Dom wasn't sure what to expect, but this wasn't it. After promising the night floor nurse that he wouldn't disturb his friends, he stepped into their now shared room. The equipment provided enough light to see that TJ no longer had bandages over his eyes and he looked to be sleeping comfortably. Jim's head was still bandaged and his left arm was in a sling. Surprisingly, Sheri was tucked along his right side, atop his covers, with another blanket covering her. Dom smiled, wondering how they'd pulled that off.
He settled in a chair in the waiting room, feeling light as a feather, the weight of the past few days gone. Drifting away, he remembered some of what his grandmother had said and figured she had come here and managed to apply her 'medicine' to Jim and TJ. "Thanks," he mumbled as his eyes closed.
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Near dawn, Dan Harrelson entered the waiting area, finding Dom sleeping like a log. Not needing to disturb his healing officers, he chose a chair across the room from Dom. Closing his eyes, he replayed the past twenty-four hours in his mind. He still couldn't come to grips with what appeared to occur.
He'd been the only visitor with TJ when Regina Luca came into the room. Half-sick from the antibiotics and heart-sick to still have his eyes bandaged, TJ was more than willing for anything that might help him regain his eyesight. Dan didn't see that the elderly woman would do any harm so he'd agreed to the curse exorcism. He'd even escorted her up to Jim's ICU ward and announced her as Jim's great aunt. Jim's girlfriend dozed in chair, so Regina did a ten minute exorcism on Jim.
Dan considered himself as far from superstitious as a person could get. It could have been the natural course of things that both of his men would've started improving almost immediately after Regina's visits. Deke, unaware of any additional assistance, felt that the power of prayer played a major role in the sudden turn of events to the good. And, of course, the doctors ruled that medicine brought about the change.
Maybe it was a combination of all three, plus the support from everyone else, Dan reasoned. There were certainly enough people working in a variety of ways for a positive outcome to the situation, including the injured men themselves.
Whatever the reasons, Dan was relieved to get his men on the road to recovery. He'd take it any way he could get it. He was beginning to learn that with this group absolutely anything was possible and likely probable.
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In only two weeks, Harrelson's Control Center was filled with familiar faces again. Although Street still sported a sling on his left arm and McCabe wore sunglasses while inside as well as outside, he was glad to have them back even in a limited capacity. He greeted everyone like normal and took his coffee to his office. Leaning back in his chair, he listened to the lively banter about which car Street should get to replace his totaled one and Luca extolling the virtues of bachelorhood to McCabe. McCabe's engagement was the only casualty of the ordeal. Unfortunate for the young couple, but Dan figured it was better to happen now than after the vows were exchanged. He knew how hard it was on the women who attached themselves to police officers.
Pounding noises brought Harrelson out of his office. Luca stood on a chair in front of the room hammering something to the wall just below the ceiling.
"Luca," called Harrelson, "what are you doing?"
Stepping down to admire his handiwork, Luca nodded satisfactorily. "It's a protection charm," he explained, "from my grandmother."
Everyone looked at the oddly shaped pendant tacked to the wall. The men slowly turned to watch Harrelson's reaction.
Walking purposefully to the front of the room, Harrelson inspected the new addition closely. He couldn't say he believed in the hocus-pocus stuff anymore than he had, but why tempt fate.
Harrelson nodded to Luca. "Looks good to me." He felt the stares as he returned to his office. Live and learn, he'd always believed.
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Lt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson, played by Mr. Steve Forrest - 9/29/24 - 5/18/13. Rest in peace ...
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