Caught Up // Jimmy Butler

Chapter 17

            

Jimmy couldn't sit still in the driver's seat as his mother navigated the streets of Chicago to get them to the Hyatt. Jimmy tried calling Allison three more times, still nothing. He tried Taj, hoping at least he'd answer. He didn't pick up. Now he was really freaking out.

His mother turned on the live news on the radio as they could see the chaos in the distance. All the police lights in the city at night could be spotted way far back. She took them as far as they could, until they were blocked off by multiple ambulances and police cars.

"Get out and see what's going on!" His mother ordered, "I'll find you." She assured, as he just nodded taking all the chaos in. There were countless people on stretchers being wheeled out of the building, bleeding, screaming and crying.

Jimmy looked to for a moment to see if he could find a familiar face. No sign of Taj or Allison. He tried to walk further into the scene when an officer stopped him.

"Sir," The police officer started, "I'm sorry but no one is allowed beyond this point." He explained, "An explosive was set off on sight and we're trying to help as much as possible. We really need to limit the amount of bodies going in."

"My..." Jimmy tried to get out, he was feeling nauseous. Maybe this was all just a dream, or a nightmare. "My fiancé, she...she's in there. And, I haven't heard from her. Please."

"What's her name?" The officer sighed, "I can check on where she is for you." He offered.

"Allison," He managed to get out, "Allison Walker." He clarified, clearing his throat, "My friend, Taj Gibson was in there too if you know anything on him." Jimmy said.

"Wait right here sir." The officer asked, walking into the havoc, "Let me see what I can do."

Jimmy nodded and stood in the same spot as five minutes passed...then ten...fifteen. He was getting anxious, what the hell was going on? He was brought out of his thoughts when he saw Taj being walked out of the building, his arm in a sling and blood all over his face. He looked more like he was being dragged by the paramedics as Jimmy ran towards him.

"Taj!" He yelled approaching him, with tears in his eyes.

"Jimmy!" Taj exclaimed back, with hurt all over his face.

"Jesus Christ, are you okay?" He asked, taking Taj in.

"Sir," one of the paramedics interjected, "We're going to have to ask you to step back behind the tape."

"Allison," Taj got out, "She's in there." He sniffled.

"Well is she okay?" Jimmy asked in panic.

"The pregnant women?" The other paramedic interjected, "She-"

"We aren't at liberty to say." The original paramedic cut him off, "Look sir, he needs to go to the hospital. We need to go." He concluded, taking Taj off again.

"Jimmy I'm sorry I couldn't protect her!" Taj yelled as they brought him towards an ambulance.

"What?" Jimmy asked aloud, as he could feel tears start to stream down his face. Was she dead? Oh god, she couldn't be dead. He wouldn't be able to live without her, as cheesy as it sounded.

He looked around the craziness for help once more. Who the hell could tell him where she was? All he saw around him were severely injured people being taken to get care, and police and fireman running around.

Jimmy felt like he was about to pass out until he saw a woman in that familiar red dress being speedily wheeled out on a stretcher towards a nearby ambulance.

"Allison!" Jimmy wailed, running over to her. Her eyes were barely opened and she had an oxygen mask draped around her mouth.

"Sir," The paramedic asked, "We're going to need you to step away. She is in critical condition."

"What?" Jimmy questioned, as the two medics began to load her into the ambulance, "I'm her fiancé!"

The two paramedics quickly looked at each other. It was really against protocol in this type of extremist state to allow people to ride in the ambulance, but they felt they needed to make an exception.

"Sir," The medic sighed, "Ride in the back, with Mark please." He said referring to the other medic who was sitting in the back of the vehicle with Allison.

Jimmy nodded and brought himself into the ambulance next to Mark and looked down at her. Allison had blood spots on her face, but Jimmy saw she also had a bunch of different needles in her arm. She was trying to look at him, but it seemed like she didn't know he was there.

"Baby!" Jimmy whispered, grabbing her hand and putting it between his two, "I'm here." He said, as another tear slipped.

"She's in a shock." Mark explained sympathetically, "Her body has physically experienced so much trauma that it's in overdrive."

"What does that mean?" Jimmy questioned, "Is she gonna be okay?"

"I'm not sure, sir." Mark frowned, "That's really going to depend on the Doctors ability once we arrive at the hospital." Not wanting to make a promise he couldn't keep.

"She's pregnant." Jimmy got out, "The baby..."

"Sir," Mark began, "The baby has experienced extreme trauma as well," He explained, "It's likely that she will have an emergency C-section when brought in for the life of the child."

"God dammit." Jimmy shook his head, putting his head in his hands as tears streamed down his face. How could he let this happen? He should've never let her go alone.

"Alright sir," The medic who was driving said, as he opened the back door and Mark jumped down, "We have to take her in now." He let him know, as the two prepared to take the stretcher down. Jimmy followed them as they wheeled her inside, holding her hand the entire way.

"Jimmy...." She croaked out weakly, her eyes not being able to focus on him entirely.

"Baby!" Jimmy exclaimed, holding her hand tighter, "I'm here." He let her know, hoping she could hear him, "I love you so much." He said, holding back more tears. 

"Alright sir," Mark said, "I'm sorry but this is as far as you can go." He nodded, as Jimmy let go of her hand and watched as she was brought further into the hospital. He took a deep breath and sat in the waiting room, not really knowing what to do with himself now.

Just as he did, his phone started ringing; it was his mom.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Jimmy, where are you?" She asked.

"I'm at the hospital." He managed to say.

"Alright I'm on my way." She said, "What happened, is she okay?"

"I don't know." He shrugged, his voice shaking, "She couldn't even speak when I saw her." Jimmy sniffled.

"Oh, Jimmy."

"Mom," Jimmy stammered, "I can't..." He said, his breathing becoming heavy.

"Okay Jimmy," His mother said calmly, "I need you to take deep breaths okay?" She asked, "I'm almost there." She reminded him, as she parked the car and ran as fast as she could inside. She looked around frantically for her son among the crowd of people, until her eyes finally fell on him sitting alone, "Oh, my baby!" She cried, running over to him and pulling him in for a hug.

"Mom." He cried, as she held him, "I can't lose her." He said, pulling away, "I can't lose them."