Parkers Island Ch. 04

"Sarah I'm going to need to speak to Shelby, I need Em out of the way when I do."

Both understanding the reason why Sarah just nodded her head and went back to the nurse's desk to call Shelby. Two men in suits turned up with Shelby later that afternoon, Sarah took one look and scooped Amelia into her arm and told her they were going for a long cup of coffee. Amelia went to protest but the look on Shelby's face as well as the two men stood behind her made her think twice.

She allowed herself to be led to the canteen, her body may have been there but her mind was still with her husband.

"They need to de-brief him Em, I've held them off as long as I could which wasn't difficult seeing the condition he was in but they need answers Em and he can't have you there when he does."

Even when both sat in the canteen both minds were elsewhere.

"I'm his wife I should be with him."

Amelia went to get up, a hand came to hers and held her, she looked at her friend and she shook her head. Sarah finished her coffee and stood pointing to the door leading to the grounds when she did. As they walked Sarah told her of her husband and his time with the Rangers and both tours in Vietnam. She also talked about her time in Afghanistan and when she volunteered for the forward medical bases instead of allowing the roster to allocate who goes there.

"I love my husband Em, I truly do but we both know he keeps secrets from me."

Sarah smiled and a small giggle passed her lips which caused Amelia to look at her friend.

"Hell I have a higher security clearance than he ever had and yet I still don't know some of the things that happened to him over there, because he doesn't want me to know. Aiden can't have you with him while they de-brief him Em because his afraid."

Amelia was set to defend her husband when Sarah sat on a bench overlooking the pond, the water carried the sounds of the ducks splashing about over on the far side of the pond.

"Henry admitted to me his done things to protect his men and get as many of them home as possible, things that in the cold light of day he thinks I would judge him on. His heart tells him I would never do that but his head won't ever give his heart that choice."

Once again Sarah took Amelia by the hand and held it tight before looking her directly in the eyes.

"Aiden is telling Shelby those secrets as we speak because he has to Em; maybe someday he will tell you but please don't ever pressure him for them. He loves you so much and he's just scared that if he does then that love will be replaced with hate and his heart won't ever recover from that."

This time both sat and watched the ducks, Sarah left any further conversation to her friend; even she wasn't prepared for what she said next.

"What did you do to him when you were over there?"

Sarah's own memories rushed back to when the Seal team placed the stretcher on the ground in front of her and she had to choke back a cry. Sarah told her friend of how she and the corpsman placed a tarp over themselves so they could get a light on Aiden. His injuries were so extensive that he needed to be operated on now or he would never make the journey to the helicopters.

When she went to talk to the Lieutenant and the Seal commander both said that they had their orders and those were that she was to do what was needed to keep him alive. So many men's lives were in her hands from then on, all knew that if found they would make a stand and fight. The two men in front of her knew why and yet they still agreed to this mission and both understood that Sarah needed to operate on Aiden just to keep him alive.

With a nod of all three heads Sarah went back and pulled the tarp over them once again. It was clear to see that the corpsman was ready for what they were about to do, but then again kneeling on the side of a mountain either side of a stretcher with green filtered lights attached to their heads and a tarp over them wasn't exactly a regulation operating theater; that was for sure.

This was a combat zone, she had to figure out what to fix now to stop Aiden dying in transit and also figure out what she could leave alone until they could get him into a real hospital...and do it all in the dark.

The intubation tube was the first priority. Getting a stable airway was critical. Aiden's face was so swollen and throat so bloody from his beatings that the corpsman made three attempts to get the tube into his lungs before Sarah took over. All she could do was follow the bubbles to figure out tube placement through the bloody mess.

The corpsman secured the airway and breathed for Aiden, supplying much needed oxygen. Sarah inserted two central lines into the only undamaged areas she could find - one in his right shoulder and the other in his left groin for medication, fluids and blood replacement.

The chest tubes were a must to drain the blood and re-inflate his lungs. She located his nipple and followed the imaginary line to the side of his chest. There she made a one inch incision along the rib. She then slid the large tube and its reinforcing rod over the rib and poked it into the chest cavity. There was a resounding gush of blood and air indicating she was through the chest wall.

The corpsman acknowledged the bagging had become easier and Aiden immediately started to pink up as the pressure was released. She placed a one-way valve on the end of the tube and secured the whole assembly by sewing the skin around it. The procedure was repeated on the other side.

The lieutenant pulled two of his strongest men from the line to act as stretcher bearers, when the Marine in front picked up the stretcher, Sarah attached two units of blood onto his pack

"I could list his injuries for you Em, but that one task alone could take about half an hour. They would range from, closed head injuries, multiple broken ribs with fluid on the chest. Liver and spleen lacerations, fractures, that was one heck of a bar brawl he was in Em."

Amelia sat and listened, understanding more when Sarah went into a few details, not to mention the attempt at humor. Yet something still felt off about this conversation, her friend was being more honest with her than perhaps she should and yet she still felt an undercurrent of hesitancy about her. Born of frustration or a need to know perhaps, she challenged Sarah.

"What is it you're not telling me?"

Sarah smiled and patted her friend on her knee.

"Remind me never to play poker with you."

Both smiled and Sarah felt even closer to her friend at that moment, she just hoped that Em could cope with what she was about to say.

"Aiden wasn't alone in his cell Em. Carol was with him."

*******

I watched both the suits pack up and leave, Shelby waited until the door closed once again before her eyes met mine.

"Well that was fun."

Both giggled, Shelby then brought Aiden up to date on what was happening with Tessa, she quickly glossed over the confrontation in the boardroom with Mitchell Carter. Aiden was impressed with his friend; she was going to go far within the Department that was for sure.

Shelby got up and said that she would talk again when he had rested before leaving his room. Carol still sat on Amelia's bed watching and saying nothing, she smiled when I looked at her.

"Why are you still here?"

A sadness came to her. I had never seen that from her and I genuinely worried about it.

"I will be leaving very soon my friend; I'm just waiting for you to decide."

Remembering she had made a similar comment before, I asked her what I was going to decide. That sadness came to her again and other than tell me that Amelia was about to enter, our conversation was once again over. When I looked towards the door Em was watching me through the observation window, she came in when she saw me looking at her.

She sat first before her hand went to mine.

"Are you ok?"

"Other than a great big headache I'm fine."

For the first time ever with her husband she was afraid. Not of him, but of the answer he would give her if she asked the one question pounding at her thoughts as she looked at him. Chocking back the fear she looked deep into his eyes.

"Honey, why didn't you tell me about Carol?"

"Carol kept me alive while I was in that shit hole Amelia."

Amelia understood her husband answer but pressed on, "So why is she still with you?"

I couldn't help but look at Carol sat on Em's bed just then, Amelia caught me doing it and held my hand tighter.

"She says she's waiting for me to decide."

Amelia now understood, she looked towards her bed just as Aiden had. She nodded her head and silently thanked her friend before standing and leaning over her husband and kissing his forehead.

"Well I'm taking away your choice to decide my love. The only way you get to die is when I finish fucking you to death."

With purpose in her stride she went to find Sarah.

*******

"Sarah he's dying."

Those three words made Sarah look up from the report she was writing her mind totally stunned at what her friend had said.

"No Em he's not. I've just gone over his all his charts, his fine."

Amelia stood her ground, shaking her head vigorously.

"You've missed something, find it because he's going to die real soon."

This time Sarah stood in front of her friend and guided her to a seat next to her desk.

"Em what's going on?"

Amelia had no choice, she told Sarah of the time she was seventeen. Carol and she went to visit an aunt who had been sick for a week. They talked for close to an hour before both sensed she was getting tired.

"Sarah, as we got ready to leave, my aunt told me that she gets to decide when she dies."

Seeing that Sarah still hadn't understood Amelia tried again.

"It's why Carol is still here, something in Aiden is going to kill him. Believe in ghosts or not but only Carol and I were there when my aunt said that."

Feeling that Sarah was just humoring her Amelia's own frustration reached its limit.

"Dammit Sarah stop thinking that everything is about science. Not everything is black and white. Carol is waiting for Aiden, she took a job on to protect him and she will do the same when he dies, and yes he is going to die because you have missed something."

Although a little stung by her friend's remark Sarah relented, she was just as confused as to why she accepted that Carol was with Aiden so quickly. She nodded her agreement and both the nurse and Sarah went to work giving Aiden every test conceivable. Although some of the equipment wasn't up to specialist standards, it was good enough that by late evening Sarah had to apologies to Em.

By the next morning a helicopter transported Aiden to an army airfield where a medical transport was waiting to take Sarah and Aiden to Walter Reed. Between Shelby and Sarah they already had a neurosurgeon on stand-by when they got there. When news filtered down through the department, new get well cards replaced old ones on the 'Aiden's updates' board.

Amelia watched as people placed cards on the board, most knew who she was and most of the women gave her a hug and what little in the way of words of support they could offer. She heard a helicopter land on the pad but paid little attention to it, Tessa's quickness of step intrigued her though.

"Good I've finally found you. Get your coat and enough clothes to last a week."

"Why?"

Tessa rolled her eyes before grasping her friends hand and both headed towards the apartment.

"Your transports here, they have Aiden on the table as we speak. By my best guess you may just make it to his room as they wheel him out of surgery."

Tessa had trouble keeping up with Amelia after that shared piece of information. Just before Amelia boarded the helicopter Tessa handed her a card. Confused she looked at it again.

"You go there with powerful friends Em. It was the Whitehouse that sent the helicopter you're about to leave in. Senator Chadwick has already been on the phone to Walter Reed and told them you're there not only because of your husband but because the President wants you there."

Even stunned she again looked at the card. Tessa waited for her friend to look at her once again before she continued.

"Memorize that number Em, when you know it off by heart then destroy the card. If you ever find yourself up against a brick wall again, then use that number. You will always find a friend on the end of the line Em."

With that Tessa gave her friend a quick hug and pushed her towards the waiting helicopter.

*******

Sarah watched as the helicopter landed, Amelia quickly joined her friend as both headed into the main building.

"The Berry Aneurism was at a critical level Em; he's in post-op now and resting, they have your room ready."

She looked at Sarah confused, and she realized what she had said and frowned at Amelia causing her confusion to deepen so Sarah explained and tried hard not to sound like a doctor when she did.

"A Berry Aneurism, it's a weakening or ballooning of a blood vessel in the brain. It was about to burst."

"He is ok?"

For the first time in two days Sarah smiled, she nodded her head as both walked into the main building. Sarah took Amelia to her room and gave her friend just enough time to put her bag down before both left to see Aiden.

The tubes going into him and the machines giving off the occasional beep scared Amelia and tears welled up in her eyes. Sarah held her tighter reassuring her but through the tears she watched Carol as she smiled one final time at her friend. Carols lips didn't move and yet her friend could hear her.

"I will see you both again when its time my friend, until then love him."

"Thank you for my husband Carol, he has my heart but you will always be in my thoughts."

Carol smiled one more time before she faded from sight.

*******

The nurses giving Aiden bed baths noticed the scars but none commented on them, 'Mrs. Smith' sat and watched everyone come and go like a hawk she was polite and talked to the nurses and doctors alike but any medical needs were directed to Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Michelson. It was still two weeks and endless tests before Walter Reed allowed 'Mr. Smith' to return to where ever he had originally come from. All paperwork regarding the patient was sent to Senator Chadwick's office.

Between Tessa and Harvey Townsend all electronic evidence of Aiden's stay at Walter Reed vanished less than an hour after the helicopter left the grounds. A notice once again went on the board that Aiden would be returning later today causing another influx of cards being attached.

*******

I was only in the clinic for a week after my return, the headaches a thing of memory. Sarah would continue to do daily check-ups and eventually decided I was on the mend.

The Department could remove the room built for Aiden and return him to his apartment for his three months of rehabilitation. It was left to the physiotherapy people to get wasted muscle back and then my final check-up with Sarah before I was deemed fit enough to return home.

Home, now that was a word I liked to hear. Back to Parkers Island and pick up a normal life once again. I even made myself a calendar and ticked the days off, Sarah would always join Em and I on our evening walk of the grounds. Their was no undercurrent to any of our conversations, we all looked forward to going home, sometimes Tessa would join us but the new project she was on often kept her in the office until late evening.

Me still being me, I did warn her of the last time she did stuff like that and even threatened to let Lauren take her on a road trip if I see her going that way again. She had the decency to blush and that made us all laugh, I was choked up when Em took me to see the Aiden's update board. Between us we took down the cards and I replaced them with a personal note from me thanking everyone for their support and kind thoughts.

This time Shelby turned up with Sarah, we were all packed and I even got to hug my boss and thanked her for looking out for Amelia. We let Sarah go at the ferry dock she had been away for close to five months and she told us both she planned on a lot of catch up with Henry, once she takes the house phone off the hook. Em and I had lunch at the diner; both of us went beet red when we got a round of applause from those that were there.

Both of us got to the florist before she closed up shop and we went to pay our respects to Carol and Madison, Martha met us there. We told her about Carol, I knew she would share what we told her with her husband. This time Matriarch never made an appearance, just a mother and a wife who understood what her child had done. As the day slowly ended and the sun shared its last rays Amelia and I helped Martha stand.

We watched hand in hand as Martha squatted next to Carol's headstone, placed her hand on it for support and kissed it. We both understood why.