Disclaimer: Standard

I apologize for the shortness of this chapter and the delay in posting it. Plot bunnies attacked me after seeing PLAYING DEAD, and I've just finished a temporary second job.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Captain Danny Ross leaned back against the squad car's seat and closed his eyes.

"You ok, Captain?" the grizzled sergeant in the front passenger seat asked.

Ross didn't open his eyes. "Yes."

"I've seen a lot," the cop continued. "But what they did to Detective Goren." He shook his head. "Any man that can survive something like that…Must be a strong man."

"He is." Ross opened his eyes. "Strong, stubborn, and very, very smart. A good man and a good cop…Even if he's not always popular with the Brass…"

"Probably why he's a good cop, if you'll excuse me for saying so, Captain," the sergeant said.

"Right now, sergeant, I agree with you," Ross answered.

The younger cop driving the car glanced at the rearview mirror. "Any word on how Detective Goren is doing, Sir?"

"I haven't heard anything since they put him in the ambulance," Ross replied. "Thanks for the lift to the hospital."

"No problem," the sergeant said. "We wanted to go and give blood and see if there's anything we can do." He shook his head. "I've given blood too many times for too many cops."

"I feel like that too," the younger cop said. "And I haven't been on the force that long."

Ross' cell phone rang. Flipping it open, he saw the Chief of Detective's number displayed. The Captain thought for a moment, and then punched the "Ignore" button. Ross had left his lieutenants in charge of the scene, giving one of them specific instructions to give updates to the Brass, including the Chief. The Chief could talk to him, and probably had. At the moment, Ross was ill inclined to indulge the Chief's micromanaging and attempts at damage control. The Captain knew everything was under control. The CSU guys were in charge at the scene. Caldwell was at the same hospital as Goren. Thomas Linley was in the not so gentle hands of other Major Case Squad detectives. The irony that the likely dying if not already dead Caldwell was at the same hospital as Goren didn't escape Ross. "At least it's convenient," he thought. He felt some guilt at leaving Wheeler at the scene, but he knew the Internal Affairs officer who arrived to investigate the shooting. "Don't worry," the IAB man told Ross and Wheeler. "It's a good shoot." Ross knew that, but he also knew it was Wheeler's first shooting.

"We're here, Captain." The sergeant's voice broke in on Ross' thoughts. "We'll drop you off and go park."

"Let us know how the detective is," the younger cop said.

"I will," Ross said as he opened the car door. "Thanks for the ride." He turned, took a deep breath, and walked through the emergency room entrance.

It was the middle of a Thursday afternoon, and Ross guessed that was why the room was so quiet. He showed his badge to a sympathetic receptionist, who pointed him to the waiting room around a corner.

"There's already been several police officers here," she said. "They've all headed off to give blood. I'm sorry…I don't know how the detective is."

Ross entered the waiting room and saw Alex Eames sitting on the edge of a chair. She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. With a start, Ross realized there were scarlet spots and streaks on her clothes. He took another deep breath, and walked towards her.

"Alex…"

She looked up at him desperately, and Ross remembered seeing the same sort of look in Bobby Goren's eyes when he and Ross waited to see Alex in the hospital after her kidnapping.

"Captain," she said shakily and started to stand.

"It's all right, Alex," Ross said as he sat across from her. "Have you heard anything?"

Alex leaned back. "No…One of the nurses…He said he'd never seen anyone…" Alex rubbed her eyes. "Oh, Captain…" She struggled not to break down. Ross leaned forward.

"Oh, God," Alex thought. "Please…Please don't let him try to comfort me…I'll fall apart…And I can't fall apart…"

"Alex," Ross said gently. "You're exhausted…You haven't really slept in…How many days? You haven't really eaten. And you've been worried…And that word doesn't begin to cover it…You don't have to…"

"Yes…Yes…I do," Alex said when she could trust her voice. "At least until I know he's going to be ok…"

Cops in blue and detectives in suits and street clothes began to fill the waiting room. One Major Case sergeant who always gave Bobby and Alex a tough time carefully approached Alex and Ross. Bobby liked him because he treated Bobby exactly as he did every other cop.

"Detective Eames…Captain…How's the big guy doing?" The sergeant turned his caps in his hands.

"We don't know yet," Ross said, his attention focused on Alex.

"Well…A lot of Major Case is here…Some giving blood…and we'll be going back after that…But we'd really appreciate knowing how he's doing."

Alex fought down the lump that formed in her throat. "He…He'll be grateful that people care…"

The sergeant shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Well…A lot of us owe him…And not just for all the times he's taken shifts…He makes us all look good…We're organizing a watch for him."

"Good," Ross said. "Sign me up for a shift."

"Will do…Don't worry, Detective Eames. He'll be ok. He's tough. He's strong."

"Thank you," Alex said softly. She waited until the sergeant was out of earshot before she spoke again.

"The problem is, Bobby's not that tough. He's strong, but I don't know if anyone is strong enough to…"

"He won't face this alone, Alex," Ross declared. "We'll help him."

"How?" Alex spoke to herself as much as to Ross. "How can we help him after all of this? After what they did to him? After what we did to him?"

Ross leaned closer to her. "I…I don't know…But I'll find someone who can help us…"

The Captain's cell phone rang. "Damn!" Ross muttered. He checked his phone and growled, "He can wait…"

"Who?" Alex asked.

"The Chief of D's…"

"Captain…If that two-faced SOB gets anywhere near Bobby…I don't care if I wind up directing traffic in Staten Island…"

"If the Chief gets near Goren, I'll be on that corner with you," Ross said. "I think I'm going to let the Chief deal with the FBI on this…"

"That's cruel, Captain. Even for the Chief and the FBI."

"Ms. Eames…"

Alex and Ross looked up at a young Hispanic woman carrying a clipboard.

"Yes," Alex said warily.

"We've got Mr. Goren stabilized. He's being moved to surgery…"

"How is he?" Alex asked, and her heart stopped when the woman hesitated.

"I have to be honest," she said gently. "We've rarely seen anyone with so many different injuries. He's dehydrated and hasn't had food in a long time. He's lost a lot of blood. He has some internal injuries, which is why he needs surgery. And all of the different drugs in his system…"

"Can we see him?" Alex asked, desperate to end the litany of Bobby's wounds.

"For a moment," the woman said. "Just follow me. You can both come…"

Ross and Alex followed the woman past several cubicles to the largest of the treatment rooms.

"He's semiconscious," the woman said. "And he's been asking for you."

Bobby lay on his left side. Tubes snaked in and out of his arms and under the sheet that covered him. His skin looked paler than the white bandages that covered his wrists. His great dark eyes shone from the dark hallows around them.

"Bobby," Alex said softly.

He blinked and tried to reach out to her with his left hand. Alex gently took his hand. His lips moved, but no sound came from them.

"It's all right," she said. "I'm real…I promise you I'm real."

A nurse entered the room, and Bobby stiffened. His eyes widened with fear.

"Bobby…She's here to help. All of the people here are here to help you." Alex spoke as clearly and calmly as she could. Her words seemed to help him.

"We need to take him up now," the nurse said gently. "We'll take good care of him."

"Bobby." Alex brushed his curls with her hand. "These are good people. You can trust them. I'll be waiting for you."

Bobby swallowed. "I…I'm sorry…" His voice was barely a whisper. "That you have to take care of me."

"I don't mind. Remember our deal…I'll forgive you…But you gotta fight…Stay alive…"

Bobby blinked.

The nurse injected a drug into one of the many IV's in Bobby's body. "He'll be out soon…"

Alex held his hand until his eyes finally closed.

END CHAPTER FOURTEEN