Just a short tag for the mid-season ender that popped into my head. My first publish in a long while, so hopefully it isn't too atrocious. ;)
The car was plodding, literally plodding along. Gus sighed impatiently, his eyes fixed on the form of his best friend propped against the hood of Lassiter's car. He shuddered again at the thought that they had nearly lost Shawn today. The thought of life without his partner was too much to handle. Suddenly, the scene in front of him shifted. Lassiter and Henry had moved around the vehicle to load the kidnapper into the backseat when Shawn abruptly slid off the hood and disappeared from sight. Gus saw the car door slam shut as Lassiter took off around the back and Henry moved around the front toward his fallen friend. For his part, Gus could no longer sit still. He wrenched open the car door just as Juliet slammed on the brake. Running for all he was worth, he vaguely noted hearing her footsteps hot on his heels.
Rounding the side of the vehicle, heart in his mouth, Gus saw Henry kneeling in front of Shawn while Lassiter - wait, Lassiter?? - had propped Shawn up from behind. His friend looked pale, his face lined with pain, but he was still blessedly alive and awake. Gus let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He dropped to his knees on Shawn's right side, edging out Jules by seconds. She resigned herself to pacing behind the group, eyes looking suspiciously moist as she surveyed the scene in front of her.
"Shawn, I need to look at your shoulder," Henry was saying, his voice laced with concern.
"Dad, I've made it this far, let's just hold out for the professionals, OK?" Shawn replied weakly. His eyes suddenly landed on Gus and he blinked with surprise. "Nice of you to join the party, buddy!"
"Wouldn't have missed it," Gus replied with affection. "Man, when you do something you have to go all out, don't you?"
"That's just the way I roll," Shawn slurred out, exhaustion starting to claim his attention. Suddenly he pushed into Lassiter, groaning loudly. Gus glanced at Henry and noticed he had succeeded in pulling back the fabric of Shawn's shirt while he and Gus had been talking. For his part, Lassiter looked distinctly uncomfortable with the whole situation. He did not, however, move away. Then Gus' eyes fell on the bullet hole. . . and he actually felt his face turn green. There was blood everywhere. Coating the bandage, soaking Shawn's shirt, sticking to his chest and down his side. Swallowing hard, he resolved himself to push past the rising nausea and stay by Shawn's side.
"Damnit," Henry muttered, and then his hands came up with brutal force and pressed hard into the wound. Shawn cried out, and Gus flinched in sympathy. He saw Jules turn away out of the corner of his eye, frantically scanning the highway for signs of the ambulance and back-up police officers. Gus also noticed Lassiter tighten his hold on Shawn, a brief look of concern evident on his features. As for himself, he did the only thing he could think to do - grab Shawn's right hand and squeeze for all he was worth. His best friend seemed to take comfort in the gesture and his struggling lessened. Henry sighed softly, clearly distressed by his actions but knowing he had no other choice.
And then Shawn's eyes rolled up in his head and he was out. Gus felt panic surge through him until he heard Henry murmur "Thank God" and saw Lassiter relax slightly, a look of relief on his face. At that moment, sirens sounded in the distance, inching closer by the second. 'Shawn is just unconscious, he's going to be fine' was the mantra Gus repeated over and over to himself. Now that help was on the way, he would soon have his irritating, sometimes obnoxious but always lovable and loyal friend back. He took one more look at the faces around him. Henry, still applying pressure to Shawn's wound while staring at his son with undisguised affection. Lassiter, pretending he was indifferent once more but still holding onto his limp colleague. Juliet, worry and something else clouding her eyes as she looked quickly between Shawn and the approaching emergency vehicles. And Shawn, who strangely looked almost peaceful laying among them.
Yes, they were all going to be fine. And to Gus, it didn't take a psychic to figure out why.