another chapter for you before the new episode tonight! everyone who is in the know has said ti could be the bets ever episode yet, which has me both excited and terrified! let me all know what you think of this, I am very excited for what is to come! I appreciate every single on of you reading, especially those of you who take the time to comment - it really does keep me going!
It has been two days. Steve is still unconscious.
"Liz," she hears someone say her name, looking up from her laptop where she sits beside the hospital bed to see Jamie stood in the ward doorway.
"Hey," she smiles in greeting, closing her laptop to invite him to come in. He does so, slowly with a sheepish glance to the unconscious man next to her.
Jamie had come by the day before and dropped off some of her belongings that Ted had gathered for her, though had not stayed long, feeling rather awkward. As if he were invading their personal space together. It was silly to feel so misplaced when in the room with them both, especially with one in such a condition as DS Arnott. But there had been so many comments to him in the few days he had been a part of the unit about how close the pair were. It seems to be something needed to be stressed to any newcomer to AC-12, pointed out casually as if it is some staple of the office. He almost felt bad he had been rather flirtatious with the woman before, now watching himself. Not wanting to offend or overstep a boundary subconsciously put in place by all those little comments everyone seemed to make about the pair.
Steve Arnott and Liz Thornton.
He was surprised to find out they were not an item. Not, despite how they acted with each other and were viewed by others, an official 'couple'.
Nonetheless, Liz's reaction to Steve's ordeal and current condition proved to Jamie that everyone had been right. It didn't take any of his detective training to work it out when he first met them. The way they smiled at the other or eagerly took any excuse to touch the other's arm or the way they constantly talked about whatever the other was doing even when asked about themselves; it was clear as day. Something was there. They care about each other.
But now, after recent events, it has become clearer it is so much more than that.
What exactly? Jamie is unsure. He has hardly had the chance to get to know them!
And it seems even they are unsure.
It is difficult not to feel somewhat awkward around them. As if he knows something about them that even they don't. Or won't.
It may not be his place to have an opinion on that, but it seems everyone else he has talked to about it since - Steve's condition and Liz staying over at the hospital being the justifiable hot topic at the moment amongst their colleagues - is in agreement.
Anyone would be concerned for their friend if they were involved in such a brutal incident. But to put everything in your own life on hold to be by their side, not even knowing if and when they will wake up, and not expecting any sort of gratitude or reward for doing so - that's special.
"Gaffer asked me to stop by and see how he is doing," Jamie explains, kindly, stopping his train of thought before he makes the atmosphere even weirder for himself.
"You could have called," Liz says, though makes sure her tone remains friendly, not meaning it to be as condescending as she fears it may come across, "Save you the trouble of coming out this way. I am sure you have plenty of work to do, finding whoever did this."
Jamie nods, hearing the slight venom laced in her tone at the last part, putting his hands in his pockets, "Suppose Hastings just wanted me to check in."
"Check in on me, you mean?" Liz smirks, touched by Jamie's bashfulness but also slightly irked at Ted's suffocating concern.
She shakes her head, brushing the sour thought off. Liz knows it would not bother her so much if she were not so exhausted. He only cares.
Liz sighs, looking to the pale man still unconscious beside her, "The doctors say he is doing well. He had another operation on his pelvis this morning which they seemed fairly pleased with. He has also had four scans since Ted was here yesterday morning. So please make sure to tell him, as he will be happy to know, that I took those opportunities to either go home to shower and eat or to go for a walk to clear my head. So he can stop fussing!"
She regrets her continually bitter tone as she sees Jamie shift his weight uncomfortably. The constant ache behind her eyes - a consequence of her unrelenting anxiety - was driving her insane, forcing things to come out wrong.
"So, any closer to finding out what happened?" Liz says quickly and as softly as she can, trying to redeem a light-hearted atmosphere, feeling terrible the poor man is unwillingly becoming caught up in her unnecessary non-existent familial drama, "Did Nick Huntley say anything?"
She looks back down to Steve, sadly, once again thinking of whatever he must have went through, as Jamie clears his throat to begin to update her on the case, "He was at a work function in Northampton on the night of the 25th, when the image of Balaclava Man was captured in the Moss Heath area. So it can't be him. We don't have any CCTV, no witnesses, no physical evidence at all to suggest he is involved in the case."
"But Steve, what did he say about what happened to Steve?" Liz asks, rather impatiently. She knows she should be interested in the case, but she cannot find herself to care about anything else other than the man lying beside her.
"Him and his lawyer seem insistent DS Arnott fell, that is was an accident," Jamie says, hearing Liz let out a short, bitter laugh at that, "But Hastings continued to stress that a man, especially an officer and ex-counter-terrorism team leader with all the training he has had, does not fall down three flights of stairs by 'accident'."
Liz's head snaps to him, her eyes wide, "Three flights?!"
Jamie nods.
She lets out a breath, turning back to Steve and reaching out to take his cold hand once more. She knew it had to have been bad, for him to be in the condition he currently is. But to hear the extent of the fall and imagining the pain he must have gone through - her head hurts trying to comprehend it. Ted must have kept that information from her, knowing it would upset her. But Liz isn't angry at him for it, having been so far more concerned with how Steve is currently doing than what had happened.
At her shocked silence, Jamie continues, "Security say they don't know how someone could have gotten inside the building unless they were already in there. Huntley's boss also says he saw him leave the office for about fifteen minutes around the time DS Arnott would have sustained his injuries. Huntley claims he went to the toilet. But we don't have anything other than circumstance, so we have had to let him go. For now."
Liz deflates slightly, her eyes moving to Steve's sullen face.
Jamie notices, taking a slight step closer, "But then Maneet received the CCTV footage of an alleyway adjacent to the building."
Liz turns back to look up at him, noting the slightly optimistic tone to his voice. She raises a curious brow.
"It shows a man in a balaclava, headed in the direction away from the law firm," Jamie explains, "We think it is who we have been looking for. And that they were involved in Steve's attack."
Liz turns to him fully, one hand still placed on top of Steve's, "So Balaclava Man can't be Michael Farmer, if he is still out there. And you're sure it isn't Huntley?"
The DC shakes his head, "There were no traces of Steve's blood found on any of his clothing. No clothes fibres, either. Nor any fibres relating to a Balaclava Man outfit."
"So do you think perhaps he tipped someone off?"
"Well, he only made one phone call at the time that went to voicemail, and that was to his solicitor asking for legal advice."
Liz huffs, "I guess our best bet then is hoping Steve can identify someone when he wakes up."
Jamie nods, "Yeah, we are hoping to present the CCTV to him, see if it jogs his memory."
"Just don't crowd him too much too soon," Liz pleads, concerned for how the man will need time and space to recuperate despite understanding their urgency with the case. She, too, wants answers. But wants Steve to recover more so.
"So, how was it?" Liz asks the man, realising he is now standing there rather awkwardly in the silence, "Your first official AC-12 questioning."
Jamie lets out a sort-of sigh, though is touched she even asked, "Honestly? Tougher than I thought."
At Liz's raised brow, he is prompted to continue, knowing he can talk to her and she will listen. It is what she is good at.
"Messed up some of the presenting of evidence. Hastings didn't seem too pleased with me, said I need to 'sharpen up my act'," he says, truthfully and somewhat embarrassed, "Doesn't think we are making enough progress getting to the bottom of it all."
Liz shakes her head, regrettably, upset for the young man, "I think Ted is just stressed, as we all are. That doesn't excuse how he is treating you, but, if it were under normal circumstances, I can assure you things would be much easier. Less pressured. You are doing more than enough, trying your best. He can't really ask more of you than that."
Jamie nods, looking at his feet, surprised but not entirely shocked she was able to work out he is questioning his place amongst the team. He understands that what has happened to DS Arnott is personal for many of them, Liz's own response was evidence of that. All of them want to get to the end of this, restore justice. And now, with personal motive beyond public safety, the stakes are even higher. But the cold treatment from the superior has been tough to endure, when all Jamie is trying to do is his best, as Liz said.
"Thanks, Liz," he sends her a small smile, feeling a little more of himself restored after her assurances.
She smiles back, "You're welcome. And thank you for coming. I really do appreciate it."
The young man nods, taking that as his cue to leave.
Liz sighs again once he has gone, turning to look Steve over, now imaging what actually happened to him after hearing AC-12s new findings. She just hopes they can solve it. And that Steve wakes up soon.
Liz rubs her eyes later that evening, having spent too long staring at her unanswered emails on her laptop screen. Every time she tries to respond, the words flood from her mind, occupied instead by thoughts of everything going on; mostly concern for her friend. it definitely doesn't help that she has hardly eaten, her stomach growling with hunger and nerves. She has drafted and re-drafted this simple email at least three times now. She shakes her head, giving it another go.
Dear Mr Buckley,
Thank you for reaching out, that is always the first step! You should be proud of yourself for that alone. I would love to discuss this more with you during an appointment-
She hears a groan.
Liz's heart stops, her fingers pausing on the keys and head snapping to the man in the bed.
Another groan.
She closes her laptop, hastily pulling the chair closer to his side. Liz watches Steve's grey face, expectantly, unsure if what she had heard was even real.
That's when he makes another sound, his brow twitching ever-so-slightly.
"Steve," Liz exhales, shakily. She then reaches to enclose his hand in both of hers, desperately. Her eyes remain fixated on his face, eager for any more signs of consciousness.
His breaths become harder as his brow twitches once more, creasing - Liz's heart jumping at the almost characteristic sight. It is the only movement, but it is something. She grips onto his hand tighter.
"Steve?" she tries, choking on a sob rising in her throat, "Steve! Can you hear me? Steve?"
Liz had promised herself she would not smother him whenever he woke, but finds herself unable to control herself.
Her eyes snap from his face to the heart rate monitor as it begins to beep at a much more quickened pace. The slow, steady beeping had been somewhat of a comfort to her over the last two days - a reminder he was still with her. That there was hope. Now, it begins to pick up some speed. That had to be a good sign, right?
Liz lets out a somewhat crazed laugh as she allows herself to smile, her eyes once again moving to Steve's still sleeping face.
Just then, his doctor walks in, followed by two other nurses who had regularly checked on her and the man. He walks to the other side of the bed to Liz, gaze flicking between Steve and the monitor beside him. One of the nurses moves around Liz to check on the tubes attached to his arm, the other readjusting the oxygen mask over his mouth. Liz remains where she is sitting, her hands still holding his.
"What is happening?" she finds herself asking as the doctor takes out a notebook and scribbles something down, "Is he waking up?"
The doctor is quiet for another moment, still watching the changing pattern of his heart-rate. Liz waits eagerly and watches as the man turns to her, about to explain-
"Lizzie-"
Her stomach drops. She feels her eyes almost bulge out their sockets as they whip back to Steve's face.
Did he-? Was that-?
She looks around the room to the others present, seeing them also looking to the man, a shocked silence resounding in the space. So she hadn't imagined it. They heard it too.
It was timid, barely even a whisper. It broke as it pushed out the sound.
But it was his voice. He had spoken. He had said her name!
"Steve?" she whispers back, tears springing to her eyes, Liz unable to hold them back in her shock.
The man's face is still passive. Dulled and sunken. No sign he had spoken at all - except for the slight mist of condensation fogging his respiration mask. The rate on the monitor spikes again, the smallest remnant of his effort to speak.
"Steve," she repeats, as the medical staff begin to move around them again. She is unsure what exactly they are doing, but it does not matter to her as she grips Steve's hand tighter, willing him to speak again, or move again, or do anything to show signs he is alright.
The beeping of the monitor continues to spike, almost at an alarming rate in comparison to the steadiness of it before.
"I'm here," Liz assures him in another whisper, as she has done since he was admitted. She lifts his hand slowly, raising it to her lips and pressing a soft, long kiss on the back of it, "I am right here, Steve."
His heart rate immediately begins to slow, adopting the pace of her thumb strokes on the back of his hand where her lips were a moment ago. She convinces herself she can feel him squeeze back a little, no more than a slight returned pressure - and it lasts only a moment.
His face relaxes entirely, limbs once again limp. His chest rises and falls softly, regularly. The rate on the monitor returning to the quiet steadiness Liz had become familiar with over the last two days. He's unconscious again.
"What does that mean?" Liz asks the doctor who lowers his notebook, "Is he alright?"
The doctor nods, to Liz's relief. She exhales, finding herself placing another quick kiss to the back of Steve's hand, uncaring about being seen displaying such affection. She believes her reasoning to be understandable considering.
"It's a good sign. Mr Arnott's showing clear signs of recovery and response," the doctor explains with a pointed look to her, clearly referring to him having uttered her name. Her heart jumps at the memory and acknowledgement from someone else that was, in fact, real, "After the first sign, such as this, we would expect the patient to fully regain consciousness in the next day or so."
Liz feels as though she could collapse if she were not already sitting down, her hold on Steve grounding her as her head spins.
"We will increase our check ups to keep an eye on his vitals and ensure he has as swift and easy of a recuperation as possible," the doctor finishes, nodding to the two nurses who are finishing their checks and heading for the door, "Once he is awake, we will be able to complete more thorough assessments of any short or long-term damages we need to assist."
"Thank you," Liz smiles to the man, hot tears slipping down her emblazoned cheeks. She bites her lip, attempting to hold back the sobs and smiles until she is once again alone with her friend.
The doctor nods with an encouraging smile of his own before leaving the room, closing the door softly behind himself.
Liz lets out a strangled giggle, everything flooding over her at once - relief, concern, that he had said her name! It is overwhelming. After two days of sitting there, by his side in the silence, considering every possibility and fixating on the worst, as she does too often, this was a blessing. Not everything was right yet, but it seemed there was hope. And that was all she could ask for, all she had been longing for.
She reaches her hand up to his face, once again caressing the slight subtle that has emerged on his jawline, careful to not put too much pressure on the slight bruising that has bloomed there. A small, content smile stretches onto her lips as she moves the hand up to his hairline, again careful of the stitching, and strokes his hair away from his forehead. His hair is short, and so there is no reason or need to do so. His forehead is slightly clammy too, from the exertion of beginning to wake. But she cannot resist.
Liz reluctantly removes her hand after a few more moments, allowing herself to process it all and wait for her heart to stop beating so loudly in her ears. Reaching into her pocket, she pulls out her phone. She has a few calls to make.
Liz is walking back to Steve's room after grabbing herself a tea from the hospital canteen, when she sees the doctor standing outside with an older man and a woman. She slows her pace, putting her phone back into her pocket. As she approaches, she catches some of their conversation.
"-we lightened the sedation and also removed the tube from Steven's throat," the doctor is explaining to them, Liz already knowing this having been there for four days now, "It's a good sign."
"Thank you," the woman says as the doctor nods, walking away down the corridor. Liz watches as she turns to the man beside her, concern etched onto her brow. The man places a hand on her arm and smiles reassuringly.
Liz would recognise that comforting smile anywhere. She has been on the receiving end of one just like it so many times before.
That's when she realises who the man and woman must be. Steve's parents.
Her stomach jolts with nerves. Why though? She is unsure, she meets people for a living. Liz takes a breath, steeling herself, before making her way over.
"Hello," Liz says, softly, smiling kindly as they turn to look at her, "I am Elizabeth Thornton, we spoke on the phone?"
Recognition flits across both their faces, the woman reaching out a hand first to which Lizzie shakes.
"Ah yes. I'm Susan, this is David. Thank you so much for calling us," the woman smiles, gratefully.
"Of course, thank you for coming as soon as you could. I know it is far for you to travel," Liz offers, politely.
The man then extends a hand to her with a smile of his own. Liz takes his hand, almost unnerved by his familiar smile.
"You're Lizzie?" the man grins, giving her hand a light shake.
Liz balks, not having introduced herself using that name to them before.
The man continues to grin, "Good to finally meet you. About time we met."
"Pleasure," Liz only smiles, unsure the man's meaning behind that.
She moves past them and to the door, opening it and allowing the older couple to walk past. Entering herself behind them, the first thing she thinks to look to is Steve, still lying unconscious in the bed. His oxygen mask has now been removed, the doctors confident he is strong enough to breathe on his own now. Then watching the older couple move further into the room, Liz sees their coats hanging on the backs of two chairs pulled up on the other side of the bed, them clearly having shown up only moments after she had left the room and already had time alone with their son. Liz almost feels bad that she had claimed the more comfortable chair with the pile of her belongings sat on top, close to offering it to either of them before they have settled.
But she is distracted by Mrs Arnott reaching over to take her son's hand. The couple look to their son, forlorn, much like Liz assumes she has looked herself over the past four days. There is a moment of reflective silence after Liz takes her seat, all three simply looking to the man in the bed. Liz is unsure what to say, a little embarrassed she is intruding on such a private, family moment. She takes a sip of tea and is about to excuse herself before Mr Arnott begins to speak.
"So how long have you and Steven been together now?"
Liz almost chokes on the hot drink, spluttering it a little. Lowering the cup onto the bedside table before she drops it, she feels her cheeks heat furiously as she wipes her mouth with her thumb. Her throat feels dry despite having just had a drink.
Her wide eyes can only watch as Mrs Arnott snaps her head to her husband, using the hand not in her son's to give him a light slap on his thigh, most likely meaning to be discreet but clearly bothered by his brashness. The man jumps slightly at the contact, muttering an offended "ow!" The woman looks over to Liz, noting the shocked expression on the young woman's face and sends her an apologetic look before whipping back around to him, scowling.
"No, that was Samantha. And Steven broke up with the other girl a few months ago," she berates, the realisation dawning on David's face.
Liz remains shocked into silence. It takes a moment for it all to sink in. That David had assumed she was Steve's girlfriend, and also that Susan was under the impression Steve had broken up with Sam, rather than the truth of it being the other way around. Sam had broken up with him after everything with his arrest, Mrs Arnott's misunderstanding suggesting to Liz perhaps Steve had not been entirely truthful about what had happened in the last year. Though she cannot blame him, where would he even begin to explain all of that?
She feels strange. Sat here with his parents, discussing his personal life over his still unconscious body.
Steve did not speak of them much, the few times he had been either extremely brief and casual or when they would talk about his feeling of being a disappointment to them. Liz tries not to think of that too much now she is sat opposite them, not wanting to make herself feel more intrusive and awkward then she already did.
"You know, he has mentioned you often. Speaks about you a lot, actually," David Arnott says to her, as if to explain his mistake. Susan nods beside him with a friendly smile.
Liz, still surprised with her heart beating quicker at the thought, flicks her gaze between the couple as she thinks of how to respond.
"All good I hope," she jokes with an attempt at a smile.
The couple chuckle, good-heartedly.
"Now that would be telling," Mr Arnott quips back with an exaggerated wink, alleviating Liz's nerves a little with his humour. She humours him with a laugh of her own, despite her nerves. She begins to panic.
What has he said? What would there be to say?
Liz's worries are extinguished slightly at the nothing-but-kind smiles and energy his parents are sending her way.
Her gaze flicks to Steve anxiously under the weight of their gazes, an attempt to divert the attention from her as well as even still looking to him for comfort - like she usually would.
"The doctors said they aren't too sure what happened," David suddenly asks, his demeanour now unnerved, with it clearly having been playing on his mind, "Are they any closer to finding out who did this?"
Liz sighs, "I'm sorry, no news yet. But I know they are working their hardest to find out."
David deflates a little, but sends her a grateful (though somewhat uncertain) nod.
"So how has he been doing with work?" Susan then asks, clearly wanting conversation to control her nerves about her son, "He doesn't tell us too much, bound by confidentiality he usually says."
Liz smiles at that, hearing Steve has used her regular excuse himself. She was clearly rubbing off on him. Her smile falters slightly as her heart drops, realising that while he hardly talks to them about it, he has apparently still mentioned her often. Even to the point his father had mistaken her for his partner. That he had remembered her name instead of Sam- She pushes that thought away quickly, not wanting to get caught up in it in front of them.
"He's doing very well," Liz says, unsure what to say to them, "One of our most valuable assets to the team. Very determined, we can rely on him to get the job done. Your son has a good head on his shoulders, and a good heart too. That's important."
Liz can feel her blush rising again, her neck heating uncomfortably, ready to overthink whether she has said too much, but is distracted when David chuckles, fondly, "Well, he gets that from his mother."
Susan blushes herself, smiling gratefully over at her husband, who smiles back. Liz's heart beams at the sight, finding it touching.
They are… warmer than she had expected. After everything Steve had divulged about his brother and the pressure he always felt to live up to him, to not disappoint his parents more than he feels he already has - Liz expected them to be colder and, well, less loving. But that's not what she sees now as the older couple smile with each other, her gripping supportively to her son's hand. Liz knows how it feels to think you are disappointing your guardian. Not living up to their expectations of you. And she also knows that most of that pressure does not come from them but yourself. Even though it is there, all along, you just refuse to see and believe it. That it takes that little push to get them to admit it to you, explicitly.
"You should be proud of him," Liz finds herself saying before she can stop herself, hoping she does not sound as adamant as she feels. But they should be. She is.
Susan lets out a slight sob, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears. David reaches an arm around her, both of them giving Liz a grateful smile.
That shows Liz all she needs. That they are proud.
Liz just hopes Steve will see it himself one day.
With Susan's emotions now clearly catching up to her - which Liz can completely understand herself, just how overwhelming this all is - she decides she should give them time alone. Besides, Liz has had enough of her own time with him. She can't be selfish now, especially not to his parents.
"Would either of you like a drink of any kind? I am just going to pop to the canteen to get another tea," Liz rises from her chair, reaching to grab her purse and empty cup off the side.
"A tea would be lovely, thank you," Susan smiles, David shaking his head to decline politely.
Liz smiles, nodding, before heading for the door. She takes one more look back over her shoulder before turning away, seeing the couple looking lovingly at their son. Liz's smile grows, her heart full, grateful he has support, before heading down the corridor.
"Can I have two teas, a hot chocolate and two blueberry muffins please?" Liz asks the staff behind the till, watching as they turn to make up the order. She knows David had declined a hot drink and neither had asked for any sort of snack. But Liz had decided, with their son being unconscious in a hospital bed after a vicious attack, they deserved a treat.
"Ms Thornton!" she suddenly hears as she searches through her purse for the correct change.
Liz looks over her shoulder to see one of the nurses moving hastily in her direction. Her nerves spike.
"You might want to come back to the room," the nurse suggests as she approaches, a hurriedness to her voice.
"Why? What has happened?" Liz panics, sending a glance to the barista as her order is placed in front of her, "Is everything alright?"
The nurse nods, her eyes lighting up as she tries to control a grin, "Mr Arnott is awake."