Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five… Five… f-five… Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five... No! I won't… can't… can't forget… again… try it again! Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five…
A tear fell down Bobby's cheek.
The only thing in his mind was water… cool… hell, even warm or boiling water… just… something in his throat… but he'd asked countless times. Why would they bring him water now?
Finally Bobby heard the blessed sound of the door unlocking. With a wave of relief hitting him, he blacked out right before Alex Eames screamed at the sight of him.
I'm
so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And
if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause
your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
FIVE MINUTES BEFORE:
"His appearance may surprise you…" The words haunted Detective Alexandra Eames' mind as the warden led her and Captain Ross down the long hall of Tate prison's Mental Observation Unit. Her stomach clenched as they passed the cells and went into another long corridor, recalling every horrid detail Rodgers had found on the dead inmate.
"W-where is Bobby?" Eames asked.
"He had to be isolated," the warden answered tersely.
These
wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's
just too much that time cannot erase
Eames raced to Bobby's side. "Bobby!" she screamed. "Bobby!" She turned to the warden. "Get these things off of him!" she screamed. The warden nodded to two guards and they undid the chain and restraints. Eames held Bobby's hand as they did. "When's the last time he had water?" she demanded.
The guard shrugged. "Sometime yesterday morning."
"Get him water – Now!" she said. The guards sauntered off, clearly unremorseful. She turned and saw Ross and the warden standing in the door. "What are you waiting for? Get a bus!" Ross and the warden rushed off.
She turned to Bobby. "H-hold on, Bobby…. Hold on."
When
you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd
fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of
these years
But you still have
All of me
The guards came back with a cup of water, but Eames sent them away to find more. ("A cup? You give him no water for an entire day and you bring me a damn cup?")
Bobby had a pulse, but was not responding. Eames was able to lift his head enough to pour tiny sips of water into his lips. But she knew he needed to be conscious and to drink, or have an IV… there was no way she could hydrate him quickly enough otherwise.
Ross came in followed by two EMS men. They injected an IV into Bobby's left arm and put him on a stretcher. Eames persuaded them to make an exception to protocol and not strap Bobby. (They insisted it was to prevent him from falling and was necessary, but Eames knew she couldn't let Bobby be restrained anymore.)
You
used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by
the life you left behind
She rode in the ambulance with Bobby, of course. Ross followed in his car.
She sat next to Bobby's stretcher and held his hand, wiping his forehead with a cool, damp washcloth. Bobby was starting to be responsive and make small movements, but hadn't said anything.
Eames rubbed his cheek and heard him mumble, barely audible. "I… I… I'll t-take t-the p-pills… Please! G-give me the pills… j-just g-give me… g-give me w-water…"
Eames gently patted his cheek. "Bobby…"
Bobby's eyes opened, but they were wild and unfocused. "I'll… I'll take them! I swear! I swear, just— "
"Bobby!" she said firmly.
"I… c-can't…" His eyes slowly focused on Eames, and a tear rolled down his cheek. "E-Eames?"
Your
face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased
away
All the sanity in me
Eames held his hand tightly and nodded. "Yes, it's me, Bobby. I… I've got you. You're safe."
Bobby's eyes were wide. "T-they didn't… they d-didn't get you too?"
Eames sniffled. "No… we're in an ambulance. You're out. You're okay."
Bobby was silent for a moment, but then said, "Eames… what… w-what comes before five?"
Eames blinked quizzically. "Before five? Um, four."
Bobby sighed and closed his eyes. "Four… four…" Suddenly he opened his eyes wide again. "I… I forgot that, Eames. I… I forgot what came before five…"
"It's okay, Bobby… you'll be all right," Eames said, half reassuring herself as well as Bobby.
Bobby began to prop himself up on his elbows. "But… what else did I forget?" The EMT had a needle, and approached Bobby with it, but he threw his arms back, and said, "No!"
"Wh-what is that?" Eames asked the EMT.
"It's just a mild sedative," the EMT responded.
Bobby shook his head. "No… no drugs…"
Eames said softly, "Bobby, this won't hurt you… it'll just make you go to sleep. It'll make you feel better…"
Bobby shook his head. "No!" He locked eyes with Eames. "A-Alex… please… d-don't l-let them give me a-anything," he pleaded.
Eames took a deep breath, but nodded. The EMT sighed and put the syringe away.
These
wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's
just too much that time cannot erase
Two hours later Eames was sitting by Bobby's side in the hospital. He'd finally fallen into a troubled, uneasy sleep about fifteen minutes ago.
A tear fell down her cheek. Eames held Bobby's hand.
I'm so sorry, she thought. I should never have let you do this. I knew what they did to prisoners. I never should've let you go… She sniffled. What if you had died, Bobby? I… I couldn't lose you. I couldn't take that…
I've
tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're
still with me
I've been alone all along
