Ledge on a Cliff
Ledge on a Cliff
The air expanded Sam's lungs in a great silent gasp. It had felt like forever until he was able to get his dazed mind to remember that he needed air to live. He heard them all frantically calling to him for status. But first he needed air. Then he could think about responding.
Sam took several breaths in and out. He finally had enough air that he ventured to open his eyes but not enough to speak yet. Yeah he was where he didn't expect to be. Sam expected to be hundreds of feet further down the cliff. He expected to be dead.
Looking up at the dark snow filled clouds little snowflakes wetted his face. Sam probably had the snow to thank for not being dead. It was wet and cold under him but it had cushioned his fall. But he was cold now so he wasn't too happy it was snowing. And truthfully it was the snow's fault he was here in the first place.
He actually had this little ledge to thank for not being dead. How he ended up here and not down at the bottom of the cliff Sam would never know. He must have gotten lucky.
Well not so lucky, but lucky enough not to be dead.
His back ached as he drew in another much needed breath. He must have landed squarely on his back on this ledge. Sam never saw it as his body had started its unexpected, uncontrolled and untethered descent down the cliff.
Trying to get in enough air to respond to now only the Boss' calls for status Sam watched as night quickly approached. It would be dark soon. Sam wondered if he would have to spend the night on this ledge. Before long it would be too dark for the team to safely rappel down to him.
Top of the Cliff
The team had all frantically called Sam's name until the Boss shut them all down "Quiet. If Sam responds we will not be able to hear him."
Ed held Jules' legs as she laid on her stomach and edged out over the cliff to see if she could see where Sam was in the ever darkening evening. He glanced at Wordy and Spike as they corralled the subjects waiting for uniforms to reach them and take custody. Ed was seething at how quickly things had changed.
One moment everything was in control. All the subjects cuffed. He, Wordy and Sam had chased all eight of them down and ended up here. The subjects stopped and had given up when they got to the edge of this cliff. There was nowhere for them to run. They were trapped.
Sam went forward to cuff each one and check for weapons while he and Wordy covered him. With eight subjects they were outnumbered almost three to one so they needed to have more than one of them covering while they took the subjects into custody. Sam had finished cuffing the last one when things went south.
One of subjects near the edge of the cliff started to yell at one of the others blaming him for getting them into this mess. The subject then lunged at his cohort intending to knock him off the cliff. Sam had reached out to stop the subject. Sam succeeded but then his boot slipped on an icy spot and then Sam was falling.
And there wasn't a damned thing Ed or Wordy could do to catch him. Sam was too far away and he was not tethered to any sort of line. Sam was there one moment and out of sight the next.
Ed and Wordy had begun the chorus of yells to Sam. They were quickly increased as the rest of the team arrived and understood what had happened.
Jules scooted out further praying she would see Sam hanging onto a branch, a root or a vine or god knows what else. It was Samtastic and he did awesome and amazing things. She did not want to see his body at the bottom of the cliff. But she braced herself for that possibility because this was a cliff after all and according to Ed he had gone over backwards.
She imagined the terror Sam must have felt as he plummeted downwards. Her breath caught in the back of her throat. That was just too painful to think about.
Jules scanned in the dimming light. It was hard to see. Then she gasped "I see him. I see Sam. He is on a ledge. He's not moving."
"How far down?" Ed asked urgently.
"About twenty feet give or take" Jules responded. Then she called out loudly "Sam we see you. If you can hear me, say something."
They were all silent waiting for the slightest sound. None came.
Ed looked to Spike and Wordy guarding the eight subjects. He saw that the subjects were all cowed and quiet. Ed would risk leaving only Wordy watching them as he directed "Spike, go get the rappelling gear."
Greg was on the phone with EMS giving directions to their exact location and details so far as he knew it for Sam, which wasn't much. He answered their question "No we do not know if he is alive. He hasn't responded to our calls yet."
He emphasized yet. Greg really did not want to think that Sam was dead. Sam was just catching his breath is what Greg told himself and hoped to god it was true.
Sam finally got enough air in to speak after hearing Jules call down to him. It came out on a soft breath of air "Boss."
Greg told EMS to hold "Sam. It's good to hear your voice. Can you tell me your status?"
Ledge on a Cliff
Sam shifted a bit and his back muscles complained loudly. He tested his hands and arms and then his feet and legs. Finally he responded "Back is a bit sore. All other parts are in working order."
"Okay Sam. Good to hear. You just relax there and we will be down to get you in a bit. EMS is coming" Greg said calmly as relief swept through him.
Shivering with the cold and probably with the shock his body had endured Sam's voice was a little unsteady as he responded "Copy that."
Hearing his own voice, how shaky it sounded, Sam was concerned that the team would be really worried. So he tried real hard to steady it and imbued a hint of humor into his voice as he said "I'll just lay here and take a little nap."
His words elicited the right response. He heard the soft half chuckles from the team. Sam could tell they were not really relaxed but his attempt at humor allayed at least some of their fears.
Sam closed his eyes. He was cold and he ached. He concentrated on trying to relax his body. He did not intend to actually fall asleep but he was quite successful in getting his body to relax and Sam drifted off.
Top of the Cliff
Ed pulled Jules back up. She looked at Ed and said "It is getting cold. The temperature is dropping fast. Sam is on a tiny ledge. It's just barely big enough for his body."
Spike called out "On my way back. I grabbed the emergency pack; it has a blanket in it Jules."
Six uniformed officers showed up just before Spike returned. They marched off the subjects relieving Wordy of that duty.
When Spike got back they all pitched in to get two rappelling lines secured. Ed and Jules would go down and assess Sam's condition and get a secure line on him. Wordy and Spike would monitor their lines. Greg would set up additional lines for the EMTs to use. They knew the EMTs would want to bring Sam up in a basket seeing that he said his back hurt. They would want to minimize any potential damage until he could be checked out completely.
Jules rechecked her line and then tucked the emergency blanket between her vest and body. It would warm it a bit before she reached Sam. She went to the edge and looked to Spike then said "Ready."
Spike nodded and braced his feet "Go. I got you."
Jules started down.
Ed finished attaching his line and Wordy handed him a cervical collar that was in the emergency pack that Spike brought. Ed went to the edge of the cliff and saw that Jules was nearly down twenty feet. She was almost to Sam.
Wordy braced himself and said "I'm set. Down you go Ed."
Ed gave a curt nod and then started over the cliff.
Greg called out "Careful guys" as he was working to secure the safety line for Sam to a tree.
Ledge on a Cliff
Jules arrived at Sam. She saw there was no place for either her or Ed on the ledge. So she positioned herself near Sam's mid-section and braced her legs on the cliff wall. She saw Sam's eyes closed and his even breathing. A breathing pattern she was becoming reacquainted with as she watched him sleep at night again.
Carefully she pulled out the blanket and unfolded it. In a calm voice she was not really feeling Jules said "Sam. I'm going to put a blanket on you."
Sam did not stir. It was hard to see his face now that the sun had nearly set. Jules covered Sam with the blanket. She wanted to offer words of comfort but she was afraid she might give away the fact that they were dating and much closer than mere colleagues once again.
She knew it was the right thing for them. They had tried to ignore what was between them. It did not work. So they were back to sneaking around. Back to hiding how they truly felt about each other from the team.
It was a secret Jules hoped they could keep until they could figure out what the future held for them. She knew she wanted more than just dating but it was tricky figuring it all out. So now, even though she wanted to act very differently, Jules made sure she did not cross the professional line. She shoved all her desires to hold and caress Sam down deeply and locked them up tight.
Ed appeared at her side and asked "Samo how you doing?"
There was no response.
Jules said "I think he really did go to sleep. Either that or he hit is head too and slipped unconscious."
Ed got the cervical collar ready and was about to put it on when Jules stayed his hand "That might startle him."
Stopping and pulling back his hand Ed blew out a breath "Forgot about that. That would be bad. Let's get the safety line attached to his vest first."
The two of them worked to attach the line. Sam did not wake while they did so and that concerned them both. But they both remained silent and did not put voice to their concerns.
Once the line was secure and the Boss was braced and manning Sam's line Ed pulled out the cervical collar. Ed spoke to Sam "Hey Samo. Wake up. I gotta get a collar on you. Don't want you to startle and continue your path down the cliff."
The sleepy fog filling Sam's brain lifted hearing voices close to him. He blinked open his eyes and they found Ed and Jules near him. Sam stopped himself from reaching out for Jules. He wanted nothing more than to feel her hands running through his hair helping him to get a handle on the pain he felt.
But he could not do that. It would give them away. It would mean being reassigned to different teams and possibly the Boss' job. The risks were greater than the need. So Sam slipped on a mask to quell those desires.
Jules put on a fake smile and decided to keep it light as she asked "Did you enjoy your nap on the ledge of a cliff?"
Sam loved that Jules just kept it light. It helped him. So he played along and snorted "It has a nice view in the daytime. But not such a good place to nap. Bit too cold and wet."
Ed held out the collar and said "I'm gonna put this on and I'm seriously considering attaching a leash to it. You scared the hell out of us."
Sam thought, scared the hell out of myself too. But he said lightly "What am I your puppy now?"
Chuckling Ed replied "Something like that. Gotta do something to train you to not take unacceptable risks."
As the collar was put on Sam smirked "This one was not my fault Ed. Can't lecture me on what you think are unacceptable risks and I know are necessary and calculated risks this time."
Seeing the basket starting to come down Jules said "You too can argue later. For now let's just get Sam up top."
One EMT rappelled down and between the three of them they got Sam into the basket. Sam was able to hold in his hisses and groans as his back screamed at him. Then Sam was hauled up as the EMT stabilized the basket. Ed and Jules followed them up.
Top of the Cliff
Jules was the last one up. She saw the EMTs taking Sam's vitals and doing a quick assessment before they moved him. She removed and packed her rappelling gear as the rest of the team did so too.
They were all packed as the EMTs finished assessing Sam. Wordy and Ed moved forward to help the EMTs carry Sam in the basket back to where the vehicles were located. Jules, Spike, and Greg carried all the gear as they headed out.
Jules watched as Sam was loaded into the ambulance. She really wanted to be the one to go with him. But Ed had gone with Sam. She would have to wait with the rest of the team in the ER waiting room to find out how badly he was injured.
Hospital – ER Waiting Room
The team arrived shortly after Ed and Sam had. Nancy showed them into the small waiting room. Jules thought that perhaps the team should have a waiting room designated just for them. They were here often enough.
Spike headed off to the nurses' break room. He was no longer shy about going and grabbing a juice or a package of animal crackers. Clare had shown him where they were and he could see that Jules was a bit shaky. Her adrenaline drop must be very hard for her to be this shaky. Coffee would not be the best for her right now so he headed out to get juice and cookies.
Ed paced unable to relax. Sure he and Sam joked and it was light. But that was just deflection. He saw how hard Sam worked not to make a sound as they got him into the basket. The beads of sweat that burst forth and the clenched jaw as Sam control his pain.
He hoped it was only bruising on his back. Twenty feet was a long drop. The thick layer of fresh snow had cushioned his fall somewhat. But it was still twenty damned feet.
Wordy stood and went to Ed "This is not your fault."
Ed stopped and looked at Wordy. He nodded twice and then resumed his pacing. It might not be his fault but he still felt like he should have done something different. He should have herded the subjects away from the edge before having Sam go cuff them.
Wordy approached Ed again "Stop. Should've, could've, and might have beens will drive you crazy. It was what it was Ed. We could not predict that Sam's boot would hit that icy patch."
"No I could not have predicted that. But I should have moved the subjects away from the edge before we cuffed them. I should have measured the risk better before sending Sam out to cuff them" Ed stated.
Greg looked at Ed. For once he agreed with Ed's statement about a should have. Yes they should have moved the subjects away from the cliff. But he held no malice towards Ed. They were human and they made mistakes. Ed, Wordy and Sam himself should have done a better job of assessing the risk. Greg wondered if the team was getting to confident. Over-confidence could make them take risks they shouldn't. Perhaps that should be a topic for a team discussion.
But then Greg thought, this is my fault. I'm their Sergeant and I should have seen this. I should have nipped this over-confidence in butt a while ago. This was squarely on his shoulders. Greg worried about his decisions lately. Was he the right man for this job anymore?
Sam got hurt today because he did not ensure his team was on point. His thoughts were interrupted as Dr. Fraser came into the waiting room. Greg stood up with Jules. Spike entered the room right behind the doctor.
Dr. Fraser shook his head, smiled and said "We gotta stop meeting like this."
He saw his attempt at humor was not sitting well with any of them today. He understood why after talking to Sam. So he moved on "Sam is doing good. Better than good. He must have a darned good guardian angel. No internal damages. No bleeding, no cracked or broken ribs. And if you can believe, myself I'm still a bit shocked, Sam had no concussion either. His back however is really bruised. His muscles will be quite sore for a few days."
Dr. Fraser turned to Ed and Greg then said "I recommend two days off then light duty for three or four. He's gonna feel it worse in the next two days. I know Sam lives alone. I'd like to release him today but I really don't want him alone for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. I gave him some stronger pain meds that he can take when he gets home. They should make him sleepy but with any meds I like to keep watch over Sam when he starts them to make sure there is no reaction. I'm not expecting any, it is just a precaution."
Jules wanted to say 'Sam can stay with me' but held back. She did not want to appear too eager. But she wanted to take Sam home and care for him. She wanted to ease his pain and hold him to ease her fear of almost losing him. Jules remained silent.
Wordy's face was downcast "I'd love to have Sam but my in-laws are fumigating their home and are staying with us right now."
Greg said "I could have Dean sleep on the couch for a few days."
Spike shook his head "Sam would never go for that. I would offer to stay with him but my Ma needs my help with Pa." Spike looked at Jules and said "Maybe Sam could stay with you. It would be nice and quiet and he could just sleep."
Ed said "He could stay with me."
Jules saw her opening "But didn't you say Clark is practicing at all hours of the day and night with his quartet at your house for that upcoming concert? Might be hard for Sam to rest."
"There is that" Ed conceded.
Spike perked up and said "So Jules' home it is. I'll help you get Sam home and settled in your guest room then run to his apartment and grab him some things."
Jules allowed a small smile and said "Sounds good Spike."
Greg said "Jules I think you should take tomorrow off too. Keep an eye on Sam since he is on meds. We would not be taking hot calls being down Sam anyways. No sense in getting a temp for just two days."
Jules nodded solemnly "If you think that best Boss. Sure I'll babysit Sam tomorrow."
Wordy laughed "Jules you better not let Sam hear you say that."
Jules just smirked and the others laughed. Jules smirk turned to a smile as she thought that she had gotten exactly what she wanted and the team was none the wiser. Jules would cherish the time she had to take care of him for the next day with the full support of the team.
Dr. Fraser said "Good, glad that is settled. I'll get Sam discharged." Then he headed out.
Feeling relief that Sam was not badly injured Ed finally smiled. He said to the team "You know we haven't added a new napping location to the list in quite a while."
Wordy laughed "I'd say that the ledge on a cliff is definitely an unacceptable nap location."
The team laughed. Jules and Spike headed back to get Sam to take him to Jules' home to rest.
Jules' Home – Guest Room
Sam carefully lowered himself to the guest bed. His back was so sore. He sat on the edge as Jules entered with a glass of water and his pain pills.
Jules handed Sam the pills then the water and as he downed them she said "Spike will be back in about an hour or so. He is going to swing by the barn first then go to your apartment." She then took the glass and set it on the bedside table.
Sam slid slowly backwards onto the bed and then laid down on his side. Jules covered him with a warm blanket then she scooted onto the bed and sat up against the headboard behind him. She gently massaged his head and neck. Jules felt Sam start to relax a bit.
"That feels good Jules" Sam said quietly.
Jules smiled and responded "I've wanted to do this since I got to you on the ledge."
Sam's eyes were getting heavy as he relaxed under Jules magic fingers. Several minutes later he sleepily he said "Wanted you to do it too. You are putting me to sleep Jules."
"Then take a nap. I'll make you dinner when you wake up" Jules said softly.
Thinking about how he actually fell asleep on the ledge Sam murmured sleepily "At least your guest bedroom is not on the unacceptable nap locations list."
Jules chuckled as she continued to lightly stroke his hair "You know the cliff ledge made it to the list."
"Mmmm k" Sam mumbled as sleep was claiming him. He felt safe and comfortable and loved under Jules' caring touch. There was no place he would rather be.
Jules continued to gently massage Sam as she listened to his breathing even out and he dropped into a deep sleep. Once she was sure he was sound asleep, aided by the pain pills, Jules moved so she was lying next to him. She wanted to put her arm around him but his back was so bruised she did not want to hurt him. So instead she laid her head close to his and breathed in his scent.
She let the fears of today wash over and through her as she let silent tears fall. Loving and caring for Sam was everything she wanted to do. Jules drifted off to sleep wishing that they could be open with their relationship.
An hour later Spike entered Jules' home after knocking several times and no one answering. He checked the kitchen and Jules was not there. He thought maybe she was upstairs in the bathroom or something. He decided to go check on Sam.
Spike opened the door. He grinned. Sam was sound asleep on his side. He saw Jules was a sleep on the other side of the bed. Spike thought that the adrenaline crash for Jules must have been huge. She never did get an opportunity to have the juice and cookies he had brought for her from the nurses' breakroom.
His two best friends were wiped out. He thought that Jules certainly needed a nap after today. So Spike entered the room and set down Sam's bag on the chair. Then he covered Jules with the blanket too.
As images of Sam being brought up the cliff in the basket played in his mind Spike dashed them away with a dose of humor. He thought that Jules guest bed was much better place for Sam to nap than the ledge of the cliff. Jules seemed to think so too Spike concluded, as he heard her soft snores.
Spike left the room and carefully closed the door. He decided to go make them some sandwiches and put them in the fridge for when they woke up from their naps. When he finished he locked up and headed home. Part of him wished he could stay here and help his best friends but his Ma needed his help with Pa.
Little did Spike know as he left his best friends napping on Jules' guest bed that in a few months he would learn that his best friends were More Than Just Friends and that all three of them would be pushed to their limits and find that they needed each other to survive.
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AN: Hope you liked. Drop me a review and let me know. I know I made Spike a little clueless at the end but I think he is adorable that way, especially in respect to Sam and Jules relationship being more than just friends.