Erin shuddered at the sight of Hank laying in the hospital bed. She wasn't used to seeing him hurt, seeing him weak.
He was the strong one, her father figure. He could stare murderers and the coldest of criminals down without flinching. He'd taken a bullet but always bounced back. He fiercely defended those close to him and was merciless with those who betrayed him. He was the last of the generation of old-school cops, those who weren't afraid to do whatever it took to see justice done.
Most people feared Hank Voight. There was a way about how he carried himself. A distinction, a no-nonsense demeanor. His face bore the lines of a cop who had seen too much but survived it all, the lines of sadness. Sadness for those he had lost and sadness for those he couldn't save. His voice, that gravelly voice of his. When words that carried spite rolled off that smoky voice, it was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.
But Erin. She had known a different side of Hank. He wasn't just the tough guy cop who everyone thought had a heart of stone. He was the man who saved her life with just a business card. He was the man who held her through her darkest days and was by her side through the brightest.
He wasn't just a fatherly figure. He was her father.
She stepped towards the hospital bed, taking in the sight of him. There was a cannula under his nose, delivering oxygen. He was covered in a baby blue hospital blanket, wires leading out on both sides from under it, attached to different machines. Each machine had a different sound, a different light. They were all blinking different colors at different intervals. Some would make intermittent beeping sounds while one would let out a huff of air, expanding and deflating. That sound alone made her hair stand on end. "It's just the oxygen tank, it's a good thing", she thought to herself, trying to stay calm.
She wasn't a doctor. She didn't know what each machine was doing but she did know that blinking lights and random sounds were a good thing. It meant he was alive and that was all that mattered to her.
She studied his face as tears streamed from hers. "Hank?" she said, in a whisper that was barely audible. His eyes flickered, as if he was experiencing a vivid dream. His cheek and temple twitched.
"Hank?" she said again, a whisper.
He began to stir, his eyes slowing opening.
His mouth opened and on the waves of a throaty and hoarse voice, he whispered, "Hiya, kid."
She took his hand, "You had us scared. Really scared", gently swatting his hand.
"I'm okay."
She sighed, tilting her head, her shoulders relaxing. Shaking her head, "Hank…"
"I'm okay, Erin."
She whispered, "Seeing you like that. I felt so helpless."
"I'm sorry." He tightened his hand around hers.
"It made me think how much I need you in my life. How important you are to me and how much I…"
Her voice caught in her throat.
"I just…I can't lose you."
"And you won't. I'm sticking around for the long run."
She hugged him, careful not to pull any of the wires, but she hugged him tight as she could without causing him pain. Sobbing into his shirt, "You don't do this to me again", she sniffled.
He chuckled, "I don't plan to."
Alvin came out from the corner of the room where he was standing, waiting for the right time to speak.
"You know, Hank…"
"If you wanted some time off, you could have just said so."
Hank chuckled, a slight cough following.
"Hey, Al." He reached his arms upwards and their hands met into a forearm handshake.
"How you doin', man?"
Hank nodded, "I won't lie. I feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck."
Will came into the room, "Hey, Doc? When can I get out of here?"
Will's eyes widened, checking his watch. "It's only been about five hours. I advise a little more bedrest." He shook his head at his patients stubbornness.
"When can I get out of here? Erin said, repeating his words. "You're worse than Jay!", her face scrunched in disbelief. "You're staying here until the doctors say you can go. I'll handcuff you to this bed, if I have to!"
Hank didn't say anything. He knew his daughter. She was a woman of her word there wasn't a doubt in his mind…she'd do it.
...end
A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this story. Even though I am a big fan of medical shows, I'm still lacking when it comes to incorporating those terms and jargon into my fanfic but I did some research to try and make it accurate. I'm kind of critical of my work and am the first one to admit that I do need to learn a lot more. Any and all constructive criticism is welcomed. :) This is the end of A Crack In The Stone but I am working on a few other pieces and plan to post them soon. Thanks for reading!