Hellooo! This fic will turn into something that was requested by a very wonderful reviewer. Although we start out with everything, this is primarily Chris and Gail, mostly Gail. Thanks in advance for reviews and faves and everything!
"Pick up, pick up, pick up!" Andy cried into her cell phone as a groggy Sam started up the truck. The digital clock read 1:45 AM. 'Fantastic.' He sighed to himself, a little afraid as to what lay in the coming minutes.
"Babe, he's fine. He's probably going to the hospital right now; he probably just can't get to his phone." He cleared his throat and squeezed her thigh gently.
"You don't understand, he always answers. Chris always answers me." She looked up at him with damp and panicked eyes. He pulled up to a stop light and pulled her out of her seat and into the middle one next to him. They'd gotten so used to not wearing belts during patrol; it kind of spilled over into their everyday lives.
But as the truck fishtailed onto a cross street and nearly took out a lamppost, they both realized that it wasn't the brightest idea. After buckling up, Sam kissed Andy's temple as she dialled her phone again and snapped it shut angrily when no one answered.
"Andy, relax." He breathed into her ear, willing her body to settle into his. Her breathing eventually became less ragged and abrasive, but Sam continued to caress the back of her hand with his thumb. Until her phone rang again.
"He – he – hello?" She dropped her phone but still tried to speak as she fished for it on the floor. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Dov. Where are you guys?" He was using his work voice. That in itself made Andy's stomach churn.
"I, I don't know what street. I think we're like fifteen minutes away from Toronto Gen if Sam does the speed limit." She smiled tearfully at her fiancé.
"Oh, Andy, it's okay." He whispered again, holding her a little closer. Whenever someone she cared about was in danger, even if the kind of danger was still unclear to them, she was a child. She sank back into herself and shook violently, often not able to hold anything until whoever it was had made it out of the woods.
"We're gonna be there in like twenty, have you heard what happened?" Dov responded quickly.
"No, Chris hung up before we could find out. All I know is that Gail's hurt. Don't know how badly or what happened, but she's hurt." Her breath began to catch again, her voice growing more desperate. "I don't know how Chris is, I heard EMTs in the background trying to get him to sit down and let them check him out, but he wouldn't. I don't know what that means." She breathed, her hands beginning to shake. It was at this point that Sam took the phone from her and pressed it to his left ear, so she couldn't reach.
"Dov, it's Sam. Andy's going to focus on not passing out right now; we'll be there in like less than ten minutes okay? We'll talk then." He snapped the phone shut.
"Sam! I needed to talk to him!" Andy's voice was raw and desperate.
"Andy, remember that talk we had a few weeks ago? About how sometimes, you don't know best? About how sometimes, you need to trust me to know what's best for you?" He looked between her and the road. "This is one of those times. You need to relax, everything will be okay." He whispered. "I'm serious, Andy. You need to trust me, your fiancé. Because I love you, and I know you better than you know yourself."
"But – " She began.
"No. Now hold onto my arm to make your hands stop shaking, and close your eyes. Just breathe. We'll be there in a few minutes, before you know it." He insisted. Hesitantly, she clasped her arms around his upper arm and closed her eyes, leaning her head against his shoulders.
"Trust." She whispered to herself.
The rest of the ride was short, but silent. Sam thought that he may have gotten through to her, but as soon as he pulled to a stop in the emergency parking lot, she was out, dashing across the asphalt.
"Chris, Chris." She ran to her fellow rookie, who was still refusing treatment inside the sliding doors.
"Hey Andy." He slurred. "Please, stop touching me." He spat at the nurse who was trying to stop the bleeding from the wound on his forehead.
"What happened?" Andy asked the nurse, taking the gauze from her hand and giving Chris a stern look.
"Head on collision." The nurse said quietly.
"What?" Andy's head whipped around and her voice caught the attention of the entire room.
"It wasn't bad, it wasn't." The nurse reassured her. "Low speeds, but enough to lacerate his forehead and knock his wife unconscious."
"My wife." Chris grinned. "I do need to marry her soon." He began swaying lightly.
"Chris, stand up straight." Andy ordered, wiping some of the spilled blood off of his cheek. "How is she?" She turned back to the nurse.
"She's okay, but there was some bleeding. The baby seems to be fine, as far as I know. Not much has been done since they arrived; we're still working on getting doctors." The nurse apologized.
"Don't worry about it." Andy nodded.
"Look, she should be fine. She was running a fever when we brought her in, no ones sure what that means yet." The nurse continued, as the pager on her waist began to beep. "But we're going to find out. I'll be back in a few minutes."
"What about Chris? CanI keep him here? Will the gauze be enough?" Andy asked.
"Yeah. I'll send someone out to check on him in a few minutes, he refused to come into the back anyways." She nodded and made her way out.
"I think that's my fault, isn't it Chris." Andy sighed, as she led Chris to some empty chairs and continued to apply pressure to the wound.
"No it isn't." He sighed. "Is Gail okay? Is the baby?" His breathing sped up as Sam entered the doors behind them.
"Chris," Sam placed a hand on the other man's back. "You are just like Andy. Breathe, please." He walked around and knelt in front of him.
"It's okay, brother." Andy whispered in Chris' ear. Chris' body curled to lean into Andy. She guided his head to the crook of her neck and continued to hold the gauze to his cut.
"Where is she?" Sam asked Andy quietly.
"They've got her back there. Running tests. She was unconscious when they brought her in and there was…" She lowered her voice more. "Bleeding."
"Yep." Sam stood. "You stay out here with Chris, I'm gonna go find her. She's probably terrified, I'll keep you updated okay?" He kissed Andy on the forehead and patted Chris's knee before turning and talking the nurse at the desk into letting him in.
"Where's number eight?" Sam asked a passing doctor. He followed the man's index finger and spotted the stall, nearly running towards it.
There were doctors and nurses buzzing in and around Gail, shouting things at each other that Sam couldn't decipher.
"Is she okay?" He asked, but no one answered. "Is she okay?" He said a little louder, catching their attention.
"Sir, we need you to step back." A nurse said.
"You need to tell me what is going on!" Sam snapped back.
"Are you family?" Someone else asked.
"Yeah, yeah I am." Sam replied without hesitation.
"It was a head on collision at 30 kilometres. She came in unconscious, minor lacerations to the head and arms, we think from bending over her stomach during the accident." A nurse explained.
"Damnit." Sam sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"When we got her in and undressed we noticed a little bleeding. Nothing serious, but enough to be concerned. We're going to do an ultrasound and a few other tests once the dust settles and we can get a machine." Someone else finished.
"Can I stay with her?" Sam asked quietly.
"As long as you don't interfere, you can sit at the back here. Just give us a few minutes." Sam nodded and took a few steps back.
Back in the lobby, Dov and Megan walked through the door.
"Oh my God, Chris, are you okay?" Megan ran over and knelt in front of her friend.
"I'm fine, it's nothing." He shook his head.
"He's refusing treatment." Andy explained, patting at the dried blood on his face with a wet napkin.
"Chris! Why?" Megan tilted his chin up to get a better look at his face.
"He says he's not going back there until he knows Gail's okay." Andy sighed as Chris swatted at her hand, wincing.
"Chris your shoulder is bleeding." Megan said quietly, pulling his shirt apart at the seam to get a better look. "You need stitches. Chris, come on. Let's go."
"No, no." He shook his head.
"Christopher, now." Megan stood up. "You took care of me, now I'm taking care of you. Get up." She took his cracked and bloody hands in hers and drew him to his feet, while Andy and Dov watched in awe.
"He never listens to us like that." Andy said to Dov.
"She's got that effect on people." He smiled up at his girlfriend.
"We're gonna go now, okay? We're gonna go through those doors, you're gonna get treated, and we're gonna find Gail." Megan explained as Chris wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead. "Okay." Megan laughed. Chris took a step back and looked at her very seriously.
"I don't think I'm quite right yet." He said quietly.
"You were never quite right, Chris." Megan grinned and took him back for treatment.
"This is ridiculous. We never should have had this party." Andy sank into her chair, rubbing her eyes.
"It's not your fault, Andy." Dov sat in the seat next to her. "It isn't." She leaned into him and a nurse gave her a disapproving look across the triage desk. "I'm a friend, relax." Dov muttered under his breath.
"What?" Andy ask quietly.
"Nurse Nancy is jealous of the gorgeous man on your arm." He chuckled.
"You are pretty gorgeous, aren't you Dov." She laughed, wiping her eyes.
"I've heard that." He slid his arm around her side and held her tightly, her fingers unconsciously clawing at the fabric of his shirt. "Where's Sam?"
"With Gail." She laughed weakly.
"Really? Another surprise." Dov answered, letting his eyes drift shut.
"I think something happened with them, when I was still with Luke." She sighed.
"Luke." Even saying the name made Dov's skin crawl and his teeth hurt.
"They were kind of embarrassed of each other for a while, then they got over it. Actually, I'm confident that he knew Gail when she was younger. I know he's close with her Mom, believe it or not." She continued.
"Where is he? Luke, I mean." Dov asked.
"Do we have to talk about him? You know as much as I do. Three months, relocated, probation. That's all I heard." Andy said curtly.
"Sorry, Andy." Dov breathed into her hair, holding her free hand with his. He didn't need to say why he was sorry, just that he was.
Sam's figure slumped on the side of her hospital bed made Gail a little uncomfortable. They were a lot closer now, but he was still her superior in almost every way, and not that she'd ever admit it… But he was very intimidating, even to her.
"Sam, sam." She whispered weakly, tapping his shoulder.
"Huh? Hey, sorry, hey Gail." He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "I'm tired, can you tell?" His dimples made her smile as well.
"Where's Chris? Is he okay? Oh my God, Abby, Chris, Chris, where is he?" What started out as a regular conversation quickly had Gail hyperventilating and trying to pull the IV out of her arm.
"Gail, Gail, no. Stop." Sam stood up and held her down by her shoulders. "Gail."
"Chris, is he okay? Am I okay? Where is Chris, where is he?" She whimpered, her eyes looking everywhere except Sam's.
"Listen to me. Gail." His voice was stern. "Gail, listen." She calmed down enough to hear what he was saying. "Chris is fine, the baby is fine. They're doing an ultrasound very soon to make sure, but you're all okay. Everyone. How do you feel?" He found his seat again.
"I feel like my head hurts." She squeaked.
"That would be because you leaned forward before impact to shield your stomach, you crazy woman." Sam chuckled, wiggling her hand in his. "You really are your mother's daughter."
"Oh, what do you know." Gail laughed. "Is Chris here? Don't get me wrong, you're awesome, but I need to see Chris. I just need to touch him," Gail opened and closed her hands unconsciously, "I just have to know he's okay and you aren't lying to me."
"Just a second." Sam smiled at her and went to find the man of her affection. "Hey, Chris Diaz? Came in a while ago after a car accident, minor wounds. Any ideas where I could find him?" He leaned up against the nurses counter.
"Chris Diaz, Gail's husband, right?" The nurse sighed. "Yeah. I know where he is." She got out from behind her desk and led Sam around the corner. "We almost had to sedate him. He really hates hospitals."
"Yeah, don't we all." Sam muttered to himself. "Thanks." He waved off the nurse as she turned to walk away. "Chris." He caught the man's attention.
"Have you talked to Gail?" He sat up straight, being restrained by Megan.
"Yeah, she's asking for you." Sam looked to the small woman latched onto Chris's arms. "Is he okay to go see her?"
"Yeah. They just wanted him to stay back here so he wouldn't go looking." Megan laughed. "Come on."
Sam helped Chris up and walked him back to Gail's stall.
"Oh God, Gail." Chris fell into the chair next to her and grasped her hands tightly in his, kissing her knuckles. "Are you okay?" She nodded, and he turned to look at her stomach. "Are you okay?" Gail began to laugh.
"She's fine." She assured him. "Oh, here." She nodded upwards, prompting Chris to turn and see a nurse wheeling in an ultrasound machine.
"I love these." Chris smiled at Megan and Sam. The woman doing the ultrasound grinned at the young couple as she prepped Gail.
"Jesus! Wow, cold." Gail laughed. "It always surprises me, no matter what." Chris brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her hand again.
"Alright, just let me do some searching here." The woman began moving the small device around on Gail's stomach until she found a good vantage point to see little Abby's face.
"She's so big now." Chris whispered.
"I can't believe it, still." Gail sighed, tears in her eyes. "I love you."
"I love you more, Gail." Chris kissed her on the forehead.
She hadn't realized it at first, but Sam was standing very close to Megan. The only thing that had given it away was the hairs on his arms standing on end and a small smile playing on his lips as he watched Chris and Gail's baby on the monitor.
"Excited?" Megan asked quietly. He just nodded, his eyes never leaving the screen and the smile never leaving his lips. "That's gonna be you, before you know it."
"Couldn't happen soon enough." He whispered back, before lightly grabbing a few of Gail's toes and wiggling her foot back and forth to catch their attention. "We'll be outside, okay?" They nodded, and Sam led Megan back out to the front.
"I'm really excited for this." Gail smiled brightly.
"Me too. I can't wait. Her little feet, can you imagine? Little baby feet, I can't wait to just hold her." Chris watched the screen as the technician grinned and found a good few of Abby's feet. "Look! Look, Gail! Little baby feet." He smiled widely, like a kid in a candy shop.
"Well, the baby looks to be fine. The doctors want to do a few blood tests while you're here, and we're going to admit you for observation tonight. Okay?" The woman stood and wiped the gel off of Gail's stomach.
"Okay." Chris nodded.
"Can he stay? He can stay, right?" Gail sat up, straining her already sore back.
"Slow down, babe." Chris slid his hands underneath her and propped her up.
"I don't think that will be a problem." The woman smiled. "I'll let them know you're ready for your tests, and you'll be up in your room in no time." With that, she pulled back the curtain and left.
"Can I just go tell everyone that you're okay? They're all exhausted, they probably want to go home." Chris asked.
"Yeah, go. Tell them all that I love them, and I feel bad they all had to come out here. Give Sam a kiss on the cheek for me. Or get Andy to." Gail realized she was babbling and began to laugh. "See you in a minute." Chris stole a quick kiss and left.
By the time he got back, her tests were finished and the nurses were in the midst of moving her to her room. He followed them close behind, holding Gail's hand over the rails of the bed whenever he could. The nurses just smiled at the both of them, admiring the ridiculous amount of devotion they were showing without even trying.
"Someone will be in to check on you every few hours. If you need anything else, the call button is just to your left." A nurse explained. "You've got a private room, so no other patients will be bothering you."
"Okay." Gail smiled tiredly, nearly melting into the bed.
"Have a good night." The nurse smiled and left them.
"Well." Chris looked at Gail a minute, before laying down the rails and climbing into bed with her. "That was quite a night."
"I'll say." She breathed, smiling while he laid one hand on her stomach and rested his head in the crook of her neck.
"I love you, Gail. Tonight really scared me." Chris admitted to the darkness left in the room.
"Me too, Chris. It was terrifying." She whispered back, sniffing back a few stray tears. "I never want to feel like that again."He lifted his head and pressed a small tender kiss to the skin below her collarbone.
"Feel like everything is spinning out of control?" He asked quietly.
"We were spinning. The car was definitely spinning at one point." She laughed meekly. "But yeah. We have to be careful. It was a really close call tonight."
"I agree." He fanned his fingers out over her stomach. "We're gonna be fine." He smiled.
"I hope so." She breathed, finally succumbing to the warmth around her and falling asleep.