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POI
Reese reached down under the covers and found Finch's arm and then his wrist. He felt for a pulse, and it was still beating very hard and fast. Sweat rolled off Finch's face. Reese turned and walked back into the bathroom and grabbed a wash cloth. He wet it down, wringing it out he turned and walked back to where Finch lay. Very carefully and gently Reese wiped Finch's forehead and the side of his face. He saw that Finch was beginning to breathe normally and the muscles that had looked like cords in his neck were now back to looking ordinary.
Reese straightened and looked at Finch. He looked exhausted. Reese also knew what the Carbnazepine could do. This was a very powerful drug. Finch would sleep for awhile. Reese again reached under the covers, found Finch's wrist and his fingers finding a strong steady pulse.
Reese walked out of Finch's room and headed past the computer desk grabbing his paper cup he went to the kitchen. He started a pot of coffee. Then he put water on to boil for tea. He got the tea pot that Finch used to steep his loose leaf tea in. He found the tea ball next to the can of loose leaf tea, opened the ball and spooned tea into it. Twisting the cap back on the ball he set it to the side. He turned and walked back out of the kitchen and back to Finch's room, checking on him. He was lying quietly, slack jawed.
Reese stepped closer to him, looking at his face. There was a small sheen of sweat on Harold's forehead and upper lip. Reese took the washcloth and again as gently as he could he wiped the sweat away. When satisfied he turned and headed back to the kitchen area, hearing the whistling of boiling water.
Walking into the kitchen, he saw that his coffee was ready also. He walked to the whistling kettle and removed it from the stove. Moving to the tea pot, he poured boiling water into the pot and let it sit for a couple minutes, heating the pot. He poured that water out of the tea pot into the sink. Putting the tea ball into the tea pot, he poured the still boiling water from the kettle into the pot.
Taking his time he fixed himself another cup of coffee from the fresh pot and then went over and poured a cup of tea for Finch. He added one teaspoon of sugar to the tea. Taking both cups he walked back toward Finch's room. He saw that the lines around Harold's eyes had softened. Setting the tea down, he walked out and went to the desk. He drank a couple sips from the coffee and set it down on the desk, then turned and walked back into Finch's room
He walked to the edge of the bed and looked down at the sleeping man. "Finch…You need to wake up and talk to me…" His voice was soft and even. There was no response. "Mr. Finch you need wake up." Still no response, worry edged into Reese green eyes. Reaching down he gently touched Finch on the shoulder. "Finch…Wake up…" There was no response, not even a fluttering of his eyes. "Finch!" Reese reached down and pulled the comforters down away from Finch's body. He grabbed Harold by both shoulders, carefully trying not too jar him to hard. When he got no response he let go of Harold's shoulder and patted him on the side of the face. "Harold, wake up…" Fear was gripping at his stomach. Finch's eyes finally opened. He looked around, confusion on his face.
A huge sigh escaped from Reese. He rolled his eyes. "Finch...it's me Reese…wake up….I need you to wake up…come on…" He saw Finch's eyes blink, saw them try and focus. He had been afraid the Carbnazepine would do this. Reese kept gently slapping at his cheeks, he wanted him awake.
"What…What are you doing?" Finch tried to slap Reese's hands away. An incensed look crossed his face followed by anger.
Reese dodged them easily. "Finch you need to wake up fully…I don't want to take a chance and have you die on me…Come on wakie… wakie…" The smile went into his eyes as he saw Harold's coordination start to sharpen. He had to be quicker and quicker to avoid Finch slapping away his hands.
"Mr. Reese…please…" Harold's angry voice stopped the assault.
John stood up straight and took a couple steps back from the bed. The befuddled look on Finch's face and the anger in his eyes, made John smile slightly. Reese moved sideways watching Finch track him with his eyes, he knew it was difficult for him to turn his head. "Ok Finch, now that I have your attention…" He saw Finch's eyes narrow with anger, which was ok, anger was good. He knew a lot of it was the drug, but Finch was moving, even though stiffly, he was becoming more alert.
Finch looked around the room. He saw he was lying in bed. He remembered being at the computer. He looked at Reese, a little lost. "What are you doing, leave me alone Mr. Reese…"
"Well…Harold…It's not often I come in here and see you flat out on the floor, twisted like a pretzel." He reached toward the bedside table and took the cup of tea, seeing Finch pull the covers the rest of the way off and slowly move into a sitting position with his feet on the side of the bed. 'What's going on Finch?" He saw that look, that look that was usually followed by 'I am a very private man'. It didn't come. He waited until Finch was situated on the side of the bed then offered him the tea. "I brought donuts…you should eat something with the Carbnazepine." He saw Finch automatically take the cup offered him and Reese turned and went and got the box. He had the lid flipped back before he offered the box to Finch.
"Thank you but-."
"Finch eat one, even a few bites will help." He saw those eyes look up at him. The Carbnazepine could make a person very short tempered, even violent. He watch as a range of emotions crossed Finch's face, but in the end, his hand reached out and he took a small pastry. He set the box on the bedside table and studied Finch's face for a moment. "Good, now what happened…what's going on?" He watched as Finch chewed the bite he had taken out of the little puff pastry. He watched Finch's eyes. There were sometimes a grayish blue, with a touch of hazel, right now they were a dark bluish grey. He let a sigh escape and he instantly regretted it. Finch knew he was frustrating him. He saw the very minute change in his facial features "Ok…Let me ask this…?" He watched as Finch quit chewing and looked up at him. Reese silenced the frustration that wanted to show. He put the game face on. "Are you going to be alright?"
Finch knew that Reese was worried about him. If it had been the other way around Finch would have been worried. "Yes Mr. Reese…It has been a very long time since I had one of these… episodes. I-."
Reese saw Finch hesitate, he had been about to reveal something. The smirk touched the corner of Reese's lip. "Ok Finch, drink your tea. Finish the pastry, we can talk later…stay awake…I don't want you going back to sleep…" He turned on his heal and walked out of the bed room. "I'll check out the next Number."
Reese didn't wait for a reply. He walked over to the printer, gathered the readout and his paper cup of coffee and went back to the kitchen for a refill. Setting the papers down on the little drain board, he took the coffee pot and started to pour coffee into the paper cup. It looked pitiful. He threw it away and got his dark blue cup down and poured fresh coffee into it. He took a long moment. His eyes focused in on the steam curling from his cup, listening for Finch. Hearing nothing he turned his attention to the printouts. He headed back for the computer room and the swivel chair, sipping the coffee. He sat down reading the stats on their new Number; name, age, work, not working. He set the cup down, shifted the paper and looked at the second page, a picture of the woman.
Reese stood up like he had been shot out of the chair. He knew this woman…This picture was a glamour shot. Her auburn colored hair was nicely styled, framing a smiling face, hazel colored eyes…make-up, lighting…It was her it was Joan from the streets. Joan, who had taken him under her wing, protected him. She taught him how to live on the streets. Where to go for a safe hand out, where to go to sleep safely, where to go to avoid the police…
The last time he had seen Joan was in the warehouse when they were picking up brass shell casings, "good money" She had said she wasn't sure what he had been into before they met and she didn't know what he was doing now, but he knew how to keep things interesting…They had both laughed. John had thanked her for taking care of him when he was on the streets and she had wanted to know who was taking care of him now "Someone new." He looked over his shoulder as Finch slowly came into the room.
"Finch I know this Number…I know Joan." There was concern in his voice. He moved away from the swivel chair as Finch made his way toward the desk. He watched Finch move with trepidation on his face. He couldn't leave Finch in this condition, but he had to go find Joan..
Finch felt as if every muscle had been pushed to its limit. He felt like he was walking in deep sand, his muscles were that tired. He made the desk and instantly set the tea cup down, it felt like it weighed a ton. Finch sat down in the chair carefully. He stared at the computer screens blankly.
"Harold...?" Reese gently laid a hand on his shoulder, suddenly emotion swelled up in his throat, he swallowed it back down. "Are you all right?" his lips barely moved, tenderness shifted through his eyes.
Finch blinked, almost like coming out of a trance. Reaching up he touched his glasses, making a slight sideways eye contact with Reese. "Yes John, I will be alright." He slowly put his hands to the keyboard and typed a couple things. "I…I couldn't find an address for her."
Reese straightened and stepped slightly in front of Finch so he didn't have to twist or turn to look at him. "I know where to find her."
Finch looked up at Reese, seeing the worry in his eyes. "Then go find her." He looked back to the computer screen.
"Finch I-."
"Go Mr. Reese…I will be fine now…" He saw Reese's jaw muscles flex. He took a deep breath and stilled his hands on the keyboard. "I will explain later…but right now we need to find Joan Freeman…"
Reese turned and headed out.
POI