Family Ties sequel to Divine Intervention

Chapter 17

"I'm gonna hit the vending machine, do you want anything?" Adam asked as he searched his pockets for a few singles.

"No thanks" she told him, "I'm okay" she checked her phone, relieved to see a text from her husband that he was on his way home.

Kevin made his way through the lobby, "Excuse me, I'm Detective Atwater from CPD, I need someone paged please" he hated doing it this way but he had no idea where little Adam was in the massive hospital.

"Who?" She asked, as she looked over his badge.

"Adam Ruzek, he's a volunteer and I need him like yesterday" he had left his cellphone back at the scene and had no other way of contacting him.

"Mom?" Dani felt frozen in place, "I don't want to go inside, please don't make me" she had been crying since Al had told her what had happened.

Al grabbed her hand, "Come on Dani, it'll be okay"

She shook her head, "No it won't, I said I hated him. I don't Uncle Al, I don't" she sobbed against his chest.

Aidan stared at his sister in Al's arms, his thumb slowly working its way into his mouth.

Jay could feel the morphine calm his entire body, "The boys..where are they?" He asked, "they okay?"

Erin tucked her hair behind her ear, "they're okay, with the O'Connor's" she told him a death grip on his hand, "what happened?"

Jay arched his back struggling to get comfortable in the bed, "Shit, I don't know. How's Ruzek and Atwater?"

"Kevin's fine. Adam isn't" she wiped her eyes, thankful that Jay's injuries weren't life threatening, "I'm scared for him and Kim"

Fear was a funny emotion it could be all consuming and crippling, yet it could make you stronger than you ever thought possible.

She knew she needed to be strong for her children, she'd allowed her tears to fall back at the house but now? She had forced them away and found a reservoir of strength she didn't know existed within her.

"Aidan, come sit" she called out to him, handing him her iPad, "here you go"

He lifted his eyes to meet hers, "What's wrong with daddy?"

She tousled his hair, "I don't know" she set Gavin's car seat on the floor beside his feet, "I'll be right back"

"Danielle?"

Dani pulled her head from Al's chest, "I'm sorry mommy I didn't mean it. I love daddy" she choked out falling into Kim's arms, "he's going to be okay right?"

Kim wanted to tell her that'd he'd be fine, but she couldn't promise her that, "He's strong baby, you know that. Plus, he's stubborn" she stroked Dani's cheek, "can you sit with Gavin and Aidan until Grandma and Grandpa get here?"

Dani wiped her eyes, and nodded, "Yea, what about Adam?"

"Uncle Kevin went to get him"

"I should go" Adam told her when he heard his name called out over the PA system, "will you call me?"

"Of course" she hugged him, "thank you for sitting with me" he may only be a teenager but she was grateful to him for many reasons, mostly for how he treated her son.

Kevin was hunched over drumming his fingers on the desk, his gaze fixed on the floor. He was trying to figure out what he'd tell his best friend's son.

"Uncle Kevin?" Adam called out, "you paged me?" He stopped on a dime a few feet away from Kevin, "what's going on?"

Kevin stood up straight, "Adam, it's your dad. He's been hurt, I'm here to take you to your mom" he stepped closer to him and placed his hand on his shoulder, "let's go"

Satisfied her youngest children were okay, Kim made her way to the desk.

"Excuse me, I'm Kim Ruzek, my husband Adam was brought in by ambulance a little while ago. Can I have see him?" She tried to keep her voice calm, but not feeling the strength that she had just minutes ago in the presence of her children.

The woman looked at her computer screen after typing Adam's name, "He's in the trauma bay now, someone will be out shortly to fill you in"

It wasn't what she wanted to hear, Al had told her he'd been shot in the abdomen but that was all, "Is he stable?"

Her eyes softened, "Mrs.Ruzek, I really think it's best you wait for the doctor, he'll be out shortly"

She could feel the walls closing in on her, "Umm...yea" she said softly as she turned to sit down, she scanned the waiting room disappointed to find that no one from the unit was there except for Olinksy.

"Babe, go find out about Adam" Jay asked, "I'm fine, please see if he's okay" he could feel himself starting to doze, "Kim'll need you"

Erin leaned over and kissed his cheek, "please get some sleep, I love you"

He grinned, "I love you too"

"Send him to OR 3, I'll be up in ten" Dr.Mickleson told his staff, as he pulled off the gown he had covering his scrubs and tossed it in the bio-hazard bin his gloves following soon after, "Family?"

A nurse nodded, "His wife"

He quickly washed his hands and took a minute to breathe everything had popped off and he needed a minute for his head to stop spinning.

His eyes landed on the gurney in the adjoining trauma bay, "Did you call it?"

The other doctor nodded, "Ten minutes ago. Can't say I'm sad" he smirked, sure they had an oath to follow and everyone deserved the best care possible but sometimes it was hard. "At least it's one off the streets, right?"

Dr.Mickleson nodded, "Suppose so, 'cept someone is already waiting to fill his spot, I need to talk to the cop's family" he headed out, he could hear his colleague wishing him well.

Little Adam burst through the doors, "Mom! Where are you?" He yelled his eyes darting around the room, "Mom?"

Aidan came running, "Adam! Dad's hurt" he grabbed his brother's waist.

"I know buddy" Adam held his little brother, "Mom, are you okay?"

Aidan pulling away from him, "Mom?" Adam asked again fear filling his soul.

Kim hugged her eldest son, "Hey baby"

He pulled back, "Dad? Is dad okay?" His voice cracking, he reached up and flicked a few tears away, Kevin had told him very little on the way over.

"Mrs.Ruzek?" Dr.Mickelson called out.

Kim raced towards him, her children on her heels along with Kevin, Gavin sleeping against his broad chest.

"How is he?" She asked, leaning against Kevin.

--NOTE--

Kinda disappointed with how this flows, nothing more frustrating then not being able to get your thoughts out clearly. That's exactly what has happened with the last 2 chapters, I'm hoping it's halfway decent.

UNEDITED