Part 3

“Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul

- and sings the tune without words, and never stops - at all.”

- Emily Dickensen

*Part 3

Melissa didn’t remember the actual drive to the hospital; only that Hayden drove with one hand, his other holding hers.  She had promised Beth she would call her parents and was relieved when her dad answered the phone instead of her mom.  Will Hamilton was the logical parent, Leigh, the emotional one and Melissa wasn’t in any condition to handle her mother’s form of emotion at the moment.  She was sure her dad would hear about it later but, instead of rushing to the hospital to meet them, he asked her to call with a status when she had one.  He was sure that if Eric had been seriously injured the Captain would have called them instead of Beth.

As they entered the ER waiting room, Melissa hoped her dad was right.  Beth had arrived first and was sitting alone, nervously twisting a tissue.  Still holding his wife’s hand, Hayden lead the way to her.

“Bethy?” she asked, kneeling in front of her friend as Hayden took the seat next to her.

“He’s here, but I haven’t seen him,” Beth rambled quickly, trying to get everything out all at once.  “No one knows me on this shift.  I’ve been trying to reach Jean, but…but… but…  They won’t tell me anything Liss, they said I’m not his family.”

Beth and Melissa had a knack for becoming what the other needed just when it was most necessary, and today was no exception.  Taking her friends trembling hands, Melissa moved to look into her eyes.  “You are the very best kind of family – the ones we choose.  They will talk to me and I will get you in there, ok?”  A quick glance to Hayden and a subtle nod in return was all he needed to jump in as Melissa walked away.

“I’ll wait here with you,” he offered, slipping his arm around her shoulders.  “Should we make a wager on how long it takes for her to give them a piece of her mind?”

Beth chuckled very lightly at Hayden’s attempt to lighten the mood.  “No bet.  The time interval is too small to measure.”

They didn’t hear what she said, but they watched as Melissa was quickly shuffled back, presumably to see Eric.  “You’re always right about her,” he said, softly squeezing her shoulders.

“Yes, but so are you.  Could it be that she is finally becoming predictable?”

“Nah…” they shook their heads in unison before falling quiet again.

“I hate this,” Beth finally mumbled.

“I know,” he sighed, glancing down at his bracelet, “but we love them.  It’s not always easy, but I think it’s worth it.”

Beth nodded, knowing he was right but still not feeling any better.

Melissa emerged sometime later, looking much better than she had when she left.  They saw her walking toward them and stood up as the anticipation got the better of them, but Hayden’s face had suddenly lost part of it’s color.

“He’s going to be fine,” she smiled as Beth’s body slumped forward, hanging onto her friend in relief.  “Go on back, they’re expecting you.  I had them page Jean and she’s coming down to give him the once over.”

Taking a deep breath, a more relaxed Beth smiled and walked away; so anxious to see Eric that words escaped her.  “Dad was right, it’s not too serious.  Bonehead did manage a fair case of smoke inhalation and a broken leg though.  Love?” she questioned when he remained silent, “hey, are you ok?”

He didn’t look ok.  His skin seemed pale and little beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.  Closing his eyes, he tried to slow his racing heart.  All to familiar with the outward signs of a panic attack, she tried to calm him the way he always did for her when she battled them.

“Love, it’s ok,” she whispered, resting her hands on his chest.  “He’s going to be fine.”

“It’s not Eric,” he mumbled.  “It’s you.  I haven’t been here since…since… well, it’s just that when you walked out just now…”

“You remembered back to when I was here and when Beth came out tell you I would be ok.  Is that it?”

“Yes,” he swallowed.

“She was right, wasn’t she?”

“Yes, but…”

“No buts.  Hayden look at me,” she demanded.  “It’s not me.  I’m ok.  The family klutz factor has focused on my brother for a change.”

“But that day…”

“Is over,” she finished.  The shooting that nearly took her life wasn’t mentioned between them much anymore, the memories of it painful, but accepted.  “We can’t change the past and I certainly don’t want to live in it.”

“I can’t loose you.  You know that right?”

“You won’t.  I always come back.”  When his eyes focused on hers again, they found a face lit up by its smile.  “You, my love, are stuck with me.”

“Well…ok,” he played along.  “If you say so.  I’m getting used to you hanging around anyway.”

“You’d better be.  Now, lets go give my dimwitted brother a bad time.  Shall we?”

Hayden hugged her, kissing her shoulder as he rested his head against hers.  His own demons had shown up late for the party and were no longer welcome.  Everyone was fine and it was time to focus on that.  They walked to the bed Eric was filling in the emergency room, and pulled back the curtain to find the reunited couple already locked in a debate.  “Oh good,” said an exasperated Beth.  “Maybe your sister can talk some sense into you!”

This was a sure sign of trouble.  “You want ME to make sense?  Have you lost your mind?”

“No, but he has!” she fumed, pointing at Eric.  “He falls through the floor of a burning building and has to be dragged out…”

“Whoa!  I was not dragged out,” Eric interrupted.  “I took off my air tanks and hopped to Steve who HELPED me out.”

“Oh yeah, sorry,” she shot back sarcastically.  “That makes SUCH a difference, not to mention that it explains the smoke inhalation!  As if that and breaking his leg wasn’t enough, now he wants ME to help him LEAVE!”

“Leave the hospital?  What on earth are you thinking?”  Her brother had some strange ideas, but the logic behind this one completely escaped her.

“We have to be at the Ranch in a few hours.”

“Eric, really,” Hayden chimed in.  “Everyone will understand why you aren’t there.”

“Everyone but me.  I have to go.”

Beth was now pacing around the bed.  “See!  He’s impossible!”

“Ok, hold up.”  Melissa needed a minute to figure this all out.  “You scared the crap out of all of us.  Poor Mom is probably having a nervous breakdown and I’m supposed to call and tell them that as soon as they cast your leg and clear your lungs, you’re going to a movie?”

“Well…yeah.”  Beth groaned and threw up her hands in frustration.  “But it’s more than a movie Sis and you know that.”

“It’s a movie Eric, trust me,” Hayden smirked.

“Lissa?  Who camped out with me in the theater parking lot each time on one of the original trilogy was re-released?

Melissa bit on her bottom lip, a mannerism she had acquired from Hayden, and shifted uncomfortably in response to Eric’s question.  “You camped OUT?” Hayden’s eyes wide with surprise.  “You never told me you camped out.”

“Who analyzed the books with me and speculated about what would happen in Episode 1?  Who’s watched all five movies with me so many times we’ve lost count?”

“Now, this is getting interesting,” Hayden leaned over and whispered to Beth.

“Ok.  You’re right.  Is that what you want me to say?”  Melissa planted her hands firmly on her hips, her mental defense was failing, so maybe a physical one would work.  “But we did those things with you healthy.  This is VERY different.”

“Why?  Are you sick?” 

“No, you twit!  You are!  Brothers…honestly.”

“But I have a doctor that loves me,” he winked in Beth’s direction.

“It’s that simple fact that’s keeping me from strangling you,” she sighed.  It seemed like watching the siblings banter had begun to calm Beth down.

“How about an unbiased third party?” Hayden suggested.  “Beautiful?  Didn’t you say Jean was on her way?”

“Yes.”

“Beth?  Would you trust and accept Jean’s diagnosis?”

“Yes.”

“So, let her decided if Eric is well enough to leave.  Can you both agree on that?  It seems like the only fair way.”

While both were afraid of having the decision leave their hands, Beth and Eric knew it was the only way and reluctantly agreed.

Beth had done her first and second years of residency at University Hospital under Jean’s supervision.  In order to continue her training as a pediatrician she had, very reluctantly, changed hospitals.  Jean would side with the conservative path, Beth was certain about that.

“He’s been paroled,” Jean later told a very shocked group.  “They are casting his leg now.  I’ll send him home with medicine for the pain and he needs to come back in 2 days and have the cast checked.  I told him he has to behave because otherwise my orders are for you to march…er…wheel him back in here.”

“I don’t understand,” Beth questioned.  “If he were a typical case, he’d stay in 24 hours, at least, for monitoring.”

“Yes, but he’s not typical.  His lungs are clearing and, besides, not all my patients get to go home with their very own personal physician.”

“You know he wants to go out, right?” Melissa pointed out.

“Yes, he told me.  No more physical movement than absolutely necessary.  He knows you all think he should be in here and are just waiting for a reason to bring him back.  I think he’ll be minding his manners and doctors orders.

“But…” The girls started but were interrupted by Hayden. 

“You agreed to abide by Jeans decision.”

“I want a second opinion then.”

“Jean is the second opinion Bethy, right behind yours,” Melissa giggled.  “Look, we’ve lost, let’s just make the most of it and try to keep wonder brain in line today.  I had better go call Mom and Dad.”

Beth returned to Eric to consent defeat while Hayden went outside with Melissa to check his messages, since cell phones weren’t permitted in the ER.  As soon as they turned their phones on, both were alerted to new voicemail messages.  Melissa knew hers was her Dad, but as Hayden listened to his, he grabbed Melissa’s wrist to look at her watch and muttered, “whoops.”

“Oh no…your interviews.  Did you miss them?”

He shook his head no as the message ended.  “Cecilia wanted to tell me the interview order and where to park at the Ranch if we were driving.”

“You need to go though,” spying her own glance at the time.

“Not yet.”

“Yes, yet.  Have you looked at yourself?  We came here from jogging.  Remember?  A shower and clean clothes would be a wonderful idea before meeting the press, don’t you think?”

“Wrapping his arms around her, he couldn’t stop smiling.  “Why would I look at myself when I can look at you?  Are you telling me I need to give some attention to my personal grooming?”

“No, I’m telling you that I love you but you stink,” she laughed, “and I think Barbara Walters would appreciate that tan linen v-neck you asked me to find and the smell of fresh cologne.”

“Where was that shirt anyway?  I looked through every inch of my closet and the laundry room.”

“You, um, didn’t look in my closet,” she quietly admitted.

“Ooooooh, I see.  Stealing my clothes now are you?”  There was a playful aspect to their relationship that had been there from the start, and with everything they’d been through, it always remained, helping to keep them grounded.  “I bet it looks better on you anyway.”

“Well, maybe I’ll just have to take it off of you and see,” she winked.

“Do you think Barbara will appreciate that?”

“Not nearly as much as I would.  Now go before you’re late.  I’ll ride back with Beth.  She’ll need help.”

“Ok beautiful.  When you get there…”

“I’ll find you, don’t worry.  I always do don’t I?”

“Yeah, you do.”  Slipping his hand behind her neck, he pulled her face to his and captured her lips in a tender kiss.  “I can always count on that,” he whispered before kissing her again.  “Love you beautiful.”

“Love you too.  Now scoot.  We’ll meet you there with twinkle toes in tow.”

“You have to tell me more about this camping out you did,” he laughed, waving as he walked toward the car. 

“Eek!” she blushed, as he climbed into the car and drove away.

Normally he would have spent the morning preparing answers to questions he was sure to be asked.  But, like everything else in his life, it seemed it was time for that process to change.  He admired how Melissa not only acted from her hearts direction, but spoke from it as well.  Today, going in technically unprepared, Hayden was going to try his hand at it and hope he could be a least moderately successful.

After all, she always told him that the heart is never wrong.