His Watchful Eye

Chapter 39 Fighting for Life

Hours passed like years as the children's families were notified. After many happy reunions and joyful tears the last child was finally taken home. Henry slept through it all; completely exhausted from the emotional toll the last weeks placed on his small shoulders. Content to hold him, Georgia sat at her assigned desk and kept her arms around him for the many hours they spent at headquarters.

When the last child left, Macklin placed his hand on her shoulder. "Laribee and I are headed off to the hospital to check on Beckner. Do you need a ride home?"

Glancing down at the sleeping child in her arms, it was clear he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. "Do you mind if I come to the hospital with you?"

"Not at all. I'll pull the car up to the front and you can meet us outside."

Smiling up at him, she quietly spoke her thank for his kindness.

When the small group arrived at the hospital, Georgia who still held Henry and Laribee took seats in the plush chairs of the waiting area. Macklin sauntered up to the information desk to inquire after Beckner.

Not many minutes passed before he entered the waiting room and sat down next to Carter. "He's still in surgery. The girl at the front desk didn't know any more than that."

Carter and Andrew fell into quiet conversation, and Georgia closed her eyes to silently pray. Her heart cried out to God even though her mind couldn't find the words. She allowed the Holy Spirit within her to make intercession on her behalf.

Feeling her eyelids growing heavy, she struggled to keep her eyes open. Laribee stood to his feet and walked to the other side of the room, but she didn't have the energy to focus on what he was doing. Soon she felt a soft, warm blanket cover her and Henry.

"Try getting some sleep, Georgia. It's been a long day, and you definitely need it." Laribee's soothing voice tore down her last resolve to stay awake, and she allowed sleep to claim her.

The next thing she sensed was a hand shaking her shoulder gently and Macklin's voice coaxing her from her slumber. "Georgia. The doctor is here...Beckner just got out of surgery."

Opening her eyes, she shook her head to rid herself of the cobwebs in her mind. When she turned her attention to the middle-aged gentleman in the white coat, he began to speak. "Your friend is a fighter...there is no doubt about that. We thought we lost him on the operating table twice, but he pulled through both times. He lost a significant amount of blood, so we gave him a transfusion. He's suffered a lot of damage, and he's not out of the woods yet. If he keeps fighting, he has a chance to pull through."

"Can we see him?" Laribee inquired.

"You can, but he is still heavily sedated. He won't know you're in the room with him." Motioning to a nurse standing by the front desk, the doctor asked her to show them to Beckner's room.

"Doctor, can I speak with you for a moment?" Georgia needed to ask the physician a question but needed privacy to do so.

"Certainly. What is it?" He seated himself on a chair next to her.

"Another man was brought in last night along with Agent Beckner. His name was David Traeger. Do you know if he made it through surgery?"

"Ah, yes, Mr. Traeger. I believe my colleague, Dr. Brandt, performed his operation. His right leg had to be amputated, and he sustained extensive spinal damage...he's likely paralyzed from the neck down. He should make it, but I don't know what his quality of life will be."

Nodding her head, she took a deep breath. "I see. Thank you, Doctor."

"You're very welcome." He stood to leave.

"Could you point me in the direction of Agent Beckner's room?"

"Yes, if you go through the double doors he is in the third room on the left...number 314."

She smiled her thanks, adjusted Henry's weight in her almost numb arms, and walked toward the swinging, double doors in front of her.

As she entered the room, her view of the hospital bed was blocked by Macklin and Laribee. Stepping closer, her eyes fell on Colin's motionless form. His skin was nearly as white as the sheets on which he slept. Tubes in his nose and mouth snaked up to machines and monitors. The left side of his face was burned and speckled with tiny cuts.

A tidal wave of pent-up emotion crashed through her being. She had both loved and lost this man in the span of a few hours and now he lay before fighting for life. It was all too much to take in, and she collapsed into a chair by the bed and wept.

Macklin took Henry from her arms, and she covered her face with her hands; unable to stop the steadily flowing tears. Laribee knelt down beside her and patted her shoulder. "He'll pull through this, Georgia. He won't go down without a fight...you know that as well as I do."

She did know it, and she trusted the Lord to let him live. Sniffing and drying her eyes with the back of her hand she swallowed hard and tried to bring her raging emotions under control.

Her eyes again rested on Colin, and her heart lurched in her chest. Sending a quick prayer to heaven, she begged he would wake up and not have any lasting damage.

"Georgia," Macklin's voice brought her back to reality. "It's time to go home. There is nothing more we can do now. Henry needs to get home to bed and so do you."

"But we can't just leave him alone," she protested.

"He won't be alone. I'll stay with him until you have had the chance to get some rest and come back." Laribee squeezed her shoulder.

"Ok...but let me know if he wakes up."

"You got it. If he wakes up, you'll be the first person I call," he promised.

The sun was almost completely over the horizon when Macklin dropped her off at home. Henry was still sound asleep in her arms and she shuddered to think of what he must have suffered in the last months to have robbed him of his desire to run and play.

Gently, she laid him on her bed. The mattress in his room had yet to be replaced and lay in ribbons on the floor. Yawning, she slipped into her pajamas and climbed under the covers next to him. She still couldn't believe he was home...her mind couldn't comprehend the fact that her struggle was over. She didn't know how she would be able to sleep between the excitement at having her little boy back in her arms and the worry that Colin was still in critical condition. Exhaustion won over, however, and she soon fell into a deep sleep with a prayer on her lips and hope in her heart.