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#Post#: 341--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 31
By: 22639 Date: March 13, 2012, 9:57 pm
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Joe is sitting on a blanket with his back against a tree and
his laptop in his lap. He is still stuffed from the huge lunch
Zoe had prepared for their picnic and the peaceful atmosphere of
Seacouver Island Park makes the everyday world outside of the
island sanctuary seem nonexistent Since the spot he chose for
their picnic is just a few yards away from the Rose Gardens near
the center of the park....the scent of many varieties of roses
fills the air.
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height=404]
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Joe hits the Send button on his computer and waits for
confirmation that his email had been sent then he shuts his
laptop and glances over at Zoe.
Zoe: How's it going?
Zoe asks, turning her head towards Joe, hearing the computer
beep.
Joe: All done. Thanks for letting me take care of that.
Joe says and puts his laptop back in its carrying case.
Zoe: It's fine. I told you, I'm just happy to be here, in the
sun and with you.
Zoe says with a smile.
Joe: Smells like the roses are blooming early this year.
Joe says taking in a deep breath.
HTML http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/22639/Highlander/Misc%20RPGs/images-3.jpg
Zoe: It does. It smells positively heavenly.
Zoe replies contentedly.
Joe: I am so glad that you were able to see the park, the Rose
Garden and the lake before.....
Joe 's voice trails off not wanting to say the words, "you went
blind."
Zoe: Before, I went blind?
Zoe asks, finishing Joe's sentence.
Zoe: So, am I, but truth is, Joe.. everyplace is heavenly, when
I'm with you.
Joe leans forward and retrieves the pitcher of sparkling
strawberry cider and refills Zoe's and his glasses. He hands Zoe
hers.
Joe: You know.....you keep saying stuff like that and you'll
over inflate my ego.
Joe says and kisses her cheek. Then he sits back and takes a sip
of his drink.
Zoe: Now that I don't even think is possible.
Zoe chuckles, and reaches out carefully stacking the plates from
their picnic. Salad plates, chicken and veggies, and dessert
plates.
Joe watches Zoe with admiration. He has never seen anyone adapt
so quickly to a disability as quickly as Zoe has her blindness.
It had only been a month since Zoe's illness took her sight and
she had already been able to learn to do so many things without
help. She was even learning braille He remembers how long it
took him to accept losing his legs and he doubts he would be
able to accept being blind as quickly as Zoe had. He has a
renewed respect for the woman he married.
Zoe picks up the plates and slips them into the basket.
Zoe: Any preference on what we should do with the remains of the
day?
Zoe asks.
Joe: Hold that thought.
Joe says and he struggles to his feet. He looks around and sees
that, even though it's a beautiful Sunday afternoon, they are
the only people in the area. So he heads over to the Rose
Gardens and, taking one last look around, proceeds to cut
several roses. He removes the thorns as he heads back over to
their picnic site.
Joe: For you, ma lady.
Joe says and hands her the makeshift bouquet.
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height=196]
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Zoe: Joe!
Zoe admonishes with a laugh, accepting the bouquet and putting
it to her nose and inhaling deeply.
Joe sits back down on the blanket and picks up his glass. He
takes a long drink of the sparkling sweet liquid.
Joe: They pale in comparison, my love.
Joe says softly.
Zoe: Flatterer.
Zoe teases in reply.
Joe: I speak only the truth.
Joe says and brushes a wisp of her hair from her face. He gently
traces her jaw bone with the tips of his fingers then leans in
and kisses her.
Zoe enthusiastically returns Joe's kiss.
Joe ends the kiss and sits back, looking up at the sky. He
finishes his cider and sets his empty cup in the bag they have
designated as trash. He looks over at Zoe and gets an idea that
is sparked by the realization that this may be the last time
they are able to enjoy Seacouver Island Park together.
Joe: Since it is such a gorgeous day....how about going for a
walk?
Joe suggests.
Zoe: Sounds wonderful.
Zoe grins, moving to stand up.
Joe: Why don't you wait here while I put this stuff in the car?
Joe says as he struggles to his feet again.
Zoe: What's the fun in that?
Zoe smiles.
Zoe: How about I get the blanket?
Zoe says moving over to where she had left her shoes and
slipping into them.
Joe: OK Fine. Don't let me be chivalrous.
Joe grumbles, feigning hurt feelings.
Zoe: Well, see, if I let you be chivalrous, then that means, I
have to spend time away from you.
Zoe points out, with a smile at Joe.
Joe: How come you always have an answer for things? Just once I
would like to win a disagreement with you.
Joe says and laughs as he gathers up their stuff.
Zoe: I didn't realize we were having a disagreement!
Zoe laughs.
Joe simply laughs and shakes his head. He holds out his elbow so
Zoe can take hold of it and he leads her to his SUV. He packs
everything away and closes the rear door, re-locks the car and
takes hold of Zoe's hand.
Joe: Ready?
Joe asks and gives her a quick kiss on the tip of her nose.
Zoe: Absolutely.
Zoe grins.
Joe chooses one of the many paths in the park and starts
casually strolling along the path...holding Zoe's hand in
his.[img height=16
width=16]
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Zoe just smiles contentedly, as she walks alongside Joe. Her
Husband. Her love
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A ways down the path and they come to a clearing with the famous
(at least in Seacouver) hollow tree.
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Joe stops and looks at the tree and remembers the first time he
brought Zoe here. She had become so taken with the tree. They
had taken several pictures of the two of them inside the trunk.
He leads Zoe over to the tree and places her hand on its trunk.
Joe: You know where we are?
Joe asks softly.
Zoe: The Tree?
Zoe asks feeling the moss covered wood of the tree.
Zoe: It's the Hollow tree isn't it?
Zoe asks, running her hands up and down the wood, taking in the
details her sense of touch gave her. She feels like she could
almost see the hole in the tree. Zoe still felt it was amazing
how her other senses compensated for the lack of sight. She can
feel the heat of Joe's body as he stands next to her, smell the
damp slightly rotting sense of the moss.
Joe: The one and only.
Joe answers with a snicker.
Zoe: I love you, Joe.
Zoe says turning to Joe and following her senses leans forwards
to kiss him.
Joe stands inside the trunk of the hollow tree and returns Zoe's
kiss. Then he leads her on down the path. They come to the
bridge that crosses the narrow part of the small lake near the
center of the island and he leads her onto the bridge...stopping
in the middle of it. He chuckles softly as he watches the ducks
swimming on the lake's glass like surface.
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height=503]
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Joe chuckles softly as he watches the ducks swimming on the
lake's glass like surface.
Zoe: What's funny?
Zoe asks, leaning lightly against Joe.
Joe: Have you ever seen the Music Man?
Joe asks...a bit embarrassed that he was caught.
Zoe: Yes.
Zoe says.
Joe: Well....we're standing in the middle of the bridge over the
lake. It reminded me of that song they sing standing on the foot
bridge.
Joe explains as the melody plays in his head and he starts to
sing the song softly...just for Zoe's ears.
Audio
HTML http://my.letssingit.com/cgi-exe/am.cgi?a=my_playlist&special_id=gtnrhd5<br
/> Lyrics
HTML http://artists.letssingit.com/cgi-exe/am.cgi?a=artists_song_lyrics_print&song_id=gtnrhd5
Joe begins to sing the song softly....for Zoe's ears only.
Zoe sighs contentedly when Joe finishes the song. She absolutely
loves to listen to him.
Zoe: That was lovely.... Though I fail to see how thinking of
that scene or song, was amusing.
Zoe says, quirking a smile.
Joe: Because it just seemed kind of un-macho. And when a guy
thinks of something along those lines we tend to laugh it off. I
guess you could say it's a programmed response
Joe says with a shrug. He takes her hand and leads her off of
the bridge.
Zoe: Men.
Zoe sighs with a theatrical roll of her eyes.
Zoe: Can't live with them, can't live without them!
Zoe says exasperatingly, before laughing at her own joke.
Joe: Believe me.....we say the same thing about you women.
Joe says and laughs.
Zoe: And here I thought it was men just didn't understand women.
Zoe chuckles.
Joe: Oh. We understand them, all right. We understand that we
will never understand them.
Joe says still laughing.
Zoe: I knew I married a smart man!
Zoe exclaims through her laughter.
Joe guides Zoe along the path that winds through the lush
forested park...ending up back at the parking area where Joe's
SUV is parked.
Joe: I trust you have had enough of the outdoors and are ready
to go home?
Joe says as they walk up to his car.
Zoe: Yeah, I think I'm good.
Zoe says, just content to be with her husband.
Joe unlocks and opens the passenger door and helps Zoe into the
car then goes around and gets into the drivers' seat.
Joe: Wow! The whole car smells like roses.
Joe comments when he gets in and smells the bouquet of roses he
had stole for her earlier and that they left in the car while
they took their walk.
Zoe: I wonder why?!
Zoe says laughingly.
Joe starts the car and heads for home. Ten minutes later he
pulls the car up to the curb in front of their house, gets out
and goes to the passenger door, opens it and helps Zoe out of
the car.
Joe: I'll come out and get the stuff out of the car later.
Joe says as he takes hold of Zoe's hand and guides her to the
front steps.
Zoe: Well, I don't think we have to worry about any of it going
anywhere.
Zoe chuckles softly.
Joe: And I don't think I left any left overs to go bad.
Joe says, rubbing his stomach.
Joe: I made a total pig of myself.
Joe chuckles as he leads her up the steps and unlocks the front
door.
Zoe: Everyone is aloud to do that, every once and a while.
Zoe smiles.
Joe: You're just too good of a cook.
Joe confesses.
Joe: You've got me spoiled.
Joe admits.
Zoe: Well, that's easy to do, when you were used to eating out
all the time!
Zoe teases.
Joe holds the door open so Zoe can enter the house then closes
and locks the front door behind them. He takes her hand and
leads her to their bedroom and once they have crossed the
threshold he turns to her, takes her in his arms and kisses her
passionately.
Zoe returns the kiss with her own passion for a long moment.
Then breaks off the kiss, and takes a step back, allowing her
hands to trail down to Joe's. Lightly grasping his hands, she
steps back to the bed.
[center]To be continued[/center]
#Post#: 342--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 32
By: 22639 Date: March 17, 2012, 11:23 pm
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[center]The part of Duncan MacLeod is temporarily being
understudied.[/center]
Joe wakes up and turns over to look at his sleeping wife. She
looks so peaceful that he decides to let her sleep and gets up,
gets dressed and goes to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.
Joe: There were bells....on a hill....but I never heard them
ringing. No I never heard them at all....till there was you.
Joe sings softly as he prepares the coffee.
Joe: There was love all around But I never heard it singing No I
never heard it at all Till there was you.
Joe hums the rest of the song as he makes a couple of pieces of
toast for himself.
Methos yawns as he comes out of the kitchen at his new house
after having breakfast still carrying a cup of coffee. He checks
the time on his watch and decides to see if he has some news
emails on his computer, maybe he'd got an answer to that email
while he was sleeping..
Joe: Then there was music and wonderful roses they tell me in
sweet fragrant meadows of dawn and dew.
Joe sings as he butters his toast and puts some of Zoe's
homemade marmalade on the slices of toast.
Joe: There were birds in the sky But I never saw them winging
No, I never saw them at all Till there was you.
Till....there....was...you.
Joe sings as he pours himself a cup of coffee. He carries his
plate of toast and cup of coffee into the living room and sets
it on the table next to his favorite chair then goes out onto
the front porch to retrieve the morning paper.
Methos sighs as he opens a Watcher email and sees they'd called
for another meeting. After he'd asked Jason to call a meeting,
the Watchers seemed to get addicted to it.
Methos: Apparently not the best idea in the world.
Methos grumbles as he moves to the next email.
Duncan performs an early morning Kata in the Dojo before it
opens.
Joe carries the newspaper back into the living room and sits in
his favorite chair, opens the paper and picks up his cup of
coffee. He sips at the coffee as he scans the first section of
the Seacouver Times.
Methos checks the rest of his emails while he finishes the
coffee, then turns off the computer. He looks at the still
unopened boxes with a frown and decides to take care of it
today, he didn't have anything better to do anyway, so no more
excuses.
Joe finishes the first section of the newspaper and turns to the
sports section.
Joe: You know.....I probably should put something down on
tonight's basketball game. I just know the Celtics are going to
take it.
Joe mumbles to himself as he finishes reading through the sports
section. He looks at his watch and sees the time and decides
that if he doesn't wake Zoe up she'll be ****ed at him for
letting her sleep so long so he folds the paper up and sets it
on the end table, finishes eating his toast and takes another
sip of his coffee then gets up and goes to the bedroom to wake
up his sleeping wife.
Duncan finishes his Kata and goes back upstairs to take a
shower.
Joe walks over to Zoe's side of the bed and leans over. He
places a gentle kiss on her forehead and lays his hand on her
shoulder, giving it a gentle nudge.
Methos straightens up after emptying a box full of books and put
them on the selves. He can almost feel his back crack as he does
so.
Joe: Hey sleeping beauty. Time to rise and shine.
Joe says and looks down at Zoe and thinks how beautiful she
looks in what little light is seeping into the room through the
separation in the blinds.
Methos: So glad to be an Immortal.
Methos says as he shakes his head smiling a little.
Methos: Hmm of course if I wasn't my back would be the last of
my concerns by now.
Methos adds with a shrug as he moves to the next box.
Zoe doesn't move or respond to Joe in anyway.
Joe: Come on sleepy head. Rise and shine.
Joe says and goes over to the window and opens the
blinds...letting the sun into the room.
Joe: It's another gorgeous day. I know you don't want to let it
go to waste. Not with the April freeze coming soon.
Joe says as he turns and walks back over to the bed.
Zoe still doesn't move.
Joe looks down at Zoe and his brow furrows. Normally when he has
woken her up she would grimace and either turn away from the
light or cover her head with the blanket but she hasn't moved.
Joe: Zoe?
Joe says and touches her shoulder...giving it another gentle
nudge.
Duncan gets out of the shower, gets dressed and prepares to meet
the day.
Joe: Zoe! Sweetheart?
Joe says a little louder, this time and he gives her shoulder a
little harder shake.
Joe: ZOE!
Joe shouts, when she doesn't respond.
Methos decides to take a break after he empties another box and
moves to the kitchen to get another coffee.
Joe: Zoe? Zoe!
Joe says as panic starts to creep into every fiber of his being.
Zoe still doesn't move, outside of the movement Joe's shaking
causes.
Joe: Oh no. Please, God....no.
Joe sits down on the edge of the bed and places his first two
fingers on the side of her throat to feel for her pulse.
Duncan goes downstairs and opens the Dojo....turning on the neon
Open sign...retrieves the morning newspaper from the front steps
of the building and takes it into his office where he sits down
at his desk and opens the paper.
Joe 's hands tremble as he picks up the phone on Zoe's
nightstand and dials 911. He tries to remain calm as he asks for
an ambulance then he hangs up and calls her doctor.
Joe: OK We'll meet you there.
Joe says and hangs up. He looks at Zoe and picks up her hand. He
lifts it to his lips and kisses it.
Joe: Hang in there, baby. They're on their way.
Joe says softly...his voice almost a whisper.
Methos pours some coffee in a coffee cup, and drinks it slowly
trying to figure out how many boxes he still had to open, he
knows there are few upstairs.
Joe hears an approaching siren and gets up to go open the door
for its crew.
Joe: I'll be right back, sweetheart.
Joe says to Zoe then heads for the front door.
The Paramedic pulls their gurney up the front steps of the house
and reaches for the doorbell.
Joe opens the door before the ambulance crew has a chance to
ring the bell.
Joe: It's my wife. She's in the bedroom. I can't wake her up.
Joe explains....his voice thick with emotion.
Paramedic: What's your wife's name, sir?
Paramedic asks as he pulls the gurney through the front
door...his partner pushing from behind and carrying their trauma
kit.
Joe: Zoe. Zoe Dawson. I'm Joe.
Joe answers and shows the paramedics the way to the bedroom.
Paramedic: Has your wife been ill, Joe?
Paramedic says when he see how pale the patient is.
Methos shrugs as he decides to leave that for another time, he
still had more books to unpack, "Maybe I should move up to the
times, and get ebooks, wouldn't need to pack and unpack them all
the time." He murmurs under his breath seriously considering it.
Joe: Yes. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year.
Joe answers as he stands out of the way.
Joe: She went into remission and just came out of it a month and
a half ago. But she was fine yesterday. We picnicked in the park
and even took a walk and she was fine last night when we....
Joe bites his tongue to keep from saying, "when we made love."
Is that what did this? He wonders to himself. Was it just too
much for her after the picnic and walk?
Paramedic takes out his penlight and checks Zoe's pupils as his
partner hooks her up to their EKG telemetry machine.
Paramedic: When you tried to wake her did she respond at all?
Paramedic asks looking over his shoulder at Joe.
Joe: No. She didn't even moan or anything. That's when I knew
something was wrong.
Joe answers anxiously.
Paramedic uses his knuckles to roughly rub Zoe's sternum.
Paramedic: No response to painful stimuli.
Paramedic says to his partner who writes it down on the
patient's chart. He checks the
EKG readout and takes Zoe's blood pressure.
Paramedic: Did she take anything before going to bed? Like
sleeping pills....or pain medication?
Paramedic asks without looking up from what he is doing.
Joe shakes his head.
Joe: No. Nothing. She has refused any sort of narcotics.
Joe answers....fighting to remain calm.
Paramedic: Blood pressure's 74 over 58.
Paramedic reports to his partner.
Paramedic: She's in sinus bradycardia....reps are a shallow 16.
Paramedic says and his partner writes it down.
Methos puts the empty cup in the sink, and takes a deep breath
before he decides to resume work, no wonder he'd been avoiding
this, it was really boring.
Paramedic: Who's her doctor?
Paramedic asks over his shoulder as he examines Zoe's arm for a
decent vein to start an IV in.
Joe: Mark Bjorn. He's an oncologist at Mercy.
Joe answers.
Paramedic 's partner has already attached the IV tubing to a bag
of Dextrose and Water (D5W) and hands his partner a constricting
band. The paramedic working on Zoe finds a vein, swabs the area
with an alcohol swab and takes the IV catheter from his partner.
He positions it against the skin of Zoe's inner arm and drives
it home (into her vein). He connects the catheter to the IV
tubing and tapes it down.
Paramedic: Let's just load and go.
Paramedic says to his partner and they get the gurney ready.
Paramedic: Have you called her doctor?
Paramedic asks Joe over his shoulder.
Joe: Yes. He said he would meet us at the hospital.
Joe answers as he grabs his wallet off the top of his dresser
and sticks it in his pocket.
Paramedic: So we're going to Mercy....right?
Paramedic asks Joe.
Paramedic: On three.
Paramedic says to his partner.
Paramedic: One...two...three.
And both paramedics lift Zoe off of the bed and onto the gurney.
Joe: Yes. Mercy.
Joe confirms.
Paramedic covers Zoe with a blanket, places the IV bag on her
stomach, the EKG machine between her ankles at the foot of the
gurney and his partner straps her to the gurney and grabs their
trauma kit. The lead paramedic takes control of the head of the
gurney and steers it out of the bedroom, down the hall and out
onto the front porch.
Joe follows the paramedics out of the house, locking the front
door behind them.
Paramedic: You can ride with us in the ambulance, Joe.
Paramedic says as he waits for his partner to take the trauma
kit to the rig and come back to lift the foot of the gurney down
the front steps.
Joe: Thank you.
Joe says absentmindedly. The thought keeps going through his
mind that their love making last night brought this on as he
follows the paramedics to the ambulance and watches them load
Zoe into the back.
Paramedic locks the gurney into place, crawls into the back of
the ambulance and puts a nasal cannula on Zoe and turns on the
oxygen. His partner tells Joe that he'll have to ride up front
and shuts the back doors of the ambulance then heads around to
the front of the rig and climbs into the driver's seat.
Joe gets into the passenger side of the ambulance and looks into
the back at Zoe.
Paramedic: Mercy ER this is Medic 4. How do you copy?
Paramedic the paramedic in the back says into his Core-pack
radio.
Paramedic: We are en-route to your facility with an unconscious
female approximately 30 years of age. I'm sending you a strip.
She has a blood pressure of 74 over 58, pulse is weak and
thready and her reps are 16 and shallow. She does not respond to
painful stimuli. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last
year...was in remission but has just come out of it. Patient's
husband said she was fine last night but he was unable to arouse
her this morning. Her physician is Mark Bjorn and he has been
notified and is meeting the patient at the ER.
Paramedic The voice on the other end of the radio says, "10-4
Medic 4. Start an IV of D5W TKO and come on in. We'll be waiting
for you." The paramedic places the radio handset into its cradle
and turns his attention back to his patient.
Joe takes out his cell phone and dials Methos' number.
Methos sighs in relief as he stops unpacking books to get the
phone, at least that would give him an excuse to take a break.
He gets his cell phone and frowns when he sees Joe's name.
Methos: Hello? What's up, Joe?
Joe: Zoe's on her way to Mercy. She.....I....she....
Joe swallows hard against the lump forming in his throat.
Joe: I couldn't wake her up this morning.
Joe finally says simply.
Methos: To Mercy?
Methos repeats, making sure he'd heard him correctly over the
sound of the siren.
Joe: Yes. Mercy.
Joe confirms.
Methos: OK, on my way. Want me to call MacLeod?
Methos asks looking around for his coat as he speaks on the cell
phone.
Joe hears Methos say OK and hangs up....not hearing Methos'
question. He turns so he can look back at Zoe.
Methos dials MacLeod's number.
Duncan reaches for the phone without looking up from his
newspaper.
Duncan: MacLeod.
Duncan says simply.
Methos: MacLeod, it's me. Just got a call from Joe, he's taking
Zoe to the hospital.
Methos says as he tries to put on his coat at the same time as
he walks to the door.
Duncan lets the newspaper fall to his lap and his brow furrows.
Duncan: Hospital. What happened?
Duncan asks and closes his eyes....afraid to hear what he knows
Methos is going to say.
Methos: He couldn't wake her up this morning.
Methos explains still fighting with his coat.
Duncan: Damn!
Duncan swears softly.
Duncan: Which hospital?
Duncan asks getting to his feet and letting the newspaper fall
to the floor.
Methos: Mercy.
Methos repeats, while he stops walking to put on his coat, the
other way wasn't working.
Duncan: I'm on my way.
Duncan says and hangs up He hurries upstairs and grabs his coat
and sword and as he rides the elevator down to the Dojo he takes
out his cell phone and dials Richie's number. He tells him he
needs him to come watch the Dojo until he gets back and hangs up
just as the elevator comes to a stop. He lifts the gate and
hurries across the Dojo and out the door to his car.
Paramedic: ETA?
Paramedic calls out to his partner who informs him they are 2
minutes out so he prepares his patient to be removed from the
ambulance. When the ambulance comes to a stop outside the
entrance to the ER, his partner gets out and opens up the back
doors then they both pull the gurney out of the rig and wheel it
into the emergency room.
Methos disconnects the call and this time he manages to put his
coat on, he gets the car keys, locks the front door and moves to
his car to meet Joe at hospital.
Joe follows the paramedics and his wife into the ER but is
stopped by a nurse who tells him she needs him to give her some
information for Zoe admission paperwork so he steps up to the
reception window and begins to give the nurse Zoe's information.
Paramedic wheel the patient into a trauma room and transfer her
from their gurney to one of the ER's then they head back out to
straighten up their rig and get ready for their next call.
Joe finally gives the nurse everything she needs and signs the
consent forms then he follows her into the back and to the room
they have put Zoe in. As he steps across the threshold of the
trauma room and sees his pale wife hooked up to so many wires,
tubes and monitors, the reality of the situation is so
overwhelming that he has to fight to remain calm....at least on
the outside.
Zoe moans slightly.
Joe walks over to the gurney and takes Zoe's hand in his He
leans closer.
Joe: I'm here, my love. I'm here.
Joe says softly and gives her hand a gentle squeeze.
Zoe moans again. Her eyelids fluttering slightly.
Zoe: Joe?
Zoe whispers.
Joe looks at her and smiles....still fighting back tears.
Joe: Hey, you. Welcome back.
Joe says, trying to sound lighthearted.
[center]To be continued[/center]
#Post#: 343--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 33
By: 22639 Date: March 22, 2012, 6:42 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center][sub]The part of Duncan MacLeod is temporarily being
understudied.[/sub][/center]
Nikki finishes helping with the unloading of the hay delivery
truck and removes her gloves. She uses them to brush off the hay
that is sticking to her jeans then takes out her cell phone and
dials Methos' cell phone.
Methos is walking in a hospital corridor looking for Joe when
his cell phone rings. He takes it out of his pockets and answers
it without looking in the monitor to see who's calling.
Methos: Pierson.
Methos says as he keeps walking.
Nikki: Hey! Whatcha doin'?
Nikki asks lightheartedly.
Methos: I... hmm... I was going to call later.
Methos stalls while he thinks of a light way to tell her the
news.
Nikki: Ha ha! Beat you to it.
Nikki giggles.
Methos: So you did.
Methos asks slightly amused.
Nikki senses something in Methos' tone of voice and furrows her
brow.
Nikki: Did I catch you at a bad time? Are you busy or something?
Nikki asks concerned that she interrupted something like a
Watcher's meeting.
Methos:Hmm, yes to both. I'm at Mercy hospital.
Methos starts, he knows he has to tell her eventually.
Nikki: Hospital? Why are you at a hospital?
Nikki 's concern is growing.
Methos: Zoe isn't feeling well and they had to bring her here.
Methos explains, hoping she doesn't ask for details for now.
Joe sits in a chair next to Zoe's bed. He holds her hand and
stares at her face....watching her sleep.
Zoe sighs in her sleep and shifts slightly, pulling Joe's hand
closer to her.
Nikki 's mouth gapes open and she feels the pit of her stomach
knot up. She knows that Methos isn't telling her everything but,
then, he really doesn't have to. One thing she has become aware
of lately is that ever since she gave in to her feelings for him
it's as though they have become in sync and she can sense his
feelings through his tough exterior.
Nikki: You said, Mercy? I'm on my way, babe.
Nikki says simply then adds, "Methos....I love you." She hangs
up and sprints to her truck, gets in and throws dirt and gravel
in the air as her tires spin then she speeds off and heads for
the city.
Methos:Alright.
Methos answers then he realizes he's already talking to himself
and puts the cell phone back in his pocket shaking his head
slightly. that woman moved faster than sound.
Duncan walks out of Zoe's ICU room and over to the ICU waiting
room. He walks up to a vending machine and buys a cup of vending
machine coffee then sits down in one of the chairs.
Joe: It's OK, my love. I'm right here.
Joe whispers and gives Zoe's hand a gentle squeeze.
Methos feels the buzz of another Immortal and looks around, he
finally finds MacLeod near what he assumes is Zoe's room and
walks in that direction.
Duncan feels a strong Immortal buzz and looks toward the waiting
room door. Seeing it's Methos he nods.
Duncan: She's in room 6 of the ICU. Joe hasn't left her side
since I've been here.
Duncan informs Methos and takes a sip of his coffee...grimacing
at the horrible taste.
Methos nods.
Methos: Be right back.
Methos says as he turns away to look for room 6.
Zoe moans softly and opens her eyes, waking up.
Zoe: Joe?
Zoe says softly.
Joe: Right here, sweetheart.
Joe says leaning closer to the bed.
Zoe: Are you doing okay?
Zoe asks, softly.
Joe lifts her hand to his lips and kisses it softly.
Joe: You're the one lying in a hospital bed and you ask how I'm
doing. You're the most amazing woman I have ever met.
Joe says and smiles lovingly....even though he knows she can't
see him.
Methos goes down the corridor, looking for the room numbers
until he gets to 6 and walks inside.
Methos: So how's it going?
Methos asks while he stops near the bed.
Joe: Hi, Adam.
Joe says and nods to Methos.
Joe: Honey? Adam's here.
Joe says softly to Zoe.
Zoe: Hello, Adam.
Zoe says, turning to smile in the direction she had heard his
voice.
Methos: Hello, Zoe. Feeling better?
Methos asks while he looks around just in case they left her
chart somewhere but no such luck.
Zoe: Not to bad.
Zoe says, then smiles.
Zoe: But I'm also doped up at the moment, which always improves
one's outlook.
Zoe jokes.
Joe manages a forced chuckle.
Methos: Oh, yeah, I'm sure it does.
Methos nods with a smirk.
A nurse comes into the room and walks over to one of the
monitors and checks the readings then turns and picks up Zoe's
free hand and takes her pulse. "The doctor wants to catheterize
you, Zoe," the nurse says. She looks at Joe and Methos and says,
"So I'll need
you two to step out while I do this."
Joe: OK
Joe says. He gets to his feet and leans over Zoe and kisses her
forehead.
Methos: Alright, I could use a coffee.
Joe: I'll be right outside.
Zoe: Alright.
Joe says softly.
Zoe says, with a smile in Joe's direction.
Methos nods as he turns away, he remembered seeing a machine
near MacLeod.
Joe turns and walks out of the room.
Joe: Thanks for coming.
Joe says softly to Methos.
Methos: What are friends for?
Methos answers with a wink.
Methos: Should we get a coffee while we wait?
Joe turns around and looks at the glass wall between him and his
wife...now covered with a drape...and sighs.
Joe: I think I'll stay right here. But you go ahead.
Joe says to Methos without looking away from Zoe's room.
Methos: Joe, you should rest a little while you can. It's going
to take a while, you standing here looking at the drape isn't
going to help, you know?
Methos points out even thought he knows probably Joe isn't going
to follow his advice anyway.
Joe: Would you leave?
Joe asks without looking at Methos.
Methos sighs looking down remembering he also didn't leave Alexa
side unless he was forced into it.
Methos: No.
Joe nods.
Joe: Then I'll stay here.
Joe says quietly.
Methos: OK, I'll bring you some coffee then, want anything to go
with it?
Methos asks, while he thinks he's going to bring him something
to eat anyway even if the answer is no.
Duncan hears familiar voices outside of the waiting room and
gets up. He walks over to the door and looks out, quirking an
eyebrow questioningly at Methos.
Joe: I'm fine. Just get whatever for yourself.
Joe says quietly....still watching Zoe's room.
Methos:Fine. Don't rest, don't eat, don't keep your energy and
soon you'll be on a hospital bed too.
Methos shrugs.
Methos: You think that's going to help her?
Joe ignores Methos' smarmy comment.
Duncan: Don't bother. I already tried.
Duncan says to Methos and walks back into the waiting room. He
finishes his foul tasting coffee and tosses the paper cup into
the trash can.
Methos rolls his eyes as he decides to leave Joe for now and
walks over to the coffee machine to get a coffee.
Duncan: A word of warning. It tastes like sweat socks.
Duncan says to Methos.
Methos: How do you know? Already tasted sweat socks?
Methos chuckles softly, those comparisons never failed to amuse
him.
Duncan: Ha ha. Very funny.
Duncan says sarcastically and sits down in one of the chairs.
Methos makes a face after he takes a sip, then walks over to
MacLeod and sits near him.
Methos: He should take some rest, but he's too stubborn to
listen.
Nikki, knowing that Methos probably hasn't eaten, stops at a
Subway and orders a sandwich and a large coffee. As an after
thought she orders three more....one for herself and Joe and
Mac...assuming he's there.
Duncan: And this is news?
Duncan asks not really expecting an answer.
Methos:Yeah, look who I'm telling this, the pot and the kettle.
Methos murmurs under his breath before he takes another sip and
makes a face.
Duncan: And what does that make you?
Duncan asks quirking an eyebrow questioningly.
Methos: Silver glass?
Methos smirks, he highly doubts MacLeod will agree with that.
Duncan: If you're studying to be a comedian I would suggest that
you don't quit your day job.
Duncan says shaking his head. He looks out the door at Joe and
his heart goes out to him.
Methos: Just trying to lighten the mood.
Methos shrugs as he looks down at his coffee.
Methos: Or trying not to think in what I'm drinking.
Duncan: Yeah. Pretty bad...huh.
Duncan says in agreement.
Methos:If I wasn't a you know what I'd probably need treatment
right now.
Methos nods in agreement.
Duncan: Good thing we have cast iron stomachs.
Duncan says absentmindedly. He is still watching Joe watch Zoe's
room and remembering the last time he had to watch someone he
loved die.
Methos looks in Joe's direction and sighs when he thinks what's
coming soon.
Methos: I don't think she's going to last long, you know?
Methos grimaces when he tries to imagine Joe's reaction to that.
Duncan: Yeah. That's what the doctor told Joe and I when they
transferred her from the ER.
Duncan says sadly.
Methos: They did? Good. They're trying to give him time to
prepare.
Methos nods, he's glad he doesn't have to do that himself, it
will be hard enough to watch.
Duncan: Yeah. But can you really prepare for something like
this?
Duncan asks turning to look at Methos. He remembers the state
Methos was in when Alexa died. He had known what was coming but
when he was faced with the inevitable end he wanted to steal the
Methuselah Stone to make her immortal.
Methos:No, or we should be used by now, we know what's coming
when we fall for a mortal, it's only a matter of time.
Methos sighs sadly remembering all those women he'd lost through
his life.
Methos: It never gets any easier.
[CENTER][/CENTER]
[center]To be continued[/center]
#Post#: 346--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 34
By: 22639 Date: March 31, 2012, 1:14 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center][sub]The part of Duncan MacLeod is temporarily being
understudied.[/sub][/center]
The hospital chaplain is in the room with Zoe and Joe and the
drapes are closed for privacy.
Nikki pulls into the parking lot of Mercy Hospital, gets out of
her truck and grabs the Subway sandwiches and coffee and hurries
into the hospital and heads for the Intensive Care Unit.
Duncan gets up and walks over to one of the windows of the ICU
waiting room. He shoves his hands in his pockets and stares out
over the view of the city.
Nikki feels the presence of at least 2 Immortals as soon as she
walks through the doors of the ICU, smiles and nods at the
nurses and heads for the waiting room like she owns the place.
Duncan feels an Immortal buzz and looks over his shoulder to see
who walks through the waiting room door.
Methos sits up on his chair and turns his head at the door, as
soon as he feels an Immortal buzz, and is relieved to see it's
only Nikki, so he goes back to the way her was before.
Nikki walks into the room and sets the box with the sandwiches
in it on the small coffee table sitting in front of Methos and
opens it. The smell of the freshly made subs fills the room. She
sets the box with the 4 coffees down next to the sandwiches then
she sits down next to Methos and places a hand on the back of
his neck. She leans over and gives him a loving kiss.
Nikki: I brought food and coffee for you guys because I know you
wouldn't eat unless I did.
Nikki says and smiles at Methos.
Duncan smells the aroma and walks over to the table. He takes a
sandwich from the box and a cup of decent coffee and smiles
gratefully at Nikki.
Duncan: You're a lucky man.
Duncan says, enviously to Methos and carries his sandwich and
coffee over to the couch by the window and sits down to eat.
Duncan: Thanks, Nicayla.
Duncan says with a smile.
Nikki: My pleasure.
Nikki says with a smile and wrinkles up her nose, mischievously.
Methos nods in thanks as he reaches for a cup of coffee and a
sandwich.
Methos:We have some coffee in there, you don't need to add
anything if you want to poison someone.
Nikki: I've been told it works great as a turpentine
replacement.
Nikki says jokingly. She studies Methos' face intently as she is
worried about him.
Methos: Yes, I think they're trying to get more patients here.
Methos nods in agreement, chuckling softly. Then he sobers up
when he thinks about Joe.
Methos: And Joe should have something before we have to take
care of him.
Nikki reaches up and moves a strand of Methos' hair that has
fallen onto his forehead.
Nikki: Hey!
Nikki whispers, looking deep into his eyes.
Methos: What?
Methos asks surprised, seeing Nikki was studying him.
Nikki mouths the words, "I love you" and smiles lovingly at him.
She came to lend her support to her friends Joe and Zoe but
more to be there for Methos.
"In the Lord's name....Amen," the chaplain says, finishing off
the prayer he was saying for Zoe and Joe.
Joe: Amen.
Joe repeats the prayer ending. He gets to his feet and steps up
to the chaplain and holds out his hand to the man.
Methos takes her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze, realizing
she's trying to lighten up his mood. He takes a deep breath
before he takes a sip of coffee this is way harder than he
anticipated
Joe: Thank you Reverend.
Joe says softly. "I'm glad to help," the chaplain says then
excuses himself and leaves the room. Joe walks back over to the
chair and sits back down, taking Zoe's hand in his.
Zoe: Thank you.
Zoe says softly from the bed.
Duncan finishes his sandwich and tosses the crumpled wrapper
into the trash can across the room. The paper bounces off the
wall behind the trash can and drops into the basket.
Nikki: Wow! The Lakers could have used you last night.
Nikki says teasingly to Duncan.
Duncan: I wouldn't want to show them all up. It might bruise
their egos.
Duncan says with a chuckle.
Nikki: After watching part of last nights game my horse could
show them up.
Nikki says with a disappointed shake of her head. She picks up
her cup of coffee and takes a sip.....but her eyes are on
Methos.
Joe: He seems like a nice chap.
Joe says to Zoe....smiling warmly....but not very convincingly.
Zoe: Pun intended?
Zoe asks, chuckling softly.
Duncan picks up his cup of coffee from where he had set it on
the floor by his chair and takes a sip then stands up and
stretches.
Duncan: Think I'll take a walk and stretch my legs.
Duncan announces and strolls out of the waiting room.
Joe realizes what he had said and chuckles softly.
Joe: Well....it wasn't then but it is now.
Joe replies. He lifts Zoe's hand to his lips and places a soft
kiss on her knuckles.
Zoe: Joe? There's something I feel, I should tell you.
Zoe says slowly.
Joe quirks an eyebrow, curiously.
Joe: Don't tell me you want a divorce already.
Joe teases.
Zoe: No! Not that.
Zoe says, giving a strained laugh.
Joe: What's on your mind, my love?
Joe asks softly and looks into his wife's eyes.
Zoe: When I was first diagnosed... I delayed the start of my
treatment for a couple of weeks. For one purpose.
Zoe says slowly.
Joe's brow furrows as he watches Zoe and listens to her
Joe: Which was....?
Joe prompts.
Zoe: I had my eggs harvested. I knew that if I made it to
remission, there was a very good chance that I'd be rendered
infertile. But, that's besides the point. I wanted to you to
know about the eggs. To know, that its still possible, if you
decide, one day you could raise our child...or children.
Zoe says softly.
Joe: I hope you aren't going to hold me to that.
Joe says sadly.
Zoe smiles sadly.
Joe: I don't think I could or would even want to do it without
you.
Joe says quietly and kisses her hand again as he fights to keep
his emotions under control.
Zoe: I would have loved it, if it could have been the way its
supposed to be. That WE could have raised our children together.
But... no. I'm not going to it. I just wanted... needed to make
sure you knew it was an option.
Joe gives Zoe's hand a gentle squeeze then places his lips
softly on the back of her hand. But as he is about to kiss her
hand he loses some ground in his battle against his emotions and
a tear trickles down his cheek and onto the back of Zoe's hand.
Joe leaves his lips pressed against her skin as he tries to
regain control.
Zoe: Oh, my love.
Zoe whispers reaching her hand up and placing it on Joe's cheek.
Joe takes a deep breath and looks up at his wife.
Joe: I'm sorry. I promised myself I wouldn't do this.
Joe says sheepishly quiet.
Nikki: I think I'll take Joe's sandwich and coffee in to him
before they get cold and soggy.
Nikki says and gets to her feet.
Zoe: I never expected you not too, Joe.
Zoe says smiling.
Methos: And before he passes out.
Methos nods in agreement, he knows the man didn't eat or rest
all the time he was at the hospital.
Methos: I'll go with you.
Methos says as he gets to his feet, he was going to make sure
Joe took care of himself now.
Joe looks at Zoe as another tear trickles down his cheek.
Joe: How can you be so calm?
Joe asks....sincerely curious.
Joe: I want to hit something....someone. Or kill something.
Joe says shaking his head.
Zoe: Joe I.... I made peace with what was going to happen to me,
a long time ago. Before I met you.
Zoe says softly.
Zoe: And I don't regret you. I love you, remember that.
Zoe says her hand tightening on Joe's face slightly.
Zoe: But I do regret that you have to be dragged through this.
Joe shakes his head vigorously.
Joe: I'm glad that you don't have to go through this alone. The
thought of that happening breaks my heart.
Joe says and kisses her hand.
Nikki walks up to the large sliding glass door of Zoe's ICU room
and softly knocks on the door frame.
Joe turns his head and looks toward the door. When he sees Nikki
he clears his throat and quickly wipes his eyes with the sleeve
of his shirt.
Joe: Nikki. When did you get here?
Joe asks as a way to stall while he gets control of himself.
Nikki: I brought you a Subway sandwich and a cup of fresh
coffee.
Nikki says stepping into the room and holding out the sandwich
box and coffee cup.
Joe: That's sweet, hon. But I'm not really hungry right now.
Joe says with a smile.
Nikki: I know.....but you really need to force yourself to eat
something.
Nikki wants to add...., "you're not an Immortal like the rest of
us," but she bites her tongue because she knows that Zoe isn't
privy to Joe and his friends' secret lives.
Zoe: Please Joe. Keep your strength up. After all, I'm not going
anywhere.
Zoe says with a chuckle.
Joe: Neither am I.
Joe says softly to Zoe.
Methos: You need to keep up your strength, Joe.
Methos points out leaning against the door frame, looking inside
the room.
Nikki carries the sandwich box and coffee cup over to Joe and
hands them to him.
Nikki: You might as well give in, Joseph Not only are you out
numbered.....but you know that you can't out stubborn me.
Nikki says with a mischievous twinkle in her green eyes.
Joe chuckles as he takes the box and cup from Nikki. He looks
over at Zoe.
Joe: She's right. There's only one person I have met that is
more stubborn than her.
Joe says, shaking his head and chuckling softly.
Zoe: Oh?
Zoe asks curious.
Methos: Yeah, Mac something, his name escapes me right now.
Methos answers from the door while he shakes his head amused.
Zoe shakes her head and chuckles.
Duncan finds his way back through the maze of hallways to the
ICU. When he finds the waiting room empty he looks around
curiously....wondering where everybody has gone.
Nikki giggles and playfully elbows Methos in the side.
Joe opens the sandwich box and the aroma of the still fresh
Italian sub wafts through the room.
Duncan walks back to the waiting room door and looks around the
ICU. He sees Methos leaning against the door frame of Zoe's room
and sighs. "I hope this doesn't mean what....," he thinks to
himself and stops the thought before it finishes. Shoving his
hands in his pants pockets he wanders over to Zoe's room and
stands behind Methos.
Joe: It does smell good.
Joe comments about the sandwich.
Joe: Thank you, Nikki.
Joe says and smiles gratefully at the redheaded Immortal.
Methos looks back when he feels an Immortal buzz, when he sees
MacLeod he looks inside the room again.
Nikki: No problem. That's what friends are for.
Nikki says with a little shrug. She smiles and steps
backward....planning to stand next to Methos but her bearings
are off and she backs into him instead.
Methos: Let's see you do something else rather than smell it.
Methos encourages, hoping Joe would put something in his stomach
at last.
Nikki: It's your favorite.
Nikki says encouragingly.
Duncan: Now how come you know what his favorite Subway sandwich
is and I don't?
Duncan says from behind Methos...keeping his conversation light.
Nikki: Because I have skills, Highlander.
Nikki says boastfully.
Methos: Because she's a woman.
Methos whispers to MacLeod, turning his head to look at him.
Joe: You're both wrong.
Joe says shaking his head. He glances at Zoe and rolls his eyes,
playfully.
Joe: It's because she's just so dammed cute.
Joe says teasingly.
Nikki: Yeah. I am.
Nikki says and pretends to fluff her hair, conceitedly.
Methos: And modest as we all can see.
Methos teases with a smirk.
Duncan: Wow!. The you know what is getting deep in hear.
Duncan mumbles with a smirk.
Zoe just shakes her head amused.
Nikki playfully smacks Methos' upper arm.
Nikki: Watch it!
Nikki warns.
Methos frowns and looks around for a moment.
Methos: What? Don't see anything.
Methos says concealing his amusement.
Duncan: Never realized you liked to live dangerously, Adam.
Duncan says, teasingly.
Joe is grateful for his friends levity.
Joe: Yeah, Pierson. When did you get so brave?
Joe says, teasingly.
Methos: If I need treatment this is the right place for it?
Zoe laughs.
Methos points out with a soft chuckle, since he knows everybody
except Zoe know that he doesn't.
Zoe: Adam's got you there!
Duncan: I can hear the rumors now. Adult male is admitted to
hospital because his 5 foot nothing girlfriend beat him up.
Duncan teases.
Joe actually laughs.
Joe: I know several people that would find that hilarious
Joe says and laughs again.
Zoe: Hey, don't count the women out! I've heard of that
happening.
Zoe protests smiling.
Methos: Well people have done worse for their 15 minutes of
fame.
Methos shrugs smiling amused.
Zoe: That wasn't for 15 minutes of fame.
Zoe smirks slightly.
Duncan steps around Methos and walks up to the other side of
Zoe's bed. His hands are behind his back....obviously hiding
something.
Duncan: And so you wouldn't feel left out after Joe gets a
sandwich and coffee.....
Duncan says and holds out a stuffed dolphin he purchased at the
hospital gift shop during his walk.
HTML http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/22639/Highlander/Misc%20RPGs/a_th_29382123main-th.jpg
Zoe: Thank you, Duncan.
Zoe smiles taking the stuffed animal and feeling it over
briefly. Realizing its a dolphin she looks up at him
Zoe: How'd you know I like dolphins?
Duncan: Nikki isn't the only one with skills.
Duncan says with a smarmy snicker.
Methos: Yeah, right, lucky guess.
Methos murmurs shaking his head amused.
Nikki: Joe probably told him.
Nikki whispers more to herself than to anyone else.
Zoe just shakes her head, smiling.
Duncan: The card that is attached to his collar....
Duncan says and guides Zoe's hand to the small card hanging from
the dolphin's collar.
Duncan: ....says his name is Waffles.
Duncan finishes.
Nikki: Oh. That's a cute name.
Nikki gushes.
Zoe: Waffles? And did you come up with that?
Zoe asks, grinning.
Duncan: No. Honest. The card says..., "Hi. My name is Waffles
and if you promise to rub my
tummy at least twice a day and keep me safe....I promise to
cheer you up."
Duncan says, reading the card for her.
Zoe just laughs and rubs the dolphins tummy.
Duncan: He's made by the same company that makes those Beany
Babies that were all the rage a few years ago.
Duncan explains.
Zoe: Aah.
Zoe says, understanding.
Nikki thinks to herself, "I would have gone to a Build a Bear
Workshop and made a dolphin from their materials."
Zoe: Its sweet Duncan. Thank you.
Duncan: You're welcome.
Duncan says, sounding almost boyishly shy, as he backs away from
the bed and takes up his original position in the doorway behind
Methos.
Nikki rolls her eyes when she hears the tone of MacLeod's voice
and she thinks to herself, "MacLeod....you are such a playa."
She notices that Joe still hasn't taken a bite of his sandwich
and she elbows Methos and nods in Joe's direction.
Methos nods in acknowledgment, while he shakes his head,
wondering what to do to make Joe start eating, he doubts walking
in there and force it down his throat will help.
Nikki, seeing that Methos isn't going to say anything, she
decides to step up to the plate and she clears her throat,
loudly.
Nikki: You know, Joseph....it's a medically proven fact that the
reflexes of the jaw muscles are connected to the person's
elbows. When you bend your elbow toward your mouth....the mouth
automatically opens.
Nikki says, trying to sound like a teacher giving a lecture to
her class.
Duncan looks over at Joe and shakes his head, but he is
snickering at Nikki's sarcastic comment.
Zoe: Joe, eat, please?
Zoe says looking at Joe.
Zoe: Or I will....it smells so good.
Joe picks up one of the white paper napkins in the sandwich box
and waves it in the air as a white flag of surrender.
Joe: Fine. You win!
Joe grumbles.
Joe: Damn! A guy just doesn't stand a chance with you guys.
Joe says, shaking his head. He picks up the sandwich, pulls back
the wrapping and takes a big bite.
Joe: Happy?
Joe says with his mouth full.
Zoe: I will be. When I can't smell that anymore.
Zoe grins at Joe.
Methos: Well said. We'll be happy after you finish it.
Methos says, watching if Joe was going to take more than one
bite, that was nothing.
Joe swallows the bite he had in his mouth. It goes down slowly
because it has to contend with the lump that has been
fluctuating in his throat all day for room in the
esophagus...but it eventually goes all the way down and he takes
a drink of his coffee to chase it the rest of the way. Even
though the coffee is now luke warm....it tastes better than the
vending machine coffee. He takes a deep breath and takes another
bite of his sandwich.
Nikki: YAY!!!
Nikki cheers and applauds victoriously.
Nikki: Like I said.....you can't out stubborn me.
Nikki brags.
Duncan: "Out stubborn" you?
Duncan says, quirking an eyebrow at Nikki's curious phraseology
Joe: It's her new phrase of the day.
Joe says after swallowing his food.
Duncan: Ahhh!
Duncan nods, understandingly. He remembers the few months that
he and Nikki had been together back in the 1800s.....she was
always making up words or phrases like that. Back then it was
endearingly cute. Now? Not so much.
Methos: And she definitely can't out stubborn you, so don't
worry.
Methos smirks, side glancing at MacLeod.
Joe chuckles inspite of himself.
Zoe laughs.
[center]To be continued[/center]
#Post#: 348--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 35
By: 22639 Date: April 3, 2012, 10:25 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center][sub]The part of Duncan MacLeod is temporarily being
understudied.[/sub][/center]
[center]***Mercy Hospital ICU - - Day 2***[/center]
Zoe blinks looking around the room. Something was different...
Something was... brighter.
Zoe: Joe?
Zoe says softly, so that if he was sleeping, she wouldn't wake
him.
Joe is slouched down in the chair in Zoe's ICU room...his head
laid back against the back of the chair and he has finally
fallen asleep....even though it wasn't willingly but out of pure
exhaustion. His mouth is open slightly and he is snoring softly.
Zoe blinks again hearing the snore, and starts to be able to
make out vague shapes. She keeps blinking, in awe of whats
happening, as slowly, her vision starts to come into focus.
Zoe: I can't believe it.
Zoe whispers, careful not to wake Joe up, not until she was
sure.
Nikki sits next to Methos in the ICU waiting room. Since
arriving at the hospital, she, not only hasn't left his
side...but she has made sure that she kept at least 1 hand on
his shoulder, back or arm because he seemed to relax when she
was touching him....and letting him know that she was there for
him and that she loved him. The same goes for now. She has
looped her arm through his and has her head laying on his
shoulder, even though she isn't remotely tired.
Methos sighs as he checks his watch, he's getting tired of being
in the ICU, seems he'd been here for a month.
Methos: You know what I'd drink right now? A nice cool beer,
coffee just isn't the same thing.
Methos murmurs, he doubts he can get a decent beer at the
hospital cafeteria anyway.
Duncan stands up and stretches.
Duncan: You guys stay put. I'll play gopher this time.
Duncan says with a tired smile.
Methos rubs his forehead tiredly.
Methos: Just how long have we been here anyway?
Methos asks, he wasn't sure anymore, the days were starting to
blend together.
Nikki: Just coffee for me, Duncan. And thanks.
Nikki says to MacLeod then turns to Methos to answer his
question.'
Nikki: 2 1/4 days.
Nikki says in answer to Methos' question.
Methos makes a face at that, they'd have to leave eventually if
there wasn't a new development soon.
Duncan takes his coat off of the coat rack and slips it on then
heads out of the waiting room.
Zoe watches the movement outside her door, and even recognizes
Duncan as he walks by. Things weren't perfectly clear. Her
vision isn't sharp, a little fuzzy around the edges, but... she
could see. She could see.
Zoe: I can see.
Zoe whispers.
A nurse tiptoes into Zoe's room..sees Joe asleep so she moves
quietly around the room so she doesn't wake him. After checking
all of the monitors and making a small adjustment on one of the
IVs she steps up to Zoe's bed and takes hold of her wrist and
proceeds to take Zoe's pulse.
Zoe looks over at the nurse, watching her movements. She sees
that closer is a bit clearer, but still a little blurry around
the edges.
Methos: You know if this goes on for much longer we'll have to
start taking turns to be with Joe, or things are going to get
smelly around here.
Methos suggests with a soft chuckle, after two days everybody
needed a shower and some clean clothes, not to mention a real
bed to have some sleep.
Zoe reaches out and puts her hand on the nurse's arm.
Nikki sits up and reaches into the small backpack she had
carried into the hospital and pulls out a can of Methos'
deodorant and a fresh razor and hands it to him. Then simply
smiles.
Methos rolls his eye as he gets the things Nikki is giving him.
Methos: Do I need to start calling you a girl scout or
something?
Methos teases her with a smile.
Methos: Always ready and all that stuff?
Nikki: Well....does a couple of years as a Girl Scout troop
leader count?
Nikki asks and leans forward so she can speak softly enough to
not be heard outside of the writing room.
Nikki: By the time the Girl Scouts were formed I had been and
adult for...well...
Nikki quickly glances toward the waiting room door then turns
back to Methos.
Nikki: ...let's just say a long time and the only way I could
become a Girl Scout was to volunteer to be a troop leader. I
would have been a GREAT Girl Scout.
Nikki boasts confidently.
Nikki: And I would have really looked good in their uniform....I
DID look pretty incredible in my troop leader “uniform”. I was
told by one of the older Boy Scouts that I was the sexiest Girls
Scout they had ever seen and, as you know....Boy Scouts don't
lie.
Nikki says with a smile and she winks mischievously at Methos.
The nurse bends down so she can speak without waking up Joe and
she asks Zoe, "how's your pain, Zoe?" Then she switches from
taking Zoe's pulse to taking her blood pressure.
Zoe: It's fine. But....
Zoe whispers back but hesitates.
Nikki: Besides....I was raised to believe that when a woman
loves a man she does everything she can to help him through
their life together. If it is to lend emotional
support.....crawl around on a garage floor and help him work on
their car....or just bring essentials to the hospital where he
is holding vigil for a friend
Nikki smiles lovingly at Methos.
The nurse leans closer....not knowing what to expect from her
patient who, so far, has been the bravest and most centered
cancer patient she has ever cared for.
Zoe: I can SEE.
Zoe murmurs, so Joe won't hear.
Methos: I'll remember that next time I move and need help with
the books.
Methos teases, remembering it was what he was doing before Joe
called, he sighs at the thought, it seemed it was ages ago.
The nurse looks at Zoe and mouths the word, "what?"
Nikki: You know......you just told me a fib.
Nikki says and slips her arm out of his and folds her arms
across her chest indignantly.
Nikki: And it's times like this that I wish you had a middle and
last name.
Methos: I did?
Methos asks wondering what it was.
Methos: And what about Methos the Immortal?
Methos whispers to her, making sure no one listens.
Zoe: I can see. My vision is back! It's... not as good as it was
before. Definitely.. blurry around the edges, but I can SEE.
Zoe whispers urgently.
Nikki: Nah! It doesn't have the same punch as when being scolded
as being called by your first middle and last name.
Nikki can still hear her father's voice bellowing from the
barn...."Nicayla Lynn Shivon Flynn?"
The nurse takes a penlight out of her pocket and checks Zoe's
eyes ....finishing by watching how quickly the pupils react to
light.
Zoe watches the light, as the nurse does her check.
"So you just woke up and could suddenly see everything?" The
nurse asks quietly.
Zoe: No.
Zoe shakes her head.
Zoe: First it was just... a lightness But it slowly...or I guess
rather quickly, came... back into focus. It's not perfect. By no
means, but... it's there again.
Zoe explains, making sure to keep her voice low.
"How clear are things now?" The nurse asks watching Zoe's eyes
intently
Zoe: Blurry. I can... I can make out broad details. Like, I can
tell you've got on white scrubs, with brightly colored
splotches. But I can't tell what the splotches are. I'm guessing
large flowers?
Zoe says.
Duncan steps out of the elevator at the floor where the
Intensive Care Unit is. He walks casually down the hall to the
double doors of the ICU and picks up the phone on the wall by
the doors. When one of the nurses answers it, he identifies
himself and a few seconds later a nurse opens the ICU doors and
lets him in. He walks across the ICU to the waiting room and
feels the Immortal buzz he was expecting to feel.
Nikki feels the presence of another Immortal and decides it's
probably Mac and lays her head back down on Methos' shoulder.
Methos sits straight on his chair when he feels an Immortal buzz
and looks around. He sighs in relief when he sees MacLeod is
back.
"Are you having any pain around your eyes?" The nurse asks
softly.
Zoe shakes her head.
Zoe: No.
Duncan walks through the door of the waiting room and sets a
large shopping bag down on the coffee table closest to Methos
and Nicayla.
Methos looks down at the bag, then up at MacLeod again.
Methos: So what do we have in here?
Methos asks as he extends his arm to look inside the bag.
"Can you rate your overall pain for me?" The nurse asks. "10
being the worst pain you have felt and 1 being no pain at all,"
she explains.
Zoe: Four or Five.
Zoe says.
Nikki sits forward and opens the bag. She pulls out a six pack
of bottled beer, an insulated coffee mug that has a little steam
escaping through the sip hole in the mug's lid and a small pink
bakery box from the local Dunkin Donuts
"How long has it been a 4 or 5?" The nurse asks....making
notations in a little notebook she carries in her pocket.
Zoe: A while.
Zoe replies.
Methos: Thanks, MacLeod. I really need one.
Methos nods in his direction as he gets a bottle of beer. Then
he sprawls on his chair and takes a sip with a contented sigh.
"OK," the nurse says and snickers softly. "Since I don't know
how "a while" translates into real time.....why don't you be a
little more specific?" The nurse says and smiles almost
playfully.
Zoe: A few hours.
Zoe replies.
Zoe: And... more like a 6 and a half or a 7, pain wise.
Zoe admits with a sigh and a wince of pain.
Duncan takes one of the bottles out of the pack and opens it.
Duncan: No problem
Duncan says humbly.
Duncan: It was good to breath something other than recycled
hospital air.
Duncan says and sits down on one of the other couches.
Methos: We should take a look at them in a while, they were both
sleeping last time I checked.
Methos says checking his watch to find out how long it was, he
decides it can wait for a while and takes another sip of beer.
"OK This is what I want you to do for me," the nurse whispers to
Zoe. "I want you to close your eyes.....let them rest while I go
call you doctor. A 6 or 7....huh?" The nurse says as she makes
some quick calculations in her head. "I'll have a solution for
that when I come back. I won't be long," she adds and hurries
out of the room.
Zoe: Alright...
Zoe murmurs to the nurses disappearing back and with a sigh,
closes her eyes, and imagines her happy place.
Nikki glances out of the waiting room door as she absentmindedly
opens the bakery box. She see a nurse leave Zoe's room and walk
determinedly to the nurse's station. She recognizes the look on
the nurse's face. It was a look of purpose. and determination.
She was a nurse on a mission for her patient and, for the
moment....nothing else mattered. Instead of selecting one of the
decadent looking donuts in the box, Nikki stands up and casually
strolls out of the waiting room....with an attitude of someone
who was tired, hungry and bored and just wanted to look at some
different walls for a few minutes. She continues to display that
attitude as she walks over to a potted plant and pretends to
examine it. Then she walks over to the nurse's station and
stands close enough to Zoe's nurse to be able to hear her
telephone conversation but not close enough that anyone would
suspect that she was eavesdropping
Duncan: I know that look
Duncan says before taking another sip of his beer.
Methos: What look?
Methos asks distracted with his beer, he had no idea what
MacLeod was looking at.
One thing Nikki hears the nurse say to whoever was on the other
end of the telephone sticks in Nikki's mind. Zoe has her sight
back. Nikki's first instinct is to go congratulate Zoe but she
opts for her second instinct which is to say where she is and
see if she can hear anything else useful
Duncan: I've seen it before when Nicayla gets a plan in her head
and is determined to carry it out.
Duncan says and takes another drink of his beer.
Duncan: Reminds me of a dog with a bone he doesn't want to share
but is determined to eat the whole thing....even if it makes him
sick.
Duncan adds and looks out the door...looking for Nicayla.
Unfortunately she is out of sight. so he turns back to Methos.
Duncan: The problem with that is that it seems to always end
messily.
Duncan says warningly.
Methos: Oh oh, I hope it's not something to make her get in
trouble.
Methos looks in the direction MacLeod is looking, he finds out
he can't see anything, so he stands up and goes to the door,
remembering how some of Nikki's plans ended up, he's relieved to
see that so far she's only near the nurses' station.
Duncan:I thought you knew her.
Duncan says a bit teasingly.
Methos looks at MacLeod and raises one eyebrow, questioningly.
Methos:What don't I know?
Methos asks and takes a sip of his beer.
Duncan:That trouble is Nicayla's middle name.
Duncan says with a smirk.
Nikki waits until she hears the nurse shift in her chair. She
can tell by the nurse's tone of voice that the phone
conversation is coming to an end.....then she turns her back to
the nurse's station and pretends to be interested in a health
issue pamphlet.
Methos: Tell me about it.
Methos nods as he comes back to sit on his chair.
Nikki waits until the nurse left the nurse's station to answer a
call bell then she hurries back to the waiting room.
Nikki: Guess what.
Nikki announces as she steps across the threshold.
Methos: What?
Methos asks not bothering to even imagine what she was asking
him to guess.
Duncan looks up at Nikki.
Duncan: What he said.
Duncan says, pointing to Methos.
Nikki: Zoe got her sight back.
Nikki says as she sits back down next to Methos.
Nikki: What do you think that means?
Nikki asks, looking at Methos.
Duncan looks at Methos, questioningly.
Methos: Nothing. Alexa never lost her sight.
Methos shrugs, trying not to think about it.
Methos: Besides I was a doctor 200 years ago in case you don't
remember, I didn't use the same drugs they use now.
Outside of Zoe's ICU room someone drops a tray of instruments
that clatter to the floor and Joe is startled awake. His eyes
fly open and he sits up straight even before realizing he's
awake. After a few seconds the fog of sleep disappears and he
realizes where he is. Rubbing his face with one hand, he reaches
over to Zoe's bed and takes her hand with his other.
Nikki: Could it mean that she's getting better?
Nikki asks hopefully.
Zoe opens her eyes when Joe takes her hand, and looks over at
him.
Zoe: Joe?
Zoe says softly, unsure how to tell him.
Duncan sighs and gets to his feet. He walks over to the door of
the waiting room and leans against the door jam, looking at
Zoe's room.
Methos: No, Nikki she won't get any better.
Methos points out, wishing for once he was wrong.
Joe: Sorry.
Joe says sheepishly.
Joe:I didn't mean to wake you.
Zoe shakes her head.
Nikki: Oh.
Nikki says sadly. She slips her arm through his again and lays
her head on his shoulder and sighs.
Zoe: I was already awake.
Joe: I guess I dozed off on you.
Joe says quietly.
Joe: Sorry.
Zoe: No, not a problem. You were tired.
Zoe says quickly.
Zoe: You still look tired.
Joe:That's what happens with old age.
Joe says and smiles. He lifts her hand and kisses it. He is
about to kiss Zoe's hand again when what she said registers in
his brain and he looks up at her.
Joe: Wait. You said I look tired.
Joe says still looking at her and quirks an eyebrow.
Zoe: Yes, I did.
Zoe smiles a little.
Zoe: Because you do.
Joe: How....
Joe gets out of his chair and sits on the edge of the
bed.....something that the nurses have frowned upon. But at this
point he doesn't much care because what are they going to do?
Kick him out? Doubtful.
Zoe: It came back. Its not... not as good as it was before
but... it's back. I can see again.
Zoe whispers.
Joe places his hands on both sides of her face.
Joe: Oh, honey.....that's....that​'s great. Right? It's
great?
Joe asks looking into her eyes. The cloudiness that had been
there ever since she had lost her sight is gone and her eyes are
once again a deep sapphire blue.
Zoe: It means I can see you again.
Zoe says, happy as tears come to her eyes.
Joe: Oh baby...sweetheart. That's wonderful.
Joe says and leans down. He gives her a loving....and slightly
passionate kiss.
Zoe returns the kiss with as much passion and strength as she
could. But both passion and strength, Zoe knows to be much
diminished
"All right, you two," the nurse says as she enters the room.
"That'll be enough of that. This ICU is rated G you know."
Methos looks down at his now empty beer bottle, while he thinks
that after 17 years of avoiding hospitals and doctors and
diseases, he was in another ICU waiting room. And waiting for
someone to die again, he didn’t need this, he didn't need this
at all, he thinks to himself as he gets another beer bottle with
an unhappy sigh. He opens it and takes a sip.
Joe breaks off the kiss, startled by the nurse's entrance, and
he looks at the nurse a bit embarrassed...feeling like a school
boy who just got caught kissing his sweetheart under the
bleachers.
Zoe just laughs and shakes her head.
Nikki: Baby? You OK?
Nikki asks Methos when she hears his sigh. She reaches out and
places her hand on his back and gently rubs it in little slow
circles.
Zoe: I can't say I care.
Zoe says still laughing, when the laughs turned into a cough. A
deep whole body wracking cough.
Methos: I'll live.
Methos shrugs, looking down at his beer, after all this was
nothing after some of the things he had to endure in his
lifetime.
"Alright. See what happens when you get too excited?" The nurse
says going over to the bed and putting her hand behind Zoe's
back and sitting her up so she can cough. She waves at Joe and
say, "shew. You've done enough damage for one day."
Joe: Let me guess. You use to be a nun in a Catholic grade
school.
Joe says as he slips off of the bed and reclaims his seat in the
chair.
Nikki: Yes you will. And not alone. Unless you want to, that is.
Nikki says softly. She knew this was going to be hard for him
even though he denied it over and over. She's glad she ignored
him and was here with him.
Zoe finally manages to stop coughing. Taking a long deep breath,
me leans back against the bed, feeling almost exhausted from the
coughing.
"I spoke to your doctor," the nurse says as she gently pats Zoe
on the back. "And he's on his way in."
Methos:I'm not the one who's losing the one he loves this time.
Methos points out, before he takes a sip of beer. He realizes he
could have loved that woman at a different time and place
though, and takes a mental note to light a candle to all the
gods he remembered in thanks for not letting that happen.
Zoe: Thank you.
Zoe says a little breathlessly.
Nikki: Right.
Nikki says simply...feeling a bit dejected. She gets up and
walks out of the waiting room and into the ladies restroom next
door.
Duncan turns and looks at Methos in silence, folding his arms as
he continues to lean against the door jam.
"How do you feel?" The nurse asks Zoe as she fluffs up the
pillows and checks the IV.
Zoe: Tired.
Zoe admits.
"How's the pain? Your doctor gave me the OK to up your dosage if
you need it," the nurse says, taking Zoe's pulse.
Zoe: That... that would be nice.
Zoe says softly, hoping that Joe wouldn't hear, but figuring
that hope is in vain.
Another nurse comes to the door and says, "Betty? Dr. Bjourn is
on line 2 for you." "Tell him I'll be right there," the nurse
says and puts down Zoe's wrist. "Now the two of you behave
yourselves," she says looking first at Zoe then at Joe, then she
leaves the room.
Joe: Yes, Mam.
Joe says and salutes.
Zoe rolls her eyes at Joe.
Zoe: Little does she know.
Joe waits until the nurse is out of site then he gets up and,
not only sits on the edge of Zoe's bed but lays down next to
her, laying on his back and slipping his arm around her.
Joe: I'll bet she was a drill sergeant in a previous life.
Joe says softly and kiss the top of Zoe's head, taking in the
scent of her shampoo.
Zoe: She a a kindergarten teacher.
Zoe confides.
Joe: She reminds me of some of the nuns in the Parochial School
I attended for a while. All she needs is a ruler to smack our
palms with.
Joe says with a chuckle.
Zoe: Don't give her idea's.
Zoe whispers with a fake urgency.
A different nurse comes into the room, pulling an IV pole
attached to a box along next to her. "Betty asked me to bring
this in and set it up," she says as she rolls it over to where
the other IV poles are.
Joe: What is it?
Joe asks without moving.
"It's a morphine pump," the nurse says. "It allows you to
regulate your own pain medication," she explains as she proceeds
to set it up. She hands a device that looks like a call button
to Zoe and says, "All you have to do is press this button and
this machine...," she pats the box on the pole, "...will deliver
a dose of your pain medication. You can press it every hour of
you want."
Zoe: Thank you.
Zoe replies.
Joe: Am I in your way?
Joe asks the nurse as she moves the IV poles around.
The nurse shakes her head and says, "no. Stay put." She finishes
her work and asks Zoe if she can do anything else for her.
Zoe: Not now. Thank you.
Zoe replies and hits the button twice on the morphine pump
before the time limit is set.
The nurse leaves and Joe gives Zoe a gentle hug.
Joe: See? Not all nurses are drill sergeants
Joe says with a chuckle.
Nikki comes out of the ladies restroom but instead of going back
into the waiting room she walks through ICU and out into the
hall outside of the unit.
Joe: Now.....you told the nurse you were tired. So why don't you
close those beautiful blue eyes of yours and get some rest?
Joe says softly to Zoe.
Duncan sees Nikki walk through the ICU and out the doors. He
glances back at Methos then follows Nikki out into the hall.
Duncan: Are you OK?
Duncan asks as he walks up to her.
Nikki: Yeah. Fine. Just need to stretch my legs. Those couches
in there get hard after a while. You'd think they'd provide
softer seats for their patient's people who are waiting.
Nikki says as she stares out of the window at the tops of
Seacouver's buildings.
Zoe: Joe?
Zoe says, looking over at the man she loves.
Joe: Yes, my love?
Joe says and leans his head back a little so he can look down
into her face.
Zoe: I love you.
Zoe states firmly.
Zoe: You know that, right?
Joe: I may not know a lot of things....but that is one thing I
am absolutely sure of.
Joe says with a smile and kisses the top of her head.
Zoe: Good.
Zoe says, and smiles.
Zoe: I love you.
Zoe whispers again, closing her eyes to rest.
Joe: And you know that I love you, too.....right?
Joe asks even though he knows the answer.
Zoe: Mmmmm
Zoe murmurs
Zoe: I do.
Duncan: He didn't mean anything, you know....right? It's just
his way. Or...at least it is since.....
Duncan says and stops not sure if he should say anything more.
Nikki: I know. Since Alexa. I get it.
Nikki says still looking out of the window.
Zoe sighs and drifts to sleep.
Duncan: But it still hurts....I know. Sometimes we men can be
insensitive boobs.
Duncan says and looks out the window, too.
Nikki: Preaching to the choir, Mac. Preaching to the choir.
Nikki says with a half hearted snicker.
Methos empties the second bottle of beer, gets up to put both in
the trash can, then he yawns and stretches. Looking around he
sees the razor and the deodorant Nikki has brought for him and
decides he'll feel better after a fresh shave and some wash up,
so he picks it up and walks to the men's restroom.
Nikki: Thanks, Mac.
Nikki says quietly.
Duncan: For what?
Nikki: For being you.
Nikki says and stands up on her tip toes and gives Duncan a
quick kiss on his cheek. Then, without a word, she turns and
goes back into the ICU and heads for the waiting room.
Joe: I will always love you.
Joe whispers against the top of her head and closes his eyes as
they cloud with tears.
The beeping on Zoe's heart rate monitor begins to slow.
Nikki walks into the waiting room and sees that Methos is no
longer there so she starts picking up their empty beer bottles,
coffee cups and sandwich wrappers and throwing them away. Then
she straightens up the rest of the waiting room, in need of
something to do.
Duncan sighs and finally walks back into the ICU.
An alarm at the nurses' station begins to beep and all of the
nurses look at the bank of monitors. Seeing whose alarm is going
off, Zoe's nurse hurries to her patient's room.
Duncan hears the alarm behind the desk of the nurses' station
and sees one of the nurses hurry into Zoe's room. He follows her
and stands in the doorway.
The nurse walks into the room and over to the monitor. She
presses a button, shutting off the alarm so it will stop beeping
at the nurses' station and looks over at Zoe and Joe and figures
they are both asleep. She quietly places two fingers on the
inside of Zoe's wrist...being careful not to wake either of
them...and when she feels Zoe's pulse for a few seconds she
turns and starts out of the room. As she passes by Joe's friend
she whispers, "it won't be long now," then heads for the nurses'
station to make her report.
Duncan looks at Joe and Zoe then turns away and goes to tell
Methos and Nikki.
Joe was aware of the nurse coming into the room and checking
Zoe's pulse. He just chose not to open his eyes. And he is
grateful that she left in silence. He doesn't trust himself to
talk to anyone without losing control.....at least not at the
moment.
Methos sighs in contentment as he comes out of the men's
restroom, still touching his now shaven face. He walks to the
waiting room again with the razor and the deodorant still in his
hands.
Duncan walks up to the door of the waiting room and shoves his
hands in his pockets.
Duncan: The nurse just informed me that it won't be long now.
Duncan says softly.
Nikki turns and looks at MacLeod then sighs, not knowing what to
say. She goes back to her cleaning...using one of their napkins
to wipe off the coffee table.
Duncan turns around and goes back to Zoe's room and walks in
quietly and takes a seat in a chair that is out of the way.
Zoe's heart rate slows a little further.
Joe hears the beep of Zoe's heart monitor slow and he tightens
his arm around her shoulders. He presses his face against the
top of her head and whispers, "I love you, Zoe Dawson."
Nikki finishes wiping off the table and throws the napkin in the
trash can then walks past Methos and heads for Zoe's room.
Methos rolls his eyes when Nikki passes him without speaking,
then he shakes his head, the woman was sulking again. "Fine." He
murmurs and sits on the couch again, he'd pass watching Zoe die
any day, and Joe had already enough people with him anyway.
The heart rate slows further. Its now possible to count the
seconds between each beat.
Joe hears the beep of the heart monitor slow again and opens his
eyes. He looks at the monitor and sees that Zoe's heart rate has
dropped to 16 and he quickly closes his eyes and takes a deep
breath. A part of him wants to scream, "No. Don't go. Don't
leave me. We need more time." But he shoves that desire into the
far recesses of his mind because he knows that it would be
selfish. Even though he hadn't said anything he had noticed that
since the morphine pump had been hooked up, Zoe had pressed the
button twice before the time limit had been set....as if she had
known what the machine was before it was explained to her. That
told him she was in pain and he couldn't stand the thought of
her suffering anymore. He presses his lips to the side of her
head, near her ear.
Joe: It's OK, sweetheart. You can go now. I love you and I'll be
fine.
Joe whispers. His tears can no longer be held back and they
freely flow down his cheeks as he tightens his hold on her.
Joe: G....g....goodbye, my love.
Joe whispers.
Nikki bites her lower lip, covers her mouth with her hand and
turns away.
The heart rate monitor flatlines, and Zoe is gone.
An alarm begins sounding at the nurses' station and Zoe's nurse
walks quietly into the room. She walks over to the monitor and
shuts the alarm off. Taking her stereoscope from around her neck
she places it on Zoe's chest and listens, moving it to a couple
of different spots then puts the stethoscope back around her
neck. Another nurse comes into the room and Zoe's nurse looks
over at her and says very softly, "time of death twenty o
eight," and she begins to shut down all of the monitors.[center]
To be continued[/center]
#Post#: 349--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 36
By: 22639 Date: April 8, 2012, 9:49 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center][sub]The parts of Duncan MacLeod and Richie Ryan are
temporarily being understudied.[/sub][/center]
The funeral director sets up the flowers that have just been
delivered. Duncan MacLeod sent these....
[img width=250
height=250]
HTML http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/22639/Highlander/Misc%20RPGs/37318446_scaled_385x544.jpg[/img]
Richie Ryan sent these....
[img width=250
height=250]
HTML http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/22639/Highlander/Misc%20RPGs/calla-lily-funeralDSCN12-cy.jpg[/img]
And Nicayla Flynn sent these....
HTML http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/22639/Highlander/Misc%20RPGs/ZoesFuneralFlowersfromNikki.jpg
The Family limo pulls up behind the hearse and the chauffeur
gets out and opens the back doors. Joe gets out and takes a deep
breath.
Duncan climbs out of the limo and steps up next to Joe.
The Chaplain is already waiting beside the casket as family and
friends arrive for the graveside service.
Athinai: I'm gonna miss her.
Athinai murmurs to Richie, seated next to her in the car, that
was pulling up behind the limo.
Joe walks slowly towards the grave site.
Duncan follows Joe...his hands shoved into the pockets of his
coat.
Richie nods while he puts an arm around her shoulders.
Richie: So will I.
Joe walks up to the The Chaplain and holds out his hand.
Jonathon Hayes gets out of his vehicle and puts his hands into
his coat pockets, sighing deeply as he makes his way towards the
graveside seating.
Joe: Hello, Reverend.
Joe says quietly.
The Chaplain: Hello, Joseph.
The Chaplain says taking Joe's hand, and covering it with both
of his.
The Chaplain: My prayers are with you.
Joe: Thank you.
Joe says simply. He shakes the reverend's hand then takes his
place in the center of the row of chairs that make up the front
row and he takes a seat.
Methos stops his car near the other cars, he makes sure the
funeral director takes care of the funeral wreath the Watchers
had sent and his own flowers, then walks to meet the others by
the graveside.
Duncan walks behind the row of chairs and stands behind Joe.
Nikki parks her truck behind the rest of the cars attending
Zoe's funeral. She gets out and makes her way up the short hill
to the grave site. She smiles and nods to MacLeod and Richie
then walks up to Joe and leans over and gives him a kiss on his
cheek.
Joe: Thanks for coming.
Joe says to Nikki and manages a bit of a smile.
Methos nods, greeting some Watchers on the background, who are
trying to go unnoticed, and approaches Joe to shake his hand.
Nikki walks around behind the row of chairs and stands next to
MacLeod.
Athinai and Richie, choose a spot to sit, in the middle.
Duncan: Amanda called me last night to say she wasn't going to
make it.
Duncan says leaning over to Nikki and speaking softly
Nikki: Yeah. She called me, too. She said she sent flowers.
Nikki says, nodding. She looks at the flower arrangements and
wonders which one Amanda sent.
Jonathon Hayes intends on offering his condolences to the
husband, once he reads the will. So he takes a seat a row
behind, next a woman in red hair.
The Chaplain watches as everyone congregates around the grave
site After several minutes with no sign of more cares arriving,
he clears his throat.
The Chaplain: If everyone would please be seated we'll get
started.
The Chaplain says clearly.
Methos gets near Joe and offers his condolences, then he takes a
seat and waits for the service to begin.
Nikki is grateful to be able to sit down as the heels of her
high heels keep sinking into the soft ground.
Duncan takes a seat.
The Chaplain clears his throat again, and then begins.
Joe stares blankly at the white casket. He is finding it hard to
believe that Zoe is in that thing.
The Chaplain: We have come here with our love, our care and our
respect for Zoe Dawson...daughter, friend and wife. We will say
a kind of goodbye, today but there is a sense also in which we
say hello. Because while we say goodbye to the kind of
connection we have had with Zoe, we will also try to strengthen
our memories today and say hello again to the Zoe who lives on
within us in our hearts and minds. This is a time for expressing
our sorrow at her death and for trying to comfort those who were
closest to her, but mostly this is a time to celebrate her life.
Zoe's spirit and her life were a part of the spirit and the
life of the people who were close to her and with her death
there is a part of us too, that dies. We mourn for her but we
mourn also for that part of ourselves which, with Zoe's death,
is now behind us. But there is something also that remains
because Zoe's influence has not ended with her physical death.
Her warmth, her love and her values were given out and shared
around and they have become a living part of the people who were
close to her. Each of you carries something important of her
with you into the future. We think, today, of those who were
closest to Zoe. Lives which have been closely tied together
cannot be separated without pain. So our thoughts today are
particularly with Joseph, Zoe's husband.
The Chaplain shifts slightly on his feet, and continues.
The Chaplain: We think also of all the other people who have,
over the years, been important in Zoe's life or for whom Zoe has
been important. The people she grew up with. The people she
worked with and the people whose company she enjoyed. One thing
we can be certain of today is that Zoe would not want you to
remember her in sadness...but rather in love...perhaps with a
smile and with a thought to all the good and happy moments of
her life. But although we know Zoe would not want you to
remember her in sadness, you who knew her are inevitably sad
right now. This sadness is a hurt. But it is a hurt which could
only have been avoided if Zoe had never been a part of your
life. It is worth remembering that sadness comes out of
caring–out of love and that all human love ends in sadness.
Sadness, then, is a measure of love and, therefore, in its way,
a kind of privilege. It also marks a new stage.
Athinai sniffs softly as tears slowly begin to roll down her
face, at the loss of her friend.
Duncan remembers the last funeral he attended.....which was
Tessa's. And so many before, he thinks to himself.
The Chaplain: Zoe will not be here in the same way for her
family and friends any more. But her love lives on in the things
she has given in her life and which remain in the hearts and
memories of those who knew her through her life. Along with our
sadness at Zoe's death we also find something to be glad about
at this time. We are glad she is not suffering and that she is
at peace. We are glad for the joys that Zoe had and for the
fullness of her life. We are glad for having known her and for
the things she gave. And the things she taught us.
Joe no longer hears what the The Chaplain is saying and he no
longer sees the flower covered casket. Instead he sees Zoe in
her wedding gown as she makes her way down the aisle towards him
The Chaplain: We also know, that some day, we who love Zoe best,
will be reunited with her. Just as she has now been reunited
with her parents. We thank you Zoe. Thank you for the good
times. Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for your love.
Thank you for your laughter. Thank you most of all, Zoe, for
being you. You have filled your niche and accomplished your
tasks. You leave this world a richer place than you found it.
Let us now take a moment of silence, to allow us all to remember
Zoe at her best.
The Chaplain bows his head in memory and prayer, allowing
everyone else to have a few moments alone with their thoughts.
Jonathon Hayes blinks back tears, remember Zoe, and how she had
been there for him, from the moment they had met in college.
True friends like her were hard to come by.
Athinai leans her head against Richie's shoulder, remembering
the good times she'd had with the woman who had been her best
friend.
Richie lightly pats Athinai's shoulder, keeping an eye on what
was going on around him.
Joe can feel her in his arms as they danced during their
reception. She looks so beautiful. And so happy. Her cheeks are
rosy from smiling and she laughs as he dips her at the end of a
song.
Nikki glances over at Methos then quickly looks back at the The
Chaplain.
Methos almost regrets the fact that he really didn’t know Zoe
that well, but then he remembers he did it deliberately once he
found out she was dying. It certainly hurts a lot less now. He
shakes his head, taking a deep breath, side glancing at Joe, he
knew exactly how he was feeling, he'd been too many times there
himself.
The Chaplain raises his head, and clears his throat to once more
gain everyone's attention.
The Chaplain: At this time Zoe's husband, Joseph, would like to
share something with us. Joseph?
The Chaplain says gesturing towards Joe.
When Joe doesn't move right away, Duncan lays his hand on Joe's
shoulder and leans forward.
Duncan: Joe!
Duncan whispers.
MacLeod's whisper brings Joe back to reality and he looks at the
The Chaplain then realizes everyone is waiting for him. He
slowly gets to his feet....feeling very old and tired....and
takes a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolds it.
Joe: God looked around His garden and found an empty place. He
then looked down upon the earth and saw your tired face. He put
his arms around you and lifted you to rest..
Joe's voice cracks and he has to stop reading and clear his
throat....swallowing hard against the lump that has been in his
throat since saying his final goodbye to Zoe.
Joe: God’s garden must be beautiful because He always takes the
best. He saw the road was getting rough and the hills were hard
to climb, so He closed your weary eyelids and whispered "Peace
be thine". It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn’t go
alone. For part of us went with you the day God called you home.
Joe folds the piece of paper back up and shoves it back into his
pocket then sits back down.
Nikki reaches out and lays her hand on Joe's shoulder, giving it
a gentle squeeze.
Duncan puts his hand on Joe's shoulder and gives it a couple of
reassuring pats then sits back in his chair.
The Chaplain blinks back tears at Joseph's reading.
The Chaplain: Please Stand.
Nikki quickly wipes the tears that have escaped and are
trickling down her cheeks and she sniffles.
The Chaplain requests into the silence that follows.
Joe sighs to himself and struggles to his feet.
Methos stands up desperately trying not to think about Alexa, it
looked like it was made for her.
Jonathon Hayes takes a deep breath, and gets slowly to his feet.
Duncan stands up and holds his hand out to Nikki to help her up.
Athinai reaches for Richie's hand as she stands.
Nikki takes Mac's hand and gets to her feet.
Richie takes Athinai's hand in his and helps her up.
The Chaplain: Today is a closing and an opening—a saying goodbye
and a saying hello again. So while we say farewell to the Zoe
that we knew we greet the Zoe who has become a part of us...the
Zoe who lives on with us...in the thoughts and memories that we
cherish. Zoe Kellogg Dawson...Your life we honor. Your departure
we accept. Your memory we cherish. In grief at your death, but
in gratitude for your life and for the privilege of sharing it
with you...we commit your body to be buried.
The Chaplain bends down and picks up a handful of dirt from the
pile next to him. Straightening he tosses it, little by little,
into the casket before him, and says,
Joe clenches his jaw and grits his teeth tightly together in an
attempt to keep himself in control.
The Chaplain: Earth to earth...ashes to ashes...dust to dust.
Rest now at the end of your days...your work is done. Rest in
the hearts and the minds of all you love. If you who knew her
can learn from her experience...if you can profit from her
example...if you can live a little better for having known
her...Then this will give continuing purpose to her life and be
a living memorial to her. May you find comfort and richness and
example in your memories. May you find support in your love for
one another. And may you find strength in your hearts.
Nikki covers her mouth with her hand to muffle a sob that is
threatening to escape.
The Chaplain: Now, while I read one of my favorite poems,
perhaps you might like to come forward to put a flower on the
casket, as a way of saying goodbye. I have a tray of flowers
here, so just come up in your own time.
The Chaplain says gesturing to the tray of long stemmed Roses
next to him.
The Chaplain: There is light at the end of the tunnel. There is
calm at the end of the storm... There is rest at the end of the
journey, And a hearth that is welcome and warm.
The Chaplain begins reading, as people slowly filter pass,
taking a white rose from the tray, and placing it on the casket.
Joe stands in front of his chair and robotically responds to
well wishers as they lay their rose on the casket then file past
him...shaking his hand...kissing his cheek and expressing their
sympathies.
The Chaplain: There's a star on top of the mountain You can
touch when the last crag is scaled. There's a certain reward
for the faithful At the point where they think they have failed.
There is a spring at the end of each winter... And behind the
black cloud it is blue. There's a song at the heart of your
sorrow And happiness is waiting for you.
Methos stands up and moves to get a rose, he approaches the
casket and murmurs under his breath, " Bye Zoe, rest in peace."
Then he walks to the side so other people can do the same.
Nikki takes a rose from the basket next to the The Chaplain and
walks over to the casket. She places the rose on top then lays
the palm of her hand on the casket and whispers, “Síochána a
bheith in éineacht leat”. (Peace be with you in Gaelic)
Once everyone has cycled by the casket, The Chaplain clears his
throat one last time.
The Chaplain: If you would all rise, and join me in Prayer...
"Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hallowed by thy name. They
Kingdom come. Thy will be done. On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us of our
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thin is the
Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever, and ever." Amen.
The peace of the Lord be with you, always.
The Chaplain says in conclusion
Jonathon Hayes: Excuse me.
Jonathon Hayes says softly to the red headed woman standing next
to him.
Jonathon Hayes: You wouldn't happen to be, Ms. Nikki Flynn would
you?
Nikki looks over at the stranger next to her and quirks an
eyebrow suspiciously.
Nikki: Depends.
Nikki says with a shrug.
Jonathon Hayes: On?
Jonathon Hayes asks curiously.
Nikki: If you're a bill collector or not.
Nikki answers.
Jonathon Hayes smiles slightly and shakes his head.
Nikki: Who's asking?
Nikki looks up at him questioningly.
Jonathon Hayes: I'm Jonathon Hayes. Zoe's attorney-at-law.
Duncan walks around the chairs and over to Joe.
Duncan: Joe? You coming?
Duncan asks his friend.
The Chaplain stands graveside, keeping an eye on Joe. Prepared
to stand there with the man all day, if he needed too. The
Chaplain suspects that he will need too, until Zoe's casket has
been lowered and covered over.
Joe shakes his head.
Joe: You go on, Mac. I'm going to stay awhile.
Athinai sniffs, with her hand still in Richie's allows, him to
guide her towards their car.
Duncan: You sure?
Duncan asks, a bit concerned.
Joe nods.
Joe: Yeah. Go ahead. I'm fine.
Joe says and smiles gratefully.
Duncan shrugs and reluctantly turns and heads for the limo.
Nikki: OK Pleasure.....I guess.
Nikki says and shakes the attorney's hand.
Methos takes a deep breath while he looks at the casket in
silence, he really hated all mortals ended like this but he
knows he can't do anything about it but accept it and move on.
He takes another deep breath and walks to talk to Joe.
Joe sits back down in his chair....wishing that everyone would
just go away and leave him and Zoe alone.
Jonathon Hayes: So... you are Ms. Flynn?
Jonathon Hayes asks just to make sure.
Methos: Joe? Are you coming?
Methos asks as he stops in front of him, side glancing at the
The Chaplain.
Joe simply shakes his head in answer to Methos' question.
The Chaplain walks up to the latest man checking on Joe.
Nikki: Yes.
Nikki answers simply.
The Chaplain: I'll stay with him, as long as he needs me to, and
see him safely home tonight.
The Chaplain murmurs
Jonathon Hayes: I have a small matter, regarding Zoe to discuss
with you. Would you, by chance, be available in the next day or
so?
Jonathon Hayes asks.
Methos nods in agreement looking at the The Chaplain, then he
tells Joe.
Methos: If you need to talk, I'm here, you know I'll understand.
Nikki can't imagine what Zoe's attorney would want with her. A
part of her tells her to steer clear but her curiosity is
stronger than her suspicions so she nods her head.
Nikki: Yes. Where and when?
Nikki says to the attorney.
Duncan tells the driver that Joe isn't coming with them and
climbs into the limo.
Jonathon Hayes: Whatever would be most convenient for you. I
will admit to not being the most familiar with Seacouver, but I
will be in town for several days yet.
Jonathon Hayes replies honestly.
Nikki: Does your hotel have a restaurant?
Jonathon Hayes: Indeed it does. I'm...
Jonathon Hayes glances behind him at Athinai who is now sliding
into the car, as Richie holds the door for her.
Jonathon Hayes: I'm staying at the down town Weston.
Nikki: How about I meet you for coffee tomorrow morning.....say
around 9-ish?
Nikki says and holds out her hand to cement the appointment with
a hand shake.
Methos doesn't wait for Joe to answer, he knows Joe knows his
phone number and where he lives if he needs him, so he just
walks back to his car, and leaves.
Jonathon Hayes: That would be perfect. Thank you.
Jonathon Hayes says accepting the hand.
Nikki: Alright. I'll see you then.
Nikki says and lets go of the attorney's hand. She excuses
herself and walks over to Joe and leans down, giving him another
kiss on the cheek and she whispers, "I'm just a phone call
away," then she straightens up and turns...heading for her
truck.
Jonathon Hayes: Good day to you, then.
Jonathon Hayes says with a nod, before turning and making his
way back to his rental car.
The Chaplain moves to a chair beside Joe, and sits down, not
saying a word, allowing Joe his thoughts, and memories.
Once everyone has left, Joe sits back in his chair and stares at
the casket without seeing it, as his mind drifts back to their
wedding night.
[center]To be continued[/center]
#Post#: 350--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 37
By: 22639 Date: April 10, 2012, 1:40 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Nikki pulls her truck up under the canopy at the entrance to
the Weston. She gets out and hands the keys to the valet, gets
her ticket and heads into the hotel. She looks around and sees
the entrance to the restaurant and she heads for it. She walks
up to the entrance and looks around until she sees Mr. Hayes
then she walks over to his table
Nikki: Mr. Hayes?
Nikki says as she approaches the table.
Jonathon Hayes: Ms. Flynn.
Jonathon Hayes says with a smile, standing up to greet the red
headed, woman and to offer her a seat.
Nikki: Please....call my Nikki. Ms. Flynn makes me sound like a
school teacher.
Nikki says with a smile as she takes a seat across from the
attorney. When the waiter comes up to the table she orders a cup
of coffee.
Jonathon Hayes: Then you must call me Jonathon, or Jon. I hear
'Mr. Hayes' and I look around for my Father.
Jonathon Hayes agrees with a chuckle of his own.
Nikki: You got a deal.
Nikki says and giggles.
Nikki: Now, Jon.....what is this all about?
Nikki asks, getting to the point.
Jonathon Hayes: A couple of things... But before I get into it,
I just have to ask a couple of questions... just to make sure
there's not two Nikki Flynn's running around Seacouver.
Jonathon Hayes says with a charming smile.
Nikki: Heaven help the world if there is.
Nikki says and laughs.
Nikki: It can barely handle me....let alone two of me.
Jonathon Hayes: Are you, Nicayla Flynn, Owner of Nua Tosu Ranch?
And director of Nua Tosu Youth Ranch?
Jonathon Hayes asks, while chuckling at Nikki's sally.
Nikki: That would be me....yes.
Nikki says as the waiter sets a coffee cup in front of Nikki and
fills it from a carafe that he leaves on the table.
Jonathon Hayes: Wonderful. In that case...
Nikki proceeds to put sugar into her coffee and stirs it then
takes a sip.
Jonathon Hayes says, and reaches down and pulls up his
briefcase, putting it onto the table next to him, and opening
it. Reaching in, he pulls out a file folder, then closes the
case and puts it back on the floor.
Jonathon Hayes: Now... what would you like to deal with first?
Yourself, or the Youth Ranch?
Jonathon Hayes asks Nikki once he has all of his things in order
Nikki: Well.....I'm not quite sure just how to answer that
because I don't know what you mean by deal with.
Nikki says a bit confused.
Jonathon Hayes: These are matters, regarding Zoe's Will.
Jonathon Hayes states carefully.
Nikki says looking at Jon questioningly.
Nikki: And that has to do with me....how?
Nikki asks and takes a sip of her coffee.
Jonathon Hayes: Your first then.
Jonathon Hayes says with a smile and opens up the folder and
extracts several pieces of paper.
Jonathon Hayes: Zoe has decided to leave you, Nikki, her horses.
Each page covers the details of the horses.
Jonathon Hayes says handing the papers to her.
Nikki: Horses?
Nikki says as she takes the papers and begins reading them over.
Jonathon Hayes: Fourteen horses in all. Ten Thoroughbreds and
four Quarter horses. The quarter horses have been trained in
barrel racing, or herding. The thoroughbreds in a combination of
show jumping and three day eventing.
Nikki's mouth drops open as she reads the details Jon just
summarized
Jonathon Hayes says giving a vague summery of what the papers
told. The paper's included a picture of each horse, the horses
name, as well as what training they've had, and how experienced
each horse was.
Nikki looks up from the papers.
Nikki: She never mentioned she had horses.
Nikki says looking at Jon with a dumbfounded look on her face.
Nikki: Where was she keeping them?
Nikki asks figuring it would have had to be a boarding farm
somewhere.
Jonathon Hayes: They're kept at her family estate in Michigan
Jonathon Hayes explains, and then offers Nikki another piece of
paper.
Jonathon Hayes: These are the funds Zoe had set a side, for you
to arrange for their transport here. Once they're here, they're
yours to do with as you please. Keep, sell, whatever. Zoe said
she knew you'd either make them a good home, or see that they go
to good homes.
Jonathon Hayes offers.
Nikki looks at the figure Jon is pointing to and her mouth drops
open wider.
Nikki: Are you serious?
Nikki asks completely shocked.
Jonathon Hayes nods.
Jonathon Hayes: Entirely.
Nikki: All right, then. I guess I am the proud owner of 14 new
horses.
Nikki says shaking her head in disbelief. She knows she should
have questions but her mind is still trying to process it all
and she can't think of anything to ask.
Jonathon Hayes: She wanted to make sure, you'd face no hardship
in getting the horses out here.
Jonathon Hayes says softly.
Nikki: That shouldn't be a problem.
Nikki says, staring at the generous amount of money listed on
the paperwork.
Jonathon Hayes: Do you have any questions? Or shall we move onto
the other item of business?
Jonathon Hayes asks softly.
Finally a valid question pops into Nikki's head....and for a
moment the business woman side of her personality comes out.
Nikki: Oh.....one question....and I'll probably have many more
once I wake up.
Nikki says partly joking.
Nikki: Are any of the horses breedable?
Nikki asks as she takes one last look at the amount on the
paperwork then takes a sip of her coffee and wishes it were a
shot of tequila.
Jonathon Hayes: Well as for the many more, you've got my card,
so feel free to call me anytime with your questions. And, the
paper's on each horse should say for sure, but I believe most of
them are breedable. Though, I do know at least a couple of them
are geldings.
Jonathon Hayes explains.
Nikki: Are these my copies?
Nikki asks, indicating the papers he has been showing her.
Jonathon Hayes nods.
Jonathon Hayes: Of course.
Nikki takes another sip of her coffee.
Jonathon Hayes: Oh, and the official ownership papers, et cetra,
will all come with the horses, along with their official medical
records. Though if you wish to request copies, the number for
that is on those papers.
Jonathon Hayes adds, nodding at the papers in Nikki's hands.
Nikki nods as she gathers the papers up into a neat stack.
Nikki: Damn!
Nikki says and shakes her head sadly.
Nikki: I wish she would have done this while she was still
around for me to thank her.
Nikki says quietly and takes another sip of her coffee.
Jonathon Hayes: She wasn't the kind to like or want the
gratitude
Jonathon Hayes says with a smile.
The waiter comes by and checks the carafe and asks if they would
like it refilled. Nikki looks over at Jon and quirks an eyebrow
questioningly.
Nikki: I don't know. Are we done, Jon?
Nikki asks.
Jonathon Hayes shakes his head.
Jonathon Hayes: Not yet.
Jonathon Hayes sighs and removes the last piece of paper from
the folder.
Jonathon Hayes: We do have one last item of business to discuss.
Jonathon Hayes indicates to the waiter that he would like a
refill.
Nikki quirks an eyebrow.
Nikki: Yes?
Nikki says wondering what could possibly be next.
Jonathon Hayes: There is the matter of the Nua Tosu Youth
Ranch...
Jonathon Hayes says slowly.
Nikki: Go on.
Nikki says tentatively.
Jonathon Hayes sighs and hands Nikki the final piece of paper.
Nikki picks up her coffee cup and starts to take a sip.
Jonathon Hayes: Zoe saw it fit to leave the Youth Ranch One
Hundred Million.
Nikki's cup drops out of her hand and clatters into the saucer
and she stares at Jon in complete shock.
Jonathon Hayes smiles slightly at the dropped cup.
The waiter rushes over with a towel and begins cleaning up the
spilled coffee. Nikki stops him and waves him away....without
taking her eyes off of Jon's face.
Nikki: Ummmmm......could you repeat that, please?
Nikki asks...not sure she heard him right.
Jonathon Hayes: Zoe has left, your charity organization, Nua
Tosu Youth Ranch, One hundred Million dollars.
Jonathon Hayes says slowly, but clearly.
Nikki sits back in her chair and looks at Jon, skeptically.
Nikki: Right.
Nikki says with a smirk. This had to be some sort of joke.
Jonathon Hayes: It's all there.
Jonathon Hayes says gesturing to the paper he had handed Nikki.
Nikki: OK Let's just say for a minute that I am falling for
this. Where would Zoe have gotten her hands on that amount of
cash? She was just a stock broker.
Nikki looks at Jon with a look that says....get out of that one.
Jonathon Hayes frowns in confusion.
Jonathon Hayes: I had been under the impression from Zoe that
you were aware that she was the sole remaining heir to the
Kellogg empire.
Nikki: What Kellogg empire?
Nikki asks simply.
Jonathon Hayes: Have you ever eaten Corn Flakes or Fruit Loops
for breakfast?
Jonathon Hayes asks.
A vague memory surfaces in Nikki's mind of the night she fixed
dinner for Joe, Zoe and Methos and Zoe had mentioned something
about having money and something about her last name of Kellogg.
But she had also sworn Nikki to secrecy so Nikki had buried the
memory of the conversation so far down in her mind that she had
completely forgotten about it until now.
Nikki: Right. She was the Corn Flake queen. But.....what was
that figure again?
Nikki says looking at Jon with a look that's a combination of
amazement, confusion and awe on her face.
Jonathon Hayes: That would be 9 figures.
Jonathon Hayes smiles.
Jonathon Hayes: 100 million
Nikki says "100 million" along with Jon....as if that will help
it sink in any better.
Nikki: And I'm not being punked by Ashton Kutcher?
Jonathon Hayes: No.... You're not. This is as serious as it
gets.
Jonathon Hayes says with a nod.
Nikki asks looking around the restaurant just in case. But when
she looks back at Zoe's attorney she knows that this is real and
she lets out a soft whistle.
Nikki: Wow!
Nikki says shaking her head.
Nikki: I honestly don't know what to say.
Nikki says and shrugs.
Jonathon Hayes smiles in understanding.
Jonathon Hayes: I would ask, for one small favor.
Jonathon Hayes says hesitantly.
Nikki: Of course. Anything. How could I say no to the man who
just laid 100 million dollars on me?
Nikki says with a smile.
Jonathon Hayes: My only request is actually on Zoe's behalf. And
its simply that you refrain from saying anything... or much
anyways, until I have had an opportunity to meet with Joseph,
regarding the rest of Zoe's will.
Jonathon Hayes says.
Nikki: Absolutely.
Nikki says emphatically
Jonathon Hayes: I'm hoping to meet with Mr. Dawson tomorrow.
Jonathon Hayes says, just so Nikki knows he's not asking her to
keep it quiet forever, or anything like that.
Nikki: You have my word and an Irishman's word is sacred.
Nikki says and holds out her hand across the table to shake on
it.
Jonathon Hayes smiles and shakes the proffered hand.
[center]To Be Continued[/center]
#Post#: 351--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 38
By: 22639 Date: April 11, 2012, 9:27 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Joe parks his car in the Weston parking lot and heads inside
the hotel. He walks up to the desk clerk and says, "I'm here to
see Jonathon Hayes." The desk clerk looks up the room number on
her computer then picks up the phone and dials Jonathon's room.
"Mr. Hayes...there's a Mr. Dawson here to see you," she says
when Jonathon answers the phone.
Jonathon Hayes: Tell him, I'll be right down. You have that
private meeting room, I asked for, set aside, for the two of us?
Jonathon Hayes asks the receptionist. Once she assures him, she
did, he hangs up and hurries out of his room, grabbing his brief
case on the way.
The desk clerk says that it's all ready for him then hangs up
and informs Joe that Mr. Hayes will be right down. Joe walks
over to one of the couches in the middle of the lobby and sits
down to wait.
Jonathon Hayes gets off the elevator and comes into the lobby
and immediately spots Joseph Dawson, and heads towards the man.
Jonathon Hayes: Mr. Dawson, thank you so much for agreeing to
meet with me.
Jonathon Hayes says as he reaches the widower.
Joe stands up and extends his hand in a greeting.
Joe: Now that I'm here....what's this about, Mr. Hayes?
Joe asks as he shakes the attorney's hand.
Jonathon Hayes: It... would best be discussed in private. I've
arranged for a small conference room, for our use. If you'd come
with me?
Jonathon Hayes asks, after shaking Joe's hand and gestures in
the direction of the room.
Joe follows Jonathon in silence...just wanting this to be over.
Jonathon Hayes opens the door to the small conference room and
flicks the lights on, then steps aside and allows Joe to enter
the room.
Joe walks over to one of the long banquet tables and takes a
seat.
Jonathon Hayes follows Joe to the table and takes on of the
seats near him. Jonathon places his briefcase on the table and
opens it. Then hesitates slightly.
Jonathon Hayes: I'm sorry, I'm doing this according to
instructions, but I've never had instructions like this before.
Joe: Well....I'd help you with it if I knew what the heck you
were talking about.
Joe says slightly irritated.
Joe: Why don't you just get to the point?
Joe suggests and sits back in his chair, folding his arms across
his chest.
Jonathon Hayes: Well.. I suppose I might as well start with who
I am. You already know I'm Jonathon Hayes, Attorney at law. But
what you're not aware of, is that I am Zoe's attorney.
Jonathon Hayes says.
Jonathon Hayes: I am also executor of her Will.
Jonathon Hayes adds.
Joe is still amazed at Zoe's organizational skills and how
exceptional she was as a business woman. And having taken the
time between the wedding, their honeymoon and doctors' visits to
actually make out a will just instills that admiration even
more.
Joe: OK
Joe says simply and watches the expression on the attorney's
face.
Jonathon Hayes: I was instructed to give you this, to read,
before going into the details of the will.
Jonathon Hayes says, and picks up an envelope. Written across
the front was simply the word "Joe" and the back, the envelope
was sealed with a blue-gray colored blob of wax.
Joe takes the envelope from Jonathon and opens it. He removes
the single page and unfolds it. He leans forward and places his
elbows on the table as he reads the letter....which says...
“Dearest Joe,
I have something to tell you. And I hope you’ll forgive me, for
not telling you, while I was alive. I had extensive reasons, why
I didn’t tell you. The primary one being that, I didn’t want
anything to change between us. I love you so much. I love
everything about you, and I didn’t want it to change. Here’s the
news… and you had better sit down for this.
I am the last remaining heir to the Kellogg empire. As in
Kellogg Cereals. My great-grandfather was William Keith Kellogg.
The inventor of the corn flake. I am, in fact an heiress of
wealth rivaling Athinai’s. Which is in part how the two of us
knew each other. I truly was stockbroker, though. I had no
desire to be a ‘pretty ornament.’
So, with the exception of the horses I own and some monies that
had been said aside for charities, you are to inherit everything
I have.
Know that I love you, with everything I have in me.
Your loving wife,
Zoe Dawson”
Joe stares at the letter....not quite comprehending what he has
just read. So he reads it again When he has finished reading it
a second time he looks across the table at the attorney and
quirks an eyebrow, questioningly.
Joe: This is real?
Joe asks...his voice thick with emotion.
Jonathon Hayes: Well, as I have not read the letter, and don't
know exactly what it says, I can't say for sure. But, I do have
a guess. And yes. Zoe was an extremely, wealthy heiress.
Jonathon Hayes replies slowly.
Joe: I can only imagine.
Joe says as the reality of the situation begins to sink in.
Joe: She says in this letter that I'm her only beneficiary.
Joe says to Jonathon.
Jonathon Hayes: She left her horses to... a Nicayla Flynn. And
One hundred Million to Nua Tosu Youth Ranch. But, everything
else, yes, goes to you.
Jonathon Hayes says nodding.
Jonathon Hayes: Between, the... ready cash, the various
properties, the stocks, and bonds, it all comes to right about
one billion dollars.
Jonathon Hayes tells Joe, not taking his eyes off the other man.
Joe: I see.
Joe says simply...unable to grasp the totality of it all.
Jonathon Hayes offers Joe a couple pieces of papers stapled
together.
Jonathon Hayes: This is a detailed list of everything.
Jonathon Hayes explains.
Joe takes the papers from Jonathon and carefully reads over the
list.
Joe: Do you handle Zoe's financial interests? Or is there an
accountant that does that?
Joe asks, laying the papers down on the table.
Jonathon Hayes: It's a bit of both, actually. The accountant has
been with her family since before Zoe was born. I'm obviously, a
more recent addition.
Jonathon Hayes says, with a slight smile.
Joe: And how long have you worked for Zoe?
Joe asks...sincerely interested.
Jonathon Hayes: I've worked for Zoe since shortly after I
graduated from Law school. So, over 10 years now. I knew Zoe
before that, however.
Jonathon Hayes explains.
Joe sits back in his chair and folds his arms across his chest.
He stares down at the floor for several seconds then looks back
at Jonathon.
Joe: Well....Zoe obviously trusted you and it appears that you
have kept on top of things and have everything under control so
I see no reason that any of that needs to change. She trusted
you...so I will trust you.
Joe says and slides the papers back across the table to
Jonathon.
Joe: I know that Uncle Sam is going to want his share of things
and there will be medical bills that will need to be paid....so
since you know where the bodies are buried....so to speak....
Joe says in his businessman's voice.
Jonathon Hayes: I am at your disposal.
Jonathon Hayes says with a nod.
Joe: So what do I need to sign?
Joe asks, unfolding his arms and sitting forward so he can sign
whatever Jonathon requires of him.
Jonathon Hayes: There's a few paper's here. Namely, to turn
everything over to your ownership, and once you decide what you
want to do with it, I can easily take care of it from there.
Jonathon Hayes says pulling out papers.
Joe: Alright.
Joe says as he takes the pen Jonathon offers him and begins
signing where Jonathon points out.
Joe: Hang on.
Joe says as an item catches his attention.
Jonathon Hayes: Yes?
Jonathon Hayes asks.
Joe: I see that there is a dwelling in Grand Prairie, Alberta,
Canada.
Joe says pointing out the item for Jonathon.
Jonathon Hayes: One of several of the Kellogg family residence's
yes.
Jonathon Hayes nods.
Joe: Do you know the condition of this particular piece of real
estate?
Joe asks, quirking an eyebrow questioningly.
Jonathon Hayes: I haven't been there myself, but all the
properties are well kept up.
Jonathon Hayes replies.
Joe: So if I asked you to provide me with directions to the
place and the key....there'd be no problem?
Joe asks...with more interest
Jonathon Hayes: None what so ever.
Jonathon Hayes replies.
Joe nods his head and returns to signing the papers.
Joe: How much advance notice would you need if I were to ask you
to do that?
Joe asks as he reviews the last page Jonathon had indicated
needs signing.
Jonathon Hayes: A day or two. Just enough to get the deed
processed, and get the key sent out here.
Jonathon Hayes replies.
Jonathon Hayes: I would as a courtesy, suggest notifying the
house staff as well, so they can give it a cleaning or a spruce
before you arrive.
Joe: This is Wednesday....right?
Joe says aloud...more to himself than to Jonathon. He signs the
last paper and slides the papers and Jonathon's pen back to him.
Joe: Could you have it all handled....including notifying the
house staff...by Monday?
Joe asks looking at Jonathon with anticipation
Jonathon Hayes: Yes. I should be able to have the papers
processed, especially if you wanted this as the priority, by
Friday and the Keys here by Friday evening or Saturday morning.
Are you intending on driving or flying?
Jonathon Hayes asks.
Joe: I was thinking about flying up there and renting a car to
drive the rest of the way. I've never been to Alberta so I am
not at all familiar with the terrain, driving conditions or even
the weather this time of year.
Joe says with a shrug.
Jonathon Hayes nods.
Jonathon Hayes: I can have all the paper work done, and the key
here no later than Saturday, and the house staff, would be ready
for you, no later than first thing Monday morning, if that would
suit?
Jonathon Hayes asks diffidently
Joe: Sounds perfect.
Joe says.
Joe: So....are we done here, Jonathon?
Joe asks, quirking an eyebrow, questioningly.
Jonathon Hayes: Just need to finish signing these papers, and
then we're done.
Jonathon Hayes says.
Joe: And you'll take care of Uncle Sam....right?
Joe says taking the papers from Jonathon.
Jonathon Hayes: Absolutely
Jonathon Hayes nods.
Joe takes the pen from Jonathon again and proceeds to sign more
papers.
[center]To be continued
[/center]
#Post#: 353--------------------------------------------------
FALLING STAR Part 39
By: 22639 Date: April 13, 2012, 9:23 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center][sub]The part of Mike Barrett is temporarily being
understudied.[/sub][/center]
Joe walks out of his office carrying a ledger book and a card
file box. He carries it over to the bar and sets the things on
the bar in front of Mike.
Joe: Here's the vendor ledger....and all of the contacts you'll
need are in this.
Joe says pointing to the card file box.
Mike: Come on, Joe. It's not like I haven't done this before.
Who do you think keeps it going whenever you have to go to
Paris?
Mike says and chuckles.
Joe: You're right. I'm sorry.
Joe says with an apologetic smile.
Joe: I know it's in good hands.
Mike: One question, though.
Mike says as he picks up the ledger and card file box and sets
them on a shelf under the back bar.
Joe: What's that?
Joe asks, curiously.
Mike: What do you want me to do about you know who and his tab?
Mike asks....slightly amused.
Methos stops his SUV in front of Joe's, and checks his watch
again. It's a little bit early and he knows the bar is still
closed but it never stopped him from getting a drink there
before. He exits his car, locks it and walks inside.
Joe holds up his hands in surrender.
Joe: I'll leave that totally up to you. You're running things
now....it's your call.
Joe says just as the door of the bar opens and Methos walks in.
Joe: Speak of the devil.
Joe says and chuckles.
Methos raises an eyebrow at that, apparently they were talking
about him. He smirks when he remembers he's been called worse
before.
Methos: So how are you guys doing?
Methos asks as he walks to the bar.
Mike holds up a glass...silently asking Methos if he wants a
beer.
Joe: Hey, Pierson. Just the man I wanted to see. If you've got a
minute I'd like to talk to you in my office.
Joe says to Methos.
Methos nods at Mike indicating he'd like a beer, then looks at
Joe slightly surprised he wants to talk to him in private.
Methos: Sure?
Mike fills the glass from the beer tap and slides the glass to
Methos.
Methos: Thanks, Mike.
Methos says as he picks it up and takes a sip of beer.
Joe turns and heads for his office...hoping Methos will follow.
Methos slowly follows Joe to his office, careful not to spill
his beer while he walks.
Joe: Close the door....will ya?
Joe asks as he takes a seat in his desk chair.
Joe: And have a seat.
Joe adds with a bit of a smile and gestures toward the couch.
Methos raises an eyebrow at the request, but he closes the door
without a comment and takes a seat.
Joe picks up his coffee cup which is sitting on his desk and
takes a sip.
Joe: This is for you.
Joe says as he hands a sealed envelope to Methos.
Methos puts his glass on the end table and extends his arm to
get the envelope with a puzzled frowns on his face.
Methos: What's it about?
Joe: Why don't you open it and find out?
Joe suggests and takes another sip of his coffee.
Methos opens the envelope still frowning puzzled, there a letter
in there and gasps when he begins reading it, apparently he'd
been promoted to... Assistant Director of the West Coast
Watchers? He checks the other things in the envelope and there's
also a check with a small bonus and a raise. He looks at Joe
surprised, his eyes open side.
Methos: What's this supposed to mean?
Joe: What does it say?
Joe asks, trying not to roll his eyes and get impatient.
Methos: I mean besides the fancy title? What are you up to, Joe?
Methos says as he rolls his eyes in return.
Joe: Well....I'd tell you that you've earned it and that the
counsel has finally recognized all of the hard work you have put
in....and it would, for the most part, be true. But I won't blow
smoke up your ass. I needed them to promote you so you could....
Joe says and takes a small leather bound notebook out of his
desk drawer and hands it and a ring of keys to Methos.
Joe: ....run things while I'm gone.
Methos: While you're...
Methos stops himself while he gets the things Joe is giving him
without realizing it, concentrated on his face.
Methos: You're leaving?
Joe: That's usually what "while I'm gone" means.
Joe says getting to his feet. He picks up his brief case from
where it sits on the floor under the desk and puts it on top of
the desk. He opens it and begins putting some of his personal
belongings into it.
Methos: Yes. usually.
Methos nods in agreement with a smirk, then he looks down and
sees something in his hands.
Methos: And what is this?
Joe looks over at Methos to see what he's talking about.
Joe: That's got the security code for the alarm system at HQ,
emergency contact numbers and passwords you'll need to get into
some of the software.
Joe explains and opens the bottom drawer of his desk. He starts
taking some of his personal things out of the drawer and putting
them into his brief case.
Methos nods smiling amused, like he'd need the passwords when
he'd already hacked into it but decides not to mention that.
Methos: And the keys?
Methos asks, then remembers his beer and takes a sip.
Joe: There's keys to the doors at HQ...one for my file cabinet
that has some of the "top secret" stuff, one goes to the storage
locker....and one to my safe.
Joe says pointing to his safe under the book case behind his
desk.
Methos: Alright.
Methos nods, wondering what was the "top secret" stuff, maybe he
should take a look at it.
Joe takes a sheet of paper out of the printer behind his desk
and hands it to Methos.
Joe: This is a photocopy of my appointment calender.
Joe explains.
Joe: There's a new class starting in a week and you'll need to
handle the cadets' orientation.
Joe says and looks over the things in his brief case, then he
shuts it.
Methos puts the things Joe has given him before on the couch to
get the paper Joe is giving him.
Methos: OK, I think I can handle that.
Methos nods while he thinks this should prove interesting.
Joe: Oh....and a word of warning....you might want to either
avoid Ashley Sawyer....or just keep an eye on her....and your
back when she's around.
Joe says in warning.
Methos: Miss By-the-Book?
Methos asks amused.
Joe: More like Miss Pain in the Ass.
Joe says and shakes his head.
Methos: No problem, I'm keeping an eye on her since she got to
town, she'd never keep her month shut if she found out about...
Methos points to himself.
Joe picks up his coffee cup and drinks the last of the coffee in
it.
Methos: So are you going to tell me where you're going?
Methos asks for the sake of asking, he knows Joe probably won't
tell him.
Joe shrugs.
Joe: I haven't decided yet.
Joe lies.
Methos shakes his head amused, when he sees Joe making that
"Just swallowed a bitter lemon" face. Maybe someone should tell
him he's a terrible liar.
Methos: I see.
Joe: And before you ask....I don't know how long I'll be gone.
Joe says, anticipating Methos' question.
Joe: Hell.....who knows? I may not come back.
Joe says, seriously as he walks over to the coat rack by the
door and takes his rain coat off of the rack and puts it on.
Methos: I'd tell you to stay but I know everybody needs to lick
their wounds in peace, I remember I did that when I lost Alexa.
Methos nods, recognizing the fact Joe needed to be alone to get
his act together.
Joe: There's just not a whole lot of reason for me to come back.
Joe says more to himself than to Methos. He walks back to his
desk and grabs his brief case then looks over at Methos.
Methos: By the way who's watching MacLeod?
Methos asks remembering Joe is also MacLeod's watcher and not
just the head of the West Coast Watchers.
Joe: Since you're filling in for me....I guess that would be
you.
Joe says with an almost evil smirk.
Methos: Me?
Joe: Oh like you didn't figure that out for yourself.
Joe says shaking his head as he walks to the door of his office.
Methos opens his eyes wide in surprise, then a smile begins to
form on his lips as he thinks that didn't sound so bad.
Methos: Really?
Methos' smile widens when he thinks about MacLeod's reaction to
that.
Joe takes his umbrella down form the coat rack and opens his
office door.
Joe: You know....I don't think you realize how lucky you are.
Joe says turning back to look at Methos, seriously.
Methos raises an eyebrow at that, as he picks his beer glass
again.
Methos: I am?
Joe: You have a reason to wake up in the morning. And you'll
probably have her for more years than most of us get with our
loved ones.
Joe says and looks around his office. He looks back at Methos.
Joe: You stay out of trouble, my friend.
Joe says simply then turns and walks out of his office.
Methos: I will, have a safe trip to wherever you haven't decided
yet.
Methos says after Joe, then he begins to put all the documents
inside the envelope to leave.
Joe walks through the bar and waves to Mike.
Mike waves back at Joe.
Without any further words, Joe walks out of the bar and into the
Pacific Northwest rain.
[center]THE END[/center]
*****************************************************
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