The Aftermath

In the ER waiting room, Jinn sat, his eyes red and puffy with his leg shaking continuously, his nerves were shot, and he couldn't get Kai's lifeless body out of his head. Bringing his hands to his face Jinn suddenly burst into tears, although he was trying his best to be quiet.

In the hallway, a still very emotional Art let out a heavy exhale as he heard his brother weeping again, "Must we do this right now? My brother needs me.", Art spoke, his voice shaky.

"I am sorry, but this cannot wait. Over twenty people witnessed Mr. Pak being pushed into traffic and after, the suspect quickly fled the scene. Since you personally know this man, can you confirm his description for me?", the officer asked.

Letting out another exhale, Art stared at the ground, "He's tall, white skinned and thin with hazel eyes. His hair's platinum blonde.", Art said softly.

"And what might he be wearing?", said the officer as he wrote on his note pad.

"….", feeling his eyes water, Art's mind was stuck on the sight of Kai lying in a puddle of his own blood.

"Sir? Mr. Wilkins?", the officer called out, bringing Art back to reality. Pursing his lips together before he spoke, Art held back his tears. "He…he was wearing a black T-shirt and light gray skinny jeans when he left me yesterday.", Art replied, his voice still shaky.

"Okay and do you know of any particular reason why Allen would want to hurt Mr. Pak?"

Lowering his head, Art shook his head 'no', although at this point, he was unable to hold his tears back anymore. "Okay, please do not leave town and thank you for your assistance.", said the officer and he walked away.

When the officer was gone, Art turned to make his way back to Jinn, but he stopped, holding onto the wall as his legs had gone weak. Squatting down, Art lowered his head, placing a hand over his mouth. He had told the officer he did not know of a reason, but all Art could think about was the argument he had, had with Allen, how he had sarcastically told him to make Kai disappear. "This is all my fault, I'm so sorry….I'm so sorry Kai.", he sobbed.

***

Back in the waiting room, Jinn sat wiping his face, the tears were still streaming, but he was calmer. On the street, the EMT's were able to revive Kai, but now he was in surgery, and it was making Jinn crazy. He didn't know how bad his injuries were, and Kai's heart had already stopped once, so Jinn wasn't very confident he was going to pull through.

"Jinn!", a familiar voice called out and when Jinn raised his head, his father was there closing in for an embrace. Quickly standing up, Jinn reached out his arms, squeezing his father tight and he just cried, because what else could he do right now. In the doorway, Art stood with his back against the frame, his head hanging extremely low. Mr. Wilkins had arrived to see Art crying in the hallway, but the man yanked his son up from the floor, gave him a hug and told him that his brother needed them, but truthfully, he didn't feel like he deserved to be there at this point.

After Jinn had calmed down, Mr. Wilkins helped his son sit. He then glanced over at his oldest to see that same expression on his face, it broke his heart to see his sons this way, but it angered him even more. "Pull yourselves together!", he suddenly raised his voice and surprised, the two beyond emotional brothers raised their heads to their father.

"How dare the both of you be so defeated!? Kai is in there fighting for his life right now, but you two have already thrown in the towel, especially you Jinn! How can Kai continue to fight, if his partner has no hope? Do you know how hard it would have been for your mother if she did not have the support of her family right now?", Mr. Wilkins said firmly. Lowering his head, Jinn couldn't keep his face from creasing anymore and he began to cry again, he understood what his father was saying, but Mr. Wilkins had not seen what they saw, he had not seen how bloody and battered Kai was.

***

The clock had struck twelve in the afternoon and there was still no word on Kai yet as the Wilkins family continued waiting. Sitting in near silence, the family of three said nothing to each other as both brothers were heavily lost in their heads while Mr. Wilkins mumbled a prayer that seemed as if it had no end.

Leaning forward, Jinn let out a heavy exhale, he was mentally exhausted, and his head was pounding from the extended period of time that he had spent crying. Letting out another heavy exhale Jinn stood, figuring he needed some fresh air. Between his mother, himself and now Kai, he had spent too much time in the suffocating air of the hospital these last few months.

As Jinn stepped out of the waiting room, a surgeon and a nurse came out of the OR. "They've come out!", Jinn raised his voice to alert his father and brother as he made a dash toward the staff.

As Jinn approached the two, a sympathetic smile made its way onto the surgeon's face as he pulled his mask down. "For Mr. Pak?", he asked.

"…" Unable to get the words out, Jinn quickly shook his head, 'yes', a glimmer of hope in his sad, red, puffy eyes, both Art and Mr. Wilkins behind him.

"Well, the good news is that Mr. Pak is very lucky, looks like he's going to pull through!", the surgeon began, and a sigh of relief passed over everyone. Closing his eyes, tears began streaming down Jinn's face as he heavily let out the breath that he was holding, he had already prepared for the worst all that time he had spent sitting in the waiting room.

After allowing the three men to take in the good news, he continued. "Six of Mr. Pak's ribs were broken and the direct impact to his right side forced those broken ribs to puncture a lung, and that lung collapsed. A tube has been inserted into the left side of his chest cavity to drain out any fluid from the lung to help it heal. His broken, right arm, and leg have been casted, and we unfortunately had to attach a metal cup and rod in order to put his shattered hip back in place." As the surgeon explained, Jinn's stomach sank, his poor little sun had many dark days ahead that he most certainly didn't deserve.

"What's the bad news?", Art suddenly asked, realizing by the way the surgeon began his sentence, he just knew there had to be some.

"Yes Mr. Pak, did unfortunately suffer a small crack to the skull. There was some bleeding, but it has stopped. There doesn't appear to be any swelling at the moment, but we will continue scans and test until he wakes up."

"Until he wakes up, so you mean he's in a co.…", Art began to say, but a lump caught his throat as tears swelled in his eyes.

"Well, from the trauma it is technically a coma-like state, but it is too early to tell.", the surgeon explained, and you could hear how just how sorry he was. "Right now, Mr. Pak is being taken to the ICU, one person in the room at a time.", said the doctor before he nodded and walked away.

Wiping his tears first, Mr. Wilkins patted both his sons on the back, "Come on you two, let us go see Kai. Agreeing, the three turned to make their way to the intensive care until and when they did, they turned to a sight that forced a lump in their throats.

"Sa…Saya.", was the only thing that came out of Jinn's mouth because he knew exactly how she felt. Saya had stated multiple times, Kai was her best friend, her baby and you could see that her heart had been completely shattered.

With her red eyes wet with tears and her lips trembling, Saya let out a small whimper, the poor little woman during her best to contain herself. "Does Kai know her Jinn?", Mr. Wilkins asked.

"…She's…she and Kai are best friends.", Jinn said softly.

"I see, well then, let her go first.", Mr. Wilkins responded and at the same time, both brothers nearly jumped out of their skin with the intent to protest.

"It is only right.", Mr. Wilkins explained, causing Art and Jinn to calm themselves, they didn't think it was fair, but at this point everyone was eager to see Kai and right now was not the time to be arguing about who should be first. Nodding to Saya, Mr. Wilkins forced a friendly smile, telling her to go first and without hesitation the little woman quickly darted down the hall.

"I'm going to smoke.", said Art, his head hanging quite low as he walked off.

"I'm sure Kai's friend will be a while, should we get something to eat? You must be hungry Jinn.", Mr. Wilkins suddenly said.

"I don't have an appetite Dad, you go on ahead.", said Jinn as he began making his way back to the waiting room. Letting out a sigh, Mr. Wilkins decided to go to the cafeteria and call his wife to tell her the news, she was at home recovering, but still anxiously awaiting some news.

***

Still sitting in the waiting room, Jinn had become beyond impatient, Saya had been with Kai for over an hour, and he had no idea when she was going to come out. With his leg shaking, Jinn finally shot up from his seat and power walked to the nurse's station. "Hi, excuse me?", he spoke politely to the woman at the desk.

"Yes, how can I help you?", the older nurse asked.

"I'm waiting to see Kai Pak. I know there's a limit to one visitor at a time, but his friend has been in there a while, is there anyway you could ask her to come out so I can go in?", Jinn asked, his voice almost pleading.

"One second dear.", she said, grabbing a chart. Scanning through the pages, the nurse placed her hand on the phone, but then she paused, a sympathetic expression on her face as she looked back at Jinn.

"Something wrong?", he asked as he could tell by the way the nurse was looking at him.

"I'm sorry, but it appears that Mr. Pak's power of attorney has forbidden all visitation from anyone other than herself.", the nurse apologized.