Dan came into the waiting room with two large paper bags, placing them on the table in front of the couch. Jeannie leaned forward and opened one of the bags. "Thanks, Dan," she smiled as she started to take out the cups of coffee and put them on the table.
"You're welcome," the young cop nodded as he opened the second bag, leaving it where it was. Steve walked over from the window to join them. Though they were back in the same room, waiting once more for word about Mike, the atmosphere was very different. The optimism that had proved so elusive earlier in the week was now easily within their grasp.
"Any word?" Dan asked as Steve reached into the second bag and picked out a Danish.
Taking a bite, Steve shook his head. "Somerset did say it could take hours." At seven that morning, the procedure to wean Mike from the ventilator had begun. They had been warned that it would definitely be several hours, it could take all day or, in what was termed the 'worst case scenario', the first attempt would prove unsuccessful and they would have to try again tomorrow. But Somerset was confident – the progress Mike had shown in the past 24 hours was very encouraging.
Dan watched Steve move back towards the window with his Danish and coffee. Since they had arrived that morning, Steve had been avoiding him, and Dan was pretty sure he knew why. The few times he had caught Steve's eye, the slightly older man had looked at him with barely suppressed impish glee. Neither of them wanted Jeannie to catch on and be left having to explain Maggie to Mike's daughter before the time was right. So they had stayed away from each other, Dan even volunteering to go out for their breakfast. But Jeannie was almost as observant as her father and was sure to see through them sooner or later.
Dan had just slumped into a chair, taking the lid off his tea, when Haseejian, Tanner and Lessing came through the door. "How's Mike doing?" Lessing said when they got closer, dispensing with formalities. Steve joined them, nodding his greetings, watching as the three cops almost instantly relaxed, sensing the change of mood in the room.
Jeannie explained what was going on and that it could take several more hours until they heard anything definitive. Steve watched the others as Jeannie talked, and he could sense in his old friend Norm Haseejian a troubling undercurrent of anger that was abnormal for the usually good-natured detective.
When Jeannie had finished, Steve asked, "So how are things going? Any progress in Mike's case?" His tone was conversational but he was bringing all his cop instincts back into play as he studied Haseejian's response.
The Armenian detective took a breath and closed his eyes before replying. As he was heading up the investigation, the others deferred to him. "Well, we've identified the kid but we haven't been able to track him down yet. But we will. He's not going to get very far." The passion in his voice was unmistakable and Lessing and Tanner exchanged glances, an action not lost on their former colleague. It seemed he wasn't the only one who'd noticed the uncharacteristic behaviour. Steve made a mental note to talk to them about it when the opportunity presented itself.
Dan looked at Jeannie then turned to Lessing. "How's The City holding up? It's been a hell of a week, huh?"
Tanner threw a grateful glance Dan's direction, happy to change the subject. "There's still a lot of shock out there. Mayor Feinstein – and wow, how weird is it to say that? – is doing a pretty good job so far keeping the lid on everything. There's been very little violence. People are just hurting, you know? There's still a feeling of disbelief out there."
"What's going on with White?" Steve asked.
Lessing snorted mirthlessly. "Well, he confessed outright when he turned himself in but talk is that when it comes to the trial, he's gonna try to plead 'diminished capacity' or something like that. He's gotta be the most hated man in The City right now, hands down."
They all nodded, sobered by the events of the past week that seemed so beyond the pale. And coming so close on the heels of Jonestown, it would be weeks, if not months or years, before The City would be able to put this horrific period to rest.
"Well," Steve said softly, hoping to break the mood, "at least things here seem to be looking up." He told them about Mike's progress, now awake and responding, and the doctors optimism for his full recovery.
"But he still won't be able to go back on the streets, will he?" Haseejian asked, almost rhetorically, his tone heavy with depression.
With a shake of his head, hoping to break the mood, Steve slapped the older man on the back. "That may be, Norm, but we still have him, right?"
Haseejian stared at Steve, unblinking, then he nodded. "You're right, you're right," he smiled apologetically, as if seeming to realize how his own mood was affecting the others.
The detectives had to get back to work but they left feeling more optimistic than when they'd arrived. As they disappeared down the hall, Steve shot a quick glance at Dan and the returning look told him that he, too, had noticed the change in Haseejian. Now more than ever, Steve wanted to pull Dan aside so they could discuss this, as well as Maggie, without Jeannie knowing, but for the moment, that seemed an impossible task.
Suppressing a frustrated sigh, Steve returned to the couch and sat, picking up his coffee and taking a gulp. He felt Dan's eyes on him but resisted the urge to respond. Beside him, Jeannie, blissfully unaware, sipped her coffee, staring across the room through the window, her mind obviously back on her father.
# # # # #
At 2:45 in the afternoon, a tired but ebullient Dr. Somerset strolled into the waiting room. His expression told them everything they needed to know before he had a chance to cross the room. "So, are you ready for some good news?" he asked with a wide smile.
"Really?" Jeannie asked with a matching grin.
Nodding, the surgeon sat down beside her as Steve and Dan stood over them. "Not only did we wean your father from the ventilator in almost record time but he's already been moved upstairs to a private room. He's doing extremely well. He's fully awake and talking, although his throat is very sore and his voice is raspy and will be for awhile."
Overjoyed, Jeannie glanced up at Steve and Dan, her own relief reflected in their faces as well.
"So, give us an hour or so to get him settled in and allow him to rest for a bit – it was quite a morning – and then you, all three of you," he included Dan in his glance, "can go up and spend some time with him. I'm sure everybody'd really like that, am I right?" he finished with a chuckle, buoyed by their obvious elation.
"You have no idea," Dan said quietly while the others laughed, almost weak with relief.
# # # # #
They were riding up to the fourth floor with Dr. Somerset. "So he's now in the hands of Dr. John Webster; he's our pulmonary specialist and he and his staff will oversee Mike's care from here on out. You'll have nothing to worry about, they are the best."
The elevator arrived and the doors slid open. Somerset led the way out, turning to the right. They followed him through what seemed to be a small maze of corridors and turns until they came to halt outside Room B442.
"Ready?" Dr. Somerset asked, looking at Jeannie, and she nodded, taking a deep breath, not sure what to expect. Beaming, Somerset pushed the door open and the three younger people stepped into the room, all slightly taken aback upon seeing the empty bed.
"Hi," a somewhat familiar but gravelly voice said quietly from their right and three pairs of startled eyes snapped in that direction.
Jeannie caught her breath and brought a hand to her mouth, Steve and Dan froze, wide-eyed. "Oh my god," Dan said quietly.
Wearing a beige robe over a blue hospital gown, socks and slippers, a weak, pale, slightly groggy but smiling Mike Stone was sitting in a large upholstered armchair, a light blanket around his shoulders.
"Daddy?" Jeannie gasped, stunned, suddenly incapable of moving, and her father, unable to tear his eyes from her face, reached out as best he could with a trembling left hand towards her. Crying, she suddenly found her feet and crossed the short distance to him quickly. She grabbed his hand in both of hers, trying to control the urge to embrace him.
"You can hug me," he said raspily, his voice almost unrecognizable, "just be careful."
Giggling with joy and relief, she opened her arms, leaned closer and wrapped them gently around her father's shoulders, her head against his. Unable to lift his arms, Mike had to settle for putting his hands on her sides and holding her that way, but the mere touch alone was more than enough for father and daughter.
Mike looked beyond her head towards Steve and their eyes locked and held. Steve's grin got even wider and he winked; Mike winked back. Then Steve's expression turned serious, he took a deep unsteady breath, shaking his head slowly and his eyes shone brightly. Mike closed his eyes and nodded. They both knew how close they had come once again.
As Mike released his daughter and she moved back almost reluctantly, his gaze turned to his partner. Dan took a tentative step forward and put his hands out, taking Mike's left in both his own. "Jeez, you look great, you really do," he said in amazement, "I thought you'd be lying on that," he gestured towards the bed, "for a couple a weeks or so. I wasn't expecting this."
Mike nodded carefully; everything hurt or so it felt. "It's got something to do with circulation and getting my lungs working again, something like that…" he explained slowly, keeping his voice low. He was trying not to let the pain show.
Jeannie turned to Steve, wide-eyed and excited, thrilled to see her father doing so much better than she had anticipated. As they exchanged a few words, Dan glanced at them over his shoulder then quickly turned back to Mike, leaning in very close. "She doesn't know about Maggie yet," he whispered quickly, hoping Mike understood. The older man looked at him in confusion, then smiled slightly and nodded.
Relieved, Dan pulled back before Jeannie caught him, pumped Mike's hand a couple of times with a grin then stepped away. It was Steve's turn, and the former partners locked eyes again as he stepped towards the chair. He leaned forward, putting both hands on the sides of Mike's head, pulling him slightly forward so they were forehead to forehead. He looked deep into Mike's eyes, saying quietly, "Don't you ever do that to me again," then, with a huge grin, planted a big wet kiss on Mike's forehead.
Jeannie and Dan laughed affectionately as Mike chuckled carefully, wrapping his arms lightly around his chest. "I promise," he whispered. Steve stood back, staring at his old partner, then glanced up at Somerset, who was still standing near the door. "I don't know where to begin to thank you," he said to the surgeon, who just shook his head.
"It wasn't just me," Somerset said earnestly, "and believe me, this," he gestured at them all, "is payment enough. Mike," he said as he took a step towards his now former patient, "you're out of my hands now. Best of luck, but I'm thinking you might not need it, not with these three on your side." He shook Mike's left hand.
"Thanks, doc, I owe you," Mike said slowly, trying to keep his emotions in check.
A brief awkward silence filled the room after the doctor left. "Ah," Dan started, a little louder than he'd intended, "Mike, are you allowed to eat?"
Smiling, Mike nodded. "Soft stuff," he said, gesturing slightly towards his throat.
Dan nodded back. "Good, good. Well, what's say I head down to the cafeteria and get us all some ice cream. How does that sound?"
Jeannie looked at him with delight. "That sounds perfect. Strawberry for me – and for Dad too, right?" Mike nodded.
"Steve?" Dan prompted when the bearded professor just stood there, staring into space.
Shaking himself, Steve chuckled, caught out. "Oh, ah, chocolate, thanks."
Dan eyed him exasperatedly as he headed for the door. He knew Steve was on to him – that the trip to the cafeteria was an excuse to leave the room to call Maggie.
# # # # #
Maggie Jarris slammed the front door of the apartment and bounced down the stairs towards the waiting taxi. Since she'd received the phone call from Dan mere moments ago, she couldn't stop smiling. And now she was on the way to fulfill a promise she had made to herself not so long ago, a promise that hopefully would bind her to the one person in the world she knew could make her whole again.
As the DeSoto cab pulled away from the curb, neither she nor the driver noticed the dark blue sedan that slipped out of the space a half block behind, sedately following them down the street and around the corner.