Chapter Eight

Wednesday 12:15am

Tyler woke up to an unfamiliar sound while lying on the sofa watching TV. He sat up and looked towards the noise. Jack came into view, dressed in his shorts and t-shirt. His face was pale, seeming paler by his week's growth of beard. He walked unsteadily even with the uneven gait the cast provided. Tyler stood quickly and went up to him.

"I can't do it," Jack said, walking to the leather chair and dropping into it.

"Can't do what?"

"I can't sleep. I'm having flashbacks."

"How long have you been awake?"

"Since right after Anne left the room."

Tyler went to Jack's bedroom and picked up the antibiotics. Walking to the kitchen, he removed the pill bottle of Prosom from the refrigerator. He picked up the portable phone and called the number by his name on the bottle.

"Dr. Bradley's service."

"Yes, I'm calling for Agent John Malone."

"Is this an emergency?"

"Yes."

"What is your telephone number?"

"212-555-0821."

"212-555-0821?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"The doctor will call you shortly."

"Thanks," Tyler said to a dial tone.

He looked over at Jack who had moved to the window. Five minutes later, the phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Jack, it's Glenn Bradley."

"No, Glenn, it's Tyler Simpson. Let me put him on."

Tyler handed the phone to Jack who continued to look out the window.

"Hello?"

"Jack, it's Glenn. I didn't know you'd been released from the hospital. What's wrong?"

"I can't sleep. I get caught in flashbacks and wake up. I'm so tired. I just want to sleep."

"Do you have any pain?"

"I have a headache, and my chest hurts when I breathe."

"Okay, put Tyler back on."

"He wants to talk to you."

"Hello?"

"Does he still have sleeping pills from the script I wrote him six months ago?"

"Yes; the label says there were ten and there are ten in the bottle."

"Hmm, that's interesting. When and what has he eaten?"

"He had some broth around seven last night and he's been drinking juice all day with his antibiotics."

"What's he on?"

"Amoxicillin for the pneumonia and chest infection and he took three Aleve before dinner."

"Yeah, I requested Jack's file from Dr. Aswan, but I haven't received it yet. Okay, look, give him one of the sleeping pills with juice. These will hit him pretty hard so don't be surprised if he doesn't surface until tomorrow afternoon. Call me if you have any concerns. My cell number is 917-555-2357."

"What about the antibiotics?"

"Give him his meds whenever he's awake and write down when you do. The next two days will be tricky."

"Okay, I have to head back to Washington. Agent Danny Taylor is going to stay with Jack until Friday."

"I understand. I'll make a note in my book to call him. When is Jack due back to work?"

"Monday."

"Okay, well I'll let you get to it. Night, Tyler."

"Night, Glenn and thanks."

"You're welcome. Bye."

"Bye."

Tyler set the phone down and turned to look at Jack. He was resting his forehead against the glass, his eyes and fists closed.

"Okay, Jack, Glenn says you can have a sleeping pill but you have to get into bed first. I guess they're very powerful."

Jack didn't move nor did he indicate that he heard Tyler. Walking to the window, Tyler turned to face him.

"Malone," he said, reaching his hand to his friend's shoulder. "Let's get you to bed. I have something to help you sleep."

Jack looked up at him and slowly turned around and limped to the bedroom. Tyler picked up the pill bottles before following his friend. Jack sat on the edge of the bed, resting his head in his hands. Seeing the half-full glass of juice, Tyler shook out one antibiotic and one sleeping pill. He touched Jack's shoulder and set them in his open palm. Jack sat up and swallowed them dry, rinsing them down with the last of the juice. He slowly lay back into bed and felt the sheet and blanket magically cover him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and then nothing.

Tyler cleaned up the bedside table and walked back to the living to write notes to Jack and Danny. Forty minutes later, he stumbled with fatigue back to his bedroom and fell asleep.

7:05am

Tyler woke up to a ringing phone.

"Hello?"

"Sorry to wake you, I'm downstairs."

"Damn, Danny. I'm sorry; rough night. I'm on my way to buzz you in."

"Okay."

Tyler hung up the phone and got out of bed. Dressed just in his shorts, he shivered as he pressed the door buzzer. He unlocked the front door and opened it slightly before heading back to check on Jack.

Danny walked in and set his bag by the breakfast bar and his coffee cup on the counter. He took off his coat, stuffed his scarf down a sleeve and his hat in a pocket then hung it up in the closet. He went to the counter and noticed the note addressed to him and started to read.

Jack was fast asleep. It didn't appear that he had moved at all. Tyler felt his cheek and it didn't feel too warm. He went to his room, got dressed and threw his dirty clothes in his bag before heading to the living room to pack up his laptop. He found Danny happily sipping his coffee watching the morning news.

"I forgot that Jack had cable."

"Yeah, it's great. Did you see my note?" Tyler said, as he slipped his laptop into his briefcase.

"Yes, am I supposed to call Dr. Bradley no matter what?"

"When Jack wakes up, which he said would be this afternoon; he wants you to call him."

"Okay, uhm apartment keys?"

"I'm leaving you my set. I don't know where Jack's set is."

"Probably in the trunk of his car, with his suit jacket."

"Annie brought some food but it may not be what you want. There's cash in his right hand desk drawer. Just stick in receipts. Fast food menus are by the phone. Man, I've gotta go," he said, pulling his coat out of the closet.

"Wait, here's my card with my cell number on it." Danny said, walking up to him.

"Thanks a lot for all of this, Danny."

"You're welcome."

Tyler put on his coat, picked up his bags and unlocked the door. Danny reached around and opened it for him.

"Talk to you soon."

"You bet."

Danny locked the door and walked down the hallway to check on Jack. He was soundly asleep. Looking at the bedside table, he noticed the medications and a note in Tyler's handwriting addressed to Jack. Nodding to himself as he read the labels, he picked up the empty glass and went to the kitchen to rinse it out. He walked back to the living room and continued to watch TV.

2pm

Listening to a jazz CD, Danny was deeply involved in a biography of Pablo Neruda in Spanish when he heard a noise from Jack's bedroom. He walked to the kitchen and poured him a glass of juice then headed to see if he was awake. Jack was sitting up in bed, his left leg out in front of him and his right leg bent. He arms were carefully positioned at his sides, the palms flat on the bed.

"Jack? Are you okay?"

"Dizzy."

"Dr. Bradley wanted you to call him when you woke up." Danny said, pulling Tyler's note from his trouser pocket to get the number.

He picked up the phone and dialed.

"Bradley."

"Hi, this is Danny Taylor. I'm with Jack Malone. He just woke up."

"Okay, put him on."

Danny handed him the phone.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself. Were you able to sleep?"

"Yes, just very dizzy right now."

"Slowly, put one foot on the floor. That should help. I need you to stay awake for four hours before you try to sleep again. Let me speak to Danny."

Jack handed the phone back and carefully pivoted his body, placing his feet on the floor. He grimaced slightly and tried to sit still.

"Hello?"

"Danny, please call me Glenn. Give him his amoxicillin and keep him awake for four hours or so. It will help him in the long run with his recovery and with his insomnia. I finally got a copy of his file from the hospital. If you can get him to eat something that would be good, too."

"I'll do my best."

"That's all I can ask. Call me tomorrow."

"Will do."

"Bye, Danny."

"Bye, Glenn."

Danny hung up the phone and took out an amoxicillin pill and handed it to Jack. He handed him his juice. Jack took the medication and drank the entire glass of juice.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, a little."

"Glenn wants you to stay awake and upright for four hours."

"Why are you here?"

"Oh, right, Tyler didn't have a chance to tell you. He had to go back to Washington this morning. He left you a note," Danny said, handing it to Jack.

Malone,

I'm sorry I had to leave you to go back to work. Danny is staying with you

until Friday. Please call your physician. Remember you need a physical even for

desk duty. Also, you need to make your appointments with Glenn. Call Annie

today at work. It's her first day back. I'll call you at some point today.

Love, Tyler

Jack set the note down and stared at the floor. Danny looked around the bedroom and found a zip up sweatshirt and sweatpants. He picked them up off the chair in the corner and brought them to the bed. Jack reached over and took the sweatpants. Carefully, he pulled them over his right leg. Danny knelt in front of him and helped him put his cast ankle through the leg opening. Jack hauled the pants up to his thighs and stood slowly before getting them to their final position. Danny handed him his sweatshirt and they walked together to the kitchen.

"I hope you don't mind. I was listening to a CD on your stereo."

"No, that's fine," Jack said, sitting at the breakfast bar to listen to his ninety eight messages.

3:15pm

Jack cleared the cache of the answering machine and looked at the list on the legal pad in front of him of names, numbers, and notes. He sighed audibly. Danny looked up at him and smiled.

"Jack, where are your clean sheets? I thought I'd change your bed and the guest room as well."

"There's a bureau in the guest room with a black and white photograph above it. All the linens are in there."

"Okay," Danny said, heading to the bedroom.

Jack turned back to his list and added Anne, Glenn and Stephen to his list of phone calls. He turned his wrist to look at his watch and then remembered it was wearing it at the time of the accident. He looked at the microwave, noting the time, and picked up the phone.

"Anne Cassidy."

"Hi, honey. How's your day going?"

"Hi, Jack. I'm okay. I'm taking it easy today."

"I'm sorry I wasn't very good company yesterday."

"You were fine. I was fading too. But enough about that, how are you feeling today? You sound much better."

"Glenn prescribed a sleeping pill at some point late last night. I woke up at two. I have to stay awake and upright until six if I can."

"Well, I guess that's what you needed. Look, Jack, my three o'clock has just arrived. I'll call you later."

"Okay, sounds good. I love you, Anne."

"I love you, too. Take care."

"You, too."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Jack hung up the phone and dialed Stephen Siegel, his physician.

"Dr. Siegel's office."

"Hi, it's Jack Malone. I need to set up an appointment for work fitness."

"Sure, Mr. Malone. When do you want to do this?"

"This Friday, if possible."

"We can see you at nine."

"All right. You'll need to get my records from Dr. Aswan at Queen's General beforehand. I'll have Glenn Bradley, the staff psychiatrist send over his evaluation as well."

"Oh, okay. Thanks Mr. Malone."

"You're welcome."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Jack hung up the phone as Danny walked in.

"I'm going to make some coffee. Do you want anything?"

"My ankle is beginning to pound. Can you grab the telephone books and I'll sit with my leg on the coffee table?"

"Sure."

Jack took the cordless phone and his list and headed to the leather chair. He sat down and gingerly set his cast on the phone books.

"Better?"

"Yeah, I just need to sit here for a while."

"Tyler said you had some broth last night. Would you like me to heat some up? I see leftovers in the refrigerator."

"Yeah, Danny, that would be great."

"Here's the remote for the TV. Don't sleep!"

"Okay, I won't."

Danny turned stopped the CD and turned off the stereo on his way to the kitchen. He heard the TV and the distinctive voice of James Earl Jones announcing CNN. Four minutes later, he poured the broth into a coffee mug as he listened to the coffee-maker go through its prostrations. Walking back into the living room, he handed Jack his mug of broth.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Jack sipped the broth slowly, waiting for it to cool. Danny sat with his coffee and they watched the television.

6:00pm

Jack shifted again in his seat, trying to get comfortable.

"Why don't you lie down?"

"I'm sorry, it hurts to sit for a long time," Jack said, standing slowly.

"Goodnight, Jack."

"Goodnight, Danny."

Jack limped to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. He used the bathroom, washed his hands and face, and stood looking at the bed. He pulled off his sweats. Suddenly he was overcome with absolute fatigue. He crawled onto the bed and fell asleep.