Shooting at Shadows
I'm back for a bit, at least until my workload picks up again but I'll see what I can pound through in the next couple of days while I'm free(ish). This story has been in my head since I wrote my other story "Nothing's Broken" and if you haven't read it and you'll excuse my self-indulgent plug, read it! Well you should at least read Chapters 9 and 10 of that one, they'll be important here but I'll fit them in somewhere, you might see some repeated descriptions or implications from that story. So this Samtastic story idea was present and partially written when I saw the season finale...that kind of messed with things, so I'm going to do my best to try and forget about that finale (that's probably better than thinking about it, it was so frustrating). Thanks a lot to Taboo-Hearts, Tinkerpanda, iheartlife, and .Naxen for all their support and help in seeing those final episodes. So here we go, still don't own anything, still would love to hear what you think.
"Come on Spike, we're still doing the old 'haze-the-rookie routine? It's been years..." Sam said partially annoyed but mostly amused. He didn't mind the pranks too much, at least they had accepted him as a part of the team. he knew from first hand experience that newcomers were not always welcomed with open arms.
"Oh, it's not a rookie thing anymore Sam," Spike said with a genuine voice as he tried to hold back his laughter. "No, I thought that you must have run out of shaving cream or something, that little peach fuzz, what are you going for here? Five o'clock shadow bad ass hero...or did you just not have your razor this morning?" Spike nudged as his tone became a joking implication. Sam continued to clean the shaving cream from his locker.
"No, I overslept and didn't have time to shave." Sam said with a tone of mock annoyance.
"Sure Samtastic, whatever you say..." Spike joked as Ed and Wordy entered the locker room.
"You have a little accident Sam?" Wordy asked while trying to hold back laughter as he opened his locker. Ed joined the banter as he took off his t-shirt.
"What, your shaving cream explode...oh is that why you're going all teenage rebellion, I'm-not-conforming-to you, shaving strike?
"I overslept." Sam said with a smile but trying to seem annoyed.
"Umhum, and how is Jules doing?" Wordy asked with a joking tone.
"I don't know, haven't seen her this morning, ask her yourself." Sam tried to be nonchalant. He finished cleaning up the shaving cream from his locker door and stood quickly to stretch his back. He stepped on a small dot of the white foam at just the right angle as he moved to wash his hands he slipped, falling flat on his back.
"Sam," Lou said as he bounded over to his fallen friend. Lou had just entered the locker room and was the first to see Sam fall. Before anyone else realized what was going on Lou was kneeling next to Sam, followed quickly by Spike, Ed, and Wordy. Sam was laying on the ground, his eyes closed but still conscious. Lou and Spike made room for Ed who had seamlessly slipped into Team Leader mode and knelt next to Sam speaking softly with a tone of calm urgency in his voice.
"Sam? Sam, relax buddy." Ed prompted as he put his hand gently on Sam's upper arm. He had been clutching his head tightly like he'd hit it. He still hadn't opened his eyes and was gritting his teeth but he was calming down.
"I'm good, I'm fine." He said as he took a few deep breaths. "Just a little bump, no harm." Sam said as he opened his eyes a crack and relaxed himself.
"I hear you Sam but I want to see before we jump to any conclusions here, it was a hard hit." Ed said gently but with his usual tone of authority. Sam took a few more deep breaths and moved to try and sit up. Wordy knelt behind him and acted as a support as Lou and Spike grabbed Sam's arms and helped him into a sitting position. They turned him and leaned him so his back was against the lockers.
"Seriously guys, I'm fine." Sam said as he regained his composure after the unexpected fall. "Look, there isn't even any blood." Sam said as he reached around to the back of his head and showed them that his hand returned clean.
"That doesn't mean anything Samtastic. Trust me, I've had more concussions than anyone on any team. I think I might have the hospital record." Wordy said with a reassuring but concerned smile. "And plenty of those concussions didn't have blood." Ed nodded at his words at he thought hard.
"I'm thinking that it's better to be safe now than have you pass out on a call." Ed said looking right into Sam's bright blue eyes.
"I'm fine. Seriously, what do I have to do to prove it to you?" Sam asked searching Ed's eyes, then Wordy's. Spike and Lou were still watching from a few feet away. Spike had his phone in his hands and looked ready to dial on command and Lou had a first aid kit. Finding no answers to his questions Sam slowly stood up and tried not to show the dizziness that overcame him as he did. He thought that he was doing well until he tried to take a step forward, still too dizzy to really judge anything in the spinning room. Ed was standing now, as was Wordy, both looked prepared to jump into action as Sam stood teetering on the spot for a moment. Ed took hold of his shoulders as he slowly led him back into a sitting position on the bench.
"Sam?" He said urgently as Sam shut his eyes a headache suddenly overpowered his senses.
"Okay..." Sam said, his eyes still clamped closed and his teeth gritting again. "maybe I'm not as good as I thought." Sam hated admitting that he was wrong and that, even after spending years at war in a hostile desert, he was being sent to the hospital for a dime sized dollop of shaving cream.
"It's okay buddy, we all have those days." Ed said reassuringly, finding Sam's eyes through the squints. He turned towards the others. "Spike, find the boss. Lou, tell Winnie and Jules what's happening. Wordy, help me get him to the car." The team dispersed as Ed and Wordy tried to figure out the best way to get him to the car a few floors below.
"I can walk." Sam said a bit frustrated as he felt like a kid. Ed gave Wordy a subtle nod telling him to back off slightly but stay ready.
"Okay Sam, give it a shot, we're right here." Ed said as he also backed up a bit but kept his arms extended, ready to steady him at the first signs of weakness. Sam took a breath and got to his feet. He took a moment to steady himself and, still not opening his eyes very far, took a tentative step forward. He was a bit shaky and light-headed, but was staying upright. Ed and Wordy moved closer to Sam and were about to direct him out of the locker room when the door opened again with a loud slam and the bright light peeked through. Greg strode quickly into the locker room, Spike barley a step behind him. The sudden lights and sounds hit his hyper-acute senses as he grabbed at his temples and lost his balance. Ed was at his side in a moment supporting him as Wordy through Sam's right arm over his shoulder. Ed did the same with his left as they slowly led him to the door, speaking in hushed tones.
"How's he doing?" Greg asked with concern showing through his voice.
"Probably a concussion. I'm going to take him to the hospital to get checked out." Ed whispered as he kept a slow, even pace for Sam to try and walk along with them. He slowly put one foot in front of the other, refusing to let Ed and Wordy fully carry him to the car. "How you doing Sam?" Ed asked as he felt their pace slowing slightly and Sam breathing a bit heavier.
"I'm good. God, I've had concussions before but this...this is so embarrassing." He said as they stood in the elevator and waited to get to the parking garage.
"We've all had those days Sam, seriously, it happens." Ed reassured. Wordy smiled.
"Yeah Sam, you should have been here on this one call where Ed-"
"That's enough Wordy we don't want to stress him." Sam knew that Ed had interrupted a really embarrassing story and made a mental note to ask Wordy for details later. They practically dragged him the last few yards towards the car and Wordy helped him into the passenger's seat and buckled him in.
"Ed, want me to come?" Wordy asked seriously.
"Nah, I think we'll be fine. Thanks Wordy." Ed said as he looked over at Sam, slumped in the seat, his head in his hands. Wordy closed the door gently and stood by the door of the parking garage waiting for them to leave. "Alright Sam, nice and smooth. Just keep talking to me buddy." Ed said as they pulled out of the garage and headed towards the hospital where SRU officers had practically become a fixture in the waiting room.
That's kind of odd. If you've read my "Nothing's Broken" story, I started off with a very similar trip to the hospital scene...hmm...wonder what that means...well I guess I'll see how this one goes, don't worry though, it'll develop differently than my Spike story, I've already got the future chapters in my head, begging to be written, but alas, it's 1 AM and my 9 AM class will inevitably be hellish even with a full nights sleep. This will have to do until tomorrow afternoon/evening; once I get myself into the story the pace will pick up again. Thanks for reading (and reviewing...hint hint...)