In Kate We Trust// The Night Shift

Chapter 23

Darkest Before Dawn

I had no idea what was going on around me in San Antonio as I lay in my bed in the ICU of the hospital I worked at. I had no clue the sniper victim total was now at 8 and the SWAT team believed they had the sniper surrounded. I didn't know the love of my life had returned from Afghanistan with his best friend. I didn't know that he knew I was laid up in a hospital bed when I should be down stairs in the ER starting yet another shift just like every other night. I didn't know my staff needed me more than ever with the sniper still on the loose.

I didn't know that right at this very moment my fella surgeon Doctor Scott Clemmens was looking at my vitals as TC entered the room and couldn't believe his eyes. I didn't know that I should be performing a surgery in a couple of hours on Ali but instead Scott had to do it. I was unaware of the fact that Scott had left TC and I alone and was currently telling Topher off my condition.

I was unaware of all of this because I was in a coma.

Right now as I lay in my hospital bed my brother Drew was out in the field less than 100 yards from the sniper and Gwen was with him. Even though I didn't know what was going on I'd never forgive myself if something happened to him. I was completely unaware of the fact the sniper had just fired out on the field where Drew and Gwen are.I had no idea that a sniper had just fired a bullet where Drew's head had been not 2 seconds earlier.

One of the two snipers had just been admitted to SAM. One out of two. There was 7-10 police officers and SWAT team members down stairs while other we're out looking for the other sniper.

~TC's POV~

''Hey, Kate. I'm back. I'm right here. I don't know if you can hear me, but I promise I will never leave your side again.'' I told Kate as I sat beside her bed and she still lay in a coma. I can't believe she never told me the real reason she came home from Afghanistan. She simply said she was given early leave. She never said it was because she collapsed in the field while leading her troops due to a leaky valve in her heart. Nobody knew. Not me, Drew, her parents or the hospital. Only person who knew was her commanding officer out there and then Scott when he performed the operation.

''Still the same?'' Jordan asked as she entered the room.

''Yeah. I should never have left her.'' I answered looking back at Kate after watching Jordan enter the room.

''No, no. There's nothing you could've done. This isn't on you, Tee.'' Jordan told me

''Maybe it is. Maybe it's the pressure of her worrying.'' I thought out loud. Maybe this was all my fault. She seemed fine since she came back from war til I left.

''TC, stop it.'' Jordan spoke. ''This is a complication of her leaky valve you leaving didn't cause her to collapse.''

''I was gonna make it up to her.'' I told Jordan as I pulled the engagement ring out of my pocket. ''I just hope it's not too late.''

I pulled the blanket over Kate to keep her warm and all of a sudden memories of the 2 of us started flashing in my mind.

The one that came to me was me introducing myself to Kate after she saved my life before we left for Afghanistan. I ran into a burning building to save a guy and ended up needing saving myself. Lucky for me Kate was on hand and saved my life. That was the first time I ever took Kate on a date and nobody knew about it. Nothing crazy romantic 'just one drink, after the shift' as Kate said that day.

Once I was pulled out of my thoughts I decided to wet her lips. Jordan stayed with me. For that I was grateful. I think if she left I'd lose my mind.