Brave Enough

Thirty - One

A hand grabs James's halting her fall. "I've got you baby. Hang on," Buck yells. Buck pulls her up over the ledge. "I've got you baby. I've got you." He wraps his arms around her and holds her tight. Blood from her ripped stitches coats his arms. "Stay with me baby."

"You found her," Athena says marching towards them. "This way guys. We need to get her back to the hospital." Eddie and Hen load her onto the stretcher and work on her. Athena smack Buck. "You idiot. You both could have died. What the hell were you thinking. You have fresh stitches. Now we're going to have to get you cleaned up and checked out again too." Buck flinches as Athena yells at him.

"Love you too, Athena. But I would die either way if she weren't with us anyways."

"Don't you dare say such a thing, Evan Buckley. Do you know what James would do if she heard those words come out of your mouth?" He shakes his head. "She'd kick your ass. Now get in the bus."

       Buck sits next to the stretcher. "Let me check your stitches and get you cleaned up. What were you thinking kid?" Hen asks.

"I was thinking about losing her and the twins. How could I live without my baby girl?" Buck stares forward. The heart rate monitor flat lines. "James? No no no. You can't leave me. You can't leave us. James!" Buck cries in distress.

       "Buck breathe. She will be okay just breathe kid. Just breathe. I need to work on James. Sit back," Buck sits back while they work on her. A slow beat starts up again relieving Buck slightly.

****

"Twenty-two-year-old female kidnap victim. B negative blood type. She just got out of surgery sixteen hours ago. She was found falling from Suicide Cliff after being pushed by her captor," Hen says to the admitting doctor.

"Her pulse is weak and thready. Oxygen levels are low. Get her to an OR now. He needs to be stitched back up and have his wounds cleaned," a doctor says walking up to the group of people.

****

        Buck paces in the waiting room waiting to hear back from the surgeons. "Buck sit down. She'll be fine," Maddie tried to relax her baby brother. "Evan sit down."

"What if she doesn't make it? What will I do?" Buck's body trembles and he falls to his knees finally releasing the tears he'd been holding in. "Maddie yesterday was supposed to be the night we started planning our future together. Instead she's lying in an operating room for the second time in two days. The only thing I'm happy about is that bastard will never be able to touch her again." Maddie drops to her knees beside Buck and pulls him into her arms. She lets him sit there and sob in her arms rubbing his head and back until suddenly he's short of breath.

"Buck? Buck, are you okay? I need a doctor! He can't breathe!" Maddie yells. Buck begins to hyperventilate scaring Maddie. A doctor comes in with an oxygen mask.

"Buck I need you to breathe. Everything is going to be alright. They have been monitoring James and the twins they are holding on strong. James's surgery will be over soon and you will be able to visit her. But, for now I need you to breathe. Can you do that for me?" Buck nods breathing into the mask. "Your anxiety attack will go away just take slow deep breaths for me, Buck."

****

"How am I alive? I just remember Colin asking about Cleo. I begged him not to kill me and then he just pushed me. He had no emotion. It was like he was just dead on the inside. I grabbed him. Oh my god is he okay?" James asks the nurse.

"No my dear. Your boyfriend caught you but Colin he was already gone. I'd say he had it coming. As horrible as that sounds. I saw what happened two days ago and I saw how they brought you yesterday. No one should ever go through that trauma. You and the twins are doing fine. Would you like to see Buck and Cleo?" The nurse asks.

"Yes please. Is Buck... is he okay? Colin stabbed him before taking me away," James's stomach starts to knot. The moment Buck opens the door relief floods her veins. "Buck? I'm so sorry. I should've never let you take me home that night. You wouldn't be hurt."

       "And you would be dead. And neither of us would be okay. Now shut up and kiss me," he says wrapping his arms around her. "You, me, Cleo, and our future little ones wouldn't be a family. I hope you'll stay with me. Because I really do love you," Buck says. Cleo climbs up into the bed and snuggles up to James.

       "Adeline. I need to call Adeline. Buck can I borrow your phone. I need to thank her. She's the reason I didn't die in Florida. She saved me from him. I need to tell her it's over. That she's..." Buck pulls his phone out and pulls up the internet app.

      "What hospital?"

       "Saint Andrews," James says.

       "Hello, I'm looking for a nurse named Adeline. She helped someone important to me and we would like to thank her," Buck listens for a moment the color draining from his face. "When did it happen?" Buck rubs his face. "Okay thank you."

       "Buck? What's wrong?"

       "I'm not sure I should say right now," his normally gentle blue eyes turn into a violent electric blue startling James. "I'm sorry it's just that. Baby, Adeline past away."

       "When?"

     "Shortly after you disappeared from the hospital. They said she was hurt and later past from complications. I'm so sorry baby," he watches as she silently buries the pain inside of her. "Please don't shut down. I'm here for you James." James leans into him and silently cries.

      "How was she hurt?" He gives her a concerned look. "How, Buck? There is a reason I'm asking."

      "She was hit by a car. What are you thinking?"

       "He killed my best friend too. Nyssa. We had been best friends since we were three. Did everything together. A couple months before everything happened and I got away Nyssa figured out he was beating me. A week later she was killed in a hit and run. They never found the car." James shakes her head. "He's gone. He can't hurt us anymore. He's gone. Breathe James. Breathe." James repeats to herself. "If we have a girl. I want to name her after them. Honor them somehow."

      "Absolutely. Without them you wouldn't be here."

So this book isn't quite done yet but, I was curious. Would y'all be interested in a second book?