James awoke to a curling pain in his stomach. He was drenched in sweat and shaking like a leaf. The sunlight was streaming through the windows, telling him it was at least nine o'clock. He shifted, trying to get the pain to be more comfortable. Opening his shirt, he gives a low whistle at the bruise on his side. He frowned at it, he was sure it had gotten bigger. He looks up as Lewis comes into the room with a cup of tea. He doesn't miss the look on Lewis' face.
"That bad is it?"
"James don't piss about. You can see its getting worse, hell you can feel it man."
"S'fine. Only hurts when I move." He smirks, "and a bit when I don't"
"Its not funny man. You look terrible."
"Then I feel about as good as I look."
"Let me take you to hospital Hathaway, come on before they end up carting you there in a black rubber suit" James nodded, all the humour gone from his face. If his stomach wasn't hurting so much, his fear would have fought against the decision.
"Ok. Let me get dressed first."Lewis nodded and left the room. He suppressed a groan as pain rippled across his abdomen. Getting up of the bed, he realised just how shaky he was. His shirt clung to him, damp with sweat. He took a few shaky steps forward, pain lancing through his side, spots dancing over his vision. Fear or no fear, he sees that he should have let Lewis call him an ambulance before they even left the asylum. That bruise is spreading, his throat is still not getting better. He feels sick, and waves of heat fall over his body. He hears Lewis coming back up the stairs and hurriedly starts to get ready. He doesn't recognise the signs until its too late and the last thing he hears is his own pain filled groan as he succumbs to unconsciousness.
.
Lewis climbed the stairs, frowning as he realised that there was no noise from his bedroom. Looking towards the room, he started as he saw James' shoulder on the floor through the gap in the door. Running up the last few steps, he ran over to James' and turned him over.
"Stupid boy. You was never fine were you?" he mumbled to himself, noting the grey colour of James' face and the sickly sheen on his skin.
"Hardly think I'm stupid sir. Graduate Entry remember?" Hathaway's voice was little more than a whisper but the dry wit in his voice was still audible.
"Ye still a bloody idiot." He gave his sergeant a considering look. "Can ye sit up man?"
"Think so." Lewis eased James so he was sitting against the bed. Lewis sat next to him, making sure he was comfortable.
"You know, this would be a prime opportunity to say I told you so. Should have listened to me."
"Yeah. Ok. You win. Anyway I knew I should have gone to hospital, I just didn't want to. Couldn't face another hospital, not after...you know."
"Aye. Still, I've got at least 20 years on you. I've seen...well a lot of shit. Next time, you listen t'me anyway."
"Not all that keen on there being a next time sir." He smirked slightly. "And its more like 30 sir"
"Eh?"
"Thirty years sir. That you've got on me." He shifted slightly. "I think I can go now." Lewis looked at him incredulously.
"Nah way. I'm calling an ambulance. You'd never make it to the car man." James nodded. He couldn't help agreeing, he felt like he could sleep for a week. Actually, that didn't sound like a bad idea.
Lewis started as James' head dropped onto his shoulder. He would have thought it was kind of sweet if he wasn't so worried about the state the younger man was in. Calling the ambulance, he tried to prop James up against the bed again, taking care not to touch his ribs.
"Police, ambulance or fire sir?"
"Ambulance." he gave his address.
"What is the nature of the emergency sir?"
"My sergeant has taken a beating, collapsed at home."
"Ok sir. The ambulance is on its way."
Lewis turned back to his sleeping sergeant. The sheen on his face had got worse and he'd lost all colour. If anything happened to him, Robbie would never forgive himself.
There was a loud knock on the door and Lewis hurried downstairs to let the paramedics in. He showed them upstairs to where James was still propped up against the bed. They worked quickly, one of them tending to James and one asking Lewis questions.
"What happened here then mate?"
"He got beaten up on the job yesterday. Point blank refused to go to hospital."
"You should have made him go. It looks like he's been bleeding internally for the last 36 hours. He's bloody lucky he wasn't on his own."
"Aye well I wouldn't let him go home."
"Well he owes you for that."
"Yeah, he owes me for this and all" Lewis said sadly as he watched the paramedics putting the listless James on a stretcher.
"Don't be too hard on yourself fella. You did what you thought was best at the time. He won't hold it against you."
"That makes it worse."
.
Lewis sighed. His emotions had come full circle in the last 36 hours. Concern, relief, guilt and now concern again. He had told Innocent what had happened and she agreed to give him the next morning off to get a good sleep. He knew that he wouldn't sleep until he heard some news though. He thought she secretly knew the same thing. A doctor bustled down the corridor towards him and he stood up, anxious for any news.
"How is he doctor?"
"Well its hard to say inspector. He's lost a lot of blood. He has two broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. It was only a small cut so we've been able to repair it but it has been gradually leaking blood for a while. Did he receive a blow to the stomach?" Lewis nodded.
"At least one doctor. Yesterday evening."
"That is a common cause. He is also very lucky" Lewis snorted, the doctor scowled his disapproval. "No really, he is. Those broken ribs could have penetrated his lungs at any moment. The results would have been fatal. Those were the most pressing injuries, they others seem to be superficial. They will cause him pain for a while but there will be no lasting damage. He's not out of the woods yet though, not by a long shot. He really should have been in hospital straight away."
"He wouldn't go. Its a long story doctor, but believe me I tried."
"So how come he's here now?"
"He changed his mind. And then went and collapsed before he could do anything about it."
"I see. Well Inspector Lewis, it seems you both risked and saved his life." Lewis hung his head.
"Aye, I know. Can I see him doctor?"
"Yes. He's been dosed up with painkillers so if he wakes, he will probably be incoherent and confused."
"Ok."
.
Lewis entered James' room with trepidation. He had good cause to. If James had looked bad in before, he looked terrible now. He was still pale but this was emphasised by the light hospital sheets and gown that surrounded his sergeant. All of his injuries stood out much more in the white hospital light. The machines surrounding his bed beeped and whirred, showing his vital statistics. The IV bags, one containing blood, one containing painkillers and nutrients snaked down to his friends arm and gave him the life giving liquid. He couldn't get over how ill his sergeant looked. The young man looked like he'd been in the hospital for months being treated for something horrible. Lewis dragged a chair over to his young charge's bedside and settled down for the wait. He wasn't going to leave until the man opened his eyes.