Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Collision Course, Chapters 9-10

As Faith approached the site of the crash, she noted Jimmy and several firefighters working to peel the roof off of the RMP. She headed towards Lieutenant Swersky, but stopped short when she noticed Cruz standing to his left. She and Cruz had gone out of their way to avoid each other since Faith's return to work. They only spoke when it was absolutely vital to their job. There were some who talked about "the new Cruz." They said she'd changed. Even Sully and Ty seemed to be convinced. But Faith wasn't. She knew enough about the old Cruz to know she'd never change.

Faith studied Cruz's face expecting to find the usual arrogant, 'I'm in charge' attitude. But what she saw surprised her. There was a quiet sadness in her eyes, which were fixed on the scene before her. She seemed oblivious to anything else. Faith followed her gaze back to the wreckage. Her own view was partially blocked by Sully. Even so, when she looked closely, she realized that the police cruiser involved was 55-David. An overwhelming dread swept through her as she hurriedly looked around. When she saw Doc nearby examining Sasha, her dread turned to panic. She bolted toward the RMP, but was stopped by Swersky grabbing her arm.

"Stay back, Faith. They're doing everything they can."

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Doc was taking his time evaluating Sasha, even though she appeared to be ok. He had figured out what Sully had done. Sully had directed him toward Sasha to keep him away from Bosco. 'Well, alright then,' he thought. 'If that's the way they want it, then so be it.' They would have to ask him if they wanted his help.

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Sully was lost in thought. He was snapped back to reality by Kim calling to him. The roof along with the screen that divided the front seat from the prisoner area had been removed from the car. And the firefighters were readying their other equipment for the extraction. Sully noticed that Kim had placed a c-collar on Bosco's neck and started an IV in his right arm.

"Sully, where's Doc?" Kim questioned. "I'm gonna need some help over here."

Sully frowned and looked around. "Doc!" he shouted. "Kim needs some help."

"IN A MINUTE!" Doc growled.

A disgusted Sully looked back at Kim.

"Sully, hand me that short spine board." Kim pointed to the board outside the car.

Sully quickly did as he was told.

"Get behind him." Kim ordered, directing Sully into the back seat of the RMP directly behind Bosco.

Again Sully obeyed. Kim sounded as if she meant business.

With Kim kneeling on the seat at Bosco's left side and Sully behind him, they gently leaned him back against the spine board. Sully wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a soft moan escape Bosco. And he was scared to death. He wasn't trained to do this. He was afraid he might hurt Bosco worse than he already was.

"Kim, where are Carlos and Levine?" Sully inquired, hoping he'd soon be relieved of his duties.

"They're tied up in a multi-car pile-up. But they should be here soon. You're doing fine, Sul." Kim reassured him. "Hold this," she ordered as she shoved the bag connected to Bosco's IV into Sully's hand.

Kim went about treating Bosco as Jimmy and DK began working to get the steering column out of the way. Sully looked on in fascinated horror.

Once Kim had bandaged the wounds on Bosco's scalp and face, she proceeded to cut his shirt off and remove his vest. She had forgotten about the vest. 'Maybe that had given him some protection.' That hope was short lived. When she cut his T-shirt open, she could see an angry purple bruise running down Boco's left side. It started just below his arm and disappeared beneath his belt. His breathing was shallow and faster than usual. When she examined his ribs, Bosco moaned once again and Kim looked up to see his eyes flutter.

"Bosco?" Kim questioned, but got no response.

She pressed her hand over his abdomen which tensed and was surprised to hear a mumbled "s…s...stop."

She jumped almost as if she'd been bitten and looked up into Bosco's open eyes. His face was filled with confusion.

"Bosco? Do you know where you are?" Kim questioned.

When he grumbled "New York," Kim almost laughed thinking that he was being his usual wise-guy self. But when she saw the frown on his face she wasn't so sure.

Bosco tried to look around, but was restrained by the c-collar. "Sasha?" He whispered.

Kim gave Sully a questioning glance. Sully leaned down beside Bosco's ear to reassure him. "She's alright, Bosco. Not a scratch on her."

Bosco seemed satisfied with this. Then he tried to raise his right arm to his head, but he couldn't escape Kim's grasp.

"Don't move, Bos." Kim said softly.

Bosco wrinkled his forehead "My eye?"

Kim looked to see that blood had saturated the bandage on his scalp. "That's just blood, Bosco. You've got a bit of a cut up there."

Bosco coughed, then winced. "Hurts" he groaned.

"Yeah, you've got some broken ribs." Kim informed him.

Bosco frowned. "Hospital?"

Kim smiled because he'd said it as if they hadn't thought of it. She placed an oxygen mask over Bosco's mouth and nose. "We're working on that, Bos. Just hang on."

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Jimmy and DK finally managed to remove the steering column. Then Jimmy knelt down behind Kim to get a closer look at Bosco's leg that was trapped. When he did, he saw something neither of them had noticed before. Blood was pooling in the floor of the RMP beside Bosco's leg.

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Ty looked up to see Lt. Swersky and Faith approaching.

The lieutenant nodded to him and then looked at Doc and Sasha. He could tell that Sasha had been crying. She was still shaking slightly.

"How are you doing, Monroe?" He questioned.

"I… I think I'm alright, Sir." Sasha answered in a shaky voice. She wanted to ask about Bosco, but she wasn't sure that she really wanted to hear what might be said.

Swersky turned his attention fully to Doc. "I think Kim may need some help, Doc."

"Yeah, I heard her!" Doc snapped. "But I'm busy with another patient right now. Carlos should be here soon and then I'll leave her."

Faith studied Doc carefully. She was bewildered by the change in him lately. It was obvious to her that Sasha wasn't seriously injured. Normally Doc would be swarming over the most critical patient. But he didn't even seem concerned about Bosco.

"I'll be ok, Doc. You can go if Kim needs you." Sasha encouraged him.

ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Kim had splinted Bosco's left forearm and was taking his blood pressure on the other arm when she felt Jimmy tap her lightly on the back.

"BP's 90 over 50 and pulse is 112" she reported to Sully, who wrote the numbers down on a scrap of paper Kim had given him. Kim turned to Jimmy with a questioning look.

"You'd better take a look at this," he reported grimly.

Kim followed Jimmy's gaze to the pool of blood on the floor of the car. She leaned down closer to see if she could tell where it was coming from. She could only see a part of Bosco's bloody pants leg surrounded by the twisted metal. She quickly grabbed a roll of gauze from her supply bag and began wrapping the leg just below the knee. She wrapped it tightly as far down as she could go and then tied it off. The end of the bandage closest to the wreckage soon turned a bright crimson. She glanced at Jimmy with a frown.

"Make it fast, Jimmy. That's the best I can do."

She turned back to Bosco and noticed his eyes were closed.

"Open your eyes, Bosco!" She realized by the shocked look on his face that she'd said it a little too forcefully. "Just try to stay awake. Ok, Bos." she said in a much softer tone.

She quickly started another IV, this time in his upper left arm. She handed it to Sully. "Squeeze it," she ordered as she took the nearly empty bag from his other hand and replaced it with a full one. She moved to check his blood pressure again. 85 over 45, pulse 120. 'Hurry, Jimmy.' She silently begged.

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Jimmy used the hydraulic ram to try to push the mass of metal back, hoping to free Bosco's leg. It didn't work. He'd have to try another approach.

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

When Carlos and Levine arrived at the scene, they were astonished by the site before them. They hurried over to Doc to see what they could do to help.

Doc motioned to Sasha. "You guys take her. I'm going to go see if I can help Kim." Doc instructed.

ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

"How's it coming, Jimmy? " Kim asked. Jimmy could hear the panic in her voice, although he doubted anyone else could.

"Getting closer." Jimmy tried to reassure her.

"Ahhhhh." Bosco moaned as Jimmy cut through a piece of metal and his leg shifted.

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Doc took a quick look at Bosco as he approached. 'Looks like the little tough guy finally met his match.' He looked quickly at Kim. "How's he doing?"

'It's about time, Doc.' Kim wanted to shout it at him but tried to keep her cool for Bosco's sake. She gave Doc a brief rundown.

Doc looked at Jimmy. "How much longer until he's free?"

"Not sure." Jimmy replied. "Hopefully not long."

"Hopefully? What's his pressure?" Doc quizzed. Kim gave him the latest readings.

Doc pulled out his cell phone.

"What are you doing?" Kim questioned.

"I'm calling for a field surgeon. We may have to amputate." Doc grumbled.

"Doc!" Kim and Sully both exclaimed at the same time.

"What?" Doc asked incredulously.

Bosco soon voiced what Kim and Sully were both thinking. "I can hear you, MORON." His voice was surprisingly strong.

"WELL, DO YOU WANT TO BLEED TO DEATH?" Doc practically shouted.

Bosco glared at Doc then back at Kim. "Nobody's cutting my leg off! You let me die first!"

"Calm down, Bosco." Kim instructed.

"And don't let that IDIOT touch me! " Bosco coughed and took a shaky breath, the exertion of dealing with Doc taking its toll.

"FINE!" Doc shouted and turned to leave.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" Kim was seething.

"I do believe that the patient has refused to let me treat him." Doc calmly stated and stalked away.

Sully was red in the face and shaking. If he hadn't had his hands full of the vital fluids that Bosco needed, he would have ripped Doc's head off.

Kim closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had to get herself together. She could deal with Doc later.

When she opened her eyes she was surprised at what she saw before her. Bosco was silently staring ahead, his eyes gleaming with unshed tears. His lips trembled as he tried to keep his composure. His whole body shook slightly and a thin film of sweat formed on his brow. He took in a stuttering breath and when he spoke it was almost a whisper. "I'm gonna die."

Kim couldn't tell if it was a question or a statement of fact. Her breath caught and she was unable to reply as she watched Bosco gasp for a breath between the sobs that suddenly wracked his body. Tears mixed with blood rolled down his cheek.

"NO BOSCO! Don't say that. You're going to be fine."

Sully's raspy voice snapped Kim out of her shocked silence. "Sully's right, Bos. Where gonna get you out of here any minute. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, JIMMY?" She raised her voice.

"Almost there." Jimmy assured.

ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Carlos hurried over to the RMP and surveyed the scene. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he felt almost as if he were trespassing. The silence was eerie. Finally Kim looked up to acknowledge him. "What's Doc's problem? " he barked, trying to break the silence.

Kim shrugged in defeat.

"Well, he left with Levine. So I'm with you. What do you need?" his voice softened.

"Can you get the gurney so we'll be ready to go? And more saline?" Kim added as she changed the bag on Bosco's IV again.

"Sure" Carlos mumbled as he hurried towards the bus.

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Jimmy was still working diligently to free Bosco's leg, when Kim noticed that Bosco's eyes were again closed As she reached up to lightly shake his shoulder, he opened his eyes spontaneously. He was strangely calm compared to before. "What time is it?" he asked.

Kim looked at her watch. She was amazed to find that it was only 4:37. Although it seemed like days, it had only been about 35 minutes since the crash. It was one of the first calls of their shift. "It's 4:37." She informed Bosco.

Bosco looked as if he were pondering something, then suddenly he tried to sit up. "I've got to go." He urged as Kim tried to restrain him.

"Got to go where, Bosco? We're going to the hospital." Kim soothed.

"No, I've got to go home." Bosco rambled. "If I'm late, Dad will be mad. I can't be late." His voice was getting more urgent as he tried to get Kim's hands off of him.

Sully gave Kim a confused look and she just shook her head. "Bosco, relax." Sully's voice was quiet and calm.

"NO!" Bosco shouted, becoming more desperate. "If I'm late Dad will be mad and he'll take it out on Ma. Mikey can't protect her. I have to go." His eyes were filling with tears again and he gasped for breath as he struggled with Kim and Sully.

Kim realized that it must be shock that was causing him to be so confused. "Bosco, listen." She pleaded. "We're going to take you to the hospital and Sully will go get your mom. Ok? Nobody's going to hurt her."

Bosco calmed a bit and looked at Kim apprehensively. "Promise?" he questioned.

Kim's heart broke. "I promise, Bosco. Right, Sul?"

Sully cleared his throat as he blinked tears from his eyes. "Yeah, that's right Bos." He assured him, placing a hand on Bosco's shoulder. "In fact, I'm going to go get her right now. Ok?"

Sully couldn't take any more of this. He couldn't stand by helplessly and watch Bosco die. He called over to the first person that he saw, and as she approached he placed the IV bags in her hands. "Squeeze." He commanded, and then left the RMP abruptly.