Nick and Rachel are playing around on the beach. "How about a swim?" she says.

"That sounds good Baby."

They get in the water. "It's so warm." She swims out.

"Rae come back. Rachel!" She just keeps swimming. He starts to swim after her. He sees a shark's fin rise from the water, he freezes. "RACHEL!"

The shark grabs her. She screams. "NO!" He wants to help but he cannot move. Suddenly the shark disappears taking Rachel with it. "NO! RACHEL!" He breaks down into tears.

Nick wakes up in a cold sweat. His face is tear-stained, heart is pounding, breathing is heavy. It was a nightmare, a horrible nightmare.

There's a knock on the door and Brian shouts, "Nick?! Nick are you okay?!"

Nick goes and opens the door. "What happened to you? You look terrible. I
heard you screaming for Rachel."

"I just had a nightmare. What time do you think it is in California?"

"Noon maybe."

"I'm going to call Rae."

I hope you don't mind me saying this but your husband is sexy." says Suzanne.

"I don't mind, I'm not jealous. I take it as a compliment that I have good taste." says Rae. Her cell-phone rings. "Excuse me." She answers it, "Hello?"

"Hey Baby."

"Nick! Are you okay? Isn't it really early there?"

"Yeah it is, and yes I'm okay. Actually I had a nightmare. I dreamed a shark attack you."

"Oh Honey I'm fine. You're so worried that your mind is making up all these crazy images."

"How's everything going?"

"The guy's still calling but he hasn't tried anything."

"That's good because it means your not in danger."

"But the cops still can't find him. Why don't you go back to sleep, I'll
talk to you later."

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too, and this time sweet dreams."

Nick is on his way home from the airport when his cell-phone rings. "Hello?"

"Nick it's Jake. You need to get to the hospital. It's Rachel, she's been
shot. I'm following the ambulance now."

"Oh God." His heart falls to his stomach. "Get me to the hospital." he tells
the the cab driver. "I'm not far from there. What happened?" he asks Jake.

"I'll give you the details at the hospital."

Nick gets to the hospital the same time as the ambulance. The paramedics remove Rae from the back. He goes to her and holds her hand on the way inside. "Rachel Sweetheart it's Nick. Can you hear me Baby?"

She opens her eyes and looks at him. She is unable to speak but she signs "I love you."

"I love you too."

"You have to wait out here Sir." says a nurse. "Are you her husband?"

"Yes."

"We need some information about her medical history."

He tells the nurse what they need to know. "Jake how did this happen?"

"The guy hadn't tried anything, nothing at all. Suddenly he broke into Suzanne's house. Rachel fought with him. Out of nowhere he pulled a gun and before she could react he shot her. She pushed him through the window before collapsing. He's dead."

"Where were you?"

"On my way home from the agency. I pulled into the driveway the same time the cops and paramedics got there. I got the story from Suzanne."

"Mr. Carter." comes a woman's voice from behind. Nick turns. "I'm Dr. Smith."

"How's my wife?"

"We need to get her to surgery. We need you to sign a consent form."

"No problem just help Rachel."

Once Rachel's in the OR Jake asks Nick, "Do you want me to call your family?"

"Yeah."

"What about Rae's?"

"No, not until we know something. I don't want to worry them right now." Jake pats him on the shoulder. "I'll be right back."

"It's been four hours. Why won't anyone tell us what's going on?" says Nick pacing the floor.

"Nick when was the last time you slept?" asks Jane.

"I got some sleep on the plane."

"Mr. Carter."

"Dr. Smith how is she?"

"I'm afraid I have bad news." Nick's legs grow weak, he manages to sit down. Dr. Smith sits beside him. "The bullet hit her aorta. During surgery she went into cardiac arrest, it was nearly a half an hour before we got her back. We repaired the aorta but due to the lack of oxygen for a prolonged period of time there's brain damage."

"What exactly are you saying?" asks Nick dreading her answer.

"Rachel's not going to wake up. She's on a ventilator, that's basically the only thing keeping her alive."

"Basically? So she's not brain-dead?"

"No. She is going to die even with the machine. It won't take more than a few months. Or you could..."

"I can't hear this right now. Can I see her?"

"Sure."

"Jake will you call her family?"

"No problem."

Dr. Smith shows Nick to Rachel's room. "With the exception of the machines she looks like Sleeping Beauty."

"But I'm afraid your kiss won't wake her up. I'm sorry, we did everything we could."

"I know, thank you."

He sits beside of Rachel and takes her hand. He runs his other hand through her hair. "I know you can hear me, maybe not physically but with your soul and spirit. I don't know what to say except I love you. I was asking myself why I let you do it, but I couldn't stop you. Why did you do it? It's just who you are." He rests his head on her.

The next thing he knows he father is shaking him. "Nick wake up."

"Dad?"

Son come home with your mother and me."

"I don't want to leave her." he says holding Rae's hand.

Bob sees Dr. Smith in the hall and goes to talk to her. "Doctor, Nick is refusing to leave Rachel but he needs to rest."

"I can get a cot for him in her room."

"Thank you."

"Nick please reconsider coming home with us." pleads Jane tucking him in.

"Mom I want to stay with Rae." He looks at Rachel. "She's twenty-four years old, this isn't fair."

"Get some rest Sweetheart." Jane says then she kisses his forehead.

Once in the hall she says to Bob, "I'm so afraid for him."

>>>>>

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