DOUBLE TAKE

Chapter 15

Los Angeles County General

When Henrietta Lang walked into the waiting room at LA County General, what she saw tore at her heart. On one side of the room sat Kensi being comforted by her daughter, Charlotte, and on the other side sat her nephew, George, all alone. The other two members of her team, Sam and Marty leaned against the wall, feeling helpless. They wanted to comfort them, but they didn't know how to. Worry was clearly visible on their faces and in their eyes. It brought back memories when Dom died and when they nearly lost George.

Charlotte looked up at her mother as she walked into the waiting room. She saw the effects of the past twelve hours had on her. She badly wanted to walk over and comfort her, but she stayed where she was, because right then, Kensi needed her. Being needed was what kept her going, if she didn't stay focused on another person, she would break at the seams. She watched her sit beside George and place her hand on his arm. George looked at his aunt and struggled to keep himself in one piece. He gave her an acknowledging look of thanks as he turned his attention to the doctor who had just walked through the door.

"Family of Kevin Manning?" All of them looked up, but only Hetty seamed to muster a voice to answer him.

"I'm his aunt." She stayed by her other nephew, too afraid to stand as her knees felt weak as she studied the doctor's expression. She noticed him look at George and saw he was shocked to see someone so alike the man they had been operating on, healthy out in the waiting room.

He gathered himself and walked closer to them. It was silent and one could have heard a pin drop at that moment as the doctor began to speak. "I'm sorry, we tried everything we could. The bullet tore through a major artery near his heart, he lost a lot of blood. He went into cardiac arrest, but we weren't able to revive him." Dr Cambridge always hated giving family bad news of a loved one passing, but it was part of the job, and the down side to the many lives he did save, in his job. "I'll send a member of my staff out to get details on where the family wish for his body to be sent to, after he has been released. An autopsy will be required, I'm afraid."

Hetty nodded. No words could be formed in her mouth. She felt George's arm reach over her shoulders and draw her in closer to him. They both needed comfort, and she was glad he was not shutting down from those around him—-as she had first thought when she arrived. She turned to him and saw tears welled in his eyes. He blinked them away trying so hard to be strong for her, whilst taring apart himself. So like Charlotte, she thought, although they weren't blood related, nor did they grow up together, like Kevin and Charlotte did for the first seven years of their lives. She shook as grief gripped her and was comforted by her other nephew, whom she loved like a son.

Callen looked down at his aunt and felt the need to comfort her. She had known his brother for forty years, however, he had only known him for a few short weeks. He shook that thought away, knowing it will haunt him later. Anyone who came close to him either died or were hurt. He was a walking curse. He looked over at Charlotte and thought about her, how she was dealing this news. Ever since they had arrived at the hospital, she had been a strength and comfort to Kensi. Another man who she loved gone from her life. He shook that thought to the back of his mind too. Charlotte. He remembered her telling him two days ago how Kevin was like a brother to her. He worried about her, who was going to comfort her, with Jackson still being in Dallas. Then he thought of his father, and Beth. Kevin was their only child, and the realisation hit him—he was the only child left of his father's. How unfair life dealt him. He had lost too much already, and as soon as he let his walls down, those he let in, suffered. It's not fair, he thought. How the hell did Kevin get involved in this case, playing the hero to save Nell? He knew he needed answers, but right then was not the time. He looked at Hetty, and gently spoke in her ear. She sat up straight again, as he stood and walked over and knelt in front of Kensi.