DMVS Archive | Season Two - Second Thoughts

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Second Thoughts

Episode 21 written by Karen
Original air date:

Disclaimer: The characters in the following fan fiction do not belong to me. They belong to CBS and Viacom and other powers that be. I am only using them for the purpose ofwriting this story. No money is being made from this writing it is for entertainment purposes only. And now on with the show...

Summary: A horrible accident makes Lynda rethink her plans. A Continuation of Safe in the Arms of Love.

By: Karen Faye Rodgers

Tess ran out of the house and went straight to her grandfather who stood next to his car. She was going to be spending the morning fishing with him before they had a picnic later at the park where they were supposed to be meeting her grandmother.

"You ready to go Princess?" Joe Richardson asked as he picked up his young granddaughter.

She gave him a hug whispering in his ear at the same time, "You think we're going to catch anything, Grandpa?"

"Oh, I'm sure we're going to empty that lake," he assured her.

"I sure hope so...think you can clean them?" She asked.

Mary came out of the house carrying a bag of snacks, "now Joe, I want you to keep a close eye on her and make sure she doesn't fall into that lake."

Tess turned her head speaking the words she had heard her grandfather say a million times in the past, "you worry too much."

Both Mary and Joe laughed at the sound of Tess trying to sound like her beloved grandfather, "alright point taken," Mary said shaking her head.

"See you at the park," Joe said kissing her goodbye.

Later, Down the Road

Tess was singing a song that was playing on the radio as she looked out the widow at the beautiful scenery around them, "I can't wait to get there."

"Me either," Joe agreed.

Joe looked in the rear a view mirror to see a few cars driving behind them and smiled as he looked at the speedometer to see that he was driving a little to slow. 'No wonder there was so many cars behind him,' he thought at he speed up the car a little to get to the right speed. A mile later there was a loud noise as the drivers front tire blew. He fought to control the car, but couldn't and before he knew it he was loosing the battle and the car went head first into a large tree.

Same Time, Community General, ER

Jesse was filling out a chart as Mark came to his side, "Hey Jess." Mark greeted. He wanted so badly to mend the broken bridge that once was their friendship.

"Hi," was all he got from Jesse who spoke to Mark in only a professional manner.

"Look Jess, can we go get a cup of coffee in the doctor's lounge and just talk a little," Mark tried once more to get through to the young doctor before him.

"I'm real busy Mark...maybe later."

"Just one cup," Mark said.

Jesse looked up from the chart at Mark and sighed. How had things gotten so out of hand? After all Mark is a person that he had wished so often was is real father, "sure one cup."

Mark could have jumped for joy this was his chance to make a mends with Jesse and he was going to try and make things work. He had to except that he may be wrong about Lynda, "thanks."

Doctor's Lounge

Jesse sat looking at his coffee as Mark took a seat across from him. He wanted so badly to talk to the older doctor like they use to. Taking in a deep breath he started the conversation, "it's been a long time since we sat together in here."

"Your right and it's because of me...Jesse I know that you are happy with Lynda and it is not my place to get in your way. Please believe me when I say that I was just trying to protect you. I am glad that you have found someone that makes you happy."

Jesse was shocked by Mark's words. What had happened to change his friends mind about Lynda? Really he could careless what had changed, because he was tired of all this and wanted his friends back, "thanks."

"I want us to talk like we use to...I have missed it my friend," Mark teased in only a way that he could. A way that could make Jesse Travis laugh at any day of the week.

"I've missed it too," Jesse confessed. "I just..." He got no farther as he stopped listening to the intercom over their head.

"Doctor Sloan and Travis to ER Stat..."

Both Doctor's looked at each other and smiles as they headed back to work.

Community General, ER

As Mark and Jesse walking through the doors of the ER there was a nurse coming to their side, "Two ambulances are heading here. They're be here in five minutes..."

Both Jesse and Mark nodded and got prepared for the awaiting ambulances.

Soon the door came open as the EMT's came in with an elderly man. Mark raced over to her and stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed that it was Joe Richardson. He looked up at the EMT as she started calling out everything that was wrong with the elderly man.

Soon they were headed to a trauma room and working to help Joe.

Jesse was completely taken off guard seeing Joe being brought in and wanted to go help Mark badly, but also knew that he had to be ready for when the next patient was brought in. He didn't need to wait long before another gurney was brought in with Tess laying down crying.

The young doctor ran to his young patient, "Tess?"

The little girl was quick to take his hand, "where's Grandpa? You have to find him...please...please find him Jesse..."

Jesse was listening to the EMT and Tess at the same time. As the gurney was brought to a trauma room he assured the frightened little girl that everything was going to be alright and prayed that he was right.

Later, Doctor's Lounge

Jesse entered the room and tried to hide his emotion filled eyes as he looked down at the floor. Finally he looked up at Mark and Alex who were sitting at the table and when he looked at the older doctor he could tell that Mark had bad news to report about Joe Richardson.

Tears filled Jesse's eyes as he looked at Mark, "he didn't make it...did he?"

Mark shook his head no, "how's Tess?"

"She's asleep. She was really worried about her grandfather. She suffered from a broken arm and sustained several bruises that are very painful all over her upper right side."

Mark shook his head in disbelief that so much could happen to that little girl in just under six months, "I tried to get in touch with Mary, but I had no luck."

"I know, Tess told me that she was going to run a few errands and was going to meet them at the park. I called Steve and he's going to go find her," Jesse explained. "Tess seemed to know where her grandmother was going to be all morning."

"This doesn't seem right," Alex voiced everyone's thoughts.

"It's not," Jesse agreed as he walked over to the coffee pot and poured a cup then headed over to his friends.

An Hour Later, Outside Tess' Room

Steve and Jesse looked at Mary, who was trying to figure out what she was going to tell her granddaughter. Looking at Jesse she smiled sadly, "I don't think that I can do this. Can you tell her for me? I will be there, but I don't think that I can say the words to her."

Nodding Jesse agreed and walked into the room, just behind Mary.

Tess sleepily looked at her grandmother, "Gram...How is grandpa?"

Both Mary and Jesse walked over to Tess' bedside and waiting a moment before Jesse started to talk. He never liked the task of telling people about the loss of their loved ones, but knowing all that Tess had been through over the past few months was almost too much for the young doctor. He thought of the moment that Tess' twin sister had died and Jesse was the one to tell her that her sister was dead.

Taking a deep breathe he started to talk, "Tess, Honey I'm afraid that there was nothing that could be done for your grandfather. He was very sick when he came here. He died a little while after he was brought in."

"No!" Tell cried out loud as she looked at her grandfather and Jesse. He is going to be alright..."

Mary sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around the little girl, "shh... honey it is going to be alright. I know that we are going to be alright," Mary soothed hoping that she was right.

Jesse watched as the little girl sobbed in her grandmother's arms and wished that there was something that he could do. He thought the world of that little girl and just took a seat next too the bed and waited for a few minutes not wanting to leave them alone just yet.

After what seemed like forever Tess turned to Jesse, "is she in heaven with momma and my sister?"

Jesse shook his head, "yes, he is with them."

"Why did he have to die?" was her next question.

"Honey, I wish..."

Mary put her hand up and stopped him, "Jesse, can you give me and Tess some time alone?"

"Yes, I'll be checking on a few patients, but if you need me you just have me paged and I will come right back in here," Jesse told her before he walked outside to be greeted by Steve who was waiting for him.

"How is she Jess?" Steve asked. He had come to be like all his friends and father to be very attached to that little girl.

"I think she is going to be alright, given time...but well, she is so sad right now..." Jesse looked over at his friend with sad eyes.

"How are you?" Steve asked his friend.

"It never gets easy telling people about their love ones dying...I just wish that this had never happened."

Giving his friend a pat on the back Steve spoke up, "let's go get some coffee and something to eat."

"That would be great," Jesse smiled to his friend.

Later That Night, Jesse's Apartment

Jesse sat across the kitchen table from Lynda, "I think that maybe we should call the wedding off for a few weeks. I mean I'm not sure that getting married in a few days will be the best thing and Tess was supposed to be in it..."

Lynda looked at him with a mocked smile of kindness, "Oh, I think that the wedding it just the thing to help her."

"I'm not sure, she is very sad and I think that we just need to call it off for a little while."

Lynda studied Jesse for a moment before she said anything else, "give me a few days with Tess and in that time things don't work out, then I'll agree to calling off the wedding for a short time."

"Thanks," Jesse said as he leaned in and kissed his future wife.

"No thanks needed, you know that I think the world of that little girl. I really believe that this will give her something to look forward to," Lynda assured him.

Next Day, Richardson's Home

Mary was shocked to see Lynda Mitchell standing at her front door early the next morning. She smiled at the young lady, "nice to see you Miss Mitchell."

"Jesse, told me about your loss and I wanted to come by and see if there was anything that I could do," she offered.

"Thanks you, I'm glad to have such great friends like you and young Jesse. Come in please, could I get you some ice tea?"

"Oh, that would be lovely, thanks."

"You go ahead into the living room and I'll be back in just a minute," Mary told the young woman.

"Yes Ma'am."

After spending a good amount of time that morning with Mary talking about everything from when Mary and Joe was married to the day that they had gotten Tess to come live with them was told and Lynda found it easy to talk to the kind elderly woman.

"I would like it if you would let me get Tess' mind on something else and have her work with me on mine and Jesse's wedding. I think that getting her mind on something else might help her with her loss," Lynda explained.

"Well, if you are sure that it's alright. Then that would be a nice idea."

"What about you Mary, would you like to help me too. I don't know a lot of people here in LA and would like it if you would help out too. Maybe it could be some good to you too," she offered.

"Well, I can help some I guess. What would you like me to do?" Mary looked over at the stairs as Tess sleepily made her way down to where her grandmother sat on the couch.

****

Days passed and everything started to work out well with Tess and Mary. There was one snag, however, in Lynda's plan. She had started to come to like these two special people and that took her off guard.

She had wanted revenge on Mark Sloan for years, she was only fifteen when her father was sent to prison and she had to grow up with her uncle who was accustomed to drinking a lot. It was now the day before her 'wedding to Jesse Travis and she was rethinking her involvement with Carter Sweeny.

Tess looked up at Lynda and smiled, "I am sure glad that you are marrying Jesse."

"Me too," Lynda agreed smiling knowing that she had unwillingly found herself falling in love with Jesse.

"Would you mind if I came over some times to see you two? I'll be real good, I just like spending time with you," the little girl confessed.

"And I feel the same about you. I would love it if you came over," she smiled. Why was she lying to this child? She had to go talk to Carter and tell him that she was out of this.

"Are you happy Lynda?" Tess questioned the woman before her with a serious look on her face. "When I am happy something always happens to mess things up," she said as she lowered her head.

"I'm very happy and I'm sure that things are going to be alright with your grandmother. I can see she loves you very much."

"I know she loves me, but..."

"But what?" Lynda asked the young lady.

"I don't want grandma to die," she confessed as she started to sob.

"Oh, Honey is that what you really think is going to happen to your grandmother if you are happy with her?"

"Well, since I lived with my momma and daddy that is what seems to happen. I mean... I was never really happy with daddy, but I did have Marybeth with me. Now she is dead and so is grandpa and momma."

Lynda sat down on the couch and let Tess craw up in her lap, "you know what. I am sure that everything is going to be fine. I know that people that we love leave us before we are ready for them to, but that is when they go to see God and you know what?"

"What?"

"We'll see them again someday, when we go to heaven," she told the little girl as she pulled her into a big hug. Now I have to go and talk to someone and will make sure that I come and get you and your grandma bright and early so that we can get ready for the wedding tomorrow."

"Alright," Tess smiled and gave Lynda another hug, "thanks."

"Your welcome."

As Lynda walked out to her car she opened the door and stopped for a minute to look back at Mary's house. She couldn't help, but to think of how funny life was. Just a few days ago she thought that helping Sweeny kill Mark Sloan and his friends was just revenge for her losing her father, but now...now she knew that she was wrong and it took that little girl losing someone she loved for her to see it.

Later That Afternoon

Lynda sat waiting to talk to Carter Sweeny and for the first time she knew what real fear was. She wanted out of what Sweeny had planned and she knew talking to him while he was still in prison was just the time. She had to go to Steve and Mark Sloan to tell them what was being planned, but she had to tell Sweeny that she was out, first.

Carter was guided to seat across the small glass wall and looked at Lynda, "what brings you to see me my dear."

"I wanted to talk to you about my plans," she said, her words came out shaky she knew from what she had learned about Sweeny that he was a man not to be playing around with.

"I see, and why is that," he asked in a calm voice.

"I just had second thoughts."

"Oh, well I see. I think that is not a good idea. You have worked very hard to get where you are and I believe that it would be a shame to stop now," he told her. His eyes seemed to look passed her and she wondered just what he was thinking.

"I know that I have worked hard, but I can't finish what I have started. I just wanted to let you know. I hope that you understand why I can't do this," she said knowing that she couldn't come right out and say what the plan was with the a guard standing not far behind the man.

"Then, this will be the last time we talk for a while, I hope that you will change your mind, but I can see that isn't going to happen."

"No, it's not." She stood to leave, "bye."

"Goodbye."

Lynda walked out of the prison and sighed a sigh of relief and got into her car and drove away and headed straight for the Sloan beach house.

As she got out of her car she knew that she was feeling really nervous. More so than when she was in front of Carter Sweeny. She had been living a lie for months now and she knew that it was wrong and had to change things and if possible save the lives of the Sloan's and their many friends.

Thinking back she wondered how she could have come to be part of this plan to begin with. When she had come face to face with Mandy that is what started it all. She was the daughter of an old friend of Carter Sweeny and wanted to help the man that she looked up to and with the anger she saw in Mandy now she wondered again how it was that she came to be such a woman consumed by anger.

Knocking on the door of the beach house Lynda became very uneasy. She had to tell what she knew to Mark and Steve Sloan and maybe they could help her. Soon the door opened and she looked up so to see Mark standing there.

"Doctor Sloan, can I come in. I have something very important to talk to you about and..."

Mark heard the sound of a gun being shot and then saw Lynda Mitchell falling to the ground. He looked up to see a black car drive away and then Mark turned his attention back to the young woman on the ground. He felt for a pulse and found none, Lynda Mitchell was dead.

The End