Collapse

'You look ill,' Alexx told Ryan when he finally made it down to speak to her.

He sighed. 'Not another one.'

'Yes,' she said. 'Calleigh mentioned it to Valera, who mentioned it to Eric, who mentioned it to Horatio who mentioned it to me, and I had already noticed.'

'What a grapevine,' Ryan muttered.

'You lot would not be criminalists if you couldn't tell when something isn't right.' She pointed imperiously at the table. 'Sit.'

Ryan considered fleeing at this point.

Alexx didn't look around. 'I said sit. If you even think about running, I have back-up.'

Eric looked around the door. 'You got him, Alexx?' He gave Ryan a grin.

'This is persecution,' Ryan said.

'Calleigh was going to come and we were going to hold him down, but she's busy,' Eric said. 'I reckon I could rugby tackle him if he tries to make a break for freedom, though.'

'It's a conspiracy,' Ryan muttered. Then he frowned. 'Rugby, Eric?'

Eric shrugged, dismissing this comment. 'Everyone agreed – you're to sit there and tell Alexx exactly what is wrong with you or we're going to pin you down, sedate you and cart you off to hospital. Then we will find out what's wrong with you and have you force fed medication until you're better.' He grinned again. 'Valera suggested you get handcuffed to the bed, but we all decided that was a bit – well – '

Alexx looked away, hiding a smile.

'Why are you sniggering?' Ryan demanded of her. He looked at Eric. 'Why is she sniggering? Why are you sniggering?'

'You'd think a criminalist would be more observant,' Alexx said to Eric.

'He's not always the sharpest tool in the box,' Eric observed.

'Will you lot just leave me along?' Ryan said angrily. He hopped off of the table and walked towards the door. Eric stepped in front of him, took hold of his arms, and walked him back towards Alexx.

'Let go!' Ryan snapped then turned a dirty look on Alexx as she popped a thermometer into his mouth.

She smiled. 'Don't give me that look, honey,' she said quite calmly.

Ryan rolled his eyes and his shoulders slumped as he gave in. 'Ah m nt un o yo chiden ou oh,' he said indistinctly.

'What?' Eric asked.

Alexx removed the thermometer and examined it. Her smile faded.

'I said I'm not one of your children, you know,' Ryan said to Alexx.

'What is it?' Eric asked.

'Sky high,' she said, all joking gone. 'Ryan, how have you been feeling?'

He shrugged. 'A little off colour. I had major surgery two months ago, it's to be expected.'

'Feeling hot? Headaches? Aching muscles? Dizziness? What about the wound, is it healed?' Alexx asked him.

He shrugged again. 'Headache, but that's not surprising, is it? I've been working hard. And I did tell you that I thought I was coming down with a cold. It's nothing, I'm fine.'

'Don't lie!' Alexx said angrily and poked him in the shoulder.

Eric looked a little surprised at Ryan didn't get angry at her. He looked annoyed, but didn't say anything.

'Show me the scar,' Alexx told him.

He stared at her. 'What!'

'Show me the surgery scar, Ryan,' she said patiently.

'No.'

'Ryan.'

'No.'

'Fine,' she snapped. 'Have it your way.'

'There's nothing wrong with me,' he insisted.

She turned on him. 'You go and see your doctor,' Alexx told him in the sharp voice she rarely used with anyone. 'Not next week, Ryan, not in two weeks, not when you can get an appointment. You go get an emergency appointment, today. Understand, Ryan? Today! If your doctor won't see you, go to the ER.'

'I'm a bit off-colour,' Ryan protested. 'I'm not dying, Alexx!'

The look she shot him with white-hot with fury. 'Just do it, Ryan!'

Even Eric took a step backwards.

Ryan got off the table and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

'That was a bit harsh,' Eric commented.

'He didn't need to slam the door,' Alexx complained.

'I wasn't just talking about him,' Eric said.

Alexx looked irritated. 'He needs to see a doctor.'

'Why?'

She sighed. 'I think he might have an infection from the surgery. It happens occasionally, but it still needs to be sorted out.' She gave him a hard look. 'I have had people who died of surgery infections they didn't get checked out on that table, Eric. Let Horatio and Calleigh know Ryan's been ordered to see the doctor and you go on at him until he goes.'

'Understood,' Eric said, smiling.

As it happened, Ryan never actually got to see his doctor.

He walked down towards the trace lab. He had a few things left to do there before he finished his shift. He was walking past the DNA lab when Valera poked her head out of the door. 'Hey,' she said. 'You seen Eric?'

'Why?'

She went back into the lab. Ryan followed her. 'I have some results for him,' she explained. 'You know, his robbery case.'

'Robbery,' Ryan said glumly. 'Sounds fun.'

'More fun than being in the lab, you mean,' she said.

'Yeah,' he said. They shared a smile.

There was a brief pause. 'Ryan,' she said slowly.

'Can I ask you something?'

'Sure,' Ryan said. He set out a hand and leant on the table. 'What – what is it?'

'Well, I – ' She stopped and gave him a funny look. 'Something wrong?'

He shook his head. 'I'm – fine.'

'You don't look it.' She reached out a hand.

He yanked his arm away. 'I'm fine!' he snarled. 'Why does everyone keep on at me? There's nothing wrong with me!' He staggered and crashed into the table. Equipment flew everywhere, crashing with the sounds of breaking glass.

'Well done!' she yelled at him. 'Thanks, Ryan! I think you just screwed up most of my day's work!'

Ryan stared at her silently for a moment, then collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.

'Okay, I wasn't that mad – ' Valera began. 'Ryan? Ryan, are you okay?' She shook him and when he didn't respond she ran for the door.

Alexx was walking past. She gave Valera a confused look. 'Something wrong?'

'Ryan just collapsed,' Valera said urgently. 'I don't know what's wrong with him – '

Alexx pushed past her and knelt down beside him. 'Call an ambulance,' she said without looking around. 'Ryan, can you hear me sweetie? Ryan, stay with me – we're going to get you to hospital!' She checked his breathing, and laid a hand on his forehead. His skin was hot, feverish to the touch. 'Stay with us,' she said gently. 'You can't die on us now, Ryan.'

'I heard Ryan collapsed,' Horatio said.

'Very spectacularly, by Valera's account,' Eric said without humour. 'What's wrong with him, Alexx?'

'He has an infection,' she said. She looked angry. 'In the surgery wounds that repaired the damage from the bullet injuries.'

'What kind of infection?' Horatio asked.

Her mouth tightened into an angry line. 'The kind you get when something gets left behind in surgery.'

'What!' Calleigh exclaimed, looking horrified. 'What did you say?'

'A surgical swab,' Alexx said, barely able to speak, she was so angry. 'Got left inside him. Grew an infection, which might just kill him.'

'He could die?' Calleigh said, shocked.

Alexx nodded. Her expression was now grim. 'He's on antibiotics and an drip. They're doing everything they can, but the infection is so wife spread they don't know if he'll live.'

'What's his condition?'

'Unstable and critical,' Alexx replied. 'He could die at any time.'

'Right,' Horatio said softly. 'This is the plan. I will contact his family. I want someone to find out who the surgeon was.'

'How are relations with his family?' Calleigh asked.

'I don't know,' Horatio admitted. 'Hopefully, better. And people can take it in turns to stay here.'