Breaking Through
A/N: Sorry this has taken so long for an update...even though it's only one chapter, I've had issues with writing it. I would look at it, and just not be *feeling* what I was writing so I left it alone. Now it is finished, at least to the best of my ability.
Thank you also to all those who have reviewed my story, it makes me proud to see that people like what I write!
This chapter takes place about 3 months after the previous one. Yeah, I know, long time gap...sorry...but I just couldn't work it out. So some history:
Nigel's father has returned to the UK and is receiving treatment for the liver problems but his condition is worsening rapidly. Nigel himself has returned to work at the morgue, and has been going to physical therapy to build up the strength in his legs again. But enough chat. Let's get to the good stuff!
*****CHAPTER 32*****
~Nigel~
I glanced around my office at the stacks of paperwork that buried almost everything in the radius of my desk and it's surroundings. I lowered my head into my hands and sighed as I rubbed my eyes. The darkened room and halls were silent, save for the occasional noise that the lights overhead emitted. I looked back up at my computer screen and blinked slowly, trying to clear my vision and remove the haze that was running through my line of sight.
I checked the schedule posted on my wall and noticed that everyone had the night off except for me and an unfortunate lab tech. He was off in the lab running a heavy test load that Garret had ordered on one of the latest cases...poor guy.
Shaking my head, I opened another file and grabbed a pen. I proceeded to fill out the various case forms and sign on all the dotted lines where it was needed. I muttered aloud "Man...this is harsh..." before shutting the folder and moving onto the next one.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew the lab tech was tapping me on the shoulder trying to get me to wake up. Groggy, I opened my eyes and sat up, wincing at the pain I was in for falling asleep on my desk. The tech handed me a folder full of results and walked out of the room. Checking the clock on my computer, I noticed that it was five thirty in the morning...the next shift should be arriving at six and then I can get out of here.
"Hey Nige! How are you this morning?" Jordan poked her head in the doorway with a smile on her face.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Bloody splendid. I fell asleep at my desk and it feels like my back's on fire."
She crossed the room to my desk and hugged me around the neck. "Aww poor baby..." She smiled.
I was about to answer her with a comeback when Emmy walked in the room while knocking on the doorframe. "Dr. Townsend, there's an international call from England for you on line 3...they say it's urgent."
"Alright Emmy. Thanks." I leaned over to pick up the phone.
"Jordan patted me on the shoulder and headed for the door. "I'll talk to you in a bit."
'Okay." I pressed the button for line 3. "This is Dr. Townsend."
*over the phone*
"Hello Dr. Townsend...this is Dr. Herth at The Royal Marsden cancer center in London. I'm calling in regards to your father, Mr. Jonathan Townsend."
I nodded. "How is he?"
"Sir, I'm afraid that he won't make it through the night...his jaundice has worsened and the dialysis isn't having any effect on clearing his blood of the impurities...his kidneys are too badly damaged."
I paused and allowed him to continue.
"Dr. Townsend...I would suggest that if you are planning on coming to London to visit your father that you leave as soon as possible...given the severity of his situation."
"I understand." I stretched an arm out on my desk. "I'll leave immediately."
"Alright. Again...sir, we're terribly sorry to have to call you with this sort of news but..."
"It's fine. Thank you for calling." I then hung up the phone and stared at it for a minute before I was interrupted by Jordan calling my name from the doorway.
"Nigel...Nige...you alright? What'd they say?"
I turned and looked at her. "I need to get to London...they don't think he'll last through tonight." I stood and grabbed my jacket off my chair and headed for the door. "If Garret asks, I'm taking the week off."
She touched my arm. "Nigel...wait."
"What?"
"Let me get my coat." She turned to head for her office.
"Jordan...what are you talking about?"
"I'm not letting you fly halfway around the world to watch your father die by yourself. I'm coming with you." She ran down the hall and ducked into her office, emerging with her coat and her purse. "Let's go."
"Jordan. No. You don't have to do this...I can go by myself."
"I know you can. I just don't want you to." She smiled up at me, then tugged on my arm. "If we haul ass, we can make it on a morning flight out of Boston to Heathrow."
Sighing, I nodded. "Let's go. Call the airline on the way to my apartment so I can grab some clothes?"
"Sure thing." She walked with me to the elevator and we nearly sprinted out into the parking lot to my truck.
*** 2 hours later ***
((Logan International Airport - 8 am Boston Time))
*loudspeaker* "Last boarding call for British Airways flight 323 at gate 17."
I handed my ticket to the person at the gate and smiled at Jordan. "We made it." I took the stub back and walked towards the hall to the plane.
"Barely." Jordan caught up to me, smiling. "At least we didn't have to check any bags."
I nodded. "We wouldn't of made it if we had to have done that." We entered the aircraft and quickly found ours seats, stashing our duffel bags in the overhead storage compartment and our backpacks under the seat in front of us. Checking my ticket, I looked at Jordan. "You want the window?"
"Nah. You can take it. You're taller anyways." She glanced at the flight attendants walking through the aisles of the aircraft. "Now sit before we get pounced on."
I slipped into my seat, Jordan quickly sitting next to me. We had been lucky to get seats together on such short notice, but as I looked around I noticed that the flight was not that full and there were several empty seats around the cabin. As the plane taxied for the runway, I had to try to not laugh as Jordan mimicked the flight attendants doing their little "two exits on this side, two exits on this side, oxygen mask goes like this" speech.
As the plane slipped into the morning sky, I glanced out the window at the Atlantic ocean, knowing what was awaiting for me on the other side.
((Heathrow International Airport - 8 pm London Time))
I smiled at Jordan as we entered the terminal off the plane. She'd fallen asleep for a good portion of the flight and she was a lot more rested than I was. I'd been awake, staring at the waters below us and thinking silently to myself for the 6 hours we'd been on the plane. After navigating our way through the crowd of people holding those silly little signs with a person's name on it, we emerged into the center of the airport.
Jordan looked around and then at me. "I sure as hell hope you know where you're going."
"I've been here a few times." I led the way towards the exit to the street. We emerged into the cold London night, and Jordan glanced at the sky.
"It's clear." She looked over at me.
"Yeah? So?" I glanced around for a cab and hailed for one.
"Isn't London weather supposed to suck?"
I rolled my eyes and opened the door of the cab that stopped in front of us. "I don't believe I should dignify that with a response."
She hopped in the cab and I followed suit. "The Royal Marsden cancer center , please." As we pulled away from the curb, I looked over at her. "It doesn't always suck...at least there isn't any snow."
"I like the snow." Jordan laughed and then looked out the window. "So this is London at night huh?" "Yeah. This is it." I looked out my window and nodded to myself. Here I was, back in London...surprisingly coming back for the same reason that I left in the first place.
"So...what's the bet that Garret's gonna throttle me when we get back?" Jordan poked me in the arm. "I mean...we just kind of left work."
Leaning back against the seat of the cab, I shook my head. "You never told anyone we were leaving...did you?"
"No. I just followed you out."
"Wonderful." I smiled at her. "Garret's gonna kill both of us."
"At least we'll go together?"
"Yeah." I smiled again, then looked out the window as the cab pulled to a stop in front of a building. "I guess we're here." I pulled some cash out of my pocket, paid the fare, and opened the door, holding it for Jordan as I climbed out. Shouldering my bags, I waited for Jordan to get hers and then I looked up at the sign directing where all the departments were at the center.
We walked into the building and Jordan went up to the desk asking for information on my father as I wandered around the waiting room, unsure of what she was going to find out. I made a mental note to call Garret as soon as I figured out what was going on.
"Nigel?" Jordan tapped me on the shoulder and I turned to look at her. "They said that they're going to have a doctor come out and talk to us in a few minutes."
"Did they tell you if he was..."
"No. They said that the doctor had to do all that."
I nodded. "Alright."
A tall man walked out to the desk and asked the receptionist something, then walked over to us. He extended his hand and introduced himself. "I'm Doctor Herth...I've been working your father's illness since he was admitted here. I presume you are his son?"
"Nigel Townsend." I shook his hand and motioned to Jordan. "This is my friend Jordan Cavanaugh."
Jordan smiled at him and then looked back at me. "So...what's the news on Jonathan?"
Dr. Herth nodded. "He's still alive at the moment...but he had to be put on oxygen about three hours ago to improve his breathing." He frowned. "I'm sorry to say it, but all the signs are showing that he won't survive for much longer in his current condition."
I nodded. "So can we go see him?"
"Yes. I'll escort you up to his room." He turned and we followed him through the back doors into the main part of the hospital. He took us to the ICU and stopped outside a doorway. "This is his room. Now...normally we don't allow anyone except for family and close friends in, one at a time, but with the severity of his condition, we can make an exception for both of you to go in."
Jordan looked at me. "How about you go in and have a few minutes by yourself while I go call Garret and try to get him to not fire us? I'll get back as soon as I can...but I can stay with you if you don't want to be alone."
I shook my head. "Good idea. I'll be fine for a few minutes." I smiled at Jordan, then turned and walked into the room as she headed outside.
~~Jordan~~
I walked outside, estimated the mandatory 100 feet from the hospital for use of cell phones, and dialed the morgue. I was guessing that Garret was still there, even though it was getting a bit late. *Probably hunting me down and sending out a death warrant* I thought to myself.
The phone rang several times before I heard Emmy answer it. I partly disguised my voice and told her to connect me to "Doctor Macy's office."
I heard the noise of that god awful hold music, and then Garret's voice.
**phone**
"This is Doctor Macy."
"Hey Garret...it's me."
"Jordan?! Where the hell are you?!"
I winced as he yelled. I heard a door slam, presumably his office door.
"Jordan! Answer me."
"I'm in London." There was a long pause on the line. "Garret?"
"Why in the hell are you in London?! And let me guess, Nigel is with you?!"
"Yeah."
"Why?!" I heard him sigh angrily on the line.
"Let me talk? Without interrupting?"
"Go."
"Alright. Nigel got a phone call from the hospital over here this morning telling him he needed to come over to London right away because his dad wasn't going to make it through the night and he nearly ran out of work but I went with him because I didn't want him coming over here alone and I just...forgot to tell you." I babbled the entire story out like I was a young child being scolded, ignoring all use of pauses or even breathing. "I'm sorry?"
There was another long pause before he spoke. "Jordan...how bad is he?"
"Who? Nigel or Nigel's dad?"
"Both of them."
"Well...Nigel's dad is still alive but probably won't be for much longer...and I'm not really sure about Nige. He's been pretty quiet this whole time." I looked back at the hospital. "Garret...it was just so sudden that we weren't thinking and it just sorta happened..."
"It's alright. Listen. If you're not back here in a week..."
"I'll be back. I swear. And we'll pull doubles for a month." I smiled to myself. "I promise."
"Alright. I'll talk to you later. I want to calling me if anything happens."
"I will. Thanks Garret." I hung up the phone after he said good bye and then I quickly headed back into the building to find Nigel and figure out what was going on.
TBC...
Long chapter for your enjoyment! Reviews are greatly appreciated!
A/N: Sorry this has taken so long for an update...even though it's only one chapter, I've had issues with writing it. I would look at it, and just not be *feeling* what I was writing so I left it alone. Now it is finished, at least to the best of my ability.
Thank you also to all those who have reviewed my story, it makes me proud to see that people like what I write!
This chapter takes place about 3 months after the previous one. Yeah, I know, long time gap...sorry...but I just couldn't work it out. So some history:
Nigel's father has returned to the UK and is receiving treatment for the liver problems but his condition is worsening rapidly. Nigel himself has returned to work at the morgue, and has been going to physical therapy to build up the strength in his legs again. But enough chat. Let's get to the good stuff!
*****CHAPTER 32*****
~Nigel~
I glanced around my office at the stacks of paperwork that buried almost everything in the radius of my desk and it's surroundings. I lowered my head into my hands and sighed as I rubbed my eyes. The darkened room and halls were silent, save for the occasional noise that the lights overhead emitted. I looked back up at my computer screen and blinked slowly, trying to clear my vision and remove the haze that was running through my line of sight.
I checked the schedule posted on my wall and noticed that everyone had the night off except for me and an unfortunate lab tech. He was off in the lab running a heavy test load that Garret had ordered on one of the latest cases...poor guy.
Shaking my head, I opened another file and grabbed a pen. I proceeded to fill out the various case forms and sign on all the dotted lines where it was needed. I muttered aloud "Man...this is harsh..." before shutting the folder and moving onto the next one.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew the lab tech was tapping me on the shoulder trying to get me to wake up. Groggy, I opened my eyes and sat up, wincing at the pain I was in for falling asleep on my desk. The tech handed me a folder full of results and walked out of the room. Checking the clock on my computer, I noticed that it was five thirty in the morning...the next shift should be arriving at six and then I can get out of here.
"Hey Nige! How are you this morning?" Jordan poked her head in the doorway with a smile on her face.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Bloody splendid. I fell asleep at my desk and it feels like my back's on fire."
She crossed the room to my desk and hugged me around the neck. "Aww poor baby..." She smiled.
I was about to answer her with a comeback when Emmy walked in the room while knocking on the doorframe. "Dr. Townsend, there's an international call from England for you on line 3...they say it's urgent."
"Alright Emmy. Thanks." I leaned over to pick up the phone.
"Jordan patted me on the shoulder and headed for the door. "I'll talk to you in a bit."
'Okay." I pressed the button for line 3. "This is Dr. Townsend."
*over the phone*
"Hello Dr. Townsend...this is Dr. Herth at The Royal Marsden cancer center in London. I'm calling in regards to your father, Mr. Jonathan Townsend."
I nodded. "How is he?"
"Sir, I'm afraid that he won't make it through the night...his jaundice has worsened and the dialysis isn't having any effect on clearing his blood of the impurities...his kidneys are too badly damaged."
I paused and allowed him to continue.
"Dr. Townsend...I would suggest that if you are planning on coming to London to visit your father that you leave as soon as possible...given the severity of his situation."
"I understand." I stretched an arm out on my desk. "I'll leave immediately."
"Alright. Again...sir, we're terribly sorry to have to call you with this sort of news but..."
"It's fine. Thank you for calling." I then hung up the phone and stared at it for a minute before I was interrupted by Jordan calling my name from the doorway.
"Nigel...Nige...you alright? What'd they say?"
I turned and looked at her. "I need to get to London...they don't think he'll last through tonight." I stood and grabbed my jacket off my chair and headed for the door. "If Garret asks, I'm taking the week off."
She touched my arm. "Nigel...wait."
"What?"
"Let me get my coat." She turned to head for her office.
"Jordan...what are you talking about?"
"I'm not letting you fly halfway around the world to watch your father die by yourself. I'm coming with you." She ran down the hall and ducked into her office, emerging with her coat and her purse. "Let's go."
"Jordan. No. You don't have to do this...I can go by myself."
"I know you can. I just don't want you to." She smiled up at me, then tugged on my arm. "If we haul ass, we can make it on a morning flight out of Boston to Heathrow."
Sighing, I nodded. "Let's go. Call the airline on the way to my apartment so I can grab some clothes?"
"Sure thing." She walked with me to the elevator and we nearly sprinted out into the parking lot to my truck.
*** 2 hours later ***
((Logan International Airport - 8 am Boston Time))
*loudspeaker* "Last boarding call for British Airways flight 323 at gate 17."
I handed my ticket to the person at the gate and smiled at Jordan. "We made it." I took the stub back and walked towards the hall to the plane.
"Barely." Jordan caught up to me, smiling. "At least we didn't have to check any bags."
I nodded. "We wouldn't of made it if we had to have done that." We entered the aircraft and quickly found ours seats, stashing our duffel bags in the overhead storage compartment and our backpacks under the seat in front of us. Checking my ticket, I looked at Jordan. "You want the window?"
"Nah. You can take it. You're taller anyways." She glanced at the flight attendants walking through the aisles of the aircraft. "Now sit before we get pounced on."
I slipped into my seat, Jordan quickly sitting next to me. We had been lucky to get seats together on such short notice, but as I looked around I noticed that the flight was not that full and there were several empty seats around the cabin. As the plane taxied for the runway, I had to try to not laugh as Jordan mimicked the flight attendants doing their little "two exits on this side, two exits on this side, oxygen mask goes like this" speech.
As the plane slipped into the morning sky, I glanced out the window at the Atlantic ocean, knowing what was awaiting for me on the other side.
((Heathrow International Airport - 8 pm London Time))
I smiled at Jordan as we entered the terminal off the plane. She'd fallen asleep for a good portion of the flight and she was a lot more rested than I was. I'd been awake, staring at the waters below us and thinking silently to myself for the 6 hours we'd been on the plane. After navigating our way through the crowd of people holding those silly little signs with a person's name on it, we emerged into the center of the airport.
Jordan looked around and then at me. "I sure as hell hope you know where you're going."
"I've been here a few times." I led the way towards the exit to the street. We emerged into the cold London night, and Jordan glanced at the sky.
"It's clear." She looked over at me.
"Yeah? So?" I glanced around for a cab and hailed for one.
"Isn't London weather supposed to suck?"
I rolled my eyes and opened the door of the cab that stopped in front of us. "I don't believe I should dignify that with a response."
She hopped in the cab and I followed suit. "The Royal Marsden cancer center , please." As we pulled away from the curb, I looked over at her. "It doesn't always suck...at least there isn't any snow."
"I like the snow." Jordan laughed and then looked out the window. "So this is London at night huh?" "Yeah. This is it." I looked out my window and nodded to myself. Here I was, back in London...surprisingly coming back for the same reason that I left in the first place.
"So...what's the bet that Garret's gonna throttle me when we get back?" Jordan poked me in the arm. "I mean...we just kind of left work."
Leaning back against the seat of the cab, I shook my head. "You never told anyone we were leaving...did you?"
"No. I just followed you out."
"Wonderful." I smiled at her. "Garret's gonna kill both of us."
"At least we'll go together?"
"Yeah." I smiled again, then looked out the window as the cab pulled to a stop in front of a building. "I guess we're here." I pulled some cash out of my pocket, paid the fare, and opened the door, holding it for Jordan as I climbed out. Shouldering my bags, I waited for Jordan to get hers and then I looked up at the sign directing where all the departments were at the center.
We walked into the building and Jordan went up to the desk asking for information on my father as I wandered around the waiting room, unsure of what she was going to find out. I made a mental note to call Garret as soon as I figured out what was going on.
"Nigel?" Jordan tapped me on the shoulder and I turned to look at her. "They said that they're going to have a doctor come out and talk to us in a few minutes."
"Did they tell you if he was..."
"No. They said that the doctor had to do all that."
I nodded. "Alright."
A tall man walked out to the desk and asked the receptionist something, then walked over to us. He extended his hand and introduced himself. "I'm Doctor Herth...I've been working your father's illness since he was admitted here. I presume you are his son?"
"Nigel Townsend." I shook his hand and motioned to Jordan. "This is my friend Jordan Cavanaugh."
Jordan smiled at him and then looked back at me. "So...what's the news on Jonathan?"
Dr. Herth nodded. "He's still alive at the moment...but he had to be put on oxygen about three hours ago to improve his breathing." He frowned. "I'm sorry to say it, but all the signs are showing that he won't survive for much longer in his current condition."
I nodded. "So can we go see him?"
"Yes. I'll escort you up to his room." He turned and we followed him through the back doors into the main part of the hospital. He took us to the ICU and stopped outside a doorway. "This is his room. Now...normally we don't allow anyone except for family and close friends in, one at a time, but with the severity of his condition, we can make an exception for both of you to go in."
Jordan looked at me. "How about you go in and have a few minutes by yourself while I go call Garret and try to get him to not fire us? I'll get back as soon as I can...but I can stay with you if you don't want to be alone."
I shook my head. "Good idea. I'll be fine for a few minutes." I smiled at Jordan, then turned and walked into the room as she headed outside.
~~Jordan~~
I walked outside, estimated the mandatory 100 feet from the hospital for use of cell phones, and dialed the morgue. I was guessing that Garret was still there, even though it was getting a bit late. *Probably hunting me down and sending out a death warrant* I thought to myself.
The phone rang several times before I heard Emmy answer it. I partly disguised my voice and told her to connect me to "Doctor Macy's office."
I heard the noise of that god awful hold music, and then Garret's voice.
**phone**
"This is Doctor Macy."
"Hey Garret...it's me."
"Jordan?! Where the hell are you?!"
I winced as he yelled. I heard a door slam, presumably his office door.
"Jordan! Answer me."
"I'm in London." There was a long pause on the line. "Garret?"
"Why in the hell are you in London?! And let me guess, Nigel is with you?!"
"Yeah."
"Why?!" I heard him sigh angrily on the line.
"Let me talk? Without interrupting?"
"Go."
"Alright. Nigel got a phone call from the hospital over here this morning telling him he needed to come over to London right away because his dad wasn't going to make it through the night and he nearly ran out of work but I went with him because I didn't want him coming over here alone and I just...forgot to tell you." I babbled the entire story out like I was a young child being scolded, ignoring all use of pauses or even breathing. "I'm sorry?"
There was another long pause before he spoke. "Jordan...how bad is he?"
"Who? Nigel or Nigel's dad?"
"Both of them."
"Well...Nigel's dad is still alive but probably won't be for much longer...and I'm not really sure about Nige. He's been pretty quiet this whole time." I looked back at the hospital. "Garret...it was just so sudden that we weren't thinking and it just sorta happened..."
"It's alright. Listen. If you're not back here in a week..."
"I'll be back. I swear. And we'll pull doubles for a month." I smiled to myself. "I promise."
"Alright. I'll talk to you later. I want to calling me if anything happens."
"I will. Thanks Garret." I hung up the phone after he said good bye and then I quickly headed back into the building to find Nigel and figure out what was going on.
TBC...
Long chapter for your enjoyment! Reviews are greatly appreciated!