Chapter 25 - Never An Absolution

It's been over a week since Jesse's accident. Her bruises and bones are healing nicely but she still hasn't regained consciousness. The time has come for Don to leave. He's in his room packing when there's a knock at the door. "Come on in." Marlena enters the room. "So you're leaving today?" "Yes Baby, I've stayed longer than I should have. My new case starts tomorrow. I want to try to get this case wrapped up as soon as possible. It may not be easy but I'm going to try to make it out here on weekends." "I want you to know that our door is always open to you. You can stay here whenever you're in town." "I know. I'll call you from time to time to check on Jesse and Maddie." "Sure. Are you going to the hospital before you leave?" "Yes. I figured that I could catch a cab over to the hospital and leave from there." "If you can wait a few minutes until I get changed I'll drive you to the hospital and then to the air port." Marlena turns to leave but Don stops her. "You don't have to do this you know." "I know I don't but I want to do this." "Listen to me I don't want you spending all your time at the hospital. I want you to concentrate on your family and those babies you're carrying." "Don, Jesse is my family and as far as the twins they are just fine. I don't want you to worry about me." Don cups Marlena's face. "I can't help it Baby. A part of me will always care about you." Marlena hugs Don. "I feel so blessed to have you in my life." "All right enough of this sentimental stuff. You go get changed. I'll be saying goodbye to my granddaughter."

Don stands in front of Maddie's bedroom door. He runs his hand along the door. Gently he knocks on the door. "Tome in." Maddie's lying in her bed talking to her stuffed dinosaur. Don smiles as he goes over to the bed. "May I sit down?" Maddie shakes her head yes. "I just came to say goodbye. I'm going home today." Maddie sits up. Tears start to form in her eyes. "You are? But I don't want you to go." "You don't?" "No. I like you." Don smiles and wipes away her tears. He leans over and plants a kiss on top of Maddie's head. "Where you doin'?" "I'm going back to New Jersey." "Why?" "Grandpa has to go back to work but I'll come to visit you on weekends and I'll call you on the phone." "You promise." "I promise. I love you little one." Don kisses Maddie again. He goes to the door. He doesn't want to look back but he can't help himself. Maddie smiles and waves good-bye to Don. Don waves back, apart of him hates to leave but he knows he must.

John starts up the stairs to tell everyone that breakfast is ready. On his way up the spiraling staircase he runs into Marlena who's putting on her earrings. "Doc! Are you all right?" "I'm fine." Marlena kisses John. "Good morning sweetheart." "I didn't hear you come in last night." Don and I stayed at the hospital as long as we could and then we went over to the Pub for something to eat." "Why were you out so late?" "We lost track of the time. After we were done eating we came back here but neither of us were tired so we stayed up and talked." "What did you talk about?" "Lots of stuff. We talked about the old days…he caught me up with what's been happening with Donna…I told him about momma and daddy. We haven't talked like that for a while." "That's good." John quickly changes the subject. "Breakfast is ready. I thought that after breakfast you and I could take the kids to the park." "Oh John. Don's leaving today. I was going drive him to the hospital and then to the air port." "Well if the two of you can wait until after the kids are fed then I could drive you." "John, that's so sweet but we don't have time to wait." "But what about breakfast? You are going to eat something before you go?" "John, don't start this again. I'll grab one of those breakfast bars." "Promise me you'll eat something." "I promise." "I'm going to get the kids. You had better have one of those breakfast bars in you hand when I get back." Marlena finishes walking down the stairs and heads to the kitchen.

Don starts coming down the stairs with his suitcases. Marlena enters the foyer. "Okay baby are you ready?" "Yes I am." Marlena goes to the closet and grabs her coat. Don helps her put it on. After Don has his coat on he picks up his suitcase. "I'll get the door for you." Marlena opens the door. John comes down the stairs to say good-bye to his wife. "Where's that breakfast bar?" Marlena pulls a little bar out from her coat pocket and waves it in front of John's face. "You had better eat every bite of that." "I will. I'll see you later." "Doc, just give me a minutes and I'll go with you." "No John. You stay here with the kids. I shouldn't be gone long." Marlena kisses John as she heads out the door.

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Sam and Jesse are still waiting to hear Jesse's fate. Jesse's starting to get impatient. "What's taking so long? Either I'm going to live or die. I just wish they would decide." "Unfortunately it's not just you that they have to consider." "What do you mean?" "What happens to you is going to affect quite a few people. Each one must be considered when making the decision." "Maddie is one of those people. She must be so confused." "She's fine. Marlena will take good care of her." "I know, but it's just not the same." "Could you tell me about her?" "What do you want to know?" "Everything." Jesse smiles just thinking about her daughter. "Maddie loves dinosaurs. She knows all the different types and she even knows that they're extinct." Sam smiles. "She's very smart for her age. She can say her ABC's…she can count up to 100…she can even read a little bit." Jesse pauses for a moment. "I'm sorry if I sound like I'm bragging." "No, you sound like a mother." "I just hope I get the chance to be a mother again." Sam puts her arm around Jesse. "If I have anything to say about it you will get a second chance."

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Eric goes to the hospital to visit Jesse. This is the first time he's going to see her since the accident and he doesn't know what to expect. Eric enters the room. He can't believe how helpless Jesse looks. He sits down in a chair next to her bed. He tries to hold back the tears but he can't. "I'm sorry that I haven't come to visit you before now but it's so hard for me to see you this way. It's not only that though. Jesse, you lost a baby and I can't help but wonder if that baby was mine. I know Mike said that the baby was his but I just can't help wondering if it was mine. I haven't gone back to the mansion since it happened because I just can't face Maddie. I know you're probably worried about Maddie but don't I'm sure she's fine. My mother adores her and she would go to the ends of the earth to protect her. I have some news for you. I've taken the past week to get things into perspective and I've decided that I'm going back to school. I know that will make my parents very happy. The real reason I'm going back is because I know how much it meant to you that I finish college so I'm going to make you a little deal. You can take all the time you need to wake up but the deal is that you have to do it by the time I graduate. Now I know you're saying to yourself that hey he's a junior and that doesn't leave me much time. But I want you to remember that I'm a junior who still hasn't declared a major so I think you have more time than you think you do. Oh Jesse just open your eyes. That's all I want."

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Don and Marlena are at the hospital when the run into Dr. Corday. "Dr Evans…Mr. Craig could I talk to you in my office?" Don and Marlena follow Dr. Corday to his office. "Please sit down." Dr. Corday closes the door behind him and sits down behind his desk. "I wanted you talk to the two of you about Jesse's condition." Marlena questions the doctor. "Has anything happened?" "No nothing's happened. Jesse's healing nicely from her extensive operation but what we're concerned about is the fact that she hasn't regained consciousness yet. Now I've consulted with other doctors on staff and they feel that it would be in Jesse's best interest if you found a doctor who specializes in comatose patients. I've compiled a list of very good doctors that I think you should talk to." Dr. Corday's beeper goes off. "I'm sorry but I'm needed in surgery." The doctor hands Don the list. "If you have any questions at all please feel free to contact me." "Thank you doctor."

Don and Marlena enter Jesse's room. "Eric?" Eric quickly wipes the tears from his eyes. "Hi mom…Don." "Hi Eric." Marlena hugs Eric. "Where have you been? I've been so worried about you." "I'm fine mom. I just needed some time to think. Is Maddie at home?" "Yes she is." "I thought I would spend some time with her." Marlena smiles. "I think she'd like that." Eric gives his mother a kiss on her cheek. "Bye." "Bye sweetie." "Bye Don." "Good-bye Eric." Don and Marlena sit by Jesse's bed. "I don't want to leave her." "I know you don't." John enters the room but neither one of them notices. "I wish I hadn't taken this damn case. I don't know when I'm going to find the time to look into these specialists. How am I going to know which one to choose?" John interrupts. "I have a little bit of experience in that area." Marlena turns around. "John!" Marlena gets up from her chair and hugs John. "Thank you John but she's my daughter and I think I should be the one to do it." "Don it's like you said most of your time will be spent on your case. I have the time and I have done this before. Please let me help." "I can't thank you enough." "It's no problem." Marlena notices that John has a food container in his hands. "What's that?" "I brought you some breakfast because I knew that you wouldn't eat that breakfast bar." Marlena laughs. She pulls the bar from her pocket. "You know me so well. Don, we'll leave you and Jesse alone so you can say good-bye. We'll be right outside if you need us." "Thank you. Well Jesse it's time for me to say good-bye. I really don't want to. I'll try to make it back on the weekends if I can. Don't worry about Maddie because Marlena and John are taking very good care of her. I love you and I'll see you real soon." Don kisses her and leaves.

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Mike knocks on the door of the Black mansion. Megan answers the door. "Hi Mike. Come on in." "Hi Megan. I'm here to see Maddie. Is she here?" "She's around here somewhere. I'll look upstairs while you check down here." "That sounds like a plan." Mike starts looking through the house. He goes into the living room. He doesn't see anyone but then he notices two little shoes peeking out from behind the drapes. "Maddie is that you?" Mike looks behind the drape. Maddie smiles at him. "You found me doc Mike but Brady's supposed to find me." "I'm very sorry. Were you playing hide-n-go-seek?" "Yes we were." "Maddie I was wondering if you would like to go to the park with me?" "Otay but I have to go get my dinosaur." "All right I'll wait here for you." Maddie runs upstairs. Mike walks out into the foyer. Maddie comes down the stairs with Chelsea. "Hello Dr. Horton." Chelsea hands Mike Maddie's coat. "Hi Chelsea. Tell Dr. Evans that we'll be at the park the entire afternoon and not to worry." "I will. Have a good time." "Bye Chelsea." Maddie runs for the door and Mike runs after her. "Hey wait a minute young lady. You need a coat on." "But doc Mike I got a sweatshirt on!" "I'm sorry but you still need a jacket on." Maddie doesn't like it but she puts her coat on. Just as Mike and Maddie are about to leave the door opens. It's Eric. Maddie rushes into his arms. "Eric!" Eric hugs Maddie tightly. "Hey squirt! Where do you think you're going?" "Doc Mike is goin to take me to the park." Eric's disappointed. "Oh he is." He puts Maddie down. "Eric did you already have plans to do something with Maddie?" "No the two of you go ahead." "Are you sure?" "Go on." "Bye Eric." "Bye squirt." "Good-bye Eric." "Take care of her Mike." "I will." Eric closes the door. Come on Eric you have to face it that Jesse and Maddie are no longer apart of your life. How can I ever get them out of my heart?

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At the air port
"All passengers boarding flight 154 to Camden New Jersey please board now at gate 7." "Well that's me." Don jugs Marlena. "Good-bye Baby." "Don, I want you to call me as soon as you get in. I want to make sure you get home safely." "If it will make you feel better, I will." Don extends his hand out to John. "Take care of my girls." "I will." Don turns and disappears into the plane. John puts his arms around Marlena. "Everything's going to be okay. Why don't we go over to the hospital for a while? Then on the way home we could pick up some take out and a movie and spend the entire night with the kids. How does that sound?" "That sounds like heaven." "Let's go."

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John and Marlena enter Jesse's room. Marlena sits down on the bed facing Jesse. John puts his hand on Marlena's back. "She looks so peaceful. She just looks like she's sleeping. I keep expecting her to open her eyes at any minute. Oh man this is so frustrating." Marlena gets up from the bed and goes to the window. John comes up behind her. "I know. Believe me I know but the one thing you can't do is give up." "I never considered how tough this might be on you. This bring back all those memories from when I was in my coma all those years ago." John looks over at Jesse. "Yes it does. I know that this is hard Doc but all we can do is wait. I'll call those specialists tomorrow. I want you to know that I'll do whatever it takes or pay however much I have to help Jesse come back to us." Marlena and John embrace. "I love you so much. I don't know what I'd to without you. You are my rock." A nurse enters the room. "Excuse me but I have to prep the patient for some tests." "Of course." Marlena kisses Jesse. "We're going to go but I'll be back tomorrow. I love you." John goes over to Jesse. "You hang in there." John gives Jesse a peck on the cheek.

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John and Marlena enter the mansion to sounds of children yelling. Belle comes running into the foyer. "Mommy, help me!" Belle jumps into Marlena's arms. John questions his daughter. "What's going on?" Suddenly Brady comes running to the foyer. "Belle give me my truck back!" John picks Brady up. "All right young man. What's going on here?" "Daddy, Belle took my truck and she won't give it back." Marlena looks at Belle. "Belle, did you take Brady's truck

?" "Yes I did mommy but I only took it because he took my dolly and won't give it back." "I didn't take your stupid doll." "Yes you did." John stops the argument. "All right that's enough. I don't want to hear another word out of the two of you." Megan walks into the foyer with Belle's doll in her hand. "Here Belle I found your doll. It was in the living room." Belle takes the doll and gives it a big hug. She then hands the truck to Brady. John speaks. "Now I want the two of you to go to your rooms. I don't ever want to see the two of you fighting like that again. Do you hear me?" The both of them speak at the same time. "Yes daddy." Both Marlena and John put the children down and they head upstairs. "Where's Maddie?" "Mike took her for the day." "Where's Chelsea?" "She had to leave." "You were here alone with your brother and sister?" "No, Eric's here somewhere. He was helping me find Belle's doll." Eric starts down the stairs. "Did you find the doll?" "Yes it was in the living room." "Hi mom…John. How's Jesse?" "There's no change." "Eric, would you make sure that Belle and Brady went to their rooms?" "Sure mom. Come on Megan you can help me."

There's a knock at the door. Marlena opens the door to see Mike holding Maddie who is sleeping in his arms. "Hi Mike. I can't believe she fell asleep." "She got sick while we were at the park then she fell asleep in the car." "The poor little thing, why don't you take her up to her room and I'll get her something to settle her stomach." Mike carries Maddie up to her room and gently lays her down on the bed. He very carefully takes off her shoes. Marlena enter the room with a sippy cup in her hands. Marlena sits down on the bed next to Maddie. She brushes a few stray hairs from her face. Maddie slowly opens her eyes. "MOMMY?" "No sweetie it's grandma." Tears start to form in Maddie's eyes. "I want my mommy." "I know you do sweetheart but your mommy can't be here right now." "But why?" "Sweetie your mommy is really sick right now." "Like I am?" "Not exactly like you are but as soon as your mommy is well enough I will take you to see her." Marlena grabs the cup. "Now grandma has something here that is going to make you feel better." Maddie doesn't know whether to take the cup or not. "It's all right sweetie. It's ginger ale. It'll make your tummy feel better." Maddie takes the cup and takes a drink. She hands the cup back to Marlena. "Grandma, would you stay with me?" "I'll stay as long as you want just let me get changed okay." "Otay." Marlena leaves the room. Mike sits down on Maddie's bed. "Do you want some more to drink?" "Yep." Mike hands Maddie the cup. She takes a very large sip and hands the cup back to Mike. "Well I had better get going. I hope you feel better and I'll check on you tomorrow." Mike kisses Maddie on her forehead. "Goodbye doc Mike." "Good-bye."

To be continued…

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