DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, never will. All just for fun. I am also not a Officer of the Law, a doctor or a resident of New York. Please allow for a little poetic license :)
SUMMARY: An accident on the job leaves Jamie badly injured. Will he recover? Will the Reagans?
A/N: Yeah! People read it! Thanks to Mcgeeksgirl and samantha572 for reviewing.
As I said before, I'm not any kind of medical professional. I've done some google-ing to try and make it as realistic as I could, but I've probably screwed up royally, and am just hoping none of you are doctors!
10-13: Chapter Two
Danny watched on in silence as the paramedics worked on his younger brother. His brain struggled to process what was happening. He caught snippets of medical jargon, but didn't really understand what they were saying. Baez had gone to inform the uniformed units that had arrived of the situation. The driver of the sedan had been taken to sit in the back of one of the patrol cars, waiting to be checked over by an EMT.
Jamie had been placed onto a back board, and a c-collar placed around his neck. An IV had been placed into the back of his left hand and his right arm splinted. Even from the side-walk Danny could hear his laboured breathing.
Janko was still stood next to the older Reagan. "Oh my God." She said, turning to look away as they cut open the left leg of Jamie's pants to find the source of the blood. The bone in the lower half of his leg had broken and ripped through the skin of Jamie's shin. One of the paramedics, the female one, disappeared while the other removed Jamie's shoe and sock from his left foot, feeling for a pulse. Danny wasn't sure what the medic said to the one returning – now equipped with more bandaged and gauze – but he knew from the concerned look and the shaking of the head that it couldn't be good. The gauze was opened and applied to the leg wound, causing Jamie to stir. The female medic looked over towards Danny and Janko. "Officers?" She called.
Danny gave Janko a quick glance before he headed over to the scene.
"You a cop?" The medic asked.
Danny nodded. "And his brother." He added. "His names Jamie."
"Ok," She said, trying her best to show him a reassuring smile. "I need to wrap the wound on his leg and apply pressure, but it's gonna hurt and he might wake up. I just need you to be here to help settle him if he does, ok?" She asked, not having taken her hand off the gauze.
"Can't you give him something?" Danny asked, kneeling down near Jamie's head.
The female medic, her name tag read Jones, spoke. "He's already had as much as we can give him until we've assessed any head injuries, and we can't wait 'til the hospital, there's no pulse in his foot, ok? If we wait he might loose his lower leg."
Danny nodded, not sure he was ready and praying that Jamie was too out of it to wake up. His prayers went unanswered though, and Jamie's eyes shot open in response to the painful stimuli. "It's ok, Jamie. It's ok kid." He said, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Danny." Jamie gasped out, followed by a pained cry.
"Shh, it's ok." Danny said, trying his best to smile. "They're gonna fix you up and take you to the hospital." Jamie nodded, although restricted by the c-collar, but didn't speak.
"Ok." Jones said, finishing up the splint on Jamie's leg as the other medic returned to the ambulance. "Jamie," she said gently, leaning over slightly so Jamie could see her face. "You've fractured your pelvis and we need to stabilize it before we can take you to the hospital. We can't give you any more pain relief, and I won't lie to you, it's gonna hurt. But your brother's right there, ok?" She said, showing Jamie the same smile she'd given Danny.
Medic two, his jacket read O'Connor, returned with what looked like a belt in his hand. Danny watched as his gently slid it underneath Jamie's hips. The belt was much wider than a normal belt, covering the majority of Jamie's pelvic area. It narrowed to a strap at both ends, with a buckle on one end. "Ok, ready?" O'Connor asked, fastening the buckle loosely ready to tighten it. He gave a small nod before pulling the strap.
The scream from Jamie was one that Danny was convinced would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life. He'd never heard anything like it, and doubted he would again. He looked down at his brother, only to find him unconscious again. "Jamie?" He tried, not expecting an answer.
"We gotta go." Jones said, as O'Connor left again to fetch the gurney. Jones turned to face Danny. "You're brother's got some serious fractures, and he's bleeding internally. We need to get him on route. You ridding with us?" She asked.
Danny nodded. "Give me a sec." He said, standing to find Baez, who had rejoined Janko. "I'm going with him, give Janko a ride."
Baez nodded. "How is he?" She asked.
Danny shook his head. "Not great." He replied, turning to go back to the ambulance just in time to see them load Jamie.
He jumped in the back with Jones as O'Connor got in the drivers seat and they set off. Danny watched Jones work on his brother, his brain still not processing the situation.
Jones had cut open Jamie's Shirt, revealing his vest and black t-shirt underneath. She skilfully cut the straps on the vest, not fully removing it but allowing access to Jamie's chest. She then cut through his t-shirt, exposing the large darkening bruise down his left and side and across his chest. Danny muttered to himself as Jones listened to Jamie's breathing using her stethoscope. He saw Jones remove a large needle from one of the draws and remove the cover. "What's that for?" He asked, as she crouched down near Jamie's torso.
"You're brother's got a collapsed lung, and his chest cavity is filling with air." She replied, before feeling along Jamie's rib cage, finding what she was looking for and stabbing the needle in with more force than Danny realised would be necessary. There was a slight whooshing sound and Jamie's breathing seemed to ease a little. "Ok." She said, removing Jamie's vest completely before taking his vitals. She injection him with something. Danny didn't even ask what, his eyes focused on Jamie's pale face and slowly rising and falling chest.
(((((())))))
Erin's heart had not beaten this fast since she'd heard the news Joe was in the hospital. It was a feeling she'd hoped she'd never have to feel again. Her heart pounding as if it was trying to break out of her chest, her stomach doing nervous flips and making her want to vomit. Lungs not quite able to draw in enough breath. She ran to the reception desk in the ER, abandoning her office with very little explanation after Detective Baez had called her on behalf of Danny. "Jamie Reagan"? She asked the nurse at the station. "The officer that was brought in. Jamie Reagan."
The nurse offered her a sympathetic smile. "He's still in the trauma room. Why don't I show you to the waiting room." She offered.
Erin nodded, wordlessly following her to the room not far away. There was nothing special about the room. The hospital had tried to make it as welcoming as possible, but Erin didn't notice their efforts and she headed towards Danny sat in the corner with his elbows on his knees, head handing down. "Danny?" She asked, softly.
Danny looked up at her. The expression on his face was one she'd only seen a handful of times. When Mom and Joe had died, when Sean was in the hospital, and now. That alone filled her with dread. He nodded, acknowledging her presence, but said nothing.
"What happened?" She asked, sitting next to him. The only other occupant of the room was an elderly man in the opposite corner reading a newspaper that looked to be a week out of date.
"We were..." Danny coughed, clearing his throat. "We bumped into each other on Jamie's lunch break. We were heading back to our cars and some guy started shouting outta a bodega that he'd been robbed. A guy was running away so me and Jamie went after him. He ran out into the street, Jamie followed..." He trailed off his explanation shaking his head. "And now I can't get the image of my little brother lyin' in the street half dead outta my head." He sighed, scrubbing his face with his hands.
"Dad's on his way." Was all Erin could think of to say in reply. Danny nodded, but remained silent.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Danny spoke. "I called Linda when I got here. She's gonna get the boys. Said she'd get Nikki too." He said without looking up from the spot on the floor he was staring at.
Erin nodded, suddenly feeling guilty that she'd not even though about calling Nikki yet. "Thank you." She said, sighing and looking around the slightly tired waiting room. "Have they told you anything yet?"
Danny shook his head. "He's in the ER trauma room." He answered. "The paramedic said he'd got a busted pelvis, arm, leg, collapsed lung and was bleeding internally." Danny reeled off what he remembered from the scene. "Jesus, Erin. His God damn bone was sticking outta his leg." He sighed again, returning to stare at the same spot on the floor. "But I've not heard anything else."
Erin leant forward, elbow on knees, resting her head in her hands. "How's Eddie?"
"Here. Somewhere." Danny answered, looking through the waiting room window into the reception area of the ER. "She went to the bathroom just after we got here, not seen her since."
Erin placed her hand on Danny's back. "He'll be ok, Danny." She said, not sure she believed her own words after hearing the injuries he'd sustained.
"I hope so." Danny replied, feeling less sure of that as the minutes past.
((((()))))
Frank arrived in the ER shortly after Erin, having stopped on the way to pick up Henry. Danny had given them both all the information he had, and they now sat in silence.
Danny looked up at the clock on the wall. "It's been an hour, and nobodies told us anything." He said, standing and walking around the waiting room out of frustration.
"They'll tell us when they can." Frank said, calmly. He'd barely said a word since he'd arrived. His stoic façade not betraying his inner feeling. He felt almost as if he were in a dream, a nightmare. He'd been here before. Different circumstance, but the waiting. He'd done that. He'd hoped he'd never have to do it again. He told himself the streets were safer than when Joe had died. But then Jamie had been hit by a car. A simple accident that could have happened to anyone at any time. But it hadn't, it had happened to his son.
"I'm gonna go and ask someone." Danny said, heading to the door. Just as he got there the door opened and Linda walked in, Jack, Sean and Nikki behind her.
"Dad!" Jack and Sean shouted out, both hugging him. "Is Uncle Jamie ok?" Sean asked without looking up.
Danny sighed. "We don't know much yet." He said, not wanting to lie but not wanting to give them details.
"Is it bad?" Nikki asked, still standing by the door. She was doing her best to put on a brave face, but it was obvious she'd been crying.
Erin sighed, walking over to her daughter to give her a hug. "It's ok, Nikki." She said as Nikki collapsed into her mother, gently sobbing.
"Your Uncle Jamie's never been one to give up easily." Henry said, his voice steady, but worry evident in his eyes.
"True," Frank said, nodding and smiling slightly as he thought of his youngest.
"Remember when he was learning to ride a bike?" Erin asked, smiling at the memory.
"He fell off that thing a hundred times." Henry added, also smiling a little.
"Remember he sprained his wrist?" Frank asked. "And as soon as we got home from the hospital he was straight back on that damned bike."
"Fallin' off a bikes a little different than being hit by three and a half thousand pounds of metal, Dad." Danny responded dryly.
"Danny." Linda hissed, widening her eyes in the direction of the boys, who tightened their grip around their father waist.
"Sorry," Danny snapped back. "But I'm not gonna stand here and lie to my kids that everything's hunky dory! Jamie's hurt! Really hurt, Linda!" His voice became louder as Jack and Sean loosened their grasp around his waist. "I know, because I was there!" He practically shouted at them. "I was there." He repeated, this time quieter, before heading out the door. He stopped when he got there, not turning back to look at his shocked family. "I'm going to get some air." He said, opening the door. "I'm sorry." With that he left the room.
((((()))))
Danny left the ER not sure where he was heading. He walked outside, stopping when the warm air hit him. "You ok?" He heard a familiar voice ask. He turned to see Janko.
"Not really." He replied.
"Heard anything yet?" She asked, walking to stand a little closer.
Danny shook his head. "It's been over an hour and he's still in the damn ER."
Janko swore under her breath. "I'm sorry," She began, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry I wasn't more use on scene, y'know? I just..." She shrugged. "I froze, I panicked. Seeing Jamie like that. I mean, you were there, you saw. I just..." She sighed. "I guess I couldn't handle it."
"You don't gotta be sorry." Danny said, leaning back against the wall. "I just keep replaying it over and over in my head. If I'd just been a bit quicker, if I'd called out to him. If I'd gotten there when he had the guy on the ground to help him cuff him." He shook his head.
"There are a thousand variables to this, Danny." Janko said. "You can't beat yourself up over this. I was there too, I shoulda made it round the car to help cuff him, but I didn't. It just happened so quickly."
"He over took me." Danny stated. When Janko gave him a puzzled look, he elaborated. "When we were chasing down the perp, we got to an ally and Jamie over took me. 'Keep up old man!'" He quoted, scoffing a little. "But I didn't. And now Jamie's in there and God know what's gonna happen."
"So what?" Janko asked, leaning against the wall too. "It should've been you? You should have got hit? Jesus, it's not like you were driving." Danny went to speak but Janko spoke over him. "So what then? You get hit and suddenly everything's ok? Or you don't get hurt because you're mister invincible detective? What sort of crap is that, Reagan? Jamie just picks you up of the street and we all go for a beer? What the hell is with these Reagan self-guilt trips. I mean seriously, is that a Catholic thing?" She finished, resting her head against the wall and closing her eyes.
Danny remained silent for a few minutes, taking in her words. He did feel guilty. If he'd just been a few seconds sooner, maybe he could have warned Jamie. "Mister invincible detective?" Danny repeated, before pointing from himself to Janko and back. "You know I outrank you, right?" He asked, half smiling.
She smiled back. "Damn Reagans." She said, shaking her head.
"C'mon." Danny said, heading back into the ER. "Let's see if there's any news."
((((()))))
"Jameson Reagan's family, I assume." A petite blonde doctor asked as she entered the waiting room. Janko was now sat with them, the man with the newspaper long gone.
Frank stood to great her. "Frank Reagan." He said, nodding.
"I'm Doctor Alvin. I was treating your son down here in the ER."
"Is he OK?" Nikki asked from where she was sitting next to Erin. Linda was sat a few seats down, one of the boys either side of her.
"He's been stabilised and taken up for surgery." Alvin said, looking around the family. "Jameson..."
"Jamie." Danny interrupted, sitting a few seats away from Henry and next to Janko. "He likes to be called Jamie." He added quietly.
Alvin smiled apologetically. "Jamie's suffered some extensive internal injuries. He's broken four ribs on his left hand side and as a result his left lung was also punctured. The medic on scene performed a thoracic decompression on route and we've replaced that with a chest tube. He's also suffered from a few bad fractures. His right forearm has an compound fracture, but with minimal tissue damage, which is a good thing." She explained. "His left leg also suffered a compound fracture. Unfortunately this one was more severe with quite a degree of tissue and muscle damage. Jamie also has a skull fracture, however it's not compressed so hopefully will heal on it's own with careful monitoring. He also has a left side pelvic fracture, which has caused some sever internal bleeding. We've managed to get that under control and stabilised him enough for surgery. A nurse will be with you soon to show you to the recovery waiting room but I should warn you, it may be a few hours until you have any news." She sighed gently as she looked around the family taking in the news. "I'll leave you alone for a while. Feel free to find me if you have any questions." She said before leaving the family alone.
They sat in silence for a while. Each absorbing the news in their own way.
"Uncle Jamie's gonna be ok, though, right?" Sean asked, looking at his mother, "The doctor made it sound really bad."
Linda pulled him closer to her, doing the same with Jack "I hope so, boys." She said, kissing the top of their heads before looking around her in-laws. "I hope so."
(((((())))))
AN2: Chapter two up. I hope the medical mumbo jumbo made sense. I tried to research what I could, but not being in anyway a medical professional it's bound to be inaccurate (but we can forgive that, right)
Hope you enjoyed! 'Til next time.
ATGPNWT85 x