T H I R T Y T H R E E
"Time of death, 15:30."
My father was barely heard as he announced the time while we all surrounded the operating table, frozen, trying to process what had just happened.
I could feel all the surgical nurse students' eyes on me, waiting for me to give them instructions, but I couldn't even get myself together to react.
"Okay— guys, let's start closing her up." Liam said, giving me a quick look before he proceeded to teach his students and mine.
Feeling like I was about to pass out, I desperately took off the gloves, yanked off the blood-soaked disposable gown, and shoved everything in the trash bin on my way out of the operating room.
As I ran down the hospital hallways to find a place to hide, all I could still see was the infinite amount of blood covering all of us as we tried to control the bleeding to no avail.
The kid was dead even before we tried our best to save her.
We were all well aware that the liver resection surgery was a risky one. Even two hospitals refused to do it due to the lack of training, but I was confident that my father and Liam could do it, mainly if they worked together. I've seen them perform endless surgeries, which made me hopeful that everything would turn out okay.
Hell, my father performed surgeries on the battlefield, he was more than experienced and capable of making this surgery successful, yet we still lost the little girl.
The thought alone of how that little girl on the operating table could've been Maia made me feel more nauseous.
At this moment, I couldn't even bear the thought of the pain those parents would feel the minute my father and Liam went out to inform them about the loss.
Between the long six hours of that surgery and the emotional toll it took, I felt both physically and mentally exhausted. All I wanted to do right this moment was to go home to Maia and Evan.
I opened the door to the surgical supply closet and locked myself inside it. Taking in the room's silence, I leaned against the door and slid down to the floor, allowing myself to feel everything I was holding before.
With shaky hands, I took my phone out of my pocket and called the only person that could make me feel better just by saying my name.
"Hey. Sorry, Bobby just finished cooking, and you know how everyone gets excited about his food." Evan said. His voice was barely audible due to the laughter and loud conversations that could be behind him.
I closed my eyes, tightening my grip on my phone. The sound of his voice loosened the tightness of my chest a little.
It made me happy that at least Evan seemed to be doing better since Maddie left, and Chimney took off to find her while incredibly mad at him. I knew it was going to happen. I knew Chimney would get mad at Buck for knowing about Maddie leaving and not having the decency to tell him, but I decided to mind my business because I did not want to be part of any unwanted drama.
"Hey," my voice cracked a little, but I coughed, trying to hide it.
"You okay?" I could tell that Evan was no longer smiling by how concerned he sounded. So much for trying to hide how miserable I felt.
I shook my head, feeling the tears welling up in my eyes. "I miss you," I said before letting out the sob I'd been holding in all this time.
Evan has been working more shifts due to Eddie and Chimney not being in the 118, making it almost impossible for us to have the same days off after we decided that it was better for Maia if I only worked part-time for the fire department and dedicated my time at the hospital until at least Chimney came back, and Evan could go back to his regular schedule.
"Baby, what's wrong? Are you still at work?"
"I hate this day. It's been shit." I admitted, remembering how that little girl smiled at me so brightly every morning as I did my rounds for these past two weeks. Even though we all knew how much pain she was in, the girl never stopped smiling.
I could hear Evan moving around until the other's voices could no longer be heard. "Hey, take a deep breath. I'm here."
I did as he said and let a shaky breath out as I exhaled. "She could've been Maia, Buck. It could've been Maia on that operating table. There was so much blood. So much we couldn't see where it was coming from.
"Oh," Evan sighed, understanding what I was talking about. "I'm sorry. Treating kids during calls has always been difficult, but ever since Maia came along, I can't help but think it can be her the one getting hurt. I understand how you feel, and it's okay to feel that way, but don't let it consume you, Aggs."
It was easier said than done.
After losing two babies and knowing that the chances of never having one were incredibly high and prominent, Maia was really all Evan and I had. If something were to happen to her, I don't know what would happen to us.
I would lose myself again, that was for sure.
"Aggs, listen. We both get off a six, just a couple of hours more. On my way home, I'll grab something for dinner, and we can take a long warm bath before Cara takes Maia home. Then we could prepare Maia for bed and read her a bedtime story together. After, I promise to hold you tight all night long. Just hang in there. I love you."
"Could you also get chocolate cake?" I sniffed, resting my head against the door.
Evan laughed. The sound of it made me smile like an idiot. "Yes, I'll get you chocolate cake."
"I love you." I said back, feeling slightly better. We stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, giving each other company.
A loud pound on the door startled me. "Agatha, open the door, please. I know you are in there."
"What the hell is that noise?" Evan asked.
I groaned, pressing myself harder against the door, even though I knew it was locked and there was no way Liam could open it.
"Liam, I want some minutes alone. I don't need a pep talk right now. Thank you very much."
Instead of leaving, Liam pounded on the door again. "What is his problem?" Evan sounded as irritated as I was starting to feel right now.
Even though Evan and I both agreed for Liam to do that paternity test, and the fact that he has not bothered us about Maia again, Evan was still not a big fan of Liam's, and I was aware it was due to the jealousy he felt when it came to both Maia and me.
"Oh my god, Liam. Leave me alone!" I exclaimed, quite annoyed.
"It's Maia." Liam's pounds stopped just as I felt like my heart stopped beating for a second.
"What?" I said as I got up from the ground faster than I should have. White spots clouded my vision as I opened the door.
On the other side, I encountered a stressed-looking Liam staring right back at me. I would've found the way he looked at me generally after the surgery we had just experienced, but I could tell there was something else going on.
"What happened with Maia?" I questioned.
"Make sure they don't let anyone out of that place!" I heard my father exclaim from down the hallway just as Liam opened his mouth to say something.
Instead of telling me what was going on, Liam looked over at my father, who looked like complete and utter shit, to put it lightly.
"Agatha, what is going on?" Evan questioned, sounding extremely concerned and lost.
Knowing I would not get anything out of Liam, I ran towards my father. "Dad, what is going on?"
Dad looked over at me, raising a finger as if asking me to give him a second. "Honey, listen, try to calm down and talk to them. I'll be there with Agatha in a couple of minutes."
The urge to throw up increased as no one seemed to tell me what the hell was going on. "Dad?!"
"Someone took Maia." He said without looking me in the eye as he hung up his phone.
I heard Evan shouting over the phone, but I could register what he was saying or what my father was saying for that matter.
This day had to be a mistake. This wasn't reality. I was probably still asleep, having the most absurd dream ever, and when I woke up, everything was going to be okay.
"What do you mean someone took Maia?" I managed to say, letting my hands fall to my sides, forgetting that Evan was still on the line.
My father reached for my arm and dragged me towards the elevators."Cara took her to the mall for some ice cream and to make a bear in that stuffed animal store, and— someone took her."
I stood there motionless, letting my father pull me into the elevator and grab my phone from my hand. I heard him saying something to Evan just as we made it to the first floor.
"Agatha, I know this is hard, and today has been hell, but I need you to pull yourself together. Not for Buck or me. Please do it for Maia. It is scary, but we will find her if we all work together. Now, let's go to the mall. Athena is already there with Cara. Buck and Bobby are meeting us there." Dad grabbed me by my shoulders, giving my body a slight shake. "Did you hear me?"
I felt numb, staring into my father's piercing emerald eyes. The same eyes I inherited from him. With another slight shake of my body and a deep breath, I managed to shake off the stupid tranced I was in.
"Yes."
The ride to the mall felt eternal as my father drove us in silence while I kept checking my phone for any updates.
Many possibilities were going inside my head about my daughter's kidnapping, but my head kept coming back to the same conclusion. This wasn't an accident or a coincidence.
Maia has been having nightmares about a bad guy, as she calls it. She refuses to sleep alone in her room, especially if the blinds of her room are opened for her midday nap. Then her Pooh Bear disappeared from my father's house without any trace of breaking and entering.
Now, she was taken from the mall in the middle of the day. The same day the daycare at the hospital was closed due to some electrical problems in the room, giving no option but for Cara to stay home from work so she could babysit her.
I knew I was not wrong that day the stupid bear got stolen. I knew this was Ian's plan all along.
"I don't want anyone in or out of that mall. I want all entrances blocked and patrolled, same with the parking lot." Athena was instructing the police officers surrounding the area as my father and I walked over to where Cara was just as the 118 arrived.
"Agatha, I'm so sorry. I— she was right next to me, and I let go of her hand just for a quick second to reach for one of the dresses she wanted for her bear, and when I looked down, she was no longer there." Cara cried. "I'm her grandmother. I'm supposed to protect her, and I failed miserably."
"It's not your fault," I reassured her, wrapping my arms around her trying to give her the support I needed right now.
I've never been on this side of these sorts of situations. I've always been the one there to help with the rescue whenever the fire department was called. I honestly never thought I would ever experience a parent's worse nightmare, but here I was, right in the middle of one.
"Still nothing?" I heard uncle Bobby asking as I let go of Cara.
"Doesn't look like it," Dad answered as both men looked over at Athena, still giving out orders.
The second my eyes met with Evan's, I felt myself break. His name tore out of me as I ran to him, throwing my arms around him. His grip on me was just as tight.
We stood there, holding onto each other. Our bodies shook together as uncontrollable sobs left my body. Evan tightened his grip on me, kissing the top of my head.
"We'll find her even if it's the last thing we do." He whispered.