Title: Home
Rating: Hmm It's probably not more than a T, but ah well I like that letter :D
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Life on Mars, but I wish I did. Then it would still be on our screens! -cries-
Summary: When he collapses at work, Sam must make the decision, where is home?
Authors Note: There are some references to later episodes in season 2, although they're only very vague ones. Please do enjoy reading this story, and feel free to review.
Thanks
'It's no use, he's stopped fighting.'
'Sammy?' His eyes, which had been closing slowly, snapped open at the sound of his mother's voice. It was becoming difficult to breathe, and the world around him was dimming, replaced by a single bright, white light ahead of him.
'Sammy! Please!' He felt tears well up behind his eyes, as he saw in his mind's eye his mother sobbing into her sleeve as she watched her only child die on the hospital bed before her. Slowly he felt his body fall forwards onto the hard ground, his head hitting the ground hard. Small bursts of light popped in front of his eyes, obscuring his blurring vision. From far away, it seemed, he could hear someone barking orders telling others to get a doctor.
Suddenly a burst of what felt like electricity surged through him, and he felt his body arch upwards.
"Bloody 'ell." A voice exclaimed, and a name floated through his mind. Gene. His DCI had been talking to him, well yelling at him, and then Sam had heard the familiar beeping and whooshing of the ventilator from 2006. The next thing he knew, he could hear the machine begin its 'beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep' and he'd fallen to the ground. God knows what Gene must be thinking; probably that he was having a fit or something.
"Sam? Sam can ya hear me?" Once more Gene's voice was becoming fainter, and the world grew extremely dark. He could still hear the constant whining beep, that told him that he was dying. Slowly.
'Come on Sam. Don't you go leaving now, not after all this time!' The voice of a doctor blasted through his head, along with a strange whining that heralding the arrival of another shock. A small yell escaped his mouth as his body ached once again,
"What the 'ell?" He felt hands turn him over onto his back, and the world grew a bit brighter. He didn't have time to dwell on the fact that he could now see light, for after a few seconds Gene's face came swimming in front of his eyes.
"Sam? Come on Sammy-boy." A hand lightly slapped his face, and he knew instantly that his DCI was out of his depth and that for once he had no idea what to do. Sam continued to stare up at the ceiling; he didn't have the energy to even turn his head.
'Charging, 140. Clear.' Another jolt shot through him, and he gritted his teeth against the pain. He heard someone shuffling backwards, and then he heard Gene's muttered curses. Had he just electrocuted his superior officer? Well that wasn't something you did every day. Well then again, you didn't normally travel back to 1973 after being hit by a car, every day!
"Jesus Sam. Chris, where the bloody 'ell's that Doctor!?" Suddenly Sam heard the whining stop, to be replaced by the rhythmic beeping.
'He's back with us.' The voice was breathing heavily, and Sam could almost see the doctor wiping his forehead and leaning against the window.
'That's my boy, Sammy.' His mother's voice was choked with tears, and he found the tears that had been threatening to spill before, were now sliding down his cheeks.
"Sam?" He took a deep, shuddering breath and closed his eyes. He tried to move an arm, to wipe the cold, clammy sweat from his forehead but none of his limbs would obey his brain. Instead they mocked him, by lying still on the cold floor.
"He's just down here, he just sorta collapsed." Sam's eyes were still closed, still unable to move but he could hear Chris' footsteps as he walked down the corridor towards them. Chris was also joined by another person, probably the doctor. Sam tried to move his arm but it still remained resolutely on the floor, instead he made a small grunt.
As he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the slightly unnerving image of Gene's face a bit too close for comfort above him. His DCI's face was full of concern, one of the few times when Sam had actually seen the Guv show emotion. A few seconds later Gene's face was joined by another, a man with dark brown hair and brown eyes. From what Sam could see he was wearing light coat, and a suit.
"D.I. Tyler, can you hear me?" The man moved around slowly, and gently pushed Gene away. Sam felt a hand on his wrist, and knew that the doctor was checking his pulse. After a few seconds Sam opened his mouth to speak,
"Ye'h" As he said this, he felt the air rush out from his lungs and he was once more fighting for breath. The doctor's face was suddenly filled with concern, and Sam felt something cold being pressed against his chest.
"Okay, we're going to have to get him to hospital. Now." The world was beginning to grow dark once more, as Sam's struggling breaths turned into hacking coughs.
"What's wrong with him?" Gene's voice said, as Sam felt himself being lifted onto something. Then he was moving, and Gene and the doctor's voices were fading away.
"Sam?" Annie's face appeared in his line of sight, as he moved off down the corridor. She looked terrified and he could see tears shining in her eyes. He managed a small smile, in between coughs, before the world turned black and he was welcomed into unconsciousness.
XXXXXXXXX
Sounds were beginning to grow louder; he could hear the rustling of a paper to one side of him and the crashing of doors from far away. He could hear the quiet murmurings as people near him talked about everything and anything. Beneath him he could feel a mattress, and beneath his head was a hard pillow. After a few minutes of consideration he reasoned that he must be in a hospital, and that he must have because he was finding it difficult to open his eyes.
Slowly he shifted on the bed, and opened his eyes. He was greeted by the sight of Gene sat in one of the horribly annoying plastic chairs by his bed side, Annie and Chris stood near the door talking about who knows what. As he moved everyone's eyes turned to look at him, and each one of them cracked a grin. Even Gene grinned broadly, as he saw his deputy was awake.
"'Bout ruddy time, Tyler!" He said in his usual brusque manner, but his grin seemed to soften the words.
"Sorry." He croaked, as he smiled back at them all. He shifted again, trying to sit up but a sharp pain shot up from his chest and he hissed.
"Sam?" He lent back on the bed, his eyes closed, breathing heavily.
"Tyler?" He tried to say something, anything that might reassure them, but he was once more fighting for breath.
'Come on Sam, you've got to fight this. Come back to us' The voice was getting louder, ringing in his ears as he fought to stay conscious. He felt someone hold his hand, and couldn't tell if that person was in 1973 or 2006! It didn't matter; it was too late for all this.
"Oi! Get in 'ere, he needs help!" Gene's voice was yelling, and Sam could hear footsteps. He just managed to open his eyes, to see several nurses running into his room. He looked past them to Gene, who was staring at him. Sam opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly everything stopped. It seemed like someone had just pressed a button and the whole world had stopped moving, the nurses were frozen in position, his friends were completely still watching him with concern. As Sam took in this sight, he realised that he could breathe normally again. He gulped down lungful of air after lungful of air; savouring the cool, clean feeling.
"Were you going to leave them, Sam?" A voice asked from the side of his bed, he turned sharply and let out a small yell of surprise. There was the blonde Test Card girl, smiling at him with her evil clown clutched tightly in her arms.
"Were you going to leave them?" She asked again, tilting her head to one side slightly as she surveyed Sam with understanding well beyond her years.
"I…what?" He looked at her in confusion, not knowing what she was going on about. When had he said he was going to leave here? Then it hit him, that one moment when he was ready to give up and go home. That one moment, just when he'd felt someone's hand on his. He'd been ready to give up, give up on this life and go home.
"Um…yes." He said, lowering his head to look at the bed beneath him. He felt ashamed to say it, but he did want to go home. Yes, okay these people had become like family, hell even Ray! But now he was here he just wanted to see his mum again, he just wanted to touch Maya once more. To feel alive, instead of feeling like this was all some stupid dream that he may never wake up from.
"Are you sure Sam?" He heard footsteps and raised his eyes slightly, he saw the girl walking towards him, her head still tilted to one side.
"Y…yes." He stuttered, his uncertainty clear in his voice. The girl continued to walk forwards, until she was next to Sam's bed. He sat up carefully, and turned to look at her. She reached out the hand that was clown free, and tried to touch Sam. He moved backwards rapidly, just managing to stop from falling off the bed.
"I'll show you Sam." She murmured, and something in her voice made him stretch out a hand and take hers. The next thing he knew, images were flashing through his mind. A man with dark brown hair, a moustache and a sharp suit was standing before him. Then a very large, red squirrel was stood next to him. He was stood in front of two graves, the graves of his parents. Then he was stood in front of his own grave. Finally he saw a train, and a bright light. Then he was left in darkness, with only the girl for company.
"If you want to go home, then click your heels." The test card girl said happily, as he felt her let go of his hand. She began to glide away, calling
"Red wire, yellow wire. Red wire, yellow wire." He spun around in the darkness, trying to find a way out. When none appeared, he felt anger begin to bubble in his stomach. He just wanted to go home! To be with the people who cared about him!
"LET ME GO HOME!" He yelled at the darkness around him, and then suddenly he had the sensation that he was falling. And he landed on a bed, surrounded by sounds.
"Come on Sam. Come back to us." A woman's voice said quietly from his side, he felt a warm hand in his.
"Sam, please!" The voice was pleading, and he felt his heart ache. Slowly he opened his eyes, and saw a familiar sight. The woman in front of him smiled happily, when she saw him watching her. She reached a hand up and stroked his face, he felt himself smile too. He knew now, that he was home.