Chapter 5
Martin starts with chest compressions but as he does this blood flows freely from Danny's mouth. Undeterred he carries on and tries to breathe life back into Danny. Martin checks again for a pulse but doesn't find one. He desperately begins the compressions again and once again gives Danny the breath of life. Just as Martin is about to check for signs of life again the paramedics arrive along with Jack and they take over Danny's treatment.
"We need to scoop and run" says the female paramedic to her partner.
"Where are you taking him?" Jack asks, fear evident in his voice.
"St Luke's Hospital", the female paramedic replied.
"No, no, no! Take him to Mt. Sinai. They have the best trauma center", Jack declared. The paramedic agrees to take Danny to Mt. Sinai Trauma Center.
"Sir, please let us do our job!" the female paramedic said – as Martin, although injured and covered in blood himself, refuses to relinquish his hold on Danny.
"Martin, Martin, come on. Let them do their job. Let them help Danny," Jack says, as he pulls Martin to one side.
"He's dead! Danny's dead!" Martin cried. "I'm gonna go kill that son of a bitch!" Martin added yelling.
"Martin, listen to me! You need to go to the hospital and get yourself checked out! Go in the ambulance with Danny," Jack said firmly but with gentle undertones, as he grabbed Martin, shaking him slightly. He was sure that Martin was in some kind of shock.
"He's dead; that son of a bitch killed him," Martin yelled.
"He isn't dead, Martin, the paramedics are working on him," Jack reassured.
The paramedics rush Danny and Martin into the ambulance and to the nearest hospital. When Danny arrives doctors begin to assess his injuries. They find that he has gunshot wounds to both his stomach and shoulder.
"Sir, I need you to stay still", the doctor said sternly. But Martin keeps moving to look towards where Danny is being treated, while the doctor tries to tend to his own injuries.
"We may need to keep you overnight," the doctor warns Martin.
"What? Why!" Martin exclaimed.
"We have to rule out internal injuries and you suffered head injuries with loss of consciousness so I have to order a head CT to rule anything out." the doctor continues in a stern tone, as Martin won't stop moving - even after the doctor holds his face.
Martin pushes the doctor's hand away to look at Danny. "I have to order the tests. Stay here I'll be right back", the doctor said in an annoyed tone as he leaves.
Danny is rushed by on a gurney and Martin stops the doctor who's treating his partner. "How is he?" he asked in a shaky voice.
"He's in critical condition. One of the bullets nicked his intestine and liver and his lungs collapsed, due to his broken ribs, so we had to intubate him. We're taking him up to surgery now, so … excuse me", the doctor explained quickly, as he leaves to prep for Danny's surgery.
12 hrs later...
Dr. Richard Cassidy enters the waiting room to speak to Danny's colleagues, as Jack and Martin are his emergency contacts, not his family.
Jack stands up looking ragged and as if he'd aged twenty years in just a few hours. "Doc, how's Danny?" he said concern etched in his voice.
"I'm sorry, but, it's not good. Agent Taylor sustained broken ribs, both lungs collapsed, severe internal bleeding; but the most critical injury is to his head. He had a brain hemorrhage and we were able to fix it but he flat lined during the surgery for fifteen minutes," Dr. Cassidy said sympathetically.
"What!" Jack and Martin yelled together.
"We tried all we could to help him...but..." Dr. Cassidy continued.
"But what!" Jack yelled, anger and fear evident in his voice.
"I'm sorry but due to the amount of time his brain was without oxygen and the severity of his injuries, it is my medical opinion and that of my colleagues that...that Agent Taylor isn't going to make it through the night," Dr. Cassidy continued sadly.
Jack and Martin felt as though the air had been sucked out of them.
Martin begins gasping for air; he shakes his head. "No! You're lying!" Martin screamed. He tries to throw himself at the doctor but Jack grabs him and holds him back. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" he screams and gasps for air as he starts to panic.
"Martin calm down!" Jack said sternly, at the still struggling Martin.
"Let me fucking go, Jack!" Martin yelled - hyperventilating. He manages to break free from Jack's grasp. "He doesn't know what the hell he's talking about! Danny isn't dying he's gonna be fine!" Unable to breathe and wanting to get away from the pain, Martin lets complete darkness take over.
Jack sees Martin collapse but doesn't reach him in time and Martin hits the floor hard. "Martin?" Jack says, as he softly taps Martin's cheek to get a response but he doesn't get one.
Dr. Cassidy rushes to Martin's side and checks for a pulse; he finds one – but it is too rapid. He calls for help and they rush Martin on a gurney inside to an empty treatment room-leaving Jack in the waiting room watching in horror. They connect Martin to a heart monitor and a nasal cannula.
"He's tachy at 200. We need to slow down his heart rate or we're gonna lose him!" Dr. Cassidy yelled issuing commands - the monitor beeps faster. "Damn it, he's in v-fib! Give me the paddles and 6mg Adenosine IV push! Move! We're losing him! 300 joules!" He shocks Martin again and finally his heart rate starts to normalize and Martin takes a small breath. "Martin? Martin, can you hear me? Come on, Martin. Open your eyes for me." Dr. Cassidy asked. He frowns when Martin just shakes his head and calls for Danny. "Look at me, Martin." Dr. Cassidy tries again as he flashes a light in Martin's eyes and causes Martin to stir.
Martin tried to push the doctor away – didn't they understand that he had to see Danny? "Leave me alone. I have to see Danny," he said weakly as he tries to get up but Dr. Cassidy pushes him down.
"Martin, listen to me. You're in no condition to go anywhere. We almost lost you just now," Dr. Cassidy said sternly.
"Please? You said that...he isn't gonna make it. I don't want him to be alone if he..." Martin started, but his voice broke with emotion.
"I'm sorry but he's in the ICU and no one..." Dr. Cassidy started gently.
"Please! He's my best friend!" Martin said cutting Dr. Cassidy off. Tears streamed down his face – why did no one understand?
Doctor Cassidy sighs and relents to Martin's plea - it is obvious, by Martin's reaction - his panic attack, how he tried to lash out, the screaming and crying - that his patient is more than a colleague to his patient- he's a great friend.
"Ok, I'll let you be with Agent Taylor...but you'll be placed in his room on this gurney. You can't get off of this gurney or I'll take you out of there. We almost lost you. I can't risk it. Understand?"
"Okay," Martin agrees sadly. They move Martin into Danny's ICU room and Dr. Cassidy fills Jack in on the condition of his agents.
Jack sees Doctor Cassidy coming down the corridor towards him and quickly stands up.
"Doctor, how's Martin doing! Where is he!" Jack asked in a shaky voice; concern and fear laced into it.
"We had a close call. Martin's heart rate was too fast and it caused him to go into v-fib. We had to shock him a few times and give him drugs intravenously to get him back," Doctor Cassidy explained as gently as he could.
"So how is he? Where is he now?" Jack asked fearfully.
"When Martin regained consciousness, the first thing he asked was to see Agent Taylor. I tried to tell him that Agent Taylor was in the ICU and wasn't allowed any visitors but he wouldn't take no for an answer," Doctor Cassidy explained.
"So where is he?" Jack asked. He couldn't handle the thought of losing both of his agents.
"He pleaded and cried so I relented. I had him transferred to Agent Taylor's room in the ICU," Doctor Cassidy explained.
"What condition is he in?" Jack questioned – his concern not letting up.
"He's not out of the woods yet; we have to keep him here and monitor his vitals-make sure that there aren't any complications. If all goes well and no further problems arise, he'll be released in a few days." The doctor warned. As if reading Jacks thoughts; "Agent Taylor's condition, I'm afraid, remains the same." Doctor Cassidy said apologetically.
"Thank you", Jack said solemnly. He watches as Doctor Cassidy leaves to see his other patients. He sinks into the waiting room couch; he puts his head in his hands and begins to cry as the events of the past forty eight hours hits him with full force.
Jeff and Sam show up at the hospital to find a distraught and disheveled Jack crying in the waiting room of the hospital. When they find Jack in this state their hearts skip a beat as they think the worst.
"Jack, what's wrong!" Jeff and Sam say together in shaky voices, fear clearly evident.
Jack's too distraught to answer any of their questions so he just ignores Jeff and Sam and continues to cry with his head in his hands.
Jeff kneels in front of Jack as he puts a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Jack, what's wrong…how are Danny and Martin?" Jeff asks, fear still evident in his voice. Jack doesn't answer him so Jeff shakes him roughly hoping to cause him to react. "Jack!" he asks again, more sternly this time.
Jack sniffles as tears stream down his face. "Danny isn't gonna make it. The doctor said that his injuries are too severe. Both of his lungs collapsed because of the broken ribs, he had a brain hemorrhage and severe internal bleeding," he says in a lost tone - his voice breaking with emotion. "They were able to repair the damage… but…" He stops unable to continue.
"But what? What happened, Jack? Tells us now what's going on, Jack. We need to know!" Jeff asks desperately, his voice breaking with fear and emotion.
Jack sniffles again, as he tries to regain his composure but his voice betrays him as it continues to break with emotion. "When the doctors were repairing the damage in the O.R. he…flat lined during the surgery for fifteen minutes," he manages to blurt out. Tears stream down his face as he rakes a shaky hand through his hair.
"What!" Jeff and Sam yell together in shock.
"Dr. Cassidy says that Danny won't make it through the night. Even if by some miracle he makes it there's no telling what condition Danny will be in. He may never wake up and if he does he might stay in a vegetative state," Jack sighs heavily, as tears continue to stream down his weary face.
Jeff gives Jack's shoulder a good tug. He tries to sound confident but fear is still evident in his voice. "Danny's gonna make it, Jack! He's a tough kid; he's not gonna let this bring him down! You'll see!" he reassures.
Sam, shocked by Jack's words, suddenly remembers that Martin isn't in the waiting room. She couldn't understand what was going on. Jeff had already told her that Martin was okay but that Danny was the one in bad condition; so where was Martin, she thought?
"Jack, where's Martin! Jeff said that he looked okay!" Sam asks fearfully. "Where is he!" she yells when Jack doesn't answer her query.
Jack sighs and runs a hand over his weary face. "I'm sorry, Sam. Martin…he completely broke down when Dr. Cassidy was telling us about Danny's condition and collapsed after he tried to attack the doctor," he says compassionately.
"What!" Sam exclaims as more tears stream down her face.
"They rushed him inside and started treating him. His heart rate was too quick and they almost…lost him…" Jack says as gently as possible. But Samantha gasps for air and feels her legs buckle; she begins to fall to the floor but Jeff quickly grabs in her time and prevents her from hitting the floor hard.
"Sam! Sam, calm down! Martin's gonna be fine and so is Danny!" Jeff yells. Samantha's hit by a wave of dizziness and she begins to shake badly so Jeff quickly puts her arm over his shoulder and another around her waist then slowly leads her to a nearby seat.
"Sam, calm down! You didn't even let me finish!" Jack says sternly, but fear and concern are evident in his voice. He sighs heavily before he continues. "He's not dead! They had to give him drugs intravenously and shock him, but they got him back. He's gonna be okay but they're gonna keep him hospitalized for a few days to make sure everything's okay and to make sure there are no other complications."
"Where is he now!" Sam asks in a small shaky voice.
"When he regained consciousness he wanted to see Danny but Dr. Cassidy tried to tell him that Danny was in the ICU and couldn't have any visitors," Jack sighs.
"So, where is he now!" Jeff asks, concern evident in his voice. He was starting to wonder if Martin really was okay.
"You know Martin. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He tried to get up from the bed and go to Danny's side but Dr. Cassidy stopped him. Martin still wouldn't give in and he was starting to lose control again so Dr. Cassidy relented and had Martin transferred to the ICU to be with Danny," Jack says with a small, sad smile.
"Really? He's okay!" Sam says as she sighs in relief.
"Yeah and I know Danny's gonna be okay too. Their too damn stubborn to let Dornvald beat them," Jack chuckles, as he suddenly begins to feel hopeful for the first since this nightmare began.
Samantha gasps as she suddenly remembers that Viv is also in the hospital. "Oh my God, Jack? What about Viv? Did you tell her about Danny and Martin yet?" she exclaims.
Jack sighs heavily as he shakes his head and rubs his tired eyes. "No, I haven't told her. I don't even know how or where to begin," he says tiredly.
"Jack, you have to tell her. She has a right to know. But you have to be careful how you tell her - we don't want her to get any worse after just having major surgery," Jeff says.
"I know and I will tell her," Jack says in a small voice.
"Can we see Danny and Martin?" Sam asks hopefully.
Jack takes Sam's hand and squeezes it. "I'm sorry, Sam, I really am, but they're not allowed visitors in the ICU; at least not tonight. Maybe tomorrow they'll let us see them even if it's just a few minutes," He sighs as he gets up from his seat. "I'm gonna go tell Viv about the boys. Maybe you guys should go home and get some rest."
"No way. I'm not going anywhere!" Sam exclaimed, almost shouting.
"Neither am I. We're a team, Jack! We stick together. We're staying here no matter how long it takes," Jeff adds.
Jack smiles as he thinks about how lucky he is to have such a caring and close-nit team. They are more than just a team, they are family.
"Okay. I'm gonna go see Viv and I'll be back as soon as I can," Jack says smiling. He gently kisses Sam's hand. Jeff grabs Jack hand in a tight brotherhood grip and hugs him. Jack leaves the waiting room and makes his way through the corridors of the hospital and to Viv's room.
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Jack Knocks On Viv's Hospital Room Door…
"Come in," Marcus says tiredly. He frowns when Jack comes into the room looking disheveled and as if he's aged twenty years. "Jack? Hey…are… you okay?"
"Hello, Marcus. Um…hi Viv. I'm okay," Jack says in a weary voice. He tries to give Viv a small reassuring smile.
Viv looks at Jack and sees past the smile. She sees Jack's eyes red and rimmed with tears. He looks as if he's aged twenty years in just one day. She knows Jack all too well and knows that there is something obviously very terrible happening despite his 'I'm okay' facade.
"What is going on, Jack? Talk to me," Viv says, fear and concern clearly evident in her voice. She frowns with concern when he doesn't answer.
Marcus senses that Jack wants to talk with Vivian alone so he decides to leave; he kisses Viv's hand. "Why don't you two talk, I'll go grab a bite to eat. Alright?" he says, as he leaves the room.
Jack gives Viv a small smile as he sits down in the chair next to her. "So…how are you feeling, Viv? I heard the surgery went well," he sighs, as he tries small talk, trying to avoid the reason he is here - he can't figure out how to tell Viv about Danny and Martin.
"I'm okay, Jack. I have to stay here for a few days but Dr. Bratton says that I'll make a full recovery," Viv replies slightly nervously. She pauses as she looks at the distraught, disheveled, aged looking Jack that is sitting in front of her; he is anything but a shadow of the Jack she knows. Something is definitely wrong and she knows it - no matter how much Jack is trying to hide it.
"What's going on with you, Jack?" she says as she squeezes his hands. She gives him a small, sad smile before continuing. "I know that you're not looking this bad for me," she jokes lightly. But it didn't get the smile she hoped for as Jack puts his head down; looking at the floor. She feels herself begin to panic slightly. "Is it the team? Did something happen?" she says – trying to sound confident but the fear is still evident in her voice.
Jack tries to remain in control but his eyes betray him as tears stream down his weary face. "Viv…there's something…" he says, his voice breaking with emotion. He pauses briefly as he clears his throat, before continuing. "…there's something that I have to tell you but I need you to stay calm. Okay?"
"What happened, Jack?" Viv asks, as she takes a deep breath but fear is still clearly evident in her voice.
Jack lightly squeezes Viv's hand. "We were…working on a case. There was a terrorist group trying to take out a Macabian leader and…anyway…when we were finished with it I had Danny and Martin transport the leader of the group," he stammers. He takes a breath, before he continues – but his voice is already breaking with emotion. "They were at a stop light when a van pulled up in front of them."
"Then…what happened, Jack?" Viv says, fear and panic clearly evident in her voice.
Jack squeezes Viv's hand again and sighs. "I need you to stay calm, okay? Remember, you just had major heart surgery."
"Jack, just tell me already! What the hell happened!" Viv demands, out fear and frustration.
"The back doors of the van flew open and…" he manages to blurt out. He sniffles as tears stream down his face. He pauses as he tries to get himself together to tell Viv the next part. "Some guys came out with guns and started shooting at the boys," he says as gently as possible.
"What! How are they!" Viv gasps, as she begins to cry.
Jack sniffles as he talks sternly to Viv. "Viv, calm down, okay? Just let me finish." He wipes away at the tears falling freely down Viv's face. "Dornvald, the one who orchestrated the ambush, kidnapped Danny and Martin for ransom but…" he continues compassionately. He winces when Viv gasps. "…but it's okay, Viv. Jeff and I with the help of agents and SWAT rescued our boys and we captured Dornvald and his accomplices," he quickly adds.
"But how are they, Jack? Where are they? How bad is it?" Viv says fearfully as tears stream down her face.
"Whoa, whoa, Viv, just calm down. Danny and Martin were brought here to this hospital. They're in the ICU," Jack replies.
"Please, Jack, don't lie to me. What condition are they in?" Viv pleads.
Jack wasn't sure how he was going to answer that question. How could he possibly tell Vivian about Martin and Danny? How could he tell her that Danny, who she loves like a son, will not make it through the night and that Martin, who is also like a son to her, almost died when he heard the news about Danny?
Jack sighs as tears run freely down his face. "Okay…I won't lie to you, Viv, but what I'm about to tell you is not easy so I need you to stay calm," he says in a small shaky voice. He takes both of her hands in his. "Martin…is pretty beat up but he's stable."
"Wait a minute. You said that he's in the ICU. If he's stable why is he there?" Viv asks, she sniffles as she tries to remain calm.
Jack continues to hold Viv's hand in his own. "He's with Danny," he says gently. He looks away briefly as Viv's eyes widen in horror – not knowing if he could tell her about Danny. "Danny…Danny's not doing too well. They repaired the damage that he suffered but during surgery he…"
"Damn it, Jack, just tell me already! What happened!" Viv demands.
"Danny…flat lined during surgery for fifteen minutes but they got him back," Jack continues but his voice is breaking with emotion.
"Oh my God, Jack!" Viv says, as tears stream down her face. "But you say they got him back so he has to be okay. And Martin is okay too."
Jack looks at the floor as he shakes his head. "The doctor told me and Martin in the waiting room that Danny's injuries are too extensive and that he flat lined too long. He… says that Danny…may not…" he manages to say – emotion laced into every word. "…make it through the night."
Viv swallows hard and tries to sound confident as she shakes her head. "That doctor doesn't know what he's talking about. He doesn't know Danny like we do. Danny's too damn stubborn to let himself die; he's a fighter. You'll see. Danny's gonna make it," she says in a desperate tone.
Jack produces a small, sad smile. "Yeah, he is one stubborn ass guy and he doesn't give up that easily; especially after everything that he's been through in his life," he says thoughtfully.
Viv clears her throat as she tries to regain her composure. "Wait, but what about Martin? Why is he in the ICU? Can Danny have visitors already?" she asks quickly.
Jack shakes his head. "Uh-uh. No. Danny isn't allowed any visitors. When the doctor told us about Danny, Martin completely flipped out. He started yelling, panicking and then he tried to attack the doctor. I tried to grab a hold of him but he got free. He collapsed and hit the floor hard," he says, he winces as he hears Viv gasp in horror but continues. "The doctor rushed him inside and had to give him drugs through IV and shock him a few times but they got him back."
"You lied to me! You told me he was okay! If Martin's okay then why the hell is he in the ICU!" Viv says angrily out of fear and frustration. She feels betrayed and so she takes her hands from his.
"Viv take it easy. When Martin regained consciousness the first thing he did was ask to see Danny and he tried to get off of the gurney," Jack says sternly. "The doctor tried to tell Martin that Danny was in the ICU. But you know Martin?"
Viv's anger evaporates as Jack tells her this. She chuckles lightly for the first time since she learned about the condition of her boys. "He wouldn't have any of it. He wouldn't take no for an answer, right?" she says with a slight smile.
"Nope," Jack says with a smile. "He kept insisting and started crying. He was starting to lose it again so the doctor gave in. He told Martin that he would have him transferred to Danny's ICU room to be with him. He also warned him that if he tried to get off of the bed in the ICU he'd take him out of there. Dr. Cassidy says that Martin's stable but he's gonna keep him under observation for a few days in the ICU to make sure he doesn't have any other complications."
Viv smiles. "I don't care what that doctor says. They are both going to be fine." She sighs before continuing. "Can they have any visitors?"
"Not tonight, but maybe tomorrow; just a couple of minutes," Jack sighs and shakes his head.
"I wanna see them, Jack," Viv says, determination in her voice.
"Viv that's not a good idea and you know it. You just had major surgery. You yourself need to be resting. Besides, I don't think your doctor will allow you to anyway," Jack says gently.
"You let me worry about the doctor. If he doesn't authorize me to see Danny and Martin, I'll sneak out of here on my own and go see them. You know I will, Jack. Those two are like my sons, Jack. I have to see them," Viv says determinedly as she produces a smile.
Jack smiles and takes her hand in his. "I know you'd do that." He sighs and continues. "Alright. I'll talk to Dr. Cassidy and you talk to Dr. Bratton; see if we can find a way for you to see them."
"Jack, what about Sam? How is she doing?" Viv says as she suddenly remembers about Sam.
"Sam's in the waiting room. She almost passed out when she found out about Martin so Jeff stayed with her to keep an eye on her. I'm sure they wanna see you," Jack replies.
"So do I," Viv says with a smile.
"I'm sure they'll be by later. I better go and see if I can find Dr. Cassidy," Jack says as he gets up from the seat and hugs Viv.
"You do that," Viv says. She sighs and looks at Jack, "Jack…they're gonna be okay. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, I know," Jack says still hugging Viv as he tries to sound confident. "God I hope they will be okay. But it just seems like such a long shot." Tears stream down his face as he thinks about what has happened and what might happen. There's a knock on the door and Marcus steps in. Jack sniffles and sighs heavily. "Well, I'm gonna go, okay? I'll see you later?"
"Yeah," Viv says as she smiles and shakes her head.
Marcus stands by the door and is concerned when he sees Jack crying and also notices that Viv's been crying too; her eyes red and her cheeks damp with tears. "Jack? Viv, is everything okay?" he asks, his voice filled with fear and concern. He watches as Viv nods her head.
"Well, I'm gonna get going, Viv. I'll see you later," Jack sniffs. He shakes Marcus' hand. "Thank you, Marcus," he says as he leaves Viv's hospital room.
Back In the ICU...
"Just press the call button if you need anything at all," The nurse said with a warm sympathetic smile.
"Thank you," Martin replied with a sad smile. He glances over at Danny and can't believe all the machines he's hooked up to. Tubes and wires invading every space in Danny's frail body. He looks around and quietly slips out of bed. He takes a hold of Danny's hand and shudders when he feels how cold it is.
"Hey, Danny, it's me, Martin. The doctors just told us that they don't think you're gonna make it," Martin started, he feels himself breaking down again. "You have to fight, Danny. You can't let Dornvald win. Damn it, man, we've been through worse shit than this. You have to wake up. I know you think that this is all your fault but you're wrong," Martin continued. He squeezes Danny's hand in a brotherhood grip and breaks down. "You've always had my back, Danny. Don't let me down now, brother - fight!" He tightens his grip on Danny's hand as he places his forehead on their hands and cries.
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As always, a huge thanks to fans1024 and all of you who have enjoyed this fic. Thanks also for all the reviews. They really do help me a lot. Please R and R if I should continue with the fic.