I haven't stolen them, I'm borrowing without permission, with every intention of giving them back (well, maybe!)
A couple of hours later after Tom had been wheeled back and the rest of the Jump Street gang had said thier goodbyes and went to wait in the hall, Mrs Hanson sat by her son's bedside anxious for the results of the tests.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Margaret asked her son for the tenth time since returning to his room. The the strain of the tests and being moved had tired Tom considerably.
"Yes, and if I'm not I'm in the right place." he said impatiently.
"I'm just concerned that's all. To me you're still my baby you know." she said slightly hurt by his tone.
"Sorry." he said, his face softening as he took hold of her hand. "I do appreciate it you know"
"I'm your mother, it's what I do."
Just then Doug ran into the room carrying an old telephone which seemed to be connected to a point in the hallway by a long extension cord.
"Doug, tell me this is the painkillers, and I'm not seeing this!" Tom said suspiscion and disbelief in his voice.
"Isn't it great. That nurse that has a thing for you arranged it for me. Although personaly I think she's only being nice to you cos she knows you're my friend and she's trying to impress me"
"Really?" Tom said sarcstically.
"Penhall charm my friend, no woman can resist."
"Resist being repelled more like. Doug why are you bringing a phone into a hospital ward. Don't people usually bring grapes." Tom said, his voice rising slightly
"Hey no shouting! This is a hospital you know!"
"I had noticed Doug, thank you!" Tom said irritably.
"Mrs Hanson, I'm please to be able to inform you that we have located your son!" Margaret covered a smile as Tom opened his mouth to retort, before being cut off by Doug.
"Don't argue, talk. Here, it's for you."
"What?" Tom asked, completely confused as Doug handed him the reciever. "Hello?" he said uncertainly
"Tom!" came Harry's voice from the other end.
"Harry? Where are you?"
"Not important. I've someone who wants to talk to you." There was a sound of shuffling as Ioki passed the phone over to someone else. The next voice that he heard Tom recognised but couldn't place.
"Hanson? It's Jack. Your friend here told me about what happened. How are you doing?"
"Jack?" Hanson asked, then it suddenly dawned on him who he was talking to. "Jack Weaver?"
"Yeah. How are you."
"I'm a little surprised."
"I just wanted to wish you all the best you know. Well, and to say thank you." At this the confused look on Tom's face made Margaret and Doug have to stiffle wild laughter.
"For what?"
"For making me do what was best. I'm a sergent now Hanson, I'm doing really well, my commander says in a couple of years I could make sergent major. I didn't think I could be happy in the army, but I am and I wanted to thank you for keeping me from making a big mistake."
"You're really happy?" Tom asked, his eyes misting.
"Yeah, I am."
"I'm pleased for you Jack" he said smiling.
"Gotta make this short and sweet I'm afraid. You get well soldier!" he said jokingly, "and tell Penhall I said hey!"
"I will. Take care man" Tom smiled softly as he put down the phone. Margaret and Doug were both looking at him with identicle inane grins as he said, "Jack says hey!"
"Really!" said Doug sarcastically.
"He's really dong ok!"
"Yeah he is. Thanks to you. Oh and thats not all. Mr Ioki has been quite the busy beaver." Doug said as he pulled out an envelope and handed it to Tom.
"Whats this?"
"Open it!"
He looked with questioning eyes over to his mother and best friend before opening the envelope. He pulled out the folded paper and tried to read it, but his drug fuzzed eyes wouldn't focus. "Can you?" he said passing it back to Doug.
"Dear Tom. I was so sorry to hear about you recent illness. I hope you make a full recoverey very soon. I just wanted to let you know that we are thinking of you at this time and will never forget what you did for our son. Thank you for making Harley's last weeks a little less lonely. All the best, Joan Poolish." Doug looked up at his friend to see tears forming in his eyes. "See. You have so little to be ashamed of. You may have helped punish some bad kids but you helped some good ones too"
Doug sat watching his friend deep in thought. They were both broken out of their reverie as there was a soft tap on the door. They all looked up to see a young woman with dark curly hair nervously standing in the doorway.
"Ok if I come in?"
"This is rediculous! What are you people trying to do here?" Tom said as recognised Noreen Weckerly stood in the doorway.
"Sorry, is this a bad time?"
"Don't worry about it, these people are just trying to make my life a living hell. Mom, Doug, this is Noreen Weckerly."
"Hi"
"Hello" Noreen answered shyly.
"What are you doing here?" Tom asked kindly
"A friend of yours told me you were seriously ill and I thought I'd come and wish you well."
"This friend, was he really short, oriental,dark hair, bad mullet"
"How did you know?"
"Just a hunch. So how are you?"
"I'm doing ok. It's been tough, but things are going well. Me and dad are even geting along better recently."
"That's good to know."
"I won't stay long, there's a whole queue of people out there waiting to see you" Hearing this Tom's eyes grew three sizes as he shot a worried glance towards Doug, who simply shook his head and waved it off. "I just thought I'd come and see you and say thank you."
"For what?"
"For trying to help Kenny. You were the only one who listened to us, it meant alot to know someone cared." she said smiling softly. "Anyway, I'd better go. Dad's waiting in the car."
"Thanks for coming"
"Get better, ok Mr Hanson." then saying goodbye to Doug and Margaret she left the room.
(yes i know, very cheesey, but I thought I'd better be nice to Tom at least once in this story!)
Noticing her son's wearyness Margaret suggestsed he rest.
"I'm ok. You look exhusted though mom. How long have you been here now?"
"Oh about 6 weeks" Doug answered for her.
"I didn't want you to be alone".
"I never was!" he said looking her in the face with his huge brown eyes. "Get some rest yourself mom. Dougs here, it'll be fine. Anyway I don't want to have to worry about you making youself ill too" he said.
She looked down at him and caressed his cheek gently with her hand and said, "Your father would have been so proud of you, I know I am." she planted a kiss on his head promised she would be back later on and left him alone with his partner.
"I'm gonna kill Harry!" Tom said smiling though holding back tears.
"You think you can take him now huh?" Doug said smirking. He watched as Tom settled back on the pillows, peace in his eyes for the first time in too long. Doug smiled to himself and silently congratulated Harry for giving it to him.
"Doug?"
"What is it?"
"I think I need to get some help."
"What!" Doug replied slightly taken aback.
"I'm not stupid Doug, I know there's something wrong with me."
"You remember what happened?"
"Yeah" he replied quietly.
"Well, don't worry about that just know. Lets just get you out of here ok?"
Tom silently nodded his head, his eyes once again struggling to stay open, quietly cursing the painkillers for making feel so washed out.
"Tom?"
"Hmmm?" came the sleepy reply.
"Can ask you something?"
"Sure."
"If I'm overstepping the mark man let me know and I'll shut up..."
"Doug!" Tom said, the old familiar irritation in his voice as his eyes snapped open.
"Would you have really killed Crane that night?"
"You really want to know?"
"Yeah. You know you're gonna have to talk about it sometime." Doug said decisively.
"I honestly don't know. I just needed to know I had some control over something. You understand?"
"I think so"
"For the last year I've just been drifting, kinda blowin about in the wind. You remember after Quincy Thompson and her gang handcuffed me to that track?"
"Yeah?"
"Harry laid into me about risking my life and how precious life is. Then he told me I had no idea what it was like to almost die. Truth is Doug, I did. All those things he said about laying there thinking about your life and how much you want to live it, that's all I did for months. Prison may as well be a death sentence, because your life is effectively over. All the things you take for granted, your freedom, job, loved ones, they're all gone. You have so much time to think about all the things you had planned to do that you never will, everything you should have said and done and will never get the chance. They're the living dead in there Doug. When I heard Harry say those things all I wanted was to tell him I understood and knew how he felt."
"Why didn't you?"
"I tried, but he was so angry."
Doug flashed back to that night months ago in Tom's apartment. He saw a furious Harry laying into a very distressed Tom, shouting his tiraid as Tom softly said his name trying to get his attention.
"I'm so sorry Tom." he said moving over to his best friend and hugging him as best he could without causing him any discomfort. Hanson allowed his head to rest on Dougs shoulder as the lager man spoke in a shakey voice.
"We really let you down didn't we?"
"No!" he answered firmly, "You didn't. It was me who wouldn't let anyone in, not even you."
"Yeah. It's just after everything you've done for me I can't believe I let you go through all that alone."
"You're not a mind reader, Doug."
"I should have seen how much that place had gotten to you man."
"You got me out of there."
"Yeah. Least I could do after all the messes you've got me out of."
"Most of which I got you into."
"Ok, lets just say that we're both a couple of screwups and we deserve to be stuck with each other."
"Deal! You've been like my brother Doug and I love you. I can never thank you enough for that."
"Hey, right back at you" he said releasing his grip on the smaller officer and trying to discretely wipe tears from his eyes.
"Even though you did blow a hole in my ass"
"You're never letting me forget that are you?"
"I said I wouldn't. And never tell anyone I said I loved you cos I'll deny it under oath" Doug simply smiled, happy to be sat here listening to his friends banter. "Promise me something." he pushed, eventhough Tom was obviously tiring.
"What?"
"When you get out of here you WILL see someone."
"Didn't we just have this conversation?" he said. "God, I'd do it just to get you all off my case" he said lightly, but behind his flippant tone he was deadly serious.
"You look exhusted. Do you want to try and rest, I'll be right here."
"No, I'm bored of sleeping."
"Tom, you only woke up yesterday, you should rest."
"Doug..."
"Hey, I promised if you woke up I'd make sure you were looked after."
"What are you my mother?"
"I'd say more of an elderly spinster aunt!"
"Stop worrying will you? I don't want you to worry about me anymore."
"Tom..."he said mimicing Hansons tone.
"Promise."
"Sure. Is there anything I can get you?"
"Pizza?" Tom said dryly, the light in his eyes dancing making him appear his old self.
"Not yet buddy. You stay on a liquid diet for now."
"Ok then" Tom began, familiar mischief in his eyes, "Beer then?"
"I'll see what I can do!"
"See, always come through for me." he replied with a lopsided smile.
"It hasn't all been bad has it? We've had some good times though haven't we?"Doug asked looking for reasurance.
"Yeah!"
"Man, I'll never forget you pulling that shotgun out of your trunk and blowing that squad car away!"
"Oh yeah! Your face was priceless man!" Tom said giving a tired chuckle.
"Hey, we make a good team. Which is why you've gotta hurry up and get outta here. I don't think anyone else can pull off Tommy McQuaids head gear like you can."
"Oh I know noone else can, Doug. Cos I burned it!"
"What did you wanna go do that for?"
"Because the McQuaid's are over, finished. We retired them Doug. We agreed."
"They were fun!"
"Look, unless you want me to go into a self induced coma right now you'll forget the damn McQuaids!"
"Oh but you looked so cute, man"
"Anyway, you can't fit in your outfit anymore. You have put on a few pounds you know Douggie!"
"Well, you haven't looked your best lately either!" Doug said teasing
"I've been a bit under the weather!"
Tom raised his hand best he could and raked it absently through his hair, something he had done subconciously for years. As he did so a slight shadow passed over his face and his eyes squeezed shut.
"Hey you ok?"
"Yeah. Keep talking."
"Hey man, if you want to sleep I can go" When there was no reply Dougs eyes shot up to look at his friend. "Hanson? Hey, Tom, you alright? "
The quiet of the room was broken by the harsh sound of the heart monitor. For a second Penhall was frozen by a mixture of fear, confusion and disbelief. "Tommy, don't do this man, please". Then he bolted from the room into the hallway yelling at the top of his voice. "HELP! WE NEED A DOCTOR IN HERE". Ignoring the paniced and concerned faces of the rest of those who made up Tom Hanson's makeshift family, he dashed after the doctors back into to Tom's room.
A whole team of doctors filed in with crash trolleys and numerous drugs as the others looked on unable to understand what was happening.
"Tom, come on man, please."
"Could you step outside please" one of the doctors said. They stepped out into the corridor and wached through the door as if in a dream as the team of doctors tried desperately to get Tom's heart going again, Doug stared on in horror, while Booker stood with his arms around Judy who was trying to hold back tears. Fuller had hold of Mrs Hanson and was all that was keeping her upright as she watched her only child's life slip away.
"This isn't happening." Doug was saying,"It can't be". Judy gently moved away from Dennis, walked over and gently pulled Doug into her arms. "It can't be" he pleaded turning wide scared eyes to her.
"Come on Tommy!" Booker was saying under his breath as if he could will him to pull through.
After what seemed like an eternity the doctor that had been treating Tom stepped out of the room and taking a deep breath as he walked over to the anxious group the look on his face told them the news was not good.
"What are you doing?" Doug said staring at the doctor in disbelief. "Why are you stopping? Get back in there and help him!" he yelled.
"Doug." Judy said softly as she gently moved him out of the doctors way.
"Mrs Hanson" he said turning to face a distraught Margaret.
"No!" she said shaking her head continually, "Not my Tommy, please!"
"Your son's suffered a massive heamorrage. We did all we could Mrs Hanson, but the internal damage was just too great. I'm so sorry"
Margaret let out a hearbroken wail as she collapsed into Fullers arms. He held her tight as she was wracked with devastated sobs. "Please not my baby!"
"You shut up!" Doug said jabbing his finger at the doctor. "This is bullshit, you don't know what you're talking about."
"Penhall, please!"
Doug pulled himself away from a tearfull Judy Hoffs and stared in disbelief as he walked slowly towards the room where his friend now lay as still as stone. "No. This can't be right. I was just talking to him. He was fine. He was laughing!"
"Doug!" Judy's grief stricken voice said as she came up behind him and once again put her arms around him. "Doug he's gone."
"No, he's not. This is Tom, he can't be." A flood of memories raced through his mind. All the times Tom had helped save his ass, all the arguements and disagreements, all the smiles and laughs they had shared. The awful crushing moment when Tom had been sentenced to life in prison followed by the elation of his release. The time when he had accompanied Doug to El Salvador, risking his life to help Doug find Marta, and how supportive and caring he had been when they discovered the awful truth of her murder. How could all that be over?
"Oh Doug" Judy wailed as she collasped in tears on his shoulder. Her whole frame shook as her grief threatened to completely overcome her. Doug wrapped his arms round her and held her as tightly as he could, as much for himself as for her.
Fuller stood staring in disbelief at the still figure of his youngest officer as he held his mother in his arms. She was hysterical and yet he was incapable of finding any words of comfort as he was lost in his own feelings of grief and denial.
Dennis Booker stood with silent tears falling from his usually indifferent eyes. All of them hoping and praying that this was all some kind of nightmare and that Tom would walk in any second and make some smart ass coment about what idiots they were being. But it was not to be. No matter how hard they wished and prayed, it didn't change the fact that Tom Hanson was dead. Exhausted and spent from fighting for his life he had no strengh remaining, in the end quietly slipping away as he talked with Doug, unaware of anything. Later they would try and comfort Mrs Hanson with this information, but it did nothing to lessen her grief.
