"Oh my God! Jimmy!" Windy screamed as she frantically scrambled out of her car. She ran as fast as her feet would take her. "Damn it Jimmy, you better be alive!"

Gloomy storm clouds kept the morning sun from making an appearance. Windy, dressed in her usual black clothes, had to dodge a few cars that didn't stop for the accident.

"Arghhhh!" Santos slapped at the deflated airbag out of frustration as he hung upside down. He tried to look to his right but couldn't turn his head her way. "Kilterage?" He waited for a response. "Kilterage?!"

Windy slid on the damp grass like a major leaguer sliding into second base stopping at Santos' door. "Are you okay?!"

"Yeah, yeah check my partner! She didn't answer me." He reached for the seat belt to free himself.

"Okay okay!" She raced around the mangled cruiser to see Kilterage hanging from her seat belt. "Shit!"

Windy slid partially inside the cruiser pulling the deflated airbags  from her face. "Officer? Ma'am?" She gently touched Kilterage's shoulder.

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!" Kilterage unleashed a scream that produced a ringing in Windy's ears.

Windy slid back out of the crumpled mess and felt something tap her foot. Before turning to see who it was she exclaimed. "Hey, she's alive!"

"Who cares! She was always a pain in the ass!"

Windy turned to see a bloodied Jacobs hovering over her with his sidearm drawn and ready to take her out. "Ahhhh shit!"

The dirty cop laughed. "I don't think your boyfriend survived that." Jacobs gloated. "Time for you to join him!"

"Drop it!" Santos freed himself  from the wreckage moments earlier and stood with one of his own in his sights. "Jacobs, I am not going to ask twice!"

"You are just gonna have to kill me!" Jacobs laughed as blood continued to flow from a grisly gash on his forehead.

Santos fired, dropping Jacobs to the grass. Windy scrambled to her feet kicking the handgun from Jacobs, wreathing in pain. "You're lucky I don't kick you in the fucking head!"

Santos holstered his sidearm and laid Jacobs on his stomach to handcuff him.

The dirty cop screamed as more police cruisers descended on the accident scene. "Fuck you, Santos!"

Santos knelt heavily on Jacobs' injured shoulder. "Yeah well, fuck you too, Jacobs!"

"Jimmy!" Windy took off for the other cruiser.

"No, wait!" Santos reached out for Windy as she ran past him. He missed but followed her to Jacobs cruiser.

"Jimmy!" Desperation filled the air like a thick fog. "Jimmy?!"

She laid on the grass looking through the back window. Jimmy hung motionless from his seatbelt, the two friends separated by the only window that survived the crash.

Windy awkwardly slapped the window trying to get Jimmy to respond. She got nothing from him. Now angry, she punched the window. "Jimmy!"

"Ma'am." Santos called out to Windy. "Move back from the window please."

Windy looked up at Santos holding a compact fire extinguisher.

"Let me help." Santos tilted his head suggesting she move away. "Cover your face."

Windy tucked her head under her jacket. Santos swung the extinguisher smashing the window. He cleared the rest of the glass from the doorframe and crawled in.

"How is he? Is he alive?" Windy tried to see past the large police officer. She cried out again. "Jimmy!"

Windy?

Jimmy could hear his friend calling out but she seemed so far away.

Where are you?

Santos and Windy were able to free Jimmy from the wreckage but he still wasn't responding to Windy or Santos.

Firefighters arrived on scene and stepped in to provide emergency services. "Mr. Carrick!" The first checked Jimmy's vital signs. "He has a weak pulse but I don't think he's breathing."

The firefighter positioned Jimmy flat, tilted his head up, and was about to put a mouth piece in but Windy stopped him. "I'll take this part."

"Okay I will begin." The firefighter compressed Jimmy's chest several times before looking at Windy to provide the breath.

Windy leaned down to her friend while the firefighter continued compressing his chest. "Damn it, Jimmy. Fight!"

Fight what, Windy? You are kissing me! Jimmy was oblivious to what was happening around him until he felt pain in his chest. His eyes shot open as if awakened by a nightmare.

"Mr. Carrick!"

"Jimmy!" Tears brimmed and spilled from Windy's eyes showing more emotions on this day than she had shown in years.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Mr. Carrick." Santos smiled to the man he asked to aide him in the future. "Okay!" He looked to the West Vancouver police officers gathered around the accident site. "Hey guys, do you think you can clear the way for the ambulances?"

"You've got it!" One piped up. "Willie, Jesse, you two start directing traffic so the ambulances can get in tight."

Windy laid beside Jimmy silently comforting him while they waited for a second ambulance in the past four hours. She spoke softly to her friend of over twenty years. "Remember Tofino and the Whales, Babe?"

Jimmy could only offer a tiny smile letting Windy know he remembered.

"Well, I made a mistake that day." Windy confessed. "I should have said yes."

Was that a marriage proposal? Win, did you just ask me to marry you? I wish I had more energy to dance but I couldn't dance to save my ass!

Windy kissed his forehead. She wasn't a huge fan of his bristly facial hair. "You know? I really miss the way you used to sing to me. I hope you will be able to do that again, Babe." She half-laughed and half-cried all at the same time.

Win, I missed the way you called me, Babe. But what I really miss are your long lingering kisses. You could always make a minute seem like twenty-four hours with one of those kisses.

"Ma'am, the paramedics are here." Santos offered his hand to Windy.

When she stood she remembered his partner. "Oh my God, how is your partner?"

"Hey!" Kilterage gave Windy a wave with her left hand from her gurney. "Separated shoulder, bruised knee and yeah, a concussion." Though she managed a small laugh.

Windy smiled and approached her. "I hope you recover quickly."

"How's your boyfriend?" Kilterage inquired.

"My boyfriend?" Windy was about to deny it but something deep down changed in that moment. She nodded. "He survived."

"He seems like a quality guy." Kilterage smiled as the paramedic coaxed her to lay down. "Keep him close." She was strapped in and loaded into the ambulance. "I want a Vancouver hospital, boys!"

Windy headed back to Jimmy to speak with a paramedic. "Do you think you can take him to VGH?"

"We are out of West Van, Ma'am."

Windy quickly gathered Officer Santos for a little persuasion. "Sir, Jimmy's daughter is in VGH awaiting a kidney transplant."

"What's your question miss?"

"South, Windy South." Windy winced and raised her eyebrows. "Jimmy is the donor." She shrugged. "They operate Friday."

"Friday?" Santos frowned. "In his condition?"

"Even if it was his last breath, God couldn't keep him from saving his daughter!" Windy look directly into Santos' eyes. "VGH, please."

"I'll see if I can persuade them. Give me a minute."

The paramedics were about to load Jimmy into their ambulance when Santos had an animated conversation with them before returning to Windy. "They agreed."

Santos walked Windy back to her car. "Oh and this is just a suggestion." He opened the driver's door for her. "Not so fast this time, huh?"

"Yeah, well. Sometimes Breezy has a mind of her own." Windy smiled.

"Breezy?"

"My car." She patted the roof of her black Cutlass Supreme. Windy sat in the car as Santos closed the door. "Oh, where will Officer Jacobs sent to?"

"I'll be sure it's as far from Mr. Carrick as possible." Santos promised.

"Thanks, Officer Santos." Windy started her classic car, instantly impressing the officer. "Stand back, Sir. I have to see my man!"

Windy pulled the gear shift down to drive and spun Breezy's tires before giving Santos a smile. "Just teasing!" She pulled away and in mere moments she caught up to Jimmy's ambulance.

VGH Emergency

Windy sent Dana a text letting her know Jimmy was on his way back to VGH, again in the emergency department.

Just after seven am the ambulance arrived with Jimmy. The West Van paramedics had him settled on a local gurney and ready for the doctor. He had to wait for a doctor because of a tragic incident at the Commercial Skytrain Station.

Dana searched the rooms for her ex-boyfriend opening every curtained off area until she found Jimmy. Her nerves were frayed. "Do you know how much I worried about you, Jimmy? You think you could stay out of trouble for just one day! But you can't stay out of a police station or an emergency room. Are they second homes for you?"

Dana pulled at her frizzy hair. "Argh! What has it been? Five days? I can't believe you! You're reckless, insensitive..." 

Just then Brad rushed into the curtained area pulled her close and in a hushed voice tried to lower the temperature. "Dana, lower your voice! There are people dying in here. The doctors are stressed. Come with me." He  gave Jimmy a wry smile. "Let's give Jimmy some room. He's back!"

Dana was about to add to her list of inconveniences until Brad repeated. "He's back." He tilted his head to leave. "See yeah a little later, Jimmy."

Jimmy could only give a small nod in response. His mind was elsewhere thinking of Windy. Well, daydreaming would be much more accurate.

Did Win propose? Man, it sure sounded like she did. Just think Win and me back together. Impossible! She has said, 'not in a million years!' But...No... What's happening? These last few days have sucked...then again they have been great!

Jordan! What a kid. I couldn't have imagined having a kid. Well, she's almost sixteen, knows nothing about me. I'm not making a good impression. I really have to make it right. She needs a stand up guy. That and a healthy kidney. Hey, I think they're both good.

Dr. Barnes ripped the curtains open. "Mr. Carrick? I just patched you up!" He looked at the chart then pulled his pen light out. "Look straight ahead. Right. Now follow the pen. Uh huh."

He placed the cold stethoscope onto Jimmy's exposed back. He jumped.

"Oops, sorry Mr. Carrick." Dr. Barnes sat on the stool facing Jimmy. "Okay, you are breathing fine now, but I still want to monitor you for twenty-four hours." He pushed his glasses into place before he continued. "I think Dr. Liu will be very interested in the results."

Dr. Barnes called the head nurse over. "Get Mr. Carrick set up in ICU." He handed her Jimmy's chart. "These are the tests I need. Contact Dr. Liu from the seventh floor and see if there's any additional tests he requires."

The doctor turned back to Jimmy. "I don't want to see you in my emergency room again, Mr. Carrick. Ever!"

As if on queue, Windy popped through the curtains just seconds after Dr. Barnes rushed away. "Jimmy?"

"This is not a good time, ma'am." The head nurse entered Jimmy's area, this time with help. "He is being transferred to ICU. You can talk with the nurses there about visiting Mr. Carrick."

"Okay, thank you." Windy nodded before leaving.

ICU

The ICU nurse walked in with Jimmy and the ER nurse. "Your new home for the next twenty-four hours, Mr. Carrick. Thanks for bringing him up, Carol."

I can make it twenty-four hours. Wait a second! Are the Fortune brothers still here?

Jimmy moved his arm slowly but with determination. He gripped the curtain and peered out into the ward.

Damn, they are still here! I'm as good as dead if they see me.

Jimmy covered his face with one of the pillows. Crap!