erin,I am going to go get your OB!"

"Jay! OW! It hurts!" Erin laid down in the bed.

"Erin, It's gonna be okay. I promise."

"Jay! OW! Oh my gosh!" Erin felt a lower pain in her back.

Her OB walked into the room and started an ultrasound.
"Erin, The stress is causing you, Braxton hicks which are just like contractions. You will be okay."

"It's hurts Jay!" Erin squeezed his hand tighter.

"I'm gonna go call Shane to see where he is."

Jay got out his phone and dialed his number. Shane saw it ring but he ignored it. He kept running, running towards his Dad's grave.

"Damn it Shane! Answer your damn phone." Jay hung up the phone. Mouse tracked his phone then drove to where Shane was. He was at the graveyard
"I miss him too."

"Uncle Mouse, go away."

"Shane, I know you feel like this is your fault but kid, it's not. Grayson has her fight and her own battle going on. If she wanted help she would have asked but you, you had to help her. Just because she doesn't ask for it doesn't mean you shouldn't give her it. Shane, Grayson needs her older brother. Shane please tell me you are going to protect her through everything. I love you kid. Sometimes people just need their own space and time to deal with the battles of yesterday. Ask your Uncle. He and I and your dad went through our own after we came back. After I came back I wasn't exactly the same person. I was different. You are going to be a hero someday and I hope you do it proudly."

"I wanna become someone who runs towards the danger even if I know the danger of doing so. I wanna be someone people look up too. I wanna be like my dad and uncle Jay."

Mouse put his hand on Shane's shoulder and they both stood there in silence. Neither one of them moved for a couple seconds.

Jay sat next to Erin and held her head. He didn't let go.

"Erin,Kyle is going to be okay."

"I sure damn hope so." Erin felt a sharper pain in her back.

Will and Nat wheeled Grayson back into her room. She slipped into a coma a come Will didn't know when she'd wake up from. All they could do was wait. Grayson cut too deep, she cut deeper than Will had ever seen.

He walked into Erin's room and grabbed Jay.
"Jay,Grayson slipped into a coma after the surgery. All we can do it wait." Jay put his hands over his face and started crying.

"Jay, if she does die. Make sure Reese goes to jail."

"I will. Will, Please save my baby girl."

Jay walked back into Erin's room and sat next to her. Mouse grabbed Shane and put him in his car and they both drove back to the hospital. "Uncle Mouse, I'm sorry."