Jim and I had been together for seven years. We met in college and got married shortly after I graduated. He went on to become a police officer and I went on to medical School. Our relationship had some rough patches. I was going to school to become a surgeon. I worked 100 hour weeks, I hardly had any free time. My life belonged to the hospital, and Jim's life belonged to the state.

Last week I was at work, and my phone was going off like crazy, however I had an emergency surgery that I had the chance to scrub in on, so I just let it go to voice mail. During my surgery my chief came in the surgery room, and asked my resident if I was truly needed, and he told him no, and the chief pulled me out of the surgery.

I was starting to freak out and worry a little bit, because I had only met the chief one other time, and that was when I was informed that my mom died in surgery in this very hospital a year before I started my internship here. He took my hands after I took off my gloves and everything, and told me that there was a shooting and Jim was involved, and that he was on his way in critical condition.

He proceeded to ask me who I'd like to perform the surgery, and I asked him where he was shot at and the chief told me that he was shot in the head, and there was a lot of damage. I told him I wanted the head of Neurology, which was Mark, my very best friend at this hospital, but he was not on the boards for today. Luckily Mark lived right across the street from the hospital, and was able to come in and do the surgery.

The next 14 hours was the longest 14 hours of my life. Jim was not doing well in surgery at all. Kelly and Bridget came out of the surgery a couple of times and were trying to keep me updated, because I was freaking out not being able to be in there.

Finally Mark came out of the surgery room, and told me that the next 24 hours will tell us everything. He informed me the only thing that was left was to wait for Jim to wake up. Jim was transferred to ICU.

After signing a bunch of paperwork, I went to Jim's room and sat down next to him. With his hand in my hand, I begged him to hold on, and to keep on fighting and not to leave me or our children. People were coming in left and right, dropping off flowers and gift baskets, and offering love and support, and told me that they would be praying for him. Everyone tried to get me to leave and try and get a little sleep, but I did not want to leave his side at all. I was scared that if I left, that he would slip away completely.

I called Jim's mother and father, and his sisters and informed them of what was going on, and they told me that they would catch a flight and be there in the morning, and I told them, the sooner they could get here, the better. I called my brother and asked him to pick up the kids from the babysitter and babysit them tonight because I would not be coming home. I told him not to tell the kids, because I didn't want them freaking out. It was hard enough to explain to them about their grandmother, I wasn't ready to tell them how life could be so unfair to take their daddy too.

Around six the next morning, I felt someone trace their finger across my face; at that point I had placed my head down by his hand and had fallen asleep for a little bit. It scared the living daylights out of me, but I was so thrilled. I looked up and I saw Jim laying there with a smile on his face, and his first words were, "You look beautiful babygirl, I love you."

I busted out into tears and started sobbing, and told him that he was so lucky that he didn't die, that I do not know what I would have done, and he told me he never had any intentions of leaving me or our children anytime soon. He took me in his hands, and pulled me up into the bed with him, and held me tight. I told him I had to get Mark, so he could check his vitals, and make sure that this wasn't a surge. He asked me what was a surge, and I told him, it's when patients have one last burst of energy before they pass away. Jim told me, this was not a surge and that he wasn't going anywhere, and that I could go get Mark in a little bit, that right now, he just wanted to hold me in his arms, and not let me go. I told him that I had no problem with that whatsoever. I never wanted him to let me go.

A little after six thirty I went and got Mark, and he came into the room, to check Jim's vitals, and said that everything looked really good, I told Jim that I would be right back, that he better still be here when I get back, and he just looked at me, and told me, "Babygirl, I promise I will never leave you like this."

When I was out of the room, I looked to Mark, and asked him if this was a surge. I was deathly afraid that this was just a surge, and in a couple of hours he would be gone forever. Mark told me that he did not believe that this was a surge, but he told me that only time would tell. He told me I really should go get some sleep, and I told him I wasn't leaving Jim's side. Mark proceeded to tell me that if this was a surge we would know in about five hours. I told him that I was going back to Jim's bedside and staying there.

I went back into Jim's room, and just stared at him for a few minutes, completely lost in his beauty. Jim was a very attractive man. I had fallen head over heels in love with him when I first met him. I walked over to his bedside, and climbed into his bed with him, and he held me close and kissed my forehead. It was days like that one that it made me feel like I had just fallen in love with him.

The next couple of hours were stressful on my end, I was deathly scared that this was just a surge, and I only had a couple of more hours with him. I tried my best not to let my stress and my fear show and worry him. At noon Mark came back to the room, and told me that Jim was looking good, and his vitals were still stable. Mark told me that the worst was over, and that they wanted to keep Jim for a few more days to keep a close eye on him. I got up off the bed, and ran into Mark's arms, and thanked him over and over for saving Jim's life.

The next morning, I woke up with Jim still holding me, still smiling, and still with me. He looked in my eyes, and said, "See babygirl, I told you it wasn't a surge, and I wasn't going to leave you." I looked up to him and smiled with the biggest smile that I could put on my face. I held and squeezed him tight and told him that I was never going to let him go. Jim then looked into my eyes, and told me, "I want to see our girls" I told him, I had to check with Mark, because we were in the ICU, and normally small children aren't allowed to be in the ICU. He asked me to go check with Mark, and if he said okay, to go home and bring the girls by.

I got up from the bed, and went to go talk to Mark. He told me that since Jim was in the clear and out of immediate danger that it would do good for the both of us, to bring the girls by, and when I'd get back to the hospital, that Jim would have been moved to a private room. I asked him when he would be good to go home, and he told me that since this was a severe brain injury that they wanted to keep him for at least a week, and watch over him carefully.

So, I went and got the girls, and on our way to the hospital, I explained to them how daddy got hurt at work, and he has a big boo-boo on his head, but that he is going to be okay, and will be coming home soon, but for now he has to stay in the hospital right now. I also explained to them, that daddy has a really bad headache, so we have to be very quiet and no yelling or screaming while we visit daddy. They told me that they understood, and that they just wanted to see their daddy.

When we got to the hospital, the girls got visitor badges and a nurse brought us to Jim's room. He was sitting up and eating when we walked into the room, and his face lit up like the fourth of July. His girls are his world, and he was beyond happy to see them. I helped them climb into his bed, and sit on either side of their daddy, and we all just sat there enjoying each other's company till Jim's nurse came in and told us that visiting hours were over, and that the girls couldn't stay the night. I called my brother and asked him to come pick up the girls, and asked him if they could spend the night, and he said of course. We kissed the girls goodbye, and told them that we loved them, and that I would come and get them tomorrow.

After the girls left, Jim was feeling very drained and tired, and he fell asleep pretty quickly. The next day Jim's parents got in, and they spent the day with him, so I gave them their privacy and went to go spend the day with my girls. I couldn't wait till Jim was ready to go home. I knew that it was going to be a long recovery, but I was so ready for him to get out of the hospital.

Finally the day came for Jim to be released from the hospital, and he couldn't be happier. I couldn't be happier too. I signed his discharge papers. I went and got the car and helped him in the car. I walked around the car, climbed into the driver seat, put the car and drive, and headed on home.