Battle the Dark: Chapter 41

On the way to the hospital, in a taxi, Sister Rebecca Katherine cried silent tears, as her brother, Timothy, sitting next to her, and Shaun, next to him, squeezed into the back seat.    John sat in the front with the driver, and Patrick found another way.


John said, "In all the events of the day, I'd have to say the most surprising was Patrick Thornhart insisting on accompanying Todd to the hospital in the ambulance."


Shaun said, "You'd have to know the history I guess, to us, it's not that strange."


"I suppose."


The nun's lips were still whispering quiet prayers.   Timothy said, softly, "Creena.  It will be all right."


She shook her head no, without interrupting her prayers, closed her eyes and squeezed a few tears onto her cheeks.  Timothy said to the others, "She doesn't get like this often.  But when she does, there is a reason."


John said, "Let's hope that when we get there, Manning's not dead.  I am not sure Blair and the kids could survive this one.  The FBI has the list you gave me, Timothy, and they are aware that most of The Men of 21 got away."


They pulled up in front of Beaumont, and exited the cab.  Timothy put his arm out to his sister, and she took, it, never deviating from her prayers.  Her lips were uttering them magically, as if under a trance.  She continued, but walked along toward the door.


When they arrived, the ambulances were both driving up, and the one with Todd was to unload first.  John stood by the door of it, holding his breath.  Patrick jumped out first, and said, "We lost him on the way, but he's back.  Barely."


John looked at Todd, who seemed smaller than he remembered him, and much more pale.  Gray, to be exact.  His shirt, which had been ripped free, was in tatters on the floor of the vehicle, and his scars, of which there were many, showed to all.  The fresh ones were like things John had never seen; he couldn't describe them, or imagine how they happened.  He swallowed and said, "He'll make it.  He has to."


The other ambulance door opened, and they could hear every moment, Blair screaming, not yelling, Todd's name.  From the pavement where they stood, they could see her, sitting up, shrieking, her hand reaching out, battling the techs and pulling at her oxygen mask.  Sister Rebecca Katherine, broke free of Timothy, and walked directly to the ambulance, stepping up the back bumper and into the cab of the vehicle, and looked into Blair's face, and shouted, "Stop this, now Blair!"


Blair, confused at first, broke down and the nun held her close.  Smoothing her hair, she said, "You can't help him this way.  You must stop, or they won't let you see him, dearie.  He might leave this world, but if he does, he must be with you when that time comes."


Hearing this, Blair pulled herself together, completely, and apologized to the techs, as they lowered the gurney to the road.  As they wheeled her in, she said to the first doctor she could find, "Please, I'll sign any papers, just please, let me off this gurney so I can see my husband, please?  I waive all assistance, I'm fine, I just need to be with him, please."


The nun said, "Doctor, there's a young man who just came in, in very bad condition, and he may pass on.  She needs to be with him.  I can vouch for the fact that nothing physically detrimental has happened to her that cannot wait for a few more hours."


John flashed his badge.  "Please, if you can oblige.  The man was missing for a week, kidnapped, and he may not have much time."


Blair, calming herself more, said, "I am all right, I promise to be seen in a few minutes, I just need to see him, please."  Her voice was soft, airy and tranquil.  Shaun and Timothy looked at each other, surprised.


Patrick said, "Doctor, please?"


The doctor said,  "It's highly irregular, but if this is what she wants, she can sign a waiver.  I'll get one."


Blair, not listening any longer, ripped the oxygen tubes off her face and out of her nose, and got off the gurney, running to the Emergency Room entrance.  The rest followed.  "Where is he, please?  The man you just brought in.  Todd Manning?"


"Are you his wife?"  the nurse asked.


"Yes,"  she said, fingering her diamond.  Her voice broke, "Yes, I'm Mrs. Todd Manning."


"Come with me," the nurse began and Blair followed, and everything and everyone else vanished from her vision.  She attempted to listen to the nurse's words, and follow her, but in her state of mind, she was only getting bits and pieces:  low vitals; has not eaten in days; severe dehydration; needs a transfusion immediately; we're doing all we can.


We're doing all we can.  Why did she repeat that to herself, over and over, and why did it sound so bad?


***


In the emergency room waiting area, the nun had finished her rosary, and was sitting, quiet and pensive, between her brother and Shaun.  Patrick sat with John, across the way from them, and spoke quietly.  "John, what about Margaret?  Is she still in Llanview?"


John did not know what to say, or how to broach the subject cautiously enough, so he said, "You've been gone a while.  Things change."


"I had heard you and Margaret were together.  I am not interested in that gossip.  Just how she is now, and where."


"She's been through a lot, and I am sorry to say that she has had a breakdown.  Cole, your son, has had a child with Manning's daughter..."


Patrick interrupted, "That must have gone over extremely well."


"Remember, Todd was not here, until almost a year ago.  He was being held captive.  It was the impostor that dealt with it, and not well, I'm afraid.  Cole ended up in jail for killing someone who tried to hurt Starr and the baby."


Patrick sank back against the chair.  "My son is in prison, and my...Margaret is in an institution?"


"Yes, I'm sorry.  There's more, but this is not the time or place."


"I must go to her and help her," he said.


"You're about the only one I think can.  I'll help you any way I can.  She has loved you, always, you know that."


Patrick turned away, and sank down, covering his eyes with his hand, then he stood.  "I'm going for some air, I'll be back," and he exited the room.


Sister Rebecca Katherine said, "Todd's gotten the blessings of the angels.  That is all we can do, but hope and pray.  If he chooses to give up this journey, it won't be long now."


John, who was busy attending to texts and calls from the U.S. announced, "We need to take the prisoner home.  He's being extradited to the United States for incarceration and trial for the new offenses."


"I'll go," Shaun said, "I want to be with the kids, too, they might need me.  I'm going to text Starr that we found Todd, and he's not in the best of shape.  They deserve to know."


"I'll offer transport to Thornhart as well.  He may want to get back to his family, and do what he can for them."  John offered.


"Of course."  Sister agreed.


"Timothy, you have full citizenship in the U.S., so your return is not in question.  You both can come back whenever you like, but I suspect Blair may need you before this is over."


Just then, they looked up to see Blair, walking as if she were lost, and John got up to go to her.  She fell against him, and said, "I think he's dying.  John, he's trying, but I don't know if he can fight it.  They said his organs had started to shut down."  


She looked off into the distance, and John, handing her to the nun, proceeded with his task.  "Blair, I'll be a phone call away.  If you need me, for anything," and he left Sister Rebecca Katherine to explain his absence.  Blair didn't seem to notice his departure.  She was in a trance-like state.


Sister said, "Why did you leave him, precious, did they ask you to go?"


"Yes.  They said for me to come here and wait, and they would come and get us."


They waited, and for the duration, it was silent.  


Finally, they spied a nurse, coming toward them, with a doctor as well.  "Mrs. Manning?"  She looked up, and stood, along with the Brodericks, leaning her hands on each one of them for strength. 


"Yes, I'm Mrs. Manning."


"Mrs. Manning, your husband needs blood, and his blood type is rare.  We're searching all local hospitals for this type, and the sooner we find some, the better our reports will be.  Until then, he is in critical condition.  It's really up to him, now.  It's a fight he has to be ready to undertake."


"I see," she fought hysteria.  Sister Rebecca Katherine read this, and took her hand.  "Can I see him, please?"


"Yes, you can.  Meanwhile, do you by any chance have the same blood type as your husband?"


She flashed back to an earlier time, when he needed blood and the only person available to help was Marty Saybrooke.  She shook her head no.  Finishing the memory, she ended her flashback with him, escaping the hospital, and she, dressed in the police guard's hat as a distraction.  She broke down, and sat, with both of the Brodericks at her side.


After she cried a while, the nun said, "Blair, go to him.  Encourage him to stay with you.  That is what he needs."


She looked up, and her eyes were rimmed in red.  Her face was flushed, her hair was matted with dirt and tears and sweat.  But, she still looked beautiful.  "I don't know if I can watch him go.  Not from this earth, not now."


Sister said, quietly, "Do you want him to have to go alone?"


Blair straightened her blazer, which was covered in dirt, and said, "No.  He can't be alone.  You're right."  The nun took her arm, and walked her back to the emergency area, and to his cubicle.  "Do you want me to stay nearby?"


"Yes, would you, Sister? Please?"  Her voice was meek and small.  In between the distress and tears, the nun also read extreme exhaustion.


"Yes I will.  I'll be here."  She pulled a chair outside the cubicle and waited.  "Go ahead, dear."


Blair opened the curtain and went back in to Todd's bedside.  She looked at all of the marks he had on his skin, so many of which were new and fresh, and cried, running her fingers lightly over each one, as if memorizing.  She said, "Todd?  Todd?  Can you hear me?"


He opened his eyes, "Blair?"


"Yes," she smiled while crying, "Yes, it's me."


"My one true babe."


"Yes."  She was barely able to keep from breaking down, and that was not what she wanted for him.


"I'm tired, Blair.  And I am still cold."


"All right," she said, climbing over wires to put herself on top of him, and covering them both with the blanket.  "Is that better?"


"Yeah.  Blair?"


"Yes?"


"The kids.  Blair, I love them so much."


"I know you do," her crying bled through her talking.  "I know that.  You can tell them yourself.  Soon."


"You have to, you will, won't you?"


"Always, Todd.  But, I won't let you off the hook.  Can you do something for me, now?"


"I'll try, babe,"  he said, weakly.  


"Will you fight for us, Todd, one more time?  Will you?"


"Yes.  Always, Blair.  I am.  I'm fighting now.  I'm just not sure I am strong enough."  She put her arm around his chest, and found his chest hair, and touched it, soft through her fingers.  He said, "Don't go. Please."


"I won't.  I won't ever go.  You don't go either, Todd."


His hand found her hair, and he smoothed it slowly, and said, "I fought it and won."


"What?  What did you fight?"


"The darkness, Blair.  I battled the dark, and I won."


She knew what he meant, but it also meant he had faced all of the abuse he suffered and didn't escape it.  "I'm so proud of you, Todd.  So proud.  Now one more fight, okay?  Just this fight.  Stay with us, please.  Your children need you, and so do I,"  she said, sniffling.


"You're safe now.  Leona's dead, no more Slice and Dice.  I saw to that."


"Yes, I know.  You're a wonderful father.  You take good care of us, Todd."


"I found out everything, Blair.  Everything."


She waited, quietly.  She was not sure, this time, what he meant.


"I know the truth, about it all.  The whole eight years.  I know what he did to me."


She swallowed.  At that moment, she suspected that she knew, too.  "We can talk about this later."


"Later?  Now is later."


"No, it's not.  You're the only one, Todd, who ever loved me like this."


"Tired."


"No, Todd."


"I love you, Blair."


"I love you, too, always," she said, and his hand slipped off her hair.


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