AN; I've had this idea for like, five hours, after re-watching 'New York Kids'. Probably not that great... but meh.
I listened to 'Say Something' by 'A Great Big World' on repeat while writing this.
Be nice?
"It's her or you!" Morris shouted, his gun trained on Jo.
Henry glanced to Jo, her own weapon was aimed right back at Morris. Henry took a breath, "Me. Shoot me!"
"Henry!" Jo reprimanded.
"Shoot me!" Henry coaxed, "Shoot me now!"
Morris moved to aim at Henry, "I'll do it! I'll shoot you!"
Henry took a step forwards and Jo shouted for him to stop. He heard the shot before he felt the pain.
Jo shot twice at the man and he fell, bleeding from his shoulder. She dashed over, cuffed him, debated on whether to knock him out. She holstered her weapon and pulled out her phone, dialled Hanson, listening to the phone ring. As she waited for him to answer, she stood and turned back to Henry, lying in the leaves, blood soaking them red instead of brown.
"Henry!" She suddenly realised the seriousness of the situation, and stood, took six steps to the doctor and fell to her knees beside him. She held the phone with her head against her shoulder and used her hands to apply pressure to the wound in Henry's chest. He gasped softly and she apologised.
"Jo..." his voice was so quiet already.
"What were you thinking?!" she asked, her voice quivering slightly, hands warm with blood.
"I..." he paused, coughed, blood colouring his paling bottom lip, "...didn't."
Jo bit her own bottom lip to stop herself from breaking down, "Henry-,"
"I've... got less... than a minute..." his breath was shallow.
She shook her head, "Don't talk like that." A voice speaking in her ear made her jump, "Hanson!"
'Jo? What's going on? Did the guy confess?'
"Henry's been shot!" Jo couldn't think of anything more important to tell her partner right at that moment.
'What? Jesus. Stay put; back-up's on the way!' he hung up quickly and Jo lifted her head, her phone tumbling to the ground.
Henry was coughing again, then he was gasping and his right hand came up to grasp her jacket. He mouthed silently for a moment, then, "Jo... Jo... tell Abe..."
She shook her head in disbelief, he wasn't going to die. He couldn't.
"Tell Abe I... I..." his eyes became unfocused and distant and his hand slipped from her coat, hitting her leg as it fell limply back to the ground.
"Don't you dare!" Jo pressed down hard on his chest and he yelled out in pain, startling back to consciousness, "You're not going to die!"
Henry did the strangest thing. He smiled. A full smile, all teeth and wrinkles. Cheeks pushing up and eyes creasing.
Jo had to swallow the lump in her throat, "W-why are you smiling?"
He didn't stop, in fact he started to laugh, "...adrenaline..." he winced.
Jo's lips lifted slightly for a second, "Keep it coming." she heard sirens, "you're gonna be fine! Hanson's bringing the cavalry." More sirens overlapped the previous ones and she listened to them, willing them to hurry. Moments passed and she heard shouting. Her name. She responded, her voice carrying a short way. She looked over her shoulder and saw them, Hanson and four other cops moving through the leaves on the floor.
"Over here!" Jo called.
Hanson spoke quickly with the other cops, and then into a radio before breaking into a run.
Jo was swarmed suddenly, cops and medical professionals. Hanson was pulling her upwards and away from Henry, his eyes were closed, his blood bright against the autumn colours. She looked down at her hands, pale and shaking. His blood started to dry quickly. She watched as he was surrounded by paramedics. They worked fast but Jo saw him, still, quiet and lifeless.
Hanson was talking, leading her away, turning their backs on him. She felt light-headed, her legs shuddered and she slipped. Hanson held her close, helped her back to the gas station and directed her into a chair, where she sat without argument.
"He'll be okay." Hanson tried to reassure her, "You know he will."
Jo shook her head, "He got shot," she paused, "right here." she tapped slightly left of her sternum, "...there was so much blood..." she trailed off and barely acknowledge the blanket being draped over her. She looked down again, at her hands, clasped together in her lap. The blood on her hands was starting to flake.
She suddenly felt sick as she realised; "I have to call Abe."
Four days later
She took a breath as she finished reading, "Once more, the mists were rising as I walked away. If they disclosed to me, as I suspect they did, that I should not come back, and that Biddy was quite right, all I can say is - they were quite right too." With a sigh, Jo shut the book softly and looked upon him lying in the bed, "Sorry, that's it for today... work commitments and all."
Henry remained silent, as he had for the past few days. The endotracheal tube was held neatly in place with tape, and the ventilator worked steadily to keep him breathing. He was on his back, one pillow underneath his head and the bed up slightly to keep him partly upright. His arms were by his sides, lying atop the blanket. More tubes ran over his left hand, on her side of the bed.
Jo glanced to the clock on the wall. Quarter to two. She looked back at Henry, fiddled with the book in her hands, "I'll come by tomorrow." she stood up and set the book aside on the small table. She gritted her teeth, sat down again and reached for his hand, grasping it and squeezing, "Come on, Henry..." She let go of his hand, stood again and turned around, facing the door, "Wake up."
She pulled the door open and left.
Four more days later
Jo stepped into the room after knocking on the door. She smiled softly at Abe, who was dozing in the less the comfortable chair next to the bed. Jo shut the door behind her, mindful not to wake Abe.
She stepped closer and eyed Henry, as if he might have woken while she'd been at work. Alas, she was somewhat disappointed at seeing him connected up to a ventilator still, only by a tracheostomy tube rather than an endotracheal one. He'd had it done a few days ago.
Jo found herself wondering if Henry would cover the scar with a scarf, or if it wouldn't bother him at all. She knew that she didn't care either way, so long as he woke up. She looked for the book she'd been reading to him, it wasn't on the bedside table. She noted after a moment of looking that Abe was holding it, open at an unknown chapter and page. Had he been reading to Henry too?
"Sorry, I thought I'd take a gander, I've never read it." Abe's voice startled her and she turned her head to look down at him.
She shook her head, "It's okay. I've, been reading it to Henry."
Abe closed it and offered it to her.
Jo took it. Great Expectations. She smiled, "I never really cared for it... but I... thought maybe Henry would like it."
Abe nodded, "It's one of his favourites."
Jo eyed the book and allowed herself a smile, "Knew it."
Abe chuckled, then his face settled into a serious expression, "How are you Detective?"
She thought for a minute. How was she? Upset. Angry. Terrified. She moved around to the other side of the bed, and put the book down on the windowsill. She looked out of it at the rain pouring down outside, "I'm fine."
Abe nodded, "You look it." he stared at her back and she turned to face him. He took in the dark circles under her eyes, her dishevelled appearance.
Jo ran a hand through her hair, "Work is..." she paused and took in the expectant look on Abe's face, "...busy."
"So busy that you're not sleeping at night apparently."
"Can you blame me?" Jo muttered.
Abe shook his head, "Certainly not. It's normal to be worried about a colleague."
"Henry's more than just a colleague." Jo told him, "He's a friend, and I'll never get the image of him lying there out of my head. Every time I close me eyes..." she took a shuddering breath, "every time I try to sleep, all I can see is him dying... his blood..."
Abe listened to her and he cleared his throat, "I know... I wasn't there, but I was here, when he went into cardiac arrest..."
Jo sighed softly, "I'm sorry-,"
He held up a hand, "Henry will be fine."
She furrowed her eyebrows, "How can you be so sure?"
"I've known him a long time." Abe replied, "And he, is a fighter." he sat up a little straighter in the chair, "Just you wait." Abe reached for Henry, taking his hand in his own and holding on so tightly, as if Henry might just drift away if he didn't.
Their relationship sometimes truly puzzled Jo, it was like that of family.
"You'll see." Abe continued, this time more softly and much quieter.
Jo leant back against the sill and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked at Henry again, his normally tanned skin was paler than usual, his hair longer and his stubble nearer a beard. It was silly, but she wanted to shave him, wanted to cut his hair, wanted to make him look... normal. She missed the insane amount of scarves, the banter, the knowledge. She missed him.
Her days were longer, duller, less interesting. She'd known him less than a year but she felt like she'd known him forever. She wasn't religious as such, but in that moment, standing there, willing him to wake up, she felt like... perhaps, prayer, could help... and that if there was some God, Christian, Hindu or otherwise, maybe they would listen. Maybe they would take pity, and save him.
Some more days later
She was at home when it happened. When she got the call. The call that made her heart beat faster, made her stomach drop to the floor, and her collected emotions to burst forth and erupt. She hurried to dress, throwing on clothes without a care of how they looked. She pulled her hair up into a wet ponytail and didn't even consider make-up.
The drive to the hospital was a strange one. Long and short at the same time. She wanted to get there but at the same time she didn't. Traffic was little and then lots, and she pulled over, remaining in the drivers seat, hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly she thought it might snap.
The radio was on, she noted. She hadn't heard it thus far. It was playing something Jo cared little for. A classical piece. Henry would enjoy it though. Her hands slid from the wheel and she sat there in her car for a good five minutes, crying.
Chin up, Detective. The show, as they say, must go on.
Jo took a deep breath, held it for a moment and then let it out again. She reached for the wheel.
She knocked three times, waited a beat and then pushed the door open. Abe was standing by the window, his back to her. She didn't speak, only moved forwards, inch by inch. She felt her bottom lip quivering, and she bit it. Her eyes took him in, lying on the bed. She felt the hot tears rolling down her face as he looked at her.
She laughed and cried, "Hey."
He moved his hand to the mask over his mouth and nose, pulling it away, before resting his hand back on his stomach. He opened his mouth to speak. His voice was dry, raspy and so quiet she nearly missed it.
"Jo." his lips curled slightly in soft smile.
She took the last two steps to his side and grasped his hand, leaning down to place a kiss on his-
The End.