We're Gonna Go Through This Together

Chapter Seven

Jamie was the first to arrive along with Henry.
"Are you okay, Danny?" Jamie sat next to him.
Danny barely shook his head as Henry sat down. Why did it have to be Linda?
Frank came with Erin, Nicky, Sean, and Jack. Danny's kids didn't exactly know what was going on, and he knew he had to tell the ten and twelve year olds.
"Boys.... your Mom... well, she's not doing too well..."
"What happened?" Jack wondered.
"She was... and then... and now..." Danny chocked on his words. He couldn't tell his sons what happened- how their mother was kidnapped, beaten, and viscously raped. "She—" the Detective felt tears sting his eyes. He couldn't let his family see him cry, so he walked away, leaving his family to stare in silence.
Danny had to get out of the hospital. He went outside and sat on the front steps, holding his wedding ring in his fingers. He looked at the inscription, "loving you forever"; Linda's said that, too. Outside, he let his tears flow. Danny had always had this thing about crying in front of people. He absolutely hated it. He thought it made him seem weak, and cowardly- things a good cop should never show. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't notice his youngest brother sat beside him.
"Danny?" Jamie put his hand on his brother's shoulder.
Danny looked at Jamie through tear blurred eyes. He hugged his brother for a long time. No words were needed- just the love and support of a brother.
"Ready to go back in now?"
Danny wiped his tears and nodded.
As they walked in, Jamie asked casually, "by the way, where's your shirt?"
Danny had forgotten he had no shirt. "It's on Linda..."
"Why?"
"She... when I found her... she was... she didn't... didn't have any clothes on..."
"So she was raped?"
Danny nodded. "And beaten. And tortured." As they walked past the wall, Detective Reagan punched the bricks so hard, his knuckles started to bleed. "Why did it have to be Linda?" He barely whispered.
Jamie whispered back, "I don't know...."
The brothers walked back to the family and sat down. Erin noticed Danny's hands shaking, and that they were bent a funny way.
"Danny, what's wrong with your hands?"
"Hm? Oh. Uh.... they're probably broken..." he said weakly.
It broke Frank's heart to see his son like this. His toughest son that always bounced back, no matter what, was sitting there in silence, praying for his wife-the love of his life- to be okay.
"Why are they broken?" Jack wondered.
"I hit 'em against the wall..."
Jack mouthed "oh..." and everyone was silent.
Erin and Jamie paced the floors as Nicky, Sean, and Jack sat next to each other, silently giving one another courage and support. Frank and Henry went back and forth from pacing and sitting, everyone worried about the broken hearted detective. He just sat there in silence, staring at the floor. His broken hands were bloody and shaking; his mind- as well as his whole family's- was saying the same prayer over and over again. Please, help her live. Please don't let her die...