not too sure how well this gelled but i'm sure you'll let me know! Enjoy!
"Toni! Toni!" called Linda as she went after her. "Wait!"
"What's happening?" asked Frank as he jumped out of Toni's way and grabbed her arm.
"Let me go, Frank. I want out of here!" demanded Toni as she fought back tears. Frank let go of her arm and watched her go before turning to Linda.
"Sydney. She was... Jamie and Sydney were...Kissing," shrugged Linda as she tried to explain.
"Ah!" exclaimed Frank as he took Linda by the shoulders and walked back to Jamie's room.
"Dad!" started Jamie. Frank held up his hand to silence him. "Please, i wanna explain..." he tried to speak.
"I'm not the one who needs to hear the explanation," sighed Frank, and then turned to Sydney, "I think you should leave now, Miss Davenport." Sydney wanted to scream back at him but she fixed her understanding look onto her face, gathered her things and looked to Jamie.
"Can i call you?" she asked coyly.
"No, i don't think that would be a good idea right now," suggested Frank as he held the door for Sydney to leave. She looked from Jamie to Frank and then to Linda, who was ready to hit out.
"What were you thinking, Jamie?" hissed Linda as she went to check his vitals.
"Don't, Lin. Just don't!" groaned Jamie as he tried to turn away from his sister-in-law but was met by his father's glare. "I don't need a lecture from you either!"
Frank and Linda exchanged resigned looks; they both knew Jamie was already suffering for his actions.
Toni was outside the hospital by the main entrance trying to gather herself together to face Jamie again when she saw Sydney exiting the building on her phone. Sydney hadn't seen her so she made her way towards the woman as stealthily as she could. Soon she was close enough to speak to Sydney and made to put her hand out to turn the woman to face her when she heard her talking.
"Listen, i'm going to need a distraction. I'm not going to get back in easily. Not with his father on watch. Listen, Cruz! You're job was to get him fired up not hospitalized again. She's your problem. You want the nurse, i want Jamie. The doctor was collateral damage..."
Toni couldn't believe what she was hearing but knew she had to act fast and get away sharp and without being noticed. She stepped away as quietly as she approached Sydney and took out her phone and dialled. Before the call was connected she heard her name being called.
"Toni! I'm sorry...I had no idea..." smiled Sydney, although it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"For what? It's not as though we're engaged or anything. I guess i misunderstood my position..." trailed Toni, trying to avoid Sydney's stare.
"I made a mistake leaving like i did. I still love him..." shrugged Sydney, as she tried to convince Toni she was in the wrong. Toni knew that this woman was dangerous and she had to play along if only to save Jamie.
"Why now? What changed?" asked Toni, as she fought back her tears of hurt and anger. Sydney smiled to herself. "Why bring up the past? He was moving on..." added Toni as she watched this evil bitch carefully.
"Listen, this is the real world. Jamie still loves me and i love him. You cannot walk in and expect him to fall at your feet. You don't know him like i do?" she sneered back.
"I think i know him better than you think i do. I grew up with him. I knew him before you did. I know how he thinks and how he responds to being lied to and manipulated," said Toni, trying not to scream at her. Sydney was enjoying herself. This was going to be easier than she thought.
"I think the hospital administrator would be interested in hearing about how one of their nurses took advantage of a patient in his weakened state and manipulated her way into his affections. Preying on his vulnerabilities," mocked Sydney as she started to aim for Toni's weak point. Sydney was hoping that Toni would want to save her career rather than fight her for Jamie.
"You really are a bitch, aren't you?" gasped Toni as she took a step back in shock. This woman claimed to still love Jamie but was willing to pull any stunt to get her own way.
"So what's it to be? Your career or nothing at all?" whispered Sydney. Toni turned away and began to leave. "I trust you'll stay clear of Jamie but to make sure, i'll send you a court order!"
Toni kept walking and pulled her phone once more and dialled. "I need to talk to you. I can't go back to the hospital right now. Can i see you at your office? Erin's office then? Ok, I'll be there shortly." Toni stopped for a moment and took a deep breath before looking around and heading off once more.
"Are you sure that's what you heard?" asked Erin as she gave Toni a cup of coffee and went back to her desk.
"You definitely heard her talking to Cruz?" muttered Frank as he sat beside her.
"Yes. Sir, she is threatening me with my job and a court order. She doesn't love him, she wants to control him. I can't have that happen. He's going to be hurt more if she wins. If Cruz thinks i'm going to fall into his arms because Jamie fell for her..." sobbed Toni. "She hurt him and so did Cruz. I want to know why!"
"So do we, Toni." Reassured Erin, as she looked to her father for guidance. Frank was about to speak when his cell vibrated in his breast pocket.
"Dad? Listen, Linda just called me. What was Jamie thinking?" asked Danny, angrily.
"Right now, that's not what i want to discuss. Any luck on finding a link between the doctor and Cruz?" sighed Frank, as he became commissioner.
"Cruz was the reporting officer in a couple of incidents with the good doctor. I checked with the medical board, the doc was under investigation for the misappropriation of hospital drugs. Seems he was known to have a morphine habit. Cruz was part of a check point team when they stopped Marshall and found a large haul of morphine in his sports bag," explained Danny.
"Is there anything to link Cruz to Sydney?" asked Frank, completely throwing Danny off balance. "Seems she's been in contact with this officer and Toni overheard a one-sided conversation between Sydney and Cruz. I need to have her checked out. Erin's going to get a subpoena for Sydney's office and phone records," added frank as he gave his daughter a look.
"Dad. I can't get a warrant just on the basis of an overheard telephone conversation" exclaimed Erin.
"Erin, we need to make sure she's not hiding anything. If she's innocent then we won't find anything..." shrugged Frank.
"She's a lawyer. She's smarter than we've given her credit for" groaned Erin.
"But she doesn't know that i heard the conversation. She doesn't know that i'm here with you. Doesn't that give you the home advantage?" asked Toni.
"She's right. What would give us cause to question Sydney? If however, Erin can get that subpoena for me, i'll get Jackie onto the search," said Danny as he listened on the other end of the line. Erin picked up her office phone and began to pull in her favours.
"Toni, i want you to go to the house and stay there until i call you. It's the best place to be. I don't think your place will be safe. Cruz is supposed to be getting out later today and he may want to try to make a move on you. To be safe, i want you at the house with Pops. Understand?" stated Frank as he looked in Toni's eyes. She nodded in understanding before standing to take her leave. "I'll have my detail take you there."
"He'll be okay, won't he?" pleaded Toni as she took her leave. Frank took her in him arms and embraced the young woman whose heart was breaking into many pieces.
"He'll be fine and so will you. Just be gentle with him when this is over," smiled Frank as she pulled away and went with Detective Baker.
"You think they'll be ok?" sighed Erin as she waited on the line.
"Think they'll be more than ok," smiled Frank as he sat back down and waited for Erin to finish her calls.
Toni did has she was told and went back to the Reagan house and sat with Henry to wait for the outcome. She explained the situation and listened to the elder once he had digested the information.
"He's always been a romantic but i can't quite get my head around Sydney. Here is where you belong; you had Jamie up and about a lot quicker than if he'd stayed in the hospital. You didn't hide or run from Sydney's threats. You took her on board and faced your fears. You've put your own career in the line for Jamie. You're taking a bullet for Jamie, for that he'll always be grateful," stated Henry as he gave her a glass of malt scotch.
"Goes with the job, i guess" grinned Toni as she raised her glass to the older man. As they sat and relaxed a little, someone was already moving close to the house preparing to make a claim.
"Who's that?" asked Henry as he stood to answer the door. Before he could fully open the door, it burst open and Cruz rushed inside. Henry was thrown against the wall and hit the back of his head before sliding down the wall unconsious.
"What are you doing here?" demanded Toni as she came to see what was going on. Vinnie turned to her and moved forward quickly. Toni became afraid and moved to make her escape but was grabbed by the wrist and pulled back.
Toni fell to her knees with a thud due to the force of Vinnie's aggression. "Why are you doing this?" she cried as she looked over to Henry, his head wound bleeding badly.
"Because i don't want to wait anymore and Officer Perfect is just too much for me to bare!" he hissed in her ear as he dragged her to her feet once more. Toni struggled against the man's grip and tried to wriggle free and pull herself to the front room where there was a silent alarm switch just inside the door frame. If she could just reach it in time, the house would be surrounded by the NYPD in seconds. All she had to do was fight Vinnie off for a little bit longer.
Toni tried to gather her strength and with one hard shove and a heel to the groin, Vinnie lost hold momentarily on his victim. Toni ran to the hidden panel and hit the switch before Vinnie started to get back up again.
"You Bitch!" he spat as he ran after her through the kitchen and out the back door. Toni was halfway down the yard when Vinnie launched himself from the small wall surrounding the patio area. He caught Toni as he landed, pulling her back to the ground and straddling her tightly, "Now you're going to pay! Officer Perfect won't want you after i'm finished and he'll go running after his favourite lawyer girl. Even if she did knife him!" he leered as he started to pull at Toni's blouse.
"She did that to him?" exclaimed Toni as she battled to protect herself from the animal on top of her. Where the hell was the support? They were taking forever to get there. She needed to stall for time but knew it was limited before Vinnie did anything else to her.
"So, you gonna play ball or d'ya want it rough?" he sneered as her blouse was ripped off. "I think you like it rough!"
"No! Get off me!" she screamed as she tried in vain to throw Vinnie off her body.
"We're just getting warmed up huney! Relax! You're gonna enjoy this!" grinned Vinnie as he pulled her skirt up to her waist and started to rip her underwear.
"No!" she screamed just as a shot rang out and filled the air.
