I don't want to die

Jamie Waite Lay on the pavement bleeding from the two bullet holes in his body. He could feel the blood trickling out. He tried to reach one of them, in his shoulder and clamp his hand over it to try and stop the bleeding. He didn't think it was doing any good. He could hear someone, the shooter screaming. His head was turned to the side and he could see Hank gesturing to him to keep still and not say anything. Jamie mentally rolled his eyes. He couldn't move. it was as if he were glued to the pavement. He knew that Val and Tyler were both safe. He'd pushed them out of the way.

He could feel a burning in his Left leg. He knew he'd been shot there. His pant leg felt so sticky. He felt so sleepy. He blinked several times. He couldn't fall asleep, if he did Jamie knew that he wouldn't wake up. He was not ready to die just yet. He wanted at least one more day to be mischievious and drive Alex and the others crazy. He Lived for that. He could hear the gunman screaming again.

"KEEP BACK! I'LL KILL HIM! I WILL!! LOUSY BASTARDS! KEEP ME FROM MY WIFE WILL YOU?! PAY THE PRICE!!" He fired another couple shots, one of which struck the pavement near Jamies head. He had to really force himself not to flinch. He mouthed to Hank the words help me. He knew that Hank was not in a position to help him at that moment. He let his eyes flutter closed, thinking back to how it had gotten started.

***Earlier that day***

It had been a normal, run of the mill day. They had had some boring calls, some funny ones and a couple that weren't as funny. They had made plans to get together after work and have astudy party. They had finals coming up and they all knew that they could use extra help in studying. In between calls, they passed the time in the station doing chores around the station and goofing around with each other.

Jamie had fixed a bucket of water over the door and was waiting for Alex to open the door so the water was douse him. Jamie knew that Alex would probably yell at him and assign him to clean the bathroom. But Jamie didn't mind. He knew that Alex wouldn't know what to do with himself if he suddenly stopped playing pranks.

After Alex had changed shirts and yelled at Jamie, Jamie started mopping up the water. He laughed to himself, because once again he'd gotten alex. With the same thing as last month, and Alex never seemed to catch on. When he was finished mopping up the water, He moved to the guys restroom. Just like he knew that Alex would assign him.

They had just gotten toned out for a call. All they knew about it was that is was a domestic call. They all hated those. Because they had a tendency to turn extremely nasty. This was a call from a woman whose husband had been hitting her and started whipping her. She had escaped into the bedroom and locked the door and called the police, who had called an ambulance. They had responded without hesitation.

When they had gotten there, there were no police in sight, but they had seen the wife running towards them after having jumped out of a window. Val and Tyler had rushed forward to bring her to the safety of the ambulance. Jamie was the one that had seen her husband come out of the house running with a shotgun. He Screamed their names, ran forward and pushed them all to hurry up and they ran. Jamie was behind them when he felt himself falling to the ground.

Things had seemed to happen in slow motion after he went down. When he had tried to crawl to the other and take cover, the husband had shot him again. This time in the Leg. Jamie didn't move after that. He was trapped in a precarious position. On one side there was the members of his squad, hoping and praying that the police got there soon, and speaking to him trying to keep him conscious and do for him what they could. On the other side though, there was one pissed off husband that Jamie honestly felt was bound and determined to kill someone, be it his wife or one of the EMT's. And it looked right now as if Jamie was going to be the one to pay the price.

***Back to the present***

Jamie was having a really difficult time keeping his eyes open. He could feel this creeping darkness that was at the edge of his vision. He didn't want to surrender to whatever this darknes was or whatever it promised him if he would only close his eyes. He could also feel that he was starting to have trouble breathing. He had this burning sensation in his side. It didn't register with his mind at first what it was, what it had to be. The only thing that did register was that man's screaming.

He could hear that man screaming and hollering again. Saying that he wanted his whore of a wife in front of him so she could take her punishment like a woman. Jamie knew that the others would not let her out there to be killed by this maniac. Jamie took as deep a breath that he could manage. and it finally dawned on him why his side hurt so bad.

The bastard had come over to him and kicked him in the side. Jamie felt a couple ribs snap. he groaned softly, trying to not let the guy hear that he was still alive, although barely. Jamie wasn't sure he could continue to hold on. Suddenly he heard a giant crack and saw the man fall beside him. He closed his eyes again and started coughing as his mouth started filling with blood.

'Hey you. I am not a religious man. Not by any means,but then you already knew that didn't you. But I am do know that I am not ready to see you any time soon. I just started to clean up my act. Please have pity on me. I want to drive Alex nuts at least one more time, I wanna see my friends. I want my mommy and daddy. Please.' Jamie heard someone screaming his name. Suddenly Tyler and Hank were kneeling next to him.

"Jamie? JAMIE! Open your eyes for me Jamie! Tyler get his blood pressure and pulse. Val get the oxygen turn it up! Get some bandages and press on the wounds. We gotta stop that blood loss. JAMIE! OPEN YOUR EYES FOR ME DAMNIT! Someone get an IV started. Move damnit!" Jamie groaned and started moving around. He started gasping.

"Whoa. Whoa! Jamie, calm down, slow your breathing down a little. You are going to be ok Jamie. You will be ok. Talk to me Jamie." Jamie open his eyes briefly and groaned, while trying to move around. Hank could see tears falling from his eyes as Jamie grasped his hand.

"Hank. I don't think I have much longer. I can't see very well. Hank, You've been a great friend to me. Thank you. Tell Tyler and Val I said thank you. For giving me a chance. Tyler and Val? Are they ok? Is that woman ok too?" Hank Motioned for the gurney and they picked him up and strapped him on to it and started wheeling him to the ambulance, all of them wiping away tears.

"Yeah they are all ok. Thanks to you Jamie. You are going to be ok. Don't try to talk too much, save your strength. Jamie. Jamie? JAMIE!!" Jamies eyes had closed. His breathing extremely labored. They sped to the hospital and got there in record time.

Once they had gotten him to the Emergency Room, They were pushed out of the room and told to get out of the way. The doctor knew that they were all extremely close. One of the nurses led them all to the waiting room. Hank Immediately jumped up and Called alex to let him know what happened. He Also called Jamies parents to inform them. When he was done making those calls, He went to the vending machiene to get coffee for Val and Tyler.

Meanwhile, Val and Tyler were holding each other comforting each other. They knew that if Jamie had not put his life on the line, they could very well be the ones lying in the emergency room on their to surgery. Surgery that Jamie might not make it out of. Suddenly Val started sobbing louder. Startling everyone that was there.

"It's all my fault! Jamie would have never had to push us out of the way if we hadn't just rushed out there to help that woman!! It's all my fault." She started sobbing in Tyler's shoulder as he held her and talked to her softly. Hank just sat there silently.

Alex had arrived and so had Jamie's parents. The bigger surprise was that Hanks, Tylers and Vals Parents also arrived. Alex had taken the time to call them to be there for their children. Hank would never admit it after the fact but when his mother sat next to him and took him in her arms, holding him to her breast, Hank cried like a child.

Several hours went by with no word of Jamie's condition. The parents had tried several times to get the kids to go home but they wouldn't leave. Hank had said something about not leaving until all members of his squad were accounted for. Jamie was not there with them at present so in his mind, not every member of his squad was accounted for. He was pulled from his thoughts by his mother nudging him to show the doctor was coming down the hall.

"Mr, Mrs. Waite. I am Doctor Young. I have been working on your son. He sustained a lot of injuries, significant blood loss. How he even made to the emergency room is a mystery." His mother nodded.

"So he's still alive Doctor? Please I have to know." The Doctor nodded.

"Your son is still alive but the next 48 hours are extremely critical. We are giving him blood because of the amount that he lost at the scene. we are also giving him Saline. It's really up to him at this point. The sooner he wakes up, the better for all of you. Excuse me a nurse will let you know when you can see him. I have other patients to see. But I will be checking in on your son often."

After the Doctor walked away, Everyone let out a relieved sigh. Hank settled back into the couch to continue waiting. He looked up when Alex motioned him, Val and Tyler over to a corner away from everyone else.

"What's up Alex? Oh, Thank you for calling my parents. I really needed them here with me." Hank Said giving Alex a quick hug. Val and Tyler added their thanks as well. Alex motioned for them to sit down. They Sat.

"I called you guys over here to let you know that the man that Shot Jamie is still alive. He is a private room and off limits to everyone. They have a police guard with strict instructions to not let anyone but other Police. He's under arrest and tomorrow he will be transfered to the prison where he will await trial. The Police will be coming by to take your statements soon. After that we are going to have a debriefing. I will be leading that. Or rather guiding it." They all nodded and went back to waiting.

After a couple more hours, a nurse came to the waiting room and let Jamie's parents know that they could see him. He was resting comfortably but still hadn't woken up. They could all see him if they chose to and then were instructed to go home. Hank hung back and went last.

When he got in there, He was amazed at the sheer number of wires and machienes that were clustered around Jamies bed. Jamie was so still and calm. Hank had never seemed him like that. Even at the station when he napped, he was moving a little bit. Hank sat down next to the bed and took Jamie's hand in his.

"So they tell me that people who are in comas or otherwise out can actually hear what's going on around them. Jamie. I kept my promise. I got you here along with Val and Tyler. You are still kicking. We need you to come back to us. You fill a void in all of our lives. You keep Alex on his toes. You help us out by being an awesome EMT. I know you are going to be ok Jamie. You have to be. God doesn't make mistakes. Please come back."

Hank sat there a few minutes and bowed his head to pray quietly. When he was finished he stood up and prepared to walk out the door. Before he did though, he was startled to see Jamies eyes open and looking right at him. He smiled.

"Thank you God! Jamie let me get the nurse." He went to get the nurse and while the doctor was checking him over, Hank relayed the news to everyone. Hank finally relaxed. Now things could back to normal.