If you're wondering where the title came from, it is what Gus says at the end of the Musical when they are presenting Z with the story idea.
Anyway, continuing on...If I make any mistakes pertaining to what transpired before the hanging scene in the episode, that's my bad. Just consider it a slight AU then ;)
Disclaimer: Don't own em, just using em
PSYCH~PSYCH~PSYCH
Henry Spencer liked to think of himself as a patient man. Heck, he lived with Shawn for seventeen years and is now the kid's boss. He always tried to look at situations with a calm, observant demeanor but Shawn always found a way to test him. Working with a psychopath that tried to kill his mother and himself? Henry could not believe his son at the moment. The case had taken a turn for the worst as Yang escaped and left them with more questions than answers. He only hoped his son could clean up his mess before things got any worse or anyone else got hurt.
He resigned himself to attempting to relax in his own home. He had some projects that needed to be done and despite the current case, it was the liaison's day off. However, he had a nagging feeling in his gut that would not let him get anything done, especially after his son left with Gus following Henry's slight blowup at him. Despite disapproving of Shawn's current method and arguing with him, he was only filled with dread over the possibilities and repercussions of working with such a dangerous person. In other words, he wasn't angry at Shawn; he was concerned for his son's safety. He considered calling the Chief to ask if he could help in any way and even pulled out his phone to dial. Before he could press any buttons, his phone rang and a familiar name flashed on the device. The nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach returned.
Henry answered hesitantly. "Gus?"
A pause. "Mr. Spencer. It's Gus."
"Yes, I know it's you. That's why I said your name." Henry rolled his eyes but the rigidness in his posture remained. Gus's tone was tight and strained.
"Shawn and I were at the old theatre and found Yang. Um...something happened."
Just mentioning that Shawn was in the same room as an escaped Yang caused Henry's legs to feel weak. He leaned on the kitchen counter before continuing.
"What did she do? What happened?" He attempted to remain calm but his voice was increasing in volume and worry.
"Yang didn't hurt Shawn. She...she um..."
"What did she do?!" Henry all but yelled.
"She saved him!"
"What are you talking about? Tell me everything that happened. Saved him from what? Is Shawn okay?" Henry placed the palm of his hand over his forehead. What the hell did the kid get himself into now?
"We were followed. I was in another room but I heard Shawn yell and when I came out, he was hanging from a rope. Yang was fighting with his assailant and the guy was holding the rope that was holding Shawn. When he jumped over the edge of the building prop, it pulled Shawn up over twenty feet. Shawn got his hands underneath the rope and was struggling as I made my way down but it wasn't enough."
"What?! How was he hanging? Is he okay?" Henry was aware he still didn't know the condition of his son and the fact that Gus was the one telling him could only mean one thing. This is not good.
"The rope was...around his neck. It was probably over thirty seconds he was up there. I think he...he passed out and Yang cut the rope and he...he fell that twenty feet. I got to him and called 911. He was barely breathing and they rushed him to Cottage Hospital. You need to come over here, please." Gus said, obviously breathless. Henry felt a pang of sympathy that Gus had to deal with this situation alone. The worry for his son ratcheted up to extreme levels as he swiped his keys off the counter and headed out the door.
"I'll be there in less than ten minutes. Call me if anything happens before then." Henry said before disconnecting.
Henry was well aware of the dangers of strangulation, even for a short period of time. As an officer, he dealt with several domestic violence cases and he soon found that the trauma of being strangled, or in this case, hanged, could be deadly even weeks later. There were so many complications that could arise due to the pressure on the arteries and veins and the lack of blood flow to the brain. Henry couldn't bear to think of his son being subjected to any of that.
"He fell that twenty feet."
You never do things halfway do you, Shawn? Henry realized that the hanging could be the least of their worries if Shawn really did fall that great of a distance. Internal injuries, broken bones, head trauma...all were very real possibilities that could jeopardize Shawn's chances of survival. Henry attempted to dispel the negative thoughts as he made his way to the hospital. None of those thoughts would help his son right now. He just hoped that those in charge of helping him were doing everything in their power to put him back together.
PSYCH~PSYCH~PSYCH
Dr. Lauren Hansen was the youngest child of five siblings. Her four older brothers never regarded her as a younger sister, instead, she was fair game as one of them. Despite being roughed up from time to time and being at a disadvantage because of her age and size, she soon found that growing up underneath them molded her into who she is today. When each brother, year after year, enlisted in the military, she found herself doing the same thing the second she graduated high school. She was never sure what she wanted to do once in the military, but within weeks she found her passion as a medic. She completed two tours in Afghanistan as a field medic and anytime she wasn't outside saving her comrades' lives, she was studying anything she could get her hands on about medicine, surgeons, and what it takes to become a professional doctor. After completing her tours, she attended medical school to pursue her passion as a trauma surgeon. She was born to save lives.
It was safe to say she had seen her share of terror and heartbreak overseas. She knew it hardened her and every time she was faced with a new challenge, she never once doubted her abilities. So, when her newest trauma victim was rushed into the E.R., Dr. Hansen was calm, cool, and collected. Years of training and working under intense pressure made her this way. She was a professional in every sense of the word. But after taking one glance at her patient, this unflappable woman had to catch herself in a moment of weakness.
Mickey.
She stared down at the man on the backboard which was still placed on top of the gurney. They were preparing to transfer him in 3, 2, 1...
It's not him. Focus Hansen.
Within seconds, her reverie was broken and replaced with sheer determination. She spoke to the head paramedic without glancing at him, all of her focus was on her patient, whose health appeared to be rapidly diminishing. "Report."
The head paramedic spoke up. "Hanging, approximately forty seconds and then he was dropped about twenty feet. When we arrived we had to intubate. BP and heart rate were low and decreasing. We had two IVs placed in him. Once in the bus, he crashed once. We defibrillated and got him back on the first try. His BP is holding at 90/60 and pulse remains weak and slow. His friend said he thinks he regained consciousness once for a brief period."
"Thank you." Hansen stated while grabbing her penlight. She lifted her patient's right eyelid, immediately noticing the red spots that covered the whites of his eye. She repeated the process with the left. "Pupil response sluggish, petechial hemorrhage present in both eyes." She nodded to the paramedic manually pumping air into her patient as a hospital nurse joined and then took over. Hansen knew she couldn't examine her patient's neck without being certain there were no spinal injuries.
"I need X-ray in here stat. C-spine, chest, and head. Any other injuries to report?"
"Multiple contusions throughout his right side and back. Possible right ankle fracture."
"X-ray get a film of that ankle and the rest of that leg to be safe."
She looked at her patient as the X-ray unit invaded the space. In a few minutes, she'd know exactly what she was dealing with so she could repair the damage. She was not going to let what happened to Mickey happen to the prone man just a few feet away from her. The resemblance between the two of them was striking. She was lost in her thoughts when the technician interrupted her and placed the film in the lightbox. She studied the film carefully, counting each vertebra individually twice, not believing that the man did not have a single break or fracture present in them. She was happy to note that there was no skull fracture present but based on his pupil dilation, it was certain he had a mild, if not severe, concussion. She felt her heart sink when she viewed the chest X-ray. It was evident his lungs were already beginning to fill with fluid, which is one of the many complications with a case such as a hanging. She needed to get his lungs cleared and trachea healed so the poor man could breathe again. Lastly, she looked at the right leg X-ray, inwardly wincing when she saw the clear ankle break. Once set, it would heal with time. However, she saw that her patient's femur was also broken and would require surgery. All of his weight must have landed on that right leg. She noted it was a miracle his knee appeared to avoid damage. Further tests would confirm her theory.
She approached her patient once again and carefully removed the padded collar, exposing the abused skin beneath it. The skin on his neck was terribly swollen, raw, and bruised. Gently, she felt along his trachea beneath his skin, noting the irregularities where the bruising was most severe. Knowing everything she needed to start her repairs on her patient, she looked up at the various nurses and doctors surrounding them. "Okay, OR room 2 stat, full team. Get penicillin pumping through one of his IVs. I'm not going to let his lungs develop pneumonitis if I can help it. Get him prepped and meet me there ASAP." She ordered her team before going to prep herself for surgery.
Within minutes, she was ready to begin saving her patient, who was now facing her on the operating table.
"Do we have an ID of our patient?" She asked, taking in the man's features. If it were a different situation, she'd note how he was actually quite handsome. Despite all he had been through, his hair looked like it had been styled less than an hour ago. She'd remember to ask him about it once he was awake.
"His name is Shawn Spencer. Age 35."
"Alright then, Shawn. Let's do this." With a look of unconquerable determination, she began her operation.
PSYCH~PSYCH~PSYCH
Two hours had passed by the time Henry arrived until now. He sat next to his son's best friend, whose knee continued to bounce up and down for the entirety of their wait. Henry truly felt bad for Gus, but his own worry for his son's wellbeing got in the way of his ability to empathize at the moment. The silence was killing him, so he spoke up, startling the man next to him.
"Have you contacted the station?"
Gus continued to stare at the tiles beneath his feet. "Yes, I called the Chief. Lassiter and Juliet were out in the field chasing down leads on Z." He took a breath. "I was able to speak to Juliet while Lassiter was driving them to their next location. She sounded scared."
"No surprise there." Henry replied flatly.
"She wants to be here but they are in the middle of the investigation. I told her I'd call as soon as we have news."
"Yeah, whenever that will be." Henry said, obviously irritated at the hospital's lack of care when it came to updating him on his son. But, as soon as the words left his mouth the doors swung open, revealing a surgeon still wearing scrubs and a mask. The surgeon approached them and removed the mask. Henry immediately noticed the way she carried herself as well as her steely expression. "Shawn Spencer?" She asked calmly.
Henry and Gus nodded simultaneously. "I'm Dr. Hansen and I took care of Shawn. Please, come with me."
They followed her to a side room, obviously a room reserved for giving families news about their loved ones, both good and bad. Henry prayed to every god that they would be receiving the former. "How is he?" Henry asked in his typical gruff tone. Hidden beneath the surface, however, was the tone of a father worried about his only son.
"He's stable, for now." Both Henry and Gus were relieved by the first statement but tensed at the "for now" addition. "He arrived here unable to breathe on his own due to a crushed trachea. That was our first priority in surgery. Although somewhat uncommon, I placed a stent inside his trachea. This will keep the airway open while his body heals and I didn't want to take any chances with the swelling that will increase over the next forty-eight hours." She looked up to make sure they were following her. "He also has a serious concussion, but I was relieved to find no skull fracture or any damage to his spine. However, he broke his ankle and femur." Gus's hand flew to his chest in shock. Henry closed his eyes and shook his head in sadness. A broken femur was rare, extremely painful, and could become complicated. "I repaired his femur surgically. His ankle was a clean break and was set and casted. Both of the breaks could have been much worse. Right now, my main concern is the fluid in his lungs. I have him on penicillin to flush out any possible infection but the next twenty-four hours are crucial. We are also monitoring him for any signs of blood clots, which is a possible complication of his situation. Also, his vitals crashed on the way here and the paramedics had to defibrillate, but once he arrived his vitals leveled off."
"When can we see him?" Henry asked.
"He's being settled in a recovery room in the ICU. You will be able to see him within the hour. I have to warn you, he is currently in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator. It's intimidating to see, but it will help him heal, especially until I am able to remove the stent. They always say that people in comas can hear, so I encourage you to talk to him. In all honesty, that's how I operate. It's something I learned before I came here. Anyway, I need to get cleaned up. I will be in to check on him periodically. A nurse will take you to him when he is ready." Henry and Gus both gave her their thanks before returning to the waiting room. Henry wasn't sure what it was about her, but he liked this doctor a lot. She was no-nonsense, confident, and handled herself well in uncomfortable situations. And that part about talking to her patients while operating? I need to get her full story.
PSYCH~PSYCH~PSYCH
Just as Hansen promised, a nurse came to get them within the hour and led them back to Shawn's room. Due to the "rules" of the ICU, both of them could only stay for around ten minutes. It was getting late in the day and the doctor promised to call if anything changed, which she stated was highly unlikely for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. In the morning he would hopefully be transferred to a regular room and they would be free to stay for as long as the like. Regardless, Henry and Gus both took advantage of the ten minutes to visit Shawn.
Dr. Hansen was right. The amount of machinery hooked up to Shawn was intimidating. But, both put on a brave face and approached the bed. Shawn looked terrible, for lack of a better description, but it was true. He did not look like the whimsical, vibrant Shawn they both knew and loved. He looked weak and pale. Henry wanted nothing more than to scoop his boy up and take him home. But unfortunately, this wasn't Little League baseball when Shawn scraped his knee sliding into second, and it would take more than a band-aid and a kiss from his mom to fix it. This was serious.
Gus shook his head at his best friend. He flashed back to visiting Shawn after he had been shot. But this was different. Back then, Shawn was awake and joking with him and now, he was still and unconscious. He wanted to tell him to suck it up and stop messing around, but one look at the shell housing his best friend told him this wasn't a joke. It was more than real.
They both spoke to Shawn for the short time they could visit. At first, it felt awkward, but it quickly became more natural. After feeling helpless for so long, they were thankful for the opportunity to do something that might be able to help Shawn. Of course, Shawn didn't respond. Gus managed to note that this was the longest he's never been interrupted by his friend. That earned a small smile from Henry behind his heartbroken demeanor. He placed a hand on Gus's shoulder in silent thanks. Gus stepped out soon after to give him a minute alone with his son.
Henry stroked Shawn's hair, careful to avoid the convoluted wires and tubes snaking out from various parts of his body. "Sorry I yelled, kid. I know deep down you know I only act that way because I worry about you. And look where that got me..." He took Shawn's hand in his own. "Shawn, you need to be okay. Not just for me, but for Gus, and Juliet, and your mom, heck, even Lassiter and the Chief. It's been less than a day and it's already way too quiet without you, son. I'm sorry I can't stay but I will be back first thing in the morning." Henry sighed and stood up, placing Shawn's hand against his side again. Henry leaned down and kissed Shawn gently on the head. "Love you, kid." He turned away as he felt a rogue tear escape his eye and fall from his cheek.
PSYCH~PSYCH~PSYCH
This story is kind of taking on a life of its own. I think Dr. Hansen is kickass, I hope you enjoyed her character buildup? Maybe? She will get Shawn healed up for us. Reviews will help her do that!
Really, let me know what you think. This tag to an episode has grown a bit more than I expected but oh well! I have some other story ideas brewing but this is keeping me occupied for now.