Fosters: Blackhawk (19 page)

"I know baby we need to get to the gate, Chase
is bringing the truck over."  He looks down, he's
stressed.  Jake yells for him and he moves back toward the
yard and fence.  Another shot and Cloud has the horse running
again.  The grey around the edges of my eyes is getting bigger
and it scares the shit out of me.  I close my eyes to stop it.
 

I'm moving Jake is talking to me.  My
friggin neck hurts.  He tells Cloud to hurry the fuck
up.  I think he owes for that.  I don't hear anymore.
 

Cloud

"Hurry the fuck up.  Her pulse is fading."
 As if I'm not driving like a fuckin maniac now.  I go
faster.  

I hit the speed dial.  "Chase, call the
hospital and tell them we're on our way.  Then call Danny I
need Security at the house with the kids.  Aleena has them in
the first floor safe room.  Go in and stay with her."  My
fuckin heart is pounding.  I can't lose her now.  I know
it's only been minutes but it feels like it took an hour for us to
pull in to the emergency bay.  

I jump out as soon as the truck is in park and
open the door for the doctor and nurses.  They put her on a
stretcher and run her into an exam room.  I follow then stand
back watching.  Once they stop the bleeding they take her into
surgery.  A nurse tells me it will be a while and brings me to
another room to look at my arm.  I look down and see I got hit
and didn't even realize it.  "It's just a flesh wound."
 She nods and a doctor comes in to stitch me.  They point
me to the surgical waiting room.  

Pres and Kate are there with Jamie and
Mitch.  Danny and Kevin are with the kids.  Someone went
into the house looking for them.  "What the fuck is going
on?" 

Jamie says Ben, Beau and Geek are trying to find
out.  Steve comes in and puts his hand on my shoulder.
 "Flesh?"  I nod and wave it away.  

"Is Chase still with the kids?"  I feel
like that's important right now.

Pres nods.  "Jake is outside the operating
room.  He'll be with her when she's moved." 

I go to the window and watch the trees blowing
in the wind.  Why the fuck is someone looking for the
kids?  What do they have to gain by shooting at us to get
them?  I watch the wind asking for strength.  The sun
moves changing the shadows.  I will my mind to float in the
wind and cover the kids and CJ.  

"Blackhawk?"  I spin around to see a doctor
still in surgical scrubs.  I stand in front of him.  

"She'll be moved to ICU, she's lost a lot of
blood.  She crashed twice during surgery.  We have her on
a ventilator to help her breathe..."  He's still talking but
I'm done listening.  She died twice on the table but she's
alive.  She's alive.  

"When can I see her?"  

He looks surprised.  "I'll have a nurse
come get you when she's stabilized in the ICU."  I just
nod. 

He turns looking at Steve.  "Can you
explain all I said to him when he's ready to hear it?" 

"Won't matter, she's alive.  That's what he
needs to know."  He puts his hand on my shoulder again.

The doctor leaves shaking his head.  I go
back to the window calling the spirits to be with CJ while I
can't.  I call to Nunánuk for healing and to watch over my
kids.  

A nurse comes for me; I follow her to the
ICU.  Jake is in the hall, he man hugs me and lets me
go.  I stop short, she's so fuckin small in the bed. 
Machines are breathing for her, making beeping sounds, flashing
numbers.  I force my feet to move closer.  I take her
hand and kiss her head.  "Believe in us CJ, come back to me
baby."  I hold her hand and call the spirits to guide
me.  A nurse comes in moving around the other side of the
bed.  I breathe and focus on CJ missing her look and what she
says. 

I feel something on my shoulder and open my
eyes.  Steve is by me, "been more than an hour, nurse was
worried."  

I nod and kiss her head.  She squeezes my
hand so faint. "She's moving."  I tell him watching her.
 "Come back to me baby."  Her eyelids flutter.  Fuck
she's fighting to come back.  "That's it CJ, fight for us."
 The nurse comes in going to her other side; she looks at the
machines and smiles at me.  "Keep fighting baby, you can do
this."  Her eyes open.  Fuck.  I lean over her.
"Stay calm baby, you did it.  I'm right here.  I won't
let you go."  She blinks twice.  Fuckin CJ. "Two for
yes."  I smile at my girl.  

The nurse tells me the doctor will be in and to
keep her calm.  I look at her.  It's not like she's doing
fuckin cartwheels over the bed.  She's already fuckin calm.
 

Steve laughs.  "She'll stay calm."
 The nurse walks out.  

I look back at CJ.  "You were shot when we
were on the horse.  We don't know who was shooting.  Ben,
Beau and Geek are trying to find out.  The kids are
fine.  Everyone is fine but you."  She blinks once.
 "You'll be ok."  Her eyes move to my arm.  "It's
just a flesh wound, nothing to worry about."  She rolls her
eyes making me laugh. 

"Says you're full of shit."  Steve says
from behind me.  She blinks twice.  "Really is a flesh
wound."  He tells her.

A doctor comes and checks her.  He asks us
to leave the room while he pulls the ventilator.  Steve pulls
me out; I won't leave the hall so he waits with me.  The
nurses are watching us.    

The nurse in the room comes to the door and
waves me in.  I walk around her and go to a smiling CJ.
 "She's breathing fine on her own but we need to keep her on
oxygen.  Everything looks good.  If she continues to do
well over the next couple of hours we can move her to a room
downstairs.  Do you have any questions?"  

"No but I didn't listen to anything but she is
alive.  Can you tell the guard at the door her condition, he's
our team medic as well?"  He looks to CJ, for approval I
guess, she nods.  He smiles and walks out the door.  I
bend and kiss her head.  

"Water."  She says in a whisper.  I
fill her cup and put the straw to her mouth.  "I love you, you
never left me."  

"Never."  I tell her.  I feel the burn
in my nose and lump in my throat.  Breathing deep I kiss her
head again just to feel her with me.  

"I felt you."  A tear slides down her
cheek.

I wipe it away and smile.  "I felt you
too.  The spirits kept us connected.  I think Steve even
called on them."  

She smiles.  "The kids?"  

"They're all fine.  I need to call
them.  I can't use my phone in here but I'll call them soon."
 

"Is Steve still here?"  She asks but
doesn't move to look.  I turn; he's at the door
watching.  I nod to her.  "Can he stay while you call?"
 She takes a breath, she's laboring to breathe.  

"Yes, you need to rest so you can get out of
here."  I kiss her head.  She blinks twice.  Fuckin
CJ.  I laugh.  "Steve can you stay with her so I can call
the kids?"  

"Yeah Brother.  Christian is waiting."
 He comes to the bed and takes her hand.  

I put my hand over theirs and look at him.
 "Thank you."  He throws chin.  

In the hallway I ask Jake about her breathing
being labored.  "Her lung collapsed, it's repaired but it will
take some time to heal.  The bullet missed everything else
Cloud.  Hit an artery in her neck, thank fuck we got her here
on time.  Everything will be ok; she's recovering quicker than
they thought.  She's fighting for it buddy; she's doing
good.  Don't tire her out."  I nod, thank fuck.
 

I walk into the waiting room and I'm
stunned.  Everyone is here.  Christian runs to me I lift
him up and just hold on.  "She's going to be fine; I came out
to call you.  She didn't want you to worry."  I feel his
tears on my neck.  

"You didn't let go, she was trying to hold on
but couldn't and you caught her.  You wouldn't let go.  I
saw you.  You wouldn't let her go."  

"Shh, I'd never let her go.  She's
ours.  We don't ever let go.  She's ok Christian. 
She's awake and talking but she gets tired fast.  She's going
to be fine."  I look at Jamie.  "Will they let them in,
just so they can see her?"  He goes out the door.  

Christian loosens his hold.  "Everyone
wants to hug you.  You kept her for us.  They need to
touch you too." 

I nod and put him down.  I go to my knees
and the J's run to me.  I hold them tight.  Jacob fuckin
thanks me.  Fuckin kids.  They let me go and Taylor hugs
me, then Brantley.  I look up and see Joey crying on the side
of everyone.  I pat the boys backs and go to her, lifting her
out of her chair, I hold her tight.  Jamie says they can go in
two at a time but only for a couple of minutes.  I keep Joey
and hold out a hand for Christian looking at the other boys, they
nod.  

We walk in the room and CJ smiles.  She's
still not moving but she’s smiling.  "Thank you."  She
says looking at me.  

I lower Joey to kiss her.  Christian holds
her hand.  "She says she's glad we can see that she's
ok.  She loves us and doesn't want us to worry.  Give her
a few days of rest and she'll be good to go home."  He smiles.
 "She didn't swear once."  

Joey laughs.  I take them out and bring the
J's.  The nurses are watching with smiles.  Jeremy holds
her hand.  I lift them both to kiss her.  Jeremy looks at
Steve then me.  He takes Steve hand and pulls him to CJ
putting Steve's hand on hers.  He puts mine on top of it then
he puts his on all of ours.  Fuckin hell if heat isn't running
through me.  I look at Steve, he's watching CJ.  She's
smiling, fuck she's beautiful.  Jeremy lifts his hand keeping
mine he walks us out.  I look at CJ wondering what the fuck is
happening.  Steve is still standing there but he's not
really.  Shit.  Jacob laughs.  

I need a minute to breathe.  Brantley and
Taylor are waiting.  Christian laughs watching me. 
Fuckin kids.  I take Brantley and Taylor hoping to clear my
fuckin head.  Thank fuck they kiss her and talk to her but
nothing else happens.  When I take them back Pres tells me
they'll be staying overnight at his house.  Kate tells me they
have Joey's meds and machine.  Pres got a bed for her for
tonight.  She'll wait with the kids in the hall.  I hug
them all telling them I love them.  I don't have to tell them
to be good.  I know they will be.  

When she takes the kids out Pres puts his hand
on my shoulder.  "Brother, we're taking them as a
precaution.  Christian sees something at the house that has
him nervous.  Tess says they need to stay with us."  He
waits for me to get that.  I nod.  "We still don't know
what's going on.  Someone is looking for the kids.  We
have the whole High Security team with us downstairs. 
Baxter's are here in the hospital.  I have tracking for them
at the house; we'll get it on them when we get there.  They'll
be safe.  I'll have Danny text you with updates as they come
in."  

Fuck!  I nod and look at Jamie.
 "They've got them covered Cloud.  You need to be
here.  Christian needs to stay close to Tess and Knight. 
They understand better than we do."  

"I get that.  I don't understand who would
want one of the kids.  Want them bad enough to shoot for
them."  

"I don't know Brother but we'll find out."
 Pres says.

"Thank you.  Thank you for taking them."
 

"We take care of our own Brother, always."
 Pres says.  I throw him chin and he turns to
leave. 

I look at Jamie.  "Is there anything that I
need to know?"  

"We have Aleena back at the compound. 
Watching the video we saw they went through every room in the
house.  The calendar was pulled off the wall, the computer is
gone.  Masks were worn, it was armed men.  I put security
on the City house."  

"They didn't know about the safe rooms?"
 

He shakes his head no.  "The alarmed rooms
were opened.  These weren't just thugs, they had skill."
 Fuck.  He puts his hand on my shoulder.  "Go to
CJ.  She needs you with her.  We'll take care of the
hospital.  The MC has the kids.  This is what we can do
right now.  Max is working with Rich to keep the kids covered
from both of us."  I nod.  He man hugs me and goes out
the door.  

People touch my back and shoulders as they
leave.  I don't see any of them, I breathe and ask for
guidance.  How the fuck do I keep them safe when I don't know
who the threat is?  

I go back to CJ.  She's sleeping. 
Steve's at the window.  I stand on the side of him.  "My
family is in danger, I don't know where it's from.  How do I
protect them from the unknown cuz?"  He is the best man to
have by my side.  He knows more about security than I ever
will.

"Brothers coverin you.  Ben won't stop til
he finds out.  The kids will always have a threat. 
Christian can pick up anyone.  He sees more than he
says.  He doesn't understand it.  He can be a weapon,
money maker.  Makes him an asset to be used.  Jeremy sees
and hears, uses it to heal.  You felt it.  You
know.  Need to protect them.  Know she won't like it, but
need you on the compound at Baxter's or with us.  Need the
kids under Security like ours.  Baxter's don't get it. 
We know, live it with Tess."  He looks at me.
 "Not 
want
 
them
protected, 
need
 
them protected."

"Yeah.  I'll talk to her."  I tell
him.  I turn and see she's watching.

She heard.  "Whatever it takes."  She
says, her voice is hoarse.  I bring her some water.  "We
do whatever it takes.  They deserve a life."  

I look at Steve.  He's smiling.
 "Heard the lady."  I laugh.  "Callin Ben to set it
up."  He walks out.  

"How are you feeling baby?"  I have no idea
what to do for her.

"Better than I was.  Whatever Jeremy did
helped."  She's breathing easier.  I nod.  "He's
special Cloud, we have to keep him safe."  Whatever drew me to
her drew the kids to her.  We have a house full of kids that
are special.  Then CJ.