The paramedic rattled off the patient's stats.
"Bates, Armstrong, you're with me," Jess called over her shoulder.
Glancing down at her watch, Kim frowned. It was fifteen minutes to shift change. Almost made it. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for Jess to work overtime, and while Kim respected her work ethic, she couldn't help sighing as she saw their dinner plans going out the window.
The second paramedic stepped up to the nurses' station.
Terrell strode over to greet him.
"The other team is bringing in the shooter. They were right behind us."
The wail of a siren punctuated his words.
"What're his injuries?" Terrell asked.
"Don't know about the son. We were concentrating on the father."
Kim raked her hands through her hair. A father and son. What is this world coming to? Even with all she had seen so far in her career these violent family conflicts still affected her.
The ambulance bay doors swooshed open.
Her attention was once again drawn to the incoming patient.
A paramedic pushed a gurney through the doors.
The patient struggled weakly against restraining straps across his chest and thighs. "I didn't want to. Please... I didn't mean it."
"Settle down now. Let the docs help you," the paramedic said.
"He made me. I swear." The patient whimpered.
Where have I heard that voice before? Frowning, Kim took a step forward as Terrell and the paramedic pushed the gurney past her.
"Do you need a hand?" Kim asked. She glanced down at the patient.
A young man with a bloody, battered face looked back at her through eyes swollen to thin slits. "Mom?" He strained toward her. "Oh, Mom."
Kim quickly moved to the side of the gurney. "Take it easy." Her nose wrinkled at the pungent smell of urine that wafted up from the patient's bloody, torn clothing.
His mangled features defied recognition for a moment, then it hit.
Oh my God. "Brian." He had been part of one of her therapy groups.
"Please. Help me." Brian clutched the front of Kim's shirt.
"Hey!" Terrell's hand shot out and grabbed Brian's wrist.
Keeping her eyes on Brian, Kim said, "It's okay. Let him go, Terrell." When he didn't immediately comply, she glanced up at Terrell.
Terrell met her eyes, and Kim nodded. He slowly and somewhat reluctantly released Brian's wrist.
"You need to let go, Brian." Kim kept her voice calm and as soothing as she could make it.
"I didn't mean it!"
Brian's hand tightened on her shirt.
Kim grabbed his forearm. Don't panic. He's hurt and scared. The muscles turned to granite under her fingers.
With a low undulating moan, Brian's body arched against the gurney's restraining straps.
"Brian!" God. What's happening?
As if pulled by a marionette's strings, his body began to jerk.
"Damn it. He's seizing," Terrell said. "Get him into Trauma Two."
Kim struggled to pry her shirt out of Brian's hand as the paramedic grasped the stretcher and started to pull.
She gripped the side of the gurney with one hand to keep from falling as she was dragged along.
Two arms wrapped around Kim from behind.
One hand grabbed Brian's wrist; the other grasped Kim's shirt.
The fabric was wrenched from his grip.
Kim let go of the gurney as she was jerked back against an instantly familiar body. Jess.
Unthinking, Kim turned within the circle of Jess's arms.
Scared silvery-blue eyes met hers.
"You okay?" Jess asked.
Not sure if she really was okay, but aware enough to know Jess needed to do her job, Kim nodded. From the look on Jess's face, she wasn't going anywhere until she made sure Kim was all right.
"I'm good," Kim finally managed. "Go."
Jess hesitated for just a second, then turned and sprinted down the hall in hot pursuit of the gurney carrying Brian.
A hand landing on her shoulder made Kim jump. She turned to find Penny standing behind her.
"Are you all righ —" Penny's gaze dropped to Kim's chest and she gulped heavily.
Glancing down, Kim spied the lurid red stain that saturated her blouse directly over her heart. Now aware of the blood, the cold, clammy feel of it against her skin made her stomach roil.
Kim bolted for the nearest restroom.
* * *
The door to Jess's office flew open with enough force to slam it against the wall.
Kim jumped, fumbling to keep from dropping the journal she had been trying to read.
Jess blew into the room.
She paused long enough to kick the door shut, then stormed over to her desk.
"Damn it." Jess struggled to free herself from her lab coat. Her anger made her movements jerky and uncoordinated. Once free of the coat, she balled it up and threw it on her desk. "What a fucking waste."
Whoa. Kim had never seen Jess so openly emotional. A sinking feeling filled the pit of her stomach. She doesn't realize I'm here. She couldn't help but dread Jess's reaction to being observed unaware. Kim knew how important Jess's need to feel in control emotionally was to her.
"Hey, Jess."
Jess spun around. Her glare pinned Kim in place on the couch. "What are you still doing here?"
Flinching at Jess's harsh tone, she quickly stood. "I waited to see how Brian was doing." That was the truth — just not the whole truth. Seeing a patient, even one she had only seen a few times in group, bloody and broken like that had shaken her up. However, a large part of Kim wanted — no, needed to be with Jess. Just being in the same room with Jess gave her a sense of comfort and safety she had never experienced with anyone else. Well, you ruined any possibility of that happening now. Knowing how Jess must feel about her having witnessed her loss of control, Kim had no doubt that her presence was not welcome at the moment. "I'm sorry. I'll go."
Like a balloon losing its air, Jess deflated. She made her way over to the couch. "No. Wait." Jess sat down on the couch, then reached up and tentatively clasped Kim's hand. "Please."
Kim allowed herself to be tugged down to sit next to Jess. She smiled when Jess didn't let go of her hand. That was one of the things that had changed between them. They each seemed to find any excuse to touch the other — however casually.
"I'm sorry. You startled me." Jess blew out a breath. "But that's no excuse." She ducked her head. "You're welcome to be in this office any time you want. I hope you know that."
Kim used just the tips of her fingers to urge Jess's head up. "You don't have to hide your feelings from me, Jess. Everyone gets angry. You want to talk about what made you mad?"
Jess shook her head. "It's just work..." Her eyes widened suddenly. "Um, what patient were you waiting to find out about? It wasn't the one in the hall was it? Who had a hold of you?"
"Yes, that's Brian. He was in one of my therapy groups a couple of months ago."
"Oh," Jess said.
A trickle of dread crept down Kim's spine at the look on Jess's face.
Jess took hold of Kim's other hand. She cradled both of Kim's hands within hers. "I'm so sorry."
No. It can't be. Jess's expression made it clear that it was, but Kim needed to hear it out loud. Her throat constricted. She struggled to force the words out. "He's dead?"
Jess nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry."
Kim's stomach churned. God, no. It's not fair. He's just a boy. She leaned forward over their joined hands. When Jess pulled her hands free and wrapped her arms around her, Kim sank into Jess's embrace.
Jess gently stroked her back.
The strong beat of Jess's heart under her ear soothed Kim. She soaked in the comfort of Jess's strong arms wrapped securely around her for several long moments while she regained her composure. Although it was the last thing she wanted to do, she knew she should break the embrace. They were at work and anyone could walk in. She forced herself to ease out of the warmth of Jess's arms.