A Day in the Life-Chapter 1
So I'm finally getting around to this long promised, long anticipated team-fic. I got this idea mid Chapter 2 of my last long story and I was itching to write it. I don't write more than one story at a time and I don't leave stories unfinished, that's one of my biggest pet-peeves. So I've tried something new and I've actually outlined this one out! Yippie, round of applause! It's pretty detailed and I like the way it goes but even if I outline, I have a tendency not to stick to it very well...we'll see. I think you guys are going to like this one but tell me what you think. I still don't own Flashpoint though I'm open for donations.
"Officer Wordsworth, I thought I told you that I didn't want to see you again for another few months at the very least?"
"Come on Doc, you know you love to see me." Wordy said with a charming smile. "Anyway, it wasn't my fault this time." Ed shook his head as he walked slowly, supporting part of Wordy's weight as he moved forward grasping his ribs.
"Um-hum," The doctor nodded as he grabbed a wheelchair and met them. "I'm sure I'll be hearing all about it while I check your...ribs...today?" The doctor asked as he quickly took stock of him.
"Vest took the worst of it, I mean the car wasn't going too fast." The doctor shook his head.
"You were hit by a car?" Ed rolled his eyes as Wordy tried to talk his way out of a lecture.
"Well, when you say it that way it just sounds really bad...it was more like a...like a..."
"Like a tap." Ed said as he contained his laughter. "A tap at about oh...ten or fifteen miles an hour." The doctor shook his head as he pushed Wordy to a curtained off area. "You need help getting the gear off, Wordy?" Ed asked as he flinched getting into the bed.
"Nah, I'll be good." He said as he took a few breaths before unstrapping his vest and pulling it off.
"Alright, I'll be in the waiting room. The rest of the team's on their way." Ed said as he backed out of the room and walked the familiar halls with a slight smile. Wordy wasn't particularly accident prone but he was definitely the unluckiest member of Team One. He was rarely hurt badly but there was an ongoing joke that he must have had magnets in his gear at the rate that he would take bullets. They joked about it and even in pain Wordy smiled but he was especially aware of how scary it was for his wife to get a call that he was in the hospital. He told Greg to hold off before calling Shelly today, he wanted to be patched up and ready to go when she was coming to see him; the hours of waiting in the ER was often worse than the injury itself.
Ed sat down in an empty corner of hard plastic chairs and leaned his head against the wall behind him. A few people got up and moved away from him when he sat down, he was still in full uniform and the SWAT gear tended to make people anxious. He'd gotten used to the looks and he brushed them off as he waited for the rest of the team to arrive. He knew that Greg would probably come a little later, there was a lot of paperwork involved with this call, it was a draining one. Jules and Sam had needed to fire their weapons on different subjects and were both being questioned by SIU before being allowed to see anyone. Ed had stretched out his legs and was trying to get comfortable in the terrible chairs when Spike and Lou came through the outside doors of the ER.
The hospital was an old one and Ed briefly thought about the architecture. It was set up so that the gurneys from incoming ambulances had to come through the waiting room. There was a second door on the other side of the hospital that allowed pedestrian entrance but it wasn't used very often. Then, after the waiting room, there was another set of doors to the ER and the other departments. The urban hospital was fairly high traffic but it was well managed and things usually moved very smoothly. They were good to the SRU and the police force in general.
"How's he doing?" Lou asked as he sat beside Ed. He and Spike had changed into their plain clothes after giving their statements to SIU and returning the weapons to the lock-up. It was early spring and Lou wore jeans and a light sweatshirt over a t-shirt.
"Oh he's gonna be fine," Ed said with a shrug. "at worst it's probably some broken ribs." Lou and Spike nodded. "If anything, Shelly'll be the one to kill him; I think this is the third time in three months he's been in the hospital." They laughed a bit as they settled into their seats. Spike rubbed his exposed arms as he tried to stop the goosebumps from rising. Ed glanced at him with a smile.
"Spike, I'm going to let you in on a hint." Ed jokingly leaned a bit closer to him and whispered. "We live in a place called Canada, and in Canada it's cold in March." Spike had rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Why didn't you wear a jacket." Ed chided him like he was a teenager.
"Whatever," Spike said as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. Ed and Lou smirked as they continued to chat about menial things waiting for either Wordy or the rest of the team, making bets on which would come first. Spike's stomach growled loudly as Ed and Lou stared at him.
"Spike, when was the last time you ate?" Lou asked after waiting out at least a minute long roar from Spike's stomach.
"Well yesterday after we finished up I was way too tired to make myself dinner and I figured that I'd just wake up early and eat a good breakfast but then I kinda overslept and then we were on the call during lunch..." Spike trailed off as he realized how long it had been. Ed had a finger to his temple as he shook his head slightly.
"Go to the cafeteria and get something before you pass out." He said seriously, a hint of annoyance breaking through. Spike was about to say something when the ambulance bay doors opened and paramedics pushed a gurney through.
"Little help over here." One of the medics yelled as his partner did CPR and he squeezed a bag attached to a tube in the young man's throat. Ed cringed a bit as he saw the person on the bed couldn't have been older than 19, his eyes lingered over a gang tattoo on his arm briefly before a doctor and nurse came running to the medics and started throwing around medical jargon as they pushed the gurney towards the second set of doors. "Gunshot wound to the upper abdomen, pulse is thready..." His voice grew fainter as they went further into the ER. Ed took a breath before returning his attention to Spike.
"Go eat." He said shortly. Spike didn't protest as he got up and stretched his legs and arms.
"You guys want anything?" He asked as he rolled his shoulders, muscles stiff from the plastic chairs. Lou shook his head no.
"Coffee if you don't mind," Ed said as he pulled out his wallet and gave Spike a five dollar bill. "You know how I like it." Ed added with a smile. Spike returned a sarcastic grin as he turned his back. "And I'm expecting change." He called as Spike rounded a corner. He sat back in the chair as he let out a sigh.
"What's up?" Lou asked as he mimicked the posture, hoping to find a comfortable spot.
"Ah, nothing, just that kid that came in. I recognized the tattoo from my Guns and Gangs days." Ed said in a tone that Lou recognized as annoyance. He was going to let the topic drop but Ed continued. "I mean I guess rationally I get the appeal it might have to some kids but...guess I just don't see the real selling point of getting yourself shot and killed by 20." Ed said bitterly.
"Yeah," Lou said as he took a breath. "I hear ya, but not everyone has the same opportunities you did." He shrugged as Ed looked at him critically.
"What are you implying?" Ed asked with a bit of frustration.
"Nothing, that's not what I meant, Ed." Lou covered himself quickly before thinking. "It's just...everyone has their stories..." Lou looked like he was about to say something as the doors opened again and two teenagers walked towards the check in desk. Ed noticed their baggy clothes and their shifty glances. He tried to calm his hypersensitive nature when he saw a gang tattoo on one of the boys arms.
"Ed, quit starring." Lou subtly nudged him as he kept his gaze downcast. A third teenager bounded into the ER waiting room and went up to the rest of the group. They spoke to the nurse receptionist at the desk and apparently did not get the answer they had hoped for as they spoke to each other. They were out of earshot in the noisy hospital but their body language was showing their agitation. One of the boys had seen Ed and was returning his stare. "Ed, seriously, you're not going to scare them. Stop starring." Lou said firmly as he kept his eyes away from both Ed and the group in front of them.
"What're you lookin at Grandpa?" One of the teenagers yelled across the waiting room. Ed didn't let up on his starring.
"Nothing." He said with a nod. "I don't want any trouble, I'm unarmed. I'm just waiting for a friend." He said as he maintained eye contact and leaned back in the chair a bit.
"Yeah?" One of the kids asked as the others faced in Ed and Lou's direction. "Well we're going to be having some trouble Gramps." He said as he pulled a gun out of his belt, followed by the other two. The one who had been speaking thus far pointed his gun at Ed and fired off a shot before anyone could react.
Evil cliffhangers. Good times. More to come probably tomorrow, I have some running around to do but at the rate I'm going I'll barely sleep and then my body will insist on waking up at 4 AM and not falling back asleep. Oh well. Reviews motivate me...hint hint.