Unfounded Fears

Part 9

"Why, Paul? Why would you ever think that?" Annie couldn't help the disbelief that sounded in her voice. She didn't need to see his face to hear the pain that its features displayed.

"Because it's the truth," was the quiet reply.

"Paul, what do you mean 'you failed him?'"

"Just what I said."

"How? How did you fail him?" Annie pushed, but Paul didn't answer. "Paul, I don't understand. Make me understand what you mean, what you are thinking." Once again, however, she was met with his silence.

Annie exhaled and stood, her frustration overwhelming her, "You know Paul, sometimes you can be absolutely infuriating. Our son could have been fatally injured tonight, but because of you and Caine, he's alive and with us. But instead of seeing the good you've done, instead of being thankful for his life, you are choosing to wallow in some self-imposed guilt."

"Not because of me," Paul muttered. He stood and walked to the edge of the porch, looking out across the yard into the nearby forest.

Annie stopped her protest, suddenly hearing his words. "You saved him, Paul. You were there. You told me yourself."

"I was there. But I didn't help Peter. I couldn't get to him in time," Paul felt Annie's hands on his back. They caused him to shiver when they moved to his waist, turning him towards her.

His wife's inner sight could sense her husband was not looking at her. She reached up and laid a gentle hand on his cheek, turning him to face her. "He's here with us, Paul. You protected him. You brought him back to us."

Paul's face jerked away from her touch and he retreated to the other side of the porch. "But I didn't. I was too late." Paul was silent for a moment, his mind tumbling back to the evening's events. "They hurt Peter. They were going to take him away. . .use him as a hostage and then kill him." Paul paused, his stomach churning at the thought of how close he had come to losing his son.

"Paul. . ." Annie stepped forward towards him again.

"No Annie, you don't understand." Paul's voice raised slightly in frustration. "I wasn't able to stop them. Caine did it. He just came out of no where and the car stopped. Caine single-handedly rescued Peter."

"With your help," Annie completed, emphasizing each word.

"No, not with my help," Paul argued.

Annie sat on the swing quietly, not knowing how to handle her husband's guilt. "Did Caine say something to you?"

"No. Of course not. He wouldn't. But he knew the truth," Blaisdell answered, somewhat defensively.

"And Peter?"

Blaisdell shrugged, then remembered his wife was unable to see the reaction. "No. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. I could see it in his eyes."

"His eyes?"

"The disappointment. It was there, at the hospital."

"That's not what you saw, Paul. Peter would never be disappointed in you." Paul settled in the swing beside her, causing it to rock slowly back and forth. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Peter knows that you did everything you could to help him."

Paul allowed a harsh chuckle to escape his lips, "For all the good it did."

"Oh come on Paul. You did everything within your power to help him. I know that, you know that, Peter knows that. Now, you have never been one to feel sorry for yourself. Why now?"

"I've told you already. I can't help it if you don't understand," Paul responded, his frustration causing his voice to rise. He stood again and moved away from his wife.

"So you're telling me that this guilt-filled road trip that you're dragging me on is because you were unable to save your son?" Annie's voice now matched her husband's tone.

Paul spun on his wife, the tears welling up in his eyes, "No Annie. Not my son. Caine's son. Not mine."

**************************************

"How's he feeling," Kermit whispered, watching his young friend sleep. Caine, from his meditative position in the corner of the room, opened his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he climbed gracefully to his feet.

"He is in pain, but is doing much better." Caine answered, walking to his son's side.

Kermit shook his head. "He was damn lucky last night."

"Yes," was the succinct response.

"I hope Paul gave him one hell of a lecture for the stunt he pulled."

Caine smiled and shrugged one shoulder, "With Peter, I am not sure that it would serve a purpose."

Kermit grinned, pushing the sunglasses back up to the bridge of his nose, "No. You're probably right, but it would make me feel a whole lot better to think he tried."

"As it would me." Caine looked at his son, extending a hand to gently touch the sleeping man's arm. Peter twitched at the contact, but did not waken.

Kermit was silent, allowing the picture of father and son to make its full impression on him. His need to have a question answered by the Shaolin finally caused him to break the silence. "How did you know where we were?"

Caine looked at the ex-mercenary, not answering. Kermit rephrased the question, "Last night. How did you know Peter was in trouble?"

Kwai Chang Caine shrugged one shoulder again, "I knew."

"You knew," Kermit repeated. He thought for moment, then decided to ask the real question that had been burning in his mind, "Did you stop the car?"

Caine tilted his head, answering. "My son was inside. He needed our help."

Kermit gave him a grim smile, "He wouldn't have needed our help if he had listened to Paul."

"Yes. I discussed that with Peter earlier."

"And I suppose he had a great excuse."

Caine smiled, "He did not want to disappoint Captain Blaisdell."

""He didn't want to. . ." Kermit responded incredulously. "Unbelievable."

"It made sense at the time," a graveled-voice whisper came from the injured man.

Caine and Kermit redirected their attention to Peter, seeing that tired eyes were looking back at them. Kermit grinned, "Yeah, I suppose it did. How are you feeling, Kid?"

Peter shifted his body in the bed, the sharp pain in his chest returning, but finding it easier to hide his reaction. "Better. Ready to get out of here."

Caine looked at his son with disapproving eyes, "You are still in pain. You are not ready to leave."

Peter didn't address his father's objections. He looked around the room, "What time is it?"

Kermit glanced at the clock above Peter's bed, "It's almost 8. Thought I'd better check on you before heading in."

A nurse entered the room, "Is your son awake?"

Peter answered for himself, "Yeah, present and accounted for."

"Good," she smiled. "It's time for you morning check-up." Directing her attention to the visitors she asked, "Could you excuse us?"

Caine bowed slightly, "We will wait in the hall."

"It'll just take a few minutes. Have to make sure that your son is stable."

Kermit couldn't help the laughter that escaped his lips, "Stable. . .Peter?"

"Thanks, Kermit," Peter replied sarcastically. Caine began to take a step to the door. Peter reached out and grabbed his arm, halting his progress, "Has Paul been here?" Peter's eyes were full of hope.

"No, he hasn't," Caine answered.

Caine saw the hope turn to depression, "Oh." Peter glanced away, "Guess he didn't have time."

"You know better than that, Peter. He's probably just running a little late this morning. You did keep us up most of the night." Kermit scolded.

Peter sank further into the pillow. "Yeah, right."

"Speaking of which, I'm running a little late myself. I have to complete my arrest report for last night." Kermit took a couple of steps towards the door. "I'll check in with you later today."

Peter nodded and smiled at the man, "Thanks for stopping by."

"Sure thing. Get some rest. We'll talk later."

Caine smiled at the nurse, "I will be in the hall if you need me."

"I'll take good care of him, Mr. Caine," the woman smiled.

Caine followed Kermit to the hallway. "Thank you for coming by to see Peter."

"Hey, no problem. Gotta keep an eye on him."

"Yes, he does seem to require a great deal of attention."

Kermit nodded and started to walk away. "Kermit," Caine's voice stopped him.

"Yeah."

"There is something wrong with Captain Blaisdell."

It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact. Out of loyalty to his mentor, Kermit did not respond. Caine continued, "He is angry. . .hurt. Do you know why?"

Kermit shrugged, "You'll need to talk to him about that." He turned away before Caine could stop him again. "I need to get to work. I'll see you later."

Caine said nothing as he watched the dark-haired man walk away. "Yes. You are right. I will talk to him myself."

End Part 9

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