Wide Open Spaces

The Reason

Her children look down in horror, trailing their eyes up to Brock who wears a similar expression. Lindsey comes into the store, pushing past onlookers.

"Instead of gawking, call an ambulance" he yells at the crowd. He gets on his knees on the floor, scooping her upper body into his arms and cradling her like a child. "Baby, wake up." He kissed her lips, stroking her face. "Come back, my love. Come back. Look into my eyes." He urges. "Fuck..." he said under his breath. "What happened?" His voice was more harsh than he intended but there was no time to apologize. He spotted familiar western boots and he looked up. "You!" Lindsey placed her back onto the floor and stood up.

"Listen I..."

"What are you doing here?! What did you do?!"

"I didn't do anything, I just wanted to talk to her"

"You have no business!" Lindsey yelled, intimidating the younger man.

"She was my fiancée"

"She's my wife!"

"Ex-wife" Brock corrected.

"Let's take it outside. You wanna fight? Fine. Fight me, fight a man. Not a pregnant woman who barely comes up to your shoulder."

"You're nuts, man"

"No, you are. You followed us to a new city, to do what? Win her back? You abused her, you treated her like garbage, destroyed her self esteem...why aren't you in jail?"

"She dropped the charges"

"Of course she did, she has a big heart." He pokes his tongue into his cheek, his hand on his hips. He looked down, almost smirking, not believing what's going on in front of him. "You don't deserve her forgiveness" he told Brock, getting in his face. He hears his son and daughter talking to their mother, urging her to wake up and sirens in the background. "I will make sure authorities know you did this."

"I didn't mean it" Brock said, tears falling down his face.

"Not so strong now, are you? How dare you come here and hurt her again. How dare you scare her and make her feel unsafe. Where do you get off?!" Lindsey won't let up and Dylan jumps in.

"You're worthless! You were always a piece of shit! Callie and I always knew and my mother, the kind person that she is, gave you chance after chance! It's amazing how she can see the good in even the very worst people. You just kept proving her wrong. There's no light in you, Brock. None."

"Get your sister. We're going to follow the ambulance."

The paramedics come in to assess the situation, placing her on the gurney and checking her vitals. They ask questions and Lindsey vaguely answers. Police follow and Brock is taken into custody once again. Lindsey is worried to death, forcing the kids into the car. All three of them are crying now as he tails the ambulance all the way to the hospital. He jumps out of the car, dragging the children behind him as she's taken to a room to be examined. The door is slammed in his face as he tries to enter so he watches through the window as they hook her up to machines and monitor her as well as the baby. Minutes pass like hours and a doctor emerges. He stands at the sight of the white coat, running his fingers through his hair.

"Are you the family?"

"Yes, I'm her...boyfriend...and these are our children."

"Did anything out of the ordinary happen to her before she fell unconscious?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah, uh--"

"Some jerk ex boyfriend was stalking her and scared her half to death!" Dylan interrupted. "I could kill him for what he did to her. He's an abusive asshole!"

"Enough, Dylan" Lindsey says. "Sit down, calm down and keep your mouth shut. This isn't the time." Dylan slumps back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.

"It seems she had a severe panic attack. Is she prone to anxiety?"

"When we were younger, she had terrible anxiety but it had lessened to nearly nothing over the years. She hasn't had a panic attack in almost 20 years!"

"It seems that her low blood pressure, the excitement of the day and the pregnancy created a perfect storm. She collapsed as her body's way to recover."

"Will she be okay?"

"Yes, she will make a full recovery but she will need to keep the stress low. She had a few contractions while we were monitoring her but thankfully they caused no cervical change."

"Thank God!"

"You can see her now, if you'd like" the doctor said and both children perked up.

"Yes, please" Callie said. Dylan and Callie shot up from their seats and pushed past the doctor into the room, nearly knocking him over. He chuckled at their enthusiasm, walking away to give them space.

Lindsey let the children talk to her first, even through she was still out. The low chugging of the baby's heartbeat could be heard in the room and he smiled slightly. Callie cuddled up with her on the bed, resting on Stevie's pillow and Dylan sat beside the bed in a rather uncomfortable chair. After ample time, Lindsey asked to be alone with her and they granted it, nodding and hugging him. They went outside and shut the door behind them. Lindsey couldn't find words. He took his iPod out and found a song that fit, playing it softly for her.

"We always communicate through music" he says, kissing the back of her tiny hand.

I'm not a perfect person
There's many thing I wish I didn't do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

Tears filled his eyes again and he places her hand on his cheek, begging to feel her warmth.

I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That's why I need you to hear

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
And the reason is you
And the reason is you
And the reason is you

He kissed her lips, running his thumb over them when he pulled away.

I'm not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

"I love you, baby. Please come back. I should have protected you. I shouldn't have taken the car, knowing you'd need it. I should have felt something, I should have known better...you're the one with special knowledge, though. You're my little gypsy, fortune teller." He smiled, knowing she would have shook her head at him, hating when he teased her about her 'abilities'. "Come on, sweet girl. Tell me to shut up. Tell me not to pick on you. Pout and tell me to kiss it better. Please, show me you're okay." He watches her face for any form of expression or change. She lay motionless and he turned away momentarily.

I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you

He picked up his iPod, pausing the music right as the next song was beginning. "Get some rest, angel. I know you both need it." He kissed her again. "I love you" He turned to leave, pressing down on the door handle and just about to walk out when a soft sigh made him look back.

"I love you too" she said, a sleepy smiling playing on her rose bud lips.