Take My Breath Away

'After she wakes up, I'll help her glow like a mother-to-be again, ' Wesley mused.

Gifford Li crawled forward towards Blair and sat on her leg, looking at the woman who was asleep every time he saw her. She wasn't very interesting to him.

Wesley thought Gifford Li might call Blair "Mama." That was doable, but the child made no sound. So Wesley patted him on his bottom and urged, "Mama."

"Mama," Gifford Li called, reaching out his tiny hand to grab Blair's. Blair's hair had grown much longer. A few strands had fallen loose, covering her forehead. Wesley tenderly tucked it behind her ear.

"Honey, our son's here to see you. You've been sleeping a long time. Could you open your eyes and hold him?"

There was no change. She still had her eyes shut, her breathing regular.

"Honey, the Spring Festival is just around the corner. What are you wanting? Tell me. I'll buy it for you. You said you wanted to buy me a down jacket. You always said I wasn't wearing enough. If you get up, we can go shopping with our son."

Gifford Li held Blair's finger and shook it. "Mama," he called lightly.

Wesley stroked his head and said, "Attaboy. Keep saying it. When your mom hears you, she'll wake up."

Later, after placing Gifford Li on the sofa, he fetched a basin of water, grabbed a towel and started cleaning Blair's body. Meanwhile, he kept an eye on his son.

Two hours later, carrying Gifford Li, Wesley walked out of the ward and into the attending physician's office.

"I want to take my wife home," he said simply.

The doctor thought about it and then replied, "I know. But you don't have the necessary medical equipment at home."

"My brother's a surgeon. He's going to be living with me for some time after his wedding. Tell me what kind of equipment we need, and I'll buy it. He knows med-techs, and they can set it up."

Niles and Irene were getting married. At Cecelia's request, he transferred to a hospital up in his hometown so he could be closer.

"Okay. Let's go over instructions for outpatient care and get her discharged."

"Thank you, doctor."

Because Blair was home now, Wesley came home every day as soon as he got off work. He also hired a family physician and an in-home care specialist.

Soon after the Spring Festival, Debbie gave birth to Terilynn. When the baby was a month old, Carlos held a party to celebrate. Wesley was there, too. He wouldn't miss it for the world.

Afterwards, the old gang—Debbie, Curtis, Colleen, Damon, and Adriana—and the new item—Dixon and Garnet—all flew to Wesley's hometown to visit Blair.

Joslyn and Hartwell had just visited her, so they didn't come along this time.

Days came and went. Soon, Gifford Li was a tender 18 months.

One day, Cecelia and the little guy came upstairs for Wesley. They opened the door to his bedroom and saw that he was cleaning Blair's face with a towel. She was still in a coma.

As usual, little Gifford Li ran to Blair's bed and called out, "Mama." Wesley had told him to call Blair "Mama" every morning, every night before he went to bed, and whenever he saw her.

"Niles and Irene talking about putting off the wedding until Blair wakes up," Cecelia told Wesley.

That brought Wesley up short. "Okay," he said. 'She'll wake up soon. She has to, ' he told himself.

Cecelia blamed herself every day ever since Blair got shot. "This wouldn't have happened if I had been with her. It's my fault."

She had the same nightmare every night. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Blair, covered in blood, a pool of red spreading underneath.

"Not your fault. I should have protected her." Wesley had lost count of how many times he said this. Guilt and shame ate at him. For more than ten years, he was known as a hero. Yet, in the end, he couldn't even protect his own woman. Instead, she had been wounded protecting him.

Tears streaked down Cecelia's cheeks. Wesley continued washing Blair's face. Keeping an eye on her grandson, Cecelia rose from her chair and complained, "I hate the Zhuges. They keep trying to fix you up with their daughter. It's nuts! I already have a daughter-in-law! Once Blair wakes up, I'll take her by the Zhuges' house to shut them up!"

Wesley looked at Blair, who refused to open her eyes, and then out of the blue, he said, "Since they're so helpful, why blow them off?"

"Excuse me? You want to go out with that woman?" Cecelia thought there must be something wrong with her ears. "Wesley, if you're thinking what I'm thinking, cut it out! I'll disown you if you cheat on Blair! I won't have a son like that!"

Wesley dropped the towel into the basin and looked at his son ponderously. "Gifford."

The imp looked up at him and then went back to playing with his toy.

"Do you want a new mommy?" he asked the little guy.

"A no mommy?" Gifford Li wasn't quite articulate yet. "Yes. We need a new one. This one just isn't doing it.

I'll find you a new, more beautiful mommy. Okay?"

Furious, Cecelia raised a hand and was going to hit Wesley in the back of the head when he put one finger to his lips to shush her.

Gifford Li didn't understand what Wesley meant. "Why?" he asked.

"She keeps sleeping and doesn't even open her eyes to look at you. We don't want her anymore." Then a smug smile stole over Wesley's face. He saw Blair's finger twitch.

"Oh," Gifford Li responded, still confused.

Wesley stood up and gathered him up with one arm. "Let's go meet your new mom."

Cecelia was also perplexed. But Wesley took her outside the room.

Blair was in the middle of a dream. A long one. She saw many people in her dream. And she was with her parents again.

They lived in a beautiful place. And it was just the three of them there. They were very happy.

Then one day, a chubby little guy came into their life. He looked exactly like her, and he even called her "Mama."

She liked this little guy, because he looked like her, and acted like Wesley.

'Wesley!'

Only then did she remember Wesley.

She had lost her Wesley! She started looking for him everywhere, going up streets, and down alleys. Her utopia was now far away, barely visible on the horizon. But she couldn't find him anywhere.

The Chubby Monkey followed her around.

After more searching, Blair was exhausted. She kept hearing voices, but she couldn't figure out where they were coming from. Joslyn and Debbie were calling her. Cecelia was crying. The Chubby Monkey was saying good night to her. But where was Wesley?

She kept walking and searching until she reached the end of the world. Ahead was a huge black hole, through which she saw Wesley.

The Chubby Monkey ran into his arms immediately.

Then she heard Wesley promise him they would find him a new mom, because Blair wouldn't even open her eyes to look at him.