Miracles and Dreams
[Alternate ending to "Broken Dreams"]
By Jaye Reid.
Written: 21 – 24.11.1999
Disclaimer: Okay so we all know Hal., Southern Star and the Nine Network own them. Give us twenty years and perhaps by then they might have forgotten about them… THEN we can nab them!
Authors Notes: Dedication. This is for you Rachael Wakely!
Rachael was one of the many of the wonderful people who gave me feedback for the tragic fic I wrote called "Broken Dreams." We were discussing this fic when Rachael said that she would love to see another version of it with a happy ending.
Your wish is my command Rachael.
Some of the original fic has also been changed and added to, so it really would be best if you read it from the start.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Sydney Water Police co-workers sat around a table at the Cutters Bar. It had been a bad day, one of their worst. Helen and Gavin were notable absences. Hell, it could have all turned out so differently.
Tommy swallowed the last mouthful of his beer.
It had felt like a nightmare. He looked at his watch, he had somewhere else to be. He left the others talking about the drama that had unfolded.
~*~*~*~
It had all started out as a normal day. Nothing too dramatic seemed to be happening out on the Harbour.
"It's not a bad day," Gavin called to Tommy. "Sunshine, the water. All we need is a few beers and a couple of fishing poles to make it complete."
"Yeah I reckon," Tommy called back.
Then the call came.
"VKG to Police Launch Nemesis."
Tommy grabbed the radio.
"Receiving VKG."
"Nemesis, what is your ten – twenty?"
"Ah, we are just rounding the marker off Pier three," he replied.
"Roger that Nemesis, your assistance may be required. One of Pol-air's units is experiencing difficulty and may have to ditch, please stand by."
"Ah ten – nine on the last VKG, did you say Pol-air?" asked Tommy.
"Roger Nemesis, Pol-air 397."
"Okay VKG, standing by."
With the mention of Pol-air, Gavin's ears pricked up, and he moved into the cabin to listen to the radio. Tommy knew what Gavin was thinking. He was thinking the same thing too. Would it just be Tayler's luck?
"I mean Gavin, how many do Pol-air have in the sky?" said Tommy trying to sound optimistic.
"Not enough," was all Gavin said.
They waited for what seemed like an eternity. Then the radio came to life.
"VKG to Nemesis. Affirmative on the last. I repeat affirmative. We have an emergency with Pol-air 397. They are trying to set a course for Sector 14. Please acknowledge Nemesis."
Gavin took the mic. as Tommy opened the throttle and powered towards the proposed ditching site.
"Roger VKG, Nemesis E.T.A from site approximately four minutes. Ah Helen do we know…" Gavin wondered if he really wanted to ask.
"Negative Gavin, we've got no idea on the crew. VKG standing by."
"Sector 14," said Tommy knowingly to Gavin.
"Yeah," he replied. "If you had to put a Chopper down, that would be the best place to do it. And Tayler knows these waters, it has to be her on board doesn't it? I mean….. she would just know that would be the best place…"
"Yep. I was thinking that myself," he replied, trying to stay calm for both their sakes as they sped along.
Another call came through on the radio.
"VKG to all water units. Pol-air 397 is down, I repeat Pol-air 397 is in the water. All units we have an emergency situation. This is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill."
Gavin grabbed the mic. as they rounded the last bend.
"VKG this is Nemesis, we are almost at the site, I repeat almost at the … S H I T!"
Gavin dropped the mic.
"VKG to Nemesis, do you read. Please acknowledge."
Tommy eased back on the throttle. He looked at Gavin. "Come on Syksie, answer it. Come on! Calm and focussed, calm and focussed."
"Yeah," Gavin repeated outloud, "Calm and focussed…"
Gavin picked up the mic. dangling from its cord.
"VKG this is Police Launch Nemesis, we are at the scene."
"Roger Nemesis, can we have a visual report?"
"Roger VKG, ah….. hell. Advise units to approach with caution. I repeat CAUTION. She must have hit pretty hard. There is wreckage everywhere."
"Roger Nemesis, will advise."
"Shit, shit, shit," Tommy muttered to himself; where to start.
"God mate," said Gavin mirroring Tommy's thoughts, "where do we start? If anyone survived this….."
"Come on, I know. Remember calm and focussed," Tommy replied. "Let's just focus on doing our jobs. We don't even know that Tayler was on this one."
Tommy manoeuvred the Nemesis through the mess. He noticed a large fuel slick starting to form a skin on the surface of the water. One spark and they would all be history. He quickly shut the engines down.
Silence.
"Look!" yelled Gavin, "someone in the water!"
As Gavin kicked off his shoes and dived into the water, Tommy reached for the radio to notify VKG of the fuel spill.
Gavin swam over towards the floating body. The water was so cold. He grabbed hold of the Officer and pulled them back to the boat.
"Tommy! Shit! Come and give me a hand!" Gavin called.
Between the two of them, they quickly dragged him up on to the deck.
He was barely breathing. Blood gushing from a stomach wound as well as a head wound. They tried to apply pressure to both to reduce the flow of blood. It wasn't working. The wounds were too deep.
"Hang in there mate, stay with us, okay? You'll be fine," said Tommy trying to sound reassuring. But he knew all along their efforts would be in vain.
He was drifting, his words barely coherent.
"The others?" he whispered. "Are they…?"
"Hey, we haven't found them yet. But we will," said Tommy.
Gavin saw his opportunity.
"Johnson, Tayler Johnson? Was she part of the crew?"
The Officer was starting to drift in and out of consciousness now, "Johnson?" he mumbled.
"Yeah," said Gavin.
"Red…? Yeah, new one… she's there… somewhere…." He slipped back into unconsciousness.
And then he was gone.
"Christ!" exclaimed Gavin as he stood up and surveyed the mess. "Where is she? And where the friggin' hell is everyone else!"
"They'll be here soon, okay. Look mate," said Tommy trying to stay calm. "I don't think there is much we can do until we get some more help here."
"Bullshit! I'm going back in…"
"No! Gavin…. There's fuel everywhere. You can't…."
"Nah," said Gavin shaking his head and moving to the edge, "She's in there somewhere, I HAVE to find her…"
"Gavin…."
Gavin disappeared back over the side of the boat, leaving Tommy standing there. He looked down at the dead Officer.
Gavin was right. Where the hell was everyone? There were only the two of them out amongst this mess. The two of them couldn't achieve much. Shit, Tayler had only been gone three weeks, they hadn't even found a replacement for her on the Nemesis yet. Not that three people out there amongst this chaos would have been any better.
Tommy went back to the radio.
"Police Launch Nemesis to VKG, do you copy?"
"Copy Nemesis."
"Where the hell is everyone else….. we have a major emergency here. One Officer deceased. Ah Helen, he confirmed Tayler was on board before he died. Do we have details of how many were on board?"
"Roger Nemesis. Emergency services should almost be at your twenty. Confirmed Pilot and two Officers on board. Are you sure Tommy? Tayler?"
"Roger VKG."
Okay, two more bodies to find he thought as he hung up the mic. A shiver ran through him as he realised he had referred to Tayler as a body.
Tommy went back out on deck. He couldn't see Gavin. Hell, they didn't need another fatality.
Finally Gavin appeared from under the surface. Tommy felt helpless. Gavin probably did too. There was just too much debris to find anything.
But Gavin continued to search.
Tommy climbed up to the highest point that he could on the Nemesis, hoping that from that vantage point he might see something, anything. But no, nothing. The silence was only broken by Gavin frantically calling out Tayler's name. There was little movement other than Gavin diving under the water and then surfacing; or the waves tossing pieces of the helicopter around like paper in the wind.
Gavin was still frantically searching through the wreckage for a sign, any sign that Tayler was there, alive.
He once more bobbed up to the surface.
"TOMMYYYY," Gavin yelled, waving in the direction of the Nemesis. "I THINK I'VE FOUND HER."
And he again disappeared beneath the murky surface.
Tommy virtually jumped from where he was perched, back down to the deck.
Gavin appeared again.
"SHE'S DOWN HERE!
SHE'S STUCK IN AN AIR POCKET I THINK.
I CAN'T GET HER OUT.
I DON'T KNOW….. WHERE THE FRIGGIN' HELL IS HELP!"
"THEY'RE COMING," Tommy yelled back. They were already meant to be there. Tommy went back to the radio. His heart in his throat. Just because Gavin had found Tayler, didn't mean she had made it.
Or would make it.
Shit, if she had stayed with them on the boat, not gone to Pol-air.
"VKG this is Police Launch Nemesis. We need urgent assistance. We have a potential survivor trapped within the submerged wreckage. Confirmed Constable Tayler Johnson. We have a visible but are unable to reach her. Her condition is unknown. We need assistance immediately. Could you please give us an E.T.A.?"
This time it wasn't Helen's voice at the other end of the radio.
"Police Launch Nemesis, E.T.A. for assistance is approximately two minutes."
"Roger, VKG we are standing by."
He didn't want to think about what Helen must have been going through back at the Station, powerless to do anything.
They had a job to do.
Tommy could see Gavin on the surface of the water again. He was surrounded by fuel skimming the top of the waves.
Then the Dive crew came into view.
They cut their engines and coasted in to the area.
Gavin waved furiously and pointed downwards to Dave standing out on the deck, before he once again disappeared.
The Dive crew were quickly in the water. They were ready to go as soon as they arrived. Gavin eventually had to be pulled from the water. He had refused to get out until he knew. He was barely conscious when they pulled Tayler's rag doll like body out of the wreckage.
She was alive.
They told him, she was alive.
And then he passed out.
They took Gavin to the hospital as well. He wasn't in a healthy state. Shock, exhaustion and swimming amongst the waves of spilt fuel had taken their toll.
~*~*~*~
Gavin's eyes flickered.
They stung, why?
He attempted to open them again and fought against the pain.
Hospital…? Why was he…?
His arms felt heavy, like they had been weighted down.
"Hey Gavin, glad to see you awake finally. What's this, sleeping on the job?"
The voice made him jump, on the inside anyway. He didn't realise there was anyone there.
Gavin had turned his head to see his friend.
"Tommy… mate… what are you doing here?"
He could just make out Tommy's frame leaning on the window ledge, the daylight fading behind him. "Hell what time is it?"
Tommy looking at his watch, "Ah just gone nineteen zero seven hours. You've been out for awhile."
Gavin turned back and faced the ceiling. His mind in a daze. His skin felt grimy, he could still detect the faint smell of fuel that had soaked into his pores…. Fuel… accident… Tayler! He shot a frantic look at Tommy, which didn't need to be verbalised.
"Yep, mate, they got her out… They think she's gonna make it," Tommy said.
"Think? They only think…. Shit, where is she? I've got to see her," Gavin said, trying to get out of bed.
Tommy rose from where he was sitting and went over to the bed.
"Nah, mate, you're a mess. Hell, I don't know how much of that fuel you took in. They had to pump your stomach I think. Gees, sometimes just the bloody Harbour water is bad enough with all that other shit in it. And besides, Tayler's in ICU, and you wouldn't be allowed in there."
Gavin rested back on his pillow. He didn't feel like he had the strength to get out of bed anyway. He looked at Tommy's face, hoping it gave away something else. But it didn't and he knew he would have to utter the words that scared the hell out of him.
"But, how is she? I mean, how bad?" he said.
"Ah listen mate, they don't know just yet," he replied. "She was thrown around in there a fair bit. Apparently Helen said she's got a broken collarbone. There were a few internal injuries; she was in surgery for two hours. They have spent a fair amount of time patching her up. All in all she could be a hell of a lot worse. They found the body of the Pilot this afternoon. Helen called in here earlier but you were still out to it."
"But, they think she has a good chance?"
"Yeah, come on, you know Tayler. She's a fighter. She'll make it," Tommy replied.
Gavin closed his eyes, trying to picture her face. Happy and smiling. But only the vision of her trapped in the wreckage would come into his mind. He needed to see her. To see for himself that she would be okay.
"Guess we're going to miss the movie tonight," said Gavin.
"Sorry… what movie?" asked Tommy.
Gavin looked at him and realised he had spoken his thoughts. He closed his eyes again.
"Ah, me and Tayler. We were meant to be going out tonight," he offered in way of explanation.
"You and Tayler? You mean that…"
"Yeah, we are."
"Shit mate, you kept that quiet. When did all this… nah sorry, if you haven't wanted to say anything before now, then I guess…"
"It's okay," said Gavin wearily, "we figured… now that we weren't working together… it wouldn't matter as much. But really… things have only really got serious… since she left."
Tommy looked at Gavin, he sounded exhausted. Tommy felt he had better go.
"Look mate, you rest. I'll call back in and see you again tomorrow."
"Can you find out for me? See if there is any change…?" said Gavin.
"Sure, you rest and I will be back, okay?" replied Tommy.
Gavin nodded, and settled back into the bed.
~*~*~*~
He opened his eyes again. The lights in the room were dimmed. The window was black. He felt better, a little stronger. He tried to move. His limbs seemed to understand the instructions from his brain this time. Tommy was going to come back with news of Tayler. But he wasn't there.
Gavin swung his legs out from under the covers, and sat on the edge of the bed. So far so good. Why did these beds have to be up so damn high? He gently let his feet slip to the floor. The surface was cold. A shiver ran through his body. He put some weight on his legs and attempted to stand, and then take a step.
Whoooaa.
He grabbed for the bed again. That wasn't going to work. He obviously wasn't up to walking just yet. He clung on to the bed. Not sure if he was able to lift himself back up onto it.
Just at that moment he found a rescuer in the form of Helen.
"Sykes, what the hell are you doing?" she asked as she walked in the door. "Here, let me help."
She grabbed his arm and helped him sit back up on the bed.
"Tommy was going to come back… let me know how…"
"Yeah, it's okay. That was about two hours ago. You crashed back to sleep. He didn't want to wake you. Came and told me. I thought I would come down and see if you were awake. I see that you are," she replied.
"How is…"
"Okay. Not brilliant, but she is out of danger they think. There's a bit of colour back in her face at least now," offered Helen.
"You've been in to see her? I mean, can I…? I want to… I have to…" he started. His thoughts jumbled in his head.
Helen smiled at him. "Yeah, I guessed you might. I know about… she told me last weekend. About you two I mean. I don't think she intended to tell me actually. She sort of let it slip."
"Well it was all a bit tricky when we were still working together we…"
"What! This goes back to before she left? She didn't let *that* slip. Hell, I would have…"
"Yeah, exactly," interrupted Gavin with a half grin. "That's why you didn't know."
"Oh, well we will discuss that later. Hang on I will go find you a wheelchair. I don't think you are capable of getting there by yourself," she said, as she disappeared out of the room.
The thought of seeing Tayler made Gavin felt even better.
"Here we go," said Helen as she spun the wheelchair through the doorway.
Gavin eased himself into it, with some help from Helen.
"Here, put this blanket across you," she said grabbing the folded rug from the end of the bed.
"I'm not really that cold," he protested.
"Well, sorry Gav. but those hospital gowns don't leave much to the imagination. You don't want to scare people with your bits hanging out all over the place as we go along the hallway do you?," she grinned.
Gavin's face went a shade of crimson, and he arranged the blanket appropriately.
They went down corridors, several of them, before getting into a lift and going upwards. Hell, there was no way that he would have made it this far. Gavin felt relieved that Helen had appeared when she did.
They entered the ward. It was busy. One of the staff on duty smiled and approached Helen as they came through the door.
"You're back I see," he said. "And this must be the hero?"
Gavin gave him a puzzled look.
"You're the guy who tried to get the young Constable out aren't you?" he said to Gavin.
"Yeah… I guess…" started Gavin.
"Hey mate, you're gaining legend status up here," the nurse continued, "we've all heard how you nearly killed yourself trying to get her out. I also hear that there is talk of a commendation for what you did."
"I don't want anything other than to know she's gonna be okay," said Gavin looking up at him. "Can I see her? I really would like to see her?"
"Yeah, okay. Look under the circumstances… I can give you a few minutes. But she is still out to it. We've got her heavily sedated, and we won't be easing back on it until sometime tomorrow. We want to give her body a chance to get over a bit of the shock."
The nurse indicated to them to follow.
"Now she is hooked up to monitors," offered Helen as she started to wheel Gavin towards Taylers room .
"Yes," the nurse added as he opened the door to the room for Helen, "there are tubes and leads everywhere. But really it isn't quite as bad as it looks."
Gavin looked across at Tayler lying in the bed. It wasn't as bad as it looked? Hell, there were more electric's and wires than you'd find at a damn power Station.
Helen noticed the shocked look on Gavin's face and gently patted him on the shoulder.
"Really, it isn't as bad. She looks much better than she did earlier," she said.
"I'm bloody glad I didn't see her earlier then," he said quietly.
Helen wheeled him over to the bed.
"I'll be back in a couple of minutes," she said.
And then they were alone.
The only sound was the buzz and beeping of the monitors.
He gently picked up her hand. It was lying by her side, outside the neatly tucked sheets that held her body firmly in the bed. He held her hand in his, wary of the tube connected to her arm, stroking her fingers softly.
Her hand was warm.
Gavin smiled to himself as he looked at her stunning red locks scattered over the pillow. Her closed eyelids hiding her sunshine.
Helen came back into the room.
"Come on Superman, let's get you back to your bed," Helen said quietly.
Gavin looked from Tayler to Helen and back to Tayler. Now that he was there, he didn't want to leave.
"Come on," said Helen putting her hand on his shoulder. She could see his apprehension in leaving. "That's an order. You need to get a decent rest tonight, and then you can probably come back up here tomorrow when she comes out of it."
Gavin held Taylers hand to his face before placing it back by her side.
"She's gonna be okay isn't she?" he said to Helen with a faint smile. It had been more of a statement rather than a question.
"Yeah, of course," Helen replied.
"Okay… I think I *could* do with that rest actually."
"I'm not surprised," said Helen as she wheeled him from the room, "it's been one hell of a day."
The End.