EPISODE 24

At the ER ---

Alexis and Ric raced through the emergency room doors looking for anyone who could tell them about Zander and his condition. They were immediately met by Bobbie, who had just gotten the page that there had been a shooting.

"Bobbie! How is he?" Alexis asked as she tried to pull herself together.

"How's who?" Bobbie asked as she was in a hurry to get to the patient the paramedics had brought in.

"Zander, he was just brought in with a .... gun shot wound ..." Alexis replied as Bobbie was headed back to the triage area of the ER.

"Gimme a few minutes ... " Bobbie replied and left Alexis with Ric in the waiting area of the ER.

Alexis turned into Ric's arms. "He's going to be alright?" she asked looking for reassurance from Ric.

"Zander's in very capable hands, Alexis. He's gonna be alright."

"Emily ...." Alexis pulled back from Ric's arms.

"I'm sure someone will tell her ...." he replied as he wrapped his arm around Alexis and led her to a chair to sit down.

"It shouldn't just be someone, Ric ... she shouldn't hear this on the evening news or from some duty nurse."

"Let's wait and see what Bobbie has to tell us and then we'll figure it out. Okay?" Ric tried consoling Alexis the best he could, but he was worried about his brother as well.

As they sat waiting for word on Zander's condition, two police officers walked into the ER looking for Alexis. The two burly officers were looking for some answers to tonight's shooting. But to their surprise, Ric wasn't having any of it. Alexis had been through enough and she wasn't in any condition to be bombarded with questions from two rookie cops.

The two rookies started giving Ric a hard time.

"Look, my brother is in there fighting for his life, and you want to ask questions?!" Ric barked at the two rookies.

"But ... you're .." the one rookie stammered.

"Yeah I know who I am, now leave before I have both your badges!" Ric threatened to the two rookies.

The rookies turned to walk away when Bobbie approached Ric and Alexis who were waiting in the lounge area. Alexis noticed Bobbie approaching and got up quickly, hoping there had been some news.

"Well, how is he?" Alexis rushed to Bobbie concerned about Zander.

"He's being prepped for surgery, the doctors are not sure on his prognosis. Alexis, he's in very capable hands. I'll be back when he's out of surgery."

Ric steady Alexis from behind as he wrapped his arms around her. "There has to be more you can tell us, Bobbie?"

"I'm sorry, Alexis, there isn't. We're just not sure where the bullets are lodged until we get in there. I'm telling you all I know right now."

"Bullets?"

"Yes, bullets. Zander took a few hits, but we're doing everything we can to save him. I'm sorry I don't have more info for you." Bobbie left Alexis with Ric, both frantic with concern.

Alexis turned into Ric's arms as tears began to stream down her cheeks, obviously upset as Ric held her against him and comforted her the best he could.

"Zander's strong, he'll get through this Alexis." Ric replied in a soothing voice.

She pulled back from his arms and dried her tears with her hand. "You know as well as I do, Ric, we don't know that for sure. Ric, he could die! I couldn't handle that, Ric!"

"I know, so we have to be strong for him, and stay positive, we can't give up on him. You know Zander, he's stubborn, he's not going to give up, he has too much to live for, Alexis."

Ric held her in his arms for a few more moments, then he realized he should be making a few phone calls to family, his mom should know and someone should be with Emily.

"Are you going to be alright, I should call our mother and tell her. She shouldn't hear this on the tv news or the radio."

Alexis nodded that she would be alright .."What about Emily, we need to tell her."

"We will, we'll got together and tell her, she'll need both of us there for support." Ric smiled and then left for a few minutes to call his mother.

Ric returned and he along with Alexis walked somberly to tell Emily what had happened. When they reached Emily's room, Ric entered, Alexis followed close behind. Ric closed the door, Alexis stood in silence as she focused her eyes on the floor. Emily felt there was something wrong just by Ric and Alexis's lack of words to her. She saw it in their faces that something bad had happened to her husband and as Ric steadied her for the news, Alexis held onto her hand.

Emily's cries echoed thru the empty corridors of the hospital as Ric and Alexis broke the news to her. Alexis sat with Emily while Ric went to meet his mother who was to arrive at the hospital. While Ric was gone, Emily and Alexis comforted each other, both were worried and afraid for Zander who was still in surgery.

*Note there will be no more episodes of WICKED posted this week as I will be in LA all week. Episodes will resume on Wednesday 7/18.*