7

Broken Ties

Connor Rhodes swallowed, ignoring the dryness in his raw throat as he blinked heavy eyelids open. He regretted the action as several blurred faces sharpened into hovering colleagues.

"Look who's decided to join us," Will said.

Connor groaned at the somewhat cheeky look on the man's face. He really loathed any kind of joyful expression at the moment, especially since he seemed to be nursing the mother of headaches himself. He imagined he was blushing right about now as he realized he was on public display to all of his colleagues in the latest hospital scrub fashion.

"Hey man," Ethan called softly, his expression somber and concerned as he gently patted Rhodes on his shoulder. "I brought some friends back with me."

"Welcome back to the land of the living," April said softly.

Connor managed a faint yet sarcastic smile. "Didn't realize I had left," he remarked dryly.

Natalie moved forward so that he could see her and gently placed a hand on his blanket-covered leg. "Do you remember what happened?"

The trauma and cardiothoracic certified surgeon sighed in frustration as he tried to summon the hazy bits and pieces from his drug-clouded brain.

"Take your time," another familiar voice spoke up from somewhere further into his hospital room.

'Doctor Charles', Connor deduced with a slight grimace. "Is everyone here?" he drawled, trying not to show his embarrassment yet he surprised himself by appreciating their company. "Don't you have work to do?"

One didn't have to be a psychiatrist to know and realize that the Rhodes family was a complicated one but Daniel, having been a certified psychiatrist for most of his life, knew fully well that in a family dynamic such as theirs – pain and vulnerability – could not be displayed. Because such emotions was seen upon as a weakness. However, they were all doctors and nurses in the room and therefor Connor could only hide his discomfort to some extent.

"Connor-," Daniel began and trailed off in surprise as the younger man slowly tried to raise himself into a sitting position, intent on getting out of bed.

"Whoa, whoa," Halstead cautioned as he went forward to try and stop him. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I can't be a patient," he mumbled.

Will and Ethan shared a worried glance and gently forced the surgeon back into a flat position.

"You just woke up from major surgery," Natalie chided as if he was about the same age as Owen.

"I think you'd better take the hint, Connor," Daniel spoke up, amusement in his voice. "You're staying put whether you like it or not."

He blinked and nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "I was in a car crash. I've already given my statement to the police," he said as he tried to make sense of all the jumbled and muddy images that played out before him.

Halstead shrugged. "Shame on such a car though," he teased.

Natalie slapped him on the arm, giving him a glare.

"Hey," Will protested as he looked from Natalie to Connor. "Look, I was worried about the driver too."

Connor nodded. "Thanks," he muttered. However, he knew Will had meant what he said. They had developed a deep respect and even a friendship over the years, especially after Connor had helped out with Will's dad.

"Didn't know there was a conference in here?" Doctor Bekker remarked as she strode into the room to check up on her colleague. She smirked as she walked up to Connor's chart, took a hasty glance and put it down again. "Apparently Doctor Latham trusted your care in my hands."

"Ava," he cautioned in a low voice.

His friends shared a smile.

"Don't look so excited about it," she teased lightly.

He rolled his eyes. "I don't need-,"

"Anyone?" Ava guessed dryly. "Get off your high horse, Connor. You could have died. That was the most incredibly stupid-,"

"Good luck," Will said, looking from Connor to Ava, trying hard into to break into a grin as the others began to file out of the small room.

"And, don't kill each other," Ethan added lightly.

"Don't upset the patient," Maggie offered with a wink of her eye as she looked at Ava.

Looking back at the two CT surgeons, locked into what looked like a staring or glaring contest, Natalie let out a chuckle as she fell into step with Will in the corridor outside. "Looks like Connor's found his match."

"They do share some characteristics," Doctor Charles chimed in jovially.

"Good to know he wasn't assigned a junior doctor whom he can persuade," April pointed out.

Will didn't look overly convinced. "I'll pop in to see him later, just to make sure he's staying put."

OOOOOO

"What was?" Connor asked, continuing the conversation as the others left.

Ava looked at him gleefully. "Really, Connor? I didn't think you were that stupid."

He took a deep breath in frustration. "I was feeling fine and I was needed," he insisted. "What was I supposed to have done, sit in my car and wait for the rescue? Let the poor woman die? She had a husband – kids."

She nodded and broke into a mirthless, frustrated grin before putting on a neutral face. However, when she spoke, her tone was mocking. "You are a double certified surgeon. You have the potential of saving a lot of patients every day, instead you risked it all for one person?"

"And I'd do it again," he stated stubbornly. "Doctors are supposed to save lives, Ava."

"Not at the expense of their own life," she replied seriously.

He carefully leaned back to let his head come to a full rest on the pillow and closed his eyes.

She smirked as she saw him settling down. "Good, you need to rest and get well, Connor."

"Miss the competition?" he asked dryly, his eyes still closed.

Ava Bekker watched him as he began to drift into a fitful sleep and pursed her lips. She studied him for a moment; taking in his rough appearance, the paleness of his skin, and recalled the pain in his eyes that he couldn't hide from her.

It was strange the way he affected her; how he intrigued her. Ava had always made fun of her female friends who'd drooled over the tall, dark and handsome guys around them. In her experience they were often arrogant, dry, self-obsessing and uncaring of others. While she did consider Connor arrogant and somewhat self-obsessed, she kind of liked the guy. He was caring of others and he was a brilliant surgeon – not that she'd admit that just yet.

She stayed with him for a few minutes and then gently tiptoed out of the room.

OOOOOO

"You know-," Sarah began as she fiddled with the blanket draped around her shoulders. "I've wanted to ask you something."

"Sure," Noah encouraged. "Anything."

"Are you never afraid?" she asked and leveled her eyes with his.

He shrugged. "Of course, I am. Being afraid is a part of life, isn't it? I mean, I thought you or Doctor Charles would be amongst the first ones to say that fear is a natural instinct that we need to survive."

"If it's natural, then why does it feel so horrible?" she whispered.

He studied her for a moment. It hurt him to see the normally so kind and caring woman so broken and uncertain. It didn't suit her. "You went through a trauma, Sarah. You know it would generate a reaction at some point. You also know that everyone reacts differently to the same situation. We both know that this started with Doctor Charles being shot and nearly killed just outside the hospital."

She nodded as her bottom lip began to quiver.

He leaned in to her and held her gently. "Hey, it's going to be all right, Sarah. You're going to get through this. I promise you."

"Yeah, that's what my therapist said. It's just that I feel so ashamed," she let on as she looked down at her intertwined hands.

"Why?" he asked curiously. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"I pepper sprayed Doctor Choi's patient, Noah," she pointed out.

"So? He pushed you into a corner, screamed at you. He triggered your fight or flight response. Before that you had some crazy woman smash your car and before that-," he trailed off and gestured with his hands in the air. "I am just saying that maybe you shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

"I am supposed to be a professional," Sarah reminded him.

"Yeah, me too," Noah reasoned lightly. "Look what happened. I promised a mother that her son would be fine, then he died on my watch. We are all humans here, Sarah. Don't forget that."

He hugged her gently and moved to get out of the sofa. "Get some sleep tonight, Sarah."

She nodded. "Thanks Noah, thanks for everything."

OOOOOO

Sharon looked up from her computer as there was a sharp knock on her office door. She frowned as Sergeant Voight walked in and closed the door.

"Hank?" she said curiously, a frown on her forehead.

"It seems I am in luck when it comes to tracking you down – the first place I try," he stated with a tight smile.

"Don't take this the wrong way – but it's never a good sign when a plain clothed police sergeant walks into your office, is it?" she stated softly. "Especially, if it's the Head of the Intelligence Unit."

"Sharon," he protested lightly. "I was in transit and happened to be the one closest to the hospital. Besides, can't a friend come and visit you without it being suspicious?"

She softened at that, giving him a smile.

"Actually, it was your call to the precinct that brought me here. It came to my attention that you are seeking relatives for the deceased."

She nodded. "Yes, that is pretty much standard procedure."

He made a slight grimace as he reached deep into the inner pocket of his leather jacket and retrieved a couple of photos to show her.

Sharon swallowed, confused as to why she was looking at three dead bodies, all in bad shape.

"That would be the closest relatives you'd find," he summarized darkly.

Sharon looked from the pictures to Hank. "I don't understand," she said.

"This was sent from Michigan state police an hour ago," he informed her. "Samuel Agosta is – was – a junkie. A real troublemaker. During the few moments of clarity though, they say he was brilliant. Unfortunately, those moments seemed rare when you look at his profile. It turns out that a juvenile crime miscredited him and prevented him from attending university. His family - his real family that is – were poor and couldn't help him so they decided to turn their back on him. He spiraled out of control and ended up with some junkies in a very rough neighborhood."

Sharon pursed her lips into a thin line, not liking the story.

"You are looking at the three friends of your man down in the morgue. They died from a gas leak sometime during the night due to demolition of the building they squatted. In his rather delusional state, Samuel probably believed someone was out to get him. He pulled up stakes, stole a car and headed south. It took some time to figure him out but this case has been highly prioritized by the state police. Everything clicked when we found out that the car involved in the car crash was stolen."

Sharon adjusted her glasses thoughtfully. "If everyone he really cared about was dead. Where was he going?"

"Englewood," Voight summarized.

Goodwin shuddered involuntarily. "Not a good neighborhood," she replied sadly.

"No, but that's where he came from," Hank said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "It's funny. They say that, at the worst times of your life, all you can think of is home. It doesn't matter how miserable home was."

"So, home is not where your heart is then?" Sharon asked lightly.

Hank shook his head. "Apparently not," he replied.

"Thanks for letting me know the story. I really appreciate it," she said.

"With that said. Don't be surprised if no one wants to come in and say goodbye to the guy," Voight rasped as he headed out of the room.

Sharon sighed as she leaned back in her chair. All the tragic destinies people faced. All the poor souls who fought for a better life every day and got nothing back but bureaucracy; all the poverty. She hated all of it.

OOOOOO

To be continued