Until the Very End

Chapter 44

Don felt like he couldn't settle down. He was glad that the babies were sleeping, and that Meryl was sleeping in their makeshift double hospital bed in his good arm. With all of the medications he was on, he knew that he should be able to sleep. The knowledge that their whole family was okay and that Raymore was in jail shouldn't have made him feel unsettled, but it did. He knew it would until he knew exactly what was happening with Raymore. He had to know. He had to make sure that they were all safe. He knew that until he knew that for sure then he wouldn't truly settle down. With a kiss to his wife's head, he attempted to get out of bed, IV bag and pole and all. That was until Meryl started to stir. "Don?"

"Shit." Don sighed as he stopped what he was doing. "Go back to sleep, baby. The babies are still asleep."

Meryl squinted her eyes as she tried to sit up. "Where are you going? You look really upset."

"Of course I'm upset; I have no fucking idea what is going on with Raymore and he wanted to fucking kill you and make me watch, and vice versa. I'm fucking livid." Don barked and he saw the look on his wife's face and the tears in her eyes. He was now more upset than he had been, but not at Raymore, at himself. He then fully got back in bed and cupped her cheek in the palm of his good hand. "I'm sorry, baby, that was NOT meant at you. I am just so damn frustrated we haven't heard anything and I wanted to find out. I hate being confined to this damn bed when I don't know what the hell that bastard is up to."

Meryl nodded as she tenderly kissed his lips. She knew he wasn't upset at her, with her. She knew it was just the opposite. "I know that, baby. Believe me, I do. You need to be in bed. YOU are the one who had ANOTHER emergency surgery today, not me."

"And YOU are the one who is recovering from a severe concussion and has been taking care of all of us." Don said with a kiss to her head. "I need to find out what the hell is going on. I don't care if I am hooked up to this damn IV, I will go down to the fucking station if I have to."

Meryl knew Don was beyond upset, she didn't blame him. She needed him back in bed, resting, and not down at the station. She wasn't sure how she was going to convince him of that until she saw his best friend walk in, and she breathed a loud sigh of relief, and carefully pulled Don back into bed with her. "Don Man, look, Larry is here."

"What is it?" Don asked looking at Larry. "What's wrong?"

Larry tried to laugh. "I think you know me better at times than my wife."

"I should." Don tried to tease but he was too worried. "Seriously. What is it?"

Larry sighed as he pulled a chair over. "First of all, I want you to know that he is being flanked by guards. He is technically in custody."

"TECHNICALLY?" Don was starting to lose it. "What the fuck do you mean technically?"

Meryl was carefully rubbing Don's chest. "Baby, please try to stay calm; but I'm with him, Larry. What the fuck do you mean technically?"

"Legally, they have to provide him medical care." Larry began. "Because he was shot and those wounds haven't really been taken care of."

Meryl's eyes got big. "Because he got away from the damn police."

"She's right!" Don tried to take a calming breath. "Wait...don't tell me..."

Larry sighed as he nodded his head sadly. "He is here. I have overseen his admittance here. He is flanked by guards and double cuffed to the bed. I am feeling like I am sure you both are right now. I didn't want him in the hospital, but we have to play everything by the book or he will claim..."

"I know." Don sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, looking at his wife and then babies, before turning back to Meryl. "Baby, I want you to take the babies and go home. I don't want you staying here with him. We will have the girls or someone come stay with you so you're not alone."