Something Worth Keeping: And So It Goes (6/6)
See Part One for Disclaimers and Such
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*
So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break
*
Toby drives Sam over to the George Washington ER, where most of the senior staff has already gathered. He greets them silently as he shakes snow out of his hair.
"I told them all to go home...no use in all of us waiting around," Leo informs him with a sad smile. "But no one listened."
"How is she?" Sam asks, almost afraid of the answer.
"They just took her up to surgery to remove the bullet," the First Lady announces.
Sam sits down heavily next to a nervous Josh who has his arm around Donna's shoulders. Donna senses Josh's near-panic and Sam's shock, and asks the crucial question. "She is going to be okay...right?"
Dr. Bartlet stares up at the ceiling as if looking for a sign, and mutters, "Dear God, I hope so."
***
A few hours later, Sam glances at the clock on the wall for the hundredth time. 2:30 AM.
"Why don't we know anything yet?" he wonders as he watches his friends and co-workers draped over their chairs in hesitant slumber. His eyes are heavy, but he's afraid to sleep.
At that moment, Dr. Bartlet appears in the waiting room, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention.
"Hey," and "What's going on?" they chorus groggily.
"Good news," the First Lady tells them. "Kate's out of recovery and she's going to be okay. The doctors who worked on her said she's doing surprisingly well, considering the circumstances."
Phrases such as "Thank God," and "Oh, that's great," are heard from around the room.
"There is some bad news, however," Dr. Bartlet cuts short the celebration. "There was some damage to Kate's spinal cord. It wasn't completely severed, so it will probably heal. But she can't walk."
She gives them a moment to let the news sink in. "She doesn't know yet...about her spinal cord. They're planning on telling her later on today, when she's more stable."
"Can we see her?" Toby asks.
"Yes but not for too long. She needs her rest."
Everyone starts to get up, but Josh holds up a hand and says, "Wait, everybody. Let Sam see her first."
Sam hesitates for a moment, but stands up and follows the First lady down the hallway, leaving behind the sounds of Donna protesting quietly and Josh gently silencing her.
The President's wife glances back, commenting, "She looks pretty good, Sam, considering what she's been through."
"Yeah?" He answers numbly. He doesn't care how she looks. He just doesn't want to lose her again.
***
When they reach the door to Kate's room, the First Lady leaves him with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Make sure you don't stay too long, okay? She's pretty talkative, but I don't want her to wear herself out."
"Sure thing. Thanks, Dr. Bartlet."
He steps into the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. Kate opens his eyes and smiles faintly. "You're the last person I expected to see walking in here," she whispers.
"Hey yourself," he smiles back at her. "How do you feel?"
"Shitty. But what should I expect?" she groans. "I'm starting to think Josh and I should start a club for people with gunshot wounds. And, boy, I'm going to have a hell of a scar on my stomach."
He sits down in a chair and leans on the edge of her bed. "They talked to the guy that tried to protect you. Hopefully, the cops will have the shooter by the end of the day. They're pretty confident."
She winces and looks at him. "I'm sorry, Sam. I shouldn't have said what I did. I don't hate Lisa. I didn't mean it..." her voice trails off as a sob catches in her throat.
"Shh," he quiets her. "You don't have to apologize. I don't care about that. I just want you to be okay." He smiles and takes her hand in his. "You're coming back," it's not a request but rather a command.
"You bet," she beams, but the tone of her voice changes. "Sam...I don't really know what happened, but..." she takes a breath and looks away," I can't feel anything below my knees..." Sam's head drops, confirming Kate's fears. "I'm paralyzed, Sam. I must be."
He nods. "They say you'll get better. That it'll heal."
"Well," she sighs, "I hope so..." she's trying to be optimistic, but he can see the cloud that passes over her usually bright eyes.
"Yeah. Me too," Sam agrees. "But Kate...as long as I don't lose you, it doesn't matter."
"We won't lose each other," she whispers. "We're something worth keeping."
"Yeah. Something worth keeping."
Her eyelids start to drift closed, and Sam gets up to leave, but Kate stops him. "Don't go, Sam. Just stay until I fall asleep. Please?"
"Yeah. Okay," he says, and sits back down. She reaches her hand out for his, and he takes it.
"You know what's kind of funny?" she murmurs with her eyes closed. "I mean, not funny ha-ha funny, but funny in a weird way?"
"What?" he sighs softly.
"When Ben was shot...it happened on 12th Street."
"Oh..."
"And...yesterday...was the anniversary of his death..."
He doesn't know what to say to her that could possibly ease her pain. So he doesn't say anything. He just sits with her, stroking her hair, and watches the tears flow silently he can hear her breathing softly and steadily. He stands up, kisses her gently on the cheek as not to wake her, and walks to the door.
Before he goes, though, he turns around, watching Kate lying peacefully in her bed. He brings a hand up to his face-perhaps there was something in his eye; maybe he was wiping away a tear. It's hard to tell. Then he leaves.
But only for a little while.
*
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows
*
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