A Pineapple a day
Here you go, new chapter. I've written it on my shiny new laptop! Woohoo!
Throughout the morning, Henry and Gus kept up a vigil at Shawn's side. Lassiter sat in his bed and watched, and prayed.
Nurses came and went, checking vitals, and reassuring the men waiting and hoping. They said Shawn was responding well, and since his fever broke, it was just a matter of time until he woke up.
It finally happened at around lunch time.
Shawn started whimpering and moving around on the bed.
"Nightmare." Gus diagnosed with a sigh. He had seen them before. A hand on Shawn's shoulder, he said his friend's name. "Shawn. Shawn, buddy, time to get up."
"I don't wanna. Five more minutes." The watchers let out a relieved laugh.
"Shawn, up and at 'em kid." Henry said, shaking his son's shoulder.
"Ow." Shawn hissed and drew away from his father's hand. Henry drew back as though he was shocked.
"Sorry, kid. How ya doing?"
"Tired. Muzzy. I feel like I've gone ten days without sleep."
"You got an infection." Gus explained. "You've had a fever most of the night."
"Oh, fun." Shawn pouted. "I hate being sick." He rubbed his hand through his hair. he knew that the consequences of his actions meant that he was often in hospital, but he hated them. A remnant from his childhood stays.
"You're going to be fine though." Lassiter spoke up. "Doctor Foster said so."
"Hey, I'm a hard man to keep down!" Shawn grinned. "Just like my hair!"
Buzz took a long sleep and didn't dream, which was a mercy and a blessing. He got up and checked the clock. It was now one o'clock in the afternoon, and visiting hours at the hospital. He dressed quickly, he needed to see Shawn, and Detective Lassiter.
He got dressed, and went down to the Kitchen. Francine was at work, teaching, but on the counter was a large Tupperware container, with a note sellotaped to the top. He read it and smiled.
"Buzzy,
I baked cookies for our boys, and there's a pineapple in the fridge. I know that Shawn will probably get hundreds of the gosh darn things, but goodness knows he deserves some pampering. There's some nice soup for lunch. Make sure you eat it before you go to the hospital. Yes, you can sneak a cookie for dessert.
Love you,
Your Baby Bear.
Xoxoxo."
Buzz grinned. She knew him so well. He loved her, so very much, and he knew she loved him.
Juliet glanced at the clock for the hundredth time that morning. Finally! Lunch. Ten minutes to get to the hospital, ten minutes back, that left her 40 minutes to visit Shawn and Lassiter. She dashed through the station.
"Give 'em our best!"
"Tell them to get well soon!"
"Not too soon! This is the longest Detective Lassiter's taken off. Ever!"
"Tell Shawn he still owes me 20 dollars, and I won't take hospital bills as an excuse!" There was good natured laughter at that. Juliet waved to acknowledge the comments and jumped in her car.
"...And so I said, 'It does to me!'" Shawn was saying to raucous laughter as she entered.
"Hey Shawn, Carlton. How are you doing?" She pulled a chair to join henry and Gus between the two beds so she could see both patients.
"Fine." Both men chorused and then grimaced at each other.
"Fine?" Henry growled. "Shawn, your back is infected, and your fever only broke a few hours ago."
"Shawn! Oh, my God. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." He grinned. "Seriously, nothing wrong a nice juicy pineapple won't fix."
"You and pineapples!" She shook her head and laughed a little. Then she frowned and turned to Lassiter. "Carlton, did you ever give him that pineapple?"
"It's back at my place." Carlton smiled. "But Henry and Gus brought him one."
"Yes! Let's crack that puppy open!"
"Shawn!" Gus frowned. "You know that a side effects of broad spectrum antibiotics is nausea! You're on liquids only."
"What? But that's not fair!" Shawn pouted. "I don't feel sick at all." He folded his arms.
"Shawn, you do what the Doctor tells you." Henry ordered.
"But it's not fair, there's a big juicy pineapple, and I don't get to eat it!"
They all laughed, and Lassiter clutched at his side.
"Ow. Don't make me laugh!"
"So, you're both... really ok?" Juliet asked, looking from one to the other. "We're all really worried about you. The whole station was talking about you both. I think every single officer would come and visit if they could get time off. And if they thought you needed that kind of hassle."
"It would be nice to see the guys from the station." Shawn said quietly.
Meanwhile, Buzz was in his car, a box of cookies on the seat beside him. He'd belted the seat-belt around them to keep them safe. The pineapple was seated proudly on top of the box. He was half watching the road, and half talking to himself, and looking in his rear view mirror.
"Hi, Shawn. How are you?" He said, smiling shyly. "Stupid. He's in the hospital, how do you expect he is?"
He pulled up to some traffic lights.
"Shawn! Hey! Detective Lassiter!" Buzz grinned perkily into the mirror. "Uh. Too cheery."
He turned left, indicating carefully.
"So, I hope you're feeling better. I have cookies!" He slapped his forehead, before replacing his hands in the recommended ten-two position. "I have cookies? How lame is that? So does the Dark Side!"
He stopped to allow an elderly woman with two young children with her, probably grand-kids, to cross the road.
"We're all thinking of you. Even Francine! I... don't know what to say." He hit his head on the steering wheel and pulled over to the side of the road. He got out his cell phone. Francine would know what to do. She always did.
"Hey Francine."
"Buzzy Boo! Did you eat the soup?"
"Yes, I ate the soup." He sighed. "Can you talk?"
"Yeah, it's nap-time for the kids." He could hear her smile over the phone. She was so good with children, and she so wanted her own. He wanted children as well, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to subject a child to a policeman's lifestyle.
"Buzz? What's up?" She asked. He shook his head, realising he'd been sitting in silence instead of talking to his wife.
"Sorry, honey. I'm on my way to the hospital."
"Do you have the cookies?"
"Of course I have the cookies." She'd made him smile again. "I just... Shawn... how am I supposed to talk to him? To Detective Lassiter? I mean, we've been taught how to talk to victims, but this is Shawn and the Head Detective. They'd hate that. But something terrible did happen to them. I can't just go in and say: 'Hey, how's it hanging?' can I?"
"Well, of course not. 'How's it hanging?' That is so nineties! Unless you take up surfing, dude, never say it again." That actually startled a small laugh from Buzz. "Treat them as themselves. Don't insult them by treating them like victims. They're your friends first."
"How is it that you always know what to say?"
"I'm magical. I thought you knew that?" She grinned. "Thank me with flowers. And give my love to our boys."
"I love you."
"Love you too." They hung up.
Buzz turned off his hazards and pulled back into the flow of traffic.
"Officer Allan is talking about a party." Juliet said, smiling.
"A party?" Shawn said, perking up like a puppy that's spotted his favourite ball.
"A party?" Lassiter repeated, in the same tone that I would say 'a funeral?'.
"Yeah. Everyone is putting a little money into a pot to get you guys a gift, and Officer Allan is arranging a party. Everyone is so glad you guys are both alright."
"I'm going to get going." Henry said, standing and stretching. "I'm ready for some lunch, and I don't really want hospital food."
"Fair enough. You coming back later?" Shawn asked, faux casual.
"I'm not sure. I'll stop by tomorrow morning though." There's along awkward pause in which neither can meet the other's eyes. "You want anything?" Henry finally asked, grudgingly.
"Maybe some magazines or something. A pineapple smoothie?" Shawn smiled, then turned to Gus. "Maybe you could grab my laptop? Games, some DVDs?"
"Sure, Shawn. But I have to work tomorrow. I might be able to drop in on my way to work though. Or I could get it in an hour or so while I'm going to get my lunch?"
"Thanks Gussy face!"
Henry gave Shawn a hug that was awkward in more ways than one. Firstly, it was awkward in that both men were emotionally constipated in regards to each other. And secondly, have you ever tried hugging someone who can only lie on their side, without touching their back? Awkward.
"See ya, kid." Henry half waved and gave Lassiter a stoic nod, which was returned, and left.
"So, party?" Shawn asked, head tilted. Juliet laughed. "Tell Officer Allan to bring on the pineapple upside down cake!" Juliet checked her watch.
"I actually have to go. My lunch hour is up." She hugged Shawn with difficulty, and then went over and hugged Lassiter, much to his surprise. Shawn and Gus exchanged raised eyebrows. "Take care of yourself Carlton. And keep looking out for Shawn, God knows he needs it."
"Ribs, O'Hara!"
"Oh, God!" She let go of him and backed off immediately. "I'm so sorry, Carlton! Are you okay?"
"Fine." He ground out. "Go. Catch bad guys." She left quickly, but with many glances over her shoulder at the men in the beds. As soon as she was out of sight, Shawn relaxed further into the bed with a harsh sigh.
"I thought she'd never leave." He muttered.
"Shawn?" Lassiter asked, surprised by the sudden change in the other man. Shawn's expression had become pained and tight; his teeth gritted and small lines of tension appeared around his eyes.
Gus looked worried, exasperated and saddened all at once.
"Shawn, you don't have to do that." He sighed.
"What? What's wrong?" Lassiter asked, looking from one to the other. He hated this. He seemed to always be out of the loop.
"He does this every time he's in hospital. He hates to be seen as weak." Gus filled in.
"Gus, don't be a Billy the Big Mouth Bass."
"A what?" Lassiter asked, in spite of himself.
"One of those singing fish." Shawn explained, looking a little disappointed. He yawned and winced, moving to try and get more comfortable in the bed.
There was a knock at the room door, and Buzz poked his head round. Shawn immediately put his game face back on.
"Buzz!" Shawn grinned. "Get in here!"
Buzz smiled and pushed open the door, holding the cookies and pineapple before him as an offering.
Okay, so there was a lot of Buzz in this one. What do you think?