Helping Hand
Chapter 17
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He heard the soft voices first. It was so hard to open his eyes. He fought to open them, but he just couldn't. He felt the pain in his side and abdomen. "Hell, he hurt everywhere," he thought to himself. He struggled to remember what happened, but his mind kept it just out of reach for now. He heard the sounds from the hospital's speakers and placed that he was in the hospital - for some reason. He knew he felt bad enough to be in a hospital.
The sounds of the voices got a little closer now, and he could make them out.
"I think he's coming around. His heart rate is increasing and it looks like he's trying to open his eyes. Better go get the doctor," came one the voices.
"Officer Boscorelli? Can you hear me?" came the question as the fog he was in began to lift a little.
"You're at Angel of Mercy Hospital. You're going to be fine. You had surgery, but you're going to be fine. Just try to relax," the voice told him as he felt the nurse's hand on his shoulder in an effort to keep him calm.
He managed to finally fight hard enough to open his eyes, although it was hard to keep them open. His vision was blurry, but it gradually came into focus as he blinked and he was able to see the nurse that was talking to him.
"What happened?" he managed to get out, though his voice was quite hoarse.
"You were shot. You had surgery to repair some damage, but you're going to be just fine. The doctor's on his way so just try to relax," she assured him, and he suddenly remembered what had happened at the Precinct.
"Faith?" he asked anxiously, and the nurse looked puzzled.
"Is Faith okay?" he asked, a little more panicked this time. "She's my partner." The nurse noticed his heart rate increasing.
"I don't know, but I'll go find out just as soon as the doctor comes in, okay," she assured him.
He tried to sit up, but immediately realized that was a mistake. "You need to stay still right now. You've been through quite a lot," said the nurse as the doctor came in behind her.
"Officer Boscorelli. Welcome back. I'm Dr. Maxon. How're you feeling?" he asked, looking from Bosco up to the monitors for his answer, noticing the patient seemed agitated - his heart rate and blood pressure up.
"My partner. Is she okay?" Bosco asked again.
"If your partner is Faith, she's fine. She's been out in the waiting room since you came in through the ER," Dr. Maxon said as he pulled down the sheet that was covering Bosco and peeled back some of the bandage to get a look at the wound.
"I need to see for myself," Bosco said, still agitated.
He remembered being behind the desk with her and being shot, but not much after that. He had no idea that he'd managed to remain conscious enough to save her from the kid that had jumped behind the desk with them. He'd just assumed that she was the one that got them both out of there alive.
"Okay, Officer. I assure you that she's fine - totally unharmed. Here's what happened. You were shot and the bullet when in here," he said, indicating the spot just under his arm that wasn't covered by his vest. "Instead of coming right out, the bullet must have hit a rib and ricocheted. It hit your left lung and then your spleen. That's where we found it. You went to surgery and we were able to repair everything and remove the bullet. You lost quite a bit of blood, but we were able to replace that - thanks in part to the numerous donations from co-workers and friends. So, you're going to be quite sore for a little while, but we'll keep you comfortable with medications for now so your body has a chance to start healing," the doctor explained. "That's part of what's making you so sleepy."
Bosco was fighting against the drugs that were making him drowsy, but nodded his understanding to the doctor. He just wanted to see if Faith was okay and then let his mother know that he was okay.
"Okay. Everything looks fine and you should get some rest. But, your mother and partner are here. I'm going to let them come in - one at a time - for just a brief visit and then we're kicking them out for a while, okay?" Dr. Maxon asked, giving Bosco a smile.
Bosco nodded and said, "Thanks, Doc."
As the doctor left the room, the nurse that had been talking with him when he woke up was checking his bandages and his IVs. She re-covered him with the sheet, asked if he was warm enough and then began to write notes in his bedside chart.
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Dr. Maxon came out of Bosco's room and went to the waiting room. Finding Faith and Rose, he went directly over to them.
"Okay. Officer Boscorelli's awake, but probably not for long. He's been through quite a lot. I told him you could each come in for a very brief visit, but don't be surprised if he drifts off in the middle of a conversation. We're giving him some pretty strong pain medication," he explained.
"He's very concerned that you're safe, which is causing him some distress, so we'll let you go in first," he said, looking to Faith. "If that's okay with you, Mrs. Boscorelli," the doctor said, looking at Rose.
"Doctor, I know how concerned Bosco probably is with Faith. She's been through a lot herself lately. If it will make him calm down to see her first, that's fine," Rose said, looking from the doctor to Faith.
"I'll be quick," Faith promised, standing up to follow the doctor down the hallway.
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As Faith quietly entered the room, she looked at the bed that held Bosco. "He looks so pale and weak," she thought to herself. His eyes were closed and she saw that he was out of it again.
The nurse looked up when she heard the door open and motioned for her to come over to the bed. She bent down closer to Bosco and said, "Officer Boscorelli?" Faith saw a frown come across Bosco's face. She'd seen that frown so many times and it made her smile. "You're partner is here to see you," the nurse said and the frown deepened as he fought to wake up, the numbers on the heart monitor increasing again. The nurse stepped away so they could have some privacy.
"It's okay, Bos. Calm down. You don't have to wake up. I just wanted to let you know that I was here and see for myself that you're okay. You need to get some rest so you can get well," Faith said, putting a hand on his arm and rubbing it gently.
But he continued to fight and she saw his eyes open. He finally focused on her and she saw that he was looking her over.
"I'm fine. Not a scratch. Thanks to you," Faith said and he was confused at what she meant by that. "I'm glad you're okay. The doctor said you're gonna be fine," she assured him and he nodded sleepily, the rates on his monitor returning to normal as he relaxed at seeing that she really was okay.
"Look, your Mom is here and she's really anxious to see you. I'm gonna go and let her come in so that you can get some rest. I'll be outside though, okay?" she said and got a tired nod as he closed his eyes again.
She leaned closer to him and quietly said, "Thanks, Bos."
He heard what she said, but didn't know what she meant by it and drifted off again.
A moment later the nurse was calling to him again.
"Officer. Your mother is here. Over on your left," she said, and Bosco again fought to open his eyes and focus.
"Hey, Ma," he managed to get out, giving her a smile. He saw the look of fear in her wet eyes. She'd been crying.
"I'm okay, Ma. Promise," he said and she took his hand. He managed to give her a light squeeze.
"I just had to see for myself. I love you, Maurice. I want you to do exactly what the doctor's tell you so you can get better," Rose said, leaning over and giving her son a kiss on his cheek. "Do you hear me?"
Bosco smiled again and nodded, his eyes fluttering shut again. "I'll be right outside, Baby," Rose said.
Bosco gave her hand another squeeze and then fell asleep. Rose let go, watched him sleep for a moment and then went out, thanking the nurse as she left.
"I'll let you know when he wakes again," the nurse told her and Rose thanked her.
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TBC...
Chapter 17
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He heard the soft voices first. It was so hard to open his eyes. He fought to open them, but he just couldn't. He felt the pain in his side and abdomen. "Hell, he hurt everywhere," he thought to himself. He struggled to remember what happened, but his mind kept it just out of reach for now. He heard the sounds from the hospital's speakers and placed that he was in the hospital - for some reason. He knew he felt bad enough to be in a hospital.
The sounds of the voices got a little closer now, and he could make them out.
"I think he's coming around. His heart rate is increasing and it looks like he's trying to open his eyes. Better go get the doctor," came one the voices.
"Officer Boscorelli? Can you hear me?" came the question as the fog he was in began to lift a little.
"You're at Angel of Mercy Hospital. You're going to be fine. You had surgery, but you're going to be fine. Just try to relax," the voice told him as he felt the nurse's hand on his shoulder in an effort to keep him calm.
He managed to finally fight hard enough to open his eyes, although it was hard to keep them open. His vision was blurry, but it gradually came into focus as he blinked and he was able to see the nurse that was talking to him.
"What happened?" he managed to get out, though his voice was quite hoarse.
"You were shot. You had surgery to repair some damage, but you're going to be just fine. The doctor's on his way so just try to relax," she assured him, and he suddenly remembered what had happened at the Precinct.
"Faith?" he asked anxiously, and the nurse looked puzzled.
"Is Faith okay?" he asked, a little more panicked this time. "She's my partner." The nurse noticed his heart rate increasing.
"I don't know, but I'll go find out just as soon as the doctor comes in, okay," she assured him.
He tried to sit up, but immediately realized that was a mistake. "You need to stay still right now. You've been through quite a lot," said the nurse as the doctor came in behind her.
"Officer Boscorelli. Welcome back. I'm Dr. Maxon. How're you feeling?" he asked, looking from Bosco up to the monitors for his answer, noticing the patient seemed agitated - his heart rate and blood pressure up.
"My partner. Is she okay?" Bosco asked again.
"If your partner is Faith, she's fine. She's been out in the waiting room since you came in through the ER," Dr. Maxon said as he pulled down the sheet that was covering Bosco and peeled back some of the bandage to get a look at the wound.
"I need to see for myself," Bosco said, still agitated.
He remembered being behind the desk with her and being shot, but not much after that. He had no idea that he'd managed to remain conscious enough to save her from the kid that had jumped behind the desk with them. He'd just assumed that she was the one that got them both out of there alive.
"Okay, Officer. I assure you that she's fine - totally unharmed. Here's what happened. You were shot and the bullet when in here," he said, indicating the spot just under his arm that wasn't covered by his vest. "Instead of coming right out, the bullet must have hit a rib and ricocheted. It hit your left lung and then your spleen. That's where we found it. You went to surgery and we were able to repair everything and remove the bullet. You lost quite a bit of blood, but we were able to replace that - thanks in part to the numerous donations from co-workers and friends. So, you're going to be quite sore for a little while, but we'll keep you comfortable with medications for now so your body has a chance to start healing," the doctor explained. "That's part of what's making you so sleepy."
Bosco was fighting against the drugs that were making him drowsy, but nodded his understanding to the doctor. He just wanted to see if Faith was okay and then let his mother know that he was okay.
"Okay. Everything looks fine and you should get some rest. But, your mother and partner are here. I'm going to let them come in - one at a time - for just a brief visit and then we're kicking them out for a while, okay?" Dr. Maxon asked, giving Bosco a smile.
Bosco nodded and said, "Thanks, Doc."
As the doctor left the room, the nurse that had been talking with him when he woke up was checking his bandages and his IVs. She re-covered him with the sheet, asked if he was warm enough and then began to write notes in his bedside chart.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**
Dr. Maxon came out of Bosco's room and went to the waiting room. Finding Faith and Rose, he went directly over to them.
"Okay. Officer Boscorelli's awake, but probably not for long. He's been through quite a lot. I told him you could each come in for a very brief visit, but don't be surprised if he drifts off in the middle of a conversation. We're giving him some pretty strong pain medication," he explained.
"He's very concerned that you're safe, which is causing him some distress, so we'll let you go in first," he said, looking to Faith. "If that's okay with you, Mrs. Boscorelli," the doctor said, looking at Rose.
"Doctor, I know how concerned Bosco probably is with Faith. She's been through a lot herself lately. If it will make him calm down to see her first, that's fine," Rose said, looking from the doctor to Faith.
"I'll be quick," Faith promised, standing up to follow the doctor down the hallway.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
As Faith quietly entered the room, she looked at the bed that held Bosco. "He looks so pale and weak," she thought to herself. His eyes were closed and she saw that he was out of it again.
The nurse looked up when she heard the door open and motioned for her to come over to the bed. She bent down closer to Bosco and said, "Officer Boscorelli?" Faith saw a frown come across Bosco's face. She'd seen that frown so many times and it made her smile. "You're partner is here to see you," the nurse said and the frown deepened as he fought to wake up, the numbers on the heart monitor increasing again. The nurse stepped away so they could have some privacy.
"It's okay, Bos. Calm down. You don't have to wake up. I just wanted to let you know that I was here and see for myself that you're okay. You need to get some rest so you can get well," Faith said, putting a hand on his arm and rubbing it gently.
But he continued to fight and she saw his eyes open. He finally focused on her and she saw that he was looking her over.
"I'm fine. Not a scratch. Thanks to you," Faith said and he was confused at what she meant by that. "I'm glad you're okay. The doctor said you're gonna be fine," she assured him and he nodded sleepily, the rates on his monitor returning to normal as he relaxed at seeing that she really was okay.
"Look, your Mom is here and she's really anxious to see you. I'm gonna go and let her come in so that you can get some rest. I'll be outside though, okay?" she said and got a tired nod as he closed his eyes again.
She leaned closer to him and quietly said, "Thanks, Bos."
He heard what she said, but didn't know what she meant by it and drifted off again.
A moment later the nurse was calling to him again.
"Officer. Your mother is here. Over on your left," she said, and Bosco again fought to open his eyes and focus.
"Hey, Ma," he managed to get out, giving her a smile. He saw the look of fear in her wet eyes. She'd been crying.
"I'm okay, Ma. Promise," he said and she took his hand. He managed to give her a light squeeze.
"I just had to see for myself. I love you, Maurice. I want you to do exactly what the doctor's tell you so you can get better," Rose said, leaning over and giving her son a kiss on his cheek. "Do you hear me?"
Bosco smiled again and nodded, his eyes fluttering shut again. "I'll be right outside, Baby," Rose said.
Bosco gave her hand another squeeze and then fell asleep. Rose let go, watched him sleep for a moment and then went out, thanking the nurse as she left.
"I'll let you know when he wakes again," the nurse told her and Rose thanked her.
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TBC...