Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

"Is She Alright?" Parts Seven and Eight

"Sir, can we speak with you in private?" Wick asked.

"Sure," Captain Durfee replied.

Following the captain into his office, Bell and Wick looked at one another concerned... concerned for how Durfee would react.

Once the door closed and they all sat down, Bell started, "Remember that victim that we took to the hospital?"

"Yeah," Durfee replied, confused a little.

"Well," Wick began, "the victim was Ryan." There, he had said it, but now he wanted to cry again.

"What?!" Durfee was sure shocked. "How can it be?" He didn't want to believe it.

"It was her. That is why she didn't show up this morning," Bell informed.

"How is she doing?" the captain asked with concerned in his voice.

"Well..well.. sir, she's.." Bell began

"She's in a coma, sir," Wick continued, but felt horrible.

Durfee leaned back in his chair, stunned... speechless. Could this reallly happen to one of his best paramedics? Why her? Why not some stranger? Why not someone else who wasn't so close to him? NO! He shook those thoughts away. Ryan is strong. She shall survive. He took a deep breath and let it out.

A moment later, after looking in the sad and tired eyes of Bell and Wick, he suggested that they should go home and rest.

"Are you sure, sir?" Bell asked.

"Yeah," the captain replied. "Let me call the other shift in early, way early."

"Okay." With the last word, Bell and Wick got up and left the office, just in time to meet up with Carla, the young firefighter that just arrived 8 months ago.

"Hey, guys" Carla greeted, quite cheerfully. "What's up?"

"Hey, Carla. Not much," Wick replied.

"Hey," was all Bell would say.

"I don't mean to e nosy, but since you returned, you two have been silent. Yes, I know it has only been about 10 minutes, but still... you two.. silent! That's not normal. But anyways. I did a favor for you two, but it didn't work out. You see, I called Ryan's house and no one picked and I got her answering machine. Do you know where she is at? I really need to talk to her abot some things."

"Come with us," Wick said and grabbed Carla's arm and pulled her to the paramedic's bedroom. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Yeah," Carla replied, sitting on Ryan's nicely made bed. "But first, who is she?" Carla pointed to Ryan's mom, who was still asleep on Bell's bed.

"That's Ryan's mom, Erica," Bell answered.

"What's she doing here?"

"That's the secret."

"She's the secret?" You have got to be kidding with me. How are you going to keep her a secret?" Carla didn't know that they were trying to be serious.

"No, let me rephrase that. It deals with her. You see, when we were taking one of the victims to the hospital, we were cleaning her face off from the blood and well, the victim turned out to be Ryan."

"What?!" Carla was shocked. Now she regretted what she said about everything before the Bell told her. Carla didn't get to know Ryan well, but what she new of her, she thought Ryan was a sweetheart, but tough when she had to be.

A moment of silence past, then Carla asked, "who all knows?"

"You, us, Erica, Durfee, and a couple of doctors," Wick replied.

"How is she?" Carla looked at the expressions of Ryan's partners and right away she regretted asking that.

"She's in a... coma," Wick said, silently, making sure Erica couldn't hear.

****

"Yikes," Carla areplied. "Do you know if she'll survive?"

'Dumb Carla,' she thought to herself for asking such a dumb question.

"We don't know. Dr. Carter says 'There's a chance she may, but there was too much damage.' But he said "he had some patients have the same chances as her and they came out okay.'"

A moment a silent past again, then Carla spoke up, "Listen, guys, I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," Bell replied giving Carla a hug.

"Yeah, thanks," Wick also gave her a hug.

"Will you two be alright?"

"Yeah," Bell and Wick answered in unison.

Carla returned downstairs, not telling a soul. Upstairs, Bell woke up Erica.

"Hey," he said gently. "Wake up and I'll take you home."

"Okay," Erica sat up and they all walk outside, where Wick got in his vehicle and Bell and Erica got in Bell's vehicle. The trhree other paramedics arrived and waved "hi" and "bye" to them.

Once in Bell's convertable, Bell called out to Wick, "I'll see you at home."

"Okay," Wick replied and went in the opposite direction of Bell.

As Bell drove on, Erica was silent. Finally, she spoke, "Can you please drop me off at the hospital instead? I want to stay with Kat."

"Sure, if that is what you want," Bell replied and turned around to drive to the hospital.

"It is. Thanks." Erica said and fell silent for the rest of the ride.

Once at the hospital, Erica got out and Bell asked, "Do you need any help to find Ryan's room?"

"No, thanks, I can manage," Erica replied. "Thanks again." Se disappeared in through the hospital doors.

Bell drove home and went directly to his room. Passing Wick's room, he could see Wick arrived and had fallen asleep. Bell went to his room and laid down and started to think.

Back to Barbara
Back to "Is She Alright?"
Back to Rescue 77
Home