Sorry, I realise that the other ch. 3 was absolute crud that I kinda rushed and such - this is crud too but I hope, to less an extent!
Review puh-lease and I don't mind negative reviews at all - cause I probably deserve them and I wanna know :o)
Jack watched Danny's chest rise and fall, a sense of sorrow washing over him. He held his agents hand, willing warmth back into Danny's bony fingers. Jack knew of despair… it had been in a car that he had come undone, crashing into the tree… but this was different – Danny hadn't tried to kill himself, just punish.
Jack the psychologist… yeah what a bloody good one he thought to himself, seeing the emptiness in Danny's eyes – feeling the shadow start to descend upon his own shoulders.
Martin sat leaning against the car, head arched toward the sky, holding Sam's hand who sat next to him, her head resting against his shoulder. Vivian had walked out to the road, ready to direct the ambulance when they came.
Each member of the team were thinking similar thoughts, each person doubting their own abilities – as a friend, and as a detective trained to pay attention, to know when something wasn't right…
……….
He sat up slowly in the hospital bed, every movement causing pain from the wounds on his torso – the pain he did not mind… He cursed himself at his stupidity – at getting so out of hand that he affected people around him. This was to be his secret pain, something he would deal with behind closed doors, yet the inner battle had raged so fiercely – he had tried yet failed to contain it. He was ashamed.
Looking up Danny saw Jack in the corner of the room; the older mans eyes focused on him. Unable to maintain eye contact, Danny turned away and busied himself with the cream wall by his bedside.
"You lost a lot of blood, they stitched you up, the stiches will dissolve when they are ready. You'll have severe scarring but luckily you've done yourself no permanent damage physically as long as the wounds don't get infected." Jack spoke out into the silence.
There was no reaction from Danny so he continued.
"You are being moved to a general ward this afternoon, where they will keep you on suicide watch but due to this being a first incident, you will probably be released as soon as you are physically ready to go." He sighed, he could relay the facts but all he really wanted to do was to hear what was on Danny's mind…
"I'm not staying." Danny said calmly, reaching for the IV that was attached to his arm. "I will see you in the office tomorrow morning. I am sorry for being such an inconvenience but I will make it up to you."
"Danny, there is no way you are leaving this hospital." Jack quickly made his way to the bedside, grabbing Danny's hand firmly in his, stopping him from pulling the drip from his vein. "I will personally make sure you are here until you have fully recovered, and I am not one to go against my word."
Danny looked into Jack's eyes, and found an empathy there he didn't know that he needed... for a second he thought he felt something break. He closed his eyes trying to clear his mind and opened them to find a lone tear streaking down his face.
He slumped back into against the bed closing his eyes momentarily as he felt Jack's grasp on him ease.
"I'm sorry Jack, I didn't mean to affect anyone else – it was to be my own punishment…" he drifted off, letting sleep taking over his depression fatigued body… letting the dreams run rampant once again.
………………
The office was quiet Sam noticed as if for the first time – her thoughts had been on Danny, not her surroundings. She felt numb, the events from the previous day had rocked her world – Danny was such a strong person, he always seemed happy, always helpful. Danny was the joker, the teaser and she missed him, missed him and worried for him like she would a brother. She let out a sigh and nearly jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see Martin's concerned face looking down upon her.
"He's going to be alright you know," he reassured her, his strong hands kneading her shoulders.
"Physically maybe…," she trailed off leaning her head against Martin's chest.
They remained like that for a few minutes before Jack walked into the office. Martin moved away and they both straightened automatically.
"How is he?" Sam enquired, her eyes locked with Jack's.
Jack returned the gaze before looking away, avoiding eye contact with any of his team – and again, answered with the medical lingo, unable to bring himself to say anything more.
"He lost a lot of blood, and will have severe scarring but luckily he did no permanent muscle damage. Danny will be in for a few days, until he is physically ok to manage at home. The doctors say he is ok for visitors, you won't have long with him though."
"Viv can I see you in my office," Jack added before turning and heading there himself.
………
"How are you holding up Jack?" she questioned, her eyes scanning the face across the desk and noticing the storm within his eyes."
"I'm fine," he replied before pausing, "I knew something wasn't right but I didn't do anything about it… if I had acted on my instincts…"
"Don't do this Jack," Viv interrupted, "You know it is of no use. None of us did anything – I didn't even know anything was wrong apart from the obvious repercussions that would follow the Ella case."
"He's one of ours Viv, he's not a name on a piece of paper we've got to find – I could handle that, I have and will handle that but… Danny..." Jack gushed trying desperately to process his irrational and irregular words into something that made some ounce of sense.
"I know," she replied, understanding her superior completely, his thoughts mirroring hers. "I know."
……………………………
