Disclaimer: Early Edition and its characters and situations are the property of Sony/Tristar. This fanfic is for entertainment purposes only; no infringement is intended and no profit is being made.

Rating: G

Spoilers Mentioned: The Pilot, Blind Faith, Fatal Edition, Love is Blind, Phantom at the Opera, Blackout and Run, Gary, Run.

Summary: When Marissa has a chance to regain her eyesight, she and Gary find they may be more than good friends.

Author’s notes: Thanks to my kids, Abby, Tyler and Mary for finding and pointing out errors. Special thanks to Tracy Miller for her advice, suggestions, encouragement and general ‘hand holding’.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Marissa's Vision
by Amy Russell

Chapter One

“Good morning, Chicago. It’s 6:30 and promises to be a beautiful spring day. Temperatures will be in the low 70’s and…” (click). The room was quiet for about 30 seconds, then, “Thump….. Meow!”

“Okay, okay. Keep your fur on!”

Gary opened the door. As usual, the cat entered Gary’s loft. The paper, tomorrow’s paper, was on the floor and Gary picked it up.

Gary stood in the kitchen drinking coffee and scanning the paper for today’s assignments. Odd, it looked like it would be a quiet day. Maybe the radio was right – it just might be a beautiful spring day. In an unusually cheerful mood, Gary headed downstairs to see if Marissa was in.

“Morning, Marissa! The radio says it’s going to be a pretty day and the paper is even going to cooperate!”

“Morning, Gary.” Marissa’s reply was quiet, even distracted.

“Have you had your coffee, yet? How about if I fix some eggs and toast for breakfast?… Marissa?”

“What? Oh yeah, sure. Pancakes would be fine.”

“Marissa, what’s going on? I don’t think you’ve heard a word I’ve said. Are you ok?” Marissa had Gary’s full attention. She was usually so tuned into Gary that her distraction alerted him right away.

“Gary, I’m ok. Just a little……confused. I got this letter from my eye doctor yesterday and I don’t know what to do.” She handed Gary a folded letter. He opened the letter, anxious to see why Marissa was so upset. He immediately handed it back to Marissa.

“Maybe you had better read it to me. My fingers aren’t ready for Braille.”

“Oh, Gary, I’m sorry. I forgot.”

Gary realized then how upset Marissa was. She knew he couldn’t read Braille.

Marissa read:

Dear Ms. Clark:
    I recently returned from the annual eye surgeon’s convention and I am
delighted to inform you of a new breakthrough in eye surgery. This is so new
it is still considered somewhat experimental, however, with your medical
history, I feel you would be an excellent candidate. This procedure has been
used successfully in restoring eyesight in people with your type of vision
loss.

    Please call my office for a consultation. I’d like to discuss this
important development with you.

                                   Sincerely,
                                   Dr. Baker

"Marissa, that’s great! Why are you confused? Go on… make the appointment!”

“But, Gary, I don’t know if I want to.”

“Howzat? Why not?”

“Well, I’m used to living this way. It’s the only way I know. What do I do if I can see? I don’t know how to read, or know my colors or how to drive… or….”

Gary could hear the panic in Marissa’s voice.

“Whoa---what a minute. You’re getting ahead of yourself. You’re always telling me things happen for a reason. Well, maybe this is happening for a reason, too. If your doctor didn’t think you could handle the surgery and whatever goes with it, he would never have sent you the letter in the first place. Besides, you’re always wanting to help out with the paper, but not being able to see kind of limits you. I could really use a hand once in a while. Now, will you make the appointment, or should I?”

“Alright Gary, I’ll do it. I guess I should at least go listen to what he has to say.”

“Good. Tell me when you’re going, I want to come.”

“Thank you, Gary. I appreciate your concern, I really do. But this is something I’d rather do alone. Besides, you do have the paper.”
 

Chapter Two

“Good morning, Chicago.” Click.
“Thump”
“Meow”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.”

Gary opened the door and bent down to pick up the paper. He took it inside and set it down while he got a cup of coffee and gave Cat his bowl of milk. Gary sipped his coffee as he scanned the headlines. Suddenly he choked and spewed coffee all over the counter.

        Blind Restaurant Owner Killed in Construction Accident

Gary stared at the headline in shock. He couldn’t believe it! He read on:

“McGinty’s co-owner Marissa Clark was killed yesterday when she entered a
posted construction zone and was struck by a beam being lifted into place
for a new building. Witnesses said Ms. Clark, who was blind, missed the
detour pedestrian route set on the sidewalk to avoid the construction zone."

Gary ran downstairs, still in his boxers and bare feet.

“Marissa! Good, you’re still here. What time is your appointment?”

“It’s at 11:00, but I already told you I’m going alone. And why do you smell like coffee?”

“Never mind that. Like it or not, I’m coming with you.”
 

Chapter Three

Dr. Baker’s office was comfortable and well furnished, but it was still a doctor’s office. Soft music was playing over the intercom and the office staff was quietly and efficiently handling the phones and the patients. Gary and Marissa sat in the waiting room and, for once, neither had anything to say. They had discussed the possibility of Marissa re-gaining her sight and Gary knew she had many questions about how she might handle this new challenge. Gary was also wondering how to best help his friend. So they sat, each lost in their own thoughts.

“Ms. Clark, Dr. Baker will see you now.”

“Gary…come with me.” Marissa reached for Gary’s hand and he took it.

Dr. Baker gave Marissa a thorough exam and explained the surgery and the expected outcome.

“Well, Marissa, that’s the procedure. I feel confident that you are a good candidate for this. Do you have any more questions? Of course, we don’t know if it will be successful but…”

“You’d like to give it a try.” Marissa said dryly. “I don’t have any more questions right now. Thank you for the information. I’ll let you know in a few days. I think I’d like to go home now, Gary.”

“Just a minute, Marissa. One more thing. Even though I don’t anticipate any problems, for your own protection, you should have a medical representative to make decisions in your behalf, if necessary. Do you have any next-of-kin who will be able to do this for you?”

“Dr. Baker, all my family live in other states. Maybe, Gary…?”

“Marissa, this needs to be someone close to you, to take this responsibility. This also needs to be someone who can follow through on your care post-op and get you back here for follow-up appointments.”

“I trust Gary totally. If anything happens to me, I want Gary to take over. Gary?”

“Absolutely, Marissa, I’ll be right here.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That evening, Gary and Marissa sat together on Marissa’s couch and discussed what Dr. Baker had told them.

“I don’t know if I want to do this, Gary.”

“Why not?”

“I’ve been blind as long as I can remember. This is my life. If the surgery works, what am I going to do? It’s hard enough to learn to drive a car when you’re young, but how am I ever going to do it at my age? And learning to read would be like going to the first grade again. It would be just like starting over. I don’t even know my colors…and…and.. I just don’t know if I can do it.”

“Marissa, you’re just scared…”

“No! No, I’m not….yes,… I am. Gary?…”

Gary put his arm around Marissa and pulled her close. Marissa put her head on his shoulder.

“Shhh, shhhh, be quiet. It’s gonna be ok Marissa. You’re a smart woman. Look---you went back to college didn’t you? You were nervous but you did it. And…and you practically run McGinty’s by yourself. You are strong and self-sufficient. And I’m here. I’ll take care of you. I’ll help you.”

Marissa let Gary hold her while she thought. She was tired of being strong and self-sufficient. It felt good to lean on Gary. To just let him hold her. And he was right, she was scared. Scared of hospitals, scared of surgery, scared that something might go wrong, even scared that it might be a successful surgery. But, hadn’t she dreamed about being able to see? And Gary was right. She was smart. She could do anything she set her mind to. But she was so tired and so comfortable being held like this. Just then, Gary leaned over and kissed Marissa on the forehead.

“C’mon, it’s been a long day. Why don’t you go to bed and we’ll talk about this some more tomorrow. I’ll lock the door when I leave”
 

Chapter Four

A few days later, at the hospital:

Marissa was in surgery. Gary was waiting and thinking – remembering. Marissa had been his friend and partner for several years. She was with him at the accounting firm, through his divorce from Marcia and his love of Emma. She was with him when he was blinded by the explosive the boys found and throughout those terrible days when the police thought he’d killed Scanlon.
She was there, steady and solid, when Chuck and Crumb and Erica (with ornery Henry) and Patrick and Toni and all the others passed through his life. And the paper, she was always ready to help with the paper. She wouldn’t allow him to feel sorry for himself. Of course Gary knew that Marissa was his closest friend but he was beginning to wonder if maybe….maybe….she was more than a friend. Most important, she believed in him in a way Marcia never could. They had been friends so long, it only seemed natural that they should stay together. These thoughts were just beginning to form and they bothered him. Would what he was thinking ruin their friendship or….?

“Mr. Hobson? Ms. Clark is in the recovery room. Would you like to see her?”

“Hey, Marissa. How ya feeling?”

“Groggy. Those shots to make you relax really do the trick. Is Dr. Baker finished?”

“Yep, all done and pretty pleased with how things went, too. The nurse just gave me a long list of instructions for taking care of you, changing your bandages and getting you back to the doctor tomorrow for your post-op check. Whenever your head clears, I’ll take you home.”

“Gary, I can take care of myself! Surely the paper has something you should be doing. Just take me home and I’ll be fine.”

“Umm hmm.”

Gary took Marissa home and got her settled on the couch with her cup of tea.

“I’ve a couple of easy things to take care of from the paper. I’ll be back later with something to eat. Don’t move off the couch…understand?”

“Gary….go!”

After Gary left, Marissa leaned back into the couch and sighed heavily. She was tired and she hurt. Not her eyes necessarily but her whole body. She hadn’t slept much lately – mostly from worry. Would the surgery work? What if it did? Oh – she knew Gary would be there. He was always there when she needed him. She’d been thinking a lot about that, too. She’d been with Gary for several years; he was such a good friend. Just when Marcia dumped him and he’d quit his job, he took her to lunch, won money on the horses and gave her the entire $15,000 to buy a dog. Of course, she didn’t know about the paper then and he was just learning. She remembered some of the fixes she and Chuck and Gary would get themselves into. Some were funny now but some weren’t. Marissa remembered the time she tried to help Gary and ended up on a shaky platform. Just as she was trying not to panic, Gary showed up talking about cashews and, in the end, had to carry her home. Or the time she was so angry about the taxes and he saved her from being hit by the car. Or the boyfriend who almost killed her. And she thought she would go crazy with worry when he was accused of killing Scanlon. Yes, Gary was never around, but at the same time, always there when she needed him. Was she thinking about him because she was tired, stressed….or was something else happening to her? She loved him dearly as a friend…. but lately other feelings were beginning to stir. She drifted into an uneasy sleep.
 

Chapter Five

“I’m back, Marissa. Do you feel like eating? I brought Chinese.”

“I’m starved. I haven’t eaten since last night and I slept all afternoon. It’s also too quiet in here. Put on a couple of CD’s and lead me to the food!”

For a while, Gary & Marissa ate in a comfortable silence, content with each other’s presence.

“So, Gary, tell me what you did this afternoon.”

“Well, there was this little kid chasing his ball and he was going to run out from behind a parked car and get hit. All I had to do was get to the ball before the ball got to the street.”

“Well, good, sounds fairly simple. What else?”

“A little old lady, with her arms full of groceries, was gonna get knocked down by a purse snatcher and break her hip.”

“And?”

“And, I showed up, offered to carry her groceries and glared at every punk that looked in our direction. Got her home and in her apartment safely.”

“Oh Gary (laughing), I wish I could have seen you escorting an old lady and glaring at everyone you pass! You must have looked ferocious!”

“Well, Marissa… maybe you can.” Gary’s tone was deep, gentle and serious.

Silence

“Ok” thought Marissa, “time to change the subject.”

“You know, Gary, I’ve always loved this music. I used to dance to it and pretend my Prince Charming was with me. Silly, isn’t it?”(laughing)

“I don’t think it’s at all silly. In fact, I think… I think I’d like to have this dance. Marissa?”

“ Gary, stop it. Tell me what else happened this afternoon.”

“I’ve told you all there is to tell. The paper has been very quiet for the last few days. Maybe…maybe… there is a reason for it. Maybe it knows I have a friend to take care of. Maybe it’s allowing me some time for my own life. Now, how about that dance?”

So, Gary took Marissa in his arms and they danced. Just slowly, quietly, comfortably, each lost in their own thoughts. Each was acutely aware of the other and the closeness felt good, natural. Gradually, they realized the music had stopped. Gary lifted Marissa’s chin and gave her a long, slow, gentle kiss. No fireworks, just a kiss borne of a deep, steady, abiding friendship. It seemed so natural to both of them. Then Marissa pulled back.

“Gary, oh, um, I, I, I think I’m really tired. Maybe I should go to bed. It’s been a long several days.”

“Yea, ok, right. Why don’t you get ready for bed and then I’ll change your bandages.”

“Gary…really! I can take care of myself!” She was a little afraid of what her emotions might do if he stayed so close.

“Marissa! Will you stop being so independent? Let someone else help once and awhile! Besides, you were far too groggy this morning to understand the nurse’s instructions. Just let me handle this.” Gary’s tone was scolding and gentle at the same time.

“Ok, Gary.”

A few minutes later Gary tucked the blankets around Marissa and said: “There, bandages changed. Now, get some sleep. I’ll be on the couch if you need me.”

“You really don’t need to stay. I’ll be fine. Just pick me up in time for my appointment tomorrow.”

“Look Marissa….no more arguments, please. You go to sleep and I’ll be out here on the couch if you need me.” With that, Gary gave her another loving kiss and quickly left the room before Marissa could offer any more objections. Marissa heard him moving around as he settled in for the night on her couch. Soon, everything was quiet, but neither one went to sleep for a long time.
 

Chapter Six

“Thump… Meow.”

“Gee, Cat, what are you? My alarm-clock-cat? You find me everywhere. You might as well come in. Marissa’ll probably be glad to rub your chin….you old flea bag.”

“Gary? Is someone here? Oh, Cat, you’re here!”

“G’morning Marissa. Did you sleep all right?”

“Yes, I slept pretty well, except for the one time you woke me up with your snoring! How about you – did you get any sleep?’

“Sure, I always get my best rest on a couch! Now, if Cat will let you get up, I’ll start some breakfast for us. Then we’ll head over to the doctor’s office.”

“Gary….do you suppose I’ll be able to…”

“I dunno Marissa, but we’ll find out pretty soon.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once again, they waited for the Doctor. The sights and sounds of the office were the same but seemed annoying this time. Gary had always hated doctors offices and even though he wasn’t the patient, Marissa’s nervousness was affecting him. Marissa, in turn, was feeling nervous and could sense Gary’s tension as well.

“Gary…you didn’t tell me what the paper said today. Do you have anything to do?”

“There’s not much going on today either, Marissa. I have a trash fire that burns down a garage later this afternoon, but that’s all. Like I said, the paper may be giving me some time for you. Remember---everything happens for a reason.”

“Ms. Clark? The Doctor will see you now.”

Gary took Marissa’s hand and gave her a re-assuring squeeze as they got up to follow the nurse.
 

Chapter Seven

"All right, Marissa, when I remove these bandages, I want you to open your eyes slowly. I’ve dimmed the lights so the glare won’t hurt you. Ok, here we go.”

Marissa opened her eyes. She could see! But the images weren’t moving. Maybe she was imagining it? She reached out her hand and one of the images took it. That had to be Gary, she knew his touch.

“Gary! Gary! I see you!”

“Can you really? For sure?”

“Yes, you’re smiling and it’s beautiful. Everything is beautiful!”

“Congratulations, Marissa,” said Dr. Baker. “I’d say the surgery was a success. Of course, you’ll need to be careful and wear dark glasses for a few days…”

Marissa barely heard him. She was so busy looking at everything around her, especially at Gary. My goodness, he was handsome! And his eyes – oh those eyes.

“Gary, I think I’ve learned my first color.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“Mud puddle green!”

They left the doctor’s office. Gary with his arm around Marissa, guiding her and watching her. She had a lot to learn and he was going to help her. They both had a lot to learn and feelings to explore but it was a new day and a new world. The paper would still be there but together they would deal with it.

And, if they had seen Cat just then, they would have sworn he was smiling.
 

The End.

Email the author:  amy_russell_55@hotmail.com
 

Back Home to McGinty's

Stories by Title

Stories by Author