She was aware of a bright light and lots of noise around her but Jaime had no idea where she was or what had happened.
"She's waking" someone shouted.
"Open your eyes Jaimie"
She tried but then she felt the headache from hell. Then she remembered the shooting, Ricky Stanton (her partner) had pushed her out of the way and her head cracked against something a wall maybe then it all went dark.
She was in a hospital. "Where's Addison?"
"She's coming we've paged her" they knew she would want her girlfriend there, so someone had the foresight to page her and also they didn't want the wrath of Addison if she hadn't been paged.
"Can you open your eyes" the nurse enquired.
"No it hurts. How's Ricky" Jaimie asked
"I don't know they're dealing with him in another room."
"I need to see Ricky." She started to move but everything ached and her head. And something felt weird on her cheek. She put her hand up to her face and felt congealed blood.
"Jaimie leave it alone you have a cut that needs dealing with" the nurse reprimanded.
"What's happened?"
At this point Sergeant Rachel Shelton entered the ER. "It's alright Jaimie you were involved in a shooting, the gunman was aiming at you and Ricky pushed you out of the way. You hit your head on a wall and your cheek got cut on something sharp"
She vaguely remembered. "OK. Did we catch the shooter?"
"Yes he's been dealt with" Jaimie guessed what that meant someone else had taken him out. "How's Ricky?
"He took a bullet. Only in the shoulder and it was a through and through so not too much damage"
"I need to go and see him." She tried again to get up but that headache was immense.
"Hey not so fast. You need some medical attention yourself. And Addison won't be best pleased if the ER staff let you leave before you've been seen to" Rachel reasoned.
"I hear my name" There she was in all her glory. Jaimie's beautiful stunning girlfriend Addison Forbes Montgomery.
"So what have you been up to?" Addison tried to keep it light because to be honest as beautiful as her girlfriend was, at present she had a dirty face, a nasty looking wound to her cheek which had dried but looked like it would need stitching, she looked as pale as anything and she could see a big bandage on the side of her head with dried blood on it.
"Ha I'm not sure, Rachel knows, but all I can say is my head feels like nothing on this earth"
Rachel took Addison to one side and explained what had happened.
"Addi can we go home now" Jaimie pleaded.
"Darling you're hurt they need to do some tests and you may need a couple of stitches in your cheek at least" She didn't like to mention that she would probably have to stay in overnight she knew Jaimie wouldn't like that. And a few days off work would upset her as well but at least that subject could be braced later.
"Can you at least give me something for this headache and will you do the stitches." Rachel asked hopefully.
"I'll check with the nurses"
"Check with the nurses you're a surgeon for Gods sake Addi can't you just give me something" Jaimie shouted, which she instantly regretted as it made her head hurt more. She was in pain and irritated with the whole situation
Addison knew she was in a great deal of pain now, she hardly ever shouted at her.
"Look darling I'll be as quick as possible. I know you're in pain." She came over and placed her hand on Jaimies forehead and stroked it gently and kissed her.
"I'm sorry Ads I just want to go home. I'm sure you can look after me and yes my head is killing me" Jaimie said miserably
At that Addison went off to find a nurse. She returned a few minutes later.
"OK I'm going to prescribe you some slightly stronger painkillers. Derek's going to come down and do a CT scan on your head and I'll get Mark to look at your cheek."
"Oh can't you do the stitching?"
"I could but I think you'll be better if I don't do it and Mark is the expert. Now I'll get you those painkillers then you need to rest"
On Addison's return Jaimie was nearly asleep. So Addison just sat by her and stroked her head and within minutes she was asleep. She wished that the rest of this journey would be that easy but she knew that Jaimie would be a difficult patient and made worse by the fact that Addison was a Dr and she would expect great things from her. Not that she was unwilling to give Jaimie the world she was so in love with her but medical miracles were a bit more difficult and getting her to have the rest she would need from this would be almost impossible.
3 hours later after several tests had been done it was decided that Jaimie was suffering from concussion for which a night in hospital for monitoring would suffice and a follow up visit. She wasn't happy with this arguing with Addison that surely she could be monitored at home by her. But as Addison gently explained to her it would mean she had to stay awake all night and if something should happen she really needed to be in hospital after a little more resistance Jaimie agreed to stay in hospital.
Once Mark had looked at the cut he said it needed a couple of stitches which he was happy to do. It would need to be anaesthetised which would require a needle in the cut. Jaimie was terrified and once he'd gone said to Addison
"Do I really need stitches surely it will heal on its own"
"Well it probably would but would leave you with an unsightly scar and Marks brilliant it will hardly show at all"
"But it's an injection in the cut. It's going to hurt" she was starting to get hysterical.
"Where's my rufty tufty police officer gone?"
"I don't want it" she said petulantly.
Addison was beginning to lose patience. "Now don't be ridiculous you don't want an unsightly scar on your face. Marks the best. You need it done"
Jaimie was still reluctant but she knew better than to start arguing with Addison when she got into her surgeon authoritarian manner. She loved it but not necessarily when directed towards her.
"Ok" she reluctantly agreed "but you must be there"
"Of course I will to hold your hand you big softy" Although she was beginning to lose patience with Jaimie she knew it would hurt so tried to remain light about it. It would only be fleeting pain but even so she didn't want Jaimie to be in pain and she could see she was frightened. She took her hand and lightly kissed it. "It will be fine darling I'll be here right by your side all the time."
Jaimie wasn't convinced but knew there was no getting out of this so scowled at Addison but made no further comment.
Addison then went to find Mark the sooner he did it the sooner Jaimie could relax and settle down. She knew she would be on edge until then. He was free so agreed to come down.
Jaimie's face had pure horror written on it when she saw Addison return with Mark. He saw it too.
"Ok beautiful lets restore your gorgeous looks" he said in his cavalier attitude.
Jaimie wanted to protest she didn't want it now, she knew it would hurt but she also knew there was no further arguing with Addison and also deep down she had to have it done. She didn't really want a bad scar on her face so had no choice. Addison came to her side and held her hand whispering words of encouragement to her. Jaimie mumbled to her "I still don't want it"
Mark then said he would give her a couple of small injections in the cut and surrounding it, wait for that to numb then do the stitching. Jaimie just nodded.
When the first injection went in Jaimie squeezed Addison's hand really hard, winced and Addison could see a small tear roll down her cheek. She was proud of her that must have hurt she was normally tough and didn't let people see her emotions very often apart from Addison. She stroked her forehead and gave her a reassuring smile.
A few moments later Mark had finished. Jaimie looked done in. It had been a hard day for her and apart from all her own injuries she had been worried about Ricky. Thankfully his surgery had gone well and he was recovering on the ward.
Addison told Jaimie that she was going to leave her to sleep now and as she started to remonstrate said she would be straight back at 8 in the morning. This seemed to placate her and anyway with the painkillers she was on and her general tiredness she was almost asleep before Addison kissed her goodnight tucked her in whispered, "Sleep well darling" and left.