Noah pulled himself into a sitting position when he heard the first footsteps scrambling through the opening he had made in the debris, a female EMT popping into view a second later. He shook his head slightly as she approached, reaching out and gently taking Catherine's hand in his own as he tried to recall the woman's name. She had that sixth grader, the quiet one that played sax....
The EMT quickly moved to Catherine's side, automatically moving her hands into position to stabilize her head and neck as her eyes rapidly ran over the woman's body looking for any obvious signs of injury. "Hi, I'm Mary Simpson and I'm an EMT with the Hudson Fire Department. I'm here to help you."
Catherine slowly blinked, forcing her eyes to weakly focus on the woman kneeling just above her for a moment before she felt them starting to slip shut again. She was tired, so tired of fighting. She was glad that someone else was there now though, not that she had any illusions that anything could be done for her but maybe they would be able to get Noah away, keep him from seeing when she....
"Cath, honey, no sleeping yet, okay?" Noah called to her, firmly squeezing her hand to try to get her attention. "You're not in that bed I promised we were going to get you tucked into yet. No going to sleep on me until then, okay?" He felt a tiny bit of tension ebb out as her eyes blinked open once more, focusing on him with a slightly dazed look. He glanced up at the EMT with worry in his eyes. "Her name's Catherine Walsh and she's with the US Marshals Service, the Chicago office. She's been shocky since the tornado hit but things started getting worse maybe ten, fifteen minutes ago. She's been having pain in her abdomen ever since the tornado and there's some pretty good bruising there."
Mary looked a bit surprised at the young man, vaguely recalling him from her daughter's school but something was different about him now, something that she couldn't quite put a finger on. Before she could think on it too much, her partner was there with more equipment. "Any tingling or loss of feeling?" She asked whichever of the two who could answer her as the other EMT swiftly but carefully secured a collar around Catherine's neck to keep her from moving. Mary really, really didn't like the way this woman's condition was looking.
"Nothing she's complained of," Noah said as Mary switched places with the other EMT and quickly got the oxygen set up, placing the mask over Catherine's face so about all Noah could see was those dazed looking but frightened eyes, before continuing her rapid examination, opening Catherine's blouse like he had, running her hands over the chest before moving to the abdomen. Bruising looked definitely worse than it had when he had checked and Catherine moaned in pain when Mary lightly touched the area, only the gently restraining hands on her neck keeping her from trying to roll away from the pain. As she worked, a third EMT had arrived and was swiftly taking vital signs.
"Blood pressure's 50 palp, pulse, 110, respirations, 8." the man reported as Mary glanced up at him. "Medvac's on the way." He was already reaching to the equipment they would need next, practice making each move automatic. The three medics worked almost as one body, Mary and the second man swiftly positioning a long backboard at Catherine's side, quickly folding out something that looked like a pair of rubber pants with tubing attached before reaching out, to carefully roll Catherine onto her side. It was only then that they noticed the young man still hovering anxiously at her side.
"John, we've...." Mary started to say as she motioned for him to move back a bit as they moved Catherine carefully but quickly onto her side and then back onto her back after moving the board beneath her.
"It's Noah, my name's Noah. I'm with the Marshals' Service too." he said quietly but firmly as he watched Catherine with anxious eyes. She was still conscious but she looked so dazed and frightened. He automatically moved to her side again, careful that he wasn't in the way but determined at the same time to stay as close to her as possible, to offer what small comfort he could. He glanced briefly at the medics who were now stealing curious glances at him as they automatically moved doing their jobs.
The two EMTs fastened the garment around Catherine's legs and abdomen before starting to inflate it like some sort of large blood pressure cuff. She let out another weak moan as she felt the pressure on her stomach, here eyes anxiously scanning the room as she felt tears stinging in her eyes. "Noah?" She was torn about the young marshal being there, wanting to spare him and at the same time.... She was so frightened.
"Right here, honey. I'm not going anywhere." Noah said as he leaned in as close as he could without getting in the way. Apparently, whatever they were doing was working the way it was supposed to because the EMTs were moving again, rapidly inserting IV lines into both forearms before securing Catherine more firmly to the board, orange foam padding holding her head in place, tape and straps.... He couldn't even find a safe place to touch her now. There was barely enough room to move along beside her as the EMTs lifted the board, moving swiftly through the opening in the debris.
Noah could already hear the welcome whirl of the helicopter approaching as they finally moved out into something he hadn't been entirely sure he would see again during his time in the basement, fresh air.
"Honey?" Noah said as he walked along side as the EMTs moved Catherine closer to the landing site. He gently leaned down and pressed a kiss against her forehead, not sure if she could even feel it but needing to do something to comfort her. "I'm going to go and let the cops know to drag Sam down to the hospital to find us when he gets here, okay? You just stay awake for me a little bit longer."
"Noah?" Catherine weakly called as the EMTs begin to move her, the young man drifting out of her line of sight. She frantically tried to twist, to catch sight of him again. What if.... "Noah?"
"Honey, it's okay? I'm right here," Noah said as he hurried to her side once more, leaning over and gently kissing her again. "I promise I'll be right there at the hospital when you get there. Won't get a bit lost like Sam seems to have managed. They're going to take good care of you, honey. You're going to be fine."
Noah quickly turned, as the EMTs begin to load Catherine into the helicopter, relieved to spot his car looking intact in the parking lot. "HEY!!" he called as he headed rapidly towards it, waving for a nearby police officer to come over as he moved. "There's going to be a US Marshal named Sam Gerard here soon looking for Catherine Walsh, the lady they just took in the helicopter. Someone needs to drive him to the hospital when he gets here. Do not let him drive himself! Got that?" He spoke in a tone he had often heard Sam use, a tone that brooked no argument. Noah was in the car by that time, fumbling for his keys for a moment before finding them and quickly starting the car and pulling out. She was going to be all right. She had to be all right.