Dedication: This story is dedicated to a very good friend of mine, who...
inspired this one by experiencing some of the stuff herself... You know who you
are.
Note: Thanks to D.L .for letting me "borrow" me Dr. Cuthbertson
and Sadie Farmsworth. They are hers.
Thanks again to Elaine for her really quick and good beta reading.
Disclaimer: See the FanFiction Page
The Sentinel
- Emergency -
translated by Franziska (August/September 2000)
"Jim, what's up?" Blair asked his friend, as Jim walked out of the bathroom – unusually pale. "Don't you feel good?"
"It's just a touch of nausea and my stomach's aching. Guess I must have eaten something that disagreed with me."
Blair touched Jim's forehead and felt the unusual warmth on his skin. "You have a fever, Jim. I'll call Simon and tell him, that you won't be in to work today. Maybe you've got the flu – you don't want to infect all the detectives in Major Crimes."
"Sandburg, I feel fine. Really."
"Don't argue with me man." Without giving Jim a chance to contradict, he took the phone and dialed Simon's number.
"Banks!"
"Simon, it's Blair. Just wanna tell you, that Jim won't be coming to work today. He's ill. Maybe the flu."
"Good. Tell him, I don't want to see him here today. And tell him, that I hope he will recover soon."
"Will do, Captain. See you tomorrow." After finishing the call, Blair turned to his partner. "Simon…"
"Yeah. I know. Simon doesn't want to see me today. I overheard the conversation."
"Oh. I forgot about that. Go to bed, man. I'll fix you some tea and stay with you for today. The U can wait."
"No, Chief. I'm not feeling *that* bad. Go to the university, I know it's important. Now, go."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. But I'll call you every hour."
"Yes, Mom. I'll stay here"
~~~~~
About ten hours later...
Exhausted, Blair opened the door of the loft. The day at the U had been demanding. For five hours, he gave one lecture behind the other, than a short break, than again back to lectures for another three hours. Now he would just take care of Jim and hopefully fall asleep before midnight. After tossing his backpack and his jacket in a corner at the door, his gaze caught a *very* pale Jim, who just left the bathroom.
"You look awful."
"Thanks."
One second later Blair was standing right beside Jim to support him on his way back to the couch. Even without Sentinel abilities, he could feel the heat radiating from Jims body.
"You're almost burning up! When did the fever rise that high?"
"I think in the last hour."
"I get you some tylenol against the fever."
"No pills. I won't keep them in me, anyway."
"How often did you vomit today?"
"Don't know. Several times."
"That's enough. I'm calling 911. You can't even stand straight!" Blair could already see the unfocused gaze in Jim's glassy eyes. "No argument. You don't look good and I don't believe that you only have the flu. Maybe it's something more serious." Blair called 911, requested an ambulance and was just back at Jim's side, who laid down again on the couch. Oh, Shit. I knew I should have stayed here instead of going to the U.
"What about the stomach-ache?"
"It got worse."
"Where does it hurt?"
Jim pointed to the right lower half of his belly.
"Jim, that's surely not because of the flu. I'm pretty sure it's appendicitis. I knew I should have taken you to a doctor!"
~~~~~
„Mrs. Farmsworth how's Jim?"
Sadie Farmsworth worked in the reception of ER of the Cascade Hospital. She was
well acquainted with Jim, Blair and Simon, because sooner or later one of them
usually arrived there. Therefore, she always had the files of the three of them
ready.
"He's now in the OR. After an examination with ultrasound, they could confirm the suspicion. It's indeed appendicitis. Pretty unusual for a man of his age. Normally it only occurs in the first three decades of life. But from time to time it happens, that we have patients with appendicitis who are older than 30. C'mon. I'll get you a coffee, and you sit down. Then I'll call Simon, okay?"
„Yeah, thanks."
Thankfully, Blair took the hot mug of coffee and drank it very slow. The last few hours had been hell. Jim had been whisked into an ER exam room upon arrival and no one came out to tell Blair anything. Finally the harried ER doctor came out and told Blair Jim was being sent for further tests for probable appendicitis.
Now that he knew what was up, he could sit and calm down and wait for the first time. They overcame worse times. Some minutes later, he heard familiar steps. He didn't have to look up, to know that it was Simon. Now that he knew what was up......
"Blair, what's up?" Captain Banks sat down at the chair next to Blair. Though Simon would never admit it publicly, Blair could see the growing concern in his eyes.
"Was there a car accident, or what?"
Blair had to smile at Simon's suspicion. "No, not a car accident. But remember I told you this morning, that Jim's ill, right? Well, it wasn't the flu, but appendicitis. He's now in the OR. "
Simon acknowledged the news with a nod and started laughing just a few seconds later. Now, Blair was really irritated.
"What's with you, Simon?"
"Jim. The "Supercop" with the highest rate of solved cases, a detective honored with an award, the one who arrested even the worst killers, succumbs to appendicitis. Defeated by his own body."
Now even Blair had to smile about Simons comment. "Don't let Jim hear that, Simon. You know how vulnerable his pride is."
"Yeah, just as vulnerable as his Pickup. The so-called 'classic'."
"Have you ever been to a one of those rural towns? There the people drive pickups like Jim's. Maybe we should give him a farm for his next birthday, or at least a little pig."
"Yeah, then we finally would have found an use for his 'truck'." Suddenly Simon stopped talking.
"What's up?" Blair asked.
"Hey, do you think, Jim can hear us?"
"Under anesthesia? Nope."
"But you said yourself, that you never know how he reacts to narcotics. Maybe he can hear something. When it's about Jim, you never know."
"Guess we'll have to ask him. In case he heard anything, we'd have enough time to move to another state. Do we share rent, Simon?"
"What about Massachusetts?"
"Well, guess that's far enough."
Silently they sat there for a while. When Blair saw Dr. Mandy Cuthbertson arriving, he stood up. Dr. C – that's how Simon, Jim and Blair call her – had treated Jim several times in the past. She knew that he had strange reactions to medications and especially pain relievers. She also knew about his allergic reactions towards some remedies. Though she worked in the research section by now – she wanted to find out if there are more people like Jim – she always treated Jim, whenever he needed.
"Dr. C. Hi, did you do Jim's surgery?" Blair asked.
"Yes. He's now in his room – Number 403. It's a good thing he got here when he did. Another half hour and his appendix might have ruptured and we'd have been treating him for peritonitis."
"You know how stubborn Jim is. Is he awake?"
"No, not yet. But he should wake up in the next few minutes. We have him on Demerol – a painkiller, because he'll be in some pain, when he wakes up. Now, go visit your friend, Sandburg. I know he needs you."
"Thanks, Dr. C."
"I'll stay here and wait. Tell me when Jim's awake, Sandburg." Simon said.
"You got it Simon."
~~~~~
"Jim, it's me, Sandburg. It's time for waking up, big guy. But take it easy, you might be in some pain."
Sandburg sat beside Jim's bed and spoke gently to his Sentinel. Jim could awaken any minute, and Blair wanted to be with him. He felt Jim move restlessly a bit, finally becoming conscious. Slowly, Jim opened his blue eyes and looked in the ocean - blue eyes of his Guide.
"Hey, Blair."
"Jim, I'm *so* sorry, I shouldn't have left you alone. I shouldn't have gone to the U."
"Thanks for asking. I'm fine." Jim answered, slightly amused by the inevitable speech full of guilt.
"If I would have arrived at the loft about half an hour later… who knows… maybe you would be in the ICU with an inflammation of the peritoneum.
The boy's acting as if he was responsible for this. Jim grabbed Blair's wrist and looked deeply in his eyes. "Blair. Stop it. It's not your fault. Okay?"
"What? Oh. Sorry."
"No, no more 'sorrys'."
"Sor... Oh. How do you feel?"
"Fine, regarding the circumstances. But you're looking pale."
"That's because of the excitement of the past hours. Believe me, I'm fine."
"Oh no. Your temperature is a bit high and your pulse is faster. I'll get Dr. C to check you out. "
Blair just wanted to obfuscate, but remembered he was sitting next to a 'human lie detector'.
"Okay, okay. I wouldn't have any chance against your stubbornness, anyway."
"Right."
Dr. Cuthbertson chose that moment to enter Jim's room for a post operative examination
"Sandburg, would you please wait outside? You know the procedure."
"Of course. I'll wait."
~~~~~
After the visit was over, Jim asked the doctor: "Dr. C, I've got a question and I wanna ask you for something."
"Okay, what is it?"
"When will I be released?"
"You mean, in case you don't release yourself again?"
"At the moment I'm not thinking about something like that."
"In one and a half week. Normally we so this kind of surgery in the endoscopic way, but in your case the risqué of complications was to high, because of the late diagnosis."
"And would you please check out Sandburg? I think his temperature is a bit too high."
"Yeah, of course I'll do." She answered with a smile. "I'll come and visit you again tomorrow, Detective."
"Okay."
~~~~~
"Hi, Simon." Jim welcomed his captain. "Where's Sandburg?"
"Well… The examination showed that he also has appendicitis. Guess he will be brought in here soon. He's scheduled to be in OR in about two hours. But be warned: He's not very happy about this."
"I knew that we are connected in some way, but don't you think that Blair overdoes it a bit?"
"We are talking about Sandburg here, Jim."
"Yeah. Now he can't sit on my bed and try to feed me. Thank God."
"Not Blair. But that still leaves me. Or have you already forgotten that?"
Jim reacted to that last statement with an appalled look. "Oh no, Simon. Don't tell me you want to take over Blair's job."
"When the Guide can't help the Sentinel somebody has to do it, right?"
"Ask Sandburg. I can already hear him coming."
Just a few seconds later the door opened and a nurse brought Sandburg in. After she left the room, Sandburg turned to Jim.
"Jim, you've got to stop them! I want to keep my appendix."
Amused Jim asked, "Why?"
"Because…" Sandburg hesitated a few seconds to search for an argument. "Because I decided to stay in one piece – until I die."
"Chief, that's what I wanted to do, too. But I can't change it. That's life."
"Simon, help me please." Sandburg 'pleaded' with some real fear in his voice.
"No way. By the way, I also don't have my appendix any more..."
"Really?" Blair asked.
"Yeah. I was eight years old, and at that time, endoscopic surgeries didn't exist. That left some real scars, not like today, when you nearly don't see anything after surgery."
"When you were eight years old – did they already have hospitals?" Jim joked and got the famous 'Do you want to walk a beat?' Glare.
"Be quiet, Detective."
"Yes, sir!"
"Jim?"
"Yeah, Blair?"
"Did you hear anything during your surgery?"
"No, of course not. Why?"
"I was just curious."
Suspicious, Jim watched as his friend and his captain exchanged amused gazes. Something's not right here. "Okay, guys. What's up?"
"Nothing. We just talked a bit while you were in surgery." Simon answered. "About your 'classic'."
"Blair, you shouldn't joke about my car. May I remind you that your car doesn't work at all? 350 days of the a year it's in the garage."
"That's not true. Last week I used it to go shopping."
"And after that?"
"In the garage."
"See?"
They talked a while about their cars and joked around a bit until the nurse and an orderly arrived to take Blair to the OR.
~~~~~
"Simon."
"Yeah?"
"I think he's gaining consciousness again."
"Okay. Ready?"
"Yeah."
Slowly, Simon sneaked to Blair's bed. He watched, as Blair gained consciousness.
"Hi, Sandburg."
"Oh, hi Simon. Am I still alive?"
"Yeah. I have some good news and some bad news for you. First the good news: You still have your appendix. The bad news: You've just donated a kidney."
Immediately Blair's eyes widened. "WHAT?!"
Hastily he checked his belly and found the bandage in the right place – where it should be after an appendectomy. He looked at Jim and saw how he tried to keep from laughing out loud.
"Really funny. Hey, you both should really start working on your sense of humor."
"Wait, until you see the photo."
"What a photo?"
"The one I took as Simon gave you the news. You looked just great."
"Fine. You really enjoy this, right?"
"Oh yeah." Simon answered. Now even Blair couldn't hold back the laughter.
"Man, stop making me laugh. It hurts."
"Does speaking hurt too?" Simon asked full of hope.
"No. Doesn't hurt, Captain."
"Are you sure that your tonsils are okay?"
"Yeah, they are just fine. You can't get me to be quiet for more than thirty minutes."
"Not now, but the day will come."
"You'd have to kill me for that, Simon."
"Okay, if it's that what I have to do…"
"Hey, you've just expressed the intent to commit murder. That's punishable." Blair said.
"I'm the captain, already forgot about that?"
-- THE END --
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