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Summer was coming to an end and the months of rehearsing for Zoe and all the time put into set building for Merrick was coming to an end. Opening night of Moulin Rouge was upon them. Merrick hadn’t been sure if he was going to go but his parents told him to go and keep Nana Hazel company and Sebastian would watch Faelan for him as they were going to see Emma in a play. Merrick was a little reluctant but agreed and meet his great grandmother at the Opera house. She was looking in perfect health despite having earlier in June had the pacemaker put in. She certainly hadn’t heeded the doctor’s advice about taking things easy. She was just as busy as ever, she was trying to help Merrick with getting some donations to his Sanctuary as ground had finally been broken to start building. “Ah there’s my handsome date.”, Hazel greeted with a smile seeing Merrick dressed in a nice teal dress shirt and slacks. “Hi Nana.”, Merrick greeted bending and giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek before offering his arm. “So are you taking Zoe out after the performance?”, she asked taking his arm as they made their way up the steps. Merrick shook his head. “Nana. We’ve gone over this. I’m just friends with Zoe. And right now I don’t know if I’m really ready for something more after what happened.”, Merrick sighed as they made their way to their seats. “Alright fine, do things in your own time but don’t take too long. I’d like to see you married before I go.”, Hazel said sitting down.
Alec and the Petridis were seated in the same row. Alec laughed a little catching just the tail end of the conversation as Hazel sat down. “Finding something amusing Mister D’Amour?”, Merrick questioned taking his head. “Oh nothing. Just I’m only guessing at the topic of the conversation, and if it’s what I think I’m in agreement with Misses Frost.”, Alec said with a small smile keeping his eyes on the stage. Isadora leaned slightly around Alec to reach across and offer a hand to Hazel. “I’m so glad you could make it Misses Frost. I know Zoe will be so happy you made it down. I”m glad to hear you are doing better.”, Isadora greeted her voice soft from her injury a scarf around her neck covering the scar. “Oh Mister D’Amour I’m certain we are on the same page.”, Hazel chuckled before shaking Isadora’s hand. “Oh thank you dear. Your daughter has been so sweet sending me little packages of goodies and small paintings and always calling me. I think she has cared more than my great granddaughters combined. So I wouldn’t miss seeing my little nightingale perform for the world.”, Hazel smiled. “Well Zoe is a thoughtful girl Hazel. I’m sure your great granddaughters just have a lot on their plates. Though it seems your eldest great grandson cares.”, Damon commented glancing down the aisle.
Hazel smiled and patted Merrick’s arm. “Oh of course. Merrick is my rock. Such a sweet boy, he calls sometimes four times a week to check in on me. His father and mother call me about as much too. I’m fortunate to have people that love me so dearly.”, she smiled looking up at Merrick with a smile. “When this one finds the right girl for him she’ll be a lucky lady to have someone to love and take care of her. As they say you always know how a man will treat a woman by how they treat their female relatives. And this one is a saint to me and his mother.”, Hazel beamed. “Merrick does seem to be a very sweet young man. I understand he volunteered his time to help make the sets for the performance. And what I can see he’s a very devoted father. So I have to agree any girl he does end up with will be lucky.”, Isadora smiled. Isadora had a close relationship with her daughter and Zoe may not have enver come out and say things in regards to Merrick, it was more what she didn’t say and how she looked when his name was mentioned that told Isadora. “Okay...so let’s watch the performance?”, Merrick sighed trying to not get embarrassed by his great grandmother. Thankfully the house lights were dimming and the curtains were being pulled back so all talking ceased. Antoinette was a small role in the overall production, but Zoe did wonderfully in the performance. And Merrick had to admit the costumes they put her in were, well more revealing than the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers high necked dresses.
Emma was rather outraged with her great grandmother and with Zoe. She hadn't’ been a big fan of Zoe from the start, but knowing that Zoe had been with Merrick in a more than friend way didn’t settle well with her. And now her own great grandmother was showing favor to this outside of her. Her theater class was putting on a performance of MacBeth and she had gotten the role of Lady MacBeth. She’s sent her great grandmother a ticket to the production for opening night but received a call that it was the same day at a production of Moulin Rouge for opening night that she’d already promised to attend. Emma didn't care or both listening to her great grandmother telling her she’d come to the second night’s showing. All Emma heard was that her great grandmother was going to drive all the way to Bayville to watch Zoe perform instead of coming to see her. And she was also told that Hazel would been meeting Merrick to watch the performance, so he would rather see Zoe’s performance than hers. Emma didn’t even care that her parents were coming up to watch her play or that Josalyn and robert were coming. Emma tried her best to not let it affect her performance, of course. She may not be getting paid to be in the performance since it is for university, but she didn’t wanted to prove that being on stage was what she should be doing in life. The performance went well for her and after she went out to grab something to eat with some of her classmates.
“Hey Emma. you seem off. What's wrong?”, Greg asked trying to be nice smiling at her. Emma glanced at Greg with a slight smile. She knew he was just being nice in asking. Which made it more annoying to her. “I’m fine Gregory. Just a little upset that my great grandmother wasn’t in the audience tonight. It was opening night and I really wanted her to be there. She’s the person who took me to the theater growing up and why I wanted to get into acting.”, Emma sighed. “This is the great grandmother who has the heart condition correct?”, Greg asked hoping to show he at least paid attention. “Yeah that would be her.”, Emma said taking a sip of her soda. “So where was she tonight?”, he questioned. “In Bayville.”, Emma said her tone getting annoyed. “That’s the town you’re from. What was she doing there?”, he inquired sitting a tiny bit closer to her in the booth. “She’s at the Opera House watching a performance of Moulin Rouge which my brother Merrick was going with her because his….friend...Zoe is in it as a very minor role.”, she explained almost choking on the word ‘friend’. “Oooh. Well I can see why you’d be upset. You got an important role in our play, live closer, and are blood. I take it you aren’t a fan of your brother’s ‘friend’. She a bad person or something?”, he asked casually putting an arm along the back of the booth behind her.
Some of the others at the booth just rolled their eyes. Greg had been eyeing Emma since her freshmen year. This was just the first performance he got to be in with her having gotten the role of MacBeth so he somehow thought this was a good chance to try and get with the rather aloof blonde. “It’s not so much that she’s a bad person I guess. I don’t know her enough to pass that judgement fully. I just feel she’s used my brother’s sweet temperament to her advantage.”, Emma explained. Greg tilted his head taking a sip of his soda. “What do you mean? And this is the brother who has the kid right?”, Greg questioned. “Yes this is the brother with the son. He’s a very kind guy. He is always nice to girls, total gentlemen. Never makes a move first. Granted he is known for implying and giving hints to wanting to make a move but he always leaves it to the girl’s discretion if the advance is welcomed and what the pace is. And I feel that Zoe took advantage of that and that he was in a rather emotional state. She started having a physical relationship with him while he was trying to deal with having gotten a girl he didn’t want to be with pregnant. So do you see my point? He was emotionally unstable with that news of his pending fatherhood and went to her as his best friend and she took advantage of that and turned a friendship into something sexual.”, Emma explained. Greg thought about it and nodded. “Yeah I can see your point. And you are just being a good little sister and worrying about him. That’s very sweet of you.”, he agreed.
Emma sighed it was nice to have someone that was willing to listen even Josalyn had told her to just stop and let it go. “He doesn’t see it that way. He seems to think I’m meddling because I expressed my dislike and concern of his friendship with her. And it doesn't’ help that my roommate Alexander is her little brother. Which he thinks the opposite of the situation and that my brother has taken advantage of his sister who’s a ‘naive Italian girl’.”, she said rolling her eyes. “Well everyone will always want to paint their sibling as the good one and the other as the villain. But the way you’ve talked about your big brother he doesn’t seem the type to take advantage of a girl. And really he was the one who was vulnerable not her. You’re right to be concerned for your brother. Especially with him having a baby. You said he mother abandoned her rights so he is all that kid has. So if he gets involved with someone she’s always going to be around your nephew. And coming from a single parent household I hated when my mom brought home a new boyfriend. They were generally scum and thought they could use her because obviously my existence meant someone already had.”, Greg sighed shaking his head. “That’s just terrible Greg.”, Emma said placing a hand lightly over his on the table. Greg smiled a little. “Do you need a ride home?”, he offered as everyone was putting out cash for their part of the bill. “Um...sure that’d be nice.”, Emma agreed getting up from the booth. She easily heard his thought of ‘score’ and laughed a little.
“Something funny?”, he asked walking with her to his car. “Oh nothing. I do want to make something clear before I get into your car.”, she stated. “Alright what’s that?”, he asked opening the passenger door. “This is you driving a fellow student and castmember home. In no way shape or form does this mean you are getting anywhere. As long as those ground rules are understood I’ll get in.”, Emma stated. “Um yeah of course. I didn’t think it meant more than that….”, Greg said Emma raised an eyebrow. “Alright so maybe I was hoping for a kiss. Or just a date next friday?”, Greg admitted with a smile. “No kiss and I’ll think about it.”, Emma said getting into the car. Greg continued to smile. It was better than a no to the date. So he drove her to the address she gave him. “Wow….”, he said pulling up. “This is really sweet digs for a bunch of college students.”, Greg commented knowing that she roomed with her sister, her sister’s fiance, and two of her high school friends. “It’s a family house. The Frosts own a number of property and all of them are nice. Nana Hazel is kind enough to let us live here for school. She said it’s safer than trusting the virtue of her great granddaughters to dormitories.”, she explained getting out. “Nice. Well see you tomorrow for the next performance. Night Emma.”, he said. “Goodnight Gregory.”, she said closing the door and heading inside.
In Bayville the performance had ended and Merrick was out in the lobby with Nana Hazel, Alec, Damon and Isadora waiting to see Zoe. As much as he wanted to congratulate Zoe on her performance and see her, he kept looking at his watch wondering how Faelan was doing with Sebastian babysitting. He didn’t often leave Faelan for long and it was already past Faelan’s bedtime which Merrick had always been there to put Faelan to bed. Hazel patted Merrick’s arm seeing him looking at the time. “Faelan is just fine with Sebastian. Solangel and Jacob are there too just in case. If something had gone wrong you’d have gotten a call by now.”, she assured. “Ah and there she is.”, Alec smiled seeing his niece. “You were wonderful nipote.”, he said giving her a hug and handing her a blue/white swirl bouquet of roses to her. Zoe smiled. “Grazie Zio (Thank you Uncle). These are beautiful.”, she smiled taking the flowers and smelling them. “You were eccezionale (terrific)”, her mother said giving her a hug. “I was in the back and outside of group songs I didn’t really have any lines.”, Zoe said being humble. “So? You’ll find the right role that puts you at the front of that stage uccellino (little bird)”, Damon said giving his daughter a hug and kiss. “Grazie papa.”, she smiled. “Nana Hazel you made it.”, she smiled giving Hazel hug before looking at Merrick with a smile seeing a hand behind his back. “And you’re out past five? You feeling alright lupo cattivo?”, she teased. Merrick rolled his eyes and gave her a hug with his one arm before offering her a bouquet of lotus flowers in a varied shade that resembled a sunset. She smiled brightly taking the flowers. “Oh..Merrick these are gorgeous. Thank you. You’ll have to tell your brother he does amazing work.”, she said sniffing the flowers.
“You’re welcome hellraiser. You need a ride home?”, he asked glancing to his watch again. “You seem anxious to get home to your cucciolo (puppy). Don’t worry about me. Trevor asked if I wanted to go to the Dot and grab something to eat.”, she said nodding in the direction of the actor who’d played Christian. Merrick heard the words and felt a twinge of pain and hated himself for feeling it. He looked in the direction of Trevor. Merrick still had a couple inches on him but otherwise Trevor wasn’t a bad looking guy. Merrick nodded. “Right. Alright. Well guess I’ll see you later. Want to go make sure Sebastian hasn’t burned the house down and more importantly that my son is still in one piece. Bye Zoe. Damon, Misses Petridis, Mister D’Amour, Nana Hazel.”, he said giving a nod to them before heading for the door taking a deep breath when outside the doors. “Just go home… just go home…”, he kept repeating to himself on the way to his car. Zoe furrowed her brow as Merrick left and shrugged he was probably anxious to get home to Faelan. Trevor walked over and smiled. “Ready to go Zoe? I want to get a good table because that waiter Rico I told you about it working. And god he’s so cute.”, Trevor greeted with a smile. Zoe laughed a little and nodded. “I’ll see you guys later. Thank you again for coming Nana.”, she said giving Hazel another hug before linking arms with Trevor and leaving. Hazel shook her head a little and walked out with Alec and Damon both offering to help the elderly woman down the steps to be polite. Hazel got into her car her driver Michael taking her back home, Alec walked the short distance back to his apartment while Damon and Isadora drove back to their home.
Over in Corpus Christi Texas Tristan was on the phone with Blaire. “So what you wearing?”, he teased. “Tristan we are having a conversation about what you plan to do after this rodeo season ends.”, Blaire said rolling her eyes from the little cubicle she worked out of at Worthington Enterprises in Boston. She’s stayed long past when she should have left wanting to get work done for an upcoming case the legal team was going to be taking on. Tristan smiled. “I know. And I’ve gotta figure it out. Either spend the time working the ranch up in Oregon with dad or Holly has offered to bring me on as a hand at her ranch so I could be closer to you this off season. Which really that sounds better, anything that gets me closer to your fine self. Now I’m about to get called up to ride. What are you wearing?”, he repeated with a smirk. Blaire giggled a little. “Cream colored collarless blazer, sleeveless plush pink scarf neckline silk top, cream colored knee length pencil skirt, no stockings, and a pair of three inch cream snake print open toe high heels. And course my necklace.”, she described smirking. Tristan grinned. “Mmmm nice. Very professional and hot. What’s under that?”, he asked looking at the board for his name. He still had time before he got called. Sure they weren’t going to have phone sex right now but having something to picture to focus on when riding did help.
“A dark pink ikat balconette style bra and a set of matching pink ikat thongs.”, Blaire smiled biting her bottom lip a little. Sure it wasn’t weird at this point for her to be telling him what she was wearing. It happened often but generally she was in her bedroom at the house and they were going to go further than just talking about what they were wearing. Tonight however she was at the office and he was due to ride soon. “Very hot. You should take a picture and send that to me when you get home. Something to get me through these last few days before I can get back to see the sight in person.”, he teased. “Hmm I’ll think about.”, she chuckled. “Tristan Whitland”, a voice called over a speaker. “Alright baby they are calling my name. I’ll talk to you after. Love you.”, he said. “Love you too.”, Blaire sighed as they hung up. She put the phone down on the desk and turned her attention back to the deposition. Her left hand fiddling with her north star pendant, she did that a lot when she knew he was going to be riding. Just kind of her way of hoping nothing bad happened.
There was something about bull riding that Tristan just loved. Maybe it was the thrill the danger offered. It certainly wasn’t something for the faint of heart. But there was more to it than that. There was great skill in riding. Every bull rider knows that the key to riding an animal whose sole purpose is to toss you straight to cowboy heaven is this: balance. And the key to balance is keeping your knees as close together as possible. But if you wobble, if you lose your balance, the emergency plan is to spur – to take the star on the heel of your boot, dig it into the thick hide, and hang on for your riding life with your legs. Tristan was so freakishly good with his legs, he not only spurred when he was in danger, he went on the offensive with them. Riding in perfect balance, he’d kick one side or the other, not to hurt the bull, but to talk to it. Each kick was a whisper. ‘I’m over here, boy … Go this way … Go that way.’ Few people have ever shared such a kinship with a 2,000-pound mass of bucking beef. Today Tristan found himself on a bull called Knock ’Em Out. The chute opened, Tristan and his legs went to work. Tristan spurred harder than usual, the whisper becoming a yelling match between man and beast. Five seconds into the ride, Knock ’Em Out kicked his back heels up and dropped his front hooves down. Tristan felt his arm extend.
To an amateur observer, bull riding looks like a sport in which control is either seized or lost with that one hand tied to the bull. It looks like a sport where all you do is hang on. That’s not the case. Good legs will keep you on a bull; balance will keep you on a bull. The main rule for your arm is that you keep it bent and flexed for mobility. With his arm locked straight, Tristan was at the bull’s mercy. Knock ’Em Out’s nosedive yanked Tristan’s arm, which yanked his head. The bull was already jumping back up. Their two heads met – bull’s and rider’s – and Tristan was knocked unconscious. Alex was already moving with a group jumping the fence when he saw his son losing control and going unconscious. This was Alex’s worst nightmare happening before his eyes. Six seconds into the ride, Tristan flew over the front of the bull, a human arrow arcing toward the dirt, legs-last. Alec and paramedics were racing to Tristan while the wranglers were working on distracting Knock ’Em Out and getting him back into the pen. The medics were trying to stabilize Tristan getting him on a stretcher and heading for the ambulance. Alex was right alongside the stretcher holding Tristan’s hand. Tristan had been hurt before but this...this was different and Alex knew that. He’d never lost consciousness like this or gotten thrown this bad.
Tristan’s eyes fluttered a little in the back of the ambulance as they were rushing to the hospital. “Take off my riding glove..”, Tristan managed to say not even realizing it was off. “I already did..”, Alex responded holding Tristan’s hand tight. Tristan didn’t hear him as he was out again and the paramedics were giving him something for the pain. They got into the hospital and Tristan was rushed to the emergency room. “You will have to wait here Mister Whitland. We have paperwork you’ll need to fill out.”, a nurse said offering him a pen and a clipboard of documentation to fill in. Alex kept looking pale faced at the doors they’d just rushed his son through and he stood there praying Tristan pulled through this. He was too young to have everything taken away like this. Alex finally took a seat and tried to focus on filling in all the paperwork, gnawing on his bottom lip in worry. He brought the clipboard up to the desk. “When will I get to see my boy?”, he asked. “I can’t say yet Mister Whitland. They are doing xrays and just trying to keep him stable to asses the damage. I’ll let you know as soon as they have him in a room where you can see him.”, the nurse said taking the clipboard and starting to enter the data into the system. Alex paced around the waiting room and took out his phone checking the time. He took a deep breath and called Blaire, she needed to know no matter what time it was about Tristan.
“Hi Mister Whitland.”, Blaire greeted cheerfully as she was packing up her brief case ready to finally head home. “Hi Blaire..”, Alex said his voice pained. “What...what’s wrong Mister Whitland?”, Blaire asked sitting back down gulping a little waiting for something bad. “It’s Tristan. He got thrown tonight...bad. We’re at the hospital right now. They’ve got him in the emergency room. I don’t have much more to tell you yet. I’ll let you know when he’s stable and what room they put him in. I just..I thought I should call you.”, Alex said trying to control the quiver in his voice as he was worried about his only child. Blaire closed her eyes tears having welled up as Alex spoke started to slip down her face, which had paled when he said Tristan had been thrown. She took a breath trying to keep control. “Okay...please let me know I don’t care what time it is when he’s in a room.”, she sniffled trying to wipe away the tears with the back of her left hand. “I will. He’ll be okay. That boy doesn’t know how to stay down…”, Alex tried to sound reassuring though he wasn’t sure if he spoke for Blaire’s sake or his own. “Right… just call me. Thank you Mister Whitland.”, Blaire said ending the call and bringing her head down to her desk resting it in her arms and started to sob terrified of just how bad was bad. He had scars from being thrown but the tone of his dad’s voice. Blaire grew up with Colby and Alison as parents she learned to read signs to know someone’s emotions. And that quiver in Alex’s voice told her he was scared. And that scared her too.
Alex sat back in a chair his hands over his face age lines very visible as he sat worried staring at the emergency room doors. He tapped his boots impatiently as he fretted about his son. He took out his phone and called the first person that came to mind. Holly had already settled in for the night sitting in her bed reading the next in the Outlander series she’d gotten addicted to. She fully blamed Alison for this addiction who’d lent her the first book and now she was on book four. She was turning the page getting to where Roger had finally found Brianna in the tavern in Wilmington when her phone started to ring. Holly raised an eyebrow not sure who’d be calling this late, but a late call was not often good. She grabbed the phone seeing Alex’s name on the caller id and set her book aside, maybe this wouldn’t be one of those bad late night calls. “Hey Alex. What’s going on?”, she asked. She could hear him pause before he spoke. “Hi...Holly.”, he sighed. “What’s wrong?”, she questioned sitting up fully in the bed. “I’m at the hospital with Tristan. He got thrown and knocked unconscious. They’ve had him in the emergency room for going on half an hour and I’ve been sitting here with no news. And I just…”, Alex’s voice broke off. “Oh Alex…”, she gasped searching for words of comfort. Moments like this she wished they weren’t so far apart. it was easier to comfort in person, where she could hug him tight and hold his hand while he waited for news.
“I’m so sorry babe. God I wish I was there with you so you weren’t alone. But I’ll stay on the phone with you if you want. So you have someone to talk to while you wait.”, she offered. “Thanks Holly. I just…”, he broke off again taking a few deep breaths. “I called Blaire so she knows. I didn’t think it would be right to wait. Though I probably just ruined her night.”, he sighed. “She needed you to call honey. She’s have been made and upset if you waited till after he was in his room to tell her. Trust me she’d rather know when it happened then be told later.”, Holly assured. She knew about that call. Colby called here while in the ambulance with Nigel when he’d been shot. And she was grateful that he didn’t wait, that he didn’t call after Nigel was emitted to the hospital. She just hoped that this went differently for Blaire and Tristan than it had her and Nigel. Nigel was gone during surgery. She had gotten there just in time to see him going to surgery and got to tell him she loved him that final time. She wouldn't have had that if Colby had waited to call her. In a way Holly felt bad that right now she was silently grateful that Alex wasn’t a rider, that this call wasn’t to tell her he’d been hurt. Yes she was scared and worried for Tristan he’d become like a son to her, one that actually cared about the ranching business. “Mister Whitland?”, a nurse called. “Um I gotta call you back sweetheart. They are calling me.”, Alex said getting up. “Alright let me know how he’s doing. Tell him I love him. And remember I love you.”, Holly said. Alex smiled a little hearing her say those words did lighten his heart a little. He’d gone a long time not being told that so every time he heard it from her he smiled. “I will. I love you too Holly.”, he said hanging up going to the desk.
“Yes? How’s my boy?”, he asked. A doctor walked up. “Well we’ve got him stable Mister Whitland. We had to operate as he’d landed in a way that had caused a small puncture in his lungs. He’s got a breathing tube and we’ve got him resting comfortably right now. He’s still not regained full consciousness. He did keep saying a name as we were getting him to the operating table.”, the doctor explained. Alex nodded listening. “A name?”, Alex asked. “Blaire.”, the doctor said. “His girl back in Massachusetts. So other than the punctured lung?”, Alex questioned. “Well the xrays show damage to the T11 and 12 along with the L1 and 2 vertebrae. We are going to have to do surgery again soon we just wanted to give him a few hours to recover from the first surgery. But we will need to operate soon if we want to try and save him from a life in a wheelchair. “, the doctor explained. Alex covered his mouth with his hand and nodded. “Alright. Can I see him now?”, he asked. “Yes he’s in room 261. We’ll probably be in for him again in a couple hours to perform the surgery on his back.”, the doctor said pointing in the direction. “Nurse let Mister Whitland through.”, he instructed. The nurse buzzed the door and Alex rushed through looking for the room number and stopping in the doorway feeling his heart sink as he looked at his son in the beat with the breathing tube and all sorts of things hooked up to him. “Oh Tristan..”, he said softly walking into the room putting his hat on a chair seeing Tristan’s clothes folded into a bag in the corner with his boots next to it. His hat was still back at the rodeo and right now Alex didn’t give a damn. He pulled a chair up to the bedside and lightly took his son’s hand. “You’re going to be fine Tristan. They are going to do the surgery and you will get through this. You’re strong enough to get through this.”, he said assuring Tristan but mostly assuring himself.
Blaire hadn’t left the office as she’d planned she just sat there and started filing again crying. She’d hoped doing work would distract her from being worried. Finallys he gave up and called her parents. Colby quickly answered seeing it was Blaire. “What's wrong baby?”, Colby asked sitting up in bed. A late night call to Colby was never good. Alison groaned and sat up turning the light on. “Daddy…”, she sobbed. “What’s wrong princess?”, Alison took the phone putting it on speaker. “Tristan’s been hurt, and apparently it’s bad. His dad called they have him in the emergency room but he didn’t know how bad it was. And I’m just...I don’t know what to do. I’ve never not known what to do. “, Blarie cried to her parents. “Aww sweetie. It’s alright. There will always be times in your life that you don’t have control over the situation. No one likes it. But you can just think good thoughts, pray even, and just wait for news really.”, Alison said wanting to hold her daughter and hug her. “Do you want us to come up? I can be there if four hours.”, Colby said. “Daddy it take six to get here.”, Blaire said shaking her head. “Not with sirens or how I drive.”, Colby said. Blaire laughed a little though tears still streamed down her face. “No it’s alright daddy. I’m just I’m so worried about him. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose him. I love him so much.”, she held one hand over her face to try and stop from crying but sobs still broke free. “Oh baby...you won’t lose him. It’ll be alright. Just have faith in the doctors he’s in the care of and in his own stubbornness.”, Colby said. “But I don’t have much trust in doctors. I grew up with Mister Hamilton and Misses Kearney’s clinic. Heck I worked there. I saw people come to them after doctors botched something.”, Blaire said starting to panic a little. “Breath baby. It will be okay. Not all doctors are bad. He will be alright healers or not. Humans survive every day without healers so will he.”, Colby assured. “Oh...I gotta go. Mister Whitland is calling back. Thanks. I love you guys.”, Blaire said quickly hanging up and switching to her other line.
“How is he?”, she immediately asked. “They have him stabilized. They did surgery as his lung had been punctures. He’s on a breathing tube right now. They are going to take him soon for back surgery he damaged his T11 and 12 along with the L1 and 2 vertebrae. So we are at Corpus Christi Medical Center room 261. I’ll let you know more after his surgery. But he’ll pull through this. He’s too stubborn not to.”, Alex assured. Blaire nodded sniffling a little. “Thanks for calling. Keep me in the loop. And when he wakes up please tell him I love him.”, Blaire requested. “Of course dear. Will be the second thing out of my mouth after I tell him I love him. Try to get some rest alright.”, he suggested. Blaire nodded. “Yeah I’ll try. Bye Mister Whitland.”, she sighed hanging up. She booted up her computer and started researching back surgery related to the T11 and 12 and the L1 and 2 vertebrae. She wanted to know what he was in for with the surgery and then recovering from it. the more she read the more worried she was and found herself crying reaching some of the stories of people who’d had surgery for similar things and their recovery. Many didn’t end up leaving a wheelchair. “God please...just please let him be okay. Riding is his life...it’s everything he has. Please god don’t take that from him and most of all please just please don’t take him from me.”, Blaire pleaded into the air crying.
As if an answer to the prayer Warren, of all people walked over and leaned his chin on the top of her cubicle his wings flexing slightly in the walkway. “Blaire? What are you still doing here? And why are you crying?”, Warren asked with genuine concern. Blaire sniffled and wiped her tears away turning in her chair to look at her boss, who was also her best friend Gabriel’s father, a kind man she’d known her whole life. “I’m sorry Mister Worthington I should have left hours ago. But I was working on that deposition and then...then I got a call saying my boyfriend is in the hospital about to have surgery on his back.”, she said trying to gain some composure. Warren nodded listening. “The bull rider correct? And please Blaire call me Warren, I’ve known you your whole life and you are best friends with my son you don’t need to be formal.”, he sighed. “So you are worried. And I see reading online information about the surgery and recovery. That can be good and bad. And let me guess you feel useless.”, Warren said stepping into the cubical tucking his wings in and giving her a hug. Blair’s bottom lip quivered a little and she hugged him back crying on his suit jacket. “Yeah to all of it…”, she said. “Well snap out of his my dear.”, he said pulling back. “What?”, Blaire questioned looking up at him. “You are Blaire London Delaney. You are the daughter of Colby Delaney a man who never gives up, a man who stopped at nothing to get to your mother and bring her home safely after the attack on the institute. You are the daughter of Alison Blaire who has never in her life accepted that there was nothing she couldn’t do. You were raised to take charge not to twiddle your thumbs my dear girl.”, Warren explained.
“That’s all well and good Mi..Warren… but I’m here and he’s way over in Corpus Christi Texas. I can’t really do much. I can’t fly on wings like you and Gabriel or teleport like Mister Wagner. I’m just plain me.”, Blaire defended. “What hospital is he at?”, he asked taking out his cell phone. “Corpus Christi Medical Center. Why?”, she asked. Warren had already started to dial his personal assistant answering immediately. “I need to have the jet at Logan International prepped and ready to go immediately.”, Warren instructed. “Of course Mister Worthington. Where will you flying at this late hour?”, his assistant asked. “I will not be flying but there will be one passenger Miss Blaire Delaney and she will be flying to Corpus Christi Texas. Arrange for a hotel room at the closest hotel to the Corpus Christi Medical Center. Also please arrange for a driver to be waiting for her at the Corpus Christi airport.”, Warren instructed. “Um of course sir. But why?”, his assistant asked. “That’s not for you to worry about. Just make it happen and text the itinerary to 6318592475 so that Blaire will know what hotel she is staying in during her trip.”, Warren said hanging up. Blaire blinked at him confused. “Mi...Warren. What?”, she questioned. “Go to the house get some clothes then get to the airport my jet will be waiting for you. I believe you have a boyfriend to go see.”, Warren said stepping out of the way and pointing to the exit. Blaire was stunned and just stared at him in disbelief. “But..the deposition...and school…”, she stammered. “The deposition will get handled as will your work while you are gone. I’ll speak with your professors letting them know of the emergency. Now move it young lady.”, he answered. Blaire smiled and hugging him tightly. “Thank you….thank you so much.”, she said grabbing her purse and briefcase before rushing out.
While Blaire rushed to get clothes packed and to the airport Alex paced in Tristan’s room while his son was under the knife. He didn’t know that Blaire was on her way, Blaire having taken only a brief second to explain to her roommates where she was going before she ran out the door. She hadn’t even bothered with changing her clothes. She got to the airport and was directed to the private jet that then took her to Texas. There she found a black sedan with a driver holding a sign with her name. “I’m Blaire Delaney.”, she said rushing to the car getting into the back. “Where to miss?”, the driver asked. “Corpus Christi Medical Center.”, she said checking her phone and not even thinking about her hotel and checking in to the Homewood Suites by Hilton. Her one and only thought was getting to Tristan. Who as she landed had finally been brought out of surgery and was resting in his room again. Alex sat by his bed holding his hand resting his head on the edge of the bed having fallen asleep there. Blaire rushed out of the car telling the driver to just wait she’d be back out when she was ready to go to the hotel. She went in through the main doors and found the nurses’ station. This she at least knew because she worked reception at the clinic. “I’m looking for Tristan Whitland room 261. He was supposed to go in for surgery.”, Blaire said. The nurse looked up at her and it was easy to see Blaire had been crying. “Um yes...I show that Mister Whitland is back in his room recovering from the surgery.”, she said. Blaire sighed a little relief and walked away looking for the room.
She found it easily enough and stopped in the doorway looking at Tristan, his father hunched over asleep. She’d never seen someone like this. With all the tubes and wires connected to them. She covered her mouth toe contain a sob as she walked into the room. But the sob and the klinc of her heels woke Alex who sat up quickly looking around and blinked seeing her. “Blaire? How?”, he questioned. “An angel Mister Whitland.”, she said moving closer and reaching over lightly touching Tristan’s leg that was under the blanket. “A what?”, Alex asked standing up. “Mister Worthington, I was at the office when you called me. Apparently he was working late too. He arranged for me to use his jet to get her and even a hotel room for me to stay.”, Blaire said. “I just..I couldn’t sit there and know he’s here..”,she said looking away from Tristan to Alex. Alex nodded and without a word hugged her. “He’ll be happy you’re where when he wakes up. But maybe now that you’re here you should go to your hotel and get some rest. He’s not going to wake up for a bit they said. I’ll stay with him for right now. You get some rest then come back and I’ll see about going to my hotel while you are with him.”, Alex offered. Blaire nodded. “Alright. If he wakes up while I’m gone..”, she said. “I’ll call you. Go rest.”, Alex instructed. Blaire nodded and walked away looking back at Tristan with each step not wanting to leave him. But reluctantly she went to her hotel and checked in getting a not so restful sleep as she worried about Tristan.

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Summer was coming to an end and the months of rehearsing for Zoe and all the time put into set building for Merrick was coming to an end. Opening night of Moulin Rouge was upon them. Merrick hadn’t been sure if he was going to go but his parents told him to go and keep Nana Hazel company and Sebastian would watch Faelan for him as they were going to see Emma in a play. Merrick was a little reluctant but agreed and meet his great grandmother at the Opera house. She was looking in perfect health despite having earlier in June had the pacemaker put in. She certainly hadn’t heeded the doctor’s advice about taking things easy. She was just as busy as ever, she was trying to help Merrick with getting some donations to his Sanctuary as ground had finally been broken to start building. “Ah there’s my handsome date.”, Hazel greeted with a smile seeing Merrick dressed in a nice teal dress shirt and slacks. “Hi Nana.”, Merrick greeted bending and giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek before offering his arm. “So are you taking Zoe out after the performance?”, she asked taking his arm as they made their way up the steps. Merrick shook his head. “Nana. We’ve gone over this. I’m just friends with Zoe. And right now I don’t know if I’m really ready for something more after what happened.”, Merrick sighed as they made their way to their seats. “Alright fine, do things in your own time but don’t take too long. I’d like to see you married before I go.”, Hazel said sitting down.
Alec and the Petridis were seated in the same row. Alec laughed a little catching just the tail end of the conversation as Hazel sat down. “Finding something amusing Mister D’Amour?”, Merrick questioned taking his head. “Oh nothing. Just I’m only guessing at the topic of the conversation, and if it’s what I think I’m in agreement with Misses Frost.”, Alec said with a small smile keeping his eyes on the stage. Isadora leaned slightly around Alec to reach across and offer a hand to Hazel. “I’m so glad you could make it Misses Frost. I know Zoe will be so happy you made it down. I”m glad to hear you are doing better.”, Isadora greeted her voice soft from her injury a scarf around her neck covering the scar. “Oh Mister D’Amour I’m certain we are on the same page.”, Hazel chuckled before shaking Isadora’s hand. “Oh thank you dear. Your daughter has been so sweet sending me little packages of goodies and small paintings and always calling me. I think she has cared more than my great granddaughters combined. So I wouldn’t miss seeing my little nightingale perform for the world.”, Hazel smiled. “Well Zoe is a thoughtful girl Hazel. I’m sure your great granddaughters just have a lot on their plates. Though it seems your eldest great grandson cares.”, Damon commented glancing down the aisle.
Hazel smiled and patted Merrick’s arm. “Oh of course. Merrick is my rock. Such a sweet boy, he calls sometimes four times a week to check in on me. His father and mother call me about as much too. I’m fortunate to have people that love me so dearly.”, she smiled looking up at Merrick with a smile. “When this one finds the right girl for him she’ll be a lucky lady to have someone to love and take care of her. As they say you always know how a man will treat a woman by how they treat their female relatives. And this one is a saint to me and his mother.”, Hazel beamed. “Merrick does seem to be a very sweet young man. I understand he volunteered his time to help make the sets for the performance. And what I can see he’s a very devoted father. So I have to agree any girl he does end up with will be lucky.”, Isadora smiled. Isadora had a close relationship with her daughter and Zoe may not have enver come out and say things in regards to Merrick, it was more what she didn’t say and how she looked when his name was mentioned that told Isadora. “Okay...so let’s watch the performance?”, Merrick sighed trying to not get embarrassed by his great grandmother. Thankfully the house lights were dimming and the curtains were being pulled back so all talking ceased. Antoinette was a small role in the overall production, but Zoe did wonderfully in the performance. And Merrick had to admit the costumes they put her in were, well more revealing than the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers high necked dresses.
Emma was rather outraged with her great grandmother and with Zoe. She hadn't’ been a big fan of Zoe from the start, but knowing that Zoe had been with Merrick in a more than friend way didn’t settle well with her. And now her own great grandmother was showing favor to this outside of her. Her theater class was putting on a performance of MacBeth and she had gotten the role of Lady MacBeth. She’s sent her great grandmother a ticket to the production for opening night but received a call that it was the same day at a production of Moulin Rouge for opening night that she’d already promised to attend. Emma didn't care or both listening to her great grandmother telling her she’d come to the second night’s showing. All Emma heard was that her great grandmother was going to drive all the way to Bayville to watch Zoe perform instead of coming to see her. And she was also told that Hazel would been meeting Merrick to watch the performance, so he would rather see Zoe’s performance than hers. Emma didn’t even care that her parents were coming up to watch her play or that Josalyn and robert were coming. Emma tried her best to not let it affect her performance, of course. She may not be getting paid to be in the performance since it is for university, but she didn’t wanted to prove that being on stage was what she should be doing in life. The performance went well for her and after she went out to grab something to eat with some of her classmates.
“Hey Emma. you seem off. What's wrong?”, Greg asked trying to be nice smiling at her. Emma glanced at Greg with a slight smile. She knew he was just being nice in asking. Which made it more annoying to her. “I’m fine Gregory. Just a little upset that my great grandmother wasn’t in the audience tonight. It was opening night and I really wanted her to be there. She’s the person who took me to the theater growing up and why I wanted to get into acting.”, Emma sighed. “This is the great grandmother who has the heart condition correct?”, Greg asked hoping to show he at least paid attention. “Yeah that would be her.”, Emma said taking a sip of her soda. “So where was she tonight?”, he questioned. “In Bayville.”, Emma said her tone getting annoyed. “That’s the town you’re from. What was she doing there?”, he inquired sitting a tiny bit closer to her in the booth. “She’s at the Opera House watching a performance of Moulin Rouge which my brother Merrick was going with her because his….friend...Zoe is in it as a very minor role.”, she explained almost choking on the word ‘friend’. “Oooh. Well I can see why you’d be upset. You got an important role in our play, live closer, and are blood. I take it you aren’t a fan of your brother’s ‘friend’. She a bad person or something?”, he asked casually putting an arm along the back of the booth behind her.
Some of the others at the booth just rolled their eyes. Greg had been eyeing Emma since her freshmen year. This was just the first performance he got to be in with her having gotten the role of MacBeth so he somehow thought this was a good chance to try and get with the rather aloof blonde. “It’s not so much that she’s a bad person I guess. I don’t know her enough to pass that judgement fully. I just feel she’s used my brother’s sweet temperament to her advantage.”, Emma explained. Greg tilted his head taking a sip of his soda. “What do you mean? And this is the brother who has the kid right?”, Greg questioned. “Yes this is the brother with the son. He’s a very kind guy. He is always nice to girls, total gentlemen. Never makes a move first. Granted he is known for implying and giving hints to wanting to make a move but he always leaves it to the girl’s discretion if the advance is welcomed and what the pace is. And I feel that Zoe took advantage of that and that he was in a rather emotional state. She started having a physical relationship with him while he was trying to deal with having gotten a girl he didn’t want to be with pregnant. So do you see my point? He was emotionally unstable with that news of his pending fatherhood and went to her as his best friend and she took advantage of that and turned a friendship into something sexual.”, Emma explained. Greg thought about it and nodded. “Yeah I can see your point. And you are just being a good little sister and worrying about him. That’s very sweet of you.”, he agreed.
Emma sighed it was nice to have someone that was willing to listen even Josalyn had told her to just stop and let it go. “He doesn’t see it that way. He seems to think I’m meddling because I expressed my dislike and concern of his friendship with her. And it doesn't’ help that my roommate Alexander is her little brother. Which he thinks the opposite of the situation and that my brother has taken advantage of his sister who’s a ‘naive Italian girl’.”, she said rolling her eyes. “Well everyone will always want to paint their sibling as the good one and the other as the villain. But the way you’ve talked about your big brother he doesn’t seem the type to take advantage of a girl. And really he was the one who was vulnerable not her. You’re right to be concerned for your brother. Especially with him having a baby. You said he mother abandoned her rights so he is all that kid has. So if he gets involved with someone she’s always going to be around your nephew. And coming from a single parent household I hated when my mom brought home a new boyfriend. They were generally scum and thought they could use her because obviously my existence meant someone already had.”, Greg sighed shaking his head. “That’s just terrible Greg.”, Emma said placing a hand lightly over his on the table. Greg smiled a little. “Do you need a ride home?”, he offered as everyone was putting out cash for their part of the bill. “Um...sure that’d be nice.”, Emma agreed getting up from the booth. She easily heard his thought of ‘score’ and laughed a little.
“Something funny?”, he asked walking with her to his car. “Oh nothing. I do want to make something clear before I get into your car.”, she stated. “Alright what’s that?”, he asked opening the passenger door. “This is you driving a fellow student and castmember home. In no way shape or form does this mean you are getting anywhere. As long as those ground rules are understood I’ll get in.”, Emma stated. “Um yeah of course. I didn’t think it meant more than that….”, Greg said Emma raised an eyebrow. “Alright so maybe I was hoping for a kiss. Or just a date next friday?”, Greg admitted with a smile. “No kiss and I’ll think about it.”, Emma said getting into the car. Greg continued to smile. It was better than a no to the date. So he drove her to the address she gave him. “Wow….”, he said pulling up. “This is really sweet digs for a bunch of college students.”, Greg commented knowing that she roomed with her sister, her sister’s fiance, and two of her high school friends. “It’s a family house. The Frosts own a number of property and all of them are nice. Nana Hazel is kind enough to let us live here for school. She said it’s safer than trusting the virtue of her great granddaughters to dormitories.”, she explained getting out. “Nice. Well see you tomorrow for the next performance. Night Emma.”, he said. “Goodnight Gregory.”, she said closing the door and heading inside.
In Bayville the performance had ended and Merrick was out in the lobby with Nana Hazel, Alec, Damon and Isadora waiting to see Zoe. As much as he wanted to congratulate Zoe on her performance and see her, he kept looking at his watch wondering how Faelan was doing with Sebastian babysitting. He didn’t often leave Faelan for long and it was already past Faelan’s bedtime which Merrick had always been there to put Faelan to bed. Hazel patted Merrick’s arm seeing him looking at the time. “Faelan is just fine with Sebastian. Solangel and Jacob are there too just in case. If something had gone wrong you’d have gotten a call by now.”, she assured. “Ah and there she is.”, Alec smiled seeing his niece. “You were wonderful nipote.”, he said giving her a hug and handing her a blue/white swirl bouquet of roses to her. Zoe smiled. “Grazie Zio (Thank you Uncle). These are beautiful.”, she smiled taking the flowers and smelling them. “You were eccezionale (terrific)”, her mother said giving her a hug. “I was in the back and outside of group songs I didn’t really have any lines.”, Zoe said being humble. “So? You’ll find the right role that puts you at the front of that stage uccellino (little bird)”, Damon said giving his daughter a hug and kiss. “Grazie papa.”, she smiled. “Nana Hazel you made it.”, she smiled giving Hazel hug before looking at Merrick with a smile seeing a hand behind his back. “And you’re out past five? You feeling alright lupo cattivo?”, she teased. Merrick rolled his eyes and gave her a hug with his one arm before offering her a bouquet of lotus flowers in a varied shade that resembled a sunset. She smiled brightly taking the flowers. “Oh..Merrick these are gorgeous. Thank you. You’ll have to tell your brother he does amazing work.”, she said sniffing the flowers.
“You’re welcome hellraiser. You need a ride home?”, he asked glancing to his watch again. “You seem anxious to get home to your cucciolo (puppy). Don’t worry about me. Trevor asked if I wanted to go to the Dot and grab something to eat.”, she said nodding in the direction of the actor who’d played Christian. Merrick heard the words and felt a twinge of pain and hated himself for feeling it. He looked in the direction of Trevor. Merrick still had a couple inches on him but otherwise Trevor wasn’t a bad looking guy. Merrick nodded. “Right. Alright. Well guess I’ll see you later. Want to go make sure Sebastian hasn’t burned the house down and more importantly that my son is still in one piece. Bye Zoe. Damon, Misses Petridis, Mister D’Amour, Nana Hazel.”, he said giving a nod to them before heading for the door taking a deep breath when outside the doors. “Just go home… just go home…”, he kept repeating to himself on the way to his car. Zoe furrowed her brow as Merrick left and shrugged he was probably anxious to get home to Faelan. Trevor walked over and smiled. “Ready to go Zoe? I want to get a good table because that waiter Rico I told you about it working. And god he’s so cute.”, Trevor greeted with a smile. Zoe laughed a little and nodded. “I’ll see you guys later. Thank you again for coming Nana.”, she said giving Hazel another hug before linking arms with Trevor and leaving. Hazel shook her head a little and walked out with Alec and Damon both offering to help the elderly woman down the steps to be polite. Hazel got into her car her driver Michael taking her back home, Alec walked the short distance back to his apartment while Damon and Isadora drove back to their home.
Over in Corpus Christi Texas Tristan was on the phone with Blaire. “So what you wearing?”, he teased. “Tristan we are having a conversation about what you plan to do after this rodeo season ends.”, Blaire said rolling her eyes from the little cubicle she worked out of at Worthington Enterprises in Boston. She’s stayed long past when she should have left wanting to get work done for an upcoming case the legal team was going to be taking on. Tristan smiled. “I know. And I’ve gotta figure it out. Either spend the time working the ranch up in Oregon with dad or Holly has offered to bring me on as a hand at her ranch so I could be closer to you this off season. Which really that sounds better, anything that gets me closer to your fine self. Now I’m about to get called up to ride. What are you wearing?”, he repeated with a smirk. Blaire giggled a little. “Cream colored collarless blazer, sleeveless plush pink scarf neckline silk top, cream colored knee length pencil skirt, no stockings, and a pair of three inch cream snake print open toe high heels. And course my necklace.”, she described smirking. Tristan grinned. “Mmmm nice. Very professional and hot. What’s under that?”, he asked looking at the board for his name. He still had time before he got called. Sure they weren’t going to have phone sex right now but having something to picture to focus on when riding did help.
“A dark pink ikat balconette style bra and a set of matching pink ikat thongs.”, Blaire smiled biting her bottom lip a little. Sure it wasn’t weird at this point for her to be telling him what she was wearing. It happened often but generally she was in her bedroom at the house and they were going to go further than just talking about what they were wearing. Tonight however she was at the office and he was due to ride soon. “Very hot. You should take a picture and send that to me when you get home. Something to get me through these last few days before I can get back to see the sight in person.”, he teased. “Hmm I’ll think about.”, she chuckled. “Tristan Whitland”, a voice called over a speaker. “Alright baby they are calling my name. I’ll talk to you after. Love you.”, he said. “Love you too.”, Blaire sighed as they hung up. She put the phone down on the desk and turned her attention back to the deposition. Her left hand fiddling with her north star pendant, she did that a lot when she knew he was going to be riding. Just kind of her way of hoping nothing bad happened.
There was something about bull riding that Tristan just loved. Maybe it was the thrill the danger offered. It certainly wasn’t something for the faint of heart. But there was more to it than that. There was great skill in riding. Every bull rider knows that the key to riding an animal whose sole purpose is to toss you straight to cowboy heaven is this: balance. And the key to balance is keeping your knees as close together as possible. But if you wobble, if you lose your balance, the emergency plan is to spur – to take the star on the heel of your boot, dig it into the thick hide, and hang on for your riding life with your legs. Tristan was so freakishly good with his legs, he not only spurred when he was in danger, he went on the offensive with them. Riding in perfect balance, he’d kick one side or the other, not to hurt the bull, but to talk to it. Each kick was a whisper. ‘I’m over here, boy … Go this way … Go that way.’ Few people have ever shared such a kinship with a 2,000-pound mass of bucking beef. Today Tristan found himself on a bull called Knock ’Em Out. The chute opened, Tristan and his legs went to work. Tristan spurred harder than usual, the whisper becoming a yelling match between man and beast. Five seconds into the ride, Knock ’Em Out kicked his back heels up and dropped his front hooves down. Tristan felt his arm extend.
To an amateur observer, bull riding looks like a sport in which control is either seized or lost with that one hand tied to the bull. It looks like a sport where all you do is hang on. That’s not the case. Good legs will keep you on a bull; balance will keep you on a bull. The main rule for your arm is that you keep it bent and flexed for mobility. With his arm locked straight, Tristan was at the bull’s mercy. Knock ’Em Out’s nosedive yanked Tristan’s arm, which yanked his head. The bull was already jumping back up. Their two heads met – bull’s and rider’s – and Tristan was knocked unconscious. Alex was already moving with a group jumping the fence when he saw his son losing control and going unconscious. This was Alex’s worst nightmare happening before his eyes. Six seconds into the ride, Tristan flew over the front of the bull, a human arrow arcing toward the dirt, legs-last. Alec and paramedics were racing to Tristan while the wranglers were working on distracting Knock ’Em Out and getting him back into the pen. The medics were trying to stabilize Tristan getting him on a stretcher and heading for the ambulance. Alex was right alongside the stretcher holding Tristan’s hand. Tristan had been hurt before but this...this was different and Alex knew that. He’d never lost consciousness like this or gotten thrown this bad.
Tristan’s eyes fluttered a little in the back of the ambulance as they were rushing to the hospital. “Take off my riding glove..”, Tristan managed to say not even realizing it was off. “I already did..”, Alex responded holding Tristan’s hand tight. Tristan didn’t hear him as he was out again and the paramedics were giving him something for the pain. They got into the hospital and Tristan was rushed to the emergency room. “You will have to wait here Mister Whitland. We have paperwork you’ll need to fill out.”, a nurse said offering him a pen and a clipboard of documentation to fill in. Alex kept looking pale faced at the doors they’d just rushed his son through and he stood there praying Tristan pulled through this. He was too young to have everything taken away like this. Alex finally took a seat and tried to focus on filling in all the paperwork, gnawing on his bottom lip in worry. He brought the clipboard up to the desk. “When will I get to see my boy?”, he asked. “I can’t say yet Mister Whitland. They are doing xrays and just trying to keep him stable to asses the damage. I’ll let you know as soon as they have him in a room where you can see him.”, the nurse said taking the clipboard and starting to enter the data into the system. Alex paced around the waiting room and took out his phone checking the time. He took a deep breath and called Blaire, she needed to know no matter what time it was about Tristan.
“Hi Mister Whitland.”, Blaire greeted cheerfully as she was packing up her brief case ready to finally head home. “Hi Blaire..”, Alex said his voice pained. “What...what’s wrong Mister Whitland?”, Blaire asked sitting back down gulping a little waiting for something bad. “It’s Tristan. He got thrown tonight...bad. We’re at the hospital right now. They’ve got him in the emergency room. I don’t have much more to tell you yet. I’ll let you know when he’s stable and what room they put him in. I just..I thought I should call you.”, Alex said trying to control the quiver in his voice as he was worried about his only child. Blaire closed her eyes tears having welled up as Alex spoke started to slip down her face, which had paled when he said Tristan had been thrown. She took a breath trying to keep control. “Okay...please let me know I don’t care what time it is when he’s in a room.”, she sniffled trying to wipe away the tears with the back of her left hand. “I will. He’ll be okay. That boy doesn’t know how to stay down…”, Alex tried to sound reassuring though he wasn’t sure if he spoke for Blaire’s sake or his own. “Right… just call me. Thank you Mister Whitland.”, Blaire said ending the call and bringing her head down to her desk resting it in her arms and started to sob terrified of just how bad was bad. He had scars from being thrown but the tone of his dad’s voice. Blaire grew up with Colby and Alison as parents she learned to read signs to know someone’s emotions. And that quiver in Alex’s voice told her he was scared. And that scared her too.
Alex sat back in a chair his hands over his face age lines very visible as he sat worried staring at the emergency room doors. He tapped his boots impatiently as he fretted about his son. He took out his phone and called the first person that came to mind. Holly had already settled in for the night sitting in her bed reading the next in the Outlander series she’d gotten addicted to. She fully blamed Alison for this addiction who’d lent her the first book and now she was on book four. She was turning the page getting to where Roger had finally found Brianna in the tavern in Wilmington when her phone started to ring. Holly raised an eyebrow not sure who’d be calling this late, but a late call was not often good. She grabbed the phone seeing Alex’s name on the caller id and set her book aside, maybe this wouldn’t be one of those bad late night calls. “Hey Alex. What’s going on?”, she asked. She could hear him pause before he spoke. “Hi...Holly.”, he sighed. “What’s wrong?”, she questioned sitting up fully in the bed. “I’m at the hospital with Tristan. He got thrown and knocked unconscious. They’ve had him in the emergency room for going on half an hour and I’ve been sitting here with no news. And I just…”, Alex’s voice broke off. “Oh Alex…”, she gasped searching for words of comfort. Moments like this she wished they weren’t so far apart. it was easier to comfort in person, where she could hug him tight and hold his hand while he waited for news.
“I’m so sorry babe. God I wish I was there with you so you weren’t alone. But I’ll stay on the phone with you if you want. So you have someone to talk to while you wait.”, she offered. “Thanks Holly. I just…”, he broke off again taking a few deep breaths. “I called Blaire so she knows. I didn’t think it would be right to wait. Though I probably just ruined her night.”, he sighed. “She needed you to call honey. She’s have been made and upset if you waited till after he was in his room to tell her. Trust me she’d rather know when it happened then be told later.”, Holly assured. She knew about that call. Colby called here while in the ambulance with Nigel when he’d been shot. And she was grateful that he didn’t wait, that he didn’t call after Nigel was emitted to the hospital. She just hoped that this went differently for Blaire and Tristan than it had her and Nigel. Nigel was gone during surgery. She had gotten there just in time to see him going to surgery and got to tell him she loved him that final time. She wouldn't have had that if Colby had waited to call her. In a way Holly felt bad that right now she was silently grateful that Alex wasn’t a rider, that this call wasn’t to tell her he’d been hurt. Yes she was scared and worried for Tristan he’d become like a son to her, one that actually cared about the ranching business. “Mister Whitland?”, a nurse called. “Um I gotta call you back sweetheart. They are calling me.”, Alex said getting up. “Alright let me know how he’s doing. Tell him I love him. And remember I love you.”, Holly said. Alex smiled a little hearing her say those words did lighten his heart a little. He’d gone a long time not being told that so every time he heard it from her he smiled. “I will. I love you too Holly.”, he said hanging up going to the desk.
“Yes? How’s my boy?”, he asked. A doctor walked up. “Well we’ve got him stable Mister Whitland. We had to operate as he’d landed in a way that had caused a small puncture in his lungs. He’s got a breathing tube and we’ve got him resting comfortably right now. He’s still not regained full consciousness. He did keep saying a name as we were getting him to the operating table.”, the doctor explained. Alex nodded listening. “A name?”, Alex asked. “Blaire.”, the doctor said. “His girl back in Massachusetts. So other than the punctured lung?”, Alex questioned. “Well the xrays show damage to the T11 and 12 along with the L1 and 2 vertebrae. We are going to have to do surgery again soon we just wanted to give him a few hours to recover from the first surgery. But we will need to operate soon if we want to try and save him from a life in a wheelchair. “, the doctor explained. Alex covered his mouth with his hand and nodded. “Alright. Can I see him now?”, he asked. “Yes he’s in room 261. We’ll probably be in for him again in a couple hours to perform the surgery on his back.”, the doctor said pointing in the direction. “Nurse let Mister Whitland through.”, he instructed. The nurse buzzed the door and Alex rushed through looking for the room number and stopping in the doorway feeling his heart sink as he looked at his son in the beat with the breathing tube and all sorts of things hooked up to him. “Oh Tristan..”, he said softly walking into the room putting his hat on a chair seeing Tristan’s clothes folded into a bag in the corner with his boots next to it. His hat was still back at the rodeo and right now Alex didn’t give a damn. He pulled a chair up to the bedside and lightly took his son’s hand. “You’re going to be fine Tristan. They are going to do the surgery and you will get through this. You’re strong enough to get through this.”, he said assuring Tristan but mostly assuring himself.
Blaire hadn’t left the office as she’d planned she just sat there and started filing again crying. She’d hoped doing work would distract her from being worried. Finallys he gave up and called her parents. Colby quickly answered seeing it was Blaire. “What's wrong baby?”, Colby asked sitting up in bed. A late night call to Colby was never good. Alison groaned and sat up turning the light on. “Daddy…”, she sobbed. “What’s wrong princess?”, Alison took the phone putting it on speaker. “Tristan’s been hurt, and apparently it’s bad. His dad called they have him in the emergency room but he didn’t know how bad it was. And I’m just...I don’t know what to do. I’ve never not known what to do. “, Blarie cried to her parents. “Aww sweetie. It’s alright. There will always be times in your life that you don’t have control over the situation. No one likes it. But you can just think good thoughts, pray even, and just wait for news really.”, Alison said wanting to hold her daughter and hug her. “Do you want us to come up? I can be there if four hours.”, Colby said. “Daddy it take six to get here.”, Blaire said shaking her head. “Not with sirens or how I drive.”, Colby said. Blaire laughed a little though tears still streamed down her face. “No it’s alright daddy. I’m just I’m so worried about him. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose him. I love him so much.”, she held one hand over her face to try and stop from crying but sobs still broke free. “Oh baby...you won’t lose him. It’ll be alright. Just have faith in the doctors he’s in the care of and in his own stubbornness.”, Colby said. “But I don’t have much trust in doctors. I grew up with Mister Hamilton and Misses Kearney’s clinic. Heck I worked there. I saw people come to them after doctors botched something.”, Blaire said starting to panic a little. “Breath baby. It will be okay. Not all doctors are bad. He will be alright healers or not. Humans survive every day without healers so will he.”, Colby assured. “Oh...I gotta go. Mister Whitland is calling back. Thanks. I love you guys.”, Blaire said quickly hanging up and switching to her other line.
“How is he?”, she immediately asked. “They have him stabilized. They did surgery as his lung had been punctures. He’s on a breathing tube right now. They are going to take him soon for back surgery he damaged his T11 and 12 along with the L1 and 2 vertebrae. So we are at Corpus Christi Medical Center room 261. I’ll let you know more after his surgery. But he’ll pull through this. He’s too stubborn not to.”, Alex assured. Blaire nodded sniffling a little. “Thanks for calling. Keep me in the loop. And when he wakes up please tell him I love him.”, Blaire requested. “Of course dear. Will be the second thing out of my mouth after I tell him I love him. Try to get some rest alright.”, he suggested. Blaire nodded. “Yeah I’ll try. Bye Mister Whitland.”, she sighed hanging up. She booted up her computer and started researching back surgery related to the T11 and 12 and the L1 and 2 vertebrae. She wanted to know what he was in for with the surgery and then recovering from it. the more she read the more worried she was and found herself crying reaching some of the stories of people who’d had surgery for similar things and their recovery. Many didn’t end up leaving a wheelchair. “God please...just please let him be okay. Riding is his life...it’s everything he has. Please god don’t take that from him and most of all please just please don’t take him from me.”, Blaire pleaded into the air crying.
As if an answer to the prayer Warren, of all people walked over and leaned his chin on the top of her cubicle his wings flexing slightly in the walkway. “Blaire? What are you still doing here? And why are you crying?”, Warren asked with genuine concern. Blaire sniffled and wiped her tears away turning in her chair to look at her boss, who was also her best friend Gabriel’s father, a kind man she’d known her whole life. “I’m sorry Mister Worthington I should have left hours ago. But I was working on that deposition and then...then I got a call saying my boyfriend is in the hospital about to have surgery on his back.”, she said trying to gain some composure. Warren nodded listening. “The bull rider correct? And please Blaire call me Warren, I’ve known you your whole life and you are best friends with my son you don’t need to be formal.”, he sighed. “So you are worried. And I see reading online information about the surgery and recovery. That can be good and bad. And let me guess you feel useless.”, Warren said stepping into the cubical tucking his wings in and giving her a hug. Blair’s bottom lip quivered a little and she hugged him back crying on his suit jacket. “Yeah to all of it…”, she said. “Well snap out of his my dear.”, he said pulling back. “What?”, Blaire questioned looking up at him. “You are Blaire London Delaney. You are the daughter of Colby Delaney a man who never gives up, a man who stopped at nothing to get to your mother and bring her home safely after the attack on the institute. You are the daughter of Alison Blaire who has never in her life accepted that there was nothing she couldn’t do. You were raised to take charge not to twiddle your thumbs my dear girl.”, Warren explained.
“That’s all well and good Mi..Warren… but I’m here and he’s way over in Corpus Christi Texas. I can’t really do much. I can’t fly on wings like you and Gabriel or teleport like Mister Wagner. I’m just plain me.”, Blaire defended. “What hospital is he at?”, he asked taking out his cell phone. “Corpus Christi Medical Center. Why?”, she asked. Warren had already started to dial his personal assistant answering immediately. “I need to have the jet at Logan International prepped and ready to go immediately.”, Warren instructed. “Of course Mister Worthington. Where will you flying at this late hour?”, his assistant asked. “I will not be flying but there will be one passenger Miss Blaire Delaney and she will be flying to Corpus Christi Texas. Arrange for a hotel room at the closest hotel to the Corpus Christi Medical Center. Also please arrange for a driver to be waiting for her at the Corpus Christi airport.”, Warren instructed. “Um of course sir. But why?”, his assistant asked. “That’s not for you to worry about. Just make it happen and text the itinerary to 6318592475 so that Blaire will know what hotel she is staying in during her trip.”, Warren said hanging up. Blaire blinked at him confused. “Mi...Warren. What?”, she questioned. “Go to the house get some clothes then get to the airport my jet will be waiting for you. I believe you have a boyfriend to go see.”, Warren said stepping out of the way and pointing to the exit. Blaire was stunned and just stared at him in disbelief. “But..the deposition...and school…”, she stammered. “The deposition will get handled as will your work while you are gone. I’ll speak with your professors letting them know of the emergency. Now move it young lady.”, he answered. Blaire smiled and hugging him tightly. “Thank you….thank you so much.”, she said grabbing her purse and briefcase before rushing out.
While Blaire rushed to get clothes packed and to the airport Alex paced in Tristan’s room while his son was under the knife. He didn’t know that Blaire was on her way, Blaire having taken only a brief second to explain to her roommates where she was going before she ran out the door. She hadn’t even bothered with changing her clothes. She got to the airport and was directed to the private jet that then took her to Texas. There she found a black sedan with a driver holding a sign with her name. “I’m Blaire Delaney.”, she said rushing to the car getting into the back. “Where to miss?”, the driver asked. “Corpus Christi Medical Center.”, she said checking her phone and not even thinking about her hotel and checking in to the Homewood Suites by Hilton. Her one and only thought was getting to Tristan. Who as she landed had finally been brought out of surgery and was resting in his room again. Alex sat by his bed holding his hand resting his head on the edge of the bed having fallen asleep there. Blaire rushed out of the car telling the driver to just wait she’d be back out when she was ready to go to the hotel. She went in through the main doors and found the nurses’ station. This she at least knew because she worked reception at the clinic. “I’m looking for Tristan Whitland room 261. He was supposed to go in for surgery.”, Blaire said. The nurse looked up at her and it was easy to see Blaire had been crying. “Um yes...I show that Mister Whitland is back in his room recovering from the surgery.”, she said. Blaire sighed a little relief and walked away looking for the room.
She found it easily enough and stopped in the doorway looking at Tristan, his father hunched over asleep. She’d never seen someone like this. With all the tubes and wires connected to them. She covered her mouth toe contain a sob as she walked into the room. But the sob and the klinc of her heels woke Alex who sat up quickly looking around and blinked seeing her. “Blaire? How?”, he questioned. “An angel Mister Whitland.”, she said moving closer and reaching over lightly touching Tristan’s leg that was under the blanket. “A what?”, Alex asked standing up. “Mister Worthington, I was at the office when you called me. Apparently he was working late too. He arranged for me to use his jet to get her and even a hotel room for me to stay.”, Blaire said. “I just..I couldn’t sit there and know he’s here..”,she said looking away from Tristan to Alex. Alex nodded and without a word hugged her. “He’ll be happy you’re where when he wakes up. But maybe now that you’re here you should go to your hotel and get some rest. He’s not going to wake up for a bit they said. I’ll stay with him for right now. You get some rest then come back and I’ll see about going to my hotel while you are with him.”, Alex offered. Blaire nodded. “Alright. If he wakes up while I’m gone..”, she said. “I’ll call you. Go rest.”, Alex instructed. Blaire nodded and walked away looking back at Tristan with each step not wanting to leave him. But reluctantly she went to her hotel and checked in getting a not so restful sleep as she worried about Tristan.