Chapter 2: Waiting Game

Sebastian jumped up from his chair when he saw Loretta and Dwayne walking in. "Any news?"

"He's still in surgery, Sebastian," Loretta replied. "We don't know anything more than we did before."

"LaSalle just can't die!"

"Sebastian, the doctors are doing all they can for him," Loretta said, sitting down. Sebastian sat back down at the table. "Some of it's going to be up to him."

"He promised me he'd teach me how to shoot a gun."

Dwayne threw a worried look at Loretta and then looked at the young lab tech. "When did he say that?"

"I asked him to shortly after we got taken hostage in autopsy. When Danny got shot."

"I'm sure Christopher will be just fine, Sebastian," Loretta said. "But I don't know that teaching you to shoot will be high on his priority list when he gets home."

Sebastian looked at Dwayne. "Maybe you can teach me, Agent Pride?"

"Sebastian, a gun is a big responsibility."

"I know. LaSalle said my first few lessons will be about safety and how to hold it and load it. He said I probably won't shoot it for a while."

"Sebastian, let's Le Dwayne deal with one thing at a time, dear. Once we know Christopher is home safe we can talk about it, okay?"

"I'm just thinking I want to be prepared if it happens again."

"First of all, it's not going to happen again. Secondly, I appreciate you wanting to be prepared but we've all got other priorities."

Sebastian nodded. "What's taking them so long?"

"Why don't you go get some air, dear? I'll come get you if the doctor comes down or we head upstairs."

"Promise?"

"I promise. Now, go before I have someone carry you out."

Percy stood up. "I'll join you." She followed Sebastian out the door to a waiting area. "Were you serious about learning how to shoot?" Percy asked, leaning against a brick wall

Sebastian sat down on a bench. "I want to be able to protect Doctor Wade and myself."

"I can teach you but you have to keep it under wraps for a while."

"Okay. I can do that. I get the feeling LaSalle didn't ask permission, either."

"Did you see the look Pride gave Doctor Wade. I know he didn't ask."

"I'll go as slow as I need to. I usually learn pretty fast, but this is different."

"Very different. Do you have your own gun?"

"No. LaSalle was going to help me find one."

"It's against regs for me to let you use my service weapon. I have another one that you can use, though. They are considered 'off duty' weapons."

" LaSalle said he had a revolver I could use."

"So do I. Are you positive you can keep this a secret?"

Sebastian nodded. "Of course I wouldn't want you getting in trouble."

"I wouldn't be the only one. If I go down you're coming with me."

"I want to do this, Sonja. I need to do this."

Dwayne filled two coffee cups and walked back to the table. He placed the second one in front of Loretta. He sat down and looked at Brody. "You look tired. You should go home."

"I am but I'm not leaving until we hear something."

"I will call you."

"I know but I'm fine."

"Why don't we all head up to surgical waiting on the third floor," Loretta suggested. "We can wait for the doctor there"

Loretta went out to get Sebastian and Percy. Brody followed Pride to the elevator. "You're blaming yourself, aren't you?" Pride asked, pushing the button for the third floor.

""If I had just tried a little harder to stop him, or gone with him."

"Then both of you could be in surgery fighting for your lives," Dwayne said. "Stop thinking about what you could have done."

The elevator doors opened and the pair walked out. "I could say the same thing about you."

"I'm responsible for my team," Pride said. "If anyone's to blame, it's me." He opened the door to the waiting room. "Go scope out enough chairs for all of us. I'll check us in."

Dwayne registered with the hospital volunteer and went to sit down. Loretta, Sebastian and Percy came in a few minutes later. "We just saw Patton in the hall," Loretta said. "He's going to visit a friend and then he'll come down."

"I just checked to see if the doctor had called and he hasn't. They will let us know when he does."

"Until then we just sit and wait."

"Yeah."

"What are you thinking?"

"I am trying to decide what I'm going to tell his mom."

"You aren't going to call her yet. Not until we know something."

Dwayne shook his head. "I thought about it. I really do want to have some solid news for them. They are going to want answers that I don't have right now."

"Sounds to me like you think Christopher wouldn't want them here."

"It's not a secret he doesn't have much of a relationship with his family."

"Perhaps you only know one side of the story."

Dwayne sighed. "If it will make you happy I'll make the call as soon as we hear from the doctor."

Loretta smiled. "I'm hoping he can make the call himself."

Dwayne nodded. "I sure hope so."

******Flashback******

"So you wanna be good cop or bad cop?" LaSalle asked.

"Neither. You're on your own for this one. I'll be right on the other side if you need me."

"After last time, King, I don't know if I'm ready to solo again."

"I've been watching you. You'll be fine. You've heard the phrase 'Get back on the horse'?"

"But what if I screw it up again?"

"You'll be fine. I'm five feet away. I know you can do this."

"I wish I was that confident."

Dwayne patted Chris on the back. "Deep breath. Get in there and break him."

Chris opened the interrogation room door and shut it hard. "You've been a busy man, Mr. Coates."

Dwayne watched through the window. Chris' confidence had returned and he made short work of the perp. Without hesitation he laid out crime scene and surveillance photos. In twenty minutes, Coates was singing like a canary. Confession was signed and Coates was on his way to jail. Chris walked out on a bit of a high. Pride met him in the courtyard. "You've got your groove back."

"It's about time too, although I think the evidence alone would have convicted him."

"You just needed a confidence boost."

"Thanks for believing in me, King."

"Now, for your favorite part."

"Paperwork?" Chris asked, sitting down at his desk. "You sure you don't want to help?"

"Can't. I got a date with my best girl tonight."

"Linda?"

"No. Laurel's school is having their annual father-daughter dance. She insisted on coming by on the way to show you her dress. Linda's brining her here and I'm riding with them. I'll swing by and pick up my car on the way home."

"I can't wait."

"You just focus on that paperwork. I'm headed upstairs to change."

Chris began typing on his computer, checking his notes periodically and referring to the evidence. He looked up when he heard footsteps. "Chris!" Laurel ran to him and hugged his neck. She stepped back. "You like my dress?"

"It's real nice, Laurel. I heard you have a special date with your dad tonight."

"Mom's coming, too."

"Of course."

"Where is daddy, anyway?"

"He's upstairs changing. I've got to get this paperwork done before I can leave tonight."

"Laurel, let's go fix your hair again before your dad comes down," Linda said and they walked through the kitchen to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later Chris heard footsteps again and looked up to see Pride coming down the stairs. "I'd say you clean up mighty nice."

"You like it?"

"Yeah."

"Where are the girls?"

Laurel ran into the main squad from the kitchen. "Daddy!" She spun around. "You like my dress?"

"You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thanks," Laurel replied.

"You look beautiful, too," he said, kissing Linda on the cheek. "Shall we go?"

"We don't want to be late!" Laurel said.

"There is no way we'll be late," Pride replied. He turned to Chris. "You'll be okay here?"

"Fine. I won't be too much longer. I'll lock up."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow."

********End Flashback*************************

Pride stirred when he hear his name. "I'm doctor Williams, Agent Pride. I'm looking for the family of Chris LaSalle."

"We're family," Pride said, gesturing to the people sitting in the corner with him.

"I was expecting parents."

"Loretta stood up. "Doctor Williams, Christopher's family lives in Alabama. Agent Pride is his boss. Merri, Sonja and Patton are his team. Sebastian and I work with all of them on a daily basis. We may not be traditional, but we are his family."

"This is highly unusual," Doctor Williams replied. "But I do trust you, Doctor Wade. If you all will follow me, we'll go where there's a little more privacy."

The group walked into a small side conference room. Brody, Percy and Loretta took the chairs. Pride stood by the door. Sebastian leaned against the back wall. Patton rolled and parked next to Pride. Pride asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "How is he, doctor?"

"Well, we always like to start with good news around here. The bullet was removed. We've repaired the tear in his lung and he's breathing normally. Standard procedure is to intubate but we had to make sure his lung was working. We should be able to remove the tube once he awakens."

"But," Loretta said, glancing sideways at Dwayne and then back at the doctor.

"He slipped into a coma while on the operating table. My guess is the massive lump on the back of his head cause a bleed in his brain. I've sent him up for a CT and an MRI to confirm. If I'm right, he'll need surgery to relieve the pressure. He has an eighty percent chance to make a full recovery."

"Why only eighty if he's in otherwise good health?"

"You know as well as I do, Doctor Wade, when we are working with the brain there's always more of a risk."

"If the patient is in good shape that makes the chances better."

"I never give more than eighty percent of returning to a normal way of life. If you factor in ten percent of patients who may see a reduced quality of life."

"So, do the operation," Dwayne said. "He's a fighter and he won't give up."

"I've put in a call to a med-school colleague of mine who is one of the best neurosurgeons in the country. He lives in North Carolina but he's standing by to fly here by helicopter as soon as I make the call. The problem is, I need a family member to authorize the surgery. Next of Kin because of it's risks."

"What happens if we can't locate anyone?"

"We need to make an effort to reach them. We need to operate within twenty four hours or the survival rate drops to fifty percent."

"I'll have to go to the office to get his personnel file."

"No you don't, boss," Patton said. "I've got it."

"You hacked into NCIS personnel files?"

"Hey, it's LaSalle. I'll do anything for him!"

"Remind me later when this is all over Patton to fire you."

"Like the six other times you were supposed to fire me?"

"Exactly."

"Sure thing, boss man. You want these numbers?"

"Write them down. I'll get them from you later."

"Does she need to sign something?"

The doctor handed Pride a card. "Have her call me. She can give me verbal authorization that you can sign the forms."

"Can we see him?" Brody asked.

"After the brain scans he'll be moved to ICU. Visitors are supposed to be immediate family only, but considering they aren't here, I'll do what I can to add your names to the list. The nurse in charge tonight happens to be my wife. I'll let her know the situation." The doctor looked around the room. "He's sure a lucky young man to have so many people who care about him. I'll let you know when he's settled. You all can stay in here for a while if you'd like. There's a waiting room across from the ICU that is private as well."

"Thank you, doctor," Loretta said. "You may not feel like it, but you put our minds at ease for now."

"I'll talk to you again, later." Doctor Williams left the room.

"I think you all should go home," Dwayne said to his team. "We're going be waiting on them to schedule the surgery. I'll call you when I know something."

Patton handed Pride a sticky note "Here's those numbers you asked for." He looked at Sebastian. "Can you run me home?"

Sebastian nodded. "Don't forget to call us."

"I won't," Pride replied. Sebastian and Patton went out of the room. Pride pulled the door shut again. "You two should go, too."

"I'm good," Brody said. "I want to see him."

"Don't even ask me. I rode with her," Percy said, gesturing towards Brody. "I don't leave til she does."

"You know if I wanted to I could order you to go."

"But you won't," Percy said. "You really don't want us to go. You don't want to be here alone. I hate hospitals. I always have. As a kid I associated them with death."

"So what makes this so different?"

"LaSalle has to live so I have a chance to kill him." Percy said, chuckling.

"You'll have to stand in line," Pride replied. "I get first dibs and Loretta is second."