Leaning back against the cool wall of the hospital corridor, Tanis shut her eyes and breathed deeply. Steve was gonna be okay, he was with his father right now getting patched up. He'd had to wait awhile; for once thank God his injuries were minor, well relatively. She and Amanda had helped him to the triage point, where he'd been swiftly checked over by a young blonde nurse and given a coloured sticker to code the urgency of his condition. She'd left him then, to chase up any eye witnesses that were capable of speech. He'd wanted to come with her, to help with the interviews, but she'd refused and for once he hadn't really put up much of a fight.
When she left he was sitting on the floor of the crowded reception, propped up against the wall, holding a pressure bandage to his side. He'd smiled at her and waved her off, still down playing his injury, but when she turned, before going out the door, his eyes were already closed. When she'd checked in on him just now, the reception was almost empty and the same blonde nurse had told her that Mark had come down to check up on his son and had volunteered to do the stitching himself.
Tanis let out a breath, tonight had been close, too close. In her mind she could still see the devastation the bomb had left in its wake, could still hear the ragged, laboured breathing of the poor guy on the floor to her left, the metal table leg, ripped free by the blast and impaled in his chest. Involuntarily she shuddered – it could so easily have been her or Steve.
She was used to danger on the job, of course she was, but tonight they hadn't been on the job. In those crucial few moments before the blast, they'd been an ordinary couple, grabbing a bite to eat, flirting, enjoying each other's company. Her mind had been on Steve and she'd gotten careless – they'd gotten careless. She'd begun to let her guard down, to relax, let someone in and this was the result. Someone had blown up a diner right in front of their eyes and neither she nor Steve had seen a thing, because they hadn't had eyes for anything but each other.
Tanis let out a breath. The Chief was gonna want to know what they'd been doing in the diner, was gonna want to know why they hadn't seen anything. She bit her lip, was that what it came down to – a relationship or a career? Was that her choice? She'd spent so long working to get where she was, resolutely refusing to date any of the guys at work, until Steve that is. And then, just when she thought she could have it all, a great career and a great guy …
Pulling herself together she snagged her cell phone from the pocket of her jacket and resolutely punched in the Chief's number. She couldn't deal with that choice right now. That would have to wait 'til later, when she had time to think. For now she had to get on with her job. The Chief's voice cut through from the other end of the line 'It's Archer here sir' she said and braced herself for what she knew was coming next.
'Steve could ya hold still for just a minute here' Mark Sloan said, treating his son to an indulgent, if frustrated smile. He had finally managed to find a free examination room to stitch and dress Steve's wounds, but currently his son was being anything but co-operative. Mark was perceptive enough to realise that Steve felt badly about not stopping the bomb in time, was desperate to make amends, but he was also aware that his son was in pain. As much as Steve might try to downplay his injuries, Mark knew that he was suffering. His medical knowledge had allowed him to quickly assess the level of damage done by the shard of glass, but he didn't need a medical degree to spot the lines of tension in his son's jaw, the quickly hidden grimace at even the slightest movement. He tried again.
'You know son, if you want these stitches to be straight, you're gonna have to humour me'. Mark said.
Picking up on the strain that had slipped into his father's voice, Steve hung up his cell phone and carefully reached over to place it on the small table beside the examination couch. Gingerly he settled himself more comfortably against the sterile pillows, although comfort was a little out of the question right now. His injured side was throbbing, each tiny movement eliciting an agony of red hot spears.
He was doing his best to hide it and so far his father hadn't said anything, but Steve knew he wasn't fooling anyone. It was the usual game of compromise they always played – Steve pretended to be fine and Mark pretended to believe him, whilst at the same time trying to make sure his son got as much medical treatment as possible. Steve tolerated the treatment to a certain extent, but refused to be fussed over and somehow the two of them always managed to meet somewhere in the middle. Noticing the tension in his father's jaw he realised it was time to give way a little and allow his father to give him some help.
'Okay' he said with a sigh 'You got my attention, I can't get through to the Chief right now anyway.'
'Good' Mark said, inwardly sighing with relief. He really was a little too tired tonight to argue with Steve over his treatment. He knew he would never get his son to rest as much as he should, but at least they usually managed to find some middle ground 'Now hold this for me will you?'
Distractedly taking the clean white gauze from his father, Steve chewed his bottom lip broodily 'We still have absolutely no idea who was behind that explosion tonight' he said.
'I know, you told me that already' Mark said, squinting at the needle he was attempting to thread. 'You know I'm sure these things are getting smaller' he said to himself.
In spite of himself, Steve grinned 'I think may be it's you that's getting older'.
'Me? Getting old?' Mark pulled a face 'Nah!' then he smiled 'Well may be just a little.'
They lapsed into silence, as Mark placed the now successfully threaded needle back on the sterile tray and busied himself with the task of gently cleaning out the wound in Steve's side with an antiseptic swab. He felt as well as heard Steve's wince of pain.
'Sorry son' he said patting Steve on the shoulder 'this'll just take a minute. I just need to be sure it's clean, I don't want you getting an infection.'
'I'm okay' Steve said through gritted teeth, the knuckles of his hands turning white where he gripped the metal rails on either side of the examination couch.
Deftly Mark wiped away the remains of the blood that streaked Steve's side and tossed the blood-soaked swabs into the yellow waste basket at his elbow 'All done but the stitches' he said cheerfully 'but I'm afraid you're gonna be hitting double figures this time.'
'You know I was taken completely by surprise tonight' Steve said, letting out a breath.
'I know' Mark said gently 'But Steve there's no way you can predict everything that's gonna happen'.
'I know that' Steve said ruefully 'but if I hadn't dropped that loose change on the floor, then it could have been Amanda stitching me up right now instead of you or even worse, Tanis could have been ….' He trailed off, his eyes fixed on the white counter pane of the examination couch, whilst his insides clenched painfully at the unspoken thought.
Mark looked up, his face serious 'But Steve, you did drop the change and I for one am very grateful that you did'.
Steve frowned 'But I should have seen something' he said 'It's my job to see something.'
'Steve' Mark said 'you've gotta give yourself a break son. You were grabbing a bite to eat in a diner, there's no way you could have known what was gonna happen'.
'Mmmh' Steve said obviously not convinced
'plus you're sick' Mark continued soothingly 'and the Chief really shouldn't have asked you to …'
'Dad' Steve said irritably 'I am not sick okay'.
Father and son exchanged a look and Mark smiled 'Of course you're not sick' he said genially. He picked up his needle and thread and turned back to his recalcitrant patient 'Now hold still, this'll just take a minute. Oh and Son ..' Mark said innocently.
Steve looked at him questioningly
'I know you're not sick, but do me a favour, and try not to sneeze while I'm stitching will ya'. Mark grinned mischievously, a glint of humour in his eyes.
'Funny' Steve said treating his father to a look of exasperation, but he obediently steeled himself to stay as still as possible. He closed his eyes, waiting to feel the strange coldness of the needle in his side, but it never came. Part of him wished his father would get a move on, but he had to admit it was kinda nice just lying there - first time he'd really had a chance to put his feet up since the explosion. The examination couch really was kinda comfortable considering. He thought about relaying this remark to his father, but decided against it. He was already the butt of enough jokes about his penchant for hospital food - he didn't need to give them any more ammunition. Besides, now he was lying there, he couldn't quite seem to work up the energy to speak.
As if from a long distance, he thought he could hear his father humming 'Auld Lang Syne', but he couldn't be sure. Still it was kinda relaxing, touching at the edges of his consciousness as he let his thoughts drift. Idly he wondered how long it was gonna be before he could get back to the station, but he knew from experience not to voice that question just yet. His father still wasn't mollified about the potential impromptu bomb disposal. So instead, he lay quietly without protest and patiently waited for his father to begin stitching.
The next thing he knew, he could hear familiar laughter and a redundant attempt to stifle it.
'Hi Jess' he growled, without bothering to open his eyes.
'Sleeping beauty awakes' Jesse said cheerfully. Steve didn't need to open his eyes to know that the young man was grinning.
'I wasn't sleeping' Steve said defensively 'I was just waiting for Dad to finish up my stitches so I can get out of here'.
'Oh you were, were you?' Jesse asked knowingly, an eyebrow cocked in amusement.
'That's right' Steve said gruffly 'And when do you think that's gonna happen, Jess, cause I really need to get back to the station and …'
Jesse swallowed another guffaw of laughter 'er .. Steve' he said
'Mmmh?' Steve replied sleepily
'Your Dad finished your stitches about a half hour ago' he grinned 'Sorry buddy, but you've been lying here snoring ever since'.
'What!' Steve's eyes flew open and he shifted painfully to take a look. Sure enough his right side was now neatly covered by a pristine, white bandage 'Why didn't he wake me?' he groused.
Jesse gave him a look
'Okay, okay' Steve said irritably 'Stupid question, but look Jess I really need to get out of here right now, so could you just get me my clothes and …'
Before Jesse could answer another voice spoke
'And Happy New Years to you too' the voice said, before continuing 'Ya know I travelled a couple of hundred miles to get here and through a whole heap of crazy weather and you're talking about leaving already? A guy could start to take it personally ya know'.
Jesse and Steve both looked up in surprise
'You!' Steve said his eyes wide with shock.
TO BE CONTINUED …….