I haven't stolen them, I'm borrowing without permission, with every intention of giving them back (well, maybe!)

After three weeks of sitting with Mrs Hanson in the hospital, Fuller had ordered Doug Penhall back to work. Being late on his first day back however was not a good start. As he made his way up the steps to the Chapel he found himself thinking of the ribbing Tom would give him for turning up over 45 minutes late. He half expected to hear his partners mocking call as he walked through the door, as if the past few weeks had been nothing but a bad dream. It hadn't of course, and as he entred he was not met by Tom Hanson's voice calling out his sarcastic reprimand. In fact, to Doug the Chapel seemed cold and almost lifeless. As he walked towards his desk, deliberatley avoiding loooking over to the empty desk at the back in the far corner, he was met by Harry Ioki carrying a loaded cardboard box.

"So you're going then?" Doug said coldly. "Well at least you haven't sneaked away." he said unable to keep the relief at seeing Harry from his voice.

"I thought about it." Harry replied. "I just couldn't"

"You really going home then?"

"Yeah. Look Doug I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We've all got to deal with stuff in our own way."

"No. I mean about Tom and what happened."

"What have you got to be sorry about?"

"I got us into that. That shot was meant for me."

"Are you kidding me? What is this crap?" Doug said unable to keep his disbelief under control. "Do you want to know why Tom jumped in front of that bullet? He was having nightmares about prison, you heard that though right? What he didn't tell you was that he always woke up after watching you being killed. He told me he tried to help you but he couldn't move the bars. It was driving him mad. He couldn't let that happen for real so he jumped in to save you. It's not your fault Harry, get over it."

"I can't help feeling responsible" Harry said sadly.

"The only thing you have to feel guilty about, Harry, is the fact that you haven't set foot in that hospital to see the guy who saved your life." Doug said struggling to keep his anger in check. "We've always been there for each other, what's changed that you can't be there for Tom?"

"You wouldn't understand". Harry said unable to look Doug in the eyes.

"Fine" Doug said coldly turning to walk away.

"The only one that would understand is in the hospital dying" Harry called after Doug

"So go talk to him." Doug said turning round to face him again. Harry looked back at him helplessly before turning to leave the Chapel for the last time.

"Doug?" Fuller called from his office, "You got a minute?"

"Sure" he said as he walked into the office and took a seat next to a tearful Judy, who had just said a diffucult goodbye to Harry, his badge was lying open on Fullers desk. "So what's happening with Crane?" he asked taking a seat next to Judy.

"Not much. They can't pin the double homicide on him because technically it wasn't him who ordered the shooting and they're are no witnesses to prove otherwise. It seems he commanded more loyalty than we expected. "

"Great, so his sentence remains unchanged." Doug said bitterly.

"Well we can get him charged for kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment with intent to harm, four counts of assault and illeagal restraint of a police officer. There's also a potential attempted murder charge."

"What do you mean potential?" Hoffs asked having regained her composure.

"Well it all depends on how much got back to IAD about what happened that night. Did any of you mention that Hanson shot first in your statements?"

"No captain" Judy replied as Doug shook his head.

"Good. Harry's assured me he didn't say anything either. Now in usual circumstances I would never condone this guys. but these aren't usual circumstances. You are not to let on to anyone that Tom fired his gun that night, otherwise we got nothing. Best to keep Bookers presence under wraps as well, or you two might be joining him".

"They won't hear anything from us Captian!" Doug said stonily.

"Oh, and they found the other three guys involved in the breakout. They were in the boot of a car driven by Cranes buddy Leyton and his pal. Seems Crane was going all out to cover his tracks."

"So what's going to happen to them?" Jude asked

"Well, this is where is isn't all bad news. They're going to testify that Crane gave the order to have Matt Anderton and the others killed, so that's conspiracy to murder we can add to the charges."

"What about that kid, Mike?" Doug asked quietly.

"He's in a critcal condition, but it looks like he's gonna be ok."

"So how much more time do you think he's looking at?"

"That depends" Fuller said uncomfortably unable to meet the eyes of his young officers.

"Depends on what?" Doug asked.

"On wether Hanson makes it. Right Captian?" Judy said softly. Fuller nodded and sat down heavily in his chair.

"That's why we can't let anyone know Tom fired at Crane. If he can claim self defense then all we'd be looking at is involuntary manslaughter." A long uncomfortable silence followed as the three of them sat absorbed in their own thoughts.

"Look guy's" Fuller said kindly, "He's a tough kid. Anyway, his mother called earlier and said he was breathing on his own for a short time, he's back on the respirator but at least it shows he's fighting and showing brain activity."

"Well that's good. Right Doug?" Hoffs said looking to her remaining partner for reassurance.

"Yeah, that's good".Doug said unconvincingly.

"Whatever happens guys, Crane is spending alot of time in prison."

"That's not gonna do Tom any good is it Captain?" Doug snapped angrily.

"There's nothing we can do directly to help Tom. He would want Crane to go away for a very long time, and we can try and give him that."

"How would you know what he wants?"

"Don't do this again Penhall! You're not the only one hurting here! You guys are like my children, so don't tell me you're the only one this is effecting."

"I know, sorry." Doug said turning his eyes to the floor.

"Captain, you haven't seen Hanson for a few days, you want to come with us tonight?" Hoffs asked turning bloodshot eyes to Fuller.

"Thanks Judy, but I'm on my way there as soon as I'm done here with you guys. I think Mrs Hanson needs a break."

"Will you call and let us know how he is?" Doug asked.

"That goes without saying Doug" Fuller said softly to his young officer.

"Thanks Captain".

"I just wish Harry would go see him" Jude said.

"He will" Fuller replied."He just needs time to think about things that's all".

"What if that's time Tom doesn't have?" Doug said sadly

"We'll just have to cope with that IF it happens" Fuller said.

When Fuller arrived at the hospital he went straight to Hanson's room to find Margaret asleep next to the bed still clutching her son's hand. He walked over looked quckly down at the still figure lying on the bed and went to gently wake her. She looked up groggily at him and then appeared slightly embarassed as she realised who it was.

"Sorry" Fuller said, "I didn't mean to startle you."

"That's ok", she replied, "I must have just dozed off for a few minutes, or a few hours" she corrected herself as she glanced at her watch.

"How's he doing?"

"Not sure. The doctors don't really say much. They don't like to give false hope." she said bitterly. "But to be honest, I just wish I was able to see my boy's face." As Fuller looked down at Tom, he understood exactly what she meant. The facial injuries had healed and if he wasn't on the respirator, Tom would give the impression he was just sleeping peacfully. He could almost believe that if it wasn't for the continuous bleeping noises coming from the monitoring equipment. Yet he found the steady beeping and the weezing sound of respirator strangly comforting.

"Captain Fuller?" Margaret asked bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Adam" he corrected her.

"Adam, do you have kids?"

"Yeah. I've got a boy in college, Kip. I can't begin to imagine what you're going through".

"I'm so scared we're going to lose him again."

"Hey, I've seen Tom come through some heavy stuff over the past few years and he's got alot of people cheering him on. He'll come through this too."

"You know, he always speaks very highly of you. Seems you're quite the father figure."

"Really? I never got that impression."

"Well, that's Tommy. He's been that way since he was a kid. I think he was trying to show everyone he could take care of things after his father was killed. He was wonderful through everything. You know he even organised the funeral. I'm afraid I wasn't much good to him for awhile."

"I'm sure he understood. He's a pretty remarkable kid" Fuller said with a smile

"That's all he is, just a kid. He's still so young how can this be happening?"

"He's in a dangerous profession Mrs Hanson." he said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Margaret." she said with a smile, which he returned. "You know when he told me he wanted to be a cop like his dad, I was so frightend for him. But it was so important to him. I was so sure one day something like this would happen, now it has I can't quite believe it. I keep just wanting to put out my hand and open his eyes. I'm sorry this can't be easy for you after what happened with Harry."

"Harry got through it, and so will Tom."

"Thank you Adam" Then she turned to look back at her son. She put out her hand and once again smoothed back his unruly hair from his forehead. "Come back to us baby" she said softly. Then she looked over at Fuller and said, "Would you mind keeping Tommy company, I need to take a walk"

"Sure" he said and with one last look at her only child she turned to leave the room. Fuller moved closer to the bed and looked down at the still face, remembering all the insolent and defiant expressions he had seen on that face so many times. As well as the teasing smiles, thoughtful concentration and unfortunaltey the sadness that had clouded his features too many times for someone still so young. As he looked down at him, it suddenly struck him that he felt towards Tom as he did towards his own son.

"Come on kid!" he said under his breath. "Don't let this beat you!"

Well there you go. Hope it wasn't too far off and they weren't to OOC.