Chapter 19
Alex Eames had never felt so alone; so lost and confused. The darkness had rendered her completely helpless, submerged in an ocean of pain, with no idea how she had gotten here or even when.
The only thing that she knew for certain was that she had been swallowed by a black void to escape the excruciating pain and the anger of an unknown assailant and then she'd been unable to find her way out.
The gloom muffled the aches and the anger; draining them away and she had floated off into nothingness, ensnared by the murky shadows and its powerful hold over her.
Then out of the darkness was a tiny point of light. Alex was torn. She wanted so badly to go to the light, but there had been so much pain there. Someone had hurt her – terribly. What if she came out of the shadows and he was there? God help her, but she didn't think that she could bear it again.
Fear drove her back down until at last she felt strong enough to face the light again and fight against the pull of the darkness that was pulling at her.
With a strength she didn't know she possessed, she struggled to come up, to the light; trying desperately to ignore the pain and the dread and simply focus on the light.
Awareness returned in bits and pieces but the only thing she could move was her eyes. When she opened them, the light became blinding; everything was fuzzy and out of focus. Colors swirled around her field of vision like a psychedelic light show.
The sound of a choked gasp startled her and she inhaled sharply, feeling her blood run cold and her breath catching in her throat. Suddenly terrified she pinched her eyes tightly closed, her chest heaving with each ragged breath as she fought the disorientation of consciousness.
Chapter 20
"Alex – Alex, please, it's okay – it's okay – calm down," Bobby crooned frantically, overwhelmed that she awoke but alarmed at her panicked response. "It's over, Alex – it's okay – I'm here – it's okay."
Unsure of what to expect, Bobby rose to his feet, peering anxiously down at her face and willing her to come out of it. When, after several minutes, she didn't, he moved in closer, hovering over her breathlessly and bracing himself by using the side rail for support.
"Alex – you're safe now – can – can you open your eyes for me?" He prodded her with his voice, reluctant to touch her until he knew that she was more aware. Until he knew that he wouldn't scare her again.
Her eyes remained closed to his dismay and after a whisper soft moan, her breathing evened out; letting him know that she had slipped away again.
It was a crushing blow to him and he took it hard, feeling his knees grow weak and unable to support his weight. He found himself sitting on the bed at her hip; staring helplessly down at his partner, wishing he knew what in the hell he had to do to wake her up. He wondered if he was going to fail her again. She hadn't needed him to save her from Sebastian the first time.
"Face it, Goren," he told himself contemptuously, "She did it without you. She doesn't need you." He stared down at her face, still swollen and discolored and felt like he had indeed failed her. Again.
"God – Alex – please," he heard his voice heavy with emotion and it took every ounce of strength not to break down completely. He had just gotten her back and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her, God forbid, permanently. "Wherever you are – come back – please – come back. Don't let him win." He choked back a sob. "Alex – please – open your eyes. Please. I – I can't go to where you are. I would if only I could – I would, but I can't." The words felt like a knife wound to his battered psyche. "I can't."
Chapter 21
Like daylight burning away the early dawn's fog, awareness came back to her again – slowly. Through the haze, she heard a voice, begging and pleading. Desperately, she tried to comprehend her situation but failed. She vaguely remembered a brief period of lucidity but she had been too out of it and the pain she had felt had been too much and it had driven her back down away from the light.
At least the darkness was receding, taking away the anger and her own terror and for that she was grateful.
Now, she had to go into the light. Go to the voice she heard calling to her. Willing herself to move, she still felt pain but it was much less than before and more than that – she didn't want to be alone any longer.
Chapter 22
"Hey, how's the peg leg?"
Meagan Wheeler jerked her head over to see her partner casually leaning against the door, his hands in his pockets and grinning like a Cheshire cat. She quirked her lips to hide her own grin and absently pushed back her sweaty bangs from her forehead.
"Old school. Of course." She took a breath and massaged her aching left leg. "Well, I have to say, if you're going for the Fred Astaire pose, you're gonna have to drop about 50 pounds."
"You calling me old – and – fat, Wheeler?" Logan managed to look hurt and indignant.
"Hey – if the shoe fits. . ." Wheeler adjusted her grip on the parallel bars and resumed her painstakingly slow trek across the physical therapy gym. Her therapist watched the exchange and wisely decided to take a coffee break.
Logan peeled himself off of the wall and strolled over to a spot eight feet in front of her. "Working hard or hardly working?" He asked with a smirk.
Wheeler simply glared at him.
Logan crossed his arms over his chest and didn't back down from his challenge.
"Fine," she muttered then set her jaw, took another swipe at her bangs and the aggravating perspiration beading her brow and forged ahead.
"You know –"
"Shut up, Logan," Wheeler snapped at him, gritting her teeth and managed the last two feet without any further comments from her partner.
When they were face to face, he pulled out a bottled water and presented it to her with a flourish. "You win."
Wheeler relented. "Does that mean no more stupid remarks?" She reached for the water, breathless despite her show of toughness.
Logan caught the glint of humor in her eye. "Absolutely," he responded. "I'm all done." He watched her gulp at the water. "Come on, Wheeler. Take a break." Without waiting for an answer, he assisted her to a chair and watched with concern as she wearily sank down into it.
"So, how's the leg? Really." Logan eyed her worriedly.
She sighed and slumped further in the chair. "If you'd been here the past four days, you'd know," she said with a huff. "I haven't seen you since I woke up from surgery and you told me to hurry up and get out of here after I gave my statement."
Logan pulled up a chair and sat down next to her, dejected. "Yeah – I'm really sorry about that. These past four days have been hell."
"No kidding," Wheeler retorted. "Look, I need you to tell me what all went down. The Captain just pops in and tells me to hang in there and that he has to go. I want to know details."
"You first," Logan said. "I need a minute before I relive all that shit."
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "That bad, huh?"
"Yeah – that bad." He sat hunched over, absently rubbing his hands together and watched her finish off the water.
"The doc said my blood count is almost back to normal and there's no sign of infection. Just a nick in the bone and some muscle damage. They repaired the blood vessel that was torn. . ." she trailed off.
"I'll be fine," she finished after a beat.
Logan nodded, unable to mask his relief. "Jesus, we thought you were gonna bleed out," he muttered, wiping a hand over his eyes, the toll of the past few days obvious.
"I guess I would have if it hadn't been for Goren. I couldn't believe that lunatic actually let him put a tourniquet on me."
"Thank God he did." Logan said reverently.
"Gee Logan, I'm starting to think you'd miss me," Wheeler said with a laugh.
"Yeah – well – training new partners can be a real pain in the ass and you were just reaching the tolerable stage." Logan tried for gruff but failed miserably.
Wheeler just grinned.
The therapist returned with a wheelchair and to Logan's amazement his partner got in without an argument. "We'll be back down this afternoon," he told her.
Wheeler nodded and then looked up at Logan. "Is it okay if my partner takes me back?"
"Yeah – sure. Just leave the chair at the nurses' station and I'll have a volunteer pick it up," the therapist told her. Another patient had arrived and he quickly excused himself to take care of her.
Wheeler looked over at her partner. "Come on," she said. "Let's get going."
"Uh – yeah – okay." Logan felt a little awkward pushing a wheelchair, towering over it and having to bend slightly to reach the handles. As he walked, he recounted how Sebastian had gotten Eames and just how badly she was injured. "He totally destroyed her car – it's a miracle she survived the crash and then the surgery afterwards for the skull fracture and head bleed. She also ended up with four fractured ribs, and a broken cheek."
"And she's been in a coma since?" Wheeler said it, still in shock.
"Yeah. Goren's lucky to still have a liver – he needed surgery and they practically had to cuff him to the bed afterwards. He'd probably be doing better except that he's barely left her side since. She almost came around a little while ago but slipped back."
"I'd like to go see them."
"Are you sure you're up to it?" Logan asked, reaching over her to push the button to summon the elevator.
Wheeler glanced up at him, her determination evident. "I need to see them. Please take me, or I'll go by myself."
"Hey – whoa – I'm going, I'm going – don't –"
"Don't what?" She glared at him.
Logan pushed her into the elevator then stepped around in front of her, crouching down to her level. "I'm not trying to be condescending. Okay, partner?"
Wheeler backed off. "I'm sorry. I'm just going a little crazy in here and I was feeling out of the loop."
Logan nodded. "Look – all of us at 1PP – we've been really worried. Between the three of you, the blood bank was about cleaned out and we even had a blood drive."
"Did you give?" Wheeler asked slyly.
"Yeah – I gave." He told her with a grimace. "First time in about twenty years. Did I tell you that I hate needles?"
She took a playful swipe at him. "I'd be worried about you if you didn't," she retorted.
"Ha ha."
They arrived at the ICU and Wheeler held up a hand. Logan stopped.
"Logan, I know I'm still the new kid on the block. . ."
"Meagan – you're one of us. Hell, you're a hero. Goren said you were pretty slick getting your phone past Sebastian. We'd have never found them in time otherwise. You took a huge risk and we all owe you – big time."
Wheeler smiled. "Thanks."
"Okay, let's do this." Logan pushed through the ICU doors.
Chapter 23
Bobby jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder then turned to see Logan and Wheeler behind him.
"How is she?" Wheeler whispered, unable to completely mask her dismay at Eames' condition.
"She – she just won't wake up," Bobby said, his voice breaking. "How are you? How's the leg?"
"Getting better. Thanks to you."
Goren ducked his head. "Thanks to you, Logan and Ross found us." He dragged his eyes back to Eames. "I'm sorry that I haven't checked in on you. I – "
It's okay, Goren. Really. I understand." Wheeler gave his arm what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze.
"I know that the answer is probably no, but are you sure that we can't get you anything?" Logan asked quietly.
Bobby shook his head. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful – but – but I really don't need anything right now. They bring me a food tray that I have to eat if I want to stay here and I just came back from a shower and dressing change. I – I'm good." He sighed. "Well – I would be if she'd come around."
Logan shifted from one foot to the other as he stared helplessly at all the medical equipment surrounding Eames. He was relieved that she was off of the ventilator since last night, but she had several IV bags hanging and more wires and tubes than he could count.
"I never did hear what Sebastian said to you before he was shot," Goren said, startling Logan out of his reverie.
"Awww, no. . ." Logan cringed. "The guy was a freak."
Goren stared. "I saw a jar – I thought that I could smell – was it Pierre Lauritz?"
"He never put any on her," Logan hastened to assure him, "He told me something about his sister using it. The guy was really getting off on it."
"His sister!" Wheeler was aghast.
"He wanted to talk to Gage. I reminded him that Gage was dead and the guy flipped out and then he wanted you." Logan looked at Goren. "He said that he wanted to discuss his work and I think he planned on using Eames as a model."
Goren closed his eyes, fighting the mental images that Logan's words evoked.
Logan had his fists clenched as he remembered facing Sebastian. "He had these sheers that he kept threatening to use on her – put the edges right along her neck and over her –" Abruptly he broke off. "Jesus – that guy was messed up."
He looked down at his partner, staring up at him sympathetically. "Come on Wheeler, let's get you back." He moved in to get a hold of the wheelchair. "We'll be back. Call if you need anything."
"Take care," Wheeler said.
Goren nodded and focused his attention back on his partner. After his fellow detectives had exited, he felt drained – emotionally and physically. He laid his head down on the bed and fell almost instantly asleep.
