Patrick Ch. 11

Kevyn made herself slow down, her mother wasn't dead yet and maybe she would pull out of it but in her hearts of hearts she knew that this was it. Kevyn took a deep shaky breath and told the cab driver to take her to the hospital.

When she got there all of her brothers and sisters were there, when they saw her they began to bombard her with questions before she could even put her bags down.

"Everybody please give me a chance....."

"You're not thinking about taking her off of the machine are you?" Her brother Gene asked.

"I just got here! I don't know what I'm thinking yet."

Finally she walked out, she couldn't do this right now, it just was too much to deal with at the moment. She needed a place to sit and regroup. For a brief second Patrick's face flashed in her mind, the thought to call him followed.

"I'm just tired." she murmured and she decided that there would be no decisions made tonight. She found the visitor's lounge, plopped down in a chair and put her head in her hands.

"Miss Morris?" A voice said.

"What now?" Kevyn asked as she looked up.

"I'm sorry to bother you, I'm Dr. Berry, and your siblings tell me that you're responsible for the medical decisions for your mother."

"I am but I'm exhausted and.... Could we talk tomorrow? Please?"

"Certainly, they said that you just arrived from the west coast."

"I was on my way that's why they couldn't reach me." Kevyn said.

"I know that this is none of my business but do you have someone else that can help you with this?" he asked.

"Not really... maybe."

"I would suggest that you call them even if it's for moral support."

Kevyn thanked him and closed her eyes. He was right but the only person that she knew to call was Patrick. She wasn't close with any of her extended family members and didn't know which one of them would come anyway. She waited until she was alone and dialed Patrick's number.

********

Patrick searched for the phone that he threw on the couch when he heard it ringing answering it as soon as he found it.

"Kevyn sweetheart were are you?"

Patrick listened as she told him about her mother and that she was the one who would have to make the decision about the life support and would bear the brunt of the anger no matter what she decided. He closed his eyes and listened as she talked, she was exhausted emotionally and physically.

"I'm coming."

"You don't have to; I just needed to talk to you."

"I'm on my way and don't make any decisions until I get there." he replied.

"Patrick...."

"I'm on my way, hang in there alright?"

"Thank you..."

"I'll see you soon and Kev? I love you."

He didn't give her a chance to respond. He called for Martin and told him where he was going.

"Are you sure you should do this?" Martin asked.

Patrick stopped what he was doing and looked at Martin, "She called me because she needs me and there is no way in hell I'm letting her do this alone. Even if we have to start over, I would make the same decision now do me a favor and call for the jet."

Patrick went home, packed a few things and headed to the kitchen. It had been a few days since he had fed and thought that it might be a good idea to drink a unit or two of blood before he left. He vanished from the kitchen to the airport where the jet was waiting for him.

As he waited for the jet to be cleared for takeoff he called Kevyn.

"I'm on my way, stay on the phone with me." he urged.

He heard someone talking to Kevyn and assumed that it was a family member judging by what he was hearing.

"So what you going to do?" the male voice asked.

"I don't know yet but I'm on the phone give me a few minutes, ok thanks"

"Baby wait for me." Patrick said, "We're taking off now, stay on the phone."

"I can't, I have to go, I'll see you when you get here." and then she hung up.

********

Kevyn breathed a sigh of relief, Patrick was coming but in the meantime she still had her family to deal with. She steeled herself and walked in to the room.

"Let's go to the waiting room." she said and walked away not giving anyone a chance to argue with her.

When everyone was present Kevyn shut the door.

"Alright, this is what's going to happen." she said, "I'm not making any decisions tonight and maybe not tomorrow.....'

"What?" Juliet exclaimed, "She wouldn't want to live like that and you know it!"

"AS I was saying," Kevyn interrupted initially speaking loudly, "I'm not making any decisions tonight and maybe not tomorrow. I want to talk to the doctors and hear what they have to say before I decide anything. Yes you've all told me bits and pieces but I need the entire picture so go home and come back tomorrow evening."

"We want to stay." Juliet said.

"Go home." Kevyn said firmly.

"What about you?" Eva asked.

"I'll stay here in case one of the doctors comes in."

The truth of it was she didn't want to stay with any of them because if she did they wouldn't leave her alone so that she could sleep which is what she really needed. Kevyn had to get almost rude to get them to go home and when they finally left she sighed in relief when they left. Her migraine was now in full throttle and the headache pills weren't going to help much but it was better than nothing.

She took the pills with some juice that one of the nurses got for her and curled up in the recliner and fell asleep. She woke up thirsty and in need of the bathroom and then wondered what time it was because the room was dark. She didn't see Patrick sitting in the corner and he didn't say anything for two reasons, he didn't want to scare her and he just wanted to look at her.

He had made to the hospital around four and made his way to the ICU, he had to use mild compulsion to get the nurse to take him to the room. He saw Kevyn curled up on the recliner and asked for a blanket to cover her with. As Patrick waited for the blanket, he saw Kevyn grimacing and realized that she was in pain and wondered where her pain was. He wanted to hold her in his lap with her head resting on his shoulder but didn't wake her. When the blanket came, he covered her and lightly kissed her forehead taking away whatever pain she was feeling. He watched as he grimace faced away and her facial features relaxed.

Patrick looked around the room to take in the window situation and was pleased to see that there was only one window. He stepped outside of the room and looked for a nurse or nursing assistant to ask for two more blankets. When he got them he attached them to the window effectively blocking out the sun when it rose.

******

Kevyn picked up her backpack and went into the restroom closing the door behind her. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and grimaced, she looked like shit but thankfully the headache was gone. She splashed her face with cold water, brushed her teeth and then her hair. After thinking about it she changed her clothes wondering if Patrick was really coming.

She cursed at herself for not packing her laptop but was thankful that she brought her books. She left the bathroom, leaving her backpack in a corner and went back into the room to see Patrick sitting in her chair.

"You really came?" she asked.

"I told you that I would be here." Patrick said as he stood up and walked toward her, "I need and want to be here with you; its part of what being mates means."

Kevyn couldn't move. Her breath caught as Patrick moved closer to her.

"I was coming whether you wanted me here or not, even if it meant that we had to start over." he said as he finally stood within touching distance from her.

Kevyn looked up at him but didn't speak; she sensed that he wasn't done.

"Now isn't the time or place to talk about our issues but when this is over, we're going to talk through this and I won't let you run again." he said as he put his hands on her hips and pulled her into him. "Do you understand that? I am not letting you get away from me again."

Patrick bent down and kissed her, pulling her into his arms for a hug.

"Just what in the hell is going on here?" an angry voice demanded.

Kevyn jumped, pulled away and turned to face the speaker.