Peter (The Devil On My Shoulder)

*Alternate Ending* Bonus Chapter

"Take her to trauma one!" a nurse yelled as they pushed the stretcher through the emergency department doors. A paramedic was at the side, helping push the stretcher fast. Every second counted. 

"Eighteen year old female found unconscious at the scene after blunt force trauma to the abdomen and head. Airway intact. We tubed her and maintained breathing manually. She was unresponsive to external stimuli on arrival. We found large areas of ecchymosis on her abdomen and chest wall, as well as swelling. She was 60 systolic with a rapid heart beat." The paramedic spit out quickly as the trauma team transferred the patient to a trauma bed. 

"Possible internal bleeding. Check airway, breathing, circulation and get CT down here fast!" The doctor yelled as the rest of the medical team got to work. They were a well functioning machine, each person knowing what to do and when to do it, and they never got in each other's way. No one panicked. They remained calm, but they worked fast. 

Outside of the ED, in the family waiting room, detective Donahue paced back and forth with Briggs by his side.

"Danny," Briggs said, putting a hand on the shoulder of his best friend, "please, sit down. This is only making it harder." 

"I can't. Both of my kids are in there right now. And it's all my fault." Tears brimmed his already reddened eyes. He thought about everything that happened and all the mistakes he made. Then he growled out in anger and threw his phone across the room, "Dammit!" 

"Danny!" Briggs yelled, grasping Donahue's shoulders and forcing him to look at him, "Calm down! Your wife will be here soon. Do you really need her to see you like this? Do you think that'll make it any easier?" 

Danny dragged a hand down his face, wiping the tears in the process and took a seat. As soon as they sat down the ED doors opened and his wife walked in. When she spotted him, she ran, dropping her purse. Danny shot up out of his seat and met her halfway, immediately pulling her into a strong embrace. She sobbed as he held her. Briggs was right, this was hard enough on her as it needed to be, he wasn't going to make it any worse. So he held back the tears, and tried to reassure her that everything was going to be okay, even if he couldn't guarantee it. At least for the moment, they could pretend. 

The wait was only thirty minutes, but it felt like eternity as they stared down the seconds of the clock. Danny thought about the guy responsible for the condition both of his children were in. And he made a promise to himself, if his children didn't survive, that he would spend the rest of his time here on earth making Brett's life a living hell.

The double doors of the ED opened and a doctor dressed in blue came out, his scrub cap held tightly in his right hand as he approached a nurse, who then directed him to Daisy and Reggie's family. 

Danny and his wife stood up, their hands enclasped as they approached the doctor. Briggs was right beside them. 

                                                                                  ~~~~~~

I watched as the surgeon faced my parents. I was only a few feet away from them, but it felt like we were worlds apart. 

"Your son is stable. We were able to get the bullet out, and luckily it didn't hit any major organs so he should make a full recovery with time. We admitted him to the hospital and he's being transferred to a room upstairs right now. The nurses will take you to him whenever you're ready." 

Relief etched itself into my parents' faces. My mom placed a hand over her heart and let out a heavy sigh. 

"And Daisy?" My dad asked. I walked closer to them, and gently held onto my dads arm, like I used to do as a child.