Paybacks
Chapter 23
*****
Keep in mind I have NO medical background, so just ASSUME everything I write is possible :o)
Bosco's thoughts
*****
"Pulse is dropping Doc!" informed Kim.
"Come on Bosco! Stay strong." Doc stayed calm in most situations, but this was different. He wasn't supposed to be trying to save a cop. Bosco was one of their own. It just wasn't right. This shouldn't be happening. "Step on it Sully!"
*****
Davis sped toward the hospital weaving in and out of traffic. Faith sat in the passenger's seat staring at her hands. Everything she saw was black and white except for the red blood on her hands. Bosco's blood. Her partner's blood. She didn't hear the siren wailing or see the passing traffic. Nor did she hear Davis cursing about stupid people who were in the way. All she could see was Bosco's blood, and all she could hear were Bosco's final words before succumbing to the dark world of unconsciousness. "Sorry…Faith."
*****
Kim stood by with the paddles, ready to shock Bosco if he flat lined, but miraculously his pulse was steadily getting stronger. It was still weak, but if he could hold on until they got to the hospital that was a good sign.
Doc was still putting pressure on the gunshot wound. Bosco moaned, and tried to move away from Doc's hands. His eyes were now open, and he was looking up at Kim. His eyes glossed over; a pained look on his face. "Hey Bos. Hang on OK?"
What the hell's going on? Why do I feel like I'm drowning? Why can't I breathe?
Bosco's expression turned to one of panic, and he began taking quick shallow breaths under the oxygen mask. "Doc we're going to have to intubate!" She listened to his chest; his left lung was filling up rapidly. "Get a chest tube!"
Kim met Bosco's eyes as she removed the oxygen mask. "Bos. I'm going to put a tube down your throat to help you breathe."
Oh God it hurts!
"Two more blocks," yelled Sully from the front.
*****
Sully came to a stop outside the emergency room doors. A team of doctors and nurses were waiting for them after hearing the radio call. "What do we have Doc?"
"Male, 31, gunshot wound to the left side. Looks like he's got a punctured lung. Vomited blood at the scene. Has a gash on the back of his head. Weak pulse. Low respirations. He's been conscious for the last two minutes."
The doctor looked at the barely recognizable cop on the stretcher. "Boscorelli. Damn. Hasn't he been through enough?!"
They wheeled Bosco into trauma one, and Doc and Kim stood outside the room. Sully joined them, and the trio watched in silence as Bosco's still form was surrounded by medical personnel shouting instructions to one another. At one point they saw Bosco move his legs, and pick up his head as if he was trying to fight their helping hands. A nurse injected something into his IV. Sully couldn't watch anymore. He turned his back.
Kim and Doc turned to look at Sully. "He'll be fine," Kim tried to sound reassuring. She looked at Doc. "It's Bosco. He has to be OK."
*****
Ty pulled up next to the bus, and got out of the car. He noticed Faith didn't move. She was still staring at the blood on her hands.
He went around the car and opened her door. "Faith? Faith we're here." He got no response. Ty gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Faith." Still no reaction. He put his hand under her chin, and turned her head toward him. The look on her face tugged at his heart. He wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Come on Faith. Let's go inside."
"I-I can't. Wh-what if he's…what if he's--"
"It's Bosco Faith. He'll be all right. Just give him time." He smiled at her. "Come on." He helped her out of the car, once again put his arm around her and walked her into the hospital.
Kim, Doc and Sully went to meet them. "How is he?" asked Ty.
"He's holding his own. He came to in the bus, and they had to sedate him in the trauma room. He was trying to fight them in there," informed Doc.
"That's our Bosco," Ty said with a smile as he tried to lighten the mood. He gave Faith's shoulders a quick squeeze.
Kim noticed the blood on Faith's hands and uniform. She walked over to her, and took her by the arm. "Come on hon. Let's go get you cleaned up."
*****
Williams, Hoolihan and the detectives chased after the stolen vehicle, which the perp finally decided to dump, and flee on foot. None of the officers got a good look at him, and they ended up losing him in the subway.
Forensics was now working on gathering evidence from the truck. The detectives headed to the hospital. They wanted to talk to Faith.
Sully saw the detectives walk through the door. "Damn it. Not now." He left the group that was standing in the hallway, and approached the detectives.
"Sullivan. Where's Yokas?"
"She's getting cleaned up. Why?"
"We need to talk to her."
"I don't think that's a good idea guys."
"Sully you know we have to. We have to find out what happened out there."
"Look I know the procedure, but can you just lay low for a little while? Don't make her relive this again. Not right now. Give her some time," Sully pleaded with them. He knew what it was like to be at the hospital worrying about your partner. Answering questions, and having to relive the whole thing didn't help the situation.
"Sully--"
"I'm serious you guys. Leave her alone for a while. At least until we find out if he's going to make it."
"Is it that bad?"
"Yeah. He got shot three times. The vest stopped two."
"Damn. All right Sully. We'll be back later."
"Thanks guys."
*****
5-5 Charlie, and Boy 5-5 had called into Central and requested to be out of service. Permission was granted. They had been there for almost five hours, and there had been no word on Bosco's condition.
Faith sat quietly in the corner flanked by Davis and Sully. She alternated between staring off into space, and looking at her hands. Kim had gotten her cleaned up, and found a pair of clean scrubs to exchange for her blood covered uniform. There was no longer any of Bosco's blood on her hands, but she could still see it, still feel it and still smell it. She thought she was going to go crazy waiting for word on Bosco.
She had stopped crying hours ago. There were no more tears left to shed, but now her hands began to tremble. Sully reached over, and held her hands between his. "Do you want me to call Fred?"
She shook her head no. Fred wouldn't understand.
*****
It was sometime in the early morning hours that a surgeon finally came out to talk to the anxious group waiting for word on Officer Boscorelli. Carlos, Alex and Jimmy had come to join the rest of their friends, and show their support.
"Officer Yokas?" Faith looked up at the man, and nodded. She wanted to say something. She wanted to ask how her partner was. If he was still alive, but she couldn't get the words out.
"How's Bosco?" asked Sully for her.
"Well we just moved him to the surgical ICU. He's doing well right now considering all he has been through in the last seven or eight hours. We had to use fifteen stitches to close up the gash on the back of his head, so he will most definitely be suffering from a concussion. The two bullets that impacted with his vest re-injured his ribs, and caused one of the ribs to puncture his left lung. The other bullet entered on his left side just under his shoulder causing some serious damage to his muscles, and then continued on an unusual downward angle and put another puncture wound in his left lung. Which was the source of his internal bleeding. It's a miracle that his heart wasn't damaged at all."
"So is he going to be all right?" asked Ty.
"Barring any complications over the next 48 hours he should make a full recovery."
Faith spoke up for the first time. "Should?"
"Officer Yokas your partner suffered extensive damage to his left lung. We spent the majority of his time in surgery repairing that damage. His recovery time will be lengthy, but with his line of work I don't see that as the most threatening injury. There is the possibility that due to the damage done to the muscles around his shoulder he may not recover full range of motion of his left arm."
Faith nodded in understanding. OK, she could handle him not being a cop or having to ride a desk. Just as long as he was alive.
"Can I see him?"
"Not right now I'm afraid."
"Why not? What's wrong?"
"Well some people have adverse affects to the anesthesia. Your partner woke up not too long ago in the recovery room, and became very agitated. He tried pulling out the ventilator tube, and his IV. We had to sedate him so he wouldn't hurt himself. We are afraid that even though he is sedated if he hears a voice he recognizes he might become agitated again. I'll have his nurse come out to get you when the time is right."
Tears began to roll down Faith's cheeks. Tears she didn't think she had left. Sully put his arm around her shoulders. "He's OK Faith. He's going to be all right."
"Thanks doctor. Please keep us updated," said Alex. She then tried to get the others to go with her to find something to eat. She knew Faith was upset, and the more people who stood around watching her the worse she would feel. Sully and Faith were left alone in the waiting room, but neither one of them spoke. Sully just held on to Faith while she cried.
*****
It seemed like an eternity to Faith before Bosco's nurse came out. "You can see him now. He's awake, but don't be surprised if he doesn't recognize you or if the next time you see him he doesn't remember you were there." Faith followed the nurse toward the ICU doors. Before they entered the nurse turned to her, "Let me warn you. He is currently breathing on a ventilator, and he is hooked up to numerous machines and tubes. It isn't a pretty sight."
Faith walked slowly into the ICU with the nurse's words still in her head. "It isn't a pretty sight." She braced herself for the worst as she rounded the corner to where Bosco was. As she took the final step around the corner she took a deep breath.
The tears started flowing as soon as she saw him. He was so pale, and looked so small in the hospital bed. There were so many machines beeping and making other noises she was afraid to move any closer to him. She just stood at the foot of the bed. His head was wrapped with a big white bandage, and there were numerous tubes coming out of him. His mouth was open slightly because of the tubes that we're helping him breathe.
She took another deep breath, and walked around to his right side. Carefully Faith reached over the railing, and held Bosco's hand. He opened his eyes, and looked at her.
"Hey Bos," she squeezed his hand. "It's Faith." She felt him weakly squeeze her hand. Faith couldn't help but smile. She could tell that he recognized her.
He swallowed, and closed his eyes tight with pain. "You OK?" Faith was nervous. She really didn't like seeing him like this. He tried to slowly nod his head to let her know he was all right, but he only succeeded in making himself dizzy. He closed his eyes to stop the spinning, and fell asleep.