The Nature of Things

Chapter 50

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"What the fuck did you do?" Molly burst into the condo and screamed at her partner. "It's all over the fucking news about some accident involving Melanie. She's not on the fucking list."

"It's not my fault. I didn't do anything to her."

"You better fucking hope you had nothing to do with this."

"You need me little girl. You're too fucking good to get blood on your hands."

"Don't be so sure."

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Brian put Lindsay in the car and fumbled for his phone. Opening it he punched in the speed dial for Michael. He needed to let his friend know that Ben's car was at the scene.

Brian's shock was evident to all when Ben answered the phone.

"Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's Michael?"

"On his way to the comic book convention."

"How?"

"He borrowed my car. Why?"

"Fuck, meet me at the hospital. There's something you need to know."

"Brian? Brian?" Ben screamed at the dead line and grabbed the phone book frantically searching for the number of a cab company.

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"Mr. Taylor-Kinney, we've been told that there is young girl in the ER who's been placed on life support. I don't want to get your hopes up too much because I haven't talked to the parents yet or seen the chart, but there is a possibility we've found a heart for Maya."

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The doctor cut the clothes from Michael's bruised body and was just removing his shoes when a small slip of white caught his eye. Peeling it from the bottom of the victim's shoe, he placed it in a bag to share with the local police later.

Laying it down on the table, he was completely unaware that the card could spell major trouble for the best friend of his patient.

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Ben came rushing into the hospital at the same time as Brian. Both men descended on the unsuspecting nurse's station at once. The petite young blonde behind the desk smiled seductively at Brian and Ben shook his head.

"Fuck, it never fails. What is it with you that everyone finds so damn irresistible?"

"As much as I'd like to explain that to you, Professor, at the moment we need to focus on other things."

Ben quickly remembered why they were there and questioned the young nurse until he'd found out that a John Doe matching Michael's description was in the operating room at that exact moment.

They found seats and waited for word on his condition.

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Justin was just putting the phone down when Jennifer came in looking like she'd been witness to the crucifixion.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Jenny Rebecca's downstairs in the ER."

"Is she okay? What happened?"

"There was an accident. I don't know all the details, but she came in by ambulance just as Debbie and I were getting back. She's still downstairs trying to reach Lindsay."

"What about Melanie?"

"I don't know, honey."

Suddenly it dawned on Justin that it may be JR's heart that Maya's doctors were hoping for. "Oh, my God, Mom, the doctors were just in here telling me about a young girl that could possibly be a donor for Maya."

"Honey, it can't be JR. It just can't."

"But what if it is? What if she dies? Her heart could save Maya."

"We can't think about her dying, Justin. It has to be another child."

Things were just calming down in the small yellow room when the alarm on Maya's heart monitor began to chime uncontrollably.

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Brian was about to step out for a cigarette when the doctor came out looking for Michael's family. He was just telling them his condition when the intercom sounded.

"CODE BLUE ROOM 361. CODE BLUE PEDIATRICS ROOM 361."

Brian turned and ran towards the stairs without another thought of Michael.

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