After the shot by julie2012
Pairing: Sam/Martin
Spoilers: Fall Out 1&2
Disclaimer: I do not own Without a Trace and I'm not making money with this
Author's notes: This is my very first fanfiction anf english is not my native language. So I hope my english is not that bad. I haven't watched the Fall Out episodes because they weren't shown on TV here yet. We are still at The Source. So there surely are some mistakes in the setting. Reviews are welcome at zoe84@gmx.net . I hope you like it. Please read and review...
Chapter One – Coma
The ambulance disappeared in the distance towards the nearest hospital. On board were the paramedics, Samantha and Martin. Sam tried to fight the upcoming unconsciousness but only could win for a few minutes. While the paramedics attempted to compensate the high loss of blood from her injured leg she softly murmured: "Jack, I'm sorry, so sorry." over and over again. Martin sat quietly near Sam's head and observed the actions of the paramedics. He felt terrible to see his co-worker suffer like that and he wondered what the murmurs meant and whether he should react to them. The medics were done with Sam's most needed and in the car possible treatment. They only controlled her vitals further. Breathing and heartbeat were steady but she had lost consciousness. Martin remembered what had happened after they heard the shot inside the building.
~*~*~*~o~O~o~*~*~*~
Jack had tried to contact Sam but had received no response. He decided to go inside and rescue her, he risked is own life to safe her. Martin himself was only shocked, he could not move nor think properly. As the paramedics rushed her into the ambulance Jack wanted to go with her but was forced to answer a few questions to the police first. So Danny or Vivian should go with Sam, that's what Jack wanted but both had to answer questions, too. The only one free to accompany Sam to the hospital was Martin who did what he was told to do.
~*~*~*~o~O~o~*~*~*~
So he sat in the car, thinking, observing every movement but not reacting to anything.
Suddenly Sam's breathing stopped and her heart rate increased. The medics checked all instruments and then hurried to bring her vitals back to normal. But her heartbeat stopped, too. "No, this is not happening, this has to be a bad dream, a very bad dream. It's just a dream, a nightmare and I'm going to wake up every moment.", Martin thought. He didn't dare to believe that this could be reality because then there was the possibility of loosing Sam forever. While thinking the paramedics prepared Sam to give her some electro-shocks to bring her back to life. The first attempt failed, just like the second. But the third brought her back. The medics smiled and after a reassuring glance towards them Martin took Sam's hand in his and didn't let go of her till they reached the hospital.
There the doctors wanted Sam as fast as possible in surgery to take the bullet out of her leg and to look at the damage it had caused. Martin was still by her side, refusing to let her hand go but at the entrance to the surgery unit he was forced to let her go by some nurses. They insisted that he should take a seat in the waiting area. So again he only obeyed orders. He couldn't answer a question he was asked by the nurses. They made him see a doctor who stated that he was in shock and ordered one nurse to take care of him. She brought him tea and a blanket, then she sat him down in the waiting room where he was alone but she checked every five minutes on him. Martin sat there anxiously waiting for any report of Sam's condition but no doctor came to him. He hadn't spoken a word since the shot.
Silent and thinking he was found an hour and a half later by Vivian, Danny and Jack. They were frantic to hear any news on Sam but Martin didn't react to their questions. His only thought was that this could not be true and he was surely dreaming. Vivian and Danny tried to speak with Martin but had no luck. Finally after three hours the doctor appeared and told the team that the surgery went good but that they weren't sure whether Sam would be ok and able to work like before the incident, just now she was in coma. Jack asked him whether they could see her now. The doctor agreed and told them that talking to people in coma and holding their hands could help to wake them up. He led them into a room of the Intensive Care Unit where Sam lied in a white bed and a lot of machines were attached to her. They slowly entered the room. The doctor explained what the machines were for and then left them alone with Sam. He would check on her later. Martin stood at the threshold unsure whether he should go inside or not. Danny decided for him, he took Martin by an arm and into the room. There Martin stood next to a wall. He watched as Jack sat down in a chair taking Sam's hand and murmuring something. After Jack Vivian sat down and talked to Sam followed by Danny. Then Danny pushed Martin down into the chair. But he still had no idea what he should tell her or his team mates. So he sat silent watching her sleeping, hearing her heartbeats as peeps from a machine. He didn't noticed that Jack got a call from his wife and Vivian drove him home. So only Danny was left but soon went to the office to do some paperwork and to try not getting too upset by the view in the hospital. So Martin was the only one left by Sam's side. He took her hand again, drawing circles with his thumb around the back of her hand. He sat there till 11:00 am next morning thinking and admiring her beauty despite her state.
At 11:00 am Danny entered the room, surprised by seeing Martin still at her side. He turned to him and asked him whether he had stayed all night. Martin nodded. Danny also asked when he last had eaten something. Martin couldn't remember, possibly twenty-four hours ago or so. That's why Danny insisted on taking him to the cafeteria to eat something and trying to convince Martin to go home, get some rest, shower, change clothes and then coming back. He promised he would call when there were any news on Sam.
Martin agreed and was driven home by Danny who made sure that Martin ate. Then he left and Martin went slowly into his bedroom to get some sleep. He took his jacket off and loosened his tie. That's when the realization came that all was real. Sam had been shot, was in coma and chances were that she would never wake up again. He could lose her FOREVER. She could die without knowing that he had feelings for her. He felt dizzy, his knees were weak so he tried to steady himself by using his bed as support but he wasn't strong enough so he fell to the ground. He sat on the floor, leaning against his bed, sobbing quietly and soon he cried. He hadn't cried in years, he couldn't even remember the last time, probably in his childhood. His father hadn't allowed him to do so because boys are not supposed to cry. But right now he didn't care what his father had told him, he knew he could lose Sam. That was all that counted in this moment. He managed to crawl onto his bed where he clutched a pillow and pressed it tightly to his body wishing it was Sam. He cried till there were no tears left then exhaustion took over and he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
The first things he noticed as he woke up were that he had a terrible headache and his eyes hurt. He wondered where it came from but he couldn't remember. Slowly he got up and walked into the bathroom. As he looked into the mirror he saw his red puffy eyes and he remembered crying in the evening, but why? He splashed cold water into his face and then his memories fell back into their places. Sam was shot, in coma in the hospital, he was forced to leave her and driven home by Danny. He had cried for hours realizing that Sam could die. How long had he slept? Looking at his watch he should have been sleeping for nine hours. It was 1:00 am. He hurried to his telephone checking whether Danny had left some messages but there were none. He couldn't decide whether it was good or bad because Sam's status hadn't changed. He needed to see her, touch her, he would go visit her right now, not caring which hour in the night it was or when the visiting hours were. He rushed into the bathroom, showered, got dressed, ate an apple and drank some cold coffee. He searched for his car keys when he remembered that his car was still at the bureau. He would have to take a cab.
He left his apartment and hurried down the stairs. On the street he stopped a cab and was driven to the hospital. He paid the driver and went straight to the elevators. There he pressed the button for the third floor. Once there he walked out of the elevator and towards Sam's room.
A nurse at the entrance to the ICU tried to stop him but he flashed his badge and the nurse recognized him as the man with shock from the night before who wouldn't want to leave the woman's side in room 312. So she let him pass knowing that he would do her patient no harm.
Martin reached Sam's door but once again he was unsure whether to enter or not. He took a deep breath and stepped inside. He noticed a sleeping Danny in the chair next to Sam who was still attached to so many machines. He walked over to Danny and tipped him on the shoulder. Danny woke up, rubbed his eyes and recognized Martin standing next to him. They exchanged a weak smile. Martin explained in a low voice that he would stay with Sam and would call the team when there were some news on Sam. He ordered Danny to go home and have a nice sleep in his own bed instead of a chair in a hospital. Danny was about to say something against Martin but was stopped by the look in Martin's eyes. They showed a mix of pleading and determination. So Danny gave in and left the room after kissing Sam on the forehead and whispering goodbye and the promise to return into her ear.
He stopped on the threshold again looking back into the room, seeing Martin next to Sam on the chair, holding and caressing her hand. It was a cute picture but it would be a lot better if Sam wouldn't be in coma. He smiled to himself and finally left.
~*~*~*~o~O~o~*~*~*~
Martin sat in the chair holding Sam's hand and admiring her beauty. She had wonderful long gold-blond hair, her face was beautiful, her lips, her nose and her brown eyes. She was pale only the sheets were whiter than her face. Those brown eyes were closed and didn't move. Martin stroked her hair tucking some strands which fell into her face behind her ear. He couldn't resist to caress her cheek with his thumb. He enjoyed feeling her skin against his. It was a bit calming for him. He knew she wasn't out of danger and he was determined to get her back to life. He leaned closer and whispered into her ear: "Sam, I know you can hear me. Please come back to me, I need you by my side. I'm staying with you, I won't leave your side because I care for you." He kissed her hand, leaned back and watched her searching for a reaction to his words.
~*~*~*~o~O~o~*~*~*~
Sam dreamed. She felt safe, warm, comfortable, relaxed and no pain. She was standing on a beautiful beach, the ocean in front of her. A soft breeze played with her hair and white dress. The waves reached her bare feet and she looked up into the blue sky and a bright shining sun. Walking along the beach and finally sitting down on a rock she enjoyed feeling the water, sunshine and wind on her skin. A few metres ahead were some dolphins playing in the water. She watched them till the sun began to set then she decided to go swimming before the night finally fell. Sam took off her dress and stepped into the warm water and went further into the ocean. As the water reached her collar she thought she heard someone call her name. She stopped turned around and listened. There was it again. She couldn't see anyone at the beach but she was curious who would call her so she went towards the beach, stepped out of the water and put her dress on. Following the voice which pleaded her to come back she reached a meadow where in its middle was a little cottage. It was a wonderful scene because the setting sun casted a golden shimmer over everything. Hearing the voice again she recognized the voice but couldn't connect it with a certain person. She was told that she was needed and that someone would stay by her side. Curiosity took over and she reached out to open the door because the person who called her seemed to be inside. Just as she turned the doorknob she felt dizzy but managed to go inside. There everything went black.
~*~*~*~o~O~o~*~*~*
~
Martin still sat by Sam's side. He was still holding her hand as he suddenly felt a slight pressure on his hand. At first he thought that he had only imagined the pressure but she still squeezed his hand a bit. Immediately he stood up and called for a nurse or a doctor. Then he took out his mobile and called the team.