AN: Just wanted to take this point to remind
everyone of the fact that I'm not a doctor. It's a story.
You'll just hafta go with it for the next several chapters.
Don't Point, Don't Scare It
"We sneak into the trees,we hide beneath the leaves,
and nobody will find us here. Oh we dance across the lake,
we laugh into the wind,and nobody will find us out."
Butterfly Boucher
While Ed and Deakins returned to the hospital, Harrison and Ashboro left to check into Ed's guess. "I hope we finally have a lead," Deakins said. Ed nodded.
When they got to the hospital, Eames and Barek were sitting in the waiting room. "They haven't said anything to us yet, other than to tell us surgery was over," Alex said.
"At least we can assume he's still alive and kicking." Ed tried to stay positive.
"Figure anything new out?" Barek asked.
Ed nodded. "Yea. There's a chance Bobby saw something before he was shot and none of us understood what he was trying to tell us. There's a building that the feds are looking into."
"Good," she said.
"Carolyn, why don't you head home?" Deakins suggested. "Both Fontana and Logan were sent home."
"I will. After we hear about Bobby."
The doc walked out and they all rose to greet him. "Detective Goren-Bobby, is out of surgery. He's stable, but still unconscious. He lost quite a bit of blood, and his heart tried to give out on us. He gave us a real scare for a moment, but he's just fine now. He's still on a respirator and we have to keep a close eye on him. I am very concerned about his lungs at this point. The bullet did not pierce them, but they were damaged. We need to watch that they don't collapse."
"Okay," Alex threw up her hands. "But what about his spine? Is he paralyzed?"
The doctor sighed and rocked a but on his heels. "I honestly cannot answer that at this point. He needs to begin healing, and he needs to wake up. We can do sensory testing on his reflexes, but Bobby's the only one that can really tell us. I can tell you the nerve damage was not minor."
"When do you think he'll wake up?" Ed asked.
"I can't put an answer on that, either. My guess would be a day or two. He's not in a critical coma by any means, his body is just refueling. When he does wake he will be in pain, and if he's unable to move he'll be scared. I'm disregarding visitor hours for this case because he'll need a familiar face when he comes to. I am not telling you to have someone here 24/7, but if you choose to you may. I need to help get him set up in his ICU room, excuse me please."
"Thank you, Doctor," Deakins said. The doctor smiled and left. "Good news for now," he said to the detectives.
"I'll stay tonight," Ed offered.
Alex shook her head. "No, he's my partner. I'll stay."
"For now Alex, go home and get some food and rest," Deakins told her gently. "You've been here all afternoon. You need a break."
"Come on, I'll take you home," Barek said.
"Agent Cann is downstairs, he'll escort you both," Deakins said. Barek nodded and guided Alex out. Deakins turned to Ed. "I'll hang out with you until one of the agents is ready to sit all night."
"Thank you Captain," Ed said. He excused himself to make a phone call.
"Benson."
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," she replied. "I've been waiting for you to call."
"I'm sorry, everything's been crazy."
"It's okay. Tell me." He took a breath and told her everything that had happened since they last spoke. "So it's hopeful," she said when he finished.
"Yes. It's also...well it's fifty-fifty."
"Can I drop by?"
"You really want to spend your dinnertime stuck in a hospital? Not the best first date, Olivia," he said.
"It wouldn't be the first date," she reminded him.
"Then what do we call it?"
"I don't even know. We'll figure it out while we eat."
"Okay," he agreed. "See you in a bit."
Later on, Deakins had left and Agent Anderson was taking the first shift of guarding Ed. Anderson was seated outside Bobby's hospital room, Ed inside. He was watching TV, on mute, when a voice came through the door.
"Aw, Bobby," it said sadly. He looked up and saw Olivia in the doorway. She walked over to Bobby and set a hand on his arm.
"Still no change," Ed told her. She looked over at him. "He looks better than he did before the surgery."
"Obviously," she replied. It bothered her to see Bobby like that. Since spending more time with Ed, and Misha's case, she'd begun getting to know Bobby. He wasn't as crazy as she'd once thought he was. She went over to Ed and looked down at him. As he was sitting, he was shorter than her for once. She touched his cheek, her face hovering above his and her hair hitting his skin. "You okay?"
He closed his eyes and breathed. Something about her presence calmed him. The feel of her touch, her hair...and her scent... "I don't know," he replied.
She kissed his forehead. "We're all alive."
"For how long?" She kissed his forehead again, and he moved his face so that their lips met. It felt like that morning had been ages ago. After his day, he savored the kiss. When they parted, he pushed her hair behind her ears. "Let's go out to the waiting room so Bobby can sleep peacefully."
"You think he can hear us?" She straightened and looked over at the bed.
"I wouldn't put it past ol' Iggy." Somehow Bobby's already nickname, Iron Giant, had gotten it's own nickname. The two walked out into the much brighter hallway and went down to the waiting room, first stopping at the snack machine for dinner.
"If I had thought about it, I'd have brought you real food. You must be starved."
Ed stared at the food behind the glass. He realized he hadn't eaten since breakfast. "Actually...I am. Let's get Anderson to follow us to the cafeteria."
They went and had a short dinner in the cafeteria, then wound up back in the waiting room, chatting in the awkward chairs. He closed his hand on hers over the arm rest between them. "I'm glad you're here," he said.
"Me too." She turned her hand up and wove her fingers through his tightly.
"I'm just sorry the circumstances are never-."
"It doesn't matter." She smiled. "We'll catch up."
"So maybe when everything has calmed, I'll take you out for a real date. No pizza and beer. No graveyards or hospitals."
"Yeah, I wasn't gonna mention it, but you plan some lousy dates," she teased. He smiled at her, then got quiet. "He'll be fine, Ed."
"I hope so." She reached out for his cheek and brought his mouth to hers and kissed him. He returned the kiss, turning his body to her and moving his hand to the back of her neck. Neither one a normal supporter of public displays of affection, they were completely oblivious to anyone around them.
When he pulled away, breathless, he ran his lips across her cheek and whispered to her ear, "We have a lot to catch up on."
"And you think this is the best place?" She whispered against his neck. He raised his eyes and saw people staring. He dropped his head onto her shoulder and they laughed.
"Okay, we'll pick it up later." They went back to their earlier positions in the chairs and sat quiet for a long time. Ed couldn't concentrate much past her hand enclosed in his, and it was a welcome distraction. "How about you? Are you okay?"
"I'm tired," she sighed. "It's been such a long couple days that it feels like Kay was killed...so long ago."
Ed squeezed her hand. "I understand."
"I keep hearing that sound...and seeing her face..."
"I'm so sorry, Liv...that your friend died...that you had to be there...but I'm just...so damn relieved that you weren't hurt."
"Me too." She held his gaze for a moment, then broke it. "I should get home."
"Yea." He stood and pulled her to her feet. "Go get your rest."
"Are you going to sleep?"
"I'll catch some Z's in Bobby's room."
"Okay. Walk me out?"
"I'm not allowed out."
"Mm, right...house arrest. Well then walk me around the corner. Where there aren't so many people." He did as she told him and walked with her to the elevator. Once they rounded the corner and found slight privacy, he pulled her close and kissed her again.
"I like you, Liv," he murmured.
"I like you too, Ed."
"Call me in the morning? Make sure I'm awake?"
"Sure."
"Night."
"Night," she replied before stepping into the elevator. He waited for the doors to slide shut, then went to Bobby's room. Bobby was still in his deep sleep, machines blinking and bleeping. Ed sat back in the nearby chair and propped his feet up on the radiator. "Night, B," he said quietly.
Ed didn't sleep well at all. Between the lack of comfort and the hourly bed checks, he barely got any rest. He gave up at the 6 AM check and went to find coffee. When he returned, Dr. Westmoreland was in the room.
"Good morning," they greeted each other.
"How's he?" Ed asked, as he pushed his back against the wall, in hopes of realigning it.
"He's good. Better. We've noticed minor twitches and muscle spasms, but it doesn't mean much."
"Have you done any of that-" he yawned, "...sorry...any of that sensory testing stuff?"
"Briefly, with no result. Like I said, we'll know something more definitive when he wakes."
"And you'll call Deakins as soon as there's a change?"
"Yes, Detective."
"Thank you."
As the doctor and nurse left the room, Alex walked in. "Morning," she said. He just nodded. "Tired?" He nodded again. "Anything?" She motioned to Bobby. Ed filled her in. "Go get ready for work," she told him. "I'll stick around here for a few hours, at least."
"I'll try and drop in later." He left and found Cann who was taking him home to change. On the ride, his cell phone rang. "Green."
"Don't you ever answer any other way?" Olivia asked.
He smiled. "No."
"Not even when you have caller ID and know I'm calling?"
"Habit. I'll work on it," he chuckled.
"Just checking. So you're awake then?"
"Yep. Going home, then to the 2-7."
"Major Case," Cann said from the front seat.
"I stand corrected, I'll be at Major Case."
"Why?"
"You're asking the wrong person."
"How's Bobby?"
"The same."
"Will I see you today?" She asked.
"Not sure."
"Call if you need anything."
"Define anything," he teased.
"Anything," she repeated.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were hinting at something, Detective."
"I'm doing nothing of the sort...Detective. I'm saying, call if you need anything."
He could hear her smile. "Well I'm not trying to rush into anything..."
"Who's rushing? It's been nearly a year since the first time we tried starting this off."
"I know. It feels good to finally be somewhere with it."
"It does," she said.
"I'll talk to you later," he replied, as the car pulled to the front of the building.
"I look forward to it."
