Title: On Thin Ice
Summary: One moment is all it takes before control is lost and you are fighting for your very life.
Disclaimer: If I owned anything to do with FP then I'd send Sophie on a very loooooooooooong holiday and write myself as Ed's wife. *alas* I own only my DVD's that fuel my imaginative muse Alice.
A/N: okay so yeah this literally was inspired by watching the stormy winter weather on the weather channel about the Ontario area and well you know Alice and her love of peril and angst. Hope you all like this!
"Police stop right there!" Ed's angry voice shouts into the cold icy air as he and Wordy race after the gun wielding robber; down a slippery embankment toward a pond.
"I hope that ice is strong," Wordy's anxious voice is heard over Ed's head set as he hurries after his best friend and team leader.
"It'll hold. Malcolm…" Ed shouts just before another gunshot is heard, sending both SRU team members quickly darting behind the nearest tree and the reappearing within mere seconds to try to fire back.
"Eddie talk to me…where are you two?"
"Middle of the park heading toward the lake. Just make sure it's clear…he's still trigger happy."
"Spike? Jules?"
"The main northern entrance is clear and blocked," Spike replies.
"Same with the southern. If you're heading toward Sam and I he's got nowhere to go."
"Just keep those gates closed."
"Remind me why we are chasing this guy again?" Wordy huffs. "Just shoot the bastard in the leg already and be done with it," he smirks as they charge after their suspect once more.
"You see a clear shot you take it," Ed directs.
"Copy that," Wordy replies with a cool breath, the air nipping at his lungs and the small bits of falling snow reminding him quickly these aren't elements you want to mess around with.
"Malcolm stop right there!" Ed shouts once more just as Malcolm skids across the middle of the pond, his ears picking up distinct sounds of cracking and his lips twisting upward into an evil smile. He applies extra pressure, purposely driving his heavy boots harder onto the somewhat fragile surface just as Ed and Wordy make contact with the pond's icy surface.
"Ed…this surface…man it doesn't feel very solid."
"It'll hold."
"Ed if there's a chance that you two…"
"Boss it'll hold," Ed insists with a small exasperated huff as they watch Malcolm slowing down and then stop. "Wait…he's stopping."
"Eddie be careful. He's killed two and has no regard for human life including his own."
"I got it," Ed finishes up with Greg and then narrows his gaze at the man several meters away. "That's right…now drop your weapon!"
"No," Malcolm growls, his back still to them; his right hand on the gun and his left on something else, something about to deal a very deadly blow.
"Wordy…to my left. Malcolm. I said drop your weapon…down on your knees!" Ed directs, his heart racing, his mind trying to push back the stinging sensations from the cold to his exposed skin and lips. Malcolm had already killed two people, trying to reason with him would be an arduous task but one Ed would gladly relinquish as soon as Greg arrives. He just had to keep him contained. Ed watches Wordy slowly moving to the left, Malcolm still not moving.
"Malcolm if you do not drop that weapon we will be forced to shoot. Is that clear?"
"No," is all that Malcolm answers back, forcing Ed to grit his teeth and mutter an angry curse under his breath.
"Damn this guy," Wordy's anxious voice fills Ed's ears.
"Okay fine. We'll play it your way. Since you like one word answers, I'm gonna say only three more words. At the end of my count I'm gonna shoot you in the leg. One…"
Ed looks at Wordy who offers a nod but still continues to very carefully make his way toward their stalling suspect, not realizing that he just left his friend on very thin ice.
"Two."
"I'm on my way Eddie…just keep stalling if you can."
"He's not dropping that weapon," Ed grumbles. But just before he can say the word three Malcolm holds up his left hand and then slowly starts to turn around. "Wait…boss he might be surren…"
"Three," Malcolm sneers at Ed just as he tosses something into the air. It takes a few seconds for both Ed and Wordy to realize in horror that it's a live grenade.
"Grenade!" Wordy shouts as he fires at Malcolm the same time that he dives to the ground, clipping Malcolm in the lower left side, forcing him to his knees. But Wordy can only watch in horrible slow motion as Malcolm's body and the live grenade slowly float toward the ground, his lungs yelling at Ed to get further away – his calls would be in vain. Malcolm's twisted laughter fills the air just as the icy ground around Ed, beneath his feet explodes, the heat from the blast propelling him forward but at the same time the icy arms reaching out and grasping his boots and pulling him back, ensuring that he falls victim to the now gaping chasm.
"ED!" Wordy shouts in horror, Malcolm on his knees, clutching his bloody side.
"Wordy talk to me?" Greg asks in a panic. "What's happened?"
"Ed…he's in the water…"
It was like something he had only watched on a large 3-D screen but never experienced until now. He had felt the blast on his back, the heat surge propelling him forward, his ears picking up the sickening sound of the ice cracking beneath his feet, something grabbing his legs, his heart rate skyrocketing and his brain yelling at his legs to run as fast as they could before he was swallowed alive.
That urgent plea wasn't answered.
The ice beneath his feet gives way and gravity starts to take over, this sickening sensation of frigid waters racing between his boot lacings, seeping into the holes, seizing his legs, soaking through the dark grey fabric. His hands instantly drop the MP-5 in favor of seeking a ledge to hold, but fate wasn't to be kind to the tough SRU team leader this time.
His stomach slams into the edge of the gaping wound in the middle of the pond, his ears picking up the taunting laughter and his best friends panicked calls.
"Help…" Ed manages with a gasped breath as his fingers frantically claw at the icy plane, the small lake's merciless arms wrapping around his legs and pulling him further into the murky depths.
Water starts to soak around his vest, logging his weapons, filling the pockets and ensuring that what he normally uses as means of protection could now become the very instruments of his watery demise.
"Wordy!" Ed calls as water starts to flood up the sleeves of his jacket, inside the vest and teasing his bare chest with deadly fingers. He knows to keep calm, that to tense up would me certain doom, but as the water now starts to race toward the upper folds of his black turtleneck and he slips further into the water, that rash reasoning was rapidly disappearing.
Just as Wordy is about to get to Ed, Malcolm gets up and fires into the air forcing Wordy to turn with his gun aimed; an armed stand off, meant as a cruel stall tactic. Wordy's eyes flinch to the right for a few seconds, his brain screaming at him in horror as Ed quickly disappears beneath the ledge, his hands frantically clawing at something…anything he could use to pull himself back up.
"Drop your damn gun!" Wordy demands.
"Wordy…where's Ed?"
"Water."
"Wor…" Ed gasps as he comes back up.
"He's got mere minutes…."
"Sam where are you?"
"We won't make it."
"Wordy, take the shot," Greg instructs. "Ed's life depends on it."
Ed closes his eyes as the icy water surges over his exposed neck, face and head once more, his nose gasping for air and his lungs constricting from the frigid assault on his vulnerable frame. "Wordy…" he begs in a soft whisper as he furiously kicks his legs to get back up, dreading being sucked under the icy ledge and his fate instantly sealed.
"I said…"
"Too bad about your friend," Malcolm sneers. "How much time do you think he really has?"
"He's gone under again boss," Wordy whispers and then curses. "He can't get up on his own!"
"If you have it, take the shot Wordy," both Greg and Sam say at the same time.
Hearing the boss's call of Scorpio and Ed's soft cries begging for his life, the few seconds it takes for his brain to offer the command to his finger to pull back on the trigger seem to take a lifetime. He watches as Malcolm's upper half greedily accept the bullet and his frame to jerk in response before falling backward. The shot was to the heart, he was dead.
Wordy turns in Ed's direction and sees only barren landscape before him. "ED!" Wordy shouts as he flings his MP-5 to the ground and charges in his best friend's direction.
The second time Ed goes under, his mind flashes him images of his wife and son, smiling faces of happy memories before quickly offering him distorted views of his futile death. 'It'll hold…' his own fateful words spoken earlier come back to haunt him just as his arms extend, trying to grab the edge once more, his legs starting to tire.
Calm…relax…focus…he knows the words…knows the training but right now it's a fight to the death; a fight he is beyond desperate to win.
"Ed!" Wordy grunts as he drops to his knees but quickly stops as the ice starts to crack beneath his weight, looking up at into panic-stricken expression of the SRU member, laughing at his helplessness. "Boss we need rope…the ice is cracking under my weight! I can't go further without help. Hurry!"
"Spike!"
"I'm in the truck and will be there in two minutes."
"Make it one!" Wordy barks as he looks at Ed in misery. "Ed…just hold on…oh god just hold on," he begs his best friend as he watches Ed's hands trying to grip the edge, his fingers finally latching on. "That's it…I can't come closer."
"Wordy…help me…" Ed manages, the icy moisture now starting to coat his lips and eye lashes. He blinks away the frigid droplets as his hands hold onto the ledge with every last bit of strength and energy he has left.
"Ed stay with me okay…just focus on me…help is…Spike where the hell are you!" Wordy barks in desperation as his fingers touch his best friends but the ice cracks further and he pulls back. "Spike!"
"I'm at the edge and I've got rope, be there in a few seconds."
"I'm at the edge of the park now," Sam's voice is heard.
"Ed…help is here…just stay with me okay…just hold on…damn it don't let go. Please...don't let go."
"Tired…" Ed gasps as he tries to at least get his right arm up on the icy ledge to give himself something more to hold onto.
"I know...but you can't...okay just stay with me!"
He hears the ice cracking as he watches Wordy pull back and feels himself automatically curse. He gets his left arm up, prepapred to try to at least give his friend both arms to pull, but the top of the MP-5 which is still clipped to his vest has other ideas and wedges itself under the icy ledge, forbidding Ed's body to get the leverage it so desperately craves.
"Ed...I can't reach you."
"Can't… hold on…"
"ED NO!" Wordy shouts as he watches Ed's arms slowly slide away from the edge and his best friend disappear into the murky water once more. "No! ED!"
Despite the fact that he hadn't ingested any water directly, the icy liquid was still finding ways into his inner core, flooding his nose and ears, clinging and forcing him to continue to shiver. But the as the seconds start to drag on the shivering starts to ease and Ed knows that's because hypothermia was taunting him with it's power.
"Wordy here!"
"Spike careful…damn it give me the rope. ED!" Wordy shouts as he tries to tie a large loop in it; Sam, Greg and Jules now at the clearing and racing toward him.
"EMS is on it's way!" Jules calls out.
"Will be moot if we can't get him out," Greg shouts back.
Ed's body slowly emerges once more, his blue-tinted lips gasping for air and his hands frantically clawing at the edge, his eyes rapidly blinking away blinding droplets.
"Grab this!" Wordy shouts as he tosses the rope toward Ed, cursing as Ed's hands miss and he slowly slides back under. "He can't get it…guys I'm going to get him."
"The ice will break."
"Let it break damn it! I don't care anymore!" Wordy growls as he gets down onto his belly and starts to slowly crawl toward Ed's flailing arms. With the rope in one hand, his mind begs Ed to just hold on, at the same time offering a prayer that he'd reach his best friend in time.
"Okay…" Wordy calls back, prompting Greg and Jules to kneel down and each take a foot to steady him and hopefully keep him from also going under; leaving Sam and Spike available to pull Ed free once the rope was around him.
Ed's body starts to slow in its movements, his mind begging God for another chance and not to let it end this way. "Wordy…" he gasps literally out of breath, his lungs burning as they take in a small sip of the icy liquid, his eyes spying the rope, grasping at it with every last ounce of energy his tiring body could muster.
"Grab it!" Wordy shouts in frustration as he watches the rope slip away, his body inching closer.
"Can't..." Ed gasps.
"Careful Wordy," Greg warns as they all hold their breath as the ice starts to flirt with Wordy, offering him a cracking sound for his forward advances. Wordy pauses as he tosses the rope to Ed once more.
"Just get ready!"
Don't...give...UP! His mind commands urgnely. Ed grasps the rope again, this time pulling it down past his right elbow and hoping the stupid gun would stay in place long enough for the rope to wedge itself underneath. His movements were starting to feel mechanical, numbness and tingling taking over his extremities, his mind shouting, threatening his body to not give up or else!
"That's it…we got…" Wordy utters in loud frustration, watching as Spike and Sam quickly yank back and the rope nearly dislodge. "Wait!" Wordy shouts as he takes another inch forward, taking Greg and Jules along with him, Ed popping back down and then up again.
"Damn it Ed," Wordy curses as he is finally able to grab a handful of the collar of Ed's jacket. "Would be easier if you had some hair for me to grasp," Wordy mumbles in sarcasm, shaking his head at his silly comment as he holds onto the collar with his left and the rope on his right. "I've got him! I can't let go! Guys...I can't let go."
"I'm coming to you!" Jules looks at Greg. "I'm lighter."
"Go."
Already missing her MP-5, Jules gets down onto her belly and slowly starts to slide toward Wordy on his right, hoping the ice would hold her weight and evilly tease her with those horrible cracking sounds. "I'm almost there."
"Hurry," Wordy frowns as he looks at Ed's nearly still form. "Ed you stay with me buddy…stay awake you hear me! ED!" He shouts, rewarded with a small flutter of Ed's dark ice-coated lashes. "That's it…stay with me damn it!"
"Co…ld," Ed whispers as his head starts to loll to the right, his body now still in the water, a few jerky movements to suggest he wasn't done yet but the cold inevitably taking charge.
"I know…I hate winter," Wordy grumbles just as Jules's hands appear, taking the rope and allowing him to use both hands to hold onto Ed's rapidly shutting down frame. "Just lodge it under the gun if you can."
"Trying…" Jules tells them as she inches a bit closer, getting the rope around Ed's right hand and elbow and then around his neck on the left. "Take it!"
Wordy takes the rope and then tries to get it over Ed's left arm. "Ed help me buddy…come open your eyes and help me! Just extend your arm...we can't pull you out! OPEN YOUR EYES!"
Ed's eyes struggle open, his brain yelling at him to obey the command given. His left arm extends and Wordy's mind shouts in triumph as he finally succeeds. But they weren't out of the water yet and Ed's vitals were dropping by the second.
"Sam now!" Jules yells.
Both Sam and Spike give the rope a good yank, Wordy holding his breath as Ed's water logged body partially emerges, his eyes closing and lips lightly gasping for air.
"Ed…open your eyes…come on now…you gotta stay with me," Wordy gasps as he slowly slides back with Greg's help, Jules also carefully backing away from the near watery grave.
"Hurry guys!" Greg shouts as Spike and Sam give it one more good tug and Ed's body finally clears, his arms nearly slipping out but the still connected MP-5 holding him in place.
Clark…Sophie…Wordy...Ed's mind whispers as dark arms start to envelop him, his breathing almost a ghost of a whisper as he flops down onto the icy surface and is carefully dragged toward his waiting team. His heart rate starts to slow, pounding painfully in his cooling chest, the pulse pounding about to shatter his eardums, flooding behind his eyes.
"EMS is here!" Jules calls out as she finally stands up.
"Ed…open your eyes…please buddy open them," Wordy shouts frantically as he kneels at Ed's side his own eyes wanting to water as he quickly turns him over and bends down to feel for any sign of warm breath. "Please…oh god please…open your eyes Ed. Please open your eyes," Wordy laments as his stomach tightens. He gazes at Ed's bluish skin as he leans in once more his hands immediately going for his chest to start pumping in oxygen.
"Wordy, let EMS help him," Greg instructs as he tries to pull Wordy back so they could get Ed to a more solid surface to work on him.
"No."
"Wordy," Greg's calm voice instructs as Wordy slowly stands up, allowing Sam and Spike to gently pull Ed toward the shallower part of the shore, Wordy looking at Greg with watery eyes. But before Greg can say another word, Wordy pushes past him and heads toward his limp best friend, EMS rushing in with life-saving equipment.
"He's not breathing!"
"Get his jacket and vest off!"
"Hurry….please hurry," Wordy chants over and over as he anxiously paces a small space between Ed's body on the ground and Greg standing a few feet away; Spike, Sam and Jules nervous by-standers on the other side.
"No pulse…we need AED!" One of the medics shouts as Ed's jacket is pulled off, vest removed and black turtleneck sliced open.
"Come on Ed…breathe damn it!"
"He's too stubborn to die," Greg whispers as he offers Wordy a small nod of reassurance. But even as those words pass his lips, Greg's heart begs earnestly that his team leader will pull through.
Wordy's world seems to blur around him as he watches Ed's body jerk in response to the electrical jolt now applied. His fists tighten and his mind continues to beg as he looks down at Ed's placid expression in remorse. Ed…please buddy you gotta pull through…
Ed!
Ed's mind continues to swirl in darkness, offering up another feast of distorted images of his childhood, the somewhat strained relationship with his brother, his strong and enduring friendship with his best friend, the devotion from his wife and love of his son. But coupled with the happier times are also dark moments, imperfect highlights from his long-standing law enforcement career.
Ed!
He hears his name being called again, his mind cloudy and his lips trying to answer. Wordy?
Stay with me!
Have to go back…can't let the darkness win…never give up…and despite every fibre of his being searing with waves of tingling pain, his chest offers a beat...followed by another and then a breath. He was back.
"That's it…we got a pulse and a heartbeat! Let's stabilize!" The medics shouts and the long breath that Wordy had been holding in, finally starts to escape as he looks down at Ed, mentally begging for his eyes to open.
"Welcome back," Wordy whispers as Ed's eyes slowly crack open, indicating to the world that he was back and the fight – for the most part was over.
"He's gonna be fine," Greg pats Wordy on the back as the medics quickly bundle Ed back up and prepare him for transport to the hospital.
"I hafta go with him. SIU can wait."
"Wordy…"
"Boss please. I nearly lost my best friend today. If they are in a hurry tell them to come and find me there," Wordy states gruffly as he hurries after the medic team, who now had Ed on the stretcher and were hurrying toward the waiting ambulance; a hypothermic patient en route.
Greg shakes his head as he calls for other officers to come and help close off the park area, and then calling the park officials to have the park declared unsafe.
Ed's face offers a small frown as he looks up at Wordy, his mind cursing the oxygen mask that was making it nearly impossible for him to thank his best friend for ultimately saving his life. His body is soaked to the core, his skin taut and shivering despite the heavy blankets covering him from the unfriendly elements. Fatigue was taking over and he fears he'll pass out before getting to thank his friend for his life-saving acts. Of course the damn oxygen mask over his mouth and nose wasn't helping his case one bit.
"You're skin is almost as blue as your eyes," Wordy teases as he settles in the back of the very warm ambulance as they now head for the hospital.
"Wor…" Ed tries, shaking his head to get the oxygen mask off; his arms useless being covered with the blankets and strapped down at his sides.
"Hey hold on there…" Wordy huffs as he looks down at Ed's futile struggles and then gently removes the mask, getting a stern glare from the medic. "Speak fast," Wordy lightly teases.
"Thank…you."
"Yeah I knew that already," he smirks as he fixes the mask over Ed's mouth and nose once more, drowning out a frustrated comeback. "First kill shot today…but it was worth it. Just close your eyes and rest okay? You're gonna be fine now. Now I gotta face…"
"Wordy…" Ed coughs as he tries to speak once more.
"Just hush now okay? It's no big deal. You've told me what to expect before and I'll be okay. I'm more worried about you. You were in that water for longer than expected."
"Wo…"
"Damn it shut up already," Wordy smirks, getting a small wince from Ed in return. "Seriously, just rest…we'll talk later. And you call me stubborn."
Ed can only offer a small nod and a hidden half smile before he complies, allowing his dark lashes to rest against his semi-flushed cheeks. The warmth from the ambulance feels good on his face but his body was now starting to shiver given the fact that he is still wearing his chilled pants and turtleneck.
They arrive at the hospital and Ed is whisked into the ER while Wordy heads for SIU, telling them to make it quick and then hanging up on their less than accommodating reply.
XXXXXXXX
"It'll hold…yeah good call there," Wordy smirks as he enters the small area Ed is resting in about two hours later, prompting his best friend to look up and offer a small smile. The paperwork was all done, the team had come and gone, Sophie and Clark were outside in the waiting area with warm, dry clothes and it was Wordy's turn to occupy Ed's time until the doctor returns to officially discharge him.
"I thought it would hold….who knew the bastard…had a grenade," Ed lightly coughs, his face offering a small frown. "Damn that was scary."
"When I saw you go under and then not be able to get back up…yeah it was scary. Clawing at the ice..."
"Stupid gun was in the way," Ed manages with one full soft breath. "I thought that was it."
"Yeah...me to."
"How'd it go with SIU?"
"Bunch of bureaucrats," Wordy huffs as he wanders toward Ed's bedside and slumps down into a nearby chair, offering his best friend a strained expression. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I just did the polar bear swim…with an actual polar bear," Ed winces as he tries to laugh, his sore lungs and chest quickly reminding him he wasn't back to par just yet. "Glad you were…there," he gently coughs before his right arm slumps down at his side.
"Yeah me too. Glad the team was also," Wordy pauses as he looks away and then back at Ed. "Don't wanna get all sappy on ya but...toughest call on that ice today. Seriously…it was too close. I'd tell you not to do that again but I know it wasn't exactly planned and I know how stubborn you are."
"Me? You're just…as stubborn."
"Damn right I am," Wordy grins. "Otherwise you'd be swimming with the fishes – literally."
"Ouch," Ed grumbles as Wordy snickers. "Ice fishing."
The two of them remain in silence a few more seconds before Ed looks over at Wordy and offers him a warm smile. "Don't know what else to say but thank you."
"You can buy me dinner and we'll call it…nah I saved your life, not even close to being even."
"Dinner? How about all the free Jell-o you can eat," Ed replies with a soft laugh.
"Am more of a rice pudding kinda guy," Wordy retorts and then screws up his face. "Ugh that stuff looks like barf," he groans and the two of them exchange a small bout of laughter. "So I guess ice hockey is out this weekend?"
"What? No way… I'm still on for that."
"Maybe you can be our…anchor man," Wordy winks.
"You are seriously…askin' for it," Ed retorts in sarcasm as he just shakes his head.
"Hey at least I didn't say water boy," Wordy chuckles as Ed slumps back into his pillow. "Yup," Wordy smirks as he leans back in his chair. "Guess you'll hafta put up with this a little bit longer."
Ed offers his friend a small smile as he nods. In truth he didn't care about Wordy's silly little teasing jokes, he's alive and thankful to his best friend for taking swift action and not giving up – ever.
"Just no frosty jokes," Ed warns.
"Blue boy?"
"Ohh you're really askin' for it now."
"Course there could be…" Wordy's voice trails off into soft laughter as the of them enjoy some more friendly conversation until the doctor arrives, Ed's sent home to rest and their own team one hot call was safely closed.
THE END!
A/N: Okay eeks longer than I had anticipated but once I started I couldn't stop haha Hope you all liked this angsty little one shot and please do review before you go and thanks so much!
PS: I hope all my dear Eddie fans enjoyed my latest M one shot 'Discovery'. Out of Time will update next! :D