Tougher Than The Rest

You Were Gone

"Adam!" Kim was gasping for air.

"Kim, calm down. Please, just calm down." He stroked her back, he could feel the dampness through the thin cotton shirt she wore, "Breathe baby.."

She pressed her fingers into her eyes, working to slow her racing heart, she finally pulled her hands away and looked her husband in the eye, "My sweet Jason...he's gone.."

"No." Adam grabbed her hand, "Look, he's sleeping baby." He moved aside so she could see the large bed he had been placed in, he wasn't out of the woods just yet but the surgeon was 'cautiously optimistic', "Come see him" Adam extended her hand to help her up from the recliner they had brought in once Jason had been assigned a room in the PICU.

Kim felt her eyes burn, she had done nothing but cry over the last three days, "It all felt so real, Adam. I thought it was real." She explained, "I buried him, I felt it here" she rested her hand over her heart "I thought he was dead." She shuddered at the thought of it, the nightmare was vivid and so fresh in her head.

"It was just a horrible dream. Jason is here, he's going to be okay." Adam wrapped his arms around her waist, he could still feel her trembling, "Kim, you're shaking like a leaf."

Kim took hold of Jason's hand, loving the warmth that was radiating from it, "It was horrible. It felt real." She knew she wasn't making much sense and all she was doing was repeating herself. She leaned over and placed her lips against his cheek, "Jason.." she dissolved into a puddle of tears.

Adam went to her, holding her as she cried her eyes out. It was clear to him that while it had been just a horrible nightmare it had shaken her to her core.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Adam asked her. The last thing he wanted to do was hear about her nightmare, he had come far too close to losing his son.

Kim shook him off, "No. Not yet. I just want to watch my baby."

They sat in silence for awhile, almost afraid to speak. Afraid to take their eyes off their sleeping son.

Finally Kim got up and paced a bit in the room, one hand on her lower back and one on her belly. She was taping her fingers against the bump, "Adam..it was awful. You were gone..no one could find you..."

He stood from his chair beside Jason's bed, he kissed his son's forehead, "I'm here." He told her, he wrapped her up in his arms. She leaned against him, and he gladly took on her weight, "I'm never leaving you. It was a nightmare, baby."

Kim used her thumb to dry the tears beneath her eyes, "My head. It feels heavy.." her mouth dry.

"You were sedated." Adam told her, "it was safe for Mav" he knew that was the next thing to come from her lips, "They assured me it was safe for the baby. You were inconsolable, your heart was racing. The doctor thought it was what was best."

He could still her sobs, they were gut wrenching. She had fallen at his feet in tears, calling out for Jason.

"Are they sure? Adam, you know I don't like to take anything..not even medicine for a headache." She turned in his arms.

"I know. It was safe for Maverick. More importantly it was what you needed. Kim, I couldn't stand by and do nothing. Jason's surgery was a long one, you needed to sleep. It needed to be done."

She nodded her head, it didn't really matter now. It did explain why here dream was so vivid, "I suppose that explains my dream."

The door opened, "Mr. and Mrs.Ruzek." The Doctor smiled, "How's our guy?" He grabbed the chart at the foot of the bed, "His vitals are good, they're strong."

Adam helped Kim into the chair and held his hands on her shoulders, "He's turned the corner?" He couldn't handle if he lost his boy now. He had made it through surgery and the night, he couldn't lose him now.

The doctor pulled the blankets down and checked the incisions, he heard Kim gasp at the sight of them, "It looks gnarly, doesn't mom?" He watched Kim nod her head, "This boy? He must be from good stock. He's tougher than the rest." He replaced the covers and turned to Adam and Kim, "I think we're out of the woods. His stats have been solid all night, we got a handle on the internal bleeding and removed both bullets. We need to prepare ourselves though, paramedics performed CPR in the back of the ambulance. We won't know how that will effect Jason until he wakes up."

Kim didn't care she just wanted her baby. "I don't care. He's alive." Kim grabbed her son's hand.

"Kids are resilient, I'm hopeful." He turned his back on Jason and focused on Kim, "Now tell me. How're you feeling?"

Kim sighed, "Okay. A bit achey." She watched Jason like a hawk, "The medicine you gave me, are you sure it didn't hurt the baby?"

"Your baby is safe, you needed to be sedated Mrs.Ruzek. My staff and I carefully weighed our options. The reward was far greater than the risk. You needed to sleep and you did."

"She had a horrible nightmare" Adam told him, "She woke up in hysterics, she thought Jason had died."

The doctor frowned, "Unfortunately vivid dreams are sometimes a side effect of the sedative. I should have mentioned that to you." He apologized to Adam, "I need to check in on my other patients. Call the nurses if you need anything..anything at all."

Adam exhaled, "That's good news. Right?" He crouched down in front of Kim his palms on her thighs, he leaned forward to kiss her stomach, "You know I had to do it, right Maverick?" He rested his forehead on her stomach, "I had to keep Mommy safe, and you too." He felt a few tears well up in his eyes, "I love you buddy so much, and I can't wait to hold you in my arms."

Kim fought her own tears, "Will you settle for holding me?" She bit the inside of her cheek a bit, anything to keep the tears at bay.

Adam helped Kim stand up and moved her to the recliner. Kim laid on her side and Adam wedged himself between her and the arm of the chair, it was tight squeeze for sure but he was bound and determined to hold her in his arms.

"Close your eyes baby. Let's get some sleep."

---NOTE----

Let me hear it...

Jason's alive! I'm hoping that fact she was dreaming about his death isn't a letdown or make it seems soap-ish.